ranch.”
Hannah continued the conversation as she readied herself for the day. “Because, this is my house. If I’m not cooking and cleaning and caring for my husband, then what do you suggest I do?”
Will stood behind her now. He pulled her close again, turning her to face him. The look in his eyes said trouble. As he wiggled his eyebrows, he said, “Make babies?”
“William Colter!” She squealed before pushing him away. “I’m serious.”
He grinned mischievously. “So was I.”
Putting her hands on her hips in exasperation, she frowned. Does he really not understand what it is like to have another woman working in my kitchen?
“Don’t give me that look. Okay,” he said throwing his arms in the air in mock surrender. “I understand you want to cook and care for me. And I appreciate it. I just don’t want you burdened with cooking for all the ranch hands. That’s why we have Rosa.”
“Did you forget that I’ve spent the last four months working at the boardinghouse cooking for large numbers of men? Cleaning their rooms and doing their laundry? I think I can handle it.”
“It’s not about your ability to handle it,” he said as he took her hands in his. Looking down into her eyes, he continued, “As I expand the ranch and hire more cowboys, neither one of you will be able to handle everything on your own.”
Hannah tilted her head to the side, still somewhat irritated that he didn’t understand her.
“Look, this house is your domain. Rosa works for both of us. Talk to her and work things out however you want.” Winking, he continued, “Then, when you make me the proud papa of a herd of children and have your hands full, you’ll still have help.”
At the mention of children, Hannah looked away. That was still a difficult subject for her. Especially since it was well over two years into her first marriage before she conceived. Then she lost her first and only child just a few months into the pregnancy, shortly after her first husband died in a tragic accident. She had a lot of doubt and fear about her ability to bear Will any children.
Looking back into his eyes, she sighed. She saw the look of concern on his face. This was not a conversation for so early in the morning. Standing on her toes, she stretched up to give him a quick peck on the lips.
“I am sure Rosa and I will work everything out,” she said walking from their bedroom into the main part of the ranch house.
“Good morning, Rosa.”
Rosa nodded as she placed huge portions of food on two plates. She must be used to serving only men. That is twice the food I could ever eat in one sitting. Smiling, Hannah took a seat across from Will at the table.
A knock came from the front door. Will stood to open it. “Ben,” Will greeted his foreman. “Have breakfast with us.”
Up until this point, Hannah had Will all to herself in the mornings. She wondered what prompted the unusual visit as she stood to serve Ben some breakfast before Rosa took the rest of the food to the bunkhouse for the ranch hands.
Setting the smaller portion she dished up at her place, she slid the other plate across the table to Ben.
As soon as Will finished grace, Ben started the conversation. “Have you given any thought to driving some of the herd to California?”
Will swallowed a bite of eggs. “Probably should already be headed that way. It’s getting kinda late in the year for a drive.”
“Yer accident set us back a bit but, we can be ready in a week. Already been layin’ in supplies. Just need to figure out who all is goin’, how many head ya want to sell, and if we need to hire more men.”
Will nodded. “Best not to wait much longer. We’ll take a thousand head. The rest we’ll need to keep for the army contract and the contracts in town. We’ll definitely have to take Snake, unless you’ve found someone else who can cook on the
Hannah continued the conversation as she readied herself for the day. “Because, this is my house. If I’m not cooking and cleaning and caring for my husband, then what do you suggest I do?”
Will stood behind her now. He pulled her close again, turning her to face him. The look in his eyes said trouble. As he wiggled his eyebrows, he said, “Make babies?”
“William Colter!” She squealed before pushing him away. “I’m serious.”
He grinned mischievously. “So was I.”
Putting her hands on her hips in exasperation, she frowned. Does he really not understand what it is like to have another woman working in my kitchen?
“Don’t give me that look. Okay,” he said throwing his arms in the air in mock surrender. “I understand you want to cook and care for me. And I appreciate it. I just don’t want you burdened with cooking for all the ranch hands. That’s why we have Rosa.”
“Did you forget that I’ve spent the last four months working at the boardinghouse cooking for large numbers of men? Cleaning their rooms and doing their laundry? I think I can handle it.”
“It’s not about your ability to handle it,” he said as he took her hands in his. Looking down into her eyes, he continued, “As I expand the ranch and hire more cowboys, neither one of you will be able to handle everything on your own.”
Hannah tilted her head to the side, still somewhat irritated that he didn’t understand her.
“Look, this house is your domain. Rosa works for both of us. Talk to her and work things out however you want.” Winking, he continued, “Then, when you make me the proud papa of a herd of children and have your hands full, you’ll still have help.”
At the mention of children, Hannah looked away. That was still a difficult subject for her. Especially since it was well over two years into her first marriage before she conceived. Then she lost her first and only child just a few months into the pregnancy, shortly after her first husband died in a tragic accident. She had a lot of doubt and fear about her ability to bear Will any children.
Looking back into his eyes, she sighed. She saw the look of concern on his face. This was not a conversation for so early in the morning. Standing on her toes, she stretched up to give him a quick peck on the lips.
“I am sure Rosa and I will work everything out,” she said walking from their bedroom into the main part of the ranch house.
“Good morning, Rosa.”
Rosa nodded as she placed huge portions of food on two plates. She must be used to serving only men. That is twice the food I could ever eat in one sitting. Smiling, Hannah took a seat across from Will at the table.
A knock came from the front door. Will stood to open it. “Ben,” Will greeted his foreman. “Have breakfast with us.”
Up until this point, Hannah had Will all to herself in the mornings. She wondered what prompted the unusual visit as she stood to serve Ben some breakfast before Rosa took the rest of the food to the bunkhouse for the ranch hands.
Setting the smaller portion she dished up at her place, she slid the other plate across the table to Ben.
As soon as Will finished grace, Ben started the conversation. “Have you given any thought to driving some of the herd to California?”
Will swallowed a bite of eggs. “Probably should already be headed that way. It’s getting kinda late in the year for a drive.”
“Yer accident set us back a bit but, we can be ready in a week. Already been layin’ in supplies. Just need to figure out who all is goin’, how many head ya want to sell, and if we need to hire more men.”
Will nodded. “Best not to wait much longer. We’ll take a thousand head. The rest we’ll need to keep for the army contract and the contracts in town. We’ll definitely have to take Snake, unless you’ve found someone else who can cook on the
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