could hear his Aunt Leah’s voice now just
as the last time he’d visited Redbourne Ranch.
The only person you can control is yourself, Noah
Deardon. Do that well, and the rest will all work out as it should.
Levi’s mama was a wise woman, the only mother
figure Noah or his brothers had ever known.
“I’ll just need a minute,” Kate told him.
“Of course,” he raised a brow and strode to the
other end of the room. “We’ll give you a moment.”
Kate’s exhale was audible. He glanced back at
her and winked.
“Fannie,” Kate called to the older woman, “would
you stay and help me please?”
The men all stepped into the hallway, while Kate
did whatever she needed to do in order to feel presentable.
Dell headed back out to the living area,
presumably to tell the unsuspecting suitor that Miss Callahan would be out to
greet him shortly.
Noah didn’t move from his place in the hall.
“Well,” Mr. Thomas slapped him on the shoulder,
“this might prove to be more of a competition than I originally thought.” He turned
to follow Dell. “Time to step it up a notch, eh, Deardon?” he said with a
haughty smirk.
Noah shoved his hands through his hair, rooted
to his spot.
“Aren’t you even the least bit curious?” Levi
asked.
Noah had heard about wealthy businessmen back East
who were looking to invest in or purchase successful ranches. He wanted to see
this Mr. Stiles and vet him properly as much as anyone, maybe more, but
something gave him pause.
“Of course, I am,” he whispered louder than
he’d intended. “But I gave her my word.”
All this rigmarole complicated everything, not
that he was afraid of a little competition. He needed to go about things a
little differently.”
“There is nothing for me to do except show Kate
who I am. To prove to her that I am the right man.” He knew it sounded strange
to want to be with a woman he’d barely met, but he wanted to spend the rest of
his life getting to know her.
“How are you going to do that?”
Noah had been thinking long and hard about his
plans.
What am I doing?
“This isn’t me, Levi. If I am going to do this,
I am going to do it my way.”
He needed to show Kate that he was a man worth
taking a risk over. He needed to court her, yes, but he also needed to convince
her he was everything she’d asked for—
Hardworking? Check.
Knowledgeable of how to run a successful cattle
ranch? Check.
Young and able-bodied. Mostly check. To some,
his thirty years didn’t qualify him as young, but he was still able-bodied.
Kind? Faithful? He tried. And check. To the end.
Now, Noah just needed Kate to get to know the
real him and not the concocted version brought out by a trivial competition
with several other potential suitors.
“I like the sound of that. What is your way?”
Levi asked, leaning against the wall in the corridor.
“For starters, I’m going to work.” Noah turned
the opposite direction, heading for the back door.
There was a lot to be done. A ranch this size
needed several more hired hands. Virg, Cal, and Oscar, along with Dell and
Kate, had been doing a great job at maintaining some of the necessities, but a
lot of the property had already started falling into disrepair, and it was
simply too much for just the five of them to handle. At least with several
potential suitors, more work would get done around the place.
Maybe.
Levi caught up to him as he stepped down off
the back steps. “I’ll do everything I can while I’m here.” He stopped Noah and
turned to face him. “I’m leaving at the end of next week. I’ve already been
gone too long and the railroad needs me in Green River to oversee the men I
sent ahead from Oregon.”
“You recruited men from Oregon?”
“You didn’t think you were the only one, did
you?” Levi laughed. “What’s the saying? Two birds, one stone. You were the one
I wanted for Laramie. The only one.” He clapped Noah on the shoulder. “Eamon’s
coming too. He’s bought
as the last time he’d visited Redbourne Ranch.
The only person you can control is yourself, Noah
Deardon. Do that well, and the rest will all work out as it should.
Levi’s mama was a wise woman, the only mother
figure Noah or his brothers had ever known.
“I’ll just need a minute,” Kate told him.
“Of course,” he raised a brow and strode to the
other end of the room. “We’ll give you a moment.”
Kate’s exhale was audible. He glanced back at
her and winked.
“Fannie,” Kate called to the older woman, “would
you stay and help me please?”
The men all stepped into the hallway, while Kate
did whatever she needed to do in order to feel presentable.
Dell headed back out to the living area,
presumably to tell the unsuspecting suitor that Miss Callahan would be out to
greet him shortly.
Noah didn’t move from his place in the hall.
“Well,” Mr. Thomas slapped him on the shoulder,
“this might prove to be more of a competition than I originally thought.” He turned
to follow Dell. “Time to step it up a notch, eh, Deardon?” he said with a
haughty smirk.
Noah shoved his hands through his hair, rooted
to his spot.
“Aren’t you even the least bit curious?” Levi
asked.
Noah had heard about wealthy businessmen back East
who were looking to invest in or purchase successful ranches. He wanted to see
this Mr. Stiles and vet him properly as much as anyone, maybe more, but
something gave him pause.
“Of course, I am,” he whispered louder than
he’d intended. “But I gave her my word.”
All this rigmarole complicated everything, not
that he was afraid of a little competition. He needed to go about things a
little differently.”
“There is nothing for me to do except show Kate
who I am. To prove to her that I am the right man.” He knew it sounded strange
to want to be with a woman he’d barely met, but he wanted to spend the rest of
his life getting to know her.
“How are you going to do that?”
Noah had been thinking long and hard about his
plans.
What am I doing?
“This isn’t me, Levi. If I am going to do this,
I am going to do it my way.”
He needed to show Kate that he was a man worth
taking a risk over. He needed to court her, yes, but he also needed to convince
her he was everything she’d asked for—
Hardworking? Check.
Knowledgeable of how to run a successful cattle
ranch? Check.
Young and able-bodied. Mostly check. To some,
his thirty years didn’t qualify him as young, but he was still able-bodied.
Kind? Faithful? He tried. And check. To the end.
Now, Noah just needed Kate to get to know the
real him and not the concocted version brought out by a trivial competition
with several other potential suitors.
“I like the sound of that. What is your way?”
Levi asked, leaning against the wall in the corridor.
“For starters, I’m going to work.” Noah turned
the opposite direction, heading for the back door.
There was a lot to be done. A ranch this size
needed several more hired hands. Virg, Cal, and Oscar, along with Dell and
Kate, had been doing a great job at maintaining some of the necessities, but a
lot of the property had already started falling into disrepair, and it was
simply too much for just the five of them to handle. At least with several
potential suitors, more work would get done around the place.
Maybe.
Levi caught up to him as he stepped down off
the back steps. “I’ll do everything I can while I’m here.” He stopped Noah and
turned to face him. “I’m leaving at the end of next week. I’ve already been
gone too long and the railroad needs me in Green River to oversee the men I
sent ahead from Oregon.”
“You recruited men from Oregon?”
“You didn’t think you were the only one, did
you?” Levi laughed. “What’s the saying? Two birds, one stone. You were the one
I wanted for Laramie. The only one.” He clapped Noah on the shoulder. “Eamon’s
coming too. He’s bought
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