“If my daddy saw me right about now, I think he’d keel over.” Ruth squinted one eye shut and
sighted her next tin can target, squeezing the trigger and hitting the stump just below it.
“Not until he beat me good and destroyed my fine reputation,” Charlie drawled, gently correcting Ruth’s line of sight.
“Your reputation ain’t all that good, especially now that you’ve started livin’ at Devil’s Hollow.” The impish smile on Ruth’s lips, the wicked glitter in her eye… she knew what was going on. “Whole town is certain Matthew is head over heels. You wouldn’t believe the stories bantered about.”
Charlie muttered, “Try me.”
“Three weeks back Mary Fletcher saw him standing outside the general store gawking at the boarding house for almost twenty minutes. Hear tell, he turned beet red at getting caught. He flat out ran off when Mary asked if he was gonna buy anything.” Biting her lower lip, looking positively devilish, Ruth asked, “He kissed you yet?”
Boy had he. “Your mind is in the gutter, Miss Cormac.”
The mischief continued. “He is awful handsome… The strong, silent type.”
Charlie cleared her throat, gesturing towards the remaining tin cans. “We here to squawk or shoot things?”
Ruth aimed, fired, and hit the target before answering, “Both.”
“What about Eli?” Charlie was more than happy to turn the tables. “He kissed you yet?”
“Oh, he lays one on me just about any chance he can get. Been real gentlemanly though.” Her voice grew a little wistful, “Brings me flowers and courts me proper.”
“And I get the sense your daddy is warming up to him.”
Big kitten eyes rolled in their sockets. “The fact you keep telling tales and singing his praises doesn’t hurt.”
Charlie giggled. She had been working on the lawman, buttering him up good about the fine traits of Eli Emmerson. “The Emersons have been good to me. It’s the least I can do.”
“Well, let’s hope they don’t do anything tonight that might sway his view.”
“Tonight?”
“It’s the Christmas Hoedown at the Barksdale place. Didn’t you know?” Stunned, Ruth said, “Everyone is going to be there, and the Emersons will be selling a special batch of their liquor. Eli told me a week ago.”
Charlie shook her head, frowning. “No one mentioned it.”
There was a knowing look in Ruth’s eye. “We can’t let the men dictate everything we do. If Matthew don’t got the grit to ask you, then you should go anyway and keep me company. It’ll give you a chance to try out all those dances I taught you.”
Well, the hell with him. She was going. “I’ll be there.”
Chapter 18
When he saw her come down the stairs, hair sculpted and curled like it had been in Chicago, Matthew knew a sinking in his gut. The set of her painted red lips aggressive, Charlie waved off supper and crossed towards the door.
She’d found out.
Nathaniel had warned him trying to hide it was foolish, but he kept his silence anyway. Hell, even Eli’s loud mouth had been sealed.
Looking up from the jar in his hand, Nathaniel gave her a cockeyed once over. “Well don’t you look real purdy in your red dress, Charlie.”
She offered a cold smile. “You look like you actually combed your hair.” Making a closer inspection, Charlie added, “And your shirt is tucked in… Must be a special occasion.”
His cocky grin only spread further. “Will you save me a dance?”
“I would be honored to step on your toes.” Voice decidedly less friendly, her eyes went to his younger brother. “Evening, Matthew. Don’t wait up for me.”
When the door banged shut and her engine revved, Nathaniel began to outright laugh at the look on Matthew’s face. “You are gonna have a night of hell, and I am gonna enjoy watchin’ you squirm.”