style="font-size:15px;"> West expected Edward to head to the house right then as the man usually did. Not that he could blame him. If West had a wife and a baby on the way, he’d probably wish to spend every possible moment with his family, too. But while a family meant potential for great joy, as Edward had clearly discovered, they could also be the means of immense heartache. West had learned that sad, hard fact years ago—one was loved and important as long as they were doing what everyone wanted. Once the usefulness wore out, so did the strength of familial ties.
Rather than go inside, though, Edward loosely folded his arms and regarded West curiously. “You want to share what was on your mind earlier?”
“Just thinking,” he hedged.
Edward glanced in the direction of the house. “Did you hear Chance Howe is dead?”
“Yep, Vienna told me earlier.” West kicked at a clump of grass with the toe of his boot. “Did she tell you what she’ll do now?” He didn’t want to share her plan to leave the ranch if she hadn’t yet told the Kents.
“She and Hattie will be moving back to the HC Bar.”
West felt Edward’s gaze on him as he stared hard at the ground. “I suppose that makes sense.”
“Then what’s the reason for your scowl?” the other man asked with a laugh.
Crossing his arms, West lifted his chin and did his best to school his expression into his usual relaxed one. “Just surprised. Vienna seems to really like working and living here. Hattie, too.”
“I believe they did, that they do. However, Vienna wants a home of her own.” Edward looked out across the ranch and pastures. “Now that Howe’s gone, she can return to her home without any fear of him interfering.”
West swallowed back an uncharacteristically sarcastic remark about the Running W being her and Hattie’s home. Still, he wasn’t surprised by Vienna’s desire to have her own home. He’d known nearly from their first meeting, seven years ago, how important home was to her and how much she missed the one she’d had to sell after her parents had both passed away.
He’d wanted to tell her that earlier, but after revealing her shocking news, she’d retreated into the house. West had seen her later when she’d served dinner to the ranch staff, but there hadn’t been a chance to talk privately with her again.
“You can still look out for them, you know.” Edward’s words intruded into West’s thoughts. “They won’t be far away.”
Heat rose up his neck at the realization that his need to protect Vienna and her daughter hadn’t gone unnoticed by his good friend. “I’ve never acted in a way that wasn’t aboveboard, Boss. I promise.”
“I don’t doubt that for a minute, McCall. And I apologize if you think I was implying something to the contrary.” Edward maintained West’s gaze as he added, “You’ve been the perfect gentleman in honoring your past and present friendship with her.”
The relief he felt at Edward’s reassurance was short-lived. More than friendship had motivated West to watch out for Vienna since the night he had helped rescue her from Chance. It had only been a few days prior to that when he’d learned, to his shock and dismay, the kind of husband the man had been to Vienna.
But he couldn’t share his true motive with Edward for wanting to protect Vienna—not yet, maybe never. To do so would mean giving voice to his ever-present guilt. Guilt that told him Vienna’s unhappy marriage to Chance was all West’s fault. After all, he’d been the one to encourage the match in the first place, and he’d be the one to make things right by her now, even if no one, including Vienna, understood why.
“It’ll be strange, won’t it, not having them here anymore?” he said as much in truth as to steer the conversation away from himself.
Vienna might have only been on the ranch for three years, but West could hardly remember what things had been like prior to that. He wasn’t sure he wanted to imagine what it would be like not having her around anymore. Nodding, Edward looked toward the house again. “It’ll be an adjustment, no question about that. And not simply because we’ll need to find a new cook to help Mrs. Harvey. Maggy and I will miss them both.” He shot West a sad smile. “Maggy, in particular, is having a hard time of it, though she understands Vienna’s reasons for going.”
West wasn’t surprised to hear Edward’s wife was struggling with the news. Anyone could see that the bond between Maggy and Vienna ran as close and deep as sisters. Which meant West wouldn’t be the only one to grieve Vienna’s departure when the time came, no matter how close the Howes’ ranch might be to the Running W.
He hoped to visit there as often as he could, but it wouldn’t be the same as seeing Vienna’s soft smile every day or having the chance to teach Hattie something new about the horses and the ranch.
The reality of their leaving sunk deep inside him with that last thought, leaving West feeling hollow with loss in a way he hadn’t felt in years.
* * *
The Kents’ wagon rattled along the road from Sheridan to the ranch. Vienna sat in back, along with West who had been oddly somber since yesterday. She missed his usual smiles and laughter. Still, she’d been relieved when he, Edward and Maggy had asked if they could accompany her to the graveside service at the cemetery today. Mrs. Harvey had volunteered to watch Hattie, so the four adults had set off in the wagon shortly after breakfast.
The sunshine seemed to mock the reality of seeing Chance’s coffin and listening to the pastor’s short speech. The only other people present besides Vienna, the Kents and West were Sheriff Tweed and Chance’s friend Gunther Bertram.
Not knowing the circumstances, the pastor likely hoped his words would bring all of them, especially Vienna, solace—but she wasn’t a typical grieving widow. She needed comfort, yes, but more from the shock of how drastically life could change from one moment to the next than from sorrow over losing a husband she hadn’t seen in three years—a husband she had left, hoping to never see again.
After the short service, as the other guests had visited quietly, she’d remained beside the open hole. “I’m sorry, Chance,” she whispered, “that you were so troubled and broken. I realized shortly after befriending Maggy that I couldn’t fix that for you. Only you could do that.”
Tears blurred the freshly turned earth beside the grave as old memories and remembered pain filled her thoughts. She wrestled them back with the reminder that she was now forever free of Chance’s mistreatment.
“I wish we’d both known that you were responsible for yourself. Maybe then things would have been different. Or maybe not.” She sniffed back the salty moisture. “Either way, I’ve forgiven you and I’m grateful for the gift of our daughter that you gave me. She’s beautiful and smart...and best of all...she isn’t afraid or timid.” Not like Vienna used to be. Not like she still felt sometimes. “Goodbye, Chance.”
She’d felt sapped of all energy even before Bertram had approached her with condolences and news about her horses, which he’d apparently been caring for at Chance’s request. West had thankfully interrupted, cutting the conversation short, and led her to the wagon. Once inside, she’d slumped onto the boards and had been lost in her thoughts ever since.
“Have you given any more thought to your idea about opening a café or restaurant?” Maggy asked, turning on
