future vice president and a train robber sharing a room? I only hope we’re as fortuitous to have such interesting guests if we have our dude ranch, West.”
Our dude ranch. Why did those three words and the rare glimpse at Vienna’s lighthearted side have the power to command his heart to speed up with anticipation?
“I guess time will tell,” he drawled before facing forward again.
And wasn’t that the truth? Time would tell if anyone found out about his true origins or if he and Vienna went forward with creating a dude ranch and the venture proved successful. But in spite of the risks, on all accounts, West was ready and willing to move forward with their plans.
* * *
After a late supper that was as delicious as one she and Mrs. Harvey might have made back at the Running W, Vienna was more than ready to go to sleep. She bid West good-night. But when he started to rise from the dining table where he’d been catching up with his friends, she waved him back into his seat. It was obvious how much he was enjoying talking with Alec and the Eatons, and she was glad for it.
When she’d once asked about his family, shortly after they had first met, West had told her that for all intents and purposes he was an orphan same as her. And while Vienna had been close to her cousin Lavina, who now lived in Buffalo, Wyoming, she’d found a new family with the Kents at the Running W, just as West had. Still, she was pleased to see that he had others in his life here in North Dakota who, like Edward and Maggy, could also be called family.
“I’ll see you at breakfast,” she said to West.
He nodded. “Good night, Vienna.”
“Good night.”
She was led to a nice room on the second floor of the big house. After hearing the story of Roosevelt and the train robber, she was more than relieved to discover she was the room’s only occupant.
Thanking her hostess, Vienna shut the door and readied for bed. It felt strange that she only had herself to care for tonight, rather than getting Hattie ready for bed, too. A wave of missing her daughter brought a lump to her throat as she knelt beside the bed to pray. She thanked the Lord for her and West’s safe arrival, for the kind welcome and hospitality of the Eatons, for West’s friendship and for the help of the Kents, who in caring for Hattie had made this trip possible for Vienna. She asked that her daughter would be watched over and that she would know what to do about their future. Then before ending her prayer, she pleaded, as she always did, for strength and courage.
Vienna blew out the lamp and climbed into bed. But in spite of her travel-weary body and a longing to sleep, her mind was jumping about like a jackrabbit.
She’d liked what she had viewed of the Custer Trail Ranch in the dusky evening light earlier. The two-story main house, which featured logs on the bottom half and siding on the top, appeared spacious and comfortable, with living and dining rooms on the first floor. A peek into the former had revealed plenty of books for reading and even musical instruments for playing.
Tomorrow Alec had promised to show Vienna around the grounds—well, her and West both. Overhearing his friend’s invitation to Vienna, West had asked to come along, saying he needed to reacquaint himself with the place.
Vienna smiled into the dark at the memory. It seemed West didn’t want her touring the ranch alone with Alec. There’d also been that moment at the train station when she’d smiled at Alec and had caught what looked like jealousy in West’s brown eyes. Did he think she liked his friend?
Alec was nice-looking, with his dark blond hair and blue-gray eyes, and she had appreciated his compliments. But she didn’t fancy him or any other man. A recollection entered her thoughts of how her heart had tripped faster when West had given her a smile on the train and told her that she’d changed.
That didn’t mean she fancied him again, she told herself as her smile drooped. Her reaction to him likely only stemmed from the old feelings of attraction she’d once felt. He might be handsome, kind and hardworking, but anything other than friendship in their relationship would be strictly business-related. Even if they married for convenience.
Not for the first time, a shudder ran through Vienna at the thought of being married again—even in name only. How naive she’d been when she had married Chance. She hadn’t really known him and whatever warning signs she might have noticed she’d credited to comparing him too much with West. Then there’d been all the hiding and secrets regarding Chance’s many vices.
She blew out a steadying breath, rolled onto her side and shut her eyes. Her marriage with Chance was over; it was a thing of the past. And even if she did choose to marry West for convenience, she wouldn’t have to fear that he was keeping secrets from her. She might not know yet what do about her ranch, but she did know West McCall—and he wasn’t hiding anything.
West was up before breakfast the next morning, eager to see the ranch in broad daylight. He also didn’t want to miss Alec’s tour with Vienna. Because he wanted to see the changes the Eatons had told him about last night, of course—nothing more. It wasn’t like he was worried that Vienna fancied his best friend. Although, if Vienna did like Alec, would she still be willing to consider converting the HC Bar into a dude ranch in partnership with West?
He frowned as he finished pulling on his boots and stood to collect his hat. Better not to meddle in matters of the heart, especially where Vienna was concerned. West had erroneously tread that path once before. He wouldn’t put himself or her through that again.
No, he thought, clapping his hat on his head. I’ll let things play out as they’re meant to this time. It wasn’t as if Vienna had made up her mind yet about the dude ranch, anyway. She could still choose to do something else with her house and property, which may or may not be influenced by a certain blond cowboy.
West wouldn’t petition the Lord for things to go his way, either. He’d done that once before, on a matter as dear to his heart as having a dude ranch, but it hadn’t materialized as he’d wanted. Experience was often a stern teacher, and it had taught him well. The safest course, the surest way to avoid disappointment or heartache, was to quit asking God for those things he deeply desired. Instead, he’d work hard toward reaching his dreams, but if they didn’t materialize now or in the future, he’d experience less pain for not having asked for them in the first place.
Leaving the building dubbed the “dude pen,” where he’d slept last night, West strolled toward the main house and into the dining room. There were already people seated at the table—likely guests who wanted to eat before they headed out on a full-day’s ride.
He was halfway through clearing his own plate when Vienna walked in. She was dressed in a white blouse, a brown vest and a matching brown split skirt for riding. Her hair hung down her back in a simple braid instead of the elaborate coiffure from yesterday. And while West had liked her traveling look just fine, there was something undeniably attractive about the simplicity of her attire and hairstyle today.
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