Silver Creek - G.L. Snodgrass Page 0,21

“it won’t return Johnson’s property to his niece. It was purchased fair and square.”

Luke shrugged. “You know this country. They find out a young woman was cheated or mishandled and they get irate. I seen more than one vigilante group get started for less. And that’s the thing about hangings. You do enough of them and people start to reevaluate who owns what.”

The tall man didn’t blink as he stared back at Luke. The two of them held each other’s stare until Sarah Felton touched her brother’s arm. He broke contact and looked down at his sister.

Luke glanced at Mark Felton and Troy Cooper and realized that neither would do anything now. Not here. Not in front of Sarah Felton. Now was the time to make his exit. When there was an audience. He’d gained what he wanted. Upset men who might make a mistake.

“Ma’am,” he said as he tipped his hat and turned his horse. Carver stared up at him and slowly shook his head as he passed. A cold shiver ran down Luke’s back as he waited for a gun to explode. But he was almost positive they would hold off. But almost sure wasn’t the same as completely sure.

Only when he was safely out of pistol range did his shoulders relax a little. He kicked the big roan and started for home. Again. It was strange. But it felt as if he was actually going home. All because Becky was there.

Chapter Nine

Rebecca jumped and spun around just as she did every time the restaurant’s front door opened. Her heart fell when Pap Wilkins stepped in.

“Ain’t you happy to see me?” he asked with a disappointed frown.

“She was hoping you was that Luke fellow,” someone called from across the room.

Pap frowned. “What does he have that I ain’t?”

Everyone laughed, but Rebecca couldn’t enjoy it. Her heart ached and refused to relax. Where was Luke? A gentle cough reminded her what she was supposed to be doing. Grabbing the coffee pot, she filled Pap’s cup. Then turned for the kitchen to tell Helen to put another steak on the stove.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to return to the dining room and start clearing dishes. She was bent over scrubbing a tabletop when the door opened behind her. Holding her breath, she glanced over her shoulder to find Luke standing there with a strange expression.

“What?” she demanded before she could remember that she was overjoyed with his return.

He shrugged. “Nothing much, but I got to tell you. You grew up to a right handsome woman. Hanna always said you would.”

Rebecca’s cheeks flashed with heat as she quickly looked away. Her world wobbled for a moment. She had been so worried all day and then he waltzes in and pretends as if walking into that snake pit known as the Circle B wasn’t significant. Then, to top it off, he says that he likes the way she looked. Of course, her world wobbled.

Her only recourse was to retreat. Turning, she hurried into the kitchen. A moment, that was what she needed. A moment to gather herself. The realization last night that she loved Luke Parker had shaken her to her very core. But it was the realization that he would never love her back that had really ruined her day.

“Was that Luke?” Helen asked. “Is he hungry?”

Rebecca swallowed hard and nodded as she gathered up Pap’s order.

Helen shot her a quizzical look then shook her head. “Really girl. You act like you ain’t never seen a man before.”

“Shush,” she hissed as she glanced over the batwing doors to the dining room to see if he heard. She was terrified that Luke might learn about how she truly felt. Thankfully, he had moved to the far corner where he could put his back to the wall and keep an eye on the door.

Helen scoffed as she dropped a steak into the frying pan. “Granted, Luke might be better than most. But he’s still a man. And you’re a pretty girl. It won’t be hard.”

“Helen, please be quiet,” Rebecca whispered as she felt her world spinning out of control.

“I don’t know,” Helen continued as she dipped a ladle full of beans onto a plate. “If I had what you had, there wouldn’t be a man I couldn’t get.”

Setting her feet wide, Rebecca put her hands on her hips and stared at her employer. “I swear, if you don’t stop, I’ll walk. You can deal with the customers yourself.”

Ignoring Rebecca’s icy stare,