Once Upon a Mail Order Bride - Linda Broday Page 0,54

in fact, yet chose the space under the stairs over his bed. That puzzled him. What else could he do to do to win her over?

Clay and Jack rode up and dismounted, tying their mounts to the hitching rail in front of the land office. Since the day Ridge had been shot at, they’d taken turns riding out and checking the abandoned house to see if Hiram had returned.

Jack entered ahead of Clay and pushed back his hat. “The bounty hunter still hasn’t shown. The place is as empty as a dead man’s pockets.”

Clay dusted off his clothes.

“Hey, stop that!” Ridge blew the dirt off a stack of papers. “Now I’m going to have to clean.”

“Hell, you haven’t cleaned in here since you moved in.” Clay dropped into a chair.

“It boggles my mind how you’d be privy to the goings on in this office.” Ridge moved the stack and went to look out the window at the peaceful town. “Where else could Hiram be holed up?”

Jack snorted. “There are caves all over this area. Take your pick. Could be in any.”

“I feel safer with the guard at the entrance.” Ridge went back to his desk and dropped into his squeaky chair. “At least he can’t ride into Hope’s Crossing without us knowing. But I’m wondering about those of us living outside the town. We’re pretty much easy pickings.”

“Maybe you should take a room at the hotel for a while,” Clay suggested.

“It’s a good idea,” Jack threw in. “That would keep Miss Adeline safe. Bodie too.”

Somehow, Ridge thought Addie would balk at the idea. She enjoyed the property and their animals—milking the cow, tending to the chickens, and the hours spent with King. Still, he should suggest it. Ever since their argument, he’d tried to give her more of a say in matters. It was hard, though. He automatically wanted to shield her from every worry. However, he’d learned his lesson and wouldn’t dare make that mistake again. Somehow, he’d try to keep her abreast of the situation, even if it harelipped the damn governor.

“How is Miss Adeline?” Clay asked. “Any closer to getting her voice back?”

“Nope. Dr. Mary is helping a lot, though. She’s optimistic that Addie’s voice will return soon. She says all it’ll take is one big scare to jar the words loose.” Ridge leaned back and propped his feet on the desk, hoping Addie would find her way to sleep with him soon. His bed was lonely, and he didn’t care if she spoke or not as long as she lay beside him.

“Fretting about it won’t bring it any faster.” The chair squeaked when Clay shifted, removed his hat, and hung it on his knee. “Violet’s been talking a lot about Bodie,” he said casually.

“Figured as much.” Ridge managed to look nonchalant.

“Should I be worried?”

“Nope.”

Clay drew himself up in the chair. “Don’t you think it’s time you had the talk with him?”

“Hell, I ain’t his pa. I’m his employer.”

Jack watched the back and forth, grinning, his arms folded.

“Well, someone has to be his pa, and the kid is living on your property.”

Ridge glared. “For your information, I’ve already spoken with him. Relax.”

Clay returned the glare. “Well, you could’ve said so in the first place! I’m still keeping my eye on that boy.”

“He’s not a boy. He’s a man,” Ridge clarified quietly.

“Hell, that’s even worse!” Clay got to his feet and stomped out of the land office.

“You shouldn’t tease him like that, Ridge.” Jack pushed away from the wall. “Violet is his pride and joy. Always has been. Maybe it’s because she was born blind. That would make anyone protective.”

“I know, but he makes it so easy. There isn’t one boy ever going to be good enough for his little girl, and I can understand that. I’d probably feel the same way.” Ridge quickly scanned a document, rose, and filed it in a cabinet.

“Sawyer is pretty sweet on her too, but I don’t think Clay knows, or else he’d have cornered me as well. I’m dreading the day.”

“Good luck there.” Many a friendship had been ruined by less. Ridge changed the subject. “Addie’s been working on the decorations for the dance, and I’ve been thinking. Let’s have it in the barn this year. It wouldn’t take much to clean it out, then we wouldn’t have to worry about the weather.”

“Sounds good. It would save having to build a floor again.” Jack stuck a match stem in his mouth. “Remember when we used to have a dance near every