He turned his hat in his hands, nervous and unsure. Maybe it was a mistake to come here. Hell, maybe it was a mistake to even think about finding a wife, especially after Katie left him like she did. Damn.
“Is everything all right?” Ben frowned.
“Yes, everything is fine.”
There was a long pause, and he witnessed a loving glance pass between Ben and Lucy, the unspoken message clear.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” Ben rose from his seat and patted his wife on the shoulder. “I’ll be in the study, finishing up some paperwork.”
After the swinging door settled in place, Lucy studied him, her smile gentle and encouraging.
He’d always liked her. She’d always been warm, sweet, and kind, even if she did tend to want to know everyone’s business.
“Please, sit,” she insisted.
He placed his hat on the spindle of the chair, shrugged out of his coat and sat down.
She poured a cup of coffee. “What can I do for you?”
Now that he was here, he found it difficult to ask for what he wanted. His mouth opened and closed several times as her gaze settled on him. There was sympathy and compassion in her expression.
“It’s all right, Wyatt. You can ask me anything. Tell me anything. You know it won’t go any further.”
“I need a wife,” he blurted out.
She laughed. “Well, it’s about time, Wyatt!”
He didn’t laugh and she stopped as quickly as she started, becoming serious. “You don’t sound certain.”
“No, I’m not,” he admitted. “Not at all, but I want someone to talk to at the end of a long day besides Duke. I want…a companion, I suppose. A friend. Someone to be there.”
“It must get awfully lonely out on the ranch.” She laid her hand over his and squeezed.
He acknowledged that it did with a slight nod.
“This is so unexpected. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled. I’ve always wanted to match you with someone. I just never thought you would want to.”
She left the sentence hanging there, but he knew she was thinking of Katie, what she had done to him.
“Give me some time to find you the perfect match.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know. You don’t want justanyone. You want someone who speaks to your soul and listens to your heart.” Her eyes were gleaming with just a touch of mischief, like she might already have someone in mind. “In the meantime, you could head on over to Josie’s—” Everyone still called it Josie’s even though Josie was gone “—for some …company.”
“Josie’s? But I’ve never…”
“For someone to just talk to,” Lucy clarified.
He was surprised that Lucy suggested he find ‘companionship’ at the local parlor house. But Lucy was a most unusual woman. She’d made several matches with people he knew, including her aunt, not to mention his own mother, and they were good, the couples happy and so much in love, which is what he wanted—or, at least, told himself he did.
He rose from his seat, picking up his hat and coat as he did so. “Thank you.”
“Give me some time, Wyatt.” She led him down the hall to the front door, pausing at the study doorway where Ben sat at his desk, a pipe stuck between his teeth as he wrote in a journal.
“Good night, Ben.” He shrugged into his coat
Ben removed the pipe and gestured with it. “Good night, Wyatt. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
