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“Alex?” Evelyn’s gaze turned quizzical, and her forehead furrowed.
He blinked and shook his head, trying desperately to clear his mind.
“I’d like to start upholding my end of our bargain and make myself useful. If you show me where you keep your supplies, with your permission I would like to start cooking the meals.”
Alex ran a hand over his face, the rough stubble along his jaw reminding him that he needed to shave.
“Yeah. Sure,” he answered lamely.
Yancey chose that moment to awaken. The greenhorn yawned, and awkwardly climbed out from under his blanket. He stretched and scratched at the back of his head. He glanced around, and froze when he noticed Alex staring at him. His eyes darted to Evelyn, and his mouth widened in a smile. Stepping away from his blanket, he stumbled toward her.
“Good morning, Miss Evelyn,” he greeting formally, and bowed his head. “Morning, Walker.” His attention remained on Evie, and Alex clenched his jaw. “Forgive me for not commenting last evening, Miss Evelyn, but I sure do thank you for the meal you prepared. It was the best thing I’ve eaten in months.”
Evelyn’s lips widened in a smile, and she laughed softly. Alex’s chest tightened, just as a sudden wave of jealousy hit him in the gut. Rage coursed through him, and he fought the impulse to send his fist against Yancey’s jaw.
“You’re quite welcome, Mr. Yancey,” Evie said. “If Alex will allow it, I plan to do more of the cooking from now on. I’m afraid I’ve grown quite tired of meat in all its varieties.”
Yancey laughed, and nodded in apparent agreement. “That would be most welcome, Miss Evelyn.”
“Go and start packing the horses, Yancey,” Alex growled, taking a step toward the man, who stumbled backward. “From now on, if you decide to sleep all morning, you’re gonna get left behind. We ain’t got time for fancy cooking.” He advanced on Yancey, fully aware that his demeanor intimidated the easterner. His unwavering stare alone would send the greenhorn running for the woods. Hell, he’d probably wet his pants already.
“I’ll get right to it.” Yancey stumbled over his words as well as his feet, and tripped in an effort to get away as quickly as possible.
“See that you do,” Alex called loudly. Behind him, Evie expelled a loud breath of air. Alex turned to face her. He was acting like a mule’s ass, but at the moment he couldn’t stop himself. How could that bumbling fool talk to Evie so easily?
“Did you have to be so rude to him?” Evie glared. Gone was the warm glow in her eyes from a moment ago. He would gladly trade a year’s supply of beaver plews to see her favor him with such a look more often. That’s what had been different about her, he suddenly realized. Before he could ponder at what it meant, she held her hands to her hips, her eyes narrowing even more. “I just woke up, too. Were you about to give me a scolding as well?”
Alex clenched his jaw. “It’s late. We need to head out.” He wasn’t about to get into a spat with her again. He waved his hand toward the fire. “Do whatever it is you need to do to get ready. I’ll be back shortly.”
He stepped around her, grabbed for his rifle propped against a boulder near the fire, and strode off in the direction Laurent had taken earlier.
“You are an impossible man, Alex Walker,” Evelyn called out behind him, and Alex lengthened his strides.
****
Alex picked his way through the forest, stepping over and around downed trees. He didn’t bother keeping to a deer trail. It didn’t matter. He was only here to clear his head. He gripped the rifle in his hand, and looked ahead out of habit, scanning for any unusual movement. His breath swirled a ghostly gray in front of him in the frigid morning air. The cold was a welcome reprieve to the heat coursing through his body.
What the hell was he thinking, bringing Evie with him to his remote valley? The dangers of the wilderness were real enough, but what would happen if he lost control, and his temper got the better of him like it had done with Yancey? What if he struck her, or worse? He glanced at his hands. He knew his own strength, and what he was capable of. He’d killed enough men with those hands.
Alex clenched his jaw. He swung his rifle like a club at a vine that blocked his way. Rage and fear raced through his body. Laurent made it sound so easy, telling him to let go of his past. Images of his father tormented him. His mother sat cowering in a corner of their small farmhouse, begging for mercy. Silas Walker cursed and screamed at her, telling her she was worthless, and it was her own fault that he had to teach her a lesson.
He squeezed his eyes shut to force the memory from his mind. His arms ached as fresh memories overshadowed the ones of his childhood. He’d spent a sleepless night, holding Evie close to him. As the darkness of night slowly gave way to a gray dawn, he’d watched her sleep. No emotion had ever been as powerful in his life as what flooded his entire being during those few hours. Elation, hope, fear. He had no examples to go by, but understanding what was happening to him rooted itself firmly in his mind, and in his heart. He’d fallen in love with Evie. He was as sure of it just as he knew that the morning sun would rise in the east. He couldn’t say exactly when it had happened, but he’d been enamored with her the day he saw her at the docks in St. Charles, the day he got shot. And now she was here, in his mountains. She was his wife, and with every word he uttered, with everything he did, he pushed her further away.
