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He wasn’tsure where he wanted to look more—at Samuel or to Betsey where she stood in the kitchen cleaning up the supper dishes. Ben had helped clear the table then went out the back door. They didn’t have many animals that he remembered but even a handful took time to tend.
The fire crackled and that, along with the sound of the rocker creaking, put Samuel back to sleep. He stared at him until he’d memorized every inch of his face. When Betsey had finished in the kitchen and sat down in the vacant chair near the one he was sitting in with a loud sigh, he wondered if now was a good time to bring up marriage.
Dark circles lined the underside of her eyes. She looked tired and had barely even glanced at him when she sat down. Samuel grunted and flung one arm out. He looked back down at him, surprised to see his eyes open. He was staring up at him and hisheart gave a mighty thump in his chest at the sight. He wondered what his ma thought of him and if Sophie had seen him. Had Betsey ever taken him out to the house? The moment he thought it, he guessed the answer was no. If she couldn’t get out to see Alex, one of her best friends, she certainly wouldn’t have made much effort to take Samuel out to see his family, especially when it was obvious she was still mad at him.
He lifted his head to ask if she wanted him to bring their buckboard over so she could see Alex and take Samuel out to the house but clamped his lips shut the moment he saw her. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted to one side.
The clock on the mantle read seven thirty. The sun was nearly set. He’d need to head home soon. He looked at Samuel again. He could have sat there all night holding him.
Ben came back inside, gave him a brief glance as he went to the sink and washed his hands. They’d not spoken three words to each other since the day he’d gotten back into town and Ben had punched him. He understood now why he’d been so mad at him. He didn’t blame him for it either. Had someone treated Sophie Ann like he’d treated Betsy, he would have beat the snot out of him. It was a wonder he was able to sit here, in Ben’s house, as if he had a right to be here.
They locked eyes from across the room. Ben wiped his wet hands on a towel, then tossed it to the counter. His gaze flicked to Betsey before coming back to him. “All I want to know is why.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “She told me she didn’t know about the baby when you left, which means you didn’t know either. That I can forgive you for. She also said, had she known you weren’t staying, she would have never got involved with you, so why’d you mess around with my sister, knowing how she felt about you, then run off like it meant nothing?”
The answer to that was one he was still trying to understand.
“You hurt her, Aaron, more so than a person deserves, especially her.” His jaw clenched. “I had to lay in bed every night forgoing on six months listening to her cry herself to sleep. You’re not worth that sort of devotion. You don’t deserve her or Samuel.”
Ben left him sitting there in the waning light, his words digging in deep enough that guilt he felt grew tenfold. Worst part was, Ben was right. He’d known how Betsey felt about him. She’d followed him around since his family moved to town when he was ten and it didn’t take much to realize, as the years passed, that his best friend’s little sister was in love with him. He’d known it the day he found her out by the creek. Had been all too aware of it the first time he leaned over and kissed her. Had felt it in every inch of her body as they laid together.
Betsey Atwater had loved him nearly her entire life. And she deserved someone better than him.
That marriage proposal on the tip of his tongue all day withered to dust. He had no right to ask for her hand. Not after the way he’d treated her. She needed a man who appreciated her, who treated her proper and was worth her love, besides, he had nothing to offer her. Not yet, anyway.
Percy had told him of a tract of land that was for sale not far from his folk’s place. It was only a few acres but you could see clean to the mountains and willow creek wound through the trees not far from it. If the land office in Great Falls could sell their old home place he’d have money enough to purchase it and give Betsey the sort of life she deserved.
Samuel had gone back to sleep. He placed a kiss on his head and stood and carried him to Betsey’s room. He laid him in the cradle and covered him, waiting to make sure he settled. Turning down Betsey’s bed, he pushed the blankets and sheets away and headed back to the main room. He lifted her from the chair, pulling her into his chest. She never moved as he carried her to her room and laid her down. He removed her boots and tucked the covers in under her chin, then squatted down beside the bed and watchedher for long minutes, snatches of memories assaulting him as he sat there.
He smiled when he remembered the first time he realized she liked him. It was the night of the town Christmas party they’d attended right after Noah had found them in his old line shack. Ben and Betsey’s pa had told them he was going to marry his ma and he hadn’t been sure how he felt about the prospects of having another brother and sister. The memory came back as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
"Who are Betsey and Benjamin?" Keri asked.
Aaron sighed and leaned against the back of the seat. "Kids we go to school with."
"And they told you I was going to marry their pa?"
"Yep. They said he told them they'd have to start minding him ‘cause he was getting them a new ma and he didn't want them embarrassing him. Said you wouldn't want him if you knew his kids were hellions."
Keri's eyes widened a bit at his use of the word, hellions. "Well, I've no clue who Ben Atwater or Betsey and Benjamin are, so I can tell you that no, I'm not marrying their father."
Aaron let out a breath so deep, it made a small "whooshing" sound. "Thank goodness," he said. "I like Benjamin all right but Betsey dang near drives me crazy. When she ain't looking at me all funny, she's practically standing on my toes." He shook his head, his lip curling in disgust. "I think she's sweet on me."
Keri laughed, the sound so loud and abrupt, the horse shied. "You don't return her feelings, then?"
He looked horrified at the prospect. "Heck no!"
She ruffled his hair and grinned. "Then I don't have to worry about you running off to marry her anytime soon, huh?"
He grimaced. "No. I ain't never getting married," he said. "I ain't being nobody’s pa, either. Babies ain't nothing but trouble."
How wrong he’d been. He’d spent years trying to get away from Betsey and all it took was catching her under those willows, and seeing her as someone other than his best friend’s little sister, for him to realize she’d grown into a real beauty. If possible, she was even more so now. Her blonde hair looked as if streaks of gold ran throughout. Long lashes lay against her cheeks, her full lips made for kissing. Betsey Atwater would make a fine wife for a man. He’d make sure she knew he was the sort of man she’d want for a husband.
He leaned down and kissed her, lingered longer than he should have. “I’m going to make this right, Betsey. “ After another soft kiss, he left, pulling the front door closed behind him. He climbed into the saddle, pulled the reins to get the horse headed home and tried to collect his thoughts. His plans had changed but not by much. He just had to execute them a bit differently. Come tomorrow morning, he’d start courting Betsey Atwater like he should have done a year ago and he wouldn’t stop until he proved he was the type of man she deserved.
Betsey opened her eyes,the words,“I’m going to make this right, Betsey,“whispering through her head as she heard the front door shut. Light from the moon was shining in her window enough she could see Samuel in his cradle. Aaron had put them to bed. Tucked them both in as if they were his.
Her lips still tingled where Aaron had kissed her. She’d wanted nothing more for years than to have him kiss her, to want her like she wanted him, and a year ago she thought he had. Him leaving was a hard dose of reality she would have loved to ignore but couldn’t. Not now. Aaron was at her house because of Samuel. Had he not found out, she was almost positive hewouldn’t be carrying her to bed and tucking her in with soft kisses.
She loosened a deep breath. Part of her wanted to dance around the room and pray he came back and did exactly what he said he was going to do … make things right. But another part, the part he’d crushed and turned his back on, told her to not be stupid—again.
