A Kiss for Cade (34 page)

“Talk to me about it, Gracie. Is she taking in washing and ironing for extra money?”

“Well…what do you think?”

He thought about the loaded clothesline, not just this morning, but every morning since he’d arrived. “I think no one’s that dirty.”

Smiling, Gracie looked up. “She’d have my hide if she knew I was telling her problems, but, yes, she’s been washing and ironing for other people for some time now. The store has been in financial trouble for years, since before Jim died. He left her a stack of unpaid bills, and the store books carried a lot of credit that somehow never got paid. She’s had to take in extra work to make ends meet.”

Cade’s jaw tightened. “I knew it.”

“She’s a proud woman, Cade. She doesn’t want others knowing her problems. I wouldn’t know about them if I wasn’t with her every day to see the worry lines around her eyes. She works herself near to death, and now that she has four extra mouths to feed, she’s working even harder.”

“What debts does she have?”

“She’d never tell me, but I do know the bank payment seems to be the hardest for her to meet. Jim borrowed heavily during the year before he was killed. Lawrence and I have encouraged her to sell the store, but the mercantile has been in the Bradshaw family for years, and she feels she can’t let it go.”

Cade tamped down feelings of anger. Why hadn’t Zoe told him about her situation? He’d offered money for the children’s keep, but she refused it. Why? Because it was his money? Blood money? Was pride overriding her common sense? She couldn’t lose the store. It was all she had.

He got to his feet. “Thank you, Gracie. I appreciate your honesty.”

Gracie sighed. “If Zoe were to find out—”

“She won’t.” He smiled. “You can trust me on that.”

“I do trust you, Cade. You’re the best thing that ever happened to her. I hope you stay around a while.”

“Me too, Gracie.” He slipped on his hat and pulled it low. “Say hello to Lawrence for me.”

Perry Drake was bent over a ledger when Cade appeared in his office doorway a few minutes later. Perry frowned. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.”

“Sorry. I’m busy.” The banker continued with his work.

Cade walked over to the desk and closed the ledger. He met Perry’s piqued stare. “You just got unbusy.”

“What do you want, Cade?”

“I’m here to pay off Zoe’s note.”

Perry paused in thought, and then he motioned toward a chair. “Sit down.”

Cade removed his hat and took the seat opposite the desk.

“I understand congratulations are in order.”

“Yes. Zoe and I were married yesterday.”

Perry looked none too happy about the turn of events. Cade knew the man wanted Zoe for himself, but he wasn’t there to argue the point.

The banker steepled his fingers. “I’m surprised the town pulled off the ruse so easily.”

“What ruse?”

“Tricking Zoe into marrying you.”

Cade kept his temper in check. Drake was a sore loser. He expected that. “Zoe wasn’t tricked into anything.”

Perry pushed back from the desk and crossed his legs. “I understand it’s a temporary arrangement. Zoe feels Laticia Wiseman is too old to rear the children. That isn’t my thought; it’s Zoe’s.”

Cade lifted a brow. “Who said the marriage is temporary?”

Drake’s smile was as cold as a January wind. “Come now, you’re not implying a woman like Zoe would actually marry a bounty hunter?”

“I’m not implying anything. What are you trying to imply, Perry?”

“Only that I’ll go along with the arrangement…for now.”

Cade looked away, fighting the urge to wipe the smirk off Drake’s face.

“I’m aware Zoe has a good heart,” Perry continued. “She’s concerned about your sister’s orphans, and her strong sense of responsibility won’t permit her to see them go to strangers.”

“Really.” Cade leaned back and met the pompous banker’s eyes. “I get the impression she loves the kids.”

Perry opened a walnut box on his desk and took out a cigar. He inclined his head. “Smoke?”

Cade shook his head.

“Pity.” He studied the length of the imported cheroot. “I purchase them in Boston. They’re very good.”

Cade returned to the point of the visit. “How much does Zoe owe the bank?”

Perry held a match to the tip of the cigar, puffing. “Sorry. That’s privileged information.”

“Not for her husband.”

Fanning the match out, Perry grinned. “You’re not her husband, Kolby. You’re nothing more than a temporary fix to an impossible situation.”

Cade’s eyes narrowed. “How much does she owe the bank?”

“I repeat, that’s privileged information.”

“Not if I’m paying it off.”

Perry’s feet hit the floor, and he scooted back to the desk. “You can’t do that.”

“My money isn’t good here?”

“Of course it’s good. It’s just—”

“The note, Drake. I’m paying it off.” Cade stood up and confronted the banker. “And you are not to say a word to Zoe about who’s done this. Understand?”

Perry pushed back and got up. “We’ll see about that. Let’s get Zoe in here, and we’ll settle this matter immediately.”

Cade watched the color drain from Perry’s face when he blocked his way. “Not a word, Drake, or you’ll not get another cent of my money.”

He’d like to think he was intimidating the contemptuous runt, but he knew his limitations. He might have a Colt strapped to his thigh, and a sizable amount in his account, but a man with baking soda smeared on his face carried little authority. Still, Drake ran a bank, and if a man was offering good money, Drake couldn’t afford to turn it down.

Straightening, Perry said, “If you’ll wait a moment, I’ll get the complete file.”

Cade sat down and waited for Drake to return. Within a few minutes, he returned, laid a sheaf of papers on the desk, and scanned the long columns. “Are you aware of what you’re doing? This is a goodly sum.”

“Just tell me how much.”

The banker handed him the page with the current balance owed, and Cade read it. “Take it out of my account.”

Perry inclined his head. “If that’s your decision.”

Cade got up to leave. He settled his hat low. The man behind the desk refused to glance up or respond. “I mean it, Drake. I don’t want Zoe to know where the money came from.”

Perry lifted his gaze. “What am I to tell her? That her fairy godmother came to her rescue?”

Cade winked. “Tell her you paid it off. It’ll strengthen your position in my wife’s eyes.”

Chapter Forty-Four

T
he front door of the Bradshaw General Store opened the following Sunday, and the Kolby family emerged, dressed in their Sunday best. Cade, Brody, and Will wore suits and ties. The dresses that Zoe, Holly, and Missy wore rivaled the patch of colorful late summer flowers blooming in the porch box.

It was hard for Zoe to believe the weekend had passed so quickly, even harder to believe Cade insisted on attending services as a family. If she didn’t let herself think about McGill, she could picture them as a real family. Not one argument had occurred the last couple of days. They were making progress.

Missy paused to preen. Turning in a wide circle, she held out her arms. “Do you like my dwess, Uncle Cade?”

“It’s unusually striking, Missy.”

The little girl’s eyes suddenly clouded. “My ma made it fow me.”

Kneeling beside her, Cade pulled her close and held her. “Your ma was a real good seamstress. You must be very proud of such a pretty dress.” He drew Holly to his side as well. “And might I say, I’ll have to beat the boys away with a club this morning because you two look so fetching.”

The tender scene touched Zoe’s heart. She hadn’t known he had such a soft spot.

“Did you love my ma, Uncle Cade?”

“I loved her a lot, Missy. Your ma was my sister—the way Holly is your sister.”

Missy’s tears dissolved, and Zoe laughed when the little girl gazed at him slyly, as if he’d said something very amusing but not quite credible.

Cade grinned. “A long time ago your ma and I were little, just like you and Will and Brody and Holly. We played together, ate our meals together, lived in the same house, and got switchings from our ma and pa.”

Missy pushed against his chest. “You did not! Ma’s too big to get switchings!”

“Missy, stop asking your uncle so many questions.” Zoe opened her parasol and studied the sky. “I’m afraid we’re in for more rain.”

Picking Missy up in his arms, Cade squeezed her affectionately, and then he set her in the buggy he’d gotten from John and Addy’s barn. “It won’t rain for a while.”

“We awe weally going to have fun, Uncle Cade.” Missy tightened her hold on Cade’s neck. “We’ll go to Sunday mowning meeting and thennnn…we’ll go on a family picnic.”

Cade glanced at Zoe and grinned. “I can’t think of anything more fun. Can you?”

Zoe laughed. “Sounds like a great day to me.” She straightened her bonnet, nervous about being seen with Cade at church for the first time as newlyweds. The townspeople would look for signs of marital bliss, and all they would see would be signs of more than a week of sleepless nights. It had been a long time since a man had been in her bed. The old saying “two’s company, three’s a crowd” came to mind. She was relieved that a simple wedding band failed to deter Missy’s sleeping preference. She lay between them at night.

Zoe bit back a smile, thinking how nice it would be if the marriage were real. It was torture having Cade so close but so inaccessible.

Cade glanced in her direction. “Something funny?”

“No.” She pulled on her gloves and drew a steadying breath. “We’d best hurry or we’ll be late for the service.”

The steeple bell tolled as the newly formed family arrived. Buggies and carriages filled the field next to the Good Shepherd Church. The Kolby family filed in and came to a sudden stop inside the front door.

Brody glanced at Zoe. “Where do we sit?”

Zoe searched the long rows of wooden benches. The Kolby pew was on the right; the Bradshaw pew, on the left near the front. The Wiseman pew sat closest to the back.

Will polished the toes of his shoes on the back of his pant legs. “Where do we sit now? Are we a Kolby, a Wiseman, or a Bradshaw?”

Zoe glanced at Cade expectantly.

“Yeah, Uncle Cade. What are we?”

Taking Missy’s hand, he held Zoe’s with his other and led them down the aisle. The children followed. Pausing at an empty row near the front, he ushered the family in.

“Oh,” Missy said. “We’we a new family. Just us!”

Cade slid into the seat beside Zoe and pulled Missy onto his lap. “That’s right. We’re our own family now.”

“Oh, goody!”

Zoe settled back in the pew, aware that all eyes were on them. She felt Gracie’s beaming consent and Lilith’s glowing approval. Though she shouldn’t, she felt proud sitting next to her handsome husband. The red splotches on his face were fading and barely noticeable. In her estimation, he was the most handsome man in the room.

Cade shifted in the pew, leaning closer to whisper, “Why is everyone staring?”

Scrunching lower in her seat, Zoe studied the ceiling.

“What’s wrong?” Cade’s gaze followed hers to the open rafters.

“We’re all afraid the roof’s going to fall in,” she whispered.

His eyes scanned the sturdy beams. “Looks strong enough. Have you been having trouble with it?”

“No, but you’re in church this morning.”

He gave her a sour look as Lilith got up from her seat and came over to them.

“Hello, dears. My, don’t you make a fine-looking family. Addy and John would be so happy.”

Zoe tried not to show her bliss. “Thank you, Lilith.”

When Reverend Munson took his place at the pulpit, the neighbor slipped back to her pew, and Zoe picked up a hymnal. Cade flipped noisily through the songbook, looking for the right page. Zoe reached over and turned to “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” as Lorraine Munson took her place at the organ and struck a chord.

Cade’s deep baritone blended melodiously with Zoe’s alto as they sang the first of the morning’s hymns. Zoe was taken back years to when they had sung together as children in the same church.