COLLEEN: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (9 page)

"How long have they been married?"

"I think it may be thirty-five years this year. He was twenty-five then and is turning sixty soon. They got married on my dad's birthday. He said it was the best present he could have given himself."

"That's sweet," Colleen said.

"He's seemed older to me lately, starting to forget things." He frowned at that and grew quiet.

"Maybe you should all throw him a party he won't be able to forget, for your mother, too—a combined birthday and anniversary party. Would they like that, do you think?"

"I think they would. I'll talk to the others about it."

Colleen knew she had to be very careful how she handled things going forward. Now she had a better understanding of who David was and why he seemed so reserved at times. She didn't want to give him any wrong impressions and she still wasn't sure of her feelings. She'd had such a good time with Ricky the other night, too, and he had a house in town, which was more like the lifestyle she was used to after living in Boston. But, she was pretty sure she could adapt to living on a farm. She was always happy to return to the peace and calm of Julia and Liam's house after a busy day in town at the restaurant. It was wonderful and exciting to have the interest of two interesting men, but it was a bit confusing, too.

After a while, they reluctantly agreed that they should probably head back to the house and join the others. When they were about to step inside, David stopped her for a moment and said, "I'd like to take you out this coming weekend. Saturday night, if you're free?"

"I'd like that."

"Good, I'll come for you at six. I have something special in mind."

When they returned to the house, the women were gathered around the kitchen table, drinking tea while the men were talking in the living room. David wandered off to join the men, while the women waved her over.

"There's plenty of hot water in the kettle if you'd like a cup?" His mother started to get up.

"Thank you. Please sit down, though. I'll do it." Naomi sat back down while Colleen found a cup and then added hot water and a scoop of loose tea to one of the strainers that were kept in a small basket by the stove. While she was adding a bit of honey to her tea, David's father strolled into the kitchen and Naomi jumped up.

"What can I get you, sweetie? Hot tea?"

Jed looked confused for a moment and then quickly gathered his thoughts. "Yes, hot tea. That's what I came out here for." He stood smiling at them all while she bustled around fixing his tea the way he liked it, and then shooing him away. When she sat back down with the others, she had a weary look, tired and concerned at the same time.

"Is everything all right?" Emma asked gently.

"I'm worried about him. He's been so forgetful lately. It's not like him." Naomi took a sip of her tea and Colleen noticed that her hand was a little unsteady. She was trying to hide it but her husband's behavior was clearly upsetting her.

"I forget things all the time," Colleen said, hoping to lighten her mood.

Naomi set her cup down. "We all do, but this is different, and it seems to be getting worse."

"When did it start?" Julia asked. She had her elbows on the table, head in her hands and Colleen could tell she was in a thinking mood, trying to come up with a way to fix whatever was wrong. But, Colleen wondered if whatever was wrong with Jed could be fixed. As David had said, he was nearly sixty. Maybe it was just part of the natural aging process.

"About two months ago and it's getting worse quickly."

"Has he been to see a doctor?" Emma asked.

"No, not yet. I've mentioned it once or twice, and he's brushed it off. He doesn't believe that anything is wrong. He doesn't just forget things. He also forgets that he forgot anything in the first place."

"How's he doing with work?" Julia asked.

"He's been okay there. It hasn't seemed to affect his regular routine around the farm at all—probably because his routine is so regular. He doesn't have to think about it. I am trying to get him to slow down, though, and have been encouraging him to give more work to some of the younger boys, let them run things and he can just oversee. He does seem open to that."

"David mentioned that his birthday is coming up, and your anniversary?" Colleen said.

Naomi smiled at that. "Yes, very soon. Just a few weeks from now, actually. We don't usually make much of a fuss, but he will be turning sixty and I thought a bigger party might be in order. I think he'll like that."

Colleen smiled to herself. It would be perfect if Naomi thought they were just planning a party for Jed. She'd never in a million years expect a surprise party for the both of them. She leaned forward in her seat.

"What can we do to help?"

CHAPTER TEN

They decided to stop by the mercantile the next morning. Neither one of them wanted to wait until after their shift. Colleen was dying to see the fabric Elizabeth had mentioned and to get started making their dresses.

Hannah came over to greet them as they walked in, while Joshua was chatting with a customer at the register. "Oh, good, you came early. Come take a look." She led them to the back room which held bolts of fabric as well as thread, needles, buttons, even sewing machines. Thankfully, Julia had one of those already. Naomi and Jed had given it to her as a wedding gift.

"It's a beautiful machine," Julia whispered as they trailed behind Hannah. "Maybe you can show me how to use it."

"Definitely, I am happy to do that. As long as you let me come and use it whenever I want."

"Of course!"

"Okay, feel free to roam around and take a closer look at any of the fabric. Let me know if you need any help," Hannah said cheerfully and then turned toward the front door to assist a woman and her two daughters who had just walked in.

Colleen immediately spotted the yellow fabric that Elizabeth had mentioned and it was lovely, soft and shimmery. But then her eyes fell on something else and she caught her breath. She moved to take a closer look and before she even touched it, she knew this was the fabric for her. It was a deep, midnight blue with hints of silver running through it that made it sparkle in the light. It was very subtle and simply gorgeous. She glanced back at Julia, who was stroking the yellow fabric she'd just been looking at.

"Is this the one Elizabeth suggested for you? I can see why she liked it." She sounded wistful and Colleen smiled.

"It's beautiful, but I'm going to go with this blue."

Julia looked surprised and delighted. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. You should get the yellow, though. It will look amazing on you."

Hannah walked back over to check on them and they pointed out the fabrics they'd selected. She cut the amount that Colleen requested and set it aside. Julia asked her to hold off on cutting her fabric, until she came back after her shift. She wanted to make sure that Liam had found coverage for the night.

Mondays were usually their slowest day. But according to Liam, they were always busy enough that it made sense to still be open. By about one thirty what there was of a lunch rush had quieted to a trickle and there were only two other tables left in the restaurant. Colleen and Julia were just discussing what they wanted for their own lunch when the front door opened and a few familiar faces walked in.

"Do you have room for four more?" Emma asked as she, baby Jeremy, Emily and Naomi stood waiting to be seated. They were smiling, but Colleen sensed that something seemed a little off. Naomi, who was normally animated and upbeat, was completely silent.

"Of course, right this way." She led them to a large round table in the corner and handed menus to each of them. "Today's soup and sandwich special is tomato bisque and grilled cheese."

Julia walked over then and said a warm hello. "This is a pleasant surprise."

"We had a doctor's appointment in town," Emma explained.

"Emma was kind enough to come with me. I met with the doctor about Jed. He still refuses to go see a doctor and insists that he's fine."

"He's not fine," Emma said softly.

"The doctor said it sounds like Jed has early signs of dementia. There's nothing they can do for it." She looked like she was fighting back tears and Colleen's heart went out to her.

"Maybe he's wrong," she said.

"I hope he is, but I know he's not." She sighed. "He said we'll just have to manage it, to be patient with him."

"Well, that's what we'll all do then," Julia assured her.

When Julia put their order in, she let Mrs. Johnson know what she and Colleen wanted for lunch as well and when all the food came up, Colleen helped her to carry it to the table and she and Colleen sat down and joined them. Naomi's mood improved as they ate and she began to process all that the doctor had said. By the time they’d finished eating, she was almost back to her usual self. She glanced around the table. "We'll get through this. We'll manage. I'm more determined than ever now that we throw him the best party he's ever seen. It will be so special that he won't be able to forget it."

Liam had given them the good news earlier that Billy was willing to cover for him and that they would be able to attend the art society benefit, so as soon as they finished their shift, they headed back to the mercantile to pick up their fabric. As they were about to walk in, the door opened and a familiar face walked out.

"Well, fancy seeing you lovely ladies here," Ricky drawled. He was holding a folded newspaper and a small paper bag.

"Did you buy something exciting?" Colleen asked, curious to know what he was up to.

"It's black licorice. I just got off the train and haven't eaten since breakfast, needed something to tide me over. Would you like a piece?" he offered and held the bag out.

"Oh, no, thank you," she said and Julia shook her head as well.

"I'll meet you inside," Julia said and stepped through the door to give them a moment of privacy.

"So, for Friday night, a friend is having a small dinner party and we've been invited. How does that sound to you?"

"That sounds lovely. I look forward to meeting some of your friends."

"You'll like them. Mary is a great cook, and her husband, Steven, is on the town council. He's one of the people who have encouraged me to run for mayor. I'll see you on Friday."

"I won't see you at the pub before then?" Ricky usually stopped in at least once or twice during the week.

"Not this week, regretfully. I'm back on the train tomorrow and out of town for the next few days working on a few deals."

"Okay. I look forward to Friday night, then." Colleen smiled and Ricky tipped his hat. She watched as he walked away, wondering how he spent his days. She realized that for all his charm, she still didn't really feel like she knew Ricky all that well.

Ricky made his way a block further down Main Street until he reached the saloon. He liked Donovan's pub, but he also liked to come here a few times a week, too. Ricky lived alone and wasn't much of a cook and it was just easier to stop into the saloon for a beer and something to eat. There was already a good crowd at the bar when he settled in to a chair at the far end and ordered a beer from Nick, the balding, pot-bellied bartender.

"What's on the menu?" he asked as Nick set down his beer.

"It's turkey sandwiches today." Every day there was one option, usually something simple like a sandwich and side of roasted potatoes.

"I'll have that, then." He sipped his beer and glanced around the bar. It was a typical saloon—later in the evening, the gambling would start. Poker, mostly. Ricky rarely indulged, though he was a good player. He preferred to stay on the sidelines and take it all in. Because it was early, there were only a few saloon girls floating around and taking turns chatting and flirting with the men, and encouraging them to order another drink. Ricky had been flattered by the attention the first time he'd been to a saloon, until an older and wiser friend explained that the saloon girls earned both tips and commissions on each drink they were able to sell. A few men were playing pool at one of the two tables and Ricky noticed, as usual, that the place looked as though it hadn't been swept in a few days. Peanut shells littered the floor, carelessly dropped as men sat cracking them open at the bar while they drank their beers. Ricky's stomach grumbled and he reached for a handful from the bowl sitting next to his beer. He needed something more solid than licorice.

He was cracking open his second peanut when he caught the scent of sweet perfume and felt a swish of soft hair brush across his cheek.

"Excuse my reach," a soft voice said. Ricky turned to see who it was and was surprised to see a saloon girl that he didn't recognize. She must be new. She was happily munching on a peanut as she slid into the chair next to him. Ricky pushed the bowl of peanuts closer to her.

"Here you go."

"Thank you," she said as she reached for another, popped it in her mouth and then held out her hand. “I'm Sarah, and you look like you're about ready for another beer. They go so well with peanuts, don't you think?"

Ricky smiled. Subtle, she wasn't. But, he was planning to have at least one more anyway, so he was happy to give her credit for it.

"I'm Ricky, and yes, I think I will have another." He noticed that her hand was soft and smooth in his before she quickly removed it and flashed him a smile. He couldn't help but notice that she was a very pretty girl. She looked to be a few years older than Colleen and her hair was much lighter, golden blonde with a little red. What did they call that? Then it came to him, strawberry-blonde. She was a tall girl, maybe five seven or eight and slender, but not too thin. It was impossible not to notice that she had curves in all the right places. He was a bit surprised to see that she also had a very wholesome look. She didn’t appear to be as worn down and weary as most of the other girls—although she looked quite a bit younger than most of them.

"I don't think I've seen you here before. Are you new?"

"Brand new. We just arrived yesterday, on the three o'clock train from Philadelphia."

"That's a long way," he commented. "Why here?"

"That's a bit of a long story." She sighed and then smiled brightly, but he didn't miss that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She was clearly trying to put on a brave face. He reached for another peanut and hoped that she would continue.

"I didn't have many options. I'm a widow. My husband died unexpectedly last year and we lost everything. We'd finally bought a house the year before, but after Eddie died, there wasn't enough money left to keep paying the mortgage. Neither one of us had any family. It was always just the three of us."

"The three of you?"

"Yes, I have a son. Andrew is five, and the love of my life. He's the image of his father."

"How did you choose to come here?" Ricky was curious.

"There was an ad in the local paper looking for saloon girls, and the job included room and board, for both of us. It was a long way to go, but there no other jobs available. I wrote straight away that I was interested and they replied back with train tickets."