The Touch of Sage (35 page)

Reb
’
s eyes narrowed as he watched Charlie take Sage
’
s hands in his own.
The man had been his friend for years!
Years!
But this was too much!
How could Charlie pursue Sage knowing how Reb felt about her?
He
’
d beat the life out of Charlie, that
’
s what he
’
d do!

Then
Reb remembered he had never really confessed his feelings for Sage to Charlie.
For all Charlie Dugger knew, Reb Mitchell was through with women.
Hadn
’
t Reb told Charlie so himself?
And on many, many occasions?

Still, he doubted it was all Charlie
’
s fault anyway.
Reb knew how
he
felt in Sage
’
s presence
,
and it stood to reason any other man would be as captivated by her as he was.
Still, for the first time in a long time, Ivy
’
s face was brilliant and clear in his mind.

Two weeks.
It had taken him two weeks to find the courage to seek out Sage and ask her forgiveness.
Two weeks and she
’
d already moved away from him and to
ward another man. He grimaced—
squeezed his eyes tightly shut.
It couldn
’
t be true.
He could still taste th
e delicious flavor of her kiss—
still sense the feel of her body in his arms.
He could see the way her eyes li
t up when he entered a room—
the blush painting her cheeks whenever he flirted with her.

Turning from the scene before
him, he dug deep into his soul—
into his heart. He had to know.
He had to know if she could forgive him for the mountain lion attack.
She wasn
’
t like Ivy Dalton.
He was certain of it.
Sage would not toy with him and
then
quickly tire of him like he were
a new puppy.
She loved him, he was sure of it.
Nearly sure of it, anyway.
Hoped it was true at least.

He
’
d walk for a few minutes, gather his thoughts.
He knew Charlie
,
and he knew Sage.
There was no dalliance between them.
He knew it.
He had to know it.
He had to!
He
’d fought his fear—
wrestled with cowardice and ridden all the way to town.
He
’
d almost turned back several times, it was true. Even now his hands trembled at the thought of
facing her. Still, she lived—she breathed—
she smiled.
Surely she would forgive him.

He knew he wasn
’t worthy of her—
knew Charlie Dugger probably was.
Yet he wa
nted her. He had to face her—
he had to try and win her trust once more.

Yep.
He
’
d walk for a while, tell hims
elf Charlie was only being kind—
inquiring about her well-being or some such nonsense.
He
’
d walk a while
,
and then he
’
d face her.
Surely she was only being kind to Charlie.
That
’
s it.
They were just friends talking.

He
’
d walk a while.

“
Just ride out to the ranch and see him, Miss Sage,
”
Charlie pleaded.
“
Seein
’
ya will make all the difference in the way he
’
s feelin
’
both body and mind.
”

“
Charlie,
” Sage said, “w
hat
’
ll he think of me?
If I go chasin
’
out there after him
,
he
’
ll think I
’
m
—”

“
He
’
ll think ya care enough about him to do it.
He
’
ll think ya forgive him for lettin
’
the cat get to ya,
”
Charlie interrupted.
“
Surely ya know how much he cares for ya, Miss Sage.
”

Every ounce of Sage
’
s b
eing wanted to believe Charlie—
wanted to believe Reb cared for her.
She closed her eyes remembering the mischievous expression on his face the night he
’
d cornered her in the kitchen, shared peach-flavored kisses with her.
She envisioned the alluring fire in his eyes when he
’
d stopped the wagon in the middle of the pasture on the way to the ranch, teasing her about
“
having his way
”
with her.

“
I know yer afraid
,
Miss Sage,
”
Charlie said, smiling at her.
“
Reb can be a frightenin
’
man.
”
Sage smiled
,
and Charlie chuckled.
“
But ya gotta come out to the ranch and let him know ya don
’
t blame him for what happened.
”

Sage smiled at Charlie.
Perhaps she could find the courage to go to Reb.
Certainly propriety
dictated he should come to her—that a woma
n never went chasing after a man.
Yet
what if what Charlie said were true? C
ould Rebel Lee Mitchell really be afraid of facing her?

“
Let me…let me have some time to gather a little courage, Charlie,
”
Sage said.
“
I
’
ll try.
”

Charlie smiled and nodded.
“
I know it
’
s hard, Miss Sage.
Reb can be a mighty difficult man to read at times. But I believe ya know what he
’
s thinkin
’
where you
’
re concerned.
He needs ya, Miss Sage.
More
’
n even he knows.
”

Sage smiled at Charlie again.
He was a kind man and a good friend.
She did feel more hope
ful in talking with him. Maybe—
just maybe she could find the courage to face Reb.
Maybe he really did think sh
e blamed him for what happened,
no matter how ridiculous a notion it was.

“
I
’
ve got to get in and get some supper on for the ladies and our guests,
”
Sage told him.
“
I
’ll
see you out at the ranch tomorrow…maybe.
”

“
Good deal,
”
Charlie said
,
smiling at Sage with approval.
“
I
’
ll be lookin
’
for ya then.
”
He tipped his hat and added,
“
Bye now.
”

“
Bye,
”
Sage said, smiling as she watched him walk away.
Maybe Charlie was right.
Maybe it wasn
’
t her weakness that had kept Reb away.
Maybe he hadn
’
t changed his mind about her. Maybe he really was feeling some sort of misplaced guilt over what had happened to them.
Sage sighed, allowing hope to flicker in her bosom once more.

She paused at the barre
l full of herbs by the boarding house
back door, pinching off a sprig of sage and drawing it to her nose.
At the anticipation of seeing Reb again, Sage felt
lighthearted—
excited and tingly.
She closed her eyes a
nd pictured his face, his eyes—
his kiss.

Sighing
,
she pushed open the back door and entered the
boarding house
.
Her hope was renewed.
The widows had been telling her all along she needed to relieve the fever in Reb
’
s mind.
Still, somehow having Charlie
’
s confirmation gave her the courage she needed to perhaps actually go to him.
And oh, h
ow she longed to see him again—
to talk with him
—
touch him, kiss him!

“
I
’
m back,
”
Sage called, setting the sage sprig down on the kitchen counter.
“
Anybody home?
”

“
Sage!
There you are!
”
Rose
said, entering the kitchen.
Her face was pink with delight, her eyes wide as saucers.

“
What is it, Miss
Rosie
?
”
Sage asked.
She couldn
’
t help but smile at the woman.
She looked so pleased with herself.

“
I
’
ve let out the empty room, Sage!
”
Rose
exclaimed.
“
Just this mornin
’ while you were gone.
I
’
ve let out the empty room!
And to a young lady too.
You know how we always worried that some filthy old man would want to let it?
Well, I
’
ve let it out to a nice young lady.
Now, she won
’
t be here long.
I guess she
’
s in town just a short while until she
’
s married.
Says her intended is close by or some such thing.
Still, I
’
ve let out the room
,
and that should help cheer things up a bit.
Right?
”

Sage stood, eyes wide with astonishment, attempting to navigate
Rose’
s babble.
Rose
had helped Sage so many times throughout the years since her parents
’
deaths.
In fact, it had been
Rose
who found Mary and Olivia, finally convincing them to let rooms at Willows
’s
.
Sage trusted
Rose, and yet she gave pause,
not entirely happy about a stranger infringing on the intimate, happy life she shared with the widows.

Still, life hadn
’
t been as happy of late.
Sage knew she could never be happy without Reb.
But hope was rekindled in her
,
and she smiled at
Rose
.
Perhaps a new tenant wouldn
’
t be so bad.

“
Well
,
that
’
s wonderful, Miss
Rosie
,
”
Sage exc
laimed rather feigning delight—
still distracted by her conversation with Dugger and the prospect of seeing Reb.
“
Is she here now?
”

“
Oh, yes!
”
Rose
exclaimed.
“
Come and meet her!
I know you
’
ll just adore her.
She
’
s just the sweetest little thing.
”
Taking hold of Sage
’
s hand,
Rose
began leading her toward the parlor.
Sage reached up, smoothing her hair with her free hand.
She was anxious about meeting the new tenant at Willow
s’
s Boarding House.
Yet she couldn
’
t fathom why
—u
ntil the moment she stepped into the parlor to see a young woman, golden-haired and beautiful as a sunrise.