Page 35 of A Dangerous Heart (Wind River Mail-Order Brides #4)

“J ust cast my line one more time,” Ben begged. “I won’t get it snagged this time.”

Isaac looked over from where he was sprawled on the blanket, one hand holding his head up on a propped elbow.

Clare was perched next to him, watching too.

Ben sat on the riverbank under a twisted lodgepole pine.

He inched forward so that he was as close to the edge of the bank as possible without falling in.

Eli stood in the river, boots submerged in a few inches of water.

“You said that about a hundred times before.” Eli sighed. “Give me the pole.”

Ben’s leg was healing well, but he’d taken to hopping on one leg all over the ranch. Isaac had lost count of the number of times Eli had had to step in and steady Ben as he’d teetered precariously on one leg, ready to topple, after he’d mislaid his crutches.

A few weeks had passed, and November had sent them a surprisingly warm and clear day—the kind of day perfect for fishing. Clare had decided it was a grand day for a picnic. Who was he to argue? In fact, he couldn’t quite remember why he’d fought so hard against settling down.

“He’s too close to the edge.” Clare eyed Ben like the proverbial mother hen, her body tense, ready to fly into action.

Isaac clasped her hand, and her gaze turned to him. Ben chattered and Eli groused some more, but it was a good-natured response.

“Eli won’t let him fall in,” Isaac said. The oatmeal cookies could wait. He’d let his eyes feast on her pretty face. With the boys constantly underfoot, a moment alone with his wife was as rare as hen’s teeth.

“Look, it’s a frog! We ain’t seen a frog since we were on the farm. Let’s catch it.” Ben started to get up.

“Haven’t seen one. We haven’t seen one,” Eli corrected. “You can’t chase a frog with your bum leg. Here, take the poles. I’ll get ’im.”

Something in Isaac’s chest hitched.

Ever since the shoot-out and rescue on Quade’s property, Eli had settled. There were still moments of stubbornness, but Eli had made his choice—to be a part of this new family.

“Hurry! Oh, you missed him.”

Eli bent and tried to close two hands around the frog. It jumped just in time to evade his grasp. “He’s a clever little critter,” Eli said.

Ben laughed in response.

The laughter rippled across Isaac’s soul.

His gaze moved back to Clare, who was watching him, not the boys.

She smiled. Her hazel eyes reflected her deep, heartfelt love for him. “They’re just boys being boys,” she said softly.

Isaac nodded. He knew she was grateful for the new life she and the boys had found here. She’d told him so, one of the nights they’d lingered over coffee after supper. She’d told him her worries and listened to Isaac’s in return. They were on their way to becoming that real family she wanted.

“He jumped thataway!” Ben’s shout echoed over the water.

“Got ’im!” Eli grunted and lifted the frog in his hands in front of him.

“It took a lot of courage for him to testify against Victor’s gang and their past activities,” Clare said. They both watched Eli hand the frog over to Ben.

“He’s got courage to spare all right.” Isaac turned to give Clare his full attention.

“Yes, but I worry?—”

Isaac squeezed her hand. “We’ll keep ’em both close. McGraws have a way of staying annoyingly cozy, even when you don’t want them around.”

His thoughts wandered as he watched the boys absently.

His brothers and their posse had taken down most of the Barlow Gang.

Victor and two of his men had been killed at the camp.

Tom Crow had been captured by Jack. Crow had had his day in court and received a long prison sentence, thanks to Eli’s testimony.

Eli had heard his father lay out the whole plan.

The Barlow Gang had hired on with the Diamond Q as a cover.

They’d had an agreement with Quade’s foreman.

They’d blow up the bridge and help divert the water, but they would do it on the day the train came through so they could rob the safe.

Boom Dawkins had escaped.

And Quade had gotten off scot-free again. Quade and his high-paid lawyer, plus a couple of character witnesses, had been able to convince the circuit judge that Quade had had no knowledge of the plan to blow up the bridge and rob the train. Quade had blamed it all on his foreman.

The only good thing was that, because of the scrutiny, Quade had had to abandon his plan to divert the river and ruin the McGraws. There were some rumbles in town about the ethics of that plan. Maybe the tide would turn.

Isaac wouldn’t hold his breath.

“When will you leave?” Clare asked quietly, her eyes on the boys.

Leave.

She meant go back to the Marshals. They’d talked about Isaac’s work with the Marshals, whether he should return. He didn’t want to leave Clare and the boys, but she had become his staunch advocate, going on about how it was the work he was called to do. She was right.

But not before Christmas. Those boys deserved a family Christmas.

“I’ll be home before you know it. Can’t stay away from you.”

He wasn’t going to think about that right now.

The sun was shining, his boys were happy to play along the water’s edge, and he had his beautiful wife all to himself.

In a gunfighter’s lightning-fast move, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

She let out a startled squeal before his warm lips found hers in a searing kiss, one that lasted long enough for Ben’s tattling, singsong voice to ring out over the gurgling water.

“Ew. They’re kissing again.”

Clare lifted her head and laughed. She got to her feet, straightening her skirt.

“I’m going to head up to the cabin and take the clothes off the line. Hand me the basket.”

As Isaac handed her the basket, she teased him. “I made bread this morning. Maybe between the three of you, someone will snag a few fish for supper.”

“You want me to multiply the fish while you make the loaves?”

She marched away, but he caught the smile that spread across her face.

“Finally! I thought she’d never leave,” Ben said, hobbling toward Isaac using the crutch.

When he saw Isaac’s brows lift, he hurriedly added, “She’s a good aunt and all, but we’ve been waiting for days for you to show us how you learned to quick draw.”

Eli leaned their poles against a tree nearby. “Nick says he doesn’t remember a day when you didn’t practice when you were young.” Eli met his eyes. “You said you’d teach us.” Eli remembered every one of Isaac’s promises like they were scripture.

“We won’t tell Aunt Clare. We promise,” Ben cajoled, putting on his most innocent expression.

Isaac saw right through the manipulation. “Whoa. We’re not keeping this from Clare. A man doesn’t keep secrets from his wife. Since I aim to be an honorable man and a good husband, I don’t keep secrets from Clare.”

“None?” Ben’s face was screwed up in a comical mask.

“Not one,” Isaac said firmly. But he ruffled Ben’s hair on his way to set up several cans on a thick branch between two stumps just a few feet apart.

Returning to the spot they’d shoot from, Isaac put his hands on his hips and waited until both boys gave him their attention.

“Secrets cause mistrust, make you distance yourself from the very people you think you’re protecting.

The hero may fight alone and ride off into the sunset in those dime novels Clare’s been reading to you.

But in real life, you’re gonna need family and friends to ride with you if you’re going to survive out there. ”

He let that settle while he went inside to get his belt and gun. Surprise and excitement flickered in Eli’s eyes when Isaac held the belt out to him. Eli took it and strapped it on, his fingers fumbling with the buckle and missing the belt hole on the first attempt.

The three of them stood for a moment in silence, side by side, staring at the cans. A light breeze whispered through the pines. Isaac held the gun at his side.

Isaac needed to give Eli the words that had been running through his mind for days. He was afraid he would fumble, the same as Eli with his belt, but he needed to say them. He’d come full circle. God had sent his brothers and Clare at the right time to talk sense into him and save him from himself.

“I’ll always have your back, Eli.” He paused for a deep breath.

“You ever need me, I’m there. No matter what.

I’ll ride for days, over mountains, through the prairie.

I’ll fight alongside you if need be. I’d take a bullet for you, son.

You never have to ride alone. You’re a McGraw now, if you want to be. ”

Their eyes locked. Eli nodded, a solemn understanding passing between them.

Isaac spent the next hour demonstrating the art of the quick draw.

Ben was determined, but with his still-weak leg and the gun in his small hands, his aim was cockeyed, and most of his bullets flew past the cans and into the trees.

Eli approached the lessons with silent resolve.

Isaac was amazed that Eli managed to strike one of the three cans by the end of their session.

Maybe with practice, Isaac’s aim to be a good father would hit the mark too, at least some of the time.

* * *

“You’re looking so much better, Kaitlyn. Your face is fairly glowing,” Rebekah said as she turned a crispy browned chicken leg in the cast-iron skillet.

Clare had to agree. Kaitlyn’s color had returned along with her vigor, though she had to let out her dresses.

“I’m looking forward to eating your fried chicken again,” Kaitlyn said as she set a bowl of corn on the table.

Clare filled a basket with slices of bread. Isaac and the boys had returned to the cabin without a single fish but full of smiles and the smell of gunpowder. Fortunately for them, David had arrived from the main house, sweaty and breathless, with an invitation to supper.