True Love Leaves no Doubts: An Inspirational Historical Romance Book Page 7

  Mrs. Fitzpatrick stripped off her gloves, hat and shawl as soon as she got in the door and handed the lot to Flo. She was talking a mile a minute, mostly to herself, and Flo glanced at Mr. Fitzpatrick to see what he was doing. His grin was broad and his eyes were on Flo.

  “You look like a woman ready to get married, my dear,” he said. “Frankly, I’m surprised none of these handsome young men haven’t snatched you up already. What are you, thirty-six?”

  Both Flo and Mrs. Fitzpatrick gasped and then laughed together.

  “Oh, James!” Mrs. Fitzpatrick slapped her husband’s arm playfully. “Don’t you dare. This young lady is much younger than us.” She looked at Flo. “I’d say you are 24 or 25, aren’t you?”

  Flo nodded. “Twenty-six,” she confirmed.

  “Ah, yes. I remember when we hired you; you had just turned twenty, am I right?”

  “Yes, that’s right, Mrs. Fitz,” Flo said. “And I’ve been here ever since. I plan to still be here after I marry, too. I hope that’s all right.”

  Both of them looked at her in surprise.

  “Johnny Mason has plenty of money,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said firmly. “You will not need to work.”

  “But I want to,” Flo insisted. “Would you make me leave?”

  “No, of course not, not at all.” The man shook his head as firmly as his words were spoken. “You may work with us for as long as you like. But I don’t know that Johnny will want a working wife. And what about when you have children? You will want to stay home with them. Keep them safe.”

  “Oh, yes, I’m sure of that,” Flo said. In her mind, she reviewed the fact that she probably wasn’t going to be married any time soon, so she would just go with the flow of conversation. Let them think whatever they wanted. She wasn’t good at lying, so if she convinced herself all of it was true then maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much to be deceptive.

  But what if she really fell in love with Johnny?

  Her chest tightened with apprehension as she followed Mrs. Fitzpatrick down the hall to the crafting room. Apparently, they were to get started on the wedding dress immediately. Flo had to admit the pattern was stunning and she knew her employer could make it flawlessly. She was a whiz with a sewing machine. Even handstitched pieces looked like they’d been done with a machine.

  An hour later, she was being measured and turned around and gazed upon by the scrutinizing gaze of Mrs. Lily Fitzpatrick. She lifted her arms straight out at her sides and giggled when the woman touched her sides with a measuring tape.

  “Ah ticklish,” Mrs. Fitzpatrick laughed. “I am not ticklish; did you know that?”

  Flo grinned. It was another odd thing about her employer she didn’t already know. She shook her head. “I didn’t know that. I thought everyone was ticklish.”

  Mrs. Fitzpatrick shook her head, her green eyes flashing with delight. “Not me. It hurt when my father tickled me so I built up a nice resistance to it. Now, you can’t even tickle me on the bottom of my feet.”

  Flo didn’t know if she’d want to get rid of the sensitive tickling sensation. She rather enjoyed it.

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  Mrs. Fitzpatrick raised her eyebrows. “Oh no, dear, don’t be sorry. I don’t like it. It’s okay if you do. In fact…” She reached out and grabbed Flo’s side with the tips of her fingers, squeezing randomly. Flo reacted, jerking to the side and putting her hands over the spot the woman had tickled, laughing uncontrollably.

  “Oh, Mrs.-! Please don’t do that! I may have had an accident on your pretty rug.”

  Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s eyes opened wide and she laughed heartily. “We cannot have that!” she exclaimed. “No tickling for you, my dear. Now I am the one who is sorry. I don’t think the spirits would like to have their home defiled that way.”

  Even though the words sounded harsh, Flo knew Mrs. Fitzpatrick meant no harm. Every day she worked with the woman, she liked her employer more. She was carefree and fun. She never seemed to be stressed about anything. Flo wanted to talk to her as if the woman was her mother. But she couldn’t. She wanted to ask advice about Johnny, about what they were doing to Marian, about the captain in town that scared Mr. Mason so much.

  But she didn’t. She didn’t say a word. In the future, she would probably wonder if the woman could have helped her. But she was going to miss this opportunity. Maybe another would come along and she would have the courage to say something.

  Flo straightened her spine. She would take care of her problems on her own. She had agreed to go along with the charade. It wasn’t a good idea to involve even more people in it. The people around her and Johnny needed to believe they were truly engaged. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t work and the two of them would be humiliated.

  For the first time, Flo thought about what would happen if or when Marian decided she wanted Johnny for herself. Flo had a sneaking suspicion the other woman was not at full capacity at the festival. Otherwise, she would have won Johnny back right then and there.

  Flo knew how much Johnny wanted to be with Marian. But he’d resisted and dragged it out. He’d got what he wanted, which was her attention. So why hadn’t he gone with her then? Taken back his ring and called the whole thing off so he could be with Marian?

  It didn’t make sense to her. But that was in the past now and Flo felt like when it was all over, if Johnny decided to go back to Marian, Flo would be the one left with egg on her face. She would be humiliated by her fiancé leaving her for another woman.

  Resentment slipped into her chest and she pushed it away. She couldn’t be mad at Johnny. He hadn’t forced her into this. It was her own greed, her desire for that cottage and that land, which had gotten her into this. She had made her bed and would now have to lie in it.

  She pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking down at the fabric she was cutting.

  “Best to be fully concentrating on that, my dear,” Mrs. Fitzpatrick said softly. Flo looked up to see the woman giving her an affectionate look. “It’s okay to be a little worried before you get married. If you need to talk to me about it, I’m right here. I’m always here for you and I’ll always listen. All right? You know that?”

  Flo nodded, pushing down the tears that threatened to rise.

  “I will,” she whispered, barely able to get the words out. “Thank you.”

  Chapter 11

  The days seemed to meld together for Johnny. Every day was a repeat of the last, it seemed. He worked in the morning, spent his lunch in town with Flo, worked in the afternoon, and spent the evening with Flo or by himself wondering what Marian was doing. Lately, he had spent almost as much time thinking about Flo and her land. Tomorrow was a Saturday and she said she was taking him to look at it.

  He’d purposefully dropped the hint that he was spending the evening alone while they were in the corner deli waiting for their sandwiches to be made. He had seen Marian as soon as she’d walked in and knew she had come up to stand in line behind them. She never even placed an order. She just stood there.

  When he couldn’t resist it any longer, he twisted his upper body to give Marian a charming smile. “Howdy, Marian. Good day for you today?”

  Flo glanced over her shoulder but didn’t give Marian more than a second of her time. Johnny felt a little sorry for Marian. Flo was so cold to her. But it was expected, so he couldn’t hold it against her.

  “I’m doing good. And you?”

  “I’m feelin’ a little tired, actually. I think I’ll be at home resting tonight. Alone.”

  He didn’t take his eyes from her when he said it. For so long he’d followed Marian’s schedule, going where she wanted, making sure he showed up wherever she was. Now, he was surprised by the freedom he felt, making his own schedule.

  Flo never gave him orders or told him to be somewhere at a certain time. He didn’t go out of his way to coincide his schedule with Flo’s. She would probably get confused and ask him what the heck he thought he was doing, showing up when she was buying
fabric or getting supplies for Mrs. Fitzpatrick.

  So now, after ten or so days of barely seeing Marian at all, he was giving her an opportunity to show him she missed him. She would maybe just show up tonight at his place. They would have a chance to talk about things.

  Johnny didn’t know what to expect.

  So after work, he went home and cleaned up, made a cup of coffee and went to the porch to enjoy the sunset. He had plenty more work to do before bed but he was going to take the evening off. He was putting his chores off until later.

  He’d been out on the porch for almost an hour when his heart jumped up into his throat. Someone was coming up the path to his house. At first it was a black and red blur. Then, as she got closer, he could see the outline of her body and the fact that she was carrying a parasol to keep the late afternoon sun off her shoulders.

  Johnny stood up, setting his coffee cup on the small, white, iron table. He walked to the edge of the porch and stood at the top of the steps, leaning to the side against the sculpted pole that helped keep the roof up. He pushed his fingers in the pockets of his trousers, trying to look casual, even though his heart was still racing.

  He couldn’t believe she had really showed up out of the blue like that. Marian never did anything for anyone but herself. Did that mean she actually did care for him? Did this mean he had a chance with her?

  In the back of his mind, Johnny was surprised to hear “no” echoing, as if someone or something was answering his question for him. Why would he be thinking that in the back of his mind? The word was followed with the idea that he would have to tell Flo they were calling off their fake engagement and that would make her look bad in front of a lot of people.

  But it was way too late to think about that. Flo had agreed to do this and it would have to happen sooner or later, if Marian chose to be with him. She must have known he would have to break it off with her and get his mother’s ring back.

  He suddenly felt very sorry for Flo. He’d drawn her into this. But she’d made the choice herself.

  Johnny decided at that moment that he wouldn’t think about Flo for the rest of the evening. After all, Marian was finally choosing to come see him. And in all the time he’d been vying for her attention, Marian never came to see him. It had always been the other way around.

  He lifted one hand in the air. “Marian! Howdy. What are you doing in my neck of the woods?” He half expected her to lie and make up a lame excuse for being at his ranch.

  “I haven’t seen you in a long time.” That was Marian, up front and blunt. “I thought I would come by and see you, since you don’t seem to have time for me anymore.” He could see as she got closer that she was pushing out her bottom lip, giving him a sulky look.

  He felt bad and went down the steps to meet her halfway. It was true. He’d been neglecting Marian in favor of Flo. But he felt like he had to if he wanted to make the plan work out. Everyone had to think he and Flo were engaged. That way Marian would see what she was missing.

  And now that she was here, on his ranch, showing up out of nowhere, it seemed his plan was working.

  She missed him.

  When they were just a foot or two apart, Marian lifted her face toward him and closed her eyes. He knew she wanted the customary kiss on the cheek or forehead. Normally Johnny would kiss her forehead in greeting, because he was six feet tall and she was around 5”3.

  But for some reason, when he bent down to kiss her, he avoided her forehead and went for the cheek, missing somewhat and ending up planting his lips on the bottom of her eye.

  He straightened back up, feeling awkward and embarrassed. He’d never done anything like that in his life. He was quiet sometimes and a little shy but he’d never flubbed giving a greeting.

  She gave him an odd look when she pulled back, scanning his face.

  “Are… you all right?” she asked.

  He cleared his throat and nodded. “Yes, I… I wasn’t expecting to see you, is all.”

  “Well, you’ve been so wrapped up with that other woman that I’m not surprised you haven’t had time for company. I must say I’m a little surprised, Johnny. I… I thought we were doing good together and then I find out you’re…. planning to marry that woman?”

  Johnny was once again taken aback by Marian’s blunt nature. He looked up and over head at the path to the main road. “I didn’t think you were interested, quite frankly,” he replied, pushing himself to be as blunt as her.

  Marian gasped softly, batting her eyelashes at him. Two weeks ago, that look would have made him weak in the knees. But as pretty as he thought she was, he didn’t feel that same tingle inside. He lifted one side of his lips in a half-grin and had to look straight down when Marian pressed herself up against him.

  “I have missed seeing you around town. I mean, I’ve seen you but… you’re always with her and I don’t have time alone with you. That’s why I’m here. I thought we should talk.” She lifted her hand and touched her finger to his chest, making circular motions over his heart. “I don’t think you should go and marry someone so quickly. I mean, just a few weeks ago we were going shopping and having picnics. And now I never see you.”

  “Quick?” Johnny knew his heart was racing in his chest. He also knew she could probably feel it since she was pushing herself so close to him. “I’ve known Flo for years.”

  “Yeah, but you two are just friends. I don’t see her looking at you like a woman properly should when she’s in love.” She gave him a coy look, narrowing her eyes. “Not like I look at you. And you don’t look at her the way you look at me either. I can just see how much you care for me. It’s all over your face. In your smile.” She ran her finger over his lips, sending chills down his arms and his spine. She lifted up on her tip-toes, still pressing her index finger on his lips.

  He almost fell to the ground when she kissed her finger, the one against his lips. He swallowed hard when she pulled away. “Don’t you miss me, Johnny?” she whispered, looking directly in his blue eyes. “I know you have to miss me. I never see you anymore.”

  “I… I think about you all the time,” Johnny could barely get the words out. “I guess I’ve missed you more than I thought I did.”

  If his feelings weren’t genuine, would his body react to Marian differently? It had to be love. He’d almost forgotten how much he cared for Marian.

  “I knew you would,” Marian stayed just a few inches from him. Her eyes flicked from his eyes to his lips and back. He could tell she was waiting for him to give her a deep kiss.

  But everyone thought he was engaged to Flo. How would it look if he kissed Marian the way he wanted to at that moment and word got around that he’d kissed Marian? Would she go around telling everyone?

  He had a sneaking suspicion she would.

  Chapter 12

  It was nearing nine o’clock. Johnny slipped his pocket watch back in his vest and squinted down the road. He’d come early to the saloon to help Lee open up and for a breakfast ham and eggs. He’d expected Flo early that morning but she hadn’t shown up yet. Mrs. Fitzpatrick had told her to take the morning so she could show Johnny the land and cottage she wanted to buy.

  “She ain’t show up yet?”

  Johnny looked over his shoulder at Lee, the short, plump bartender and owner of the Two Mules.

  “No, I don’t see her yet,” he replied under his breath, turning away from his friend.

  “Been a while since I seen ya out here waitin’.” Lee’s observation sounded odd to Johnny. He looked at the bartender again, pulling his eyebrows together slightly.

  “What do you mean?”