Will was dead now, leaving Wyoming devastated she’d chosen so badly, and for the first few days after the trouble with him went down, Wyoming had declared she was done with men forever. She’d calmed down since then and he thought once or twice he’d felt her considering gaze on him, but he didn’t want to catch Wye on the rebound; he wanted her to want him in the same way he craved her.
Which was a lot.
His desire had hit him edgewise the first time he’d seen Wye, sharp and hot and all-consuming, as if he’d starved for weeks and caught sight of a three-course dinner. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised at his reaction. He’d watched the General send man after man home to marry his daughters, had watched Reed privately celebrate each nuptial. Had wondered long and hard why the General had never seen fit to send him—
Now he knew it was all for the best. The General’s daughters were wonderful women, but they couldn’t hold a candle to Wyoming, to his way of thinking. He was grateful she’d come to join him instead of turning around and heading right back upstairs. He was nothing like Will, and he meant her no harm. He had a feeling he and Wye could be good together if she’d relax around him long enough for them to get to know each other.
“We’ve got a wedding today,” she said conversationally. “As soon as people wake up, it’s going to be hectic around here.”
“That’s why I’m getting my laundry done now.” Emerson made it a practice to minimize his effect on the family as much as possible. He was all too aware that his tenure here could be cut short at any time if the General stopped needing his services, and the uncertainty of his future pained him more than his busted ankle. He couldn’t return to active duty, and he had nowhere else to go. Emerson wasn’t the panicking type, but he didn’t even want to consider the pathways open to him if the General cast him off.
He definitely didn’t want to leave Montana without getting to know Wye better.
“You’re a handy guy around the house,” Wye observed.
Emerson waited a beat, not sure if that was praise or a subtle dig. “The Army doesn’t offer maid service.”
She nodded. “You don’t complain about it, though. Most men do.”
He wondered if there was some man in particular she was thinking about. The other men at Two Willows had all served in the military, and although Cass tended to take on most of the household chores, that was a matter of choice, not one that was forced on her. Cass didn’t like ranch work. She gladly cooked and cleaned in return for not being asked to muck stalls or other work with the ranch critters. Her sisters Lena, Sadie and Jo were much more apt to get their hands dirty with the men. Alice, on the other hand, tended to hole up in her studio above the carriage house and immerse herself in creating the costumes she sold.
“What’s the point of complaining? A chore is a chore. Best to just get it done.” Emerson turned the dryer on and leaned against it. “I think Cass is really glad to have you around to help her these days.”
“I’m trying to do enough to earn my keep.” Wye got the load of wash going. “I don’t like that the Reeds won’t let me pay rent.”
“I hear that. I’m looking for ways to earn my keep, too.” He’d give anything to get to stay at Two Willows long term, but if the General did his physical therapy exercises, soon enough he wouldn’t need an assistant.
“I think everyone appreciates you running interference for the General. The Reeds are an interesting bunch.”
“I like them.” He admired the General, enjoyed the quirky companionship of the man’s five daughters and the camaraderie of the men they’d married. But he liked Wye even more, and he was too aware she could leave at any time. It was obvious Cass wanted her to stay awhile but just as clear Wye found it embarrassing not to be working. Emerson wasn’t sure how it would play out.
He needed to make the most of every day he had with her.
“You’ll be run off your feet today helping Cass.” Alice was marrying Jack Sanders this afternoon, and Cass was serving up a Thanksgiving-style dinner to all their guests. There would be a lot of them. “You let me know where I can lend a hand, all right? Think of me as backup.”
Wye smiled gratefully. “That would be awesome. Cass was such a wreck last night, I’m not sure she slept. She wants the wedding to be perfect, since it will be the last one here.”
Emerson swallowed a pang. He hoped it wasn’t the last one at Two Willows. Maybe Cass and all her sisters would be married as of tonight, but he wouldn’t be.
Neither would Wye.
He supposed it was much too early to consider marrying her, but something clicked in his heart the first time he’d laid eyes on Wye. Some instinct in him recognized her immediately: the one for him. Everything he’d seen in the past few weeks confirmed it. Wye was… special. Kind. Caring. Attentive to the ones she loved. Always looking for the thing that needed doing and doing it. Her sensible attributes aligned with the way he’d been raised, but that wasn’t why he was attracted to her.
Wye… fit him.
He couldn’t quite put what he meant by that into words, but his body understood it perfectly. He hadn’t held her yet, but he knew with all his heart when he did it would feel right. He ached to get close to her and try it out, but he didn’t need to perform the act physically to confirm his suspicion.
