Anyplace But Here (Oklahoma Lovers Series Book 5) (2 page)

Three weeks later

“I got fired.” Hunter slumped on the chair in front of the fireplace.

Tori lowered the newspaper she’d been reading to stare at him. “Which job was this one?”

“The bartender job at the Blue Bell Saloon.”

“What happened?”

“A customer got pretty rowdy when I told him he was too drunk to buy any more drinks. Big John took exception to one of his employees discouraging drinking in his saloon, so he fired me.”

The saloon job had been one in a string of employment attempts he’d failed at in the three weeks since he’d been home. Every day it was becoming more and more apparent he had no place in the world. Once he’d taken off his Ranger badge he’d felt lost. That small medal symbol represented him, as much as his job. Not all rangers wore badges, but when he’d had his made from an old Mexican coin, he wore it with pride, and never took it off.

“I hear Bruce is looking for some help down at the bank.”

“No.” Just the thought of setting foot in a bank tightened his stomach muscles. He’d always carried his money around with him, and when that wasn’t possible, he kept it in a locked box within reach. He’d never crossed the threshold of a bank, nor would he ever.

“Maybe it’s time you took Michael up on his offer to work at the pharmacy.”

Hunter ran his fingers through his hair and shifted in his seat, wincing at the abrupt move. “I don’t want charity from my family.”

“Oh, I don’t think Michael has any idea of not getting his money’s worth from you.”

It had reached a point where he had no choice. He hadn’t lasted as a bartender, a cook, a retail store clerk, or the lousy factory job he’d taken when he first came home. He’d been stupid to even think he could stand for hours on end.

Sure, he had plenty of money from his years of living frugally, but a man needed a purpose in life. He needed to get up each morning excited about the day, what he would accomplish with his hands and brain. What he could do to make his world a better place.

And there was still unfinished business that he would not give up on. Once he was on his feet, he would resume his search.

“All right. I’ll go see him in the morning.”

He made his way to the back of the house and entered his room. It actually felt good to have a permanent place to return to at the end of each day. One day he would get a place of his own. He’d ignored the not-so-subtle nudges his sisters had been making since his return. It was obvious they both wanted to plan his wedding. That would never happen. The last thing he needed was a wife who he could lose in a flash and break his heart. One he would not be able to protect from the ills of life. His heart had been ravaged enough, and not by a woman.

Best to stay single and be responsible for no one but himself.

After a quick wash-up, he changed his shirt and headed back out. He’d left off the crutches about a week ago, but he still had a decided limp and pain when he stood or walked too long. Another reason he didn’t do well on the jobs he’d had. But he was not the type to sit all day.

Not feeling up to a family supper tonight, he walked to the Harvey House restaurant at the train station. From what he’d heard, they had some decent food and even pretty young women working as servers. He could use a little bit of cheering up, and nothing would work better than some fine female scenery while he enjoyed his steak.

The new Santa Fe Depot on the east side of the tracks housed the restaurant. Unlike other depots, this one had been constructed with red bricks. A two-story section stood at the center of the building, with one-story wings on either side. Right now the area was busy with the arrival of a train. Those who were home for the evening strode away from the depot, newspapers tucked under their arms, and those in between trains headed to the restaurant.

The delicious scents of roasting meat and baked bread reached him before he even opened the door. A man greeted him, bowing as he entered. “Good evening, sir. Did you wish to dine with us this evening?”

“Yes, sir. Just myself.”

“Very good. However, we do require gentlemen to wear jackets.” He hurried on when Hunter turned to leave. “We have jackets here for our customers’ use, and we would be happy to supply you with one.”

Hunter stopped and grinned as his stomach let out with a rather embarrassing growl. “I guess I’d better take you up on your offer.”

“Very good, sir. Just one moment, please.”

Hunter looked around the restaurant while he waited for his jacket. Several young women dressed in black shirtwaist dresses, adorned with a white bib and apron hurried from the kitchen area to tables filled with customers. The tables were covered with white linen cloths and silver table service. It was no wonder they required jackets. The restaurant reminded him of the fine establishments where he’d eaten in Dallas. He never expected to see such a place in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

“Here you are, sir.” The man from the front desk held out a black jacket which Hunter slipped on and then followed him to a table near a window that revealed another train pulling into the depot.

He studied the menu, pleased at the tempting choices, when he heard a slight “Oh,” and before he looked up was immediately doused with a copious amount of very cold water. Jumping up, he sucked in a breath, and looked up from his wet clothes. “What the . . .”

His jaw dropped as he peered into two of the most beautiful crystal blue eyes he’d ever seen. Eyes that grew wider by the second as the young waitress stared at him in horror. Eyes that soon filled with tears that held fast to her lids, as if waiting for permission to slide down her flushed cheeks.

An angel.

Chapter 2

The waitress blinked furiously, her mouth working as if she were about to cry, but appeared to hold onto her dignity with a thin thread. “I am so sorry.” She put shaky hands to her lips, seeming frozen to the spot.

A man dressed in a black suit strode up to the girl, his eyebrows drawn together. “Miss Cabot, return to the kitchen. Now.” He turned to Hunter, a slick smile on his face. “I am extremely sorry, sir. I will see that the girl is dismissed right away, and your dinner is free of charge, of course.”

Hunter watched the waitress hurry away from the scene, her head held high as the other girls whispered to each other. He finally snapped to attention and realized what the man had just said. “Dismiss her?” He shook his head furiously. “No. Please don’t dismiss the girl. Please. It was an accident.”

“We have a high standard for our Harvey Girls, sir. We do not allow carelessness.”

“She wasn’t careless.” His mind worked fast. “In fact, I nudged her arm. It was my fault.”

The man’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed?”

“Yes. She bent to place the glass on the table and I accidentally nudged her arm.” Whether the man believed him or not, he had to take the word of the customer.

“If that is what you say, sir. In any event, please allow us to pay for your dinner.” He snapped his fingers at another waitress. “Bring more napkins for Mr. . . .” He gave Hunter an inquisitive look.

“Henderson.”

“Mr. Henderson needs more napkins, Miss Granger. Please bring them immediately.”

The new waitress arrived with several napkins that he used to wipe the water off as best he could. He kept glancing at the door at the rear of the restaurant where the girls hustled in and out, carrying trays of food. He sincerely hoped the manager kept his word and hadn’t fired the girl. After being let go from several jobs himself lately, he didn’t want to see her meet the same fate.

Aside from that, he wanted to see her again. His years of dealing with all sorts of people had honed his skills at reading eyes. The crystal blue-eyed angel was in pain. And not just because she’d spilled water on him. In the depths of her eyes he’d seen suffering, and—if he were honest—fear and distrust. Hopefully not from him.

Despite dragging out his meal as long as he could, the angel never again appeared in the dining room. If that manager had fired her anyway, he would be sure to make a ruckus. He tossed a tip on the table and headed to the door, nodding briefly at the man at the door when he handed the jacket over.

Hunter checked his timepiece once more. The lights from the restaurant had dimmed ten minutes earlier. He’d asked around and learned the young ladies who worked at the Harvey House all lived in a boardinghouse a short walk from the depot. So far none of the waitresses had emerged from the building.

What in hell was he doing, anyway? So the girl spilled water on him and the manager threatened to fire her. Why should he care if she got fired or not? Of course he wouldn’t want to see anyone lose their job over an accident, but his concern for the girl’s welfare went far beyond normal curiosity. Something about the wounded look in her eyes touched him, and brought out his protective side. He assured himself that once he spoke with her and was confident her job was secure, he would be on his way and forget the entire incident. And her.

Liar.

A stream of light poured out of the side of the building and girls began to appear. The first three walked together, the next two strolled arm in arm. More girls appeared, chatting easily as they made their way home. When he was just about ready to believe the angel had been fired after all, she came through the door and closed it behind her. Her action blocked the scant light from inside the building. Since his eyes were used to the dark, he clearly saw her take a few tentative steps away from the restaurant while her eyes adjusted.

Not wanting to frighten her, but thinking she could use some help until she could see her way, he cautiously approached her. “Good evening, miss.”

Emily jumped and let out with a squeak as her heart began to pound. Had Louis found her? She’d been looking over her shoulder ever since stepping off the train in Guthrie. Luckily the job the Harvey House had offered had still been available and within two days after arriving she had a room and a job. A job she’d almost lost tonight.

In fact, now that her eyes had become accustomed to the darkness, she realized it wasn’t Louis who stood in front of her, but the man on whom she’d spilled the water. Good heavens, had he come to chastise her? She’d received enough of that from Mr. Tinsdale after the disaster. He’d lectured her and made it clear if she had one more mishap she would be fired. Since that was her first blunder, his edict seemed rather harsh. But really, what did she know of the work world?

“My goodness, you scared me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

His voice was deep and rich, rolling over her like warm honey. He gave her a slight smile that had her heart pounding again, but nothing to do with fear. “That’s all right. In the dark, you know . . .”

“Yes, I understand. It was probably not the best idea to meet you here.”

What
was
he doing here? From his demeanor he certainly wasn’t going to reprimand her. He licked his lips, almost as if he were nervous. She knew that action very well. “Is there something you wanted to say to me?”

He seemed to pull himself back from wherever his thoughts had wandered. “Uh, yes. I did want to say something. Actually, I wanted to ask you a question.”

She regarded him with raised eyebrows.

“Did you get fired tonight?”

Heavens, had he insisted she be fired and Mr. Tinsdale went against the wishes of a customer? No. That wasn’t likely. Mr. Tinsdale never went against what a customer requested. “No. Mr. Tinsdale—that’s my supervisor—gave me a second chance.”

He seemed to relax his stance. “I’m glad to hear that. When I didn’t see you in the dining room the rest of the time I was there, I was afraid he’d fired you after all.”

“After all?”

He grimaced. “Ah well, he sort of said he was going to dismiss you, but I asked him not to.”

He had kept her from losing her job? What a nice man. One of very few she was sure. Her warm thoughts came to an abrupt halt. Unless he expected some type of ‘reward’ for doing so. Was that why he’d waited for her in a darkened train station? She drew herself up and narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“Huh?”

She raised her chin. “Why would you care if I lost my job?”

He removed his Stetson, ran his fingers through his hair, and then placed the hat back on his head. “I don’t want to see anyone lose their job. Especially if it was an accident.” He paused and gave her a slow smile that did strange things to her insides. “Unless you really intended to give me a cold bath?”

Images of this man sitting in a bathtub—naked—while she poured water over him produced a heated flush that began at her toes and ended at her hairline. What was the matter with her? Sure, he was handsome. Probably the handsomest man she’d ever seen, but she never felt an attraction to a man before. Any man. She’d had enough of men to last a lifetime.

“No, not at all Mr.—?”

“Henderson. Hunter Henderson.” That slow smile again made the slight lines at the edges of his eyes deepen.

“Well, thank you very much, Mr. Henderson. I appreciate you standing up for me.” She moved as if to go around him but he turned so he was walking alongside her.

“May I walk you home? I don’t think a nice young lady like yourself should be out at night alone.”

All right, just what did this man want from her? “The boardinghouse is only a two block walk. I’ve done it numerous times, and I feel quite safe. I certainly know how to take care of myself.”

“Ma’am, Tori would beat my hide if she knew I let a young lady walk the streets at night by herself.”

“Is that your wife?” Why did she feel a bit of a letdown?

Stupid.

“No, ma’am. I’m not married. Tori is my aunt. She and Uncle Jesse took over our raising when my dad died.” His lips tightened and his eyes changed from mirthful to something very dangerous.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Memories of her own parents dying in a boating accident when she was away at school threatened to once again bring her to tears. Their demise had been the beginning of her living death. “Why do you say
Uncle
Jesse but not
Aunt
Tori?”

“I don’t rightly know, to tell you the truth. When Tori came to Kansas to take over our raising, she was only twenty-two and my brother—the oldest—was sixteen. We’d never met Tori before then, since the woman who raised her and my dad didn’t get on. Somehow she never seemed more than just one of us.”

“How many of them are you?”

“Michael, Rachel, Ellie, and me.”

“That was quite ambitious of a twenty-two-year-old woman to take on four unknown nieces and nephews.” It startled her to realize she was older than that by only one year. Could she ever feel confident enough to assume such a burden? Her attempt at independence had brought her here, and while she was doing all right, she never went through a single day without looking over her shoulder.

But at least she’d gotten away.

Mr. Henderson continued. “Not only that, Tori also entered the Land Run and hauled all of us here to Guthrie.”

Emily shook her head at the woman’s tenacity. “And ‘Uncle Jesse?’”

“He and Tori married shortly after we all arrived. He is a Territorial Senator. And I guess once we become a state later this year, he’ll be a State Senator.”

“What a remarkable couple.” Emily was amazed to see they had already reached the walkway to the boardinghouse. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a conversation with another person as much as this one. “Well, here we are.” She waved her arm in the direction of the large wooden structure that she called home.

Several rocking chairs rested on the wraparound porch. Two young women sat there, enjoying the night air and talking quietly as their fingers flew over pieces of needlework. Sounds of piano playing came from the open parlor window, and a woman’s voice was raised in song.

A warmer and certainly safer place than the one she’d fled a few months ago. “Thank you for walking me home, Mr. Henderson.”

He tipped his hat. “You’re welcome, ma’am. And again, I’m glad to know you didn’t lose your job tonight.”

She turned and hurried up the stairs, afraid of the feelings his kind words evoked. Kindness from a man was something she hadn’t experienced in a long time. And like all men, she had absolutely no reason to trust him.