A Dream Unfolding (56 page)

“Dear, don’t look so sad about it,” Betty said as she started washing the dishes.
 
“I know what you’re thinking and you just leave that thought lie.
 
Drew was a wonderful man, but he is gone now.
 
It is okay to move on.”

She was not ready for this discussion, despite her own confusing feelings.
 
“But you haven’t moved on.
 
At least you haven’t married again, Betty,” Hannah said.

“Yes, that is true.
 
But I am also not as young as you, nor as beautiful.
 
And I have my son to take of me.
 
As young as you are, you can look toward the future and see it with a man and with a house full of children.
 
You do want a family, don’t you?”

Both set of eyes were on her as she dried the next dish.
 
“Yes, I do want a family.
 
I thought that longing would go away after Drew died, but it hasn’t.
 
It has only gotten stronger.”

“Then we must help you decide who you want to share that life with,” Betty said, mischievous grin in place.

Martha stopped her short, “Now Betty, don’t be interfering with Hannah’s life.
 
It’s one thing to listen and help her see what she hasn’t noticed, but don’t you go plotting out her life for her.
 
Her heart needs to decide on its own.”

Betty pouted, “That doesn’t mean we can’t list the fine attributes of each man does it?”

Hannah covered her eyes, pretending to hide from Betty.
 
Martha burst out giggling at her reaction.
 
Betty couldn’t pretend to be upset any longer and joined in the laughter.
 
Before Hannah knew it, she was carried along in the swell.
 
Soon none of them could remember what they were laughing about.
 
Tears pooled in the corner of their eyes.
 
Paul stuck his head in through the back door, took one look, cocked an eyebrow, and walked back out.
 
His expression and subsequent quick exit brought another round of hysterics.
 
It felt so good to laugh with her friends.

Once the dishes were clean, Hannah poured coffee for each of them.
 
Then the ladies gathered around the kitchen table and continued their discussion.

“Hannah, you really should consider what we’re saying,” Martha said.
 
“Even if you haven’t given it much thought before.”

“Yes, dear, we want you to be happy.
 
And even though I love you like a daughter, I don’t expect you to keep working for me forever.”

Hannah’s heart turned upside down.
 
She didn’t know what to think.
 
“I loved Drew so much,” she began.
 
“I don’t think about him as much now, but I still miss him.
 
The way I felt about him was different.
 
I don’t feel that way about either Will or Joshua.”

“Love takes on a different shape with different people in our lives.
 
The way you loved Drew will not be the same way in which you love your next husband,” Betty said.
 
She paused before continuing, a distant look shading her eyes.
 
“Before I met Henry, I loved another man.
 
We were going to be married, but he was killed in a tragic accident weeks before our wedding.
 
We had been so passionately and madly in love.
 
I didn’t think I would be able to breathe without him.
 
But I grieved and I moved on.
 
I wasn’t the same girl when I met Henry.
 
I had changed.
 
What I wanted and needed changed.
 
I loved Henry with all of my heart from very early on, but it was calmer, steadier, and settled.”

“Weren’t you attracted to Henry?” Hannah asked.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong.
 
We still had sparks flying.
 
We couldn’t keep our hands off of each other.
 
I’m just saying it was different from my first love.”

“Hannah, I think Betty is right, although I can’t say from personal experience.
 
Just think about it.
 
Will and Joshua are not the same men as Drew.
 
They have vastly different interests.
 
Drew was a doctor.
 
Will is a rancher.
 
Joshua is a lieutenant in the army.
 
Each man is unique in his own way.”

“Yes.
 
Drew was at ease around you and loved to tease you.
 
He had an innate calmness in his spirit.
 
He was fiercely protective of you,” Betty said.
 
“And he wanted to spend every waking moment at your side.
 
The lieutenant, while he wants to care for you, can never be there as much as you might want.
 
His first love is the army—well maybe God, then the army—then you.
 
He respects you greatly, but would often be in a position to leave you on your own.
 
Will, on the other hand, sees you as wife material, even if he doesn’t quite know it yet.
 
He admires your independence and desires your companionship.
 
I’m sure he would care for you and protect you, just like the others, but he also understands that you can hold your own.”

Hannah stared at the coffee mug in her hand.
 
“What should I do?”

“Let God and time work its course,” Martha advised.

Dr. Murphy appeared a moment later to take his wife back to Fort Whipple.
 
The sun was hanging low in the sky and they would have barely enough daylight left to make it back.
 
Hannah and Betty said their goodbyes, sad to have their friend leaving already.

Hannah needed to be alone with her thoughts, her mind churning with all her friends said.
 
As Betty retired to their private rooms, she stayed in the kitchen.
 
The noise from the saloon filtered across the square.
 
She hoped they wouldn’t be rowdy too late into the night.

Did she love Will or Joshua?
 
Could she love either of them?

Joshua was a dear friend.
 
She enjoyed his company and sensed something different when they talked this afternoon.
 
Hannah would be forever grateful for how he stepped into the darkest days of her life and carried her to safety.
 
He was a very honorable man.
 
He commanded the attention and loyalty of those around him.
 
But did she love him?

What about Will?
 
He was so quiet sometimes.
 
She often felt like she had to pull the conversation from him.
 
Yet, when he did speak at length, most of the time it was deep or profound.
 
And he was ruggedly handsome.
 
She remembered back in May how easily he spoke of God.
 
She knew that was important to her, and it sounded like it was important to him.

A gentle knock on the open back door drew her attention.
 
Will
Colter
stepped just over the threshold.
 
She greeted him with a warm smile.

“Would you care to take a walk?” he asked.

Hannah felt her pulse quicken and her heart flutter.
 
It must be all that talk with Betty and Martha.
 
She stood, taking his offered arm.
 
As they walked together in silence, she was more aware of him than before.
 
He walked comfortably, with confidence.
 
Where her hand rested lightly in the crook of his arm, she could feel the strength.
 
This was a man that was used to hard work.
 
She felt very safe with him.

“Hannah,” Will started.
 
“May I call you, Hannah?” he asked when he realized his mistake.

“Yes,” she answered softly.

“Thank you for spending so much time with me today.
 
I didn’t mean to take you away from Mrs. Lancaster and Mrs. Murphy.”

That’s odd.
 
Does he really think he took me away from them?
 
“There’s nothing to apologize for.
 
I had a wonderful time.”

The tinny music from the saloon carried across the square, filling the awkward silence.

“That berry pie was delicious.
 
The best berry pie I’ve ever had,” Will said.

Hannah got the feeling that he didn’t want to talk about her baking skills.
 
There was definitely something on his mind.
 
Turning to face him, she looked up and asked, “What’s wrong, Will?”

---

As Will looked down at her, his well rehearsed speech dissolved on his tongue.
 
The dimming light cast an almost angelic glow to her face.
 
She was so close and the way she was looking at him was too much.
 
He lowered his head and without warning gently kissed her.
 
At first, he felt her body tense, but then she quickly gave into his kiss.
 
When she put her arms around his neck, Will pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.
 
She was so sweet.
  
He could go on kissing her forever, savoring everything about her.

Unfamiliar feelings bubbled to the surface.
 
He pulled away suddenly, needing to put some distance between them, frightened by the intensity of his feelings.

His voice husky, he said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”
 
What kind of stupid thing was that to say?

Turning away from him and towards the boardinghouse, Hannah said matter-of-factly, “Your voice betrays you, Will.”
 
As he followed in stride next to her, she teased, “I don’t think you are one bit sorry.”

Embarrassed, Will searched for the words he wanted to say.
 
“I
am
sorry—sorry that I did not ask your permission first.”
 
His heart was pounding loudly in his ears.
 
He hoped he hadn’t just ruined his chances with Hannah by being so brash.

They walked the remainder of the way back to the boardinghouse in silence.
 
Stopping at the back door, Will turned to her, knowing this would be his last opportunity to ask her.

“Hannah, I was wondering if you would like to come see the ranch some time.”

“I would love to.”

His heart leapt within his chest.
 
He flashed a grin before wishing her a good night.

---

“Good night, Will,” she replied to his retreating back.
 

Once he was out of sight, she closed and locked the door.
 
Leaning against it, Hannah took a deep breath to steady herself.
 
She was shocked when Will kissed her and even more shocked at her own reaction to the kiss.
 
The kiss was so blissful.
 
She hadn’t wanted it to end.
 
When he pulled away abruptly, she thought she had done something wrong.
 
But, even in the dimming light, she saw the unmistakable look of passion in his eyes.

Will was most definitely different than Drew.
 
When she first met him, she thought Will was a bit too quiet.
 
She recalled his short answers to many of her questions.
 
But, as she got to know him better, she saw a deep, sensitive man who tried so hard to be the steady leader his men expected.
 
And during the roping competition, she saw the fun and playful side of Will
Colter
.

Yes, Will was very different from Drew, but in the most pleasant ways.

Chapter
30

With nervous anticipation, Hannah dressed in her green calico dress.
 
She liked the way the green of the dress brought out the reddish highlights of her hair.
 
And she wanted to look her best for the picnic outing at Will’s ranch.
 
Before he left town two weeks ago, he suggested today for the visit.
 
The last two weeks seemed to drag on.
 
Hannah could hardly wait to see him again—especially after that kiss.
 
Countless times she fell asleep to the memory, savoring each nuance, and eagerly looking forward to the next.
 
Checking her appearance in the gilded handheld mirror, Hannah blushed, pleased with the reflection.