A Prescription for Love (4 page)

“Heidi.” He rose and leaned against the sink, his arms crossed. “Why don’t you tell me about it? The whole story this time.”

Her voice started off so low, he could barely hear her.

“I told you my breathing sickness kept me from doing the things other kids did. I couldn’t run, climb trees, or jump rope. The restrictions resulted in very few friends and no birthday parties. I never appeared on anyone’s invitation list. And even if I had, Mother and Papa wouldn’t have allowed it anyway.”

She raised her head, staring him in the eye. “Four days ago, I took money I’d saved over the years, bought a train ticket, and packed my bag. While my parents attended a church supper, I dashed to the station and waited for the train.” Her sweet little nose crinkled as she looked up and grinned. “The excitement almost caused a breathing attack, but I talked to myself, calmed down, and got on the train.”

His eyebrows rose. “Aren’t you a bit concerned your parents may be frantic, wondering what’s happened to you?”

She shook her head. “I left a note sufficiently vague so they wouldn’t be able to track me down. Oh, eventually I’ll write to them. After all, my parents love me.” She sighed, and gave him a sad smile. “They just love me too much at times.”

“And where does Mr. Clarence Manfred fit in?”

She let out a deep breath. “He wants to marry me.”

“So you
are
engaged?” Why did that thought depress him?

“Yes. But I don’t want to be.” The determination in her face as she raised her chin lifted his spirits. “I want to be my own person, and work at a job as normal people do.”

He smiled at her show of resolve. Perhaps Miss Lester possessed more backbone than what met the eye. For someone so coddled, she certainly had grit to do what she’d done. “Very well. If you intend to keep your job, then we need to lock up and have our lunch.” He offered her his hand. “Then, as a good employee, you will return to the store and we will finish out the day.” He winked at her. “And I will ban Mr. Manfred and the woman I assume is his mother from the store.”

Heidi returned a full smile. His heart skipped a beat and warmth rushed through him like sunlight on bare skin. He blew out a deep breath as he helped her into her coat, placed his hand on her lower back, and nudged her toward the door.

Heidi buttoned her coat as they passed through the long aisle to the front door. Michael lowered the shade and flipped the sign. Then after locking up, he escorted her to the coffee shop. Her gaze darted back and forth, but she didn’t see either Clarence or his mother. Not for one minute did she suppose they’d given up. In fact, they were most likely now at the Western Union sending a telegram to her parents in Oklahoma City.

The noise from the coffee shop greeted them as Michael shoved the glass-paneled door opened. The cheerful conversation and clink of silverware and dishes reminded her she would eat her meal among the other working people of Guthrie. Most tables were filled with diners she assumed to be on their lunch break. Her nose twitched at the mixed scents of ham, cabbage, and beef stew in the air. The mouth-watering aromas and warm air calmed her.

Michael directed them to a table near the front window, not too far from the warming stove. Heidi ordered the ham and cabbage special with a cup of tea. Michael decided on beef stew and a cup of coffee. After searching all the tables for the familiar faces of Clarence and Mrs. Manfred and finding them absent, she relaxed.

“How did you come to find yourself engaged to a man you don’t wish to marry?”

Heidi swallowed and wondered how much to tell. Certainly not the humiliating part about her being a potentially useless wife. “Mrs. Manfred and my parents have been friends most of my life.” She shrugged. “I guess they assumed we would marry one day.”

“Why?” He took a sip of water. “That doesn’t seem a good reason to marry, especially in this day and age.”

“Most likely because I never had the opportunity to meet anyone else.” She thanked the waitress who placed the plate in front of her. “Is Honey off today?”

“No. Mrs. Bonner has her helping in the kitchen.” The young girl smiled as she added Michael’s food and their drinks.

“Tell her Heidi says hello.”

Michael took a swallow of coffee and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “If you don’t want to marry the man, why don’t you break the engagement?”

She squirmed in her seat, wondering what Michael thought of her spineless acceptance of a man she didn’t want to marry. Most likely, he probably never felt the need to do something he didn’t want to do in his whole life. “I will. I just need time.” She took a bite of ham, forcing herself to chew and swallow since her appetite had fled.

Heat rose from her middle and spread to her face as he studied her. Maybe getting him to talk about himself would avoid further questions. “How long have you lived in Guthrie?”

Michael smirked at her change of subject. “All my life. Well, not exactly, even though I feel that way.”

He smiled, and Heidi’s insides tightened. Deep hazel eyes, combined with the dark hair falling over his forehead, produced a tingling in the pit of her stomach. Add to that the way his lips twitched right before he smiled, and Michael Henderson struck her as the handsomest man she’d ever met. Not that her experience with men had been extensive, but her fiancé certainly never caused her such a physical reaction.

“My Aunt Tori made the first Land Run back in eighty-nine, when I was sixteen. Before then, we lived in Kansas. My ma died of influenza and the following year my pa died of a gunshot wound in a bank holdup.”

Heidi’s mouth fell open. “Oh. I’m so sorry.” She felt the need to touch his hand, but luckily, sense prevailed before she did something so forward.

Michael shrugged. “It all happened a long time ago. But Tori brought me and my two sisters and brother here to start a new life. She married my Uncle Jesse not too long after we arrived. They’re wonderful people.”

“Do they still live in Guthrie?”

“Yes. They have a big house at the end of town. Uncle Jesse is a lawyer and Territorial Senator. They have four kids of their own.”

“I can tell by the glow in your eyes when you talk about them, you have a great deal of respect for your aunt and uncle.”

Michael pushed away his empty plate and slid his coffee cup closer. “I do, indeed. I had a scholarship for college, but Uncle Jesse paid for all the extras the scholarship didn’t cover. Then after I graduated, he loaned me money to start my store.” He leaned his arms on the table and fixed her with a stare. “We need to talk about you now.”

Heidi cringed. She’d managed to push all the unpleasantness awaiting her to the back of her mind. For a while, she felt normal, having lunch like everyone else, and then going back to her job.

“As long as you assure me it’s your intention to continue working, your days will be free of annoyance. If Manfred or his mother visit the store again, they’ll behave themselves, or I’ll ask them to leave.”

Heidi twisted her hands in her lap, still impressed with the way Michael had ordered them both to leave earlier. “I want my job. I really enjoyed working this morning. I’m sure you’ve guessed I’ve never had one before.” She glanced at him under lowered eyelashes.

He nodded.

“I promise I’ll do the best job for you.”

“That’s all I needed to know.” He picked up the check from the table and studied it.

“How much is mine?” she asked, fumbling in her purse.

He waved his hand in her direction. “I’ll take care of it.”

“No.” Her voice came out stronger than intended. Two people next to them stared in her direction. She leaned forward, lowering her voice. “I don’t mean to shout, but I want to pay for my own lunch.”

Michael’s lips twitched. “Fine. Your portion is forty-seven cents.”

She removed some coins and dropped them into his hand.

He helped her with her coat. “You should wrap your scarf around your mouth and nose. Cold air could trigger an asthma attack, even in the daytime.”

“Oh. I didn’t know covering my mouth would help.” She buttoned her coat and wrapped the scarf, feeling happier than she had in ages. She waved at Honey coming out of the kitchen as they left their table, then giggled at the waitress’s raised eyebrows as her handsome boss escorted her out the door.

Michael attempted to ignore the happy, warm feelings coursing through him with Heidi at his side. He laughed inwardly at her insistence in paying for her own lunch. Perhaps by encouraging her to keep her job and seek treatment for her asthma, he may have created a monster. The little bit of support he’d given her seemed to strengthen her independence. Again, he warned himself to stay out of her affairs. If she wanted to remain engaged to a man she didn’t wish to marry, that didn’t concern him.

Despite the fact the man is a half-wit.

Because they returned late from lunch, several customers waited as he and Heidi turned the corner. He hurried to unlock the door and let them in. Two young women headed to the hair products counter, giggling, their heads close together. Heidi immediately hung up her coat and took her place behind the counter, tying an apron around her slender waist. Soon several more customers arrived, and he got caught up in mixing prescriptions.

The afternoon passed quickly enough. From time to time he caught Heidi mixing sodas behind the fountain or wrapping packages for customers. She smiled as she made change and wished everyone a good day. When there were no customers to deal with, she kept herself busy arranging shelves. When she would hurry past where he mixed medicines, he’d catch a whiff of her rose scent. They chatted occasionally, but most times worked in companionable silence.

About an hour before closing time, Michael’s head jerked at the sound of Heidi’s sharp intake of breath. As expected, Mrs. Manfred waddled through the door, stopping directly in front of where Heidi worked behind the counter. Her hands fumbled with the packages of hairpins she’d arranged earlier. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Manfred.”

“Heidi, dear. I had to come and check on you. How is your breathing?”

“Fine.” She kept her head down, but the quick rise and fall of her chest spoke of her agitation.

Look her in the eye, Heidi. She can’t hurt you.

“You’ll be happy to know Clarence has notified your parents by wire and they will be arriving tomorrow to take you home.”

Heidi jerked her head up, face flushed. “I don’t intend to return home.”

The woman reached across the packages of hair goods and patted her hand. “Of course you do. You’ve shown us all you’re capable of taking care of yourself, so now you need to go home and prepare for your wedding. Clarence is quite anxious to make you his wife. He’ll take good care of you, so there will never be a need for you to work.”

“No.” She pulled her hand away, brow creased in frustration. “I want to stay here and work. Mr. Henderson needs me.”

Mrs. Manfred shot a look of pure hatred at Michael. He watched her from under his eyelashes, appearing to mix prescriptions.

“I’m sure Mr. Henderson can find someone else, Heidi.”

“No.” The word came out breathless and Michael stopped pretending to work and glared in Mrs. Manfred’s direction.

“See, my dear. Your breathing is already giving you trouble.”

“No . . . it’s . . . not.” Heidi clearly had difficulty getting her words out.

Michael left his place and joined her at the counter. “Mrs. Manfred, may I please ask you to leave my employee alone. She has work to do.”

The older woman sniffed and drew herself up. “She won’t be your employee for long, Mr. Henderson. Miss Lester will be marrying my son very shortly.”

“So you say. But for now I wish you a good day, ma’am.” He faced Heidi. “Miss Lester, it’s time for your afternoon break.” He placed his hand on her lower back and nudged her toward the rear of the store. “Take shallow breaths and relax,” he mumbled into her ear.

“You may think you’ve dismissed me, young man. But I will be back!” the older woman shouted as she left the store.

What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Henderson?

Chapter 4

Clarence Manfred scanned the missive once again. He smiled. Heidi’s parents would arrive on the morrow. Satisfied, he tucked the paper into his vest pocket and left the Western Union office. Assured all would be well, he cast a glance at the various businesses lining both sides of the street. An array of small, tidy shops made up Guthrie’s downtown.

He strolled the boardwalk, passing the meat store with its red- and white-striped awning sitting to the right of the milliner’s. A busy little boot shop inhabited the space on the first floor of an office building advertising lawyers and a dentist.

Having no need for any of those types of goods or services, he crossed the street and headed directly to The Blue Belle Saloon, where Miss Lizzie’s Bordello occupied the second floor. A couple of drinks and a romp with one of the girls would set his world to rights.

A surge of anger washed over him at the stunt Heidi had pulled. The woman possessed absolutely no sense, and he would be sure she understood once she married him, he would tell her what to do. With her parents arriving tomorrow to back him up, she’d better abandon the ridiculous idea of working and return home. He had no intention of losing the windfall her father had promised for taking her off his hands. A perfect arrangement.

He would keep his mistress, have profitable businesses under his ownership, and a pretty, if worthless, wife to entertain his associates. Not totally worthless. A nice dowry, new house, and multiple businesses handed to him would offset any inconvenience he suffered because of her illness.

Clarence entered the saloon and sauntered to the bar. He waved in the direction of the bartender. “Whiskey.”

The bartender swiped the scarred wooden bar with the dirty rag in his hand, then grabbed a bottle from the shelf in front of the long mirror against the wall. He slapped the liquor and small glass down in front of Clarence. “Five bits.”

Clarence reached into his pocket, took out a bill, and tossed it on the bar. He poured a drink and, taking a sip, turned to observe the room. A haze of smoke hung in the air along with the strong odor of liquor. An older man in a white shirt with red garters wrapped around his sleeves played a tune on the piano. Several of Miss Lizzy’s girls wandered the room, sitting on men’s laps, leaning over the poker table. A young, dark-haired whore giggled, red-faced, when a customer yanked the top of her dress out to peer at her generous charms.