Boaz's Wager Read online

  “I should be done training Conner’s horse soon. Then I can come home earlier. I’d like to be here when you and the children eat.”

  “It’s alright, Boaz,” she replied.

  He tore into a biscuit and smoothed some butter on it. “I was hoping to get further along with Conner’s horse,” he said with a sigh, “but Conner wouldn’t stop helping me.”

  “Why should him helping you be a problem?”

  “Because when he helps, what he’s really doing is talking while I need to focus.”

  “Have you told him to stop talking so you can focus?”

  “I can’t. Conner’s a nice person. He’s done so much for me. He hired me before anyone else would.”

  “Well, you’re doing fine then. Just let him talk and give him the attention he obviously requires until he leaves you alone so you can do the job he paid you to do.”

  He hesitated for a moment then slowly chewed his biscuit while he thought over what she said. “Do I sound like I’m complaining?”

  For a moment, she thought he was offended by her comment, but as she studied his expression, she realized he was being sincere. He hadn’t meant to come across as complaining and was worried he sounded that way. “You seem frustrated, like you feel you need to do what’s expected of you instead of doing what you want.”

  He lowered his gaze to his plate and ran his fingers along the handle of his fork. “I’ve upset a lot of people in the past. There aren’t many who are willing to give me another chance.” He looked up at her. “I really want to redeem myself, you know? To prove that those who are willing to take a chance on me aren’t wrong in trusting me.” After a long pause, he poked at his green beans. “You’re right. I shouldn’t seem ungrateful when I talk about Conner.”

  “Boaz,” she softly began as she leaned forward to make eye contact with him, “there’s nothing wrong with staying somewhere a little bit longer so you can listen to Conner talk. I’ll keep the meal heated for you until you get home.”

  Smiling, he said, “Thank you.”

  “I know you work long hours. It’s in the nature of your job.”

  “Yes, but it’s not fair to you and the children. Since I’m married to you and have brought them here, I need to be more of a husband and father.”

  “Boaz, you don’t have to feel guilty for not coming home at a certain time every evening. My father works at a newspaper. There are times when he has to be somewhere on the weekend or evenings chasing a story. It goes with his job.”

  He dug his spoon into his bowl but didn’t eat the stew. “Eva, do you think I was selfish in marrying you?”

  “No. You married me so you could get your children back. My father married my mother so his children would have a mother. It wasn’t selfish. It was practical.”

  “Maybe, but are you happy?”

  “Of course, I am. Leroy and Hannah are wonderful children. And today Leroy and Hannah called me ‘mama’.” Unable to stop her smile from widening, she added, “I know it’s a small thing, but it means the world to me that they did that. I really want to be a good mother to them.”

  “You are a good mother.”

  “Thank you.”

  Hannah screamed and Leroy told her to stop being a baby.

  “I should start reading the book to them before they get into a big fight,” Eva said, reluctant to leave the kitchen but knowing she’d better because once Leroy and Hannah started fighting, it was hard to stop them. “You don’t need to worry. I’m happy where I’m at.”

  He nodded and feeling good about having relieved him of his doubts, she left the room to intervene in the brewing argument.

  ***

  The next evening, Eva glanced at the clock above the small fireplace mantle and turned to Leroy and Hannah who stood by the front door, starting to get impatient with waiting for their father to come home. She was already five minutes late in going to Rachel’s, and walking with the children was going to slow her down. Well, she couldn’t wait here all night.

  With a sigh, she told Leroy, “Watch your sister,” and headed for the kitchen.

  She finished writing Boaz a note telling him they had left for Herb and Rachel’s house when the front door opened and Leroy called out a greeting to him. Hurrying down the hallway, she saw that Boaz was covered in dirt.

  Leroy giggled and squeezed his nose. “You stink.”

  Disappointed, she asked, “Did you forget we were supposed to go to Herb and Rachel’s tonight?”

  “No, I didn’t forget,” he replied as he placed his hat on the small table by the door. “I tripped and fell in a big puddle. Twice.”

  This time Hannah joined her brother in laughing.

  “How long will it take you to clean up?” Eva asked, doing her best to keep a straight face. It really was funny. How on earth did he manage to trip and fall into a puddle two times?

  “Ten, maybe fifteen, minutes.” He glanced at her and offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I tried to leave at four, but Jafferty kept talking and wouldn’t stop.”

  “It’s alright. We’ll wait.”

  “There’s no need. You three go on ahead. I’ll clean up and meet you there.”

  She bit her lower lip. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I’ll be over there in fifteen minutes.”

  Figuring that was best, she nodded and led the giggling children out of the house. By the time she got to Rachel’s, she could smell the delicious aroma of turkey wafting through the house.

  “I hope you didn’t go through too much trouble for us,” she said as she led the children inside.

  “Oh, it was no trouble at all,” Rachel assured her. “Herb won the turkey in a raffle they had at the butcher’s.”

  “It seems like he’s on a winning streak.” First, he got Rachel. Now a turkey. “Next you’ll be telling me you’re expecting his child.”

  “It’s too soon to tell that,” she replied with a chuckle. “Herb’s ma has some old toys from when he was a child. I thought Leroy and Hannah might enjoy playing with them.”

  As Rachel led them into the parlor and showed them the blocks and wooden trains, Eva glanced at the clock. “Boaz said he’d be by in about ten or fifteen minutes. He ended up falling into a puddle and got dirt all over him.”

  “I wondered where he was.” Rachel looked at the children. “Will they be alright if they play in here by themselves?”

  “There’s no need for that,” Herb said from behind them.

  They turned around and saw him enter the room. “I’ll watch them while you two take care of the food.”

  Rachel smiled and led Eva to the kitchen where they worked on preparing the table.

  ***

  After the meal, Eva asked Herb if he’d be willing to play a song on his violin. It took Boaz a moment to realize she meant his fiddle.

  “They call it a violin in some places of the country,” Eva explained when she saw his confusion.

  He nodded and sat with her on the couch while Rachel settled into a chair and Herb stood in the middle of the room, not too far from where Leroy and Hannah played with the toys.

  “It’s a lovely instrument,” Eva continued. “It can play some of the most beautiful melodies.”

  “Can’t that be said about any musical instrument?” Rachel teased.

  “The violin is far more romantic. There’s something about the way the bow slides across the strings that tugs at the heart.”

  Boaz had no idea what she was talking about but decided to take her word for it. At least, for her it was that way.

  “You prefer classical music?” Herb asked her.

  “I do. I’ve been fortunate to attend a symphony, and the music those musicians played was…” With a sigh, she added, “Words just don’t adequately describe the emotions such music invokes.”

  “You know, I like to play ‘Greensleeves’. Would you like to hear it?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Boaz watched as Eva clasped her hands toget
her and smiled in excitement. Granted, he had a lot to learn about his wife, but he wouldn’t have expected her to be so eager for a song. And that eagerness turned into full-blown exhilaration as Herb played the melody. Glancing at Rachel, he tried to figure out if she was as moved by the song as Eva was, but Rachel wasn’t grinning from ear to ear and practically swooning.

  When Herb finished, Eva clapped her hands much too enthusiastically and turned to Boaz. “Wasn’t that captivating?” She looked at Rachel and added, “Your husband plays with so much passion, you can feel it.” Then she turned her adoring gaze in Herb’s direction. “Do you know anything else?”

  “Well, there is ‘Ave Maria,’ but other than that, I’m afraid I haven’t done much. I usually play when the town gets together for square dances.”

  “What a shame. Your talent is wasted here. You should be playing in the concert halls back East.”

  Blushing, he shrugged. “That’s mighty nice of you to say, but I love being here. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

  “I understand. Your job and family are here. But I’m telling you, Herb, you have a real gift for music.”

  Still blushing, he thanked her and began playing ‘Ave Maria’ for her.

  Boaz shifted uneasily on the couch. Just how was he supposed to know Eva loved music so much? In the times they’d talked after he read to her, she never once mentioned liking music. She’d only expressed her love of fine literature, told him about her days in Omaha as a school teacher, and described her family. But never once did she mention music.

  And he’d never played anything a day in his life, nor did he have the desire to do so. He’d gotten along just fine training horses. Herb had been playing that fiddle ever since he was ten. He spent hours on it because he loved it. Naturally, he played well enough for a fancy concert somewhere back East.

  After Herb finished, Eva was—once again—clapping as if she’d never heard anything so wonderful in her entire life. He fought the urge to stop her and suggest she might be embarrassing his friend who wasn’t used to so much praise.

  To his dismay, she turned to him and whispered, “Why aren’t you clapping?”

  With a heavy sigh, he half-heartedly clapped and glanced at Rachel who didn’t seem any more enthusiastic than he did.

  “You know, I have a book with other songs in it that are similar to the ones I just played,” Herb told her.

  “Really?”

  Boaz couldn’t believe it. Could she be any more obvious? He was one of the best musicians she’d ever heard. They all got it.

  “I’ll take it out and practice. It’s been a while since I played them, but it can’t be too hard to relearn them. Just like my pa used to say, ‘Once you learn to ride a horse, you never truly forget.’”

  Boaz rolled his eyes as she laughed as if that was the most brilliant thing anyone ever said.

  “Well, it’s getting late,” Boaz said before she could continue to gush on and on about how wonderful Herb was. While he was Herb’s friend, he could only handle so much. Rising to his feet, he pretended to yawn. “I have to get out to Conner’s tomorrow at eight.”

  “That stallion of his still giving him problems?” Herb asked.

  “Yep. It acts fine when I’m around but not when he tries to ride it. We’re going to work on easing the stallion into accepting him as its rider.” He turned to Eva and held out his hand. “Are you ready?”

  Though she looked disappointed, she accepted his hand and stood up. He breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, he thought she was going to suggest he go back alone and she would come home with the children later.

  “Thank you both for a lovely time,” Eva told Rachel and Herb as she helped Leroy and Hannah get ready to go. “I can’t remember when I had such a marvelous time.”

  “It was certainly our pleasure having you,” Herb replied, looking happier than Boaz thought he had a right to. “When I polish up some of those songs, you’ll have to come back and listen to them.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  Before the endless flattery could go any further, Boaz picked Hannah up and gently nudged Eva on the back. “No need to rush, Herb. I know you got your hands full at Greg’s ranch.”

  “Oh, it’s no bother. I love playing the violin. It’s not often I have such an attentive audience.”

  Boaz really wished Herb wouldn’t encourage her. Without bothering to tell his friend good-bye, he led his wife and children out of the house. It was only when they arrived home that he relaxed. He couldn’t recall a time when he’d felt so tense.

  “Well, that was absolutely wonderful,” Eva rambled as she took off her bonnet. “Who knew Lewistown had such talent?”

  “Lewistown has lots of talent,” he said and helped Leroy and Hannah out of their shoes.

  “But not musical talent. How I wish I could listen to the enchanting sound of a violin every night.”

  He forced back his reply, knowing she wouldn’t like it. She’d been good to him. She had accepted her role as the mother to his children, and they were happy. That was what mattered. He couldn’t begrudge her one evening of entertainment, even if it did make him queasy to his stomach.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  “No. I’m just tired. I think I’ll call it an early night. I hope you don’t mind if I don’t feel up to reading tonight.” Then, because he didn’t feel like explaining why her behavior had bothered him tonight, he headed for her bedroom so he could change clothes before he slept on the couch.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next morning Eva glanced at Boaz as he quietly ate his eggs and pancakes. “Are you feeling alright?”

  “I’m fine,” he replied, not making eye contact with her.

  She debated whether or not to press him to tell her what was bothering him because whether he wanted to admit it or not, something was upsetting him. She couldn’t imagine what it could be. He seemed just fine until they had supper at Rachel and Herb’s. But then he came home and he’d been in a bad mood ever since.

  He stood up and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin. “I better go. Thanks for breakfast.”

  “You’re welcome,” she replied, watching him as he left the kitchen.

  It didn’t seem like he was mad at her. He was being nice. Usually, he rambled about the horses he planned to work on that day, but today he focused more on his food. Maybe he was still tired. Whatever was upsetting him, she hoped it’d be resolved soon.

  With a shrug, she turned her attention to getting Leroy and Hannah up. Then she fixed their breakfast and decided to take them out. A nice stroll would be perfect on a warm sunny day like this. As they went through the town, she decided to stop in the mercantile to pick up a few staple items she could use in the kitchen.

  While she was there, she saw Rachel. “Isn’t it a lovely day?” she asked as she approached her.

  Rachel laughed. “Maybe for you, but I don’t think it is for Boaz. I saw him as he rode out of town. He didn’t look happy.”

  Mindful to tap Leroy so he’d return to her side instead of running over to the candy at the counter, she said, “I noticed that, but I don’t know what I can do about it. When I asked him if he was alright, he said he was fine.”

  “He might have told you that, but the truth is, he’s not. Didn’t you notice how upset he was yesterday evening?”

  “Yes, but when we got home, he said he was tired.”

  “Tired of watching you swoon over Herb. It bothered me too at first, especially when he started acting like a shy schoolboy and kept blushing. But then Herb smiled at me, and I knew he was still glad he was married to me. Boaz, though, had no such reassurance that you care for him.”

  “I was only expressing my gratitude to Herb for playing real music in this desolate town. I didn’t think anyone out here had such fine social upbringing. His violin music is badly needed.” When Rachel opened her mouth to speak, she quickly added, “I wasn’t swooning over him.”

  “You ought to
tell Boaz that.”

  “Oh, that’s silly.” She glanced at Leroy and Hannah who stared up at her. Lowering her voice, she said, “There’s no way Boaz is jealous.”

  “That’s not the impression I got last night.”

  “Well, it’s the truth.”

  Biting her lower lip, Rachel chuckled. “It bothered him to no end that you seemed as if you were in love with my husband.”

  Eva shook her head, unable to believe Rachel would even think such a thing.

  “If you don’t believe me, then when Boaz comes home tonight, tell him Herb found more music to play. If he seems upset, you’ll know why.”

  “Alright. I’ll do it, but I still think the whole thing is silly.”

  “Well, if you realize it’s not so silly, then we’ll talk.”

  Eva rolled her eyes in amusement. “Alright. We’ll deal with it then.”

  ***

  “What are you doing out here?” Herb called out as Boaz rode up to Greg Wilson’s barn. “Is Greg having more trouble with that stallion of his?”

  “No.” Boaz slid off the saddle and approached his friend, the reins in his hand. “At least I hope not. I came by to see how things are going.”

  “You can ask him as soon as he comes out of his house.”

  “He’s not out here?” It was well past lunchtime. Boaz glanced at the house and wondered what he was doing in there.

  Herb chuckled and leaned against the side of the barn. “Patty’s bound and determined to convince him he’s happier as a married man than he was as a bachelor. I don’t know what she did to keep him in there that long, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll be seeing a little one in nine months, if you catch my meaning.”

  He shook his head. It wasn’t his business what Greg was doing—or not doing—with Patty. Though he had no idea why Greg was opposed to marriage, he didn’t think Patty should have been so surprised by his reluctance to embrace his new life.