Only You Page 19

  “I’ll close the saloon while you ladies get dressed.”

  Twenty minutes later the three of them were bundled in heavy coats, walking down Main Street, their feet keeping time with the clacking blades of the skates that were slung over Boyd’s shoulder. As they chatted, the heaviness of the day slowly lifted from Claire’s shoulders. Why shouldn’t she enjoy herself? She was entitled to an evening out. What harm was there in skating? Anna was with her. Boyd would act a gentleman in public.

  The thought of closing his saloon made her smile.

  “I’d give a night’s earnings to know what brought that look to your face,” he said, his voice intimate and teasing.

  “You just did.”

  A sardonic grin lifted his lips. “I guess I did.”

  She inched away, unwilling to let him turn their outing into a romantic event. She glanced at Anna to include her in the conversation. “The first time I tried skating, I couldn’t move my feet without falling. I cried until Lida took pity on me and towed me around the pond with her neck scarf.”

  “You’re lucky your sister was so nice,” Anna said. My siblings would have left me standing there all night.”

  Claire stopped and stared at Anna. “I didn’t realize you had siblings.”

  “Four brothers and three sisters.”

  Claire exchanged a look with Boyd and knew what a family man like him must be thinking. He and his brothers worked together and helped one another. Anna’s siblings should be helping her out, not Claire. She shook her head, warning him not to ask questions.

  He gave her a discreet nod, and said, “As soon as my brothers and I learned to skate, we were pure rascals on the ice. Whoever was still standing or not bleeding by the end of the night was the winner.”

  “Sounds dreadful.” After being manhandled by Karlton, Claire’s bones ached just thinking about the roughhousing that must have gone on.

  “Those were some of the best times of my life,” Boyd said, his eyes filled with warmth.

  Claire warned herself to keep her distance and not be drawn in by him.

  “Why did Duke chose a profession of upholding the law, while you chose to own a saloon?” she asked.

  “I craved more excitement than being a lawman.”

  “Chasing criminals isn’t exciting?”

  “It’s irritating, and I don’t have the patience for it. Duke has always been a peacemaker. I was the troublemaker.”

  “You still are in this neighborhood.”

  His snort, and Anna’s chuckle, made Claire smile.

  “What are your other brothers like?” she asked.

  He tilted his head and studied her. “Why all the questions?”

  “I’m curious about your family.”

  “There’s not much to know. Radford is the oldest. He fought in the war, became a hero then came home and stole my brother Kyle’s fiancée.”

  She pursed her lips. “Are you intending to make Radford look bad to make yourself look better?”

  “No, I just gave you the short version of the truth.”

  “That must have been a difficult time for your mother,” she said, hoping to lead their conversation in another direction. She wanted to know more about this lady who’d raised four well-respected sons.

  “My mother stayed out of it, but yes, it was a rough time for everybody, especially Radford and Kyle. They’re both married now and their wives are having babies.”

  “Is Kyle spontaneous like you?”

  “Gads no!” he said with a laugh. “He’s methodical and practical to the point of boorishness. I can’t work with him for more than an hour before I want to cuff him on the head and wake him up. And I have the same effect on him.”

  “I’m sure,” she said wryly. “Despite your similarities to Duke then, you sound quite different from your other brothers.”

  His smile faded and his eyes darkened. “I’m not at all like them.”

  Claire exchanged a glanced with Anna, both women realizing she’d stepped over some invisible line and trespassed on personal territory.

  They walked the last few yards in silence.

  A five-inch board rail surrounded a huge sheet of ice that covered much of the east park. Wooden posts with suspended lanterns glowed throughout the Common and shimmered across the ice. People chatted as they crossed the park or circled the rink. Children raced across the ice, shrieking with laughter. Two old men sat on a bench playing harmonicas for the lovers who couldn’t see anything but each other.

  Boyd guided them toward an empty bench, but as soon as Claire was seated, he knelt and tugged off her boot.

  She jerked her foot back. “I don’t need assistance.”

  Boyd winked at Anna. “I’ll help you next, as soon as this irritating woman sticks her foot in this skate.” He cupped his hand around Claire’s toes.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, glancing around to see if anyone was watching.

  “Warming your toes. They’re freezing.”

  Boyd slipped the boot over Claire’s foot and laced it tight up to her ankle. He slipped the other boot on without any teasing. She waited while he helped Anna on with her skates then she hurried to the rink.

  “We should have waited for him to put on his skates,” Anna said, following Claire onto the ice.

  “He’ll catch up with us.”

  “I know you didn’t believe me the first time I said it, but that man is in love with you.”

  “Nonsense. He just likes to irritate me.”

  “He does more than irritate you.”

  She wanted to deny it, but her feet wouldn’t let her. Her left foot was achingly cold. But her right foot, the one Boyd had caressed with his warm hand, was nestled comfortably in her skate.

  “Why not enjoy his attention?” Anna suggested as they slowed to avoid the people in front of them. “What harm can come from ice skating?”

  Maybe Anna was right. Boyd was a saloon owner—the man responsible for her failing business—but he had also been her protector this evening when Karlton had hurt her. He wasn’t the same kind of man as Jack, or Larry, or Karlton—he was of an altogether higher caliber. It wasn’t fair to lump him, or other honorable men, into the same category.

  As long as she kept alert to his intention, she could avoid getting hurt. And maybe she could find a way to bring Boyd around to her way of thinking about whiskey and saloons.

  Her legs were just warming up to the side-sliding rhythm when Boyd skated past. He pivoted in front of her and skated backwards.

  “Would you ladies like an escort?”

  Her heart hitched. His grin was irresistibly boyish and charming. Already she was in trouble, and the evening had just begun.

  “You two go ahead,” Anna said. “I need to tighten the laces on my skates.”

  He held out his hand to Claire. “Want to see how fast we can go?”

  She could see by his lifted eyebrow that he was challenging her. “Why not?” she said with a saucy lift of her chin.

  He pivoted with ease and skated beside her. “This won’t hurt your arm, will it?”

  She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. “I’m fine.”

  “It should have never happened, Claire.” His voice was filled with apology and concern.

  Karlton’s mauling was nothing compared to what she’d experienced with Jack, but it had obviously upset Boyd enough to fire the man. “Does Karlton have a wife?”

  “No.”

  “That is something to be thankful for. I can only imagine how horrible he’d be after a night of drinking.”

  “He doesn’t drink.” She glanced up in surprise, and he nodded. “It’s true. I’ve never seen him touch a drop of ale or liquor in the two years I’ve known him.” He steered her around a couple of children clowning with each other. “Karlton is a staunch businessman out to make his fortune. That’s why all this temperance nonsense has him so upset.”

  “It’s not nonsense.”

  “Let’s not argue. In
fact, let’s not talk about the subject at all.” He tucked her arm more firmly against his side. Their bodies shifted into a synchronized rhythm as they skated in silence. Their breath formed frosty funnels as they circled the rink.

  Men and women greeted Boyd with warm smiles as they passed. Even the women who marched with Claire gave him friendly nods. This was his town, she realized. He belonged here. These people were his friends and neighbors. His family was well respected, and despite Boyd’s choice of owning a saloon, so was he.

  Suddenly, Claire saw Boyd as a playful boy, a beloved son, a respected man, instead of a saloon owner. He was all of those things, and more.

  “You’re too deep in thought for skating,” he said. “It terrifies me that you’re cooking up a plot to ruin me.”

  She smiled. “Nothing so sinister.”

  “Then let’s make our evening more festive.” He nudged her toward a group of people who were forming a circle. He caught Anna’s hand and pulled her into the ring with them. Then he linked hands with Claire. A man to her left clasped her other hand, forming an unbroken circle. Suddenly, the group of people began to skate to the right. As they increased their speed, their arms stretched out. Claire was pulled along by Boyd as the people circled faster and faster. The women shrieked, the men laughed, but Boyd never took his eyes off her face. His teeth flashed white in the lantern light, his deep laughter spilling over her, warming her.

  Her own laughter bubbled out and she clung to his strong hand, enjoying the wild ride and the sounds of laughter around her. Several of the ladies begged to stop, but the men merely slowed and forced the circle in the opposite direction. The women shrieked and protested then laughed as easily as Claire did. She felt young in that moment.

  When the wild circling finally stopped, Anna skated away with a group of ladies who were still gasping and laughing. Claire clung to Boyd’s arm and begged him to take her to a bench until she stopped swaying.

  “I’ll keep you upright,” he said, and slipped his arm around her back.

  Instinct made her stiffen, but she was too off balance to pull away. They rounded the rink twice before her head cleared, but by then she’d grown to like the feel of his arm against her back.

  “Are you going to be chastised by your lady friends for consorting with the enemy?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with humor.

  “Not once I’ve told them I’m helping our cause by wearing down your resistance.”

  “Is that what you’re doing?”

  “Of course.”

  He laughed and tightened his arm, drawing her against his side. “Then let’s see how persuasive you can be.”

  Instead of wiggling away, she boldly met his eyes. “Please close your saloon, Mr. Grayson.”

  He smiled down at her, and she felt as if she were spinning in that crazy circle again, dizzy and half-scared but unable to let go.

  “Spend the evening with me tomorrow, and I’ll close the saloon for the night,” he said.

  “I don’t believe you.” She tried to slow down, but he held her tight and pulled her along with him.

  “I will, but only if you spend the evening with me.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Anything. Whatever you like.”

  “That’s all it will take to get you to close it?”

  “Yes.”

  “I won’t spend the time alone with you.”

  “I’m not asking you to.”

  Her face heated for unfairly assuming the worst. She averted her eyes. “Why is spending time with me worth closing your saloon?”

  “I like your company.”

  She glanced up, doubting his sincerity. “Forgive me if I suspect another motive.”

  “All right. It’s because you like to debate topics with me.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  He tossed his head back and laughed.

  Her face burned as several people glanced over. She’d do most anything to shut down his saloon, but she wouldn’t risk her reputation. She needed to do business in this town. “Are you intentionally trying to cause a scandal?”

  “No, but I won’t mind if it happens.” He was looking at her with those gorgeous eyes that made her knees weak. He pulled her closer to him. “I’m a bachelor. I have a right to flirt with a pretty lady.”

  “Then you should have brought Martha skating.”

  “I’m afraid she had to go back home.”

  “Well, if you’re looking to flirt then you’d better go to Buffalo.”

  He slowed their pace and studied her. “Are you only with me tonight to further your temperance cause?”

  The hurt in his eyes shamed her. The truth was, she liked his company and his roguish sense of humor. Too much. If not for her business needs, she could easily befriend him.

  But she did have a boardinghouse and a serious reason for caution with Boyd. His saloon was hurting her business. He could easily hurt her.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Sub-zero temperatures made mid-January so brutal that the temperance marches were cancelled for the week. Claire spent much of her time near the stove and purposely avoided Boyd, but to her dismay, she thought about him constantly.

  She and Anna kept busy with charity work and spent their evenings with the Ormands and their precious daughter Emily.

  They resumed their marches on Monday and spent the evening in the parlor watching Mrs. Ormand tease baby Emily into a bubbly smile. Claire’s heart melted when the infant’s pink lips pursed and her chubby arms flailed above her blond head.

  Her own baby would have been just over a year old, had Claire not miscarried in her second month. When she lost the baby, Jack had gone into a rage and a four-day drunk. Claire had spiraled into a dark and angry depression.

  The loud whack of her door knocker startled her so badly that she bolted from her chair with a gasp. She exchanged a glance with Anna, and they went to the foyer together.

  When Claire peeked out the window her heartache eased and gladness filled her. She opened the door to Boyd Grayson. His cheeks were shiny from a recent scrubbing. His hair was combed back, showing the angles and contours of his handsome face—a face she’d missed far too much. As much as it shamed her to admit it, she missed his sense of humor and his playful bantering.

  “I heard the news about Willard Lewis closing his saloon,” he said. “You ladies must be thrilled with your success.”

  “We are,” she said proudly. Willard Lewis had heeded their plea to close his saloon. Mr. Baldwin, the druggist, had followed suit and pledged in writing that he would no longer sell intoxicating beverages in his store. Both men agreed to help the women further their good work.

  Boyd’s saloon had remained open every night but Sunday.

  “You ladies are becoming regular news in The Censor. They reported that Washington, Ohio shut down all liquor sales in just one week, which I find hard to believe.”

  “Dr. Lewis confirmed it,” she said. “Liquor licenses will be voted on by the legislature soon.”

  “I’m impressed.”

  Claire was, too. They still had several saloons to close, but they were finally making real progress. “You’re welcome to join us in the parlor,” she said, wanting his company and the levity he usually brought to the evening.

  “I was hoping you would invite me in before I froze to death.”

  “You’re dressed too warmly to freeze.” She waited while he shrugged off his heavy wool ulster then took it from him and hung it in the closet.

  He winked at Anna. “Do you think she’s beginning to like me?”

  To Claire’s shock, Anna slipped her hand into the crook of Boyd’s elbow. “Stop baiting her and come help me with my chess game. Claire is annihilating me.”

  “Chess?” He wrinkle his nose. “I admire the skill the game takes,” he said, “but it’s too tame for my blood.”

  Claire’s heart warmed as she followed them to the parlor, understanding that this was Anna’s way of working through her fear one sm
all step at a time. Anna needed to relax, to lower her guard, to learn how to socialize again.

  She evidently trusted Boyd to help her do that.

  Boyd greeted Mr. and Mrs. Ormand then sat on the sofa and watched Anna and Claire finish their chess match.

  Mr. Ormand, who looked like a boy beside Boyd’s worldly confidence, gave an exaggerated yawn and got to his feet. “The baby is fussy this evening, and I’m dreadfully tired of a sudden. The wife and I will bid you all goodnight.” His wife clutched their infant to her bosom and climbed the stairs behind him.

  “Let’s switch the game to cards,” Claire said. She had never cared for chess. It felt too cat-and-mouse to her, too much like the games Jack had played. She swept the pieces into a felt bag and laid them on the chess board. “Would you care to play a hand of poker?” she asked, with a pointed glance at Boyd.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Isn’t that a bit immoral for you ladies?”

  “Not if you don’t tell.”

  He grinned. “I’ll let you ladies decide what the wagers will be.”

  “It had better be something small,” Anna said, “because I don’t know how to play.”

  “If you win, we won’t march on your saloon for a day,” Claire said. “If we win, you close for a night.”

  He arched a superior eyebrow. “Are you certain you want to make that wager?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” she asked, hoping she looked innocently naive.

  “Won’t your lady friends be upset when you tell them why you aren’t marching on my saloon tomorrow?”

  She merely shrugged, not about to debate the issue and divulge how much she knew about the game. She retrieved a deck of cards from the drawer in the sturdy oak coffee table. “Would you like me to deal?”

  He leaned back on the sofa. “By all means. Ladies first.”

  An hour later he stared at her in open admiration. “Did your grandmother teach you how to play?”

  She shook her head. Claire had learned the art of playing from Jack and his acquaintances. “Will you keep your promise and close the saloon tomorrow?”

  He frowned. “I honor my wagers, Claire.”

  Anna got to her feet. “Excuse me, please. I’d like to make some tea.”