To Love an Outlaw (Into the West #1) (A Wattpad Reading List Choice)

Chapter 2

 Apparently coming up with nothing he shrugged, strong shoulders bunching under the vest, and said laconically, “’Course, Ma’am; if you’ll just let me finish with Red here, I’ll be happy to oblige.”

 At her small nod he returned to brushing out the stallion.

 Marge found herself pivoting about and heading back up to the house. At least if he showed up in town with her he might have a chance of gaining some respectability within the narrow-minded settlement he seemed to have chosen for his home.

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 “I still don’t understand why you asked that…hired killer to dance, Callandra West! People’s tongues have been waggin’ this entire week since the celebration, and it’s been all about you! You know how everyone in this town feels about Obadiah, the old bastard, so for his widow to start dancin’ with an outlaw, well, you catch my drift?”

Samantha Peyton whispered whenever she used a swear word, and today in the back of the general store was no exception as she hissed at her sister amongst the bolts of calico. Sam knew what Callie had suffered in her farce of a marriage, but the older sister also understood the workings of the town of Round Rock better than her younger sibling. On the outside Obadiah West had resembled a pillar of society, with no one except Callie understanding the true rottenness of his soul, and now Sam, after the fact.

 Biding her time before answering, Callie fingered some white eyelet with a resigned sigh; she’d have no reason to buy something so frivolous. That material was usually reserved for wedding night nightgowns and Callie knew for a fact she’d never need fabric for that event again! No sirree. One time in that hellish predicament was enough for Callie. She considered herself a fast learner.

 Glancing up at her concerned sister, Callie attempted to ease Sam’s mind; her older sibling worried a lot about her, and Callie appreciated the fact, even though she didn’t think she warranted Sam’s concern.

“Sam, I’ve been a widow for over a year now. The town has to get over the fact I was once married to their favorite son and let me get on with my life. Last Saturday was such a wonderful day; I felt carefree for the first time in months. Probably since Mama and Papa died, truth be told.

“So, if I felt like dancing with a handsome man, even if he was a gunfighter, well, the town will just have to accept the fact they don’t own me. I lived with a man that thought that. Never again.”

  Immediately contrite Sam squeezed her sister’s arm gently, replying lowly, “I know, Sis. But the townspeople didn’t know. If you want to be a part of this town, you need to tread lightly.”

 Callie’s eyes flashed. She was done with worrying about what other people thought. It was high time they cared about what she thought, what she felt. And she said so, whisper hissing like a snake.

  “Did Obadiah tread softly, Sis? Did he? I wore his care all over my body and the town turned a blind eye to what I’m sure they all guessed! I don’t give a flying fig for what anyone thinks anymore. I’m living my life for myself, and the start of that new life is coming in on today’s train. It’s what Papa would have wanted if he were still alive.”

 Sam’s eyes widened in immediate eagerness even as she backed off lecturing her sister. Callie had had a rough marriage, and the inner scars would last much longer than the outer ones. But if what she guessed was true…

 “It’s that horse you bought isn’t it? From Tennessee? The kind Papa always wanted but couldn’t afford?”

Sam’s mind cast back to a time when their parents were still alive, when Mama and Papa considered changing their failing cattle ranch into a horse ranch so that Papa could buy, sell and train quality horses to the entire West. The Indian attack cut short his dream, as did Callie’s subsequent marriage, to her vision, but now it looked as though her desire was finally coming to fruition.