“And all your plans?” he asked. “Travel? School? A new life?”
“I think it’s ridiculous to even ask,” she said. “Women don’t have to choose between a relationship and education, Uncle Walt. I don’t have to give up anything.”
Walt reached out a hand and lifted her thick braid off her shoulder, caressing it between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m not here to bully you, and I don’t think you’re a wuss. In fact, I think you’re pretty tough stuff. I guess I need to assure myself you’re wise to this. Sometimes these adventures can scar the heart.”
“I’m not afraid of that,” she said, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t be the first. Vanni said her heart was broken a hundred times.”
“Her mother handled most of that,” Walt said with a shrug. “You’re stuck with me.”
“You’re not a bad guy to be stuck with.”
“Just be careful.” He reached out and touched her cheek softly. “I keep forgetting how strong willed you are. Luke Riordan might be sorry he got himself into this…this…”
“Romance,” she finally supplied. “Really, I can’t believe you’re having such a hard time with this. I’m seeing someone, Walt, just like you are. It’s not as if he’s married or a priest or anything.” She lifted one eyebrow at him. “Everyone in this family has someone, even eighteen-year-old Tom. You’d better get used to the idea I’m no different than anyone else.”
“You’re a little different,” he said with a smile. “Better, probably.”
“Phooey. I just want to be normal. Are you going to behave yourself?”
“What are you getting at?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“I just want to be sure you’re all right,” he said. “You’re a grown woman. If you’ve made up your mind, I’ll just hope all this works out for the best.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Are you going to be home tonight?” he asked.
“I sincerely hope not,” she said. “I’ll let you know.”
Luke was up on the ladder, scraping old chipped paint off the eaves of number three when the general’s Tahoe pulled up to his house. He had been expecting this, but he wasn’t sure how it would happen, or when. Luke climbed slowly down the ladder. He tucked in his shirt and mopped his face with a rag.
“Luke,” the general said. He did not extend his usual hand.
“Sir.”
“My niece hasn’t been home until morning the last few days.”
“You aren’t armed, are you, sir?”
“I knew where she was, of course. She was considerate enough to tell the family so we wouldn’t worry. But I thought you and I should have a little talk.”
“Go ahead, sir,” Luke said. He hoped it didn’t show that his stomach was twisting. Not because he was afraid of the general—he knew Walt wouldn’t really shoot him—but because he was afraid of the general somehow convincing Shelby she was making a big mistake. He’d barely gotten into this with her; he was a long way from being ready to give her up.
Walt’s cheeks darkened with a ruddy stain as he said, “She’s been with you every night and she hasn’t been riding. I don’t know what to think—that she’s not sitting a horse.”
Luke looked down and found his own cheeks warming. “Sir, I can honestly say, I haven’t ever been this uncomfortable in my life…”
“She says her back’s bothering her…”
“Then maybe her back’s bothering her…”
“I want something understood. Shelby might seem shy and sometimes not real sure of herself, but she’s very stubborn. She does as she pleases. She always has. She might go at it quietly, but once she’s decided, that’s it. I tried like hell to talk her out of putting her life on hold to care for her mother. Midge could have gone into a nursing home, at least at the end. But I didn’t make any headway because Shelby’s mind was made up.” He took a breath and shook his head. “I wasn’t sure getting involved with you was the best idea, even though I don’t dislike you.”
“I didn’t want her involved with me either, sir. But as you say, she’s stubborn.”
“Well, that gets us straight to the point—I can’t accuse you of coercing my niece or taking advantage of her. I was more than a little aware that she had you in her crosshairs, and I could see she was hell-bent.”