Page 46 of Westbound Awakening

The room was of a good size, clean, recently swept and utterly empty. There was a hearth and some blankets on the floor before it, but nothing else. They walked through another two rooms, both just as empty. "Why is it empty?" She finally had to ask.

"I gave everything away, or sold it after..." He looked away from her and she finished for him.

"After your family died."

"Yes."

"Why not sell the place? Why keep it and all its sad memories?" A familiar pang began to grow in Lucinda's chest. "I would burn it to the ground." She moved away from Alan and pressed her lips together to stop talking.

"Look at me." The words more a request than a command yet she did as he bid. Her knees almost buckled at the compassion in his eyes.

Instead of bitterness or sadness, she saw warmth in his expression, on the soft curve of his lips. Not sure why, she reached up to his face and cupped his jaw with her right hand. He leaned into her touch and sighed, Alan's eyes closed for a moment. When they opened, she recognized the heat in his gaze and pulled her hand away.

Alan cleared his throat. "When I see this house, I remember the happy moments with my family. A life rich and full with love and comfort." He shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, it took me a while. For a couple of years, I did little more than exist. But then I remembered the promise my wife and I made to each other. If ever one of us left the other, we'd do everything in our power to move on. To be happy."

Abruptly pictures of her time together with William, her quite unassuming husband, appeared in the forefront of her mind. Of their whispers in the darkness of night, when they'd lay down exhausted but happy, during their trek west with their son tucked safely between them. "Promise me you'll always be content like this." He'd said one night. "I want to make you happy."

She had agreed, not knowing a few days later...

"You've left me Lucinda." Alan came back into focus.

Lucinda focused on Alan's face and realized once again how handsome the man was. Unlike William's slight build, he was tall and muscular with a square jaw and a mouth made for kissing. "Will you kiss me?"

His eyebrows shot up for a moment, and then his hands cupped her face. "Are you sure?"

Her customers were never allowed to kiss her, the one small part of her she kept for herself. For William.

She nodded, considered taking the words back until his mouth covered hers. His lips pressed against hers with hesitation, soft and tentative. His hands, on her face, he held her in place while his mouth explored her. It was...like heaven, and Lucinda did not want him to stop. Ever.

Wrapping her fingers around his shoulders, she returned the kiss and all reservations floated away. A moan escaped. She wasn't sure if it was Alan or her, but it broke the spell and both abruptly moved away.

Alan's large chest expanded and withdrew with his breathing, his lips reddened from her kiss. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to get carried away. It’s been a while since..."

"Me too." Lucinda lifted her hand to touch her lips. "Should we return?"

He swallowed and moved toward her. "Yes." This time when he leaned in, he kept his hands to his sides. The kiss was sweet and chaste, yet Lucinda closed her eyes.

"I hope this means you won't be mean to me once we get back to the ranch." He smiled down at her and for the first time in a long time her lips curved in return.

"We'll see."

His laughter was rich, and she enjoyed the sound of it.

27

Sunday mornings were usually filled with the anticipation of attending church where Ryan Mason presided as pastor of the newly built church. It had only been a couple of Sundays, but they'd already formed an enjoyable routine. Mae looked forward to seeing Patty and after service spending the afternoon at their house sharing a meal. But today Mae was forced to remain behind when Alan took Miss Lady, Elma and Lucinda to church.

Although disappointed, Mae could not go and risk taking Wesley out. He'd waken sneezing and slightly fevered, so she'd stay home. Holding the child on her lap, she looked out the front room's window and watched Alan leave with Miss Lady, Lucinda and Elma toward town.

"Mama, I sick," Wesley sniffed and rubbed his hand under his nose. Mae grabbed a cloth and wiped his face and hand.

"Yes baby, you are." She kissed his forehead relieved it was now cooled.

She carried him to his bedroom and placed him in bed. He promptly snuggled into the blankets and put his thumb in his mouth. Within minutes his eyes closed and his mouth went slack in slumber.

Mae sighed. A day alone to look forward to, she went to find her needlepoint, she'd remain inside in case Wesley needed her. Who would have thought she'd find the new hobby pleasant.

Her life was so drastically different now. Finding she enjoyed needlepoint and reading, she'd set up a place near the window in the front room where she could sew or read in the sunlight while watching Wesley pay outside and keep an eye towards the kitchen.