Chapter 23
A/N #1: And we're back in 1881 (finally). My appreciation to those readers waiting patiently for a new chapter. Was really hoping to get a second update posted last month, but a crazy busy work schedule and some super annoying writers block got in the way, dang it :/
April 2
Saturday evening
The front room was quiet save for the rhythmic patter of rain hitting the windows mixing with the crackling and occasional popping of the fire Wyatt built after supper to ward off the damp chill outside. By unspoken agreement, the others politely ignored the faint snores coming from Mr. Sherwin peacefully sleeping on the sofa. Lucy closed The Last of the Mohicans with a discreet yawn. It had been quite the eventful day, and she was more than ready for a good night's rest. When she got to her feet, Wyatt rose also from his desk in the corner of the room where he was going over the monthly accounts.
"I'm gonna walk Lucy to her room and then come back to put out the fire and douse the lights," he told his grandmother while Lucy placed the book back on the shelf over the fireplace. Putting away her sewing, Mrs. Sherwin nodded absently before sending her slumbering husband a look of fond exasperation.
"Heavens, at this rate, it will be the end of summer before Lucy finishes reading that book since someone keeps falling asleep in the middle of a chapter and she very kindly has to start over the next night," Betsy observed mildly as Wyatt and Lucy exchanged amused glances. It was a fair point. Despite the man's best efforts, Mr. Sherwin did have a tendency to drift off some nights before she got to the end of even a single chapter. "Good night, Lucy, dear, we'll see you in the morning." Wyatt leaned down to kiss the older woman's cheek before silently following Lucy from the room and up the steps.
Even before she came to a halt outside her bedroom door and turned around to bid Wyatt goodnight, he was reaching for her, swiftly pressing Lucy back against the door. She trembled at the rough edge in his voice when he leaned in to kiss the delicate skin behind her ear. "Thought you were never gonna put that book down," he growled, the sensation of his warm breath sending a tremor of anticipation up her spine. "Been waiting all evening for a chance to get you alone since the damn rain kept us from going walking after supper..." Her heart beat wildly at his impetuous, yet now familiar touch. Perhaps it was rather forward of her, but frankly, the cowboy wasn't the only one who was longing for some privacy...
Drawing away a little and resting her hand on his chest, Lucy observed breathlessly, "You sound rather frustrated, Mr. Logan...is walking the only thing you were missing?" The satisfaction she felt when Wyatt's eyes widened in surprise at her seemingly innocent question disappeared quickly enough when his lips slowly curved in a confident smirk. Goodness, but those dimples of his were dangerous.
"Why don't you come here and find out, Miss Preston," he invited solemnly, wrapping large, calloused hands around her waist and tugging gently. Her weakening self control fading altogether at the confident gleam in his dark blue eyes, Lucy willingly melted into Wyatt's strong arms, her hands tightly gripping the front of his worn flannel shirt as he leisurely took possession of her lips. It was pure bliss to be held and caressed by the man she loved.
All too soon, though, the distant sound of voices near the bottom of the steps eventually penetrated the haze of desire enveloping her at his skilled touch. "Wyatt!" she gasped, leaning back and pressing shaking fingers against his firm mouth, "We have to stop or your grandparents will catch us." Lucy bit back a flattered giggle at the petulant expression on his handsome face, looking for all the world like a little boy who'd been denied a treat. Which would mean she was the treat...a delicious thought, indeed.
With a muffled groan, Wyatt reluctantly stepped back. Tenderly running his finger along her flushed cheek, he bid Lucy a husky, goodnight, sweetheart, before turning away just as the older couple appeared at the top of the stairs. Clumsily grasping for the doorknob, she slipped into her tranquil yet lonely bedroom. Leaning back against the door, Lucy reverently touched her swollen lips. Merciful heavens.
What would it be like after she and Wyatt were married for the two of them to retire to the same room every night? To share not only a room but also a bed for the rest of their lives? Just the thought made her blush crimson from head to toe. She shivered, wondering pensively how much longer it would be until Wyatt made up his mind to formally ask her to be his wife because the waiting was becoming pure torture. While it took her a little time to settle down enough to drift off, Lucy slept quite well, with fleeting dreams of blue eyes and kisses, and waking just before dawn. Blinking sleepily at the ceiling, she yawned and considered how utterly different she felt at the moment compared to last Sunday morning...
Flashback
Unsurprisingly, Lucy slept poorly Saturday night, waking the next morning with a slight headache and a lingering sense of uneasiness. She'd tossed and turned restlessly for hours, helpless to keep from reliving in her dreams the uncomfortable encounter with Jed Coleman at the general store. Though Wyatt had done his best to reassure Lucy that even if the rancher's accusations had somehow spread around Brady, he doubted very many people would put much stock in such lies, she couldn't help wondering what the coming day would hold when the family attended church services.
While briefly tempted to plead illness and stay in her room all day, Lucy knew that would be not only ill-mannered, but downright cowardly of her, so she forced herself to get up when Martha knocked on her door with a steaming pail of water. Quietly thanking the older woman, she made the bed before opening the closet door and choosing one of her favorite shirtwaists in a soft buttercup yellow, along with a brown skirt. Once she finished washing up, Lucy bent from the waist and thoroughly brushed the tangles from her thick hair, coiling it neatly at the back of her neck. Peering into the mirror, she sighed at the somber woman staring back at her, eventually pulling a few strands of hair loose to wave becomingly around her face in an effort to disguise the paleness of her skin–not that anyone, least of all Wyatt, would be fooled.
The last one to the dining room, she slid into her chair across the table from him, keeping her eyes on her plate and contributing very little to the conversation. Doing her best to ignore his penetrating gaze, Lucy's stomach was churning so badly, she barely touched her breakfast, unable to choke down more than a bite or two of toast and a couple swallows of hot tea. Thankfully, the meal was soon over, and she fled upstairs to get her things. Sitting beside Wyatt during the carriage ride into town, Lucy brooded silently, her hands clenching and unclenching nervously until finally, he held the reins in one hand and placed the other over hers.
"Stop that now, Lucy, it's gonna be fine," he murmured in a low voice, his words and the soothing warmth of his hand easing her agitation somewhat. Once Wyatt pulled the carriage to a halt beside the schoolhouse, he waited patiently for his grandparents to head inside before loosely tying the reins to the hitching bar and moving to stand beside Lucy to help her down. One corner of his mouth curved in an indulgent smile when she regarded him uncertainly and remained seated.
"See, how this works, sweetheart, is we both get out of the carriage and go inside the nice building for church services," he said rather playfully. Lucy scowled and lifted her chin defensively at the amusement she sensed lurking in his deep voice. Even after trying to explain her concerns to Wyatt yesterday, she wasn't entirely convinced he really understood how much she was dreading coming face to face with Jed Coleman. His family had been so kind and generous since her arrival in Brady, and the mere thought of causing them any kind of public embarrassment weighed heavily on her heart.
"Are you mocking me?" Lucy asked crossly, gasping when a grinning Wyatt responded to her peevish question by abruptly plucking her right off the carriage seat. Though helpless to keep from enjoying the heady sensation of his muscular body pressed briefly against hers for a glorious second (or possibly two) before he let go, she hurriedly stepped back, her anxious gaze darting around the schoolyard to see if anyone had witnessed his daring move. Luckily for her overwrought state of mind, no one had.
She immediately stilled at the touch of Wyatt's hand on her cheek. "Lucy," he said firmly. "Look at me now and take a nice, deep breath, okay? I fully understand how upsetting that ugly scene with Coleman was, but you need to stop worrying about him. None of what happened is your fault–not in any way. For God's sake, the man asked to come courting after dancing twice with you. No woman in her right mind would accept a proposition like that unless she was desperate or not too bright. Even more disturbing to me? He actually had the arrogance to ask you a second time, weeks after being turned down. No, Ma'am, you can't take the blame for this unpleasant situation–it's entirely of Coleman's own making."
Even as Lucy started to protest, Wyatt pretended not to notice and continued, "And don't argue...your face is pale as a sheet and you barely touched your breakfast. While I think it's very sweet of you to get all worked up on behalf of our reputations, it's not necessary because no one who knows us will give his spiteful gossip a second thought. And anyone foolish enough to do it will have to deal with me, I promise."
Focusing intently on his warm blue eyes, Lucy obediently breathed in and out, relieved when the knots of tension in her stomach began to gradually loosen. "Thank you," she whispered, swallowing hard against the lump of emotion that felt stuck in her throat. Wyatt Logan was such a good man. How could she not believe him? Most important of all, she needed to trust his judgement and common sense since not only was this the community he'd been raised in (and knew so well), Wyatt would (hopefully) be her husband some day. Have courage, Lucy, she sighed. Managing a faint smile for him, she took the arm he gallantly held out, relieved by his solid presence at her side.
Precisely as Wyatt predicted, it seemed she had gotten 'all worked up' for naught. Not only was the Coleman family not in attendance, but not a single person looked askance at either her or Wyatt, merely greeting them with their usual friendliness. It was a typical Sunday morning in Brady, for which Lucy was quite grateful. After lunch, they'd visited the new foal before going for a long walk now that the rain had passed-which might've included Wyatt sweetly holding her hand...along with one or two highly satisfying kisses. By bedtime, thanks to the care and attention of the man she was courting, Lucy's insecurities had faded, leaving her in a much better frame of mind...
End Flashback
No longer struggling under the weight of worrying about Jed Coleman, it had been a busy, productive week, she reflected with satisfaction. On Monday, Lucy had resolutely braced herself for the possibility of another run in with the man when he dropped off and picked up his children, but oddly, neither Sarah Jane or Seth attended school all week. By the third day, she was getting slightly concerned, especially with the end of the school year fast approaching, fearful they'd fallen ill or something worse. While naturally reluctant to personally visit the Coleman ranch–especially by herself-Lucy decided she would seek out the rancher on Sunday morning to check on the children (hopefully, with Wyatt by her side for support).
She was up and just finished making the bed when Martha brought her hot water. Today, Lucy chose a white shirtwaist with tiny blue flowers (nearly the same color as a certain someone's eyes) and one of her navy skirts from the closet. Once washed and dressed, she quickly brushed and braided her hair, wrapping the long dark braid around the crown of her head for something different. Dabbing violet scent on the inside of each wrist and behind her ears, she glanced in the mirror and smiled, pleased with her reflection.
Blushing faintly at the subtle look of admiration on Wyatt's face when she sat down at the breakfast table, Lucy was glad she'd put a little extra effort into her appearance this morning. (Though the cowboy looked quite handsome himself in his Sunday best, freshly shaved and hair combed neatly.) When she mentioned during breakfast the continued absence of the Coleman children from school during the past week, Mrs. Sherwin nodded approvingly and agreed it would be thoughtful of Lucy to look into the matter, perhaps if the family attended church services today. Across the table, Wyatt gave her a brief, reassuring nod, which she gratefully understood meant he'd be right with her if there happened to be an opportunity to speak to the rancher about his son and daughter.
It was a pleasant early spring day, with clear blue skies and a warm breeze that teased the loose strands of Lucy's hair curling around her face. During the ride into town, she and the others discussed various names for Millie's new colt. She was pleased when her suggestion of 'Warrior' was declared the winner since the sweet little fellow had experienced a bit of a rough start coming into the world early. The foal had proved to be a fighter and to the men's satisfaction, appeared to grow a little stronger every day.
Leisurely following James and Betsy toward the the schoolhouse on Wyatt's arm as the older couple stopped here and there to speak with friends and acquaintances, Lucy impulsively leaned in and discreetly asked him a low voice if he would accompany her when she spoke with Mr. Coleman after services. "Yes, Ma'am," he answered readily. "I'll be sticking close by every second." Relieved by his promise, her heart thrilled at the affection shining in Wyatt's dark blue eyes as he smiled down at her.
Apparently everyone had arrived for services at the same time, which meant it took several minutes to climb the steps and get inside the double doors. Then something odd happened...without warning, there was an abrupt drop in the large room's noise level, and it suddenly felt as if all eyes were fixed upon the two of them. Was she imagining things? Lucy wondered uneasily, unconsciously tightening her grip on Wyatt's arm as she looked around to see what all the fuss was about.
"Easy there, Ma'am," he cautioned in a low murmur. "Uh, there's actually a reason we might be getting a curious look or two from folks, and it has nothing to do with Coleman. Probably should've asked you first, but I talked with Gran and Gramps before you came down for breakfast this morning and suggested they tell a few of their friends and maybe the pastor about us courting–though I was hoping they'd wait until after church was over. Figured it might be a good idea to give people something else to chew on that wasn't hateful lies from a rejected suitor. I hope you're not mad at me for being presumptuous." He peered at Lucy hopefully when her eyes widened at his confession.
Sweet, silly man...what a lovely, unexpected gesture. How could Lucy be angry at him for trying to look after her? Not to mention her pleasure at Wyatt wanting to share the news of their new relationship with friends and neighbors, even though it surely meant calling attention to them–something she knew by now made him uncomfortable in any circumstances. Overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness, the words, I love you, trembled on the tip of her tongue. Mindful of the very public place they were in, however, Lucy pressed her lips together tightly to avoid making a fool of herself. She wisely settled for whispering, thank you, and squeezing his arm gratefully once they were seated on the bench beside his grandparents.
Her composure was further tested, though, when Wyatt casually reached for her hand once Pastor Spencer began to speak and held it during the whole sermon. As the minutes passed, keenly aware of his broad shoulder pressed firmly against hers and the touch of his warm hand (not to mention he always smelled so good), it was all Lucy could do to at least pretend to be paying attention until at last it was time for the closing hymn and final prayer. Mr. Logan was proving to be quite a distraction...
She was genuinely taken aback by the outpouring of good wishes from various folks after services were over as they made their way outside. It seemed as if everywhere she looked, someone was smiling and offering congratulations. Several men shook Wyatt's hand, who ducked his head and grinned good-naturedly at their comments. Miss Spencer was predictably excited, and made Lucy promise she and Wyatt would come to supper one evening so they could discuss wedding dresses and flowers. She was most touched, however, by the Pastor's pronouncement that he and his wife were so very pleased Lucy was going to become a permanent member of their community. Oh, how she liked the sound of that...
It was clear from the surprised, yet pleased expression on Lucy's face the decision to ask for his grandparents' help with sharing the news of their courtship at church had been the right one. An intensely private man, a part of him was naturally uncomfortable with drawing attention to himself and his personal life, but it was more important to Wyatt the teacher be reassured once and for all that Coleman's lies had done little, if any, harm–not to mention this would be public proof of his intentions towards her.
In his opinion, it was unnecessary, of course, but really sweet all the same that Lucy couldn't seem to help fretting that his family's reputation in the community might be somehow damaged because of her. Wyatt and his grandparents were definitely made of sterner stuff than that, but still, he appreciated her fine manners and sense of propriety (which seemed to come as naturally to Lucy as breathing). Yes, his sweetheart possessed a thoughtful, generous heart as wide as the Texas prairie, always putting the needs of others before her own.
Despite feeling confident he could easily handle another confrontation with the man if he was actually foolish enough to start something, Wyatt was slightly relieved for Lucy's sake he and his family were once again absent from services. While glad she'd hopefully taken his repeated assurances Coleman wouldn't ever bother her again to heart, he could tell beneath her seemingly calm manner the possibility of coming face to face with the man himself still made Lucy a tad uneasy–though it was a credit to her dedication to her students that she was willing to approach Coleman to ask about his children missing a week of school. At least she appeared to be in much better spirits than last Sunday.
After the opening prayer was over and there was no sign of the Colemans, thankfully, Lucy seemed more at ease, the tense set of her narrow shoulders relaxing some. Once the first two hymns were sung and Pastor Spencer took his place at the front of the room to began his sermon, Wyatt reached for her small hand and held it loosely in his. He grinned at her tiny sigh of contentment (and maybe the way she moved just a bit nearer to him). All that closeness came at a price, though. The faint violet scent she wore, along with the enticing warmth of her slim body pressed to his side, teased Wyatt's senses and proved to be a powerful distraction from what was going on around him. Almost before he knew it, the congregation was standing for the closing prayer...and he had no idea whatsoever what the pastor spoke on. Wyatt really hoped Gramps didn't have a notion to rehash the sermon on the drive home like he did on occasion and put him on the spot...
As expected, word of their courtship managed to spread through the congregation like wildfire, especially after everyone was dismissed. Steeling himself against being the center of attention for the next few minutes, Wyatt stuck close to Lucy, smiling and nodding at folks–many of whom had known him since he was a child-and shaking a few hands here and there. By the time they made it all the way outside, he wondered if somehow the entire population of Brady had shown up today to offer him and Lucy congratulations. (At least, that's what it felt like). Dear Lord, they weren't even engaged yet, he mused wryly. Had to admit, it was kinda nice, though, to see how happy folks were for the two of them.
Then the pastor's niece practically ran down the steps towards them, beaming and squealing excitedly, and Wyatt suddenly felt overwhelmed with the wave of attention directed at them...like he needed a minute or two to himself. Pressing a quick kiss on Lucy's flushed cheek, he murmured, "I've had my fair share of good wishes for one day, but you take your time, alright? I'll be waiting for you by the carriage."
He kept his expression blank when she narrowed her soft brown eyes suspiciously, but couldn't respond because the young blonde had already thrown her arms around Lucy's neck, gushing about supper invitations and wedding dresses and the like. Wyatt shuddered inwardly. Sorry, sweetheart, but you're on your own with Miss Spencer. Thankfully (as he recalled), as the groom to be, all that was required of him on his wedding day was getting cleaned up in time to take his place in front of the pastor...
Putting his hat and bible on the front seat of the carriage for now (since he doubted they'd be leaving any time soon), Wyatt turned at the hand on his shoulder. "There you are, Wy. I must say, for some reason, you're looking a little frazzled at the moment...can't imagine why." Smiling at his grandson's flustered expression, James gestured at the cluster of ladies gathered around Lucy. "Yes, seems there's not much the womenfolk around these parts like better than fussing over an upcoming wedding–well, except maybe when they find out someone has a new baby on the way," he observed sagely with a fond chuckle.
What? A baby? He and Lucy weren't even formally engaged yet, let alone man and wife. Mercifully ignoring the shock Wyatt couldn't quite hide, Gramps said calmly, "Now, before I forget, your Gran said to remind you to ask Rufus and Dave to dinner for Easter Sunday in a couple weeks. And since that chore's done, I want you to know I understand that pretty much inviting people to talk about you and Lucy makes you awful uncomfortable, but it was a smart idea to get in front of any unpleasant gossip Coleman might've been spreading with a distraction like this–not that any of his lies are true. Shows you're already putting Lucy's needs and wants before your own. That's the way you were raised-the way it should be. Best of all, it appears to have worked like a charm. I'm proud of you, son."
Caught off guard but humbled by the unexpected compliment all the same, Wyatt shrugged modestly. "Thank you, sir," he responded gruffly. The older man nodded and squeezed Wyatt's shoulder reassuringly before wandering over to join a group of his fellow ranchers for their weekly 'exchange of information' (which was just a more masculine name for gossip). His gaze wandered to his grandmother standing nearby with several of her friends, all of them chattering away at what sounded like the top of their dainty lungs.
It wasn't only Lucy who was pleased by announcing their courtship, he realized belatedly. As his adoptive parents, James and Betsy had been quietly grieving all this time right along side Wyatt for the terrible loss of Jess and baby Mattie, so doubtless the miraculous possibility of him remarrying (and hopefully, some day being blessed with another child) pleased them greatly. Closing his eyes for a second, he swallowed hard, vowing not to be so self centered with the people he loved going forward.
As for being self conscious about sharing his private life with the residents of Brady, Gramps was right. Except for a few stolen kisses, he and Lucy had done nothing wrong–as far as he was concerned. Still, if being uncomfortable for a short time was the price to pay to give her a little peace of mind (and make his grandparents happy), then so be it. Thankfully the crowd was already thinning out considerably. Even better, with preparations for Easter Sunday to distract them over the next couple weeks, most would soon forget about him courting Lucy...at least until their wedding day arrived (whenever that would be).
Since neither Rufus or Dave had attended church last Sunday, and Wyatt hadn't spent any time in town aside from driving Lucy to and from school the past week, they likely didn't know much—if anything—about the situation with Coleman. As his good friends, he decided they probably should, especially Dave (just in case the rancher lost his mind and refused to heed Wyatt's warning and things went from bad to worse). As it turned out, he didn't have to go looking for them...and from the smug grins each one wore as they approached, Wyatt was in for some kind of tormenting. Dammit. He bit back his instinctive annoyance because they really were his best friends, but still. While Wyatt usually sat back and enjoyed watching the two bicker over the most inconsequential things, it wasn't nearly as much fun when they got it in their heads to join together and gang up on him.
Eyeing them warily, he crossed his arms over his chest and braced himself. Good thing, too, because Dave's enthusiastic slap on the back might've otherwise knocked Wyatt clean off his feet. Jesus, Baumgardner. Rufus, being the less rowdy of the two by a country mile, merely sighed in resignation at the sheriff's unruly behavior and settled for smiling and firmly shaking Wyatt's hand in congratulations.
Pushing the Stetson off his forehead, Dave regarded him with ill-disguised amusement. "Well, well, what do we have here, Rufus? Why, it's Captain Logan, standing all by his lonesome. I find that quite surprising since I heard tell just a few minutes ago he's courting the school teacher...can't believe he isn't stuck like glue to a pretty female like Miss Lucy." He smirked at the obscenity Wyatt muttered-under his breath, of course, mindful of his grandmother's presence nearby. (He might be a grown man who'd been both a husband and father, but Betsy Sherwin had very little tolerance for bad language-and wouldn't hesitate to give her grandson a sharp scolding if she believed he had one coming.)
"Naw, I'm just messing with you, Captain, though I could swear you told me and Rufus just last week that you and Lucy were taking things slow, keeping your courtship quiet for now. I'm guessing something must've happened since then that changed your mind." Both men watched him expectantly while he briefly wondered how much to tell them.
Wyatt shrugged, and admitted that, yes, it had been his intention until he walked in on Lucy in the middle of an ugly scene with Jed Coleman at the general store last Saturday. Unsurprisingly, his friends instantly sobered at the serious news. "Hell, man, why didn't you come and get me? I was just over to the Pastor's house having supper. I would've had your back," the sheriff frowned in concern.
"Wasn't anything I couldn't handle," Wyatt assured him grimly. "After I left the two of you, I got to Virgil's in time to find Lucy in the back corner, no one else around but that bastard. First off, I notice he's standing way too close to her, and she's shaking like a leaf. Hell, I should've knocked him on his ass just for that alone. When I got closer, it was even worse because I see he's got a tight hold of her wrist and seemed to be in no hurry to let go until I happened along. Son of a bitch not only upset Lucy, but left a bruise on her skin." Rufus hissed in dismay and exchanged a troubled glance with the sheriff.
"Jesus, Wy. Tell me how this asshole is even still alive and breathing right now after putting his hands on your woman? Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't take him apart right then and there," Dave interrupted, shaking his head. "Though I guess it's probably for the best you didn't kill him...sure would've hated taking you into custody for doing something any man in the exact same position would do." The blacksmith nodded vehemently in agreement.
"Not gonna lie, it took damn near every scrap of self control I had not to kill the bully on the spot–or at least try to beat some manners into him," Wyatt admitted ruefully. "I despise any man who gets physical with a lady, especially one as small as Lucy. It was clear from the way Coleman was standing so near, he was trying to intimidate her, what with him being a lot taller and heavier, but I was proud to see my brave girl holding her own–didn't back down an inch. Pretty shook up afterwards, sure, but what woman wouldn't be?"
Feeling his temper rise just thinking about the rancher's aggressive behavior towards Lucy, Wyatt stopped long enough to take a deep breath and settle himself, afraid she might suddenly be ready to leave and come looking for him. After all the time he'd spent trying to talk her out of worrying about Jed Coleman, the last thing he wanted was for her to find him upset–which would likely get her worked up all over again. Clearing his throat roughly, he said, "Anyway, hard to believe, but he had the gall to ask if she'd changed her mind about courting him–and obviously, though she wouldn't have expected him asking, Lucy told him no, for the second time. That's when he got pissed off and decided to 'let her know' all about the terrible things supposedly being told about us all over town. And being Lucy Preston and so kind and sweet natured, of course she was distressed, which meant she's been stewing about the family's reputations ever since, though I told her plenty of times not to." He tiredly scrubbed his hands over his face, vaguely surprised to find himself apparently still plenty riled up by the man's mistreatment of Wyatt's intended bride.
Dave sneered at the rancher's unmitigated arrogance. "So what did you do, Wy?" Rufus asked curiously. "Obviously, if you had beat the tar out of Coleman, news like that would've been talked about all over town this past week, but I never heard a peep about you and him getting into it." A brief glance revealed most everyone had left and that James and Betsy had joined the people standing with Lucy, which meant they would probably be ready to head home, too, in the next few minutes. He better make this quick.
"I don't have time right now to give you all the details, but not wanting to upset Lucy even more than she was with an embarrassing scene, I asked her to take her things up front to Virgil. After she walked away, somehow my arm found its way across Coleman's throat, hard enough to shove him back into the shelves. He damn well wasn't so tough and brave then. I very calmly informed him she was off limits because the two of us were courting. For some reason, he didn't seem to like that. Also mentioned if I happened to hear any awful rumors about the two of us floating around, I'd know for sure they came from him. I said a few more things, but finished by warning him to leave Lucy alone–meaning keep his distance, no talking to her or about her and, oh, yeah, God help him if he ever put his hands on her again. And then just so we were both clear as glass, I made him admit he understood all of that before I moved my arm...which the arrogant loser finally did." Rufus whistled soundlessly, a look of admiration on his face.
Without warning, Dave punched Wyatt hard on the arm and fairly cackled with glee. "Good going, brother, 'cause he sure had that coming—just wish I could've seen it. No wonder you wasn't too worried about needing my help. Sounds like you took care of Coleman good and proper, Texas Ranger style...but sadly, without the guns. Too bad. Still, I'm proud as hell of you." Rubbing his arm, Wyatt frowned slightly, but appreciated his friend's praise all the same. Could've done without the punch, though...
Rolling his eyes at Dave, Rufus spoke up. "Wait a minute–you know what? I was so busy enjoying your story about teaching Jed Coleman a lesson, I almost forgot. While I was playing cards at Miss Emma's last night, one of the fellas at the table said they heard tell the Coleman ranch was up for sale, pretty cheap, too, and something about he's moving back east to where his late wife's family lives, I think. I wondered at the time if maybe it had anything to do with him trying to make trouble for you and Lucy. Damn, Wy," he grinned, "That was fast...you must've really put the fear of God Almighty in him."
Wisely anticipating another punch from the sheriff, Wyatt cautiously took a step back, which made his friends laugh. He couldn't deny, though, the news that the Colemans would soon be moving away from Brady was rather a relief. Not only did it mean the rancher really had taken Wyatt at his word and completely given up on bothering Lucy any further with that nonsense about courting her, but they also wouldn't have to fear him spreading more bitter gossip about the two of them. Thank you, Rufus...
"Wyatt?" The men turned to see Lucy walking towards them wearing a hesitant smile, followed by his grandparents. Yeah, it was time to get his family home. Dave and Rufus tipped their hats respectfully at the women and shook James' hand before taking their leave. Once everyone was seated comfortably, Wyatt flicked the reins lightly and turned the carriage for home. Maybe sharing the news about the Colemans moving away could wait for another time, he decided impulsively, turning to smile at Lucy. His future with the pretty brunette suddenly looked brighter than ever–and it was too fine a day to waste on anything but spending time with the woman he loved...
A/N #2: Hmm...is anyone else glad that jerk Coleman smartened up and decided to leave town? Haha ;) Felt like that decision was a good way to end the drama and angst he was causing poor Lucy and Wyatt. Now the lovebirds can hopefully concentrate on each other and moving closer to becoming engaged. (Well, I guess as soon as Wyatt figures that out.) Thanks as always to those of you who still enjoy reading Timeless fics for your favorites, follows and encouraging reviews. Goodness knows I'm not ready to give up writing for this fandom, which means there's still several chapters to come of this story I started nearly two years ago :))