Sweet talking
1594 Words
*Chase*
With the flowers wilting in my hand, I walk through the house. Every room is empty, except the kitchen, but there, I only find the prairie dog.
I have come in from the range early, thinking of asking my Luna to take a ride with me, but I can't find her anywhere.
I stalk out of the house and head to the barn, but seeing Callista's mare's empty stall doesn't ease my mind at all.
"Slim!"
My foreman comes out of the back room. "Yes, my Alpha?"
"Do you know where the Luna is?" I ask.
"Yes, my Alpha. She went to town with Blaise." He says.
I shake my head, "I thought she went to town with him yesterday."
"Yes, my Alpha, she did, and the day before that as well." He says.
Trepidation slices through me as remembered moments rush through my mind: Blaise holding Callista outside the general store, lifting her into his arms, spinning her around at Wade's house. Callista talking to Blaise during meals without her topic list.
In the evenings, Blaise has begun to come into my office and listen to Callista read. Occasionally, I look up from my ledgers to find Blaise gazing at Callista as though she were the most wonderful she-wolf in the world.
I hate myself for resenting Blaise's intrusion. Blaise had been five when our mother died, and he has grown up with no other she-wolves in his life. I know I shouldn't begrudge Blaise the pleasure he finds in Callista's soft voice, but I do.
"You want me to stop saddling her horse?" Slim asks.
"No," I answer quickly. "No, she's free to come and go as she pleases." I toss the flowers into the empty stall and stride back to the house.
Dusk has settled over the land by the time they return.
Sitting at the head of the table in the dining room, I hear their hushed laughter in the hallway. My gut clenches at the delightful sound she never makes in my presence.
I force myself to my feet when they enter the dining room, looking as guilty as two children who had sneaked away to go fishing before they had finished their chores.
"Sorry we're late," Blaise says as he pulls Callista's chair out for her.
Smiling shyly at Blaise, she sits. Blaise takes his place beside her and begins to ladle stew into both their bowls. "We lost track of the time."
"I figured that," I say as I take my seat. "I fed your damn prairie dog."
Callista glances up, then quickly lowers her gaze to her bowl. "Thank you."
"It was yapping so loud I couldn't concentrate on my work," I say.
"I'm sorry. I will take her with us next time." She says.
With us next time. The words hang heavy in the air. My stomach tightens. "How was your trip into town?"
Callista snaps her head up. She looks at Blaise. Blaise opens and closes his mouth.
"Fine," Callista says. "Just fine."
I scrape my chair across the floor. As though consumed with guilt, Callista and Blaise jerk back from the table.
"I will leave you to enjoy your meal," I say.
I'm not surprised that neither of them protests.
I walk to the corral, knowing myself to be a fool. I had asked Briony to marry me, then I had sent Wade to fetch her, and she had fallen in love with my brother.
I had married Callista, and I had told Blaise to keep her company. What in the hell had I expected to happen?
Reaching into my pocket, I withdraw the watch Briony had given me as a sign of her affection when she first arrived at my ranch. I don't expect Callista to give me anything as a symbol of her affection, but I'm certain she's going to leave me.
I consider arguing that too many years separate Callista from Blaise, but I figure love doesn't put a lot of stock in the passage of years. Besides, I'm several years older than Callista and my heart doesn't seem to notice.
I will build them a house on a distant corner of my land because I don't think my pride can tolerate seeing the two of them together, knowing at one time she was supposed to be mine. Then I will see about finding myself another mate. I could run an advertisement in the newspapers back East or maybe I could…
"Chase?" Blaise's voice comes from behind me. "Chase, I need to talk to you."
I jam the watch back into my pocket and wrap a wall of indifference around myself, shoving the part of me that could be hurt back into a dark hole. I turn to face my youngest brother.
“Figured you did,” I say as I crook an elbow onto the railing of the corral.
Blaise looks down and scuffs the toe of his boot into the dirt. “I don’t rightly know how to say it.”
“Just come straight out with it. That’s usually the best way.” I tell him.
Blaise nods and meets my gaze. “Callie asked me not to say anything to you, but I figured you ought to know.”
I swallow past the knot that has formed in my throat. “I appreciate that.”
Blaise shoves his hands into his pockets. “Remember when you took me to that circus when I was seven?”
If Blaise had hoped to lessen my anger, he has succeed. Christmas, 1867. The Haight and Chambers New Orleans Colossal Circus and Menagerie had pitched tents in San Antonio. Wade and I were still recovering from the war, with little spare change clinking in our pockets, but we had wanted to give Blaise a Christmas he wouldn’t soon forget. I can't stop myself from smiling at the fond memories. “Yeah, and you pestered me all day with questions. I threatened to pay that sword swallower to stick one of his swords down your throat just to shut you up.”
Blaise chuckles and rubs the side of his nose. “I thought you were serious.”
“The threat didn’t work, though, did it?” I mumble.
Blaise shakes his head. “Nope, and that’s the way Callie is when I take her to town. She’s got so many questions and everything amazes her. They never took her into town, Chase. Never.”
“But you did, and I reckon she’s grateful for that.” I say.
Blaise takes a step closer. “I wasn’t paying any attention to the questions she was asking. I was just answering them. The whole while I’m answering the questions, she’s working this idea up in her head. Today, she finally gets the courage to do something about it... and Mr. Henderson laughed at her. What made it worse is that Rowan was there and the bastard…”
“Whoa. Hold your horses.” I hold up my hand. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m trying to tell you what happened in town today. See, Callie figured when the railroad comes through here, people are gonna need a place to sleep. So she was thinking of building a hotel. She knew you had talked to Mr. Henderson about a loan for the cabinetmaker so she figured that was where she needed to start… by getting a loan. Yesterday she stood outside the bank all day. Couldn’t get up the courage to go inside.” He explains.
I nod, encouraging him to continue.
“Today she reaches deep down, gathers up that courage, and heads into the bank. Only Rowan is inside, and he tells her the saloon has all the spare rooms this town is ever gonna need. Then he and Mr. Henderson started to laugh. Rowan tells her that your bed is the only bed she needs to be concerned with.” He says.
“What did she do?” I ask through clenched teeth.
Blaise smiles. “You woulda been proud. She just thanked Mr. Henderson for his time and walked out with her head held high.”
“Who else was in the bank?” I ask.
“A couple of ranchers and the teller. Anyway, she’s feeling lower than a snail’s belly. I’ve been trying to tell her funny stories to make her laugh, but that ain’t what she needs. I thought maybe tonight you could sweet-talk her, make her feel special.”
I blink. “Sweet-talk her?”
“Yeah, you know, say those words she-wolves like to hear. The words that make them shine brighter than a full moon.” He grins.
I nod. “I will do that.”
Blaise’s face splits into a wider grin. “I’m glad I told you. She was afraid you would be mad at her for wanting to do something on her own.”
“I’m not mad at her.” I say.
“I knew you wouldn’t be.” Blaise backs up a step. “Reckon we ought to get to the house. She will be wanting to read soon. I sure do like listening to her read.” He turns toward the house.
“Blaise?”
Blaise stops and looks back over his shoulder.
I weigh my words. “Don’t ever tell her that you told me what happened today.”
“Oh, I won’t. You just be sure you give her some good sweet-talkin'.” He says.
I nod. “I will.”
- Writer
