Chapter 4

As he rode up to Silver’s Mercantile the next day, Johnny’s heart sank at the sight of the Silver triplets standing outside. He’d come to buy some nails and sandpaper. For a moment, he considered going on by and stopping back later, but he was pressed for time and didn’t have all day to mess around.

The triplets were all beautiful young women with dark hair and blue eyes, and they never lacked for male attention. The trouble was that they were all sweet on Johnny, and he didn’t want to cause discord between the siblings by choosing one or the other. Sometimes it was exhausting attempting to turn down their advances without ruffling feathers.

Steeling himself against what was coming, Johnny dismounted, tied his horse to the hitching post outside the store and approached it. He respectfully removed his hat as he neared the sisters. Their pretty faces lit up when they caught sight of him. He was glad they all wore different dresses under their black cloaks, but he still had trouble telling them apart.

“Well, there’s that handsome Johnny,” one of them said.

Hoping he was right, Johnny said, “Thanks, Heidi. You’re all looking pretty today, not that you don’t every day, of course.”

Heidi smiled. “Aren’t you the flatterer? What brings you to our store?”

Her sister, Joanie, piped up. “Yes, is there something we can help you find?”

Being escorted through the store by the three of them was a daunting prospect. “No, no. That’s not necessary. I’m just here to buy some nails and sandpaper. I appreciate your kind offer, though.”

“If you do need anything, anything at all, you just let me know,” Georgia, the third and boldest sister said, her meaning plain as day.

Johnny pretended not to catch it. “Much obliged. Well, I’d best get to it and get back to work.”

“So soon?” Heidi said. “I was wondering if you’d like to come to tea after church on Sunday.”

Georgia said, “Johnny doesn’t go to church, Heidi.”

“That doesn’t mean that he can’t come afterward,” Heidi responded.

Joanie eyed Johnny. “You could come and sit by me.”

Oh, good Lord. Johnny said, “Well, I appreciate the invite, but I just can’t.”

“Why not?” Joanie asked, giving him a come-hither look.

He swallowed hard. If only there were just one of them. Finally fed up, Johnny squared his shoulders and said, “Ladies, the truth is that I just can’t make up my mind between you all, and I don’t reckon I ever will. You’re all just too beautiful and have such sweet dispositions that it makes it real hard for a man to choose. It’s plain how much you all think of me, and I’m truly honored, but even if I could just pick one of you, I’d hate to cause strife between you.”

The sisters pouted, but they appreciated his honesty.

“You’re a true gentleman, Johnny,” Heidi said.

Georgia sighed then brightened. “I know! You could spend some time alone with each one of us and then decide who you like best. And we wouldn’t get mad if we weren’t the one you picked. We might not like it, but we wouldn’t hold it against one another, would we, girls?”

Heidi and Joanie hastily agreed.

“So, you come after church on Sunday to have dinner with us, and then you and I can spend a little time together,” Georgia said. “I go first because I’m the one who thought of the idea.”

Johnny’s shoulders slumped. He should have kept his mouth shut and just gone on his way. “Well, you’d better check with your folks about it. I don’t think they’ll like that idea too much.”

Heidi said, “Don’t worry about that. We can handle them.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. “Um, well, I’m sorry, ladies, I just—”

“Johnny!”

Johnny was never so glad to hear his best friend’s voice as he was right then. He turned to see Ray Stratton riding up to the store.

“There you are!” Ray said, jumping down from his horse. Touching the brim of his expensive black Stetson, he said, “Ladies, I hope you don’t mind if I borrow my buddy here. I have important business to discuss with him.”

Ignoring the sisters’ protests, Ray hauled Johnny into the store with him.

“That was rude, but God bless you,” Johnny said.

Ray grinned, his gray eyes gleaming. “Saved you in the nick of time, huh?”

Johnny nodded. “You don’t know the half of it. They’ve cooked up some cockamamie idea about me spending time with each of them so I could make up my mind which one I like the best.”

Ray laughed. “You oughta just take them all at once, Johnny. Then you could decide and save some time in the process. That’s what I’d do.”

Johnny colored at Ray’s ribald remark. “You might be able to do that, but I can’t. I wasn’t raised that way.”

“You gotta quit that good boy stuff, Johnny. That’s one of the reasons they like you so much,” Ray said. “You need to go see one of Sandy’s girls and tell everyone about it. They’re husband-hunting, and you’ve been deemed suitable by their father.”

Johnny gaped at him. “I have?”

Ray rolled his eyes. “Why else do you think he lets them stand around and talk with you, even when it’s only you and one of them?”

Johnny had never thought about it. “He doesn’t let other fellas?”

“No. Watch this.”

Johnny watched Ray go out the door and engage the triplets in conversation. They giggled at whatever he said to them. Knowing Ray, it was most likely something scandalous. In a couple of minutes, Mr. Silver went to the door and told the girls to go on home. Ray bid them a good day and then reentered the store.

“Told you,” Ray said. “You really need to pay more attention to gossip, Johnny.”

“I don’t like gossip, and I’m not gonna go see one of Sandy’s girls. Nothin’ against them, but that’s not the kind of girl I’m lookin’ for.”

Ray said, “You’re not looking for any girl at all. Why is that?”

Johnny moved off, down the aisle to where the nails were. “Because I ain’t set up for a wife yet, Ray. I live in a bunkhouse. That ain’t no place for a woman. Once I have a house of my own, then I’ll find someone.”

Ray scratched his head. “Who says you have to get married right away? Why don’t you just have some fun?”

Johnny turned to Ray, his expression stern. “I’ll tell you why. Ma and Pa ‘had some fun’ and had to get married because of me. He made her miserable every day, and I hate that I’m the reason she was bound to that son of a bitch. I’ll mourn Ma until the day I die, but I’m glad that Pa’s dead, and I hope he burns in Hell.

“So, I’m gonna work hard and make a decent living before I settle down. I want to take care of a woman the way she deserves to be. I know you don’t understand that, but I’m asking you to respect it, Ray.”

Ray ran a hand through his black hair and blew out a breath. “You never told me that before. I’m sorry. I’ll quit pestering you about women.”

“Thanks. Come up to Cotton’s tonight, but right now, I gotta get back to the ranch. Okay?”

Ray nodded. “Sure. See ya then.”

Johnny gave him a tight smile and walked down the aisle, trying to ignore the futile anger in his heart.

“You look beautiful,” Leigh said.

She’d helped Daphne choose her evening ensemble for her night out with Brock.

“I’m scared to death,” Daphne confessed. “Scared to death that he won’t show up, scared that he will, and I’ll make a fool of myself. What if Cy’s right and this is a huge mistake?”

Leigh said, “I felt the same way about coming here, but sometimes taking a risk is worth it. Besides, you’ve waited long enough to have the chance to get to know Brock better. Don’t listen to Cy. You know how men are. They’ll come around.”

Daphne smoothed down the deep blue muslin dress she wore and looked at her hair again in the mirror. “I hope so. Cy is so stubborn. I’d forgotten that about him while he was away. I sure got reminded in a hurry.”

Leigh said, “I know, but he’s got a good heart. Don’t worry. I’ll do what I can to make him see reason.”

Daphne said, “Thanks, but don’t be surprised if I cuff him upside the head once in a while.”

Leigh laughed. “That’ll be entertaining.”

“He’d better not make trouble for Brock when he comes for me, or I’ll skip the cuffing and just whack him with a frying pan.”

They laughed, and Daphne blew out the lamp in her room. When they descended the stairs, Leigh made the dogs go lie down so that they didn’t get hair all over Daphne’s dress. Cy and Johnny were finishing up the supper dishes when they came into the kitchen.

“Wow! You look like a dream!” Johnny told her.

Daphne smiled. “You think so?”

Johnny nodded as he dried a dish. “I sure do. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”