A Cowboy Of Convenience. Stacy Henrie

right.” She gave Hattie one more kiss. “I love you, sweetheart. I’ll be home by the end of the week.”

      “With a special surprise for you,” West added as he bent down and tousled Hattie’s blond hair.

      Her little mouth lifted into a full smile for the first time all morning. “A surprise for me, Mr. West?”

      “A surprise just for you, Hattie girl.” He straightened. “And that means your mother and I need to hurry and get on that train.”

      The little girl nodded with palpable enthusiasm. “Okay, Mr. West. Bye, Mommy.” She waved to Vienna without an inkling of reluctance this time.

      Giving her a wave back, Vienna hurried after West and up the steps of the train. “Thank you,” she said as they moved down the aisle toward two empty benches.

      “For what?” he asked, motioning for her to take the one that faced the depot. He sat on the opposite bench—close enough to continue their conversation but still maintaining enough distance between them to keep things proper as they traveled.

      Vienna slid toward the window. “I appreciate you helping cheer Hattie up just now.”

      “It can’t be easy leaving her.”

      She waved vigorously at her daughter and the Kents, who waved back, until they were lost from her view as the locomotive rolled forward. “I know she’ll be fine.”

      “But...” West prompted gently.

      The gnawing in Vienna’s stomach that had started before breakfast stretched wider. “But I’ve never been away from her for more than a few hours. Now it will be six full days until we return.”

      “Tickets, please,” the porter announced before West could reply.

      Vienna withdrew her ticket and handed it to the young man.

      “Traveling all the way to North Dakota?” He flicked a glance at West. “You and your husband?”

      She gave a nod as he passed her back the ticket. “He’s not my husband, though.”

      “No?” He studied her with new interest as he leaned casually against the seat back in front of Vienna.

      What would he think if he knew Vienna was likely several years older than him and a mother and widow to boot?

      “Let me know if you need anything, miss. I’d be more than willing to look out for you on your journey.”

      West loudly cleared his throat, jerking the porter’s attention back in his direction. “Here’s my ticket, young man.” His gaze held more steel than friendliness as he presented the stub of paper. “And if the lady needs assistance, I’m here to help her.”

      “But she’s not your wife,” the porter stated with a frown.

      Vienna might have chuckled at the confusion on his face if she hadn’t felt so vulnerable—at saying goodbye to Hattie and at being the subject of the porter’s interest. The idea of leaving the safety and familiarity of the Running W to embark on such a new and uncertain venture felt suddenly overwhelming. Surely she wasn’t brave enough to do this. She would likely say or do the wrong thing. Doubt had her twisting her gloved hands together where they rested in her lap.

      “Nope, she’s not my wife,” West answered in a level tone.

      “Your sister, then?”

      West shook his head.

      “Sweetheart?” The porter threw a puzzled look in Vienna’s direction.

      The sight of the young man’s bewilderment somehow broke the choke hold of her fear. She was here, wasn’t she? Surely that was a step of bravery. Offering the man a polite smile this time, she spoke again. “He’s a good friend and may possibly be my future husband and business partner.”

      “Ah, I see,” the porter said, still eyeing them in a way that told them he didn’t. Vienna suppressed a laugh. Then with a shrug of his shoulders, he tipped his hat to her. “Pleasant travel, folks.”

      As the young man disappeared through the door to the next car, West swiveled on his seat and looked her way, his head cocked in thought.

      “What?” she asked, touching her hair where it was pinned up beneath her hat. Was there something amiss about her appearance?

      One corner of his mouth lifted in a languid smile. The kind that used to set her pulse tripping seven years ago.

      Used to? her head argued. Then why is your heart jumping about right now?

      “You’ve changed,” he said at last.

      Vienna ducked her chin and brushed a piece of lint off her skirt. “I have? How?”

      “Saying what you did just now to the porter—all confident with no reticence.”

      Her cheeks grew warm. “Thank you, I think.”

      “It’s a compliment, Vienna.” He chuckled. “Your confidence is coming back.”

      Lifting her head, she glanced at him. “Back? I don’t know that I was ever really confident before.” Certainly not while she’d been married to Chance. Even before that, while living on her aunt and uncle’s ranch, she hadn’t felt much self-assurance.

      “It was there.” His expression held a trace of seriousness. “I saw it in you.”

      Something like regret emanated from him, though Vienna couldn’t identify its source. “I was still shy, even before meeting Chance. Don’t you remember the first time we met?”

      Instead of prompting the smile she expected, West turned toward the window. “I remember everything about that day.”

      “Then you’ll remember that you tried to talk to me three different times at that picnic before I finally said a word.” She sniffed with amusement at the memory of her own timidity. How she’d ended up with someone like Chance—gregarious and impatient and the complete opposite of West McCall—she might never know. Then again, Chance’s outgoing personality had meant that when she was by his side, she could stay quiet and view life from a distance. It hadn’t been so bad at first until she’d realized that was exactly where her husband had wanted her to remain, indefinitely—in his shadow, with no voice or authority of her own.

      Now the smile she’d been expecting appeared on West’s mouth. “As I recall it wasn’t a word you gave me. It was a laugh.”

      He did remember it well. She’d been as uncertain as she’d been flattered by West’s attention, and when he’d made some joke about himself, she couldn’t help laughing. After that, there was no longer any reticence at being around him. She’d felt seen for the first time since her parents’ deaths—a feeling that expanded over time from camaraderie to friendship to...to love. For her, anyway. West hadn’t come to the same conclusion about their relationship.

      “So it will take all day to travel to the dude ranch?” she asked, changing the subject. It was better not to focus on the timeworn memories between them. Otherwise she’d dredge up old heartache, and she’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.

      West studied her a moment, while Vienna stared innocently back at him. He might have once been able to read her thoughts, but just like her romantic feelings for him, that was long ago. “It’ll probably be past suppertime before we reach the ranch.”

      “And they know we’re coming?”

      He grinned, breaking the tension between them. “They know. And what’s more, they said they can’t wait to show us around.”

      * * *

      Excitement propelled West to be the first one off the train in North Dakota, though he did turn back to help Vienna down the narrow steps and onto the depot platform. It was more than anticipation that their long day of travel was at an end. He hadn’t been back here in eight years, and