Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Bravo, Colorado Territory

Triple K Ranch

“ E llie,” Jenny Kincaid said gently to one of her dearest friends. “Stop sobbing, and please tell me what happened. You have been crying for almost an hour! Would you like to go inside? Ma is baking her famous apple pie with cinnamon.”

The wind, gentle and lovely, whistled down through the mountains, stirring the tall blades of grass near where they stood by the prodigious stables. Ellie’s sunflower yellow dress whipped around her ankles, and wisps of her blonde hair curled around her face. Her friend’s eyes were red and puffy, and she had a most miserable air about her.

“Would you like me to call Beth?”

Jenny’s sister-in-law, Bethany, and Ellie had become fast friends these last few months, and she hoped whatever Ellie could not tell her, she could confide in Beth.

“No.”

“Ellie, please—”

“He says he will not marry me,” her friend hiccupped, looking miserable and as if she wanted to be anywhere else but talking to Jenny. “That is why I feel so… shattered .”

Her heart started to pound as she understood the full implications of what made her friend so miserable and afraid.

“But you are with child,” Jenny said softly. “You cannot have a belly and be unmarried.”

“I know,” Ellie wailed.

“Does he know you are with child?”

“Yes.” She sniffed. “I do not know how I am going to tell Pa. I am unmarried and pregnant. Oh, Jenny, what am I going to do? I am so afraid; I have not been sleeping well. Ma is starting to get worried, and she has been looking at me with this expression that tells me she suspects something. Oh God! ”

Jenny fisted her hand at her side. “Who is the father?” she demanded because she knew precisely what needed to be done.

A shotgun wedding .

If this unknown man had wanted to remain a bachelor, he should have kept his cock inside his trousers. Jenny winced; even though her uncouth words were in her thoughts, she still glanced around, guiltily looking for her mother.

“Will you…will you promise not to scold me, Jenny?” Ellie asked, her voice cracking.

She sighed and gripped her friend’s hand. “Ellie, our mothers were pregnant together, and as we have heard the story a thousand times, we took our first steps together and our first words were also to each other. You are my dearest friend. There is nothing that you could tell me that would make me angry. Do you understand?”

Ellie’s wide blue eye pooled with more tears, and a harsh grimace of emotions Jenny did not understand crossed her face.

“Ellie—”

She tossed herself into Jenny’s embrace, her shoulders shaking fiercely. Unease pricked along Jenny’s spine, and her heart started to pound an even harsher rhythm.

“Should I get my ma or pa?” she whispered, wondering if something terrible had happened to Ellie that she could not say.

The West was hauntingly beautiful but also lawless and savage, filled with men who thought they could take whatever they wanted without consequences.

Ellie lurched from her arms. “ No! Promise you will tell no one about my situation, Jenny Kincaid, or I will never forgive you!”

She stared at her friend. “I promise. But Ellie, you will need to tell your mother soon. You are three months pregnant and will start showing soon, yes?”

She shook her head stubbornly. “I…”

“Tell me, who is the father?”

“I…”

“Tell me, Ellie!”

Guilt flashed in her eyes, and she looked away.

“Ellie! Why are you being so stubborn about this? Were you attacked—”

“I was not attacked!”

“Then why—”

“Caleb Callahan!”

Shock froze Jenny in place. A peculiar tightness rose in her throat, and an awful sense of loss pierced her chest. She closed her eyes tightly for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and stared at her friend.

“ Caleb Callahan? He is…your lover, Ellie?”

That awful pain twisted low in her belly again, and Jenny had to bite her bottom lip to suppress the unfamiliar emotions rushing through her.

Ellie glanced away and pressed a palm over her mouth. Thankfully, her sobs stopped even though slight tremors still worked through her body. Jenny’s heart was beating fast, and she tried not to picture the man she had felt an unwilling fascination with for the last several months. Stormy blue-gray eyes set in a far too handsome face filled her thoughts. She slammed her eyes closed and dazedly shook her head, shutting out all thoughts of him. She had carefully hidden her interest, not understanding the shattering awareness that bloomed inside her whenever she saw him.

“Why are your eyes closed?” her friend hoarsely asked.

Jenny allowed her lashes to open. “I…I do not know what to say, Ellie,” she said, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear. “Have you spoken to his grandfather? Mr. Colton is well respected and—”

“ No ; promise you will not say anything to Mr. Colton!”

“Ellie,” Jenny snapped. “You are pregnant . This is not a small matter. Caleb Callahan needs to marry you. Gossip around her might not be as terrible in one of those fancy cities, but you know many in town will turn their noses up if you have a big belly and no husband to show for it. How dare he seduce you and then not take responsibility?”

That familiar stubborn expression settled on her friend’s face.

Jenny groaned, tossing her hands up in the air. “Fine,” she snapped, “I will not say anything to my pa or ma or his grandfather.”

Only to that wretched libertine!

“Thank you,” Ellie said, swiping the tears from her cheeks. She took a deep breath. “I just need time to think and understand exactly what I want to do. I will eventually have it all sorted. I promise.”

Jenny almost scoffed at Ellie's words. Ever since they were small, Ellie had always avoided anything that caused her discomfort or pain. One time, they sneaked away from the schoolhouse to climb a tree in town. A branch broke, and they both ended up with skinned knees and scraped palms. Jenny went home and braced herself for a scolding from her mother, only to be met with care as her mother cleaned the wounds and applied a soothing salve. In contrast, Ellie hid her injuries, and three days later, her hands were sore and oozing because she avoided facing the consequences.

Jenny had accumulated many such memories that highlighted their differing natures. She knew her friend well enough to suspect that Ellie might wait until she was in labor before she admitted what was already obvious to everyone else.

“Jenny, you are getting that stubborn look, “Ellie cried. “Allow me to sort this myself. I will, I promise.”

“Very well, I—”

“Jenny,” a voice called.

She smiled, recognizing Jack Hartigan, a young man who had been sweet on her for the last several months. Ellie flushed, a complicated look entering her eyes as she stared at Jack, who rounded the side of the barn.

“Jenny—”

He faltered abruptly at seeing Ellie. Jenny frowned, noting the unusual tension that arced between them.

“Jack,” Jenny said, smiling. “I forgot you wanted us to ride out today. I got caught up with helping Bethany bake a few apple pies earlier.”

He smiled warmly, his gaze sweeping the length of her body. “I am here now. How long will it take for you to get ready?”

Jenny lifted her chin toward Ellie, silently communicating that he should speak to her. Jack turned his attention to her, a tentative smile shaping his mouth. As he took in Ellie’s shattered expression, his lips flattened.

“You’ve been crying, Ellie?” he asked, his expression veiled. “What is wrong? Did someone hurt you?”

She sniffed and tossed her head. “It is none of your concern, Jack Hartigan! Do not ask me anything.”

Then, to Jenny’s surprise, her friend stomped away like a petulant child and not a woman of eighteen years.

She frowned at seeing the red that flushed against his jawline. Ellie and Jack had always been snarky to each other, often engaging in bickering, which made Jenny tease them that they were like an old married couple. However, she had never seen Ellie display such rudeness toward him. Once, Jenny suspected her friend admired Jack’s handsomeness. He was a tall young man with rusty brown hair and dark brown eyes, with many ladies vying for his attention. Ellie had denied it, and Jenny had not teased her again.

“Has something happened between you and Ellie, Jack?” she asked, staring at his expression to gauge the truth.

“No,” he said tightly.

“You know Ellie is my dearest friend.”

He sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. “I think she resents how often we walk together in town. Maybe she thinks I am stealing too much of your time.”

“I see.” Jenny sighed. “Do not be too hard on her. She is having a hard time.”

He smiled wryly. “I won’t take anything she says or does to heart.”

Jenny grinned and strolled up to him, lifting onto her toes to kiss his cheek quickly. Desire darkened his eyes, and he slipped a hand around her waist and lowered his head. She twisted, freeing herself from his embrace and tossed her head.

“I have told you before, there will be no kissing until we are married, Jack Hartigan!”

His face grew pained, and he groaned, leaning against the side of the barn. “You are a wicked wildcat, Jenny Kincaid. I have been sweet on you for ten months, and you have not allowed a proper kiss. When are you going to put me out of my misery?”

She peeked at him from beneath her lashes, oddly enjoying that she tormented him. “Do you wish to talk with my brothers or my pa?”

He straightened, glowering at her, and Jenny laughed. Jack was one of the only men who had been brave enough to come courting. Her father, August Kincaid, known for his slow-to-provoke temper but was deadly when riled, had placed his shotgun across his knee and listened to a stammering Jack, who wanted to take her to the local dance in town.

“Jenny, do you wish to attend Mrs. Beckett’s dance with this young man?”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Then you have my blessings . Wear your gun, and if he gets too handy, put a bullet in him . I will then string up his body to set as an example .”

Jack had gaped while she had laughed, but Jenny had obeyed her father and went dancing with Jack with her gun belt strapped to her hips. Her father had said no more about their courtship, trusting her capabilities and choice. Since then, she had dined with Jack at Maggie’s restaurant in town a few times, rode with him across the prairie and even swam in the lake on several occasions. But Jenny had allowed no intimacies, taking to heart all the lessons her ma taught her.

“I am ready to talk to your father,” Jack said, taking a deep breath. “I want to marry you more than I want anything else in this life.”

Jenny’s eyes widened. Though she teased him, she had not anticipated an offer of marriage so soon. “I…”

He walked over to cup her cheeks. “Why do you look so uncertain?”

She mustered up a smile. “I am not sure I am ready to get married, Jack. I am only eighteen.”

“That is the only way you’ll allow me to have you,” he said, his gaze intent on her face. “And I want you, Jenny Kincaid. I have had my fair of dreams tormenting me.”

“Is that the only reason you want to marry me, Jack?” she asked tartly, pulling away from him. “So you can take off my pants?”

He dropped his hands to his sides and grimaced. “Yes, and put you in a dress! I swear you’ll not be wearing any darn pants and those gun belts on your hips once you are my wife.”

She scowled. “Is that so?”

He slanted her a teasing smile. “I do not want to quarrel. Come with me into town. A poster says a circus tent will be there tonight and for a few days. Everyone is talking about it. Let’s see it together.”

She laughed, the sound low and a bit mocking. “You better ask someone else’s pa to marry them. I will not stop wearing my trousers and gun because you want me to.”

“Jenny—” he began tightly.

“I have something urgent to take care of, Jack. I want to see the circus, but this is more important. Perhaps we could go tomorrow.”

“What could be more important than spending time with me?” he snapped.

“Many things,” she said, keeping her tone calm. “I do not say this to be mean, Jack. I wish I could confide in you what I need to deal with, but it is not my matter to talk about. Trust me when I say that it is important.”

Jenny walked away, ignoring his sigh of frustration. An odd sensation stabbed in her heart. This was not the first time Jack said that he did not like that she wore trousers or guns on her hips. At first, it was teasingly mentioned, and he even grumbled that she could outdraw him and use her Bowie knife with greater skills. The frequency at which he referred to her wearing a dress and not acting like a lady had grown, but Jenny had ignored him. She looked over her shoulder to see him staring at her, a frown on his face. Sighing, Jenny glanced away, only to falter at the sight of Ellie standing on the front porch of the main house, staring at Jack, her expression one of agonized uncertainty.

Jenny hurried over to her. “Ellie? What is wrong?”

She cleared her throat and tried to smile. “Did…did Jack ask you to marry him? Is that what you discussed?”

“He said he wanted to talk to Pa.”

“That means he is going to ask to marry you.” Ellie wiped at the tear that tracked down her cheek. “You do not look thrilled at the notion, Jenny. How can you be indifferent to a thing many others wish for? Last week, when we chatted with Meave and Clara, they all wanted to marry, and only you looked bored with our conversation. I do not understand it.”

She had never hidden anything from Ellie, but Jenny did not wish to unburden her thoughts to her, given that Ellie was upset and worried about her future.

“We can talk about this another time.”

“You do…do…not love him,” Ellie said, her voice cracking. “Is that your reason?”

Jenny sighed, sitting on the lower step of the porch and looking out into the distance. Stretching for miles in every direction, the Triple K ranch’s land was a lush, green, vibrant tapestry of rolling grasslands that seemed to dance under the touch of the wind. Small creeks, born from the mountains that stood as silent guardians on the horizon, meandered through the property, their clear, cold waters nourishing the earth and providing a vital resource for the ranch’s operations. Dotting the landscape, clusters of wildflowers added splashes of color—yellows, purples, and blues—creating a natural mosaic that changed with the seasons.

It was a sight that never ceased to steal her breath. The Triple K was one of the largest ranches in their territory, and many called her father a cattle king. Jenny was happy here and could not envision leaving her mother and father. And was that not what a married woman did? Leave her parents’ home to start a life elsewhere with a man?

Jenny could not bear the thought of leaving the Triple K. Jack’s family had a homestead several miles from their ranch, but Jenny could not see it as her home. She liked Jack, his presence and flattering attention igniting a warmth within her that Jenny couldn’t ignore. Often, she would lay in the grassy meadow, letting the soft blades envelop her as she gazed into the endless sky above. There, amidst the whispers of nature and under the watchful eye of the sun, she allowed her thoughts to wander to a future with Jack.

They would run his homestead together, ensuring it thrived. They would eventually have children, and she envisioned teaching them to ride, tend to the animals, defend themselves, and appreciate the sunrise and sunset that marked their days. She saw Jack, strong and steadfast, instilling in their children the same passion for the ranch that burned within their parents.

A part of Jenny felt unmoored, as if such a life could never make her truly happy, as happy as her Ma, who loved her husband with every emotion in her heart. However, Jenny did not understand the unknown restlessness that often burned inside her heart.

What was it for?

An image of Caleb Callahan rose in her thoughts, and Jenny forcefully pushed it away.

“Please answer me, Jenny. Do you love him?” Ellie asked, coming down on the steps to sit beside her.

“I am not sure what loving a man feels like, Ellie. That is the honest truth.”

Ellie sucked in a breath. “How can you not know? Does Jack make your heart race at a mere glimpse? Does he make you ache in the nights for him…wishing that his arms were around you while you slept?”

The rough pain in her friend’s voice informed Jenny that was how Ellie felt about the man who got her pregnant.

“Ma said love was about duty, choice, passion and loyalty. She says it is all of that, not just one part. When I love a man, I will know it because I will always want to walk beside him.” Jenny chuckled. “I am certain I do not feel for Jack as Ma described it. Perhaps there are different ways to love a man. I also do not know if I love Jack how you say it, Ellie.”

“Then what do you like about him?”

Jenny wrinkled her nose. “He makes me laugh; he is also good company, and I like being with him. I know I will eventually marry him, for I have imagined what life with him would be like, and I felt some measure of contentment.”

“I see,” Ellie said softly, gripping her fingers tightly. “So you are sure you will marry him?”

“Eventually,” she said.

“I wish…” Ellie sighed.

“What do you wish for?”

“I cannot bear to speak about it anymore, Jenny.”

For a long time, neither spoke. Ellie stood, lightly dusting off her dress. “I should be getting home. It is about to get dark soon.”

The forlorn ache in her friend’s voice lit a spark of fury in Jenny’s chest. An unknown storm gathered inside her—one born from the helplessness of seeing her dearest friend so wounded, unhappy, and terrified of her future.

“It is getting late, Ellie. Please stay with me. I’ll send a ranch hand to inform your parents that you will be home in the morning.”

Her friend hesitated, then nodded before going inside. Jenny stood, took a deep breath, and walked down the front steps.

There will be a reckoning tonight .

Caleb Callahan would be brought up to scratch, or she would put a bullet through him.