ONE
Colt Masterson steppedout of the stagecoach and onto the boardwalk. He brushed his hands against his dusty jacket before removing his cowboy hat and brushing the dust off that, too. Today’s journey was long but necessary. Last Chance, Nebraska, was out in the middle of nowhere. Colt had traveled quite a bit in his twenty-eight years, but he’d never known this place even existed. When his father described what had happened to the town a year ago, Colt’s heart wrenched for the women who had suddenly become widows.
He glanced up and down the street. From what he’d heard, the town seemed to be growing. But Colt was still needed whether he wanted it to be or not.
A movement from the stagecoach drew his attention as the driver took down Colt’s trunk. He moved to the trunk, grabbed the handle, and swung it over his shoulder as if it were a bag of flour. He’d labored so much in his life, carrying the trunk was nothing.
However, now his responsibilities were changing, thanks to his grandfather and the cuss word that churned Colt’s stomach –inheritance.
Clenching his jaw, Colt moved back to the boardwalk. He needed to find a place to stay, and he was told Last Chance had a hotel. He hoped they had a vacant room.
He swept his gaze up and down the street again until he noticed the hotel. Several women were moving in and out of shops, and a few others drove their wagons on the road. Most of them eyed him, but he wasn’t sure if they were married or looking for a husband. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t here for their pleasure, anyway. He was here to fulfill the terms of his agreement with both his father and grandfather by taking over the wainwright shop that his father had started six months ago in this town.
Although Colt was rather good at repairing wagons and especially wheels, that’s not what he wanted to do with his life. Unfortunately, Father’s health was declining, and since the new shop was booming, someone needed to run it. Colt would do it, but he wasn’t happy about it.
“Excuse me, sir?”
The woman’s voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned to rest his lonely gaze on the vision of surprise that stood beside him. She had the prettiest hazel eyes and lush, wavy, dark auburn hair that was pulled away from her face in a ponytail. What startled him was that she wasn’t dressed as fancy as the other women he’d seen in town. In fact, although she wore a plain yellow blouse and brown skirt, she looked to be... out of place. Maybe it was because her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
He quickly removed his hat and set his trunk down out of politeness. “Yes?”
“Colt Masterson?”
“I am.”
She smiled, and he realized even her smile was pretty.
“You probably don’t remember me since we haven’t seen each other for ten years, but I’m Blaze Murphy. You knew me as Blaze Clifton. I work for your father now, and I’ve come to take you to his shop.”
Blaze Clifton?He recalled his father saying that he’d brought Colt’s stepmother’s family to Last Chance. Blaze Clifton was his stepmother’s niece. He had become instant friends with her, mainly because she had lost her parents and he had lost his mother. They did everything together for a few months before he left to work for his grandfather.
Colt grinned. She hadn’t changed that much – still, the cute tomboy who climbed trees with him and roped cattle.
“Of course, I remember you.”
She sighed heavily and her shoulders relaxed. “Splendid. I didn’t want you to think I was just some woman trying to hustle you.”
He laughed loudly and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her to swing her around. She gasped, clutching his shoulders.
“Blaze,” he said with entirely too much enthusiasm. Then again, a few moments ago, he’d thought he wouldn’t find anyone in town to talk to, so he was happy to see her. “It’s so good to see you after all this time.”
Her smile stretched. When he placed her back on her feet, she pulled away from him.
“Yes, it’s good to see you.” She glanced over his shoulder. “Did you bring your wife?”
He snorted a laugh. “My wife? Where did you hear I’d gotten married because I assure you, the rumor is false.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Her cheeks grew pink. “I thought I’d heard your father mention you were engaged a couple of years ago.”
He shook his head. “I was, but thankfully, I came to my senses and broke off the engagement.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Was she a terrible person?”
“No, but I would have made a lousy husband. I can’t stay in one place long enough to have a family.”
“Well, I’m happy if you’re happy.”
“Yes, it was a good thing for me to do.”
