Page 17 of Wrangling Her Heart
“You don’t know what it’s like, Rex,” Tillie murmured, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and apprehension. “You have a good life here with your family, but George and I... We’re on our own. We’ve made mistakes, done things we’re not proud of.”
Rex listened intently, his heart going out to her as he saw the torment in her eyes. He reached out a hand, hesitated for a moment, then rested it gently on her shoulder, offering silent comfort. Tillie flinched at the unexpected touch but didn’t pull away. She seemed torn between the urge to confide and the instinct to guard her secrets. Rex maintained his gentle gaze, willing her to trust him.
“You’re not alone, Tillie. We’re here to help you through whatever it is you’re facing. You don’t have to carry the burden by yourself when you have us now.”
She nodded and trotted ahead into the clearing where a two-story house came into view. Rex decided not to push her further, focusing instead on the task at hand: introducing her to the rest of Baxter’s family.
Peter was standing on the porch as they approached. He waved as he saw them get closer. Rex and Tillie lifted their hands in greeting.
“Hey Rex!” Peter called, hopping down from the porch. He turned and lifted one of the smaller children, placing them on the ground before striding over to meet the guests. Grabbing Daisy’s halter, he smiled at Tillie. “I’m Peter. Midge is my sister. Gosh, you’re pretty.”
“Peter, you met Tillie when she arrived.” Rex just chuckled at the boy’s forwardness, seeing Tillie blush at the unexpected compliment.
Peter flashed a mischievous grin. “I wasn’t paying attention then. I am now.”
“Nice to see you again, Peter. Who is this little one?”
“That’s Abilene. You can call her Abi.”
“Abilene is a place in Texas. It is a pretty name.”
“Is that where you are from?” the little girl asked.
“It is.”
“Peter, why don’t you take the horse and get it watered instead of talking the poor woman to death?” Rex scolded, his voice tinged with a touch of envy.
Peter shrugged, flashing a charming smile at Tillie before reaching up to help her slide to the ground. Rex noticed the boy held onto her just a moment too long before leading the horse away. Tillie watched Peter with a small smile playing on her lips.
It was clear that the boy was smitten with her, and Rex couldn’t help but feel a pang of possessiveness towards the woman who was a guest in his house. Her willingness to engage with Peter contrasted sharply with her guarded demeanor towards him, making Rex wonder what it was about Peter that seemed to put her at ease.
Rex slid off his horse and tugged on the reins.
“He thinks I’m pretty,” she grinned. As she spoke, her hips swayed, and the fabric of her dress hugged her legs. Then shesang the words, “he thinks I’m pretty,” while looking directly at Rex.
Rex felt a surge of irritation at the way Tillie seemed to revel in Peter’s attention. Her playful demeanor grated on him, especially after rebuffing his attentions. Unsettled by the sudden shift in her behavior, he cleared his throat and gestured toward the house.
“I reckon you should head on in now, Tillie. Midge and Baxter are just inside. Pet should be in there too.” Rex said, his tone curt. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of being disregarded as Peter’s simple charm seemed to effortlessly captivate Tillie.
“Are you coming?” She blinked several times.
“I’m just going to water my horse and I’ll be right in.”
“I’ll escort you up, Tillie,” Peter said, reappearing behind Rex.
“Miss Youngerman,” Rex hissed.
Peter shook his head. “What?”
“Her name is Miss Youngerman.”
Tillie glared at Rex. “Thank you, Peter. That’s mighty thoughtful.”
As Tillie turned to follow Peter towards the house, her hand brushed against Rex’s arm lightly. Rex felt a jolt of warmth shoot through him, but he clenched his jaw and held his tongue. He watched as Tillie’s laughter floated back to him, carried on the breeze. Peter was already chattering away, his excitement palpable.
What was wrong with him? He wasn’t courting Tillie. Yet.And here he was competing for her affections with a sixteen-year-old boy.
Rex turned away, leading his horse towards the trough. As he unhooked the saddle and bridle, his mind was a whirl ofconfusion. He felt a spark of anger towards Peter, frustration at Tillie’s fickleness, and a growing sense of concern for what was happening at home. Pumping fresh water into a bucket, he hung it on a peg inside the paddock and watched his horse trot around the edges of the fencing.
