Page 5 of Chasing Trouble
Chapter 2
Whitney studied himthrough half-closed eyelids.“I’ll figure it out,” she replied finally, but she had been worried about that herself.She figured she would have to use what little money her dad had left to make a trip into town for some basic supplies.She had stored all the summer potatoes and turnips and canned all the vegetables she could from their garden.They didn’t have any hogs or cattle to butcher, and they only had one milk cow.If she had to, she guessed she could sacrifice Beulah, but then they wouldn’t have any milk or cheese.She’d even canned chicken eggs for the winter.The hens wouldn’t lay once it got really cold.Besides, they didn’t have a smokehouse to cure the meat in if they did butcher.She had a rifle hidden away, along with a small amount of precious ammunition.She planned to use it to hunt a deer once the freeze set in, and the meat would keep well in the stream or the woodshed after she and Luke cut it up.
“And just how are you going to do that?None of you even has warm clothing or heavy coats that I can see.You’re a tragedy waiting to happen,” he fired back.
Whitney’s chin shot up.“I’m not totally helpless.I do have some things stored; I know how to prepare for winter.Besides, I just haven’t brought out our heavy coats yet.”She lied about that last part.Heavier clothing was one of the things her father had planned on bringing back with him.
Mac’s eyebrows shot up, and he shook his head.“Look, I have the milking to get back to, but I’ll be back tomorrow.When I come back, I want you to show me what you have prepared for the winter, and then I’ll decide if you can stay or not.”
He would decide?
Whitney gaped at him, then bristled with indignation.“Look here, mister.This is my land and my house.You don’t decide anything for me; I decide for myself.If I choose to stay here, you can’t do anything about it, so get out and don’t bother coming back,” she informed him in lofty terms.
Mac leaned down into her angry face with his big finger pointed at her.“My name is Mac, and youmade it my business when you stole from me.That will get you a spanking over my knee.Beyond that, we will work from there and see how it goes.”
Whitney trembled with fury.Spanking?No way was she letting him spank her like a child.“You try to spank me and I’ll put buckshot into your backside, mister,” she warned.“I’m not a child, and you’re not my father.”
He jammed his hat down further on his head as he scowled at her.“Mac,” he corrected.“You don’t get to steal from me without consequences.”
Whitney flushed.“I’ll pay you back if it’s that important to you,Mac,” she sneered.“Just because you have money doesn’t mean you get to throw your weight around.You have no rights here.”
“If I have to get the sheriff up here, I will,” he warned.“But I don’t want to resort to that...seeing as how it’s so important to you.”
Whitney felt tears brewing in the background, but she refused to show any weakness; she just stared daggers at him.She wished that darned turkey hadn’t tempted her.Her plans would still be on track, and he wouldn’t know anything about her.
He bent slightly and lifted her trembling chin with the side of his fist.“You need to stop fighting me, Whitney.You’re in enough trouble with me as it is.Rest assured, I will be back, because I can’t leave you up here alone now that I know you’re here and in a bad way.It’s too dangerous, and I won’t have your deaths on my conscience.”
“We aren’t your responsibility,” she rasped through her half-closed throat.“Just go away and leave me alone.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he replied, grimly shaking his head.
She tossed her head.“Then don’t be surprised when I defend myself, because I’m not leaving.”
He chuckled then.“Honey, you’re no bigger than a mite.There’s not much you can do to damage my thick hide.”Then he pointed a finger at her in warning.“And don’t ever threaten me with a gun again.You ever shoot buckshot at me, and you’ll be eating off the fireplace mantle for a month.”
“You’re impossible,” she shouted, jumping up from the kitchen chair and stomping one booted foot in frustration.It was either that or try to kick him where she was sure it would hurt—a lot.The energy coursing through her demanded it, although it made her feel like she was Amelia’s age again.Only the fear that he might actually spank her immediately if she tried it kept her foot on the floor instead of his crotch.
“What time is dinner tomorrow?I might as well enjoy my turkey,” he replied, his lips quirking up in amusement at the foot stamp.
“Noon,” she snapped, still incensed and trembling.She didn’t have any choice but to accept his self-invitation—she didn’t have to like it.She had no doubt he’d come whether she wanted him to or not.
He turned and strode to the door, then turned back.“Oh...and the name is Mac,” he said for the third time.Get used to it.”Then he stepped out and shut the door before she could yell back.
“Oh...oh...damn him,” she muttered to herself, stomping hard on the floor and slamming her small fist on the table.She winced and rubbed her fist.Too bad it wasn’t his jaw that it had connected with.
