Page 37 of Heart of Stone

Well, assuming Luke did still want it. That was the question.

Sighing, Stone pushed back his chair, rose to his feet and carried his plate to the sink.

Luke’s appetite didn’t seem to be suffering the way Stone’s was, and he glanced up from his meal, watching Stone questioningly. “Thought you’d have worked up a bigger appetite than that after workin’ all day.”

Stone shrugged. “Guess I’m just feelin’ off,” he replied, scraping his plate into the slop bucket. “Don’t tell Mary. I don’t want her to think I don’t like her cookin’.”

“I won’t.” Luke studied him more intently, concern blooming in his eyes. “Should I get Doc Wilson?”

“Nah, it’s nothin’ like that.” Stone put his plate in the sink, and then he stepped back and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ll just let you finish in peace.”

Luke glanced back down at his plate, seeming less interested in the chicken and dumplings. “I’m about done myself. I’m more tired than hungry anyway.”

“I wasn’t tryin’ to put you off your feed.” Stone wasn’t sure why Luke had lost his appetite, but he hoped it wasn’t because of him. “I just....” He looked at Luke and cleared his throat. “Ah, hell. I can’t do this any more, Luke.”

The concern on Luke’s face turned to alarm, and he pushed back his chair and stood up, facing Stone. “You can’t give up on the ranch now! Once Dandy Jim is gone, things’ll calm down. It won’t be like this all the time.”

Stone winced. Luke thought he was talking about the ranch, of course. He shouldn’t be surprised; he’d made everything about the ranch, putting it before what Luke wanted and needed, so why should Luke think he’d meant anything different now? He needed to explain and to try to set things right between them.

“That ain’t what I meant.” He wished he was better with words, so he could make his feelings clear to Luke without messing up things even more. “I mean, I can’t go on bein’ so unfair to you. I’m judgin’ James for what he’s done, but I ain’t one bit better than he is, am I?”

Luke shook his head, appearing puzzled. “I don’t follow.”

“I ain’t good at explainin’ things,” Stone replied, wondering how he could say what he needed to and not sound like a fool. “I’ve been selfish. I’ve expected you to be here and support me, and I ain’t given you nothin’ in return except trouble.”

“Well, that ain’t true,” Luke replied, frowning slightly. “I got a place to stay and a job. It ain’t like I did all this work for free. I ain’t never thought youexpectedme to do nothin’. What I did, I did ‘cause I wanted to do it, no other reason.”

“No, not that.” Stone wanted to growl in frustration, and he paced back and forth, agitated. “I mean that night, Luke. That night we went to bed together. I ain’t been fair to you about that. I just told you how it was goin’ to be and expected you to stay. It’s the most selfish thing I ever done in my life, and it’s eatin’ me up inside.”

Luke regarded him somberly for a long moment, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet and deep. “You told me how it was goin’ to be, yeah, but I don’t recall you tellin’ me what you expected me to do. Right or wrong, stayin’ was my choice. Nobody made me do it.”

Stone shook his head. Luke was a generous man, and it wasn’t surprising he’d be willing to let Stone off the hook. “I didn’t think you’d leave. Copper Lake is your home, no matter what you try to say about it not belongin’ to you, but that don’t make what I said to you or what I expected of you right. I didn’t even listen to you. I didn’t take what you wanted and needed into account. I can’t stand it, knowin’ I treated you like that.” He stepped closer, holding out his hand toward Luke, willing to beg if that was what it took. “Can you forgive me? I’ve felt lower than a snake since then, but today I realized just how bad I could’ve made you feel. I never want you to feel bad, Luke. I want you to be happy again. I miss seein’ you smile and hearin’ you laugh, especially the reason you don’t is me.”

Luke turned his gaze downward and swallowed hard. “I don’t think there’s much to forgive. I know you got your pa’s ghost hauntin’ you. You got somethin’ to prove ‘cause of him, and I wanted to help you prove it to yourself and everyone else and maybe lay that ghost to rest at last. But if you want my forgiveness, you’ve got it. I ain’t goin’ to lie and say I’m happy, but I don’t hold nothin’ against you.”

Hearing that Luke forgave him loosened one of the knots in Stone’s stomach, but he wasn’t done, not yet. He gathered his courage and stepped forward, resting his hands on Luke’s shoulders. “Thank you, that means a lot to me. But I want you to be happy. You deserve it, Luke.”

For a moment, it seemed as if Luke was going to respond, maybe even move closer, but then his gaze flicked to something over Stone’s shoulder, and he stepped back quickly, extricating himself from Stone’s grasp.

“Evenin’, Mr. Rivers,” Luke said pointedly, putting some more distance between himself and Stone.

Stone whirled to find James standing in the doorway, an unreadable expression on his face. Stone didn’t know whether he was angrier at the man for trying to destroy his life or for wrecking this moment when he and Luke might have actually been coming to some sort of understanding. He supposed it didn’t matter, either way; anger was anger, and he clenched his jaw as well as his fists.

“You no good, lyin’, double crossin’, filthy snake!” he hissed, glaring at James. “You claimed kin on me, and all you wanted was to get your hands on the ranch!”

James’ elegant lips curved in a mocking smirk as he strolled into the room, seeming unconcerned by the accusations. “Why, cousin, I’m hurt,” he drawled. “How could you say such a hateful thing to me when I’ve been nothing but a perfect house guest?”

Stone’s eyes narrowed. “Oh really?” He wanted very badly to wipe that nasty smile off James’ face. “Wreckin’ the windmill, makin’ my horse throw me, destroyin’ the water tank, burnin’ down the stables. You call that bein’ the perfect guest? Not that you got your soft, white hands dirty in the process, of course. Your hired boys did the work, but you’re the one who deserves all the credit.”

“You have proof of all this, of course,” James replied, still looking so smug that Stone itched to punch him. “Otherwise, I can’t imagine you would slander my good name in such a way.”

“Why wouldn’t you imagine that?” Stone asked, pushing his sleeves up. “You ain’t got no good name. A man is only as good as his word, and yours ain’t worth a pile of steamin’ shit. Anything that happens to your name, you done all by yourself!”

“Again, I must ask if you have any proof,” James replied, seeming unperturbed by Stone’s aggressiveness. “I can prove it if you slander me or assault me, and I doubt the authorities would be as quick to believe your wild claims without evidence to back them up.”

Stone stared at James, unable to believe the man’s gall. “Are you threatenin’me?” he demanded. “You think you’re just goin’ to walk away from this without a mark on you?”

“From where I’m standing, you’re the only one making any threats, cousin,” James replied with an elegant shrug of his shoulders. “I’m simply stating what will happen if you insist on making baseless accusations.”

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