The Gunfighter's Woman by Spencer Kaye

Author:Spencer,Kaye [Spencer,Kaye]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prairie Rose Publications
Published: 2016-10-05T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Freight wagons, buckboards, and buggies rolled into the yard, and Brenna jumped down from the seat of the lead buckboard and ran about hugging and kissing her family and circling back amongst them to do it all again. Chattering and laughter rose over a cacophony of voices.

Matt enjoyed the reunion happiness from an unobtrusive position. Since the death of his mother, he’d never been around a family, and if he had grandparents, he didn’t know who they were or where they lived. As an only child, he’d missed out on knowing a sibling relationship. It was clear this group was as close-knit as they came. When Brenna spied him in his out-of-the-way spot near the windmill, she hurried to him.

“Now is not the time to be shy. Come with me.” She grasped his hand and led him toward the wagons.

He regretted they hadn’t talked about this moment, about meeting her family, but it was too late to worry. He had to tough it out. The one thing set in his mind was if Brenna’s family didn’t cotton to him, they’d have to find a way to at least tolerate him. He wasn’t leaving here without her, and he’d never ask her to leave, so an agreement of some sort had to be reached.

Brenna made the introductions. “Matt, these are my parents, James and Ann Stirling. My grandparents, Charles and Mary Stirling. Aunt Aggie Stirling. This is Dara Everett, my brother Jim’s fiancée. Her family lives about ten miles from us on the way to Trinidad. Jim and Dara are getting married at Christmastime. And this is my little brother, Andrew. We call him Drew.”

Impulsively, she hugged Drew for the umpteenth time Matt had observed.

“And you’re not so little anymore.”

His cheeks reddened, but he puffed out his chest. “Thanks, Brenna.”

Matt nodded in greeting with each introduction. When Brenna paused to catch her breath, he stepped up to her father and offered his hand.

“Matt Caddock, sir.”

James took his hand with a firm grasp. “Pleased to meet you. Call me James.”

Matt held his hand out to Charles, who greeted him with an open, friendly smile and handshake. “I answer to Charles and my friends call me Charlie. Choose what makes you comfortable.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ann stepped forward and wrapped Matt in a motherly embrace before he saw it coming. He lifted his arms to return her embrace, but could only bring himself to pat her lightly on the back before he extricated himself.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Matt. James and I certainly appreciate that you’ve been here with Brenna. We’ve worried about her being alone, and it was such a relief to find out that wasn’t the case. Thank you.”

“Nice to meet you Mrs. Stirling.” He tipped his hat to her, wary about how smoothly this was progressing and uneasy that they weren’t surprised he was living here. Then he realized he needed to greet the other women, and the situation fell apart as he muddled on, sounding like an idiot and feeling like one, too.

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