Mr. Nelson was, in fact, feeling the same way. He’d had to force himself to leave the barbecue, because he’d wanted to dance with Allison. But getting involved with her would only create more problems and he’d had enough. He thought about going into town to the bar, but that felt flat, too. He was losing his taste for liquor and wild women. Maybe he’d caught a virus or something.
He strolled past the bunkhouse, hearing loud laughter, led by the redheaded Rance. It was Saturday night, and he couldn’t forbid the men liquor on their own time. But one of these days, he was going to have to confront that venomous rider. He’d been needling Gene for days. The man was sweet on Dale Branigan, and fiercely jealous of Gene. He could have told him there was no need, but it wouldn’t have done any good.
He kept walking, his mind still on the way Allison had looked in that sundress. He paused to check two of the sick calves in the barn, marveling at how much he’d changed in just one day and one night. Maybe it was his age, he thought. Then a picture of Allison Hathoway’s soft hazel eyes burned into his brain and he groaned. With a muttered curse, he saddled a horse and went out to check on the night herders—something he hadn’t done in months.
Chapter Three
Allison wasn’t comfortable talking to Winnie about Gene Nelson, but she was too curious about him not to ask questions. He’d warned her away himself, telling her that he was bad medicine. But she was attracted despite the warnings. Secretly she wondered if it could be because of them. She’d led a conventional life all the way, never putting a step wrong. A renegade was bound to appeal to her.
“You can’t get involved with him,” Winnie said quietly when Allison couldn’t resist questioning her the next day.
“He didn’t seem like a bad man,” Allison protested.
“I didn’t say he was,” Winnie replied, and her expression was sympathetic. “In fact, there isn’t a nicer man than Gene. But he’s gone wild since he found out about his father. You heard what Marie accused him of yesterday. She wasn’t kidding. Gene makes no secret that he has only one use for a woman, and he’s done a lot of hard drinking and hard living in the past few months. Because everybody around Pryor knows it, just being seen with him could ruin your reputation. That’s why I don’t want you to go out with him. I’d never begrudge you a little happiness, but Gene could cost you your respectability. And that’s something you can’t afford to lose, my friend, in your chosen vocation.”
“Yes, I know,” Allison murmured. Her heart sank. Winnie was drowning all her dreams. “You said that Gene didn’t know about his real father?”
“No. He was just four when his mother divorced his father and married Hank Nelson,” Winnie said, startling her. “Until six months ago, when his stepfather died, he never knew that he wasn’t a blood Nelson.”
Allison’s tender heart ached for him. “Poor man,” she said huskily. “How terrible, to find out like that!”
“It’s been terrible for all of them,” Winnie said honestly. “Don’t get me wrong. Dwight and Marie don’t feel any differently now than they ever did about Gene, but it’s changed everything for him. He worshiped Hank.”
“No wonder he’s embittered,” Allison said softly.
“None of that,” Winnie murmured dryly. “Your soft heart will be your undoing yet. Now let’s talk about something besides Gene. I don’t think he’s got a soft spot anymore, but he could hurt you if you tried to find it, even for the best of reasons.”
“Yes, I know,” Allison replied. “I sensed that, too. But you don’t need to worry,” she added with a sad smile. “I’m not the type of woman who could appeal to a man like him. He’s very handsome and suave. I’m just…me.”
“You weren’t yourself at the barbecue,” her friend murmured tongue in cheek. “You were light and flirtatious and carefree. Gene has no idea who and what you really are, and that kind of secret is dangerous to keep.”
“Any kind of secret is dangerous to keep,” she replied with a gentle smile.
“Amen. Just trust me and keep your distance.” She patted Allison’s hand gently. “Don’t underestimate your own attractions, my friend. You’re a knockout when you dress up, and that warm heart of yours attracts everyone, including men like Gene.”
“It never has before,” Allison sighed. “Well, not the right kind of men, anyway.”
“One of these days the right man is going to come along. If anybody deserves him, you do.”
Allison smiled. “Thanks. I could return the compliment. I like your Dwight very much.”
“So do I.”
“Will you live with his family when you marry?”
“No,” Winnie returned, grateful for the change of subject. “There’s another house on the ranch, where Dwight’s grandfather used to live. It’s being remodeled, and we’ll live there. I’ll take you to see it one day, if you like.”
“I would.”
Winnie smiled. “You’re so much better than you were when you first came here,” she said gently. “Is it easing off a little?”
Allison nodded. “Every day, thanks to you and your mother.”
“That’s what we both hoped. Dad will be home soon, and then we can do some sightseeing. You know I’m hopeless at finding things, and mother hates to drive distances. There’s a lot of history around here.”
“I know. I read all the books I could find about northern Wyoming before I ever dreamed I might actually come here.” She lowered her eyes. “I had hoped it would be for a happier reason, though.”
“So did I.” Winnie sipped coffee. “What do you want to see?”
“The nightly rodeo in Cody,” came the immediate reply. “Not to mention the historical center there. And there’s a place called Sho shone Canyon just outside it, on the way to Yellow stone…”
“Shoshone Canyon gives me the cold willies,” Winnie said, shivering. “It’s eerie, especially when you have to come across the dam to Cody, through the mountain tunnel. I only have to go that way when we’re coming back from Yellowstone National Park, thank God. Cody is northwest of here, so we can avoid the canyon altogether.”
“You chicken, you,” Allison gasped. “I’d love it!”
“I imagine you would. Well, we’ll go when Dad gets back, but I’ll wear a blindfold.”
“I’ll make sure you have one,” Allison laughed.
There was no more mention of Gene Nelson, even if he did seem to haunt Allison’s dreams.
Then, all at once, she seemed to run into him everywhere. She waved to him in town as he drove by in his big Jeep, and he waved back with a smile. She saw him on his horse occasionally as she drove past the ranch with Winnie, and he seemed to watch for her. When she and Winnie visited Dwight, he sometimes paused in the doorway to talk, and his green eyes ran over her with frank curiosity as he joined in the conversation. It always seemed to be about cattle or horses or rodeo, and Allison never understood it, but then it didn’t matter. She just loved looking at Gene.
He noticed that rapt stare of hers and was amused by it. Women had always chased him, but there was something different about this one. She was interested in him, but too shy to flirt or play up to him. Ironically that interested him more than a blatant invitation would have.
He began to look for her after that, despite his misgivings about getting involved. She stirred something inside him that he didn’t even know he possessed. It was irritating, but he felt as if he’d been caught in an avalanche, and he couldn’t stop it.
A few days after the barbecue he noticed Winnie’s car going past the ranch, with a passenger, on the way in to Pryor.