Chase Wheeler's Woman by Charlene Sands Page B

about. She was too young to remember her father, really. For her, his presence in the house was only a fleeting childhood memory. But she’d known he’d been there. Mama had kept his memory alive for many years. It wasn’t until Joellen met Jasper that she’d begun slowly to put Jacob Withers to rest.
    It was good thing, Letty Sue supposed, for her mother. She did seem happy with her new husband. Letty Sue doubted she’d find that kind of happiness with anyone in Sweet Springs. She planned to travel, see something of this big, exciting world before settling down. Maybe in her travels, she’d meet the right man. One could only hope.
    With a deep sigh, she continued looking for ribbons. With each drawer opened, each shelf checked, Letty Sue became more frantic.
    “Now, where are they?” She raced through the house, yanking open cabinets and tossing supplies aside in a panic. For her endeavors all she found wereold, threadbare black, moss-green and dirt-brown ribbons.
    The basket was in no better shape. The only one she located, under a small table on the porch, was weathered and misshapen.
    “Oh no!” she cried.
    It was too late to ask Sally for help. It was too late to go to town; none of the shops would be open. Why hadn’t she given the basket a thought before now? She could have sent Sam for the items she needed earlier today. But now she feared it was far too late for her “rainbow” basket.
    She slumped down on the porch swing and stared out into the night. No one could save her from this. It was her own fault. She should have made sure she had all the supplies needed. She should have bought new ribbons when she was in town the other day. She should not have fallen asleep this afternoon.
    Lordy, she was in trouble.
    Chase Wheeler rode into the yard, his stallion prancing with high spirits. The foreman reined his horse in and dismounted just outside the barn.
    Oh, she’d bet he’d have a good laugh over this one. Chase would probably come up with a new Cheyenne name for her. His black Stetson rode low on his forehead so she couldn’t see his eyes when he turned to glance her way. She wished she could vanish like a puff of smoke, into the night.
    She did the next best thing.
    She ignored him completely, rising and leaving the night’s breeze to stir the unoccupied porch swing. Sheslammed the front door shut and locked herself in, good and tight.
    Tonight, Chase Wheeler was the last man on God’s green earth she wanted to see.
    Chase knocked on the kitchen door. He rubbed tension from the back of his neck and waited. Not for long. He knocked again. It was a mistake coming to her in the middle of the night. The third knock was louder than the first two, rattling the door on its hinges. “Letty Sue.”
    Damn, he knew she was awake. He hadn’t imagined seeing her all alone on the porch swing when he rode up, looking like she’d lost her best friend.
    Unless his mind was playing tricks.
    Wouldn’t be the first time a man lost his head over a woman, only to find out she’d been nothing more than a mirage, a vision conjured up by an addled brain. And in his case, caused from three stiff shots of whiskey and the blows to his head and ribs he’d taken tonight.
    Damn, his head hurt. Pounded. Throbbed.
    He wasn’t even going to think about his ribs.
    Why the hell was he thumping on Letty Sue’s door, again?
    He couldn’t remember, but he needed to see her.
    Mistake! his muddied mind kept screaming. He knocked again. “Letty Sue, I know you’re in there. Open up!”
    He heard footsteps padding to the back door, and cracked a smile, finally recalling why he needed tosee her. He was grateful to have a real reason, because something in his gut said he’d be pounding on her door tonight just as hard, even if he didn’t.
    “Go away.”
    “No.”
    “I’m not in the mood to see you, Chase.”
    “Too bad, now open the door.”
    “No.”
    “I have something here you’ll want to see.”
    “Liar.”
    “That