Beside Still Waters by Tracey V. Bateman Read Free Book Online Page B

dance.” He swung her around and swept her away.
    Jonesy and Mr. Riley stood in the middle of the dance floor while dancers whirled past. Some frowned at the two men, others grinned in amusement, all looked curious.
    Andy Riley eyed him evenly. “I hope you have a good reason for making a spectacle of my daughter, not to mention the rest of us.”
    “I tried to make less of a spectacle by bringing Billy along to take over for you.”
    It would have gone smoothly, too, if Eva weren’t so mule-headed. But there was no sense in antagonizing Mr. Riley by being critical of his daughter. Especially now. Even if it was a fact, not to mention common knowledge for anyone who knew her.
    “I guess you have a point there,” Mr. Riley acknowledged. “Let’s get out of everyone’s way before they tar and feather us.”
    When the two men had made it safely through the maze of dancers and found a quiet spot next to a wagon, Mr. Riley faced Jonesy. “Now what do you want that couldn’t wait until I was finished dancing with my daughter? Dancing with her for the fourth time, I might add, because it appears all the eligible young men who might have asked her to dance believe you are courting her, and they don’t want to move in on another man’s girl.” Andy folded his arms across his barrel chest. “Suppose you start by telling me why you allowed my daughter to come to a dance alone for the first time since she was thirteen.”
    Jonesy rubbed his jaw and cleared his throat. “That was purely an oversight, sir. I would have asked her, but I didn’t think about it. I just figured we’d show up with our parents like we do for church and then spend the rest of the dance together.” He raked his fingers through his newly shorn hair. “I guess I am a baboon, like Eva said.”
    Laughter rumbled through Andy’s chest. “Well, at least the two of you agree on that point. But that’s not why you interrupted our dance.”
    “No, sir.” Jonesy shifted from one foot to the other. This was ridiculous. He had no reason to be nervous. He was a grown man, not a boy. Eva was a grown woman and pretty well past the age when most women married anyway. “I intend to ask for Eva’s hand in marriage,” he blurted out.
    Mr. Riley stared and said … absolutely nothing.
    Jonesy swallowed hard and went on with nervous energy. “I want you to know that I love her and I’ll do right by her, if she agrees to marry me.”
    “Are you saying you plan to stay on and farm after all? Or will you try to build a ranch around here?”
    “Well, neither … I …”
    “I see.” Mr. Riley’s voice dropped. “You want to take my daughter away.”
    “If she’ll have me, then yes, sir. I already own a hundred acres in Texas and have money saved to start my herd. Even have a cabin and a barn, and a small bunkhouse for the cowhands I’ll need to hire. I can’t up and leave it for good. Any more than I could leave Eva without at least asking her to come with me as my wife.”
    The hulking man’s shoulders slumped. “I see you have your mind made up. I can’t say I blame you. As a matter of fact, it shows right good sense and stability on your part.” He drew a short breath and nodded. “If my daughter will have a baboon like you, then you have my blessing.”
    Joy leaped into Jonesy’s heart, and he felt like shouting. He grabbed Mr. Riley’s hand and pumped it. “Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.”
    Mr. Riley chuckled. “No need to thank me. Eva will make up her own mind. But I warn you, she’s come close to the altar more than once and hasn’t gone through with the ‘I do’ yet.”
    Jonesy grinned at Mr. Riley. “She will with me.”
    “We’ll see. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go ask my wife to dance. She’s starting to look like a wallflower, and if I don’t do something about that, I won’t get a decent meal for a week.”
    Jonesy watched him walk away. Hope Riley, Eva’s ma, turned as though sensing her husband