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[iwriteromancenovels]

chapter two

Genre: fiction, romance

Word Count: 1, 741

Warnings: none

Callie led her chestnut mare from the stable, squinting as the bright sunlight hit her square in the face. “You’d think there’d at least be a single cloud to cover the sun for a second,” she complained to Allen, who sat cleaning tack in the doorway.

Allen looked up. “Just wait till you get on the trail. Then you’d wish Almond had a built-in sunroof.”

“But then she wouldn’t be nearly so pretty.” Callie rubbed Almond’s soft nose before mounting.

“Well, that’s certainly a fact.” Allen grinned up at his younger sister as the latter adjusted her sun hat. “Be careful, it’s a humdinger of a hot day.”

“I’ll be careful,” promised Callie, riding out into the harsh sunlight. “It’s not even the hottest day of the summer yet.”

“It’s the hottest day of the year till tomorrow comes.” Allen laughed at Callie’s defeated expression. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have some profound thoughts to share before Jonathan proposes to you.”

“Even if he does, I won’t accept.” Callie dug in her heels, spurring Almond to a canter, ignoring Allen’s chuckles floating behind her on the gentle breeze.

Having left the stable behind, she slowed to a walk and sighed. She knew that it was necessary for her to marry eventually, she couldn’t put it off forever. “But not yet,” she said aloud into the stillness, her words lost in the vast openness. “I’m not ready to marry anyone.”

Or do you just not want to marry one of the Wills? whispered a tiny voice inside of her.

Callie growled at the voice, and spurred Almond to a canter again, as if the motion would abandon the voice. “Get away,” she hissed at it, even as her heart sank with the realization.

__________________

That realization flew out the window when she passed by the hardware store and saw handsome Tucker Wills inside buying something. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and she smothered it down into her normal expression.

What is wrong with you? she scolded herself, tethering Almond to the hitching post outside of the post office. You’re supposed to be the coldhearted beauty of the town.

Pushing open the door, Callie almost laughed at her own absurdity. She had never been considered the beauty of the town, and certainly not now that she had already spent years elbow-deep in dishwater and practically up to her ankles in stable dust. You’ll be lucky if anyone actually proposes to you.

Not that she’d want that anyway. But still, she did sometimes wonder what it would be like to know that a boy felt that way about you…

“Well, good morning, Miss McKinney!” Tom Callagher, the assistant postmaster, leaned against the counter and sent her a warm smile. “Haven’t seen you around in a while.”

Callie grinned as she stepped up to the counter. “Just been busy, that’s all.”

Tom raised his eyebrows at her. “And may I ask where you’ve been busy? Surely even that Allen couldn’t think up enough work to keep you away from town for three whole weeks.”

“Oh, just helping out a neighbor in the afternoons,” Callie replied vaguely, hoping Tom wouldn’t press the matter further. “Nothing worth mentioning.”

Tom’s eyebrows elevated further as he turned and retrieved the McKinney mail. “Oh? I can only think of one neighbor close enough for you to ride to everyday.”

“Oh, Tom!” Callie sighed at her friend as he handed her the mail, beaming impishly. “Honestly, you are the nosiest person I know.”

“You secretly like it, though, don’t you?” Tom laughed at Callie’s glare. “Oh, come on, Callie, you know I’m teasing.”

Callie just sighed again, inwardly dismayed at how much even the indirect mention of the Alistairs bothered her. “Well, that’s all I came for,” she said, suddenly eager to get back to the ranch. “I’ll be seeing you, Tom.”

“Don’t wait three weeks to come back,” called Tom after her as she left the building.

Callie thought she’d escaped all reminders of her nonexistent romance life, but the second she stepped out of the post office, she collided with someone going in.

“Oh, heavens, I’m so sorry!” she apologized, suddenly flustered.

“No, it was my fault,” corrected a voice that sounded just as discomposed as herself. “I should have been watching where I was going.”

Callie looked up at the speaker, and distinctly felt the tips of her ears turn red. “I- er, no, no, I was the one staring at the ground and practically running.” Oh, you idiot, why’d you say that? Callie could have kicked herself for the blunder. Wouldn’t Leo and Allen have a lot to say?

“Ah, but it’s the young man’s responsibility to make sure that the young woman is kept safe and dignified.” Tall Jonathan Wills smiled down at Callie, and the latter felt her ears turn a shade redder.

“I- I suppose so.” There, make your brothers proud. The impish little voice was back again, and Callie wished she could smack it into- well, the opposite of heaven.

Jonathan handed her the mail that she apparently had dropped. “I haven’t seen you around town for a while; I guess you’ve been pretty busy?”

Callie nodded, wondering why all cohesive answers currently eluded her. “Housework is often more than people think.” Well, duh! He’s a bachelor, of course he knows that!

Thankfully, Jonathan didn’t seem to be paying any mind to her blundering comments. “Almond gets prettier every time I see her.” Reaching up to rub the horse’s nose, his gaze turned to Callie and lingered there for a moment. “And so do you.”

This time a rosy blush appeared on each of Callie’s normally fair cheekbones. “Time appears to be on your side as well.” What are you doing?? He’s going to think you’re flirting!

“Jon!” Tucker came hurrying up the plank sidewalk, hat askew and suspenders uneven. “I just ran into Pat, he wants us to-“ He stopped short upon noticing Callie, and quickly tipped his hat. “ ‘Morning, Callie, pleasure to see you this fine day.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Callie replied politely, acutely aware that if she said anything even the slightest bit wrong, she could be taken as two-faced. Boy, wouldn’t all of my brothers have my hide at that one.

“I hate to interrupt, but I’m afraid I must drag Jonathan away,” continued Tucker, eyes obviously shining as he spoke to Callie. “Perhaps we can meet up for a picnic this week, the three of us?”

“It sounds like fun,” said Callie truthfully, knowing full well that Tucker . “I’d have to ask my brothers and let you know.”

Tucker nodded in agreement. “What day works for you?”

“Saturdays are best, since I’m off work that day.” Callie found herself hoping that her brothers would say yes. She kind of wanted to get to know the Wills better… so long as neither relationship progressed past what existed between herself and Tom.

Tucker nodded again, tugging at Jonathan’s shirt to make him hurry up. “Let us know one way or another if it works out.”

“Will do.” Callie waited till they were a proper distance down the street before mounting Almond and cantering off back towards the ranch.

______________________

Leo stood with arms folded across his tan shirt and leather vest, regarding Callie with that look that says, I see exactly what’s going on here, but I’m not wasting this opportunity. “On one condition,” he said at last. “You three frolicking young people stay on our land.” He winked, and Callie blushed deeply. “Wouldn’t want that Ben Alistair to interfere, now, would we?”

“Leo McKinney, you absolute-“ Callie cut herself short and instead hugged him, knowing that his teasing meant he was perfectly fine with the plans.

________________________

“Now I just have to figure out how to tell them,” muttered Callie a little later, elbows-deep in bread dough for the Alistairs. She inhaled deeply, relishing the tantalizing aroma of her favorite yeast dough. “Can’t ride to town two days in a row, Tom would get suspicious. And so would anyone else who happened to notice.”

“Suspicious of what?”

Callie jumped at Ben’s voice right next to her. She turned to see him leaning against the counter, grinning shamelessly at her.

Sighing for what felt like the hundredth time today, she moved in front of him to block the dough. He usually came in right when the unbaked dough was at its best, right when she needed to punch it down.

Ben sidestepped her, coming to stand across the bowl from her. “Hey, why so protective?” he asked, slipping his hand toward the bowl, obviously trying to sneak a piece.

Callie slapped his hand away. “You keep out of this, Mr. Alistair. Parker has to wait till it’s baked; so can you.”

Not to be put off so easily, Ben leaned against the counter again. “Oh, what’s with the sudden respect?” he teased, eyes twinkling at her. “I thought you hated me.”

“Never said that.” Callie covered the bowl with a towel and set it in the window to rise. Crossing the kitchen, she reached up to the window to get the dough she’d set to rise earlier, and carried it back to the counter. “I simply don’t consider you-“

“Respectable enough to be friends with,” finished Ben, hand snaking towards the dough again and withdrawing just as quickly at Callie’s slap.

“No, that’s Parker,” said Callie without thinking.

“And we’re both Alistairs.”

“Your point being?” Callie realized she’d forgotten to grease the bread pans and went back across the kitchen for the butter.

“You don’t want to possibly tarnish your good McKinney name by associating with us,” Ben stated plainly as Callie came back with the butter. “It’s painfully obvious, Callie. Just drop the act.”

“I’m not that kind of person!” Callie set the butter on the counter perhaps a little too hard. Why does he always manage to rile me up like this?

“Whoa, whoa, no need to get upset,” warned Ben, laughing. “If you’re going to be mad at me, take it out on the bread dough, not the human being.”

“Oh, just be quiet.” Callie punched the bread dough, and as the puffy mixture receded, she suddenly felt strangely deflated. Is Ben right? The thought, though but three simple words, aroused such a question in her that she suddenly couldn’t wait to get home and face her brothers’ inevitable lighthearted teasing.

[iwriteromancenovels]

Other Characters:

masterlist

Tom Callagher

Wills Brothers

[iwriteromancenovels]

Wills Brothers

character bios

Tucker:

Full Name: Tucker Wills

Age: 19 yrs (almost 20)

Birthday: August 30

Appearance: actually floppy brown hair, brown eyes, tan skin that surprisingly contrasts with his brother’s

Personality: head over heels in love with Callie but is leaving Jonathan to try for now; very genuine person, very bad at concealing his emotions so every time he looks at Callie it’s painfully obvious that he loves her, sometimes can get really awkward

Occupation: he runs the feed store and enjoys making some small talk with every customer (he especially loves it when small children come to the store because he absolutely adores kids)

Jonathan:

Full Name: Jonathan Wills

Age: 18 yrs (almost 19)

Birthday: November 21

Appearance: curly brown hair that he lets get long enough to see under his straw hat, green eyes, fair skin (visitors in town often wonder how he and Tucker are actually related)

Personality: prefers to express his emotions through simple words rather than purely by actions; surprisingly more mature than Tucker, at least in most things; also head over heels in love with Callie and is taking his turn at trying to win her heart

Occupation: the friendly face you see every day at the mill, often the only worker since he prefers to run it alone

[iwriteromancenovels]

Tom Callagher

character bio

Full Name: Thomas Callagher

Age: 21 yrs

Birthday: September 23

Appearance: dark (slightly floppy) brown hair, brown eyes, tan skin; approximately 5’8”, medium build

Personality: a bit of a tease, cares deeply for Callie but it’s purely platonic; sometimes flirts with her just to laugh at her reaction, but it’s usually all fun and games with these two.

Occupation: assistant postmaster (the official postmaster is currently on a trip back East to visit family and that’s why Tom is always the one in the post office)

[iwriteromancenovels]

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[iwriteromancenovels]

chapter one

Genre: fiction, romance

Word Count: 1,522

Warnings: none

If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives.

- Lemony Snicket

“Roses are red, violets are blue. Summer is hot, and so are you.” Callie McKinney glared down at the basin full of steaming, soapy water and flicked it irritatedly with her free hand. “If I had my way, I’d wash these dishes out in the pond,” she told the basin, vigorously scrubbing a plate, “but it seems that pond water isn’t very clean. Therefore, I must redden and chap and practically scald my hands in order to wash them.” She paused, almost as if waiting for a response.

The basin didn’t reply, and Callie plunged another plate into the water, perhaps a little too hard. “There! That’s what you get for ignoring me.”

Through the open window, Callie’s oldest brother Allen paused his garden work and leaned on the windowsill, grinning at his sister. “Talking to inanimate objects again?”

Callie gave her brother a knowing look. “Aren’t you the one who told me to talk nicely to my plants so they’d grow well?”

Allen laughed. “Ah, but that’s a different story. See, that basin isn’t even alive.”

“So?”

“Plants are. Haven’t you noticed that your garden and houseplants are doing a lot better since you stopped practicing sarcasm on them?” Allen pointed towards the basin. “And that basin hasn’t done a thing but sit there.”

Callie laughed ruefully. “I suppose so. Still, it’s surprisingly refreshing to talk to inanimate objects.” She set aside the last dish and dried her hands. “I need to dump this out, do you mind coming in and helping?”

Allen sighed in mock disappointment, but he left the window and Callie soon heard him come into the kitchen. “Still can’t carry the basin,” he said sadly, standing behind her and lifting it over her head with ease. A stray drop of water splashed onto Callie’s nose. “And here I thought carrying laundry all these years had made you stronger than that.”

“Laundry isn’t exactly an equal weight to a big bucket full of water,” said Callie, following her tall brother from the kitchen and out to the grass. “Five pounds of laundry and five pounds of water are very different things.”

“Yes, especially when you’ve got it backwards,” teased Allen, systematically dumping the dishwater on Callie’s prized vegetable garden. “I hope your future husband doesn’t mind doing this, because honestly, if anyone outside of our family was around, I’d not be carrying out my little sister’s woman’s work.” Allen grinned at Callie to show her he was kidding, and handed her the empty basin. “I believe I can think of a certain young man who wouldn’t mind this task.”

Callie blushed. “Allen!”

Allen laughed. “Tucker Wills certainly wouldn’t mind, now, would he? Seeing as how he’s head over heels in love with you.”

“Leo wants me to marry Jonathan, and you know it.” Callie perched the bucket atop her head like a milkmaid and balanced it with her hands all the way to the house, Allen following.

“But you don’t love either of them.”

Callie spun, the basin toppling off her head and onto the floor. “Allen McKinney!”

Allen held his hands up innocently, still laughing. “I’m just laying out the foundation of facts. Building the walls of decision is up to you.”

“The walls have already been built, and my answer to any marriage is a solid No.” Callie picked up the basin and headed for the kitchen, Allen trailing behind her like a mischievous puppy. “I’m perfectly happy staying with you guys, there’s no need for me to marry.”

“We want little nieces and nephews,” coaxed Allen.

“Then one of you guys go find a girl, marry her, get your nieces and nephews, and leave me out of it!” Callie set the basin back in its place with a finality and turned to face her brother, a rare fire in her brown eyes.

Allen backed off. “That won’t fly with Leo or Justin,” he told her. “I’d much rather not lose you to someone else. But girls are kind of supposed to get married… and I’d really hate to disappoint either of those Wills brothers.”

“Not yet.” Callie turned back to the wooden counter and began putting the dishes in the cupboards, closing off the conversation.

__________________

The sizzling smell of beef fresh from the kitchen filled the dining room as Callie lit the wall sconces and shook out the match. The table was set, the dinner was ready- the only thing missing was her brothers.

Callie turned from the wall to survey her table once more, and nodded in satisfaction. She would have liked to have been able to present a strawberry shortcake tonight, but her strawberry vines weren’t bearing fruit yet. Well, Justin would just have to wait a bit longer for his favorite dessert, and make do with the chocolate chip cookies she had substituted for the shortcake.

“Mmm, I smell beef.”

Speak of the angel, thought Callie in delight, purposely modifying the saying to better fit the person it currently referred to. “Don’t forget to eat the potatoes and carrots,” she reminded Justin as he sat down, eyes locked on the pile of browned, well-seasoned steaks.

Justin wrinkled his nose at the mention of carrots. “I hate carrots.”

“You won’t get chocolate chip cookies if you neglect that colorful part of dinner,” Callie warned, knowing full well he’d find a way to finagle some cookies from her whether he ate his carrots or not. But Justin- and all her brothers, for that matter- usually obeyed Callie on the aspect of meals, simply because they knew she would worry herself sick over their health if she didn’t oversee every morsel that they consumed.

“Oh, Callie, this looks great.” Leo came in next, still dusty from the day’s work, and sat down next to Justin after hanging his hat on the hat rack by the door. “I can’t wait to get at those carrots.”

Justin made a choking sound, and Callie couldn’t resist smirking. “I guess even the mere mention of carrots is enough to gross Justin out,” she said, purposely emphasizing the word carrots to tease him further.

“Ugh!” Justin clutched his throat dramatically and slumped backwards in his chair, drawing smiles from his siblings: Callie’s impishly pleased, and Leo’s purely amused.

Allen came in last, taking his place at the head of the table and whistling in appreciation when he got a good look at the dinner. “Man, maybe we don’t want Callie to marry off. We won’t get spoiled like this anymore!”

Callie didn’t find the joke funny, although Justin and Leo chuckled merrily. “It’s gonna get cold, so let me dish up the food,” she scolded good-naturedly, moving quickly to arrange portions of food on each of their plates. “Justin, didn’t I hear you saying earlier that you wanted a double portion of carrots?”

After the laughter had died down, and Justin had seated Callie across from Leo, Allen held out his hands to his siblings for the blessing. Heads bowed, each of the four took a turn with their part of the blessing, and ended with a unanimous “Amen!”

For the next few moments everyone was too focused on preparing their own plates the way they liked them. When that was mostly taken care of, Allen mentioned that he had gone into town that evening to pick up the new harness he had ordered. “Coming out of the shop, I ran into the younger Alistair boy,” he said, slicing off a bite-sized chunk of meat. “Callie, he said you didn’t come into work today.”

Callie, who had initially frozen at the mention of Ben Alistair, now relaxed a little. “Saturday’s my day off, he should know that by now.”

“Well, maybe you should consider reminding him. He seemed pretty disappointed that you didn’t show up.”

“Not a chance.” Callie stabbed her fork into her meat and picked up her knife. “I don’t want anything to do with Ben Alistair.”

“Ben’s nothing like his brother,” Leo reminded her, spearing a carrot. “He’s said many times that he suspects something fishy about Parker’s way of doing business.”

“How about smoky?” Callie snapped out her napkin a touch vehemently.

“Why smoky?”

“Because the second someone finds out that he’s been less than honest, his ranch is going to go up in flames.”

“Accurate,” Justin muttered under his breath, tentatively poking at a carrot with only a slightly wrinkled nose as compared to earlier.

“But that has nothing to do with Ben himself,” Leo reminded Callie. “Ben has proven to be a fine, upstanding citizen of Prairie Hills, and there’s been nothing incriminating him of anything shady.”

“Yet,” muttered Callie, splitting a roll in half and buttering both sides.

“I highly doubt that Ben will decide to go down the wrong path,” said Allen, taking a sip of water. “He works at a bank, for goodness’ sake- there’s no room to be dishonest at a bank.”

“Bank robber,” said Callie after a moment, with a mysterious glee to the words.

“Okay, change of subject,” proposed Leo, sensing that Callie wasn’t going to change her mind, at least not tonight. “How’s the garden doing, Callie?”

[iwriteromancenovels]

Prairie Hills masterlist

Character Info:

McKinney Family

Alistair Family

Chapters:

Chapter One

[iwriteromancenovels]

Alistair Family

Family Bio

While a bit newer to the area than the McKinneys, there’s no denying that the Alistairs have made their mark on Prairie Hills. Their ranch, the Tumbleweed Ridge, is a competitor to Heartfelt Expressions, and has been since its establishment. However, Tumbleweed Ridge hopes to someday merge with Heartfelt Expressions. And considering that it’s run by boys around the same age as the McKinneys, it’s not too much of a long shot.

The Alistairs consist of two brothers (if you’re wondering why there’s no parents, their parents were in that gold-searching party ten years ago), Parker and Benjamin. Parker, the elder, does the main running of the ranch, and Ben prefers to stay in town and work at the bank. However, Ben works in the mornings and always makes sure to come home when Callie is coming to work.

The brothers are respectable in most ways, but the McKinney brothers have always been a little suspicious of how Parker handles the business arrangements. It’s all legal, but often toes the line of shady and sometimes slightly underhanded dealings. Which is the main reason why the McKinneys don’t want to merge ranches with Tumbleweed Ridge.

[iwriteromancenovels]

McKinney Family

Family Bio (updated)

The McKinneys aren’t exactly new to Prairie Hills. They’ve been around since approximately fifty years before the time our story is set.

The McKinneys own the successful Heartfelt Expressions ranch, a sprawling patch of land consisting of a good three hundred acres. Founded by the first McKinney to set foot in Prairie Hills, the ranch quickly rose to fame for its quality cattle and overall friendly disposition. More recently they are famous for not hiring any cowboys and instead take care of it all themselves.

Their current living family consists of Allen, Leo, Justin, and Callie. Their parents were members of a party that went out searching for gold in California approximately ten years ago, when Callie was five. The party was supposed to return within two years of its departure; however, they never returned and have been presumed deceased for nearly a decade. Callie has been raised by her three older brothers since then and is now considered both the lady of the house and the boys’ baby sister.

Allen, the oldest, is considered the “big brother” and is also the most protective of Callie. The other two boys use Allen’s overcautiousness as a guideline, and if Allen wouldn’t readily say yes, it’s better to ask before doing it.

Leo, the middle brother, is the main “ranch hand” and tends to be more of a father figure to all of his siblings. He is the most skilled horseman among the four and refuses to let anyone else ride his prized horse Peanut.

Justin, the youngest brother, takes care of most of the paperwork. He spends his days at the desk under the stairs, and is by now so accustomed to Callie singing or reciting poetry (or making up stories of her own) while doing housework that he isn’t distracted by it anymore.

Callie, the youngest sibling and the only girl, would much rather spend her life with her brothers and take care of their house than become a wife and mother someday. Her dreams do not extend past the Heartfelt Expressions ranch, and she is perfectly content with what she has. In the afternoons, she works as a housekeeper at the neighboring Tumbleweed Ridge ranch.

[iwriteromancenovels]

Howdy!

And welcome to my blog! You can call me Cassie (not my real name lol). I am completely obsessed with writing stories, especially romances. Recently I started reading some Kristen Heitzman novels that’re set back in like the 1800s, back when the West was still being settled/explored. Then I was inspired by the John Wayne movie El Dorado, which is basically about a bunch of guys trying to help a local family defend themselves from a heartless gangster, who is trying to take their land.

Anyway, like it always happens, my creative wheels started working way overtime and now, after some initial reworking, I have enough original basics to start a western romance novel! (Possibly even a series but let’s not stretch the truth here lol) I struggle with creating multiple original characters so please bear with me as they develop! I do admit I based them partially off real people as far as how they look in my head, but they are indeed my original characters.

Anyway… if you read all that I apologize for being so long-winded! I can talk all day long, whether in person or with written words, but somehow when it comes to stories my style drastically changes to pretty far down he hole of simplistic.

I’m really excited to start this novel, but I don’t have much experience with sharing my writing online. If you happen to read it, and have any thoughts, please be kind if you choose to share them with me. I welcome constructive criticism and such but please, word it kindly. :)

Oh goodness, I apologize again for being long-winded! If you made it this far, kudos to you! And without further ado, I’ll sign off for now.

Always,

Cassie 🦋