Chapter 25

Colt stepped into the kitchen of the main house at the ranch through the back door. He had arrived earlier than usual and found that Sherman hadn’t even come for breakfast yet. Grace stood behind the stove cooking when he entered. She looked up and smiled encouragingly.

“Good morning,” she said.

“Where is he?” Colt asked, too nervous for pleasantries.

“He hasn’t woken up yet,” Grace explained.

“Was he too mad last night?”

Grace shrugged. “He didn’t say much. How is Jessie?”

Colt suddenly became thankful that Grace had been present when he told Bliss about Jessie.

“Pretty good. She’s glad her family found her,” Colt said with a smile.

“I’m glad. Guess she’ll be going home soon. How do you feel about that?” Grace asked.

Colt sighed and leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. “Bliss says I fancy her. My fear that she actually thinks that is nothing compared to the guilt that it might actually be true.”

“So you do like her?” Grace asked, grinning.

“I can’t say. She’s as engaged as they come, so what good will it do?”

Grace sighed. “I know it might seem complicated, but it will all work out. Just do what you know is right.”

Colt sighed. “You say that like it’s so easy.”

“I never said that.”

“What if she leaves and it seems right to go after her, hmm? Then what?” Colt asked.

“Well, at least you’re over Bliss now,” Grace glanced at him knowingly.

Colt froze. Grace’s words hit him hard, right in the gut.

Had he really gotten over Bliss?
Was it that simple?

It didn’t seem like love could just vanish like that.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Sherman’s footfalls coming down the hall. The man appeared, and his eyes landed right on Colt.

“I see you’re here early,” he commented.

“You told me to be,” Colt said, crossing his arms.

“So I did.” Sherman sat down at the table and Grace put a cup of coffee in front of him.

Colt waited for a few minutes, then a few more. Sherman simply looked at one of his newspapers but didn’t speak. Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Sherman, am I fired or what? I’d like you to put me out of my misery,” Colt said.

“Fired? Why would I fire you?” Sherman asked, not looking up from his paper.

Colt stared at him, thoroughly confused. He glanced at Grace, then back at Sherman. “You were mighty upset with me last night.”

“You know how my temper gets,” Sherman stated calmly, still not looking at him.

Colt believed that he witnessed a miracle right there in the kitchen of the Dottie Belle ranch house. That was as close to an apology from Sherman Cooper that anyone had ever received.

“Yes, I know. Well, I guess I’ll be gone to work then,” Colt said quickly, in a hurry to leave before Sherman changed his mind.

“Oh, by the way,” Grace spoke up. “I invite all of you, Jessie and her family included, to come down here for supper tonight. It’s high time I met this young lady.”

He gave her a playful wink and left the house through the back door.

He looked up at the sky. “Will wonders ever cease?”

A cowboy, who had been carrying some water to the house for Grace, stopped and stared at him.

“Don’t just stand there. People’ll think you’re crazy or something,” Colt shooed the man along.

*****

Jessie straightened out the plain light green dress that she had taken in for herself. It was dreadfully simple, but she was thankful to have it. For once, it seemed that she liked not having the frills. Dressed weighed a lot less when there was less fabric to carry around.

“That’s a pretty color on you,” her mother said beside her.

“Thank you. It was so kind of Carby to let me take it in and wear it,” Jessie smiled.

“They seem like sweet people,” Momma said as she ran a brush through Jessie’s hair.

“It’s surprising how they just took me in like family. I had heard so many stories about people out here, and the Kidds negate every one of them.”

Momma smiled. “I guess this is a lesson to not believe everything you hear.”

Jessie nodded. “It sure is.”

Then, a thought came to her.

“Oh, Momma, I forgot to tell you this. Do you remember Clint Slade?” She asked.

“The gunfighter?” Momma asked.

Jessie nodded.

“Of course I do. What about him?”

“Well, Colt told me that Bliss, his boss’ daughter, is married to him. Apparently he’s retired and settled down out here,” Jessie told her.

Momma’s eyes widened. “Clint Slade out here? Well, it’s a small world after all, isn’t it?”

Jessie smiled. “Bliss is such a nice woman, Momma. You’ll like her.”

“I’m sure I will. As long as she’s nothing like her father,” Momma shook her head as she spoke.

“Oh, she’s not. I honestly don’t see how they’re related.” Jessie played with a strand of her hair.

Momma pulled the front half of Jessie’s hair back and secured it with a ribbon.

A knock sounded on the door. “Are you two just about ready?” Daddy’s voice asked.

“Just about,” Jessie answered.

It felt so good to finally hear her family’s voice again.

*****

“So what do you do for a living, Mr. Steele?” Clint Slade asked her father later on that evening as they were finishing supper.

Jessie was still in shock that Clint Slade was actually talking to him. He looked even more intimidating in person than he did on the covers of dime novels. He was tall enough to make Colt seem like a small man, but he had a kindness in his eyes.

While Daddy talked about his job at the bank, Jessie watched as Colt intently listened. His eyes never left her father, and she could tell that he was genuinely interested in what Daddy was saying. His chin rested in his the palm of one hand as he propped his elbow on the table. Daddy rambled on about his position at the bank, and Jessie looked over at Jake. They smiled at each other, knowing good and well how their father loved talking about his years at the bank in Myrtleville.

“Jacob, darling, I’m sure they wouldn’t like to hear every detail about your job,” Momma smiled.

“No, please go on. I think it’s fascinating to be over an entire bank like that,” Colt pressed.

Daddy seemed to like that statement, as his chest swelled and he continued with his narrative. Poor Colt, he didn’t even know what he was getting into.

Meanwhile, Jessie glanced down to find Sherman Cooper staring at her. He hadn’t spoken more than three words to her, but she found him watching her periodically. She wondered if the man didn’t trust her, or if he was just curious. Whichever it was, she wished that he would figure out that she wasn’t trying to hurt him or his ranch.

Soon after supper was finished, Sherman took Jessie’s family and Adam out to see around the place while Grace took Granny to see some patchwork she had been working on. Jessie stayed behind, because of her leg, in the company of Bliss, Clint, and Colt.

“I’ve read one or two of the dime novels they’ve written about you, Mr. Slade,” Jessie said.

“Please, it’s Clint. Mr. Slade gets old after a while and it takes a lot longer to say,” Clint told her with a smile.

“Very well then, Clint. Are they true, all those stories?” Jessie asked.

Clint sucked in a deep breath. “No. Most of them aren’t true. They’re mostly ridiculous, blown up stories that originated in the mind of a dull, desperate writer. There’s nothing to them but a bunch of fluff.”

Bliss smiled next to him. “After I first met Clint here, I got one of these dime novels. Sadly, I got one of the novels of lesser reputation. I was halfway into the book before I came across something that was indeed not meant for my eyes. I burned the book and never got another one of them.”

Jessie laughed. “I’ve never had to take a fire to one of them, thankfully.”

Colt grinned across from her. “I can see your Momma now, stomping the thing, burning it, then stomping the ashes.”

Jessie shook her head. “She would do that, I’m sure.”

Bliss stood. “As much as I enjoy your company, Jessie, I’m afraid that I have to go lay down. My head’s been giving me fits for the past two days.”

Jessie nodded. “By all means. I hope you get to feeling better.”

Bliss smiled and said her goodbyes, followed by her husband. After they disappeared down the hall, Colt stood from his seat.

“You want some fresh air? The back porch’s got a good view of the sunset,” he said.

Jessie smiled. “I’d like that.”

She got her crutches and followed Colt onto the small back porch to sit beside him on the steps. He had been right when he mentioned the sunset. A butte stood tall and proud against the bright colors of orange and yellow as the sun cast its final good night wishes across the sky.

“The sunsets are so pretty out here,” Jessie commented.

“Aren’t they? I used to watch the sun set every night from that loft window.” Colt pointed to the small square in the side of the barn wall, toward the roof. “Boyish dreams seemed so reasonable up there.”

Jessie looked over at him. “They still are.”

Colt sighed. “Maybe. Granny kind of put a damper on whatever chance they had.”
“It seems to me that she would be willing to come along on anything you thought to pursue,” Jessie mentioned.

Colt shrugged her words off. “I don’t want to drag her places where she wouldn’t be happy.”

“Just take a look at her. She’s seventy-six years old and she still dreams like a schoolgirl. Not everything has to be logical in order to happen, you know.”

Colt looked over at her, but didn’t say anything. Jessie changed the subject. “I need to have Doc look at this leg sometime soon to see if it’s healed. When do you think he could do that?”

“Anytime you want him to, I reckon,” Colt said.

Jessie nodded. “Good. I’m ready to walk in a straight line again.”

Colt put his head down. “Guess that means you’ll be leaving soon?”

Jessie couldn’t respond.

*****

Colt held his breath. He needed a sign - something that let him know she didn’t want to go, that she didn’t want to be with Adam. Nothing came for several minutes.

“I guess I’ll be heading that way soon after,” she said.

Colt exhaled.

“I wish there was some way I could thank you for all you’ve done. You’ve gone out of your way to make sure I was comfortable and cared for. I can’t thank you enough for that,” Jessie told him.

Colt nodded. “It was my pleasure.”

Part of him wanted to plead for her to stay. How was he going to go on with his life without her? She had become as much of a part of him as family would. Yet he knew that pleading with her would only put the both of them in an awkward situation. Whether he trusted the man or not, she belonged to Adam, and there was no changing that.

*****

Two days passed, along with Doc declaring Jessie’s leg completely healed. She was able to put her full weight on the limb and she was sure thankful for it. The Kidd house became more and more crowded, but Colt didn’t care. Every hectic second was another second with Jessie, and he was cherishing every one of them. As far as he was concerned, the entire Steele family could stay with them as long as necessary. Adam, however, was steadily growing more restless. Colt could feel the tension between them and it was constantly growing.

They were all seated around the table one that third evening when those dreaded words were spoken.

“We’ve decided to head out in the morning,” Jacob Steele said.

Colt dropped his empty coffee cup onto the table with a loud clang. He quickly regained his composure and set the cup upright. “Already? Are you sure Jessie’s up to it?”

He couldn’t bring himself to look at the subject of his words.

Jacob glanced at her. “I’m pretty sure she is. She can walk fine and the sooner the better, right?”

Colt swallowed hard, and looked up.

Right at Adam’s infuriated eyes.

If looks could kill, Colt would have been disintegrated where he sat. Diverting his eyes, he glanced the wrong way and his eyes landed on Jessie. Surprisingly, that familiar glint in her eyes had vanished, along with the youthful glow of her face. That knowledge both worried and gave hope to Colt.

“Well, you’ll have a long journey ahead of you. I’ll pack you some food to take along,” Granny stood from her seat.

“You don’t have to do that, Ms. Carby,” Myra Steele protested.
“I want to do it. After all that Jessie’s helped me with over the past few weeks, it’s the least I can do,” Granny insisted.

Colt just sat there, wondering where the time had gone. Just yesterday it seemed that he was depressed and longing after the woman he couldn’t have, now he was watching another slip away from him as disorderly and unsettling as she had arrived.

There would be no sleeping for him tonight.

*****

Jessie gave her bag to her father and dreaded letting the handle go, along with all she had grown to cherish here in Arizona. Standing on the porch of the little cabin she had begun to adore, she murmured a goodbye to the life she had begun to shape there. She didn’t even know why she was here, but there was no doubt that God had a hand in it. Whatever he was doing through this whole debacle, she tried to cling to the faith that it was something wonderful.

Daddy took her bag and loaded it onto one of the horses. She would have to ride double with Adam, as there weren’t enough mounts to accommodate all of them.

Jessie turned to Carby and hugged the woman tight. “Thank you,” she said as sincerely as she could.

“You’re welcome, sweetie. Come back and visit anytime you get the fancy, you hear?” Carby said, squeezing Jessie one last time before releasing her.

Jessie nodded and turned to Doc. She held out her hand for him to shake it.

“Thank you, Doc. You’re the best doctor I’ve ever had,” she smiled.

Doc took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it in a chaste manner. “You take care of yourself, you hear? No more wild excursions out in the desert.”

Jessie gave a wobbly smile. “I can’t make any promises.”

She turned to look for Colt. He was standing just off the porch, a lead rope in his hand and his eyes downcast. Her heart ached to see him like that, and she knew that they would both miss the friendship that they had come across together.

He held the lead rope out to her. Only then did she notice Hidalgo on the end of it.

“You can take Hidalgo,” he said, not meeting her gaze.

“Colt, I can’t…”

“Yeah, you can. I’ll send a cowboy after him in a week or so. Just make sure you put him in the livery and tell Henry to put it on my tab,” Colt insisted.

Jessie sighed and stepped off the porch. “What am I ever going to do with you?”

Colt looked up at her.

“You’ve got to stop being this nice to people. It’s not healthy,” Jessie smiled.

Colt handed the reins to Hidalgo to Daddy, who took him to make sure the saddle and harnesses were secure.

“I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t there that day, Colt,” Jessie said, forcing herself to look into his pale blue eyes. “I probably would have died.”

Colt sighed. “I’m just glad it was me that found you.”

Jessie’s heart softened at his sweet words.

“Hurry up, Jessie!” Adam called rather sharply.
“Don’t ever stop believing in that dream of yours, okay? You’ll find it one day, you’ve just got to keep believing in it,” Jessie told him.

Colt nodded.

Jessie turned to go, and a hand clasped around her arm. She looked up, expecting to see Colt’s hand there, but instead she found Adam’s. He pulled her toward the awaiting horses, and Jessie felt like she was leaving things unsettled.

She tore free of her fiancé with an apologetic look, and then ran back to Colt to put her arms around him. She didn’t care how improper it was, or even how long Adam scolded her later. This man had saved her life, and he was worth any lecture.

His arms slipped around her and he pulled her closer to him. It was only a second, but it seemed like an eternity before Adam came and pulled her away again.

She glanced back, tears streaming down her face, to look at him one last time through vision blurred with tears.

Bless him, Lord. Bless him with everything his heart ever desired. He’s one of the greatest men on the face of this earth.

I know that a lot happened in this chapter, but bear with me! (Is it bare or bear? Bear sounds all grrr and bare is all like "Put some clothes on, ya weirdo!) Let me know what you guys think!