Her brother wrapped her in a strong hug, then held her out at arm’s length. “You sure you’re okay? Do you need to go talk to Gregory? He could pray with you.”
“There’s no need to bother Greg. It’s all over now.” Eva smiled with great affection at her brother. “Besides, I have to pick up a bag of flour over at the general store. Ma’s making Pa a cake tomorrow. Be sure to come out for some.”
A flush spread across her brother’s face. “You, uh, going to see Lily?” Though nearly ten years her senior, Billy had never made time to find a wife. Now he seemed enamored of Eva’s closest friend, Lily. The storekeeper’s pretty little daughter had been waiting so long for him to notice her that she’d almost despaired of finding a husband.
“Yes. Do you have a message for her?”
Jonesy chuckled.
Billy frowned and cleared his throat. “No. Not at all. Why would I? She’s your friend, not mine.”
“Fine,” Eva retorted. “But I wouldn’t wait around too much longer if I were you. She’s getting awfully tired of holding out for you.” Without giving him a chance to answer, Eva looked up at Jonesy. “You ready?”
After a quick farewell to Billy, they stepped out onto the boardwalk. “I’ll drop you off at the general store,” Jonesy said, “then take Patches to the livery. Would you mind giving Lily my ma’s supply list? I could pick up the order when I come to get you, after I get Patches settled in and go see about a wagon wheel at the smithy.”
Eva nodded. “I wouldn’t mind at all.”
Jonesy stopped when they reached the wagon and placed a hand on her arm before she climbed in. “Are you sure you don’t want to go talk to the preacher?”
“I’m sure. It’s just all so … overwhelming.” Unbidden tears filled her eyes. Traitorous tears.
“Honey, come here.” Jonesy’s tender voice washed over her like a warm summer rain, and she willingly went into his arms, despite the curious onlookers. “I praise God that Nathan and I came along when we did.”
He stroked her hair, and she was almost sure she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. Eva snuggled into the embrace, her cheek resting on his solid chest. She closed her eyes as tears squeezed out and ran down her cheeks. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was afraid to be alone.
“People are beginning to stare. I guess we should get going.” Jonesy pushed her slightly from him and reached into his pocket. “Here, take my handkerchief.” He assisted her into the wagon.
Shame filled Eva. She felt more helpless than she’d ever felt in her life.
They rode in silence until they reached the general store. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right?”
His eyes held such compassion that Eva almost started crying again. She blinked back the tears and nodded. “I’ll be fine. I’ll just wait for you inside until you return.”
Reaching forward, he trailed his thumb along her jawline. His eyes roved over her face. “I’ll hurry. And don’t worry, Eva. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Come on, I’ll walk you inside.”
Eva took his arm, and they stepped into the general store together. He nodded to Lily, who peered at them with curiosity and large eyes that spoke volumes.
“I’ll be back later, okay?” His eyes were filled with such concern that Eva couldn’t help but smile.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be afraid while I’m with Lily.”
The bell above the door dinged as he departed.
Eva gathered a deep breath and pivoted on her heel to face her wide-eyed friend. She walked toward the counter. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”
Lily gave a huff and, ignoring Eva’s attempt at diversionary conversation, got straight to the point. “I vow, you two have the strangest relationship. Is Jonesy courting you, or isn’t he?”
Eva smiled.
Her friend sighed with exasperation. “Come on, Eva. I’m your best friend in the world. Can’t you tell me what’s going on?”
Eva shrugged. “I’ve told you over and over. Jonesy is my friend, and that’s where it ends. He only plans to see his pa through the harvest, then he intends to go back to Texas before the winter weather sets in.” She bit her trembling lip. Her emotions were so raw that anything might cause her to burst into tears, and she didn’t want to do that.
“And he’s never tried to hold your hand or steal a kiss?”
“Nope. Not even once.”
Lily’s blond ringlets bounced as she shook her head. “After all these months, he hasn’t changed his mind? I don’t know whether to believe that or not. You two looked awfully chummy driving up together. And why did he lead your horse away tied to the back of his wagon?”
Eva couldn’t share her experience on the road with her friend. Even as dear as Lily was, the thought of reliving it with words sent a cold trickle of sweat sliding down her spine.
“Patches threw a shoe while I was on my way to town.
Jonesy saw me walking with my horse. Since he needed to pick up a wagon wheel that was being repaired, he kindly agreed to take Patches to the livery.”
“I see. So he’ll be back to collect you after he’s done his manly errands.” She wrinkled her nose in amusement. “Sounds very much like a married thing to do.”
“Trust me. It’s nothing like that.”
The look of suspicion on Lily’s face expressed her skepticism. “What’s that in your hand? Is it a list for me?”
Heat spread across Eva’s cheeks. “Jonesy asked me to gather a few supplies for his ma while I’m here.”
A delighted smile split Lily’s pretty round face. “Oh, Eva. You really are acting like a married couple.”
Eva’s jaw went slack. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Rolling her eyes, Lily held out her hand. “Fine, have it your way. Give me the list.”
“Ma needs a five-pound bag of flour, too.”
“That all?”
“Yes. She’ll come into town for more supplies in a few days, but she wants to do some extra baking for Pa’s birthday tomorrow. A mouse got into the pantry.”
Lily shuddered. She grabbed the bag from the shelf behind her and dumped it on the counter. “There you go. Now what about Jonesy’s list?”
Avoiding eye contact, Eva handed it over. “Any new books?”
“Oh yes, a new shipment arrived a few days ago.”
Eva left Lily to fill the order and walked to the display shelf. She glanced over the new selections. Her eye focused on a book of poetry. She couldn’t resist picking it up. It didn’t mean anything, she tried to convince herself. Not only had Jonesy saved her life, but he would be leaving soon. A going-away present was perfectly acceptable between friends.
Jonesy returned to the general store just as Lily finished filling the order. Eva waved good-bye to Lily, then headed out of town with Jonesy.
The noon sun shone down with much more warmth than earlier in the day. They chatted about everything, it seemed, except what was weighing the heaviest on Eva’s mind.
When they approached the spot in the road where she’d nearly been killed earlier, she started trembling. Jonesy took her arm and pulled her to him. “Come here.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder. “You’re safe with me, honey.”
Eva relaxed as the wagon rolled past the fearsome spot in the road. She felt safe with Jonesy.
But what about in another month, when he was gone? Would she ever feel safe again?
From the woods, he watched for a sign that the girl might be riding back alone. When he’d seen her earlier that day, he’d known she was for him. Beautiful dark eyes and dark hair. Long eyelashes. Skin that begged to be stroked. He shuddered as he waited for her.
He never would have let Randy kill her. He’d been just about to step in when those two men had shown up. Fury burned in him at their interference. But at least they’d supplied him with her name. Eva. That’s what they’d called her.
The sound of a wagon rattling on the road arrested his attention. H
is heart nearly clogged his throat at the sight of his Eva. He narrowed his gaze as anger scorched out the love he’d felt mere seconds before. She was no better than his mother. No better than all the other women he’d loved.
He watched her lay her head on the man’s shoulder. Her betrayal sent shards through his stomach. She would pay for this disloyalty.
four
On the night of the harvest dance, as he dressed for the party, a wretched bit of truth hit Jonesy hard. He’d worked so much the past couple of weeks that he’d forgotten to invite Eva to the last dance he would be attending in Hobbs, Oregon. He couldn’t believe he’d never caught the hints. Now he understood why she’d brought it up last Sunday after the church service.
He groaned as he slicked back his hair. It was curling slightly at the ends. Another reason to kick himself. He needed a haircut. But Ma was already dressed for the dance, so he couldn’t very well ask her to cut it for him. He raked his fingers through the thick strands and shrugged. It would have to do.
He snatched his Stetson from the hook on his door and headed down the hallway to the kitchen. Since Eva’s run-in with the horse thieves, the sheriff had advised folks to travel in groups as much as possible. Jonesy would ride Lady Anne but stay near the wagon with Pa and Ma, as would Terrance and Frank.
“It’s about time you got yourself prettied up.” Terrance’s teasing laughter met Jonesy as he stepped into the front room.
Ma gave him a scrutinizing frown. “Gracious, son, your hair needs a pair of shears, doesn’t it?”
“It can wait.”
“No, it can’t. Now you sit down and let me trim it up. I won’t have it said that my sons aren’t respectable.”
“I’d hate to make you late for the dance.”
“Nonsense. Terrance and Frank can go on ahead.”
“Ma,” Frank said, “we agreed that you wouldn’t go anywhere without all of us escorting you. It’s safer that way.”
Ma waved away his protest. “It’s been two weeks since Mr. Compton’s horses were stolen, and no one has seen hide nor hair of the rest of those thieves. They’re probably long gone by now. I’ll be plenty safe with Ben and your pa.” She raised up on her dainty toes and pressed a kiss to Frank’s cheek. “You’re a good son, but I’ll be fine.”
Frank and Terrance looked at Jonesy for support. In answer to their silent appeal, he smiled at his mother. “Really, Ma. I think I can go out in public one more time without a haircut.”
The door opened, and Pa stepped inside. “What’s the holdup? The team’s all hitched and ready. Are we going to this thing, or ain’t we?”
Apparently not the least bit intimidated by her husband’s crotchety attitude, Ma waved him to a chair. “Coffee’s still warm. Pour yourself a cup while I cut Ben’s hair.”
“Isn’t it a bit late for that?”
“It’ll only take a minute if we can get started,” she said pointedly.
Pa blew out a breath. “All right. There’s no changin’ her mind when she’s got it set on somethin’.” He poured his cup of coffee and glanced at the two teenaged boys. “You two best go along to the dance before Elizabeth McDougal gives up on the both of you and picks some other fellow to dance with.”
Jonesy laughed out loud as the competitive young men bounded for the door. The house shook as they slammed the door behind them. Jonesy pulled a wooden chair away from the family table while Ma brought her shears from the kitchen shelf.
“Look at this,” she scolded. “I can’t believe you were going to take Eva to a dance looking like this.”
“I’m not taking her.”
“What do you mean?” A frown creased her brow. “Eva’s going with some other young man?”
Heat spread across his face. “I don’t know. I forgot about it and never asked her.”
She gave a huff of indignation. “Do you mean to tell me after all these months of beauing her around, you forgot to ask her to the biggest dance of the year? It’ll serve you right if she did take up with someone else.”
Mindless of the sharp shears next to his ear, Jonesy turned to look at his mother. “Beauing her around? Eva and I are only friends. She knows what my plans are.”
Pa gave a snort from his seat at the table. He swallowed a sip of coffee and spoke evenly. “What a woman knows in her mind and what her heart tells her are two different things.”
“What does that mean?”
“He means Eva Riley is in love with you, son. It’s as plain as the nose on her face every time she looks at you.” Ma’s voice gentled. “And unless I miss my guess, you’re in love with her, as well.”
“Maybe.”
A slow smile crept across her mouth. “You’re not going to deny it?”
“Nope.” Jonesy gave her a grin. Finally admitting his love for Eva made him feel freer than he’d felt in a long time. “I knew for sure that day on the road. I’d never felt so protective of anyone as I did Eva.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know. I have to get back to my land, but Eva’s whole life is here. I don’t know if I can ask her to leave.”
“Maybe you should let her make that decision.” She scrubbed his neck with the towel and brushed at his back. “All done. Let’s go.”
Jonesy kept his thoughts to himself as he rode alongside the wagon on Lady Anne. Some things were just too private to share. Things like whether he could ask Eva to go to Texas with him. In addition to big considerations like leaving her family, it would also mean a quick wedding. That thought sat well with him, but he couldn’t be sure how Eva would respond. After all, neither of them had spoken of any feelings beyond friendship. And though he suspected Eva returned his affection, a proposal would still come as a surprise.
Wagons and horses littered the street between Joe Grafton’s restaurant at one end of town and the livery stable at the other. The empty lot next to the livery had been transformed into a dance floor, as there was nowhere large enough to hold everyone who would be attending from the town of Hobbs and the surrounding area.
Long poles had been erected at the four corners of the floor and rope strung between them. Hanging lanterns lit up the entire area, including the tables and benches set along the sides of the dance floor. Caleb Owens and Victor Mansfield made up the band: Caleb on the banjo, Victor playing the accordion.
Jonesy tied up Lady Anne to the nearest hitching post and walked the rest of the way to the dance. He scanned the area for any sign of Eva.
He saw the sheriff leaning against a post, sipping punch and watching the dancers. Jonesy came up beside him. “Evenin’, Sheriff.”
Billy acknowledged him with a nod. “You made it.”
“Any reason to think I wouldn’t?”
A side grin split his lips. “According to my little sister, you’d better not show up if you know what’s good for you.” He clapped Jonesy on the shoulder. “You have about as much to learn about women as I do. Only don’t wait so long as I did, or you might just end up all alone.”
“Yeah, thanks. I’ll remember that.” He continued his perusal, but the dance floor was so crowded, it was hard to see faces unless they were right in front of him. “Where’s Eva?”
“I saw her dancing with Pa a minute or two ago.”
“Help me look, will you?” He saw her just as she saw him. Her eyes widened, then narrowed. Her lips pressed together, and she lifted her chin, turning away from him.
So she was going to be stubborn. He’d show her right good and well. He grabbed Billy’s arm and strode across the dance floor. The sheriff yanked his arm away. “If you think I’m dancing with you, you’re crazy.”
“I need you to dance with Eva so I can talk to your pa.”
“Pa? Oh, boy. I hope you know what you’re doing, because this is going to make Eva right hot under the collar.”
“For a little while maybe. But we both know she can’t stay mad longer than it takes to saddle a horse.”
He chuckled
. “From the look on her face, I’m thinking this might be the first time she holds a grudge.”
“Don’t let him cut in, Pa.” Eva’s low tone reached Jonesy’s ears as her gaze cut through him like a hunting knife.
Andy Riley filled out his buckskin jacket as though he were still a young man, and Jonesy wouldn’t have wanted to tangle with him for any reason.
Ignoring Eva’s outburst, Jonesy glanced at her pa. “Sir, may I have a word with you?”
Eva sputtered. “You came out here to get my pa to leave me on the dance floor? Why, you … you … baboon.”
Billy took her by the arm. “Take it easy, sis. He brought me along to take Pa’s place.”
“I don’t need you to find me a dance partner, Benjamin Jones. I can find one on my own.” Jerking away from Billy, she stomped up to the nearest man, Lily’s pa, the owner of the general store. “Dance with me, Mr. Brewster?” She turned to Lily. “You don’t mind dancing with Billy, do you?”
Lily flushed, then gave a shy wink of her dimples. “I—if the sheriff doesn’t mind, I don’t suppose I do.”
Billy turned red. “It’d be my pleasure, Miss Lily.”
Eva turned to Mr. Brewster. “Well then. Now that that’s settled, how about you and me?”
The old-timer scowled. “That was sort of embarrassing for my daughter, Miss Eva.”
“Embarrassing?” She took the first step and placed her hand on his shoulder, then waited expectantly for him to do his part. “Mr. Brewster, Lily is my dearest friend. Don’t you know I have her best interests at heart? Besides, if you’ll dance with me, I’ll tell you a secret.”
He placed his hand on her waist and took her upraised hand. “What sort of secret?”
Jonesy watched as she charmed the old buzzard.
“My brother Billy has been moon-eyed over your daughter for as long as I can remember. And why do you think she won’t look at another young man? She’s mooning over him, too. So I did them both a favor.”
A smile spread across the wrinkled face. “I see. Then the least I can do is give you this 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.
Beside Still Waters Page 4
