by Linda Broday
For the first time in years, he wasn’t just existing, waiting for his fate. He was living with some kind of purpose. Lord, just don’t let it end.
Nora snuggled against him, her breasts pressed to his chest. “What will you do when they come for you? You know they will.”
“I’m not sure.” He still had the marshal’s badge that he’d taken off Dollard after the stagecoach wreck. But what good would it do if the posse recognized him?
“We should leave before they come.”
“No. I’m tired of running. Whatever happens, it’ll take place here. But just so you know, I’m not going to go easy. When they come, I want you to lock yourself in the house.”
“I can’t do that. My place is by your side, Jack. I’ll not hide. I refuse.”
“I don’t want to argue. See reason for once. The children need you. If you’re with me, a bullet could hit and kill you, and then what would Sawyer and Willow do?”
She was silent for long moment, and her voice held defiance when she spoke. “Then I’ll be at the window with a rifle. And don’t even think about counting.”
Jack chuckled softly. He hadn’t resorted to counting since he was in jail in Saint’s Roost and she’d waltzed in there big as life, daring anyone to try to keep her out. “You’ve near broke me from the habit.”
“That was just yesterday, sweetheart,” she said dryly.
He grinned. “Like I said, you’ve near broke me from the habit.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.” Nora touched his short beard. “I like the way you trimmed this up. Makes you look very handsome.”
“Glad you approve. I kinda like it too, but what I love more is you naked.”
They lay in each other’s arms, whispering, talking about the future as though he had one. He told her about Sawyer. “I don’t want him looking up to me.”
Nora snorted. “If you think you can stop him, go right ahead and try. He idolizes you and has since you rescued him from Bittercreek.”
“I want him to be his own man and told him so. He’s going to make a difference in this world.”
Willow let out a cry from her crib.
“I’ll get her, Nora. I’ve missed holding her.” Jack rose and pulled on his trousers. He picked up the baby and went downstairs.
He fed Willow, patted her back until she burped, then rocked her in the rocker. Memories closed in around him. He was back in his other life, before it had vanished. How many nights he had taken care of Alex and let Rachel sleep, Jack didn’t know. He’d loved that quiet time—just him and his son. It had seemed that the world outside their door didn’t exist. But evil had been hiding in the darkness.
He struggled to swallow. Willow snuggled her small body against his chest.
Jack patted her bottom. “Sleep, baby girl, I’ll watch over you.”
And that was a promise he meant to keep, come hell or high water. Not only to Willow, but Sawyer and Nora too.
* * *
First thing that morning, Nora watched Jack open a dresser drawer and remove an ivory-gripped Colt and slide it into his holster. Now that his gun replaced the ones he’d taken from Dollard and Guthrie, much of the tension in his face appeared to melt away.
“That Colt seems to mean a lot to you.” Nora finished buttoning her dress.
Jack turned. “I bought a set of these, but Dollard confiscated my other one before he put me on that stage. Probably never see it again. This Colt is perfectly balanced and shoots true.” A smile flicked across his lips. “Something a man in my profession counts on.”
Nora wondered how many times his life had depended on the accurate firing of his weapon. Listening to the men talk over coffee the last few days, she knew of some of his near brushes with death.
She moved behind him and laid her face on his back. “Do whatever you must to stay alive. I don’t want to be a widow.”
“I’ll do my best, Mrs. Bowdre.” Willow began to fuss, and he went to pick her up. “Ready to feed this little girl and Sawyer?”
She laughed. “Not sure the choice is up to me. I’m sure both have their own ideas.”
They met Sawyer at the bottom of the stairs and Nora went to the kitchen to get her day started.
After breakfast, Jack sent a man to guard the opening of the town and warn the others of approaching riders. His preparations for a fight sent fear through Nora. After giving Luke Legend a send-off, Nora was fixing Willow a bottle and listening to Jack teach Sawyer how to tie a decent bowline knot in the parlor when a knock sounded at the door.
“I’ll get it, Nora,” Jack called. A second later, she heard, “Come in, ladies.”
Nora took the bottle out of the hot water and tested the temperature by squirting a little on her wrist. Finding it acceptable, she hurried into the parlor to find Tally and Dr. Mary with three other women. “How lovely to have callers. Make yourselves at home.”
Tally held out a pie. “We wanted to give you a big welcome. Hope you like peach.”
From his seat on the floor, Sawyer’s face lit up. “For us?”
“Yes, it is.” Tally laughed. “This dessert seems to have found a good home.”
“We’re delighted. I haven’t had time to bake anything yet.” Nora cradled the baby with one arm, clutching the bottle in that hand, and brushing Sawyer’s hair with the other. “You seem to know all about little boys, Tally.”
“Not as much as I hope to soon.” Tally laid a hand on her stomach.
Jack took the pie. “Sawyer, can you take this into the kitchen? You can have one piece now and we’ll save the rest for later. Then meet me outside so Nora can visit with these ladies in peace. I think we need to see how Scout is getting along with her new sidekick, Bullet, anyway.”
The boy hopped to his feet with a grin, stuffing his knotted string into his pocket. He disappeared into the kitchen with the dessert.
“Stay, Jack.” Tally offered a big smile and remained standing. “Our mission pertains to both of you.”
“I can’t imagine what this is about.” Nora didn’t think she’d ever seen her husband look so uncomfortable. This group of women were making him as nervous as a rooster in a wolf den. He leaned against the wall, and Nora thought it was to take the pressure off his leg. His limp seemed worse today and that bothered her. She wondered if Dr. Mary could help him and vowed to remember to ask.
“Good. First, let me introduce us to Nora.” Tally went around the circle. “You know Dr. Mary. Next to her is Belle January, then Rebel Avery. Susan Worth owns the bakery.”
Belle’s wrinkled face and gnarled fingers told Nora she’d lived a full life. Nora already loved this old woman, who wore her silver hair up in a little knot on the top of her head. Rebel Avery had a hardness about her as if she was ready to fend off an attack at the drop of a hat. Her hair curled about her shoulders, as black as midnight. Nora got the impression that Rebel had seen some awful hard living. Something in the woman reached out to Nora, though.
Everyone needed a friend. Sometimes in life, that was the best you could hope for to get you through. Here in this outlaw town, they lived on the edge between danger and death, and it took a lot out of a person.
Susan Worth rounded out the three, and Nora found a quiet elegance about her. A few streaks of silver in her brown hair didn’t detract from her sparkling eyes and pretty face. She had to be in her late thirties. Nora wondered what her story was.
“This is wonderful. Please sit.” Nora settled in the rocker. “I hope you don’t mind if I feed Willow.”
“No, of course not.” Dr. Mary perched on a straight-backed chair.
Tally lowered her swollen girth onto the woven seat of a cane-bottom one. “We came to talk to you about your wedding. We need a date. I think the sooner the better.”
“Jack and I really haven’t discussed this.” Nora tilted
the baby bottle and Willow sucked contentedly.
Dr. Mary spoke up. “We want you and Jack to get married with the town in attendance.”
Jack pushed away from the wall. “A wedding isn’t necessary. Nora and I took care of that ourselves.”
“But you didn’t let us be a part of it,” Rebel said softly. “We—this town—needs a celebration.”
“I’ll make a wedding cake for the ceremony,” said Susan Worth.
Nora met Jack’s dark scowl and made the decision for them both. “We’ll be happy to oblige. Only I have no good dress.”
Tally waved her arm. “A small problem. We’ll find you one. Now we need a date.”
“Jack, what do you think?” He looked ready to start counting. Nora added quickly, “Please, I want this. And I think a formal ceremony would be much better than our short one, make our marriage even more binding.”
“Whatever you want is fine, Nora.” His face softened, and she wondered if he was thinking about their night of passion.
For a second, she forgot about their company. It was only her and Jack in the room, and the love they’d found while trying not to die. He moved to her side.
Nora reached for his hand. “We should probably make it soon.” Just in case a posse tracked them to the town. She kept expecting trouble to ride in, and Jack had to be too.
He squeezed her hand. “How about day after tomorrow?”
The ladies gasped collectively. But Nora knew they had to hurry.
A clock was ticking in her head and each second brought trouble closer.
Twenty-six
The next two days, Nora felt like she had turned into some kind of whirling dervish. Tally found a dress of robin’s egg–blue muslin and Belle altered it to fit. Nora had never seen anything so beautiful. With all the preparations, she didn’t see much of Jack, but she could feel his gaze at odd times, or turn around to find him staring at her from across the wide street. The tether between them was strong and held together by mere glances.
At night, after the children slept, she lay in his arms and knew there was no place on earth she’d rather be. Jack excited, aroused her and made her dream. But he still hadn’t told her he loved her. Maybe he just couldn’t say those words. Maybe he never would.
She knew in her heart he cared for her, and that, in addition to her love for him, might be enough.
Rebel Avery was in the mercantile when Nora went to do a little shopping. “Rebel, how nice to see you. I was hoping we’d have a chance to talk.”
The woman swung around, her eyes red and swollen. She forced a smile. “Nora, I’ve been meaning to pay you a proper visit, but…” Rebel glanced away.
Nora laid a hand on the woman’s arm. “I understand. I’m so sorry about Travis. Jack told me what a fine man Travis is and how fond he is of your two children. I’m sure you must all miss him terribly.”
“It’s this land. People can disappear and you never know what happened to them. You were lucky to find Jack after the posse got him.”
The comment jarred Nora but she could see how easily people could vanish out here. That would’ve been harder back in Buffalo. Although Flynn O’Brien had made it happen with no one the wiser. Looking back, she thought it odd that no one ever came to inquire about this one or that one. But to lose Jack the way Rebel had lost Travis would destroy her. She remembered how she felt when they’d reached the posse’s camp and found no sign of Jack. Yes, that had shot fear deep into her like she’d never felt before.
“Try not to worry, Rebel. The men will do whatever they can to find Travis, and from what I’ve seen so far, they’re more than capable.”
Rebel glanced down at the boardwalk. “I know. I didn’t mean to burden you, Nora.”
“You’re no burden. Come to visit anytime. I’m an excellent listener and we can get acquainted over tea. I’d love that.”
“Me too. But your wedding is coming up. I’m good at fixing hair.”
“Oh, Rebel, thank you for the offer. You’re hired. I’ve never been good at that.”
They parted, and Nora went about her shopping, but she couldn’t get the thought out of her head that Jack might go out to do something one day and disappear, never to be seen again. A shudder swept through the length of her.
* * *
Nervous jitters took hold of Nora on her wedding day. Her thoughts turned to the wrecked stagecoach, the wild trek across the rugged land, the rat in the cave, taking Sawyer from Bittercreek, and finding Willow. Nora and Jack had shared a lifetime of experiences in a short span. Despite all the hardships, hunger, and cold nights, she wouldn’t trade any of it.
They’d found a purity under the stars that she didn’t find in daylight. It was like the heavens sparked a greater truth and inspired the kind of love Nora had waited all her life to find.
She sat in her bedroom and tried not to squirm. Rebel piled Nora’s hair on top of her head in a becoming style, and Tally helped her into her dress.
This was the first time she’d had a chance to really talk with Tally. Nora asked if she had everything ready for the baby.
Tally laughed. “As ready as I can be. Clay made a crib for the little thing, and it’s a beauty. Belle made a quilt to go in it. Violet is beside herself with happiness at the thought of having a baby brother or sister. I’m glad I don’t have long to go. I’m tired of looking like a big fat cow.”
“I have a feeling Clay doesn’t care what you look like,” Rebel said. “He loves you.”
“We’re three lucky women to be secure in our men’s love.” Tally wore a dreamy look.
Doubt crept in around Nora’s heart. Jack still hadn’t spoken of love. Was he avoiding telling her because he was still in love with Rachel? Nora chewed her bottom lip. Maybe he had no love left in his heart for her.
And what about herself?
How prepared was she to take a dead wife’s place?
A little past noon, Nora walked out of the house toward a small crowd that had gathered in front of the hotel. It appeared each resident of Hope’s Crossing had come. Jack had told her that the population of the town numbered around fifty but that more people drawn to the chance of a new beginning arrived every week. Especially since a stage line had added the town to their route.
Despite the town’s growing number, they had no church and she didn’t know if Brother Paul would come or not. She guessed standing in front of the newly built hotel for the ceremony would do just fine. After all, it wasn’t the where but the who that would give her vows meaning. Maybe they could pretend it was an outdoor tabernacle.
One of these days, she’d ask why Ridge Steele never held services. Jack had hinted at a dark story.
Sawyer was waiting for her. He grinned and handed her a bunch of wildflowers that had a blue ribbon tied around them. He’d slicked back his reddish-brown hair and wore a new shirt that Jack had gotten him.
“Thank you, sweetheart. They’re lovely.” Nora kissed his cheek.
“Mrs. January has Willow,” he reported.
“Excellent. Sawyer, will you walk me to Jack and stand with us?”
“Shoot, yeah. If you want.” He slipped his arm around hers. “You look pretty, Miz Nora. Kinda like a princess. I haven’t ever seen a princess, but I think they might be real pretty. At least Violet says so.”
Tightness formed in Nora’s chest. “Those are sweet words, my handsome boy.”
Scout ambled up with Bullet, and Sawyer had to tell the dogs he was busy with important stuff. They walked toward Jack, who stood with Ridge in front of the hotel. A crowd had gathered around, but Nora’s gaze never left Jack’s. He cut quite a dark figure in a suit she’d never seen him wear. The clothing emphasized his wide shoulders and chest, his lean waist. The ivory-handled Colt hanging at his side might’ve seemed inappropriate, but the sight made her feel safe and cherished.
She stood next to him and slipped her hand in his. “I almost didn’t recognize you, Jack.”
He put his mouth to her ear, his trimmed mustache tickling. “You’re beautiful in that dress with your hair all fancied up. I can’t wait to take the hairpins out, strip off your clothes, and run my hands over your body.”
“Jack!” She used her head to motion toward Sawyer, who’d taken his place beside her.
Sawyer grinned. Surely he hadn’t heard. Good Lord. Her face flamed.
Solemn and striking, Ridge stepped forward, still wearing his twin Colts, and opened a tattered Bible. “We’re gathered here today to unite Jack and Nora in holy matrimony.” He cautioned about entering into marriage lightly and to view it as a binding contract.
There was still no mention of love.
Nora’s chest clenched. Ridge pounded home the need to respect each other, listen with their hearts, and be each other’s helpmeet. Jack squeezed her hand and looked every bit the hungry wolf he had of late. They said their “I dos” and Ridge asked for the ring. She sucked in a breath. She’d never given any thought to a ring.
Yet Jack seemed calm, not uttering a word.
Sawyer fished something out of his pocket, along with some string, a marble, and a coin, and handed a small item to Jack.
“Thank you, son.” Then Jack slipped a silver band on Nora’s finger and stared into her eyes. “With this, I thee wed.”
Tears filled her eyes. This amazing man she’d married was full of surprises and dreams. He already looked to the future and had spoken of Sawyer’s role in making the changing world better. Jack had made her dream, too, of a life where they’d have no fear of being separated by arrest. She prayed they’d see such a day when no one would just disappear like Travis.
Before she knew it, Ridge said they could seal their vows with a kiss. Jack tilted his hat back, put his hands around Nora, and lowered his lips to hers. Mindful of those watching, she’d prayed for a short peck, but she and Jack were like a match and dry tinder. The moment their lips met, flames erupted. She clutched his fancy vest, and for a moment, she forgot they stood in a crowd of onlookers.
