“I’ll be seeing you both tomorrow.”
Clementine walked him to the door, then leaned against it once she opened it. Perhaps she was tired, just a tad, she allowed.
“And Clementine?”
“Hm?” She asked a bit absentminded, still thinking about his surprise. Just like Pauline, she couldn’t wait to see what he made as though it was a gift for her as well.
Musing about all that with her sleepy mind, she almost missed the notion Alexander was leaning toward her.
Before she fully knew what was going on, or how she felt about it, he was upon her and his lips softly brushed her cheeks. His lips were rather tender as he silently confessed everything he could not say with words. Just like that Clementine knew what he wanted to say at the wedding today, and that filled her with so much joy her heart threatened to burst out of her chest.
It was a small kiss, yet she felt it, everywhere. All too soon it ended with him stepping away. Her lips tingled and she barely suppressed the urge not to lick them.
“Have a good night, dear Clementine,” he said in a voice that was just a bit hoarse. He was affected by their kiss as well, she realized, and that pleased her to no end.
“Goodnight,” she stammered back.
And with that the left. Clementine watched his progress for as long as she could, before finally closing the door.
She leaned against them, touching her lips as though to make sure they were there, and hers, because she felt different, changed. And was definitely not sleepy anymore.
Alexander Carson just kissed her and by her reactions, the butterflies inside her stomach, the beating of her heart and heat she felt on her cheeks, she liked it immensely. More to the point, Clementine felt giddy and wanted to jump with joy like a schoolgirl with a crush.
Alexander kissed her her cheek; she could hardly believe it. She couldn’t wait for him to do that again, but this time, on her lips.
She took a deep breath, pealing herself off the front door, deciding to go to sleep after all. Her reasoning was simple, the sooner she fell asleep the better since she would see him again.
Goodnight, he told her right before he departed and even though that was a simple enough statement used by many, she had to agree her night was good indeed.
Chapter Fifteen
Alexander’s heart raced like a company of soldiers during an enemy attack as he walked back to his hotel. He appeared to be in a daze, but not quite. He did not feel as though he was foggy; quite the contrary, his mind was alert more than ever, simply different. All his senses were entirely focused on Clementine as though she was standing next to him.
Alexander did not want to go to his hotel room, he realized. He wanted to continue walking and thinking about Clementine.
He did it, he kissed her, chastely, but it was still a kiss. It was a spur of the moment affair. Alexander simply couldn’t stop himself. She looked absolutely divine, with her eyes cast down and lips puckered as though she was already in slumber. Clementine looked unguarded, completely at ease and open and that made him react and kiss her.
Not the most oratorical of ways to profess love. At the same time, it was the most meaningful, as far as he was concerned. Besides, he must have done something right since she did not slap him senseless afterward.
He was still dumbfounded by everything revolving around Clementine. He never felt like this before and was certain he was destined to spend his entire life alone. Things changed. It was like she unlocked something inside of him, and now he was overflowing with all kinds of feelings and desires. However, there was no fear of drowning. Everything was as it should be.
Alexander wanted to kiss her until the morning. And by the way she reacted leaning toward him, surrendering completely to their kiss, it was obvious she wished that as well. That made him feel even more powerful, like he could do anything, and his smile grew even bigger. She liked the kiss, she liked him, he dared to hope.
Alexander did not care if he looked like a madman smiling to himself. He was beyond happy and he couldn’t wait this day to be over so he could see Clementine again. To see his Clementine; he rather liked the sound of that.
He was upon the hotel, only needed to cross the main road that was completely deserted to reach it. The music could be heard from the nearby saloon and that was it. When someone called out for him.
“Alexander Carson,” said a man in a strange voice, with an even stranger accent. “I have been looking for you.”
Frowning Alexander turned. He sensed danger and acted accordingly. Gone was the carefree man that was musing about his love. In his stead stood a soldier, the former sheriff and bounty hunter. Stood a warrior, prepared to defend himself from any threat. He had much to live for after all.
Alexander couldn’t see the stranger’s face since he stood in the shadows. What he could see perfectly was that the stranger’s hand was very slowly, steadily going for his firearm.
Alexander instinctively mimicked the movement, reaching for his own revolver as all kinds of questions arose inside his head. Who was this man? He clearly knew Alexander. Why was he treating him like an enemy? Alexander did not have any clue.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Alexanders shouted back, taking a few slow steps forward. He was prepared to fight if he had to. He hoped it would not come to that.
“You do not recognize me?”
Did Alexander detect humor in those words or was that just his imagination? Alexander was really tempted to say something smart-mouthed like he would not ask if he did. Alexander held his tongue. He did not want to antagonize this man even though Alexander felt frustrated to no end due to this strange situation. Perhaps he was some criminal Alexander caught who was now seeking revenge, he continued to muse.
“I am hurt,” the mystery man continued, unaware of Alexander’s speculations. “And what do I want?” He repeated Alexander’s words while stepping forwards, finally getting out of the shadows and into the light.
His beard was much longer than Alexander remembered, and his hair had a few more grays than before, nevertheless, he would recognize that face anywhere, anytime.
“I want you to buy me something to drink. This has been quite the journey, old friend,” he said with a smile.
Alexander relaxed immediately while shaking his head. “I almost shot you, John,” he informed his friend. “What are you doing?” Scaring him half to death with these theatrics, not that he would ever admit such a thing out loud.
John didn’t even flinch by Alexander’s words and simply shrugged. “I was just checking your reaction and I am not impressed.”
Meeting halfway, they embraced. John was Alexander's mentor, but over time, they became much more. John took a chance on him when nobody else would and taught him everything about what it means to be a man and an officer of the law.
“I am still better than you, old man,” Alexander jibed.
“You were never better than me, I would let you win. And now I see your skills only grew duller. Shame, since you were somewhat talented in youth,” John did not miss a chance to jibe back.
“As you were about to find out, my skills are sharp, deadly.”
“Against a blind drunk with only one arm.”
They both laughed.
“Oh, come on John, you were never a drunk,” Alexander deadpanned.
“You were always too arrogant for your own good.”
“Nonsense,” Alexander rebelled good-naturally. “I’m the perfect amount of arrogant.”
“I have missed you, my friend.”
“You too. And regarding that drink, tell me, what are you in the mood for?”
John was always rather picky with his drinks, unlike the rest of the men in the sheriff’s office. Since he was just too happy to see him, Alexander let him have his way.
John pondered about that before replying. “Something sweet enough to wash the taste of dust inside my mouth.”
“All right, I can do that.”
“Somethi
ng strong enough to make me forget I am in this godforsaken place,” he continued to speak over Alexander.
John hated to travel; Alexander had forgotten about that. “I rather enjoy this place, it’s charming.”
John eyed him dubiously. “And something modest enough since you were always a cheapskate,” John concluded wryly.
That was a tall order.
“I am not,” Alexander protested not taking offense in the slightest. “And I know just the right place that will have what you need. Come.”
“Excellent.”
Alexander took John to the store. Garry’s eyes were filled with amusement when he spotted Alexander entering with a friend.
“You simply can’t stay away. People are going to talk, you know,” he jested.
“Let them talk,” Alexander replied in the same manner, then ordered two drinks. He felt like celebrating. His friend finally arrived, and he kissed the girl of his dreams. Although that last bit Alexander planned on keeping to himself.
“And you are bringing new customers in, I see,” Garry teased, handing them drinks in return for Alexander’s coin.
“This is my good friend Sheriff John Clarkson. And this is Garry Smith, the owner of this fine establishment,” Alexander introduced.
“I might hire you after all.”
Alexander made a face. “I am playing hard to get, remember?”
They thanked Garry for their drinks before walking outside and finding an empty spot behind the store so they could talk in private.
“I see you are rather familiar here.”
“So it appears,” Alexander replied vaguely.
His friend did not press. John filled him in on his latest adventures. He was doing Alexander’s old job. He was the sheriff in Oxbent, Montana. Unfortunately, from time to time, John had to travel to other, smaller towns that did not have their own sheriff to help out.
On some occasions, John even had to transfer prisoners from one town to the other and gather search parties for the ones that broke free. He wasn’t particularly fond of that either since it all involved him leaving Oxbent. He had a large family there, a wife, six children, and ten grandchildren by Alexander’s last count so he could understand John’s reluctance to leave them. Still, a job had to be done, and John was very good at it despite his constant complaints. Over the years Alexander learned a great deal from him. Seeing him now reminded him of how much he actually missed his friend.
“One prisoner just escaped from the prison house down in Texas,” John told him. “And a nasty piece of work at that.”
“You will catch him. You always do.”
“No,” John corrected him. “You always catch them.”
Alexander chuckled. “Oh, right. That is correct. I catch them and you collect all the glory,” he saluted his friend with his drink.
John scowled. “Arrogant pup,” he mumbled, taking a sip of his drink. “Tell me what you’ve been up to?” He asked, changing the subject yet he continued. “I heard about Dwayne Peterson. Nice work,” John praised.
Alexander did not care about talking about himself, never did. This was John, not some stranger, so he made an effort.
“It almost ended badly,” Alexander confessed remembering his last bounty job. Dwayne Peterson was twice his size, and at least three times as strong. It was a struggle until the very end. No wonder he needed some leisure time after that.
“How so?”
“The scoundrel tried to push me out of the moving train. Twice.”
“We’ve all been there,” John was sympathetic.
It was true their jobs were dangerous. That was not the reason they did it thought. They did it despite the danger, because it was the right thing to do, keeping the citizens safe from all kinds of monsters.
Alexander could not do that properly after his Honey died, but in a way, he was still contributing, hunting those that were the worst of the worst.
“I personally wanted to push you out of the train at least once a day,” John deadpanned, and Alexander almost missed it, too wrapped up inside his head. Thinking about Honey always did that to him.
“Did you just make a joke, old man?” Alexander teased back. “I do believe that requires another round of drinks.”
“I second that.”
They chatted for a while, tried to outwit one another as the alcohol levels inside of them reached certain levels.
“Why didn’t you come back?” John asked all of a sudden. He did not need to elaborate, Alexander understood him perfectly.
He looked away before answering. “I couldn’t,” he replied simply. Memories of Honey were too strong for him to go home, as was his guilt. Even though he missed seeing John, Colette, his wife, and all the other deputies, Alexander knew there was a possibility he would never see all those people again.
“You look good,” John said taking Alexander by surprise. He thought his friend would insist, pressure him to come home and he didn’t, clearly sensing that was not what Alexander needed.
He is a true friend. “And you sound surprised.”
“I am.” That was John, completely honest, all the time, even when you did not want to hear it. Especially then. Luckily, this was not one of those times.
“The last time I saw you...” he left the sentence unfinished, shaking his head.
The last time John saw Alexander, he just found him on the brink of death in the desert.
“I killed them all John,” Alexander said. His voice was detached from any kind of emotion. He made peace with what he did, and despite knowing he would be judged one day, he wouldn’t change a thing. His sister deserved justice and he was more than happy to provide it for her.
“I know. I kept an eye on you just in case.”
And here he thought he was being careful. He should have known John would find a way. Alexander was not cross. “I never thanked you for saving my life.”
“And you never have to,” John interrupted him. “You are my friend, my brother. And I will always be there for you, no matter what.”
Alexander’s throat closed up from the rush of emotions he was experiencing. He felt love toward the other man, respect, and most of all gratitude.
“And I for you, brother,” he managed to choke out.
Since they were both strong, hard men, who never talked about emotions, and this got rather emotional experience for both of them, John blissfully changed the subject.
“So Courtfield?”
Alexander shrugged. “It’s as good a place as any.”
“I suppose.”
Alexander, happy to have his friend by his side, told him how he ended up in this town, and why he stayed. He kept a large part of the story to himself. A part about Clementine and his feelings toward her.
It was not that he didn’t trust John with that information. It was just that they never talked about the matters of the heart before, and Alexander felt he should keep his affection toward Clementine private, at least for a little while. It was just a feeling he had, yet over the years he learned to trust that feeling more than anything. It saved him more times than he could count.
“This town agrees with you. You’ve changed,” John observed. Alexander was a bit startled by his words. It was quaint having someone who knew you around. It was hard to keep anything a secret that way. He did not mind, he liked he changed.
“I have. And I am happy.”
“I am glad.” John yawned. “On the other hand, I am dead on my feet.”
“I have a room nearby and you are most welcome to stay,” Alexander offered.
“Thank you. Lead the way.”
They said their goodbyes to Garry and started a rather short walk toward the Grand Hotel.
“I must leave first thing in the morning to Clarkston,” John informed him. “There’s a dispute I must handle,” he complained ever so slightly.
Alexander really missed his friend. Then he actually registered his words. Disputes were usually deputies’ jobs.
�
�I told my deputies I would do it since I’m already in the neighborhood,” he explained as though reading Alexander’s mind.
“How very kind of you.”
“I am a very kind person,” he replied in all seriousness.
Alexander did not get a chance to reply to that since John continued. “Do you want to join me? From what I’ve heard it is your type of business.”
John meant Alexander’s previous business. When he was the sheriff, he loved settling disputes, much to everyone’s confusion. Alexander could not explain it himself, yet he loved doing it. Settling grievances, finding solutions for mutual misery to the involving parties always amused him. The way he saw it, it was a lesson learned for the dispute, to be better next time and not waste the sheriff’s time.
A Courageous Bride to Bring Him Hope: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 15
