by Jillian Hart
"I'm fine. We just lost track of the time." That was true enough. She forced her feet forward, the whole truth not quite yet ready to be spoken but that would come in time. "It smells good in here."
"We made hot chocolate and warmed up brownies and made fudge. I saved some for you if you want." Mindy's lamp tossed light along the floor and to the walls on each side, glossing them with liquid gold, making the place feel cozy. "We needed to celebrate what truly matters. Stella's date with Tristan went really well."
"Really? That's remarkable news, oh, I'm so glad." Jada took care to keep her own sorrow from her voice. Maybe the point was that it was Stella's night to celebrate a possible heart love of a lifetime, not just settling for someone, as she'd worried she'd done so wanting to be married that she'd said yes to the first man who came along, and look how that had turned out! Her divorce had shamed the entire family, and Ma back in Indiana still hadn't recovered from it.
Determined to put her own grief aside and concentrate on her sister's wonderful evening, she followed her youngest sister through the doorway and up the stairs.
"I think he was entirely charmed by her," Mindy whispered conspiratorially. "I think he's serious."
"It's perfectly understandable. Stella deserves someone like him. I guess we wait and see. I'm starting to think this move to Montana Territory is a good one."
"Me, too! Of course, anything for you, sister dear. Pa is right, the standards out here are much more relaxed and no one really knows the problems left behind. You're doing very well with your serious beau, right? Because I'm totally thrilled for you, too. I'm not even feeling lonely and looked over at all. Not at all. I'm just glad my sisters are happy."
"Me, too, and you're not looked over, the right wonderful man just hasn't come along yet. Be patient, I have a feeling." She didn't mention her suspicions as they tumbled into the upstairs parlor, where Stella sat comfortably on the couch with a steaming cup of tea on the end table beside her and her crochet hook darting in and out of the lace doily she was making.
"There you are!" Stella's crochet hook stilled. "I just needed to see with my own eyes that you are safe and sound. Jada, it's after eleven o'clock. Almost halfway to midnight!"
"We lost track of time." She eased over to her favorite armchair and settled onto it, sinking into the comfortably soft cushion. Boy, was her body exhausted. Relaxing felt good. She wasn't used to activity as physically demanding as that. "I heard your supper date went well."
"Sure, it was fantastic, but the real issue is you. You." Stella gave a happy hop on the cushion, nearly dropping her doily. "I can't believe it. We need to celebrate. You've got a good man falling in love with you, and judging by what happened to your hair, you're going to be Mrs. Frisco Hayden before long, I just know it. I'm so excited."
"Me, too. What happened to your dress? It's all wrinkled up."
"No, you both have it wrong. Don't go reading anything into the state of my hair and my clothes. It could have been due to the weather."
"It is starting to hail out there. Listen, is that thunder?" Mindy tipped her head, listening, toward the window. "And that wind!"
"I hope Frisco gets home safe." The words popped out before she could stop them, full of wishfulness. "Stella, did Tristan take you to the hotel's dining room?"
"Best place in town, and boy, was I excited to go. After the story of your outing there with Frisco and his twins, the waiter winked and told me that he rather expected the extraordinary. Wasn't that nice?"
"Very. What did you order?"
"The salmon. It was fresh caught, and Tristan did, too. We ate until we were stuffed, and that included coffee after the dessert. We talked until they were ready to chase us out of the dining room we'd stayed so long."
"It sounds wonderful." Jada ran her fingers through her tangled hair, attempting to tame it. "You and Tristan must have found it so easy to talk, huh?"
"And laugh. It just felt natural. Right, you know?"
"I know how that is."
Mindy spoke up. "And I'm hoping to one day. You never know. My prospects might be pretty good here."
"Count on it." Jada glanced around. "You've boxed up half the parlor."
"Yes." Stella bit her bottom lip nervously. "We aren't sure if Pa's tent can accommodate all of our things, but Mindy and I packed anyway. I can't believe that we have to do this, but move we will. I've never been evicted before. It's kind of pretty scary."
"Very uncertain feeling," Mindy agreed. "As if anything else could go wrong, too."
"I told you, I have something in mind and it's not Pa's tent, although it's not a done deal yet and it's a bit of a surprise. So, don't worry. Let's see how this all works out. We might be more comfortable than squeezing into Pa's creek-side camp."
"It's Frisco, isn't it?" Stella asked, excitement and happiness lighting her up. "He's coming to your rescue just like last time, right?"
"Wrong, not that he didn't offer to talk to the Pratts for us. I think he has a lot of money in their bank, so perhaps that's why he can make such an impact on them. But I did this all by myself. Well, not all by myself. You'll see. But the packing continues. I would say now, but it's late. You girls relax here, now that you can stop worrying about me, and let me get to the task I was hoping to get to tonight."
"Are you going out again?" Stella arched an eyebrow. "Want some company?"
"Not tonight. I could use some alone and some thinking time. Besides, it's hailing out there. You stay in and think good things. You had a good evening with Tristan. Hold onto that glow and joy of it. Long may it last."
"Ooh, I love that, Jada," Mindy spoke up from her arm chair near the other end of the window. "And I agree. What if this is the start of your new life together? Oh, I hope it is full of as much laughter as you had this evening. And more."
"Oh, I thank you both for that." Stella reached for her tea cup. "So, Jada, what about you and Frisco? Are you in love with him yet?"
"Oh, you know me. I like to stay independent, so we'll see." That was the only wise reply. "It sounds like the hail is letting up. I'm going to run over and check on Pa and work the claim some more. I've been itching to make more gold dust income."
"Not a bad idea. I have some muffins we can send over." Mindy went to bop up out of her chair.
"Forget it, I can do it. You girls should go to bed. It's late and you both look exhausted staying up to wait for me. I truly am sorry about that."
"Don't be," Stella winked. "Look at you. It looks as if you had a very good time with Frisco indeed."
"No comment."
Stella smiled. "Your secret is safe with me."
"And me!" Mindy chimed in. "Wow, I'm tired. Look, I can't stop yawning. I'm going to take my lamp and my book and go to bed."
"I'll see you both in the morning." Jada headed toward her room to change but stopped when she heard Stella call out her name.
"You should be ecstatic, you and Frisco." She swept into the hallway, voice soft with understanding. "Why do I get the feeling you're awfully sad?"
"No comment. I'm sure we can talk about it in the morning."
"I know what with the eviction and the worry about income and not being able to afford a better retail space or dip into our hard-earned savings, I'm not sure what will happen. But I thought maybe we had enough in reserves from the surge of new customers to afford the up front money for a rental house if we pool it all together."
"That's what you think I was up to, huh?" Time to keep the subject away from what had shattered her heart. It hurt too much to think about. "With the gold we panned, we can afford more than that."
"We can?"
"I haven't heard for sure, but I made an offer on one of the two houses for sale in our price range. Let's wait and see what Nelson's father thinks, okay? He's probably willing to sell it to us for a bit of a discount, since he's partial to our cookies."
"Oh! oh! What a day this has been! I'm telling Mindy, that's what I'm going to do. Oh, look at me, so excited.
Jada, I'm excited. I've never been this happy, and it's only one day! What if every day to come feels this way?"
"It's my most cherished wish for you, little sister."
"And for you. After what you went through with Roland, what he put your through, you deserve the same. No, wait, even more! Oh, I've got to tell Mindy." She rushed off, slipping into the room. "Did you hear what Jada said? We may have our very own house!"
"We're as good as rich," Mindy said, full of hope. "To think we might have our own home."
By the time Jada crept out into the dark mist of night, the storm had broken. Clouds were sailing away, revealing the diamond twinkle of stars shining despite the weather. She had gold to pan, to quietly bag and weigh, and that had to be enough.
Her hopes for love, for great happiness, was over.
* * *
Frisco snapped his book shut. The sound echoed in the empty-feeling early morning kitchen. It was strange to have the boys not hanging around making all kinds of noise, conversation and keeping busy. It wasn't a bad thing to savor the moment, enjoy the quiet and calm. Or to wish he had this to share with someone special, someone who could light up his entire heart.
Which was the reason he hadn't been absorbed in his reading the way he usually was, he'd been unable to concentrate. Thinking over and over his last conversation with Jada hadn't given him any new ideas on how to fix what was wrong. His skills were in horses, not women. Then again, what a woman she was.
A smile touched his mouth and, remembering her naked and glorious in his bed last night, he took a sip of sugar-sweetened coffee and sighed with contentment. Yeah, that mental picture would keep him in good spirits all day, and for the rest of his life, if truth be told. What did she think he was going to do? Let her go? Let her be sad all on her own? She needed love, she needed comfort, and she needed him. At least that was the solution and the argument he was going to use.
If she could break up with him to save his heart from future heartbreak, he could use staying together to save her from the same. Loneliness was just a different kind of heartbreak, and not being loved, when you had someone who would, was one of the great heartbreaks in life.
He took a long, satisfying sip, letting the sweet hot brew roll across his tongue and down his throat, sustaining him. Perhaps giving him too much confidence, but he didn't mind. He couldn't get rid of the image of Jada before she'd disappeared in the night shadows last night with grief in her words and tears in her eyes.
Her sorrow haunted him. As did her lovemaking. She'd clung to him, needing him, needing his love so much. And the soft cozy warmth he felt in his heart was from her. Her love was something he could not live without. If only he could take her pain away, he wanted that more than anything. But how did he begin?
Well, he'd have to think of some solution. Until then, he would enjoy the quiet without the boys underfoot. Although, he missed them too, their sunny natures and innocent hearts so in love with their lives, they were growing up right. He glanced out the window, wondering how they were doing in town. Early risers, they likely had Ma and Pa up by now needing bathing and feeding and full of all kinds of questions, plans for the day and adoring of their grandparents to do.
He glanced out the window. The sun was nearly up past the smaller, leafy trees in the yard, their long shadows falling to touch the front porch. Not time to get them yet. Ma liked to keep the boys until at least mid-morning so she could spoil them up right, but he wondered if that would work with two ponies in the barn. Or, the paddock, he corrected, spying a familiar bay pony who'd turned around to give a good hard kick to the gate to see if he could rattle it.
Maynard must know something about kicking, judging by the skill and talent he displayed. Chester appeared to totally approve, standing near to the gate latch to see if he could undo the cord tying it closed and acting as a padlock, since the latch was one he could open on his own. Comically, one of the ranch hands stormed out of the barn with hands flying as he discussed something with the ponies.
Maynard took great offense and lowered his head, pawed the ground, flared his nostrils and charged. The ranch hand dashed into the barn, disappearing from his sight. That didn't stop Maynard. He galloped into the shadowed barn entrance, disappearing. Chester followed him, tail up, neck arched, full of curiosity. What was going to happen? The other horses in the paddock lifted their heads to watch in shocked disapproval. Those ponies were clearly trouble.
He'd have to remember not to make Maynard angry, Frisco thought wryly, and took another sip from his mug. At least the antics on the ranch were helping to chase away some of his heartache. One thing he was determined to do was to love Jada no matter what. When you find the woman would could make you laugh, handle your boys, cantankerous ponies and love a man to the depth of her being, you didn't let her go.
He pushed back his chair, rose to his feet and carried his empty breakfast plate and mug to the sink. He grabbed some hot water from the reservoir, added soap to the basin and scrubbed up the few dishes and fry pan. The ever-rising sun reached the kitchen window, lighting the day. It was going to be a challenging one without Jada in his life.
She'd made his life brighter, his heart beat better than it ever had, she'd brought life to him and when he'd made love to her, he'd reached the stars. She'd given him the best love of his life already. What would their future hold, if she hadn't changed her mind about being courted by him?
He had to find a way to find out.
He set the clean fry pan in the drainer, grabbed the basin and carried it out into the back yard. He gave the water a toss and stood for a moment letting the sweet warm wind of summer breeze around him. She might had broken his heart last night, but it beat brighter because of her. His love for her remained, unbreakable. Un-shattered. Whole and forever.
He returned the dish pan to the kitchen, poured another cup of coffee and took it with him to the barn.
* * *
Jada yawned, exhausted from working in the dark to pan gold along the creek, where the melting ice from the hail had turned the bank into mud and she had to clean her nice pair of men's boots, the ones she'd found were rather quite comfortable. She took another sip of coffee in the quiet downstairs kitchen.
There would be no more baking from here on out, no more hoping to please and satisfy customers, but then again, employment was no longer a required and desperate necessity. She had enough saved, she hoped, for new furniture, if they were sensible. But one thing buying a house couldn't do, as wonderful as it was, was to heal her broken heart.
Which was probably why she couldn't stop thinking about the man or remembering his heated touch, scorching hot, coaxing pleasure from her body as he thrust inside her. Her blood thickened to molten lava recalling the way it felt with his weight holding her down and his arms around her, drawing her to him, cradling her after, feeding her from his spoon when he wanted her to try his mashed potatoes and she'd chosen the fried coins side dish. He'd ordered one of both.
But that closeness was gone, shattered to bits because she'd walked away from it.
"Boy, you're sure quiet this morning." Stella strolled in to the kitchen carrying a small box in her arms. "Mindy says we're having a fairly good morning. Putting a sale sign in the front window was a good idea."
"It was better than one that said, going out of business." She knew that nothing was ever going to be the same again. Everything was changing. She'd slept poorly last night after padding home from the claim, with what might be thirty whole dollars in little tiny nuggets and dust tucked in her pocket.
Through the wee hours of the night and morning, she'd kept waking up in her lonely little twin bed, listening to the silence and wishing she was back in Frisco's arms, tucked up snug against his hot, hard male body, spooned against his erection. That would have been a nice way to sleep. To have him wake up and make love to her.
But no, that life, that hope for the future was over for good. She had to stop wishing for it. She should have known it would end l
ike this from the start, from the moment that pony and those boys had dashed into the store. Worse, she'd done this to herself, bringing this heartbreak into her life because she'd known better than to fall in love with him.
But, oh, getting to know him and having the chance to love him had been sweet. Dear. Pure bliss.
Worth the pain. She'd love him for life.
"You've made good progress down here, too." Stella glanced around. She slid the small box on the counter to help herself to a new cup of coffee. "You finished emptying out the rest of the cabinets."
"And the pantry."
"No wonder it feels so empty. I caught the milkman and told him that we had to cancel our order."
"Thanks. Glad you did that. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not doing what I usually do. I'm not on top of things."
"Don't worry about it. I'm not myself either. I don't know what's wrong with me. I try not to, but my mind just can't forget that I have a possible beau. He mentioned supper again tonight, so I might not be here to keep you and Mindy company."
"That's wonderful. What are you going to wear?"
Stella set the coffee pot back on the stove. She reached for the sugar bowl. "I was thinking of borrowing your pink muslin dress with the lace and the pearls. What do you think? Is it fancy enough?"
"Definitely perfect for you. I think it's been ironed and is hanging in the closet."
"Okay, thanks! I have something here of yours. Perhaps you'd like me to pack this where it's safe? Or would you rather keep them out to wear? I noticed you didn't have on a single piece of the jewelry that Frisco gave you. What should I do with such pretty, valuable things?"
"Oh, these are so beautiful." She leaned in to look into the little velvet box where the expensive trinkets sparkled and winked up at her.
