Along Came Love (2 page)

How was she going to do little talk with a
man she'd known all her life. But then, she didn't really know Jake
Travers? She'd never been on a date with him, never visited his
home. No, virtual strangers would know more about each other.

"So, tell me about the real Sam…" he chuckled
as he eyed her over a tea glass.

She smiled despite herself, Jake Travers had
a charisma all his own, and always had. The boyish grin alone could
curl her toes, especially when he aimed it right at her. "Not much
to tell, I grew up here, went to college at University of Texas.
Got married, started teaching, then my marriage began falling apart
and my mother got sick, and so here I am, back home again. End of
story."

"Sounds like a fast forward to me. There's
got to me more to it than that. You don't strike me as a dizzy dame
type."

"You're very persistent aren't you?"

"I try. Okay, fair enough, let me see if I
can sum up my life. I grew up in Devils Corner, have three brothers
that are better cowboys than me, and a dad who is getting married
soon. I like motorcycles better than pickup trucks, and I haven't
been to dinner with a lady in a long time."

"Oh, how come?" she queried as the waitress
brought the menus.

"Hi Jake, haven't seen you in here since last
year," the waitress smiled then glanced at Samantha.

"We'll need a few minutes, Connie," he said
and checked the menu quickly.

Samantha smiled, "You know the waitresses by
name?"

"I went to college with her sister, but I
know most of the folks around town. Partly because I'm a Sheriff
and partly because I went to school here." He smiled.

"So, how come you haven't been out, much?"
she continued to ask, pretending to be interested in her tea, more
than him. Years ago this kind of conversation would never have
happened, but now…here she sat with Jake Travers talking small
talk.

Jake seemed to know what he wanted and put
his menu away, "I've been a little busy lately. I just took the bar
exam and that has taken me a while to prepare for."

"Really, are you going into practice, then?"
Samantha asked, putting the menu aside and looking at him with
interest, silently glad they had gotten off the personal side of
themselves.

"Uh…I don't know." His brow furrowed and his
smile faded as though she had brought up the wrong subject. She
felt it instantly, as though something told her she'd hit a raw
spot.

"I'm sorry, did I ask the wrong question?"
she asked noting his ill ease. She couldn't imagine Jake Travers
ill at ease over anything. He had always seemed like a man in total
control.

"It's a long story," he began, shuffling his
feet. "But…I guess it won't hurt to tell you. You see, it all
started years ago." He grabbed his ice tea and took a sip as he
studied her quietly over the rim. "I graduated from high school,
with honors, and won a scholarship. It wasn't in law, but that
didn't matter at the time, law was became my minor. Anyway, because
my brothers seemed to always need me to help out at the ranch,
well, my schooling took a backseat. I really didn't mind, I've got
to admit. Nothing I like better than being home with the family. My
family, who by the way loves me to no end, decided I should be a
lawyer. So basically to please them, or not disappoint them, I
aimed myself in that direction, but along the way I took a
Sheriff's job. Another way to learn about law, I soon learned. Now
I've at least completed the education my family says I deserve.
"

Samantha's mouth was hanging open, her eyes
widened, "I'm sorry, I don't see the problem. Sounds like you have
it more together than most people I know."

His smile was indulgent. "I'm just not sure I
want to go into law." He finished his words with an obvious
irritation in his voice.

"Oh! Well, I guess that is a problem."
Samantha sighed. "Especially if your folks think that's what you
want."

"You don't know the half of it," he said in a
sigh. They ordered steaks, he leaned back in his chair and studied
her again. "Now let's talk about you."

It was Samantha's turn to be unnerved. "Not
much to talk about I'm afraid."

"You said you and your mother will be living
here?" he asked to obviously get her to loosen up a little.

"Yes, my mother's been ill, and I'm taking
care of her," she explained. . "Well, not really taking care of
her, but she's a widow and she's been all alone…I just want to be
around close…"

"Nothing serious I hope?"

"Actually, it is. She has breast cancer.
She's been through a mastectomy and chemo and radiation, the works.
She's been so brave through it all. But…she's terribly weak, and I
want to make sure she doesn't over do. My father died long ago, and
she's been alone ever since. She always loved it here so I decided
we'd try to find somewhere close to her home. She used to have a
bunch of friends here, and I'm hoping she can get reacquainted with
some of them at least."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried…" he
began.

"Don't be, it isn't a secret. She isn't an
invalid or anything. It's just well,…I think we both need each
other right now." Samantha explained stirring artificial sugar into
her tea. "Cancer patients need a lot of family support. Because of
their weakened condition, it's important to keep their spirits up,
keep them as active as possible. I thought I would get her involved
in something here."

"You know that stuff isn't good for you."
Jake pointed his finger at the artificial sugar. "As thin as you
are, real sugar wouldn't hurt you." He remarked watching her dump
the artificial sugar into her tea.

Samantha's face screwed up into a frown, "And
if we want to stay thin, we use this stuff, as you call it."

"And is your ex-husband something we
shouldn't talk about?" he asked politely.

His change of subject shocked her; she had
been prepared to lash out about the sugar and stuff. But then she
suddenly realized there was no need. Jake Travers didn't have any
idea who he was talking to. And she'd overcome her problem long
ago. There was no longer a need to be intimidated about it

***

Samantha squirmed nervously as her friend
soaked up the news.

"Why aren't you jumping up and down? It is
wonderful news! I'm so happy you found a job in Sweetwater. Now you
and your mom can get reacquainted with everyone. It just couldn't
be better. .I mean, it's not as close to us, but we can still visit
when Rusty and I come home during the holidays," Hannah smiled at
her friend. "I think it's perfect, your Mom has always wanted to
move home…"

"I am excited, and a little nervous, too. I
mean I applied here first naturally, and there were no openings. I
should have known, too small a town to need a teacher, I guess. In
fact, I tried all around the area, there just wasn't anything
open," Samantha sighed. "All that was available was subbing, and I
don't want to do that again, there's just not enough guarantee I
could make it on a Sub's salary."

"Of course not, you need a full time teaching
job. But this will work wonderfully for you. Sweetwater is just big
enough to be interesting, and since you were raised there, you
should know lots of people. Phyllis, the cheerleader with the
overbite, moved there after graduation, and Norma Jean married a
man from there, so they're living there now too." Hannah sighed
holding her infant close. The baby made a funny face in his sleep,
but cuddled toward her.

Hannah smiled at him and stroked his
silk-soft hair.

"It will be nice, I'm sure I'll remember a
lot of people. You know, it's so hard to believe you and Rusty
settled down and made a family. I mean, the twins, Joe and then
little Emily, are growing and now Jacob. Are they excited about
their brother?"

"Oh gosh, are they ever? They fight over who
gets to diaper him and who gets to feed him. But they love him,
that's what's important. I guess I should be glad they like him and
don't want me to take him back, that's what Joe wanted us to do
when Emily came along."

"I can't believe the twins are already in
school." Samantha was saying as she gazed longingly at the baby. "I
mean, when Rusty first came out here, I just knew it had to be some
ruse. But one look and I could tell you two were in love." Samantha
chuckled.

Hannah's eyes became large and she looked
down into little Jacob's face and smiled again. "I hate to spoil
the fairytale, I really do. But, you were right. It was a ruse, at
first. Rusty came here to rescue me, and the ranch. It's a long
story but Dad had squandered all the money I sent home. I was in a
real fix, Samantha. If Rusty hadn't come along to save me, I'm not
sure what would have happened. And I couldn't lose the ranch, my
mother is buried here. It's kinda funny, Rusty and I had no idea
we'd fall in love with each other, but it did happen."

"Well, it doesn't matter how it all started,
it ended like a fairytale. I mean you hadn't been married a year
and you had the twins. And then Joe a couple years later. And
Emily, by the way, where is Emily? I mean I know Joe started
kindergarten this year, but Emily isn't in school yet."

"Oh, she's spending the next two weeks with
her Papa Cal, he's teaching her to ride. You know Cal, as soon as
they can walk and talk good, he's got them on a horse. She's been
riding for a year now and I can't keep her away from the 4 Bar
None. But it is a big help not having to take care of Emily, and
the others are in schools, so life's not so bad. Cal is so good
with the kids. And everyone has noticed how good they are for
him."

"Good, that gives you a little re-cooping
time and time for Jacob."

"Yeah, Jacob was a surprise we hadn't planned
on having any

more children, I mean it's been four years,
but it just happened, and we couldn't be happier about it. But I
swear, this is the last one…"

"I'm so happy for you. At least one of us has
found what they are looking for. Can I hold him a minute?"

Hannah looked at Samantha and smiled, "Sure,
sit here beside me."

"He's so little, I'm afraid I'll crush him."
Samantha took the baby into her arms and pulled it close to her.
The baby cuddled into her and Samantha felt her heart turn over.
She never realized how badly she wanted a child till the past year
when Pete totally refused to consider it. She smiled down into the
sleeping face. The instant warmth made Samantha cuddle him closer.
All her hormones seemed to spring forward, and the ache to have a
child screamed at her.

"He's a Travers, and they are strong." Hannah
laughed. "Don't worry, you won't break him."

"Oh God, Hannah, I want one of my own."
Samantha looked into little Jacob's dark blue eyes and smiled as a
gas bubble had him making a face like a smile.

"Well, then, maybe you better get to working
on that right away," Hannah encouraged with a chuckle.

"Yeah, fat chance. My having a child seems so
far fetched now. I'm too old. Besides, with teaching, I'll be
surrounded by children, that will be enough."

"You know, I would never have guessed this
would happen to me either, Samantha. Or that I could be so happy in
my life." Hannah admitted with a slight smile, her eyes reflecting
her inner thoughts. "Oh, you are going to find someone just for
you, and very soon. And you are not too old. Women are waiting
later and later in life to have their first child. You still have
plenty of time. I just know things are going to work out well for
you, especially since you found a job in Sweetwater. Just because
things didn't work out between you and Pete, doesn't mean you can't
find someone else. You're still young, I hope you haven't totally
given up."

"I guess you're right. But I'm not sure it's
the right time in my life with Mother so sick." Samantha's face
turned serious. "I guess, I just wasn't cut out to be a policeman's
wife."

"I can see where it would be hard. But I
don't think it was his occupation, it was Pete, himself. I mean,
when you are really in love, no occupation is going to stop you
from being together. You need a man that's loyal through and
through. There is someone out there for you, just you. Maybe a few
years ago, I wouldn't be saying this, but now…I believe. Love will
come along one day, and take you by surprise, just like it did
me."

"The two of you make love and marriage look
easy." Samantha touched the silk like hair on the baby's head. He
was gorgeous, so pink and healthy looking.

"So why not give it another chance? You know
me Sam, do you think I ever envisioned having five kids and a
husband to die for?" Hannah asked the question that Samantha
couldn't put her finger on, or didn't want to. Instead, she smiled
down into the baby's face.

"That day Cora and Sandy and I came out. Wow.
I'll never forget that proposal he gave. I never heard anything so
sweet, and to do it in front of us…well we were all very jealous
that day. It took my breath away. We were all swooning over it. I
guess marriage isn't for me, though. I haven't found a man I can't
live without, or with."

"You've given up on Jake Travers then?"

Samantha rolled her expressive green eyes, "I
haven't told you have I?"

"Told me what?" Hannah's brows drew together.
She stared at Samantha long and hard, "Well, come on girl,
give…"

"Well, I told you last time I talked to you
that I had gone into Sweetwater and applied for the job. Then I
found this house up for sale in the paper. It is so old, and so
cute and just right for Mom and me. It's small, but has all the
right amenities. So I called the real estate agent and asked if
he'd meet me there so I could take a look."

"Oh, and did you see it?"

"Oh yes, I saw it all right. But the agent
was busy so he sent his friend…Jake