Along Came Love (3 page)

Travers."

Hannah's eyes rounded on her. "Are you
serious? Jake was there…showing you the house? Oh Samantha, it's a
sign…"

Samantha nodded and rolled her eyes.

"Well give girl, what happened?" Hannah was
smiling now and anxious to hear.

Putting the baby in his crib, she covered him
then joined Samantha on the couch.

"Well, I didn't get on the porch but what I
nearly fell through the wood step. And Jake being Jake, couldn't
help but be the knight in shining armor. He was right behind me,
before I knew what hit me, and believe me, I couldn't decide if I
was more stunned at what happened, or who saved me."

"How romantic!" Hannah sighed.

"Oh, yeah, right. Don't get your hopes up, he
didn't even recognize me." Samantha spouted.

"You are kidding. Rusty says he used to
torment the dickens out of you, when ya'll were young."

"That's true! That was Jake all right, my
tormentor. But anyway, he was the perfect gentleman, took care of
my foot, and carried me in the house so I could see it. I loved it
of course, the house that is."

"Uh-huh, I'll just bet you did." Hannah
rolled her eyes again and chuckled.

"Then he proceeded to carry me to the
doctor's office and we sat and talked a long while. Afterwards he
took me to dinner. End of story."

"Just like that, end of story?" Hannah
gasped. "You never told him, who you were? You went through the
house in his arms, the doctor's office and out to dinner at one
meeting. My, Jake must be a fast worker. They tell me the strong
silent types are the ones to watch out for."

"No really, he was just friendly, and nice to
talk to. He wasn't overly flirty or anything. And he's only home on
vacation, he probably won't be there when I get

moved in, so that's the end of that."
Samantha sighed. "But for old times sake, it was good seeing
him."

"If he took you to dinner, he was definitely
interested. Jake doesn't go out much."

Samantha wrinkled her nose. "He was just
being nice. Maybe even afraid I'd sue Al about the porch or
something."

"No, honey, Jake doesn't take a woman out
unless…" Hannah smiled. "He's interested. So…what did you two talk
about? I mean if you didn't tell him who you were?"

"Not much really, he told me about taking the
bar exam…"

"He passed it, hooray for Jake…" Hannah
clapped her hands and smiled at her friend. "We've all been waiting
to hear that."

"He didn't seem all that happy about
passing." Samantha eyed her friend. "I'd be on air if I
accomplished something that grand." Samantha sighed heavily. "I
don't know why I always felt Jake and I were meant for each other,
then one day I shrugged it off and realized that was just wishful
thinking. That was about the time I met Pete. At first Pete was
real aggressive in dating me, but the longer it lasted, the more
important his job became. I don't want another relationship like
that. Besides, Jake's into law too. Wouldn't that be like jumping
out of the pot into the frying pan?"

"But he's just a Sheriff of a little town, a
very peaceful little town. You wouldn't believe how proud that town
is of him. He's more popular than …Winnie the Pooh."

"Oh Hannah! It all seems so useless. Yeah,
I've changed physically. But what I want, is a man who loves me for
myself, whether I'm chubby or not. Not because I finally got wise
enough to lose weight. I want a man who loves me, for me….like
Rusty does you."

Hannah laughed, "Well, as you know I didn't
encourage a romance by the way I used to dress. In fact, quite the
opposite. So I guess Rusty does love the real me."

"The two of you are incredible. You both work
so hard to make this place a real ranch, and side by side too. I
spent years thinking I'd find someone who would fall magically in
love with me, like that. Then I wised up and realized that everyone
isn't as lucky." Samantha spied Rusty coming toward the front porch
and got up off the couch.

"I guess I better go, you've got enough to
handle with feeding that husband of yours. He has some appetite.
I'm astounded he isn't fat by now."

"He probably would be, but he's just too
busy." Hannah laughed softly, giving her tired husband a quick
squeeze as he came striding through the door and headed straight
for her. "Hi honey, ready for some lunch?"

Hannah kissed her husband lightly on the lips
as he took the big brown Stetson off and he smiled down at her.

"Yep, I'm starved as usual. How's my little
critter doing?" He glanced about for his son. "Samantha, you are
going to have to come by more often. We could use a babysitter." He
chuckled.

"She's moving to Sweetwater," Hannah
injected. "Don't get your hopes up."

"Sweetwater? Now why you want to do something
like that?" Rusty countered as he shot her a quick glance.

"That's where my job is, and I wanted to take
Mom home again."

"Is she any better?" Rusty asked his smile
fading.

"She's in remission now and things are
looking up for her. I've even found the perfect little house for
us." Samantha moved toward the door.

Rusty ambled over to the crib, tickling
Jacob's fuzzy hair on his ears.

"Stop that, haven't you ever seen a baby with
hair on their ears before."

"Nope, he's one of a kind." Rusty
chuckled.

"He's asleep, and don't you wake him," Hannah
scolded lightly as she started for the kitchen. "Sure you won't
stay for lunch, Samantha?"

"I better get back. We've just moved in and
there is loads of work to be done and I don't want Mom trying to do
it."

"Yes, of course you are right about that. And
she probably would try. Send me your address as soon as you
can."

"It's been great seeing the two of you again,
and that precious baby. I'm so jealous."

"I'll remember that around 2 AM in the
morning when he's dying for a feeding," Hannah chuckled.

"I'd come…."

"I know you would, and thanks. Now you take
care of yourself and keep in touch. We'll see you soon, you know
Dad's getting married."

Samantha was about to open the front door,
when she wheeled on her heels, "You don't mean it. He's finally
going to marry Bertha?"

Rusty came closer to her and winked, "'Bout
time wouldn't you say?"

"And then some," Samantha laughed.

"You're coming to the wedding aren't you?"
Hannah cried out from the kitchen.

"Well, I don't know…I mean, I guess if I get
an invitation." Samantha cried.

"Oh you'll get one," Rusty patted her on the
arm, "I'll see to that."

"Then I'll be there, I've really got to run
though. Love you guys."

"Okay, thanks for stopping by and letting me
know where you are. Love you too girl."

Samantha smiled as she took one last look at
her oh so happy friends. She did envy them…

"Uncle Jake, Uncle Jake?' Sammie Jo was
shaking Jake as though the world was fixing to end, as he snoozed
on the couch after dinner. He'd been up the night before with a
sick heifer and wasn't ready to be roused, but the concern in his
niece's voice and the expression on her face when he popped open
one eye to see what was going on, had him sitting up and paying
attention, reluctantly.

"What's wrong pumpkin?" He asked, rubbing his
face and trying to wake himself.

"Oh, Uncle Jake, you've just got to help me,"
Sammie Jo pleaded.

Sammie Jo sounded desperate; her blue eyes
were big, round and worried. Tears were on the way, Jake was sure
of that. He stared into her beautiful young face and smiled.

"Now what can be this serious?" He asked as
he watched her closely.

"You've got to help me, Uncle Jake. You know
Mom and Dad are on their honeymoon, so you're elected."

Jake nodded dully. "That's right. I'm
elected. And I'm here for you Pumpkin. So start at the beginning
and tell me what is so gosh-awful wrong."

Sammie Jo flopped at the other end of the
couch and wrinkled her nose. "You aren't gonna like it."

Jake wiped at his eyes again, straightened
himself and tried to look as though he understood her tirade of
emotions spilling forth on him, like a downpour.

"No?" Jake was sure he wouldn't. When Sammie
Jo got that desperate tone to her voice, he knew he wouldn't like
it, but he couldn't stop himself from listening.

So, why had she waited till after dinner to
announce this to him? She'd been home from school for hours and had
said absolutely nothing about her earth-shattering news.

Sammie Jo had long ago wound herself around
her Uncle's finger though, and she was well aware of her
accomplishment.

This blue eyed, blonde-headed
thirteen-year-old angel could ask anything of him, and he couldn't
resist. Besides, wasn't this one of the basic reasons he had come
home, to be with his family, to be a part of the family again.

"No." Sammie Jo hiccupped and caught her
breath.

"Is it worse than when you decided to drop
the e on your name?"

"That was nothing, Uncle Jake. Besides, who
wants to be called Sammiee? You know that was only a typographical
error on my birth certificate."

Jake crossed his booted feet, "Okay, point
taken. Now shoot."

"Well…I'm having a problem at school. For
one, I'm flunking math." Sammie Jo bit her fingernail to the quick
and grimaced.

"Flunking math?" Jake immediately stood up
and paced the room. Turning toward her, he shook his head. "How
could you be flunking math? I spent the better part of my last
vacation helping you with it. I thought you knew it backward and
forward."

Sammie Jo dropped her gaze and stared at the
floor. A flush came over her face as she raised almost innocent
eyes at him. Eyes usually full of mischief and mayhem, eyes that
always had his attention. "It's different this year…harder! I mean,
I'm taking Pre-Algebra and I don't understand it at all. It's
nothing like the math we had last year. It's like Greek to me. I
just can't get the hang of it. I've tried. I really have."

Pre-Algebra, it had been Greek to Jake
too.

Knowing Sammie Jo was dyslexic Jake could
understand her having trouble. "I guess we'll just have to work on
it, then…"

Big words, how would he pull this one off, he
wondered to himself.

Sammie Jo brightened immediately, 'I knew I
could count on you. I got this note from the teacher, though. I’m
supposed to talk to the counselor." Sammie Jo was saying as she
pulled a white piece of paper from her notebook on the coffee
table. Rather than hand it to him, she clutched it with a fist.
"She wants to talk to my parents, and they aren't here. Will you
talk to her for me?"

Jake sighed heavily, great, that meant going
into town, and he already had a full schedule of work planned on
the ranch tomorrow. More than he wanted to handle, right now.
Placed in charge though, since Deke and Emma were gone on a belated
honeymoon vacation, this was merely another obligation. That's what
volunteering got him. Still, he knew his brother deserved a
honeymoon, even if it was twelve years too late. Besides, he had
some heavy thinking to do, and where better to do it than at home
with the people he loved.

He hadn't been home but a few days and things
were going wrong, being an Uncle just got harder.

"I guess I'll have to, won't I?"

Sammie Jo glanced up at her Uncle and jumped
into his arms. Jake laughed, and hugged her to him. There wasn't
anything Sammie Jo could ask that was too much. Not when she looked
at him like a little lost puppy. He was a goner, he loved kids.
Everyone else's kids, that is. As far as he was concerned, it was
too late to be thinking in that direction for his own life.
Besides, it took a wife, and he didn't plan on that either.

Jake looked down into her bright baby blue
eyes and smiled. "This is a tall order, Pumpkin, and only for
you."

"Oh thank you, Uncle Jake. I knew I could
count on you." Sammie Jo was scrambling off the couch and grabbing
her notebook.

Before Jake could ask who the counselor was,
or what room he had to go to, Sammie Jo was out the back door and
Clay, her cousin, had materialized from out of nowhere. Clay and
Sammie Jo Travers were not only cousins but closer than a possum
and a hound. When the two of them got together, it was hopeless.
Trapped by his loveable niece, Jake quickly realized he knew
absolutely nothing about talking to a counselor. However, as
Sheriff of Peaceful he had many dealings with the school, so he
wouldn't be totally out of place.

He'd go into Sweetwater tomorrow, see this
counselor, and get things straight before Deke and Emma came home.
He'd convince her he would work with Sammie Jo until she caught on
to it on her own. It sounded simple enough. Simple, except Jake
didn't know much more about Pre-Algebra than Sammie Jo. So why did
he feel as though he were about to step into a lioness den?

The next morning, after a restless night's
sleep and coffee unfit for any cowpuncher, Jake hopped astride his
Harley and motioned for Sammie Jo to join him.

Sammie Jo hesitated only momentarily as she
glanced at her grandfather, and then bounded down the porch steps
and behind her Uncle, with a big grin on her face. Both of them
were quickly subjected to a lecture on how careful he should be and
that Deke and Emma wouldn't approve him carrying Sammie Jo around
on his bike.

But Jake had just a few too many things on
his mind today, and bad coffee and lectures just didn't get the job
done. He nodded respectfully to his father, shoving a helmet to his
niece, and spun out the driveway.

Jake smiled to himself, Cal Travers was a
capable part-time cowhand, a great handyman around the house, the
best father in the world, but he lacked one particular skill. He
couldn't make a decent pot of coffee.