Lincoln County Series 1-3 (11 page)

Mack sat across from her and was actually being halfway decent. Lance was on a sofa with his leg propped up onto a chair, recovering from the recent shoot out. After the initial commotion, he started back to reading the newspaper. Thomas and Jesse were involved in a card game, obstinately ignoring the uninvited visitors.

Jake sat, hoping for an opportunity to get out, until he heard thunder crackling above. Begrudgingly, he poured himself a cup of thick coffee, and having no choice, would wait. “I can’t take a chance with us heading back to town with this lightning.”

“We’ll leave when you say, Jake. I know I’m safe with you.”

Mack gave him a look of disapproval.

He planted a level gaze right back at him, daring him to challenge his motives with Cameron.

Mack stood up. “Well, I’m hungry. I’m going to rustle up some supper.”

“Please, may I help?” Cameron asked.

“Well, uh...yeah, I suppose you could.”

Jake strongly disagreed. “She’s still recovering. I’m not gonna have her cook for you.”

“I feel better than I have in weeks,” Cameron asserted.

After an awkward dinner hour with Jake wanting to be as far away as possible from the memories that went along with this ranch, the storm let up.

It was dark by the time they reached the hotel, but Jake realized he wasn’t done spending time with her. “Let me buy you a drink. A sarsaparilla
,
I mean,” he emphasized, remembering her last bout with liquor.

“I actually like the taste of rum...well, once I got used to it.” She giggled.

“I’m sure you did,” he teased.

He helped her from the buggy, depositing her at the front entrance. After making sure she was stable, went to deliver the rented team back at the livery.

*** *** ***

Cameron explained her ordeal to Lacey the moment she saw her, apologizing for missing out on her duties.

“You were in your brother’s home?”

“For whatever it meant. He’s stubborn! I hope he comes around.”

Jake returned. “I’ll be in here,” he said and went into the saloon.

Lacey watched Jake walk into the saloon, and before she could impede her with a warning to stay away from him, Cameron followed.

She entered only to find Charlotte and Jake in what appeared to be a heated discussion. She stood back, not wanting to interfere, but too curious to leave. Jake looked angry, Charlotte, too. Cameron was shocked when she saw him grab Charlotte’s wrist until it looked like she’d surrendered to whatever it was he was telling her.

He made his way back to her.

“Is...is everything all right?”

“I needed to make sure we were left alone tonight and that you wouldn’t be bothered. Come, sit down with me.”

She looked at her sarsaparilla and her rum. He’d ordered one of each.

“We can get you more flowers another time.”

The unease lifted once she saw that Charlotte was no longer in the saloon. “I would like that very much. Not just the flowers but all of it. Well, we can leave out the hellfire and brimstone. I did love the creek though. Thank you for taking me.” She fidgeted her hands nervously. It seemed things were getting intimate again.

For hours they visited and Cameron was seeing a side to Jake she never knew existed. He opened up and talked about his childhood, his sister Jenny and his parents. Modestly, he described his homestead. She noted he specifically left out his sister after telling of his parents’ deaths.

Conjuring up some courage, she asked about her. “What happened to Jenny?”

He pierced her with a sharp look that quickly softened. He was beginning to let down his guard. “She hung herself… at your brother’s.”

Jake sat back in the chair, arms crossed defiantly. Cameron leaned in close, wondering which words to express for comfort. He continued sharing before she could figure it out.

“Thomas said he was trying to get her to go home, says he never wanted her there.”

Tears began to swell. She didn’t know if her heart was breaking over Jenny, or over her brother’s cruelty. “Do you believe him?”

“If I do, it means that she thought no one wanted her, and if that’s the reason, then it’s my fault, not his.”

Before they realized the saloon was empty, they heard Liam stacking up dirty dishes and noticed all the vacant tables around them.

Jake cleared his throat. “I hope we didn’t keep you.”

Cameron stretched and smiled at Liam who said, “You two stay here any longer and I’ll put you to work washing up all these here dishes!”

That was it. They rushed out laughing heartily, the heavy mood lifting, which she was grateful for. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Cameron held her finger up to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh.” The last thing she needed was for Lacey to get upset with her for waking up the guests.

Jake lifted her finger from her lips and placed it to his own. He closed his eyes as if to savor her touch. She stood there, stock still, for what seemed like eternity. When he opened his eyes, he gently pulled her into him until their foreheads touched. She knew what he was doing—he was wrestling between letting her go, and keeping her with him. She was waiting in suspense, afraid to move. He lifted his face to search hers. If she didn’t let him know what she wanted, he’d walk out the door. Cameron stood up on her tiptoes to get herself kissed.

Jake kissed her firmly, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her steady, yet protective of her wound. He eased her back into the stair rail while she bravely pulled herself into him, sliding her arms up and around his strong neck, feeling his muscled shoulders. Dizziness overcame her, causing a very pleasant tingly sensation. Jake’s breathing increased, then suddenly, he broke the kiss.

He rubbed a rough thumb across her moist mouth. “You don’t want this, Cameron.” He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as if he could blow out the flames of burning passion.

“Please don’t tell me what I want. Everyone tells me what I want. Mama told me that I wanted to come here.” She smiled wanly. “Well, she happened to be right. But that’s beside the point. My brother tells me that I don’t want him or to be a part of his life, and now you. Please, don’t. I do want you, Jake.”

She would help him decide. “Please,” she appealed.

*** *** ***

He shut his eyes, deliberating, wrestling, weighing. He knew if he searched her face, the act would wash away the last of his integrity, and worse, steal her purity. Cameron must have taken his silence as rejection because she roughly pushed him away and ran up the stairs. He placed his hand on the rail where her warmth still remained and leaned his head against his forearm. It took him three seconds to decide to go up after her. He took the steps in twos, reaching her door just as she did. He pulled her to him and kissed her mouth over and over, all the while fumbling with the door handle. When he got it open, he paused to give her one more chance to stop him. Cameron held his anxious gaze with her welcoming one and backed slowly into the room. He followed and clicked the door shut.

Chapter Eighteen

Throughout breakfast Jake had been attentive and kind, and shortly after his departure, Cameron went outside where the crisp autumn air made her chill. She had a full list of supplies to order for the hotel and headed to the mercantile.

She saw her brother leaning against a fence post near some horses, looking to be waiting for someone. When Thomas saw her, she heard him swear.

“It’s so nice to see you,” Cameron said cheerfully, choosing to ignore his boorish behavior. And besides that, nothing could break up her happiness today.

“I can hardly say the same.” He tried to get past her, but she sidestepped along with him.

“There’s no sense in avoiding me—I’ve told you before that I am staying. I no longer have the home where I grew up.”

“As I’ve already told
you,
I don’t care if you’re here or not, I just don’t want you in my life. I’m not about to change the way I live for you or anybody else, so get out of my way.”

Undaunted she plunged ahead. “Just who do you think you are?”

He cocked a brow. No doubt nobody had ever talked to him so.

“You are egotistical thinking that I would ask you to change anything. I don’t
want
to live with you! I’m happy at Lacey’s. How can you turn your back on family? I’ve come all of this way to meet you, Thomas....”

No. Don’t cry!

Too late, the tears betraying her strength came rolling out, one after another.

He swore again.

“And you...you have the worst mouth I’ve ever heard!” she stammered.

“I wouldn’t have to turn my back on you if you would just leave.”

“Leave? Do you really want me to go? How about I just go and search out my no good pa? Would you like me to do that? The one who tried to kill you!” She snatched his handkerchief right out of his shirt pocket. She knew he didn’t have it in him to offer it on his own. The act surprised him and he winced as she blew her nose into it, hard.

“Dang it! I don’t want you to find him, Ca --” He swore and moved out of the way for someone to pass through.

“You can’t even say it, can you? Just say my name, Thomas.”

He stood there mute, as if he’d rather look at the dirt than at her. “You don’t want to be around me. Sometimes I’m no better than your pa. You’ve got to see that.” He walked away.

Distraught, Cameron declined shopping and was nearly home when she saw Andrew on Main Street talking to Miss Evah, the Swanson sisters, and another young female whom she hadn’t seen before. The women were acting shamelessly, obviously seeking the man’s attentions. She searched his face to see his reaction and wasn’t surprised to see unease.

She crumpled her brother’s handkerchief into her hand and walked up to the small, interesting group just as Mary invited him to come to dinner.

“Pardon the interruption, Reverend. I couldn’t help but overhear and I wanted to remind you of your commitment this evening.”

He looked at her blankly.

Promptly, she put on a miffed voice. “You
are
still planning to help your cousin aren’t you, Reverend Jackson?”

Mary Swanson waited anxiously.

“Of course!” he feigned surprise. “How could I forget? Please accept my apologies, Miss Swanson. I regret I have other plans.”

Her disappointment was clear.

Cameron linked her arm with his and told him that he was needed urgently in the hotel, and started pulling him away.

“Excuse me, ladies.” He tipped his hat to them and to Cameron he said, “I am supposed to be an upstanding man of the cloth!”

They had a good laugh.

“You poor, poor man,” Cameron teased. “Being surrounded by women all the time must be awful! Too bad your mother hadn’t returned back home. She could be protecting you.”

Lacey hurried down the hall to see what all of the commotion was. “What seems to be so funny? You two look guilty as sin.”

“I’m going to be hit by lightning I imagine. I lied to someone.” He grinned, not at all concerned about the pending lightning strike.

“I think he should have to go to dinner with Mary and Amy Swanson,” Cameron piped up. “That would be punishment enough!”

“Now you listen here!” Andrew turned on Cameron. “You’re the one who started all of this.” His smile faded. “And to say thank you—I’m going to serve you up a nice, juicy piece of...well, whatever Cook has for us.” He turned to Lacey. “Are you coming?”

“No, I’ve got paperwork to attend to. Some of us have to work around here.”

They snickered and settle themselves in the restaurant.

“My house will be ready for me to move into next week,” Andrew said. “I would like you to consider coming to church with me on my last Sunday staying here at the hotel. No pressure.” He held up his hand to her. “I would love to have you accompany me, is all.”

“You just want me with you to protect you from all of the pestering females swarming around you like bees on honey!”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes. I’ll come with you.”

*** *** ***

“Splendid.” Andrew tried not to sound too excited. He had been praying for Cameron and Lacey. He knew the girls lived the way they did because they knew of no other and he desired to see change in their lives, to be a part of that change. More times than not, God had to remind him that it was He who changes hearts, not Andrew.

God willing, Cameron would enjoy Sunday and return again. That’s all he could do—invite, speak the Truth, and step back.

“Has your brother come around yet?”

“I saw him today. You could say that he’s far from coming around. He won’t listen to me and he doesn’t want me. I suppose I should just accept it. It seems strange, being so close to family and not being one.” She spoke softly, not in self-pity but in resignation.

He had no words of experience to offer. He’d always been filled with love and support from both of his parents, and what they couldn’t fill, God did. “I will be praying for the two of you,” he said sincerely.

“What’s that like?” she asked. “Praying. You just...talk to God and He talks back?” She waited for his answer.

“Well, it’s not quite like that. I do talk to Him, I mean. I pray for people to be healed, to know God. I ask God on their behalf to show His love to them. I’ve never heard His voice, not like you think. I just feel Him and I know He’s always there with me. In the Bible it says that He will never leave or forsake us. I believe that with all of my heart.” He stopped. He could go on but didn’t want to lose this opportunity of her being open and asking questions.