Deborah Camp (24 page)

Oliver’s expression told Jennie that he had taken that advice to heart. It occurred to her that she could have told him the exact thing and her words would have gone in one ear and right out the other. He took her advice when it had to do with getting along with people, planting tomatoes and onions, or even mending fences, but when it came to riding, roping, shooting, and spitting, she was outgunned.

After supper Zach took Oliver outside to practice roping fence posts. Jennie washed and dried the dishes and set the kitchen back to order. She tamped down the fire in the cookstove and opened the backdoor to let a breeze sail through to cool off the inside of the house. Stepping out onto the porch, she found Zach sitting in one of the rockers, Oliver asleep in his lap. He looked up at her and smiled.

“We ran out of daylight and then he ran out of giddyup.”

“I’ll take him inside and put him to bed.” She reached for Oliver, hoisting him into her arms. Surprised when Zach made no move to leave, she glanced at him before she went back into the house. “Are you going to wait out here?”

He rocked back and forth. “Sure. Take your time.”

Wondering what he had on his mind, she took Oliver into his bedroom, helped him out of his clothes, and tucked him in. Kissing his forehead, she smoothed back his hair and turned down the bedside lamp to a pale glow.

“Good night, Ollie,” she whispered to him as she did every night. “Mama loves you.”

Zach was still rocking when she joined him on the porch again. She sat in the other rocker and admired a half-moon and the soft light it cast on the land.

“It’s a pretty evening,” she said. “That breeze feels nice.”

“Sure does. Did Bert tell you about Judge Bishop selling his house to pay his court fines?”

“Yes. Inez Rainwater had already told me about it, though.”

“I’m glad she has that job at the store,” Zach said with a smile. “Word is that the judge is leaving town and isn’t planning on coming back.”

“I’ve been wondering … was Luna sent to the same prison as Parks?”

“No, she was sent to a woman’s prison in Ohio. Parks is in jail in Texas. He’s scheduled to hang next month for murdering Stella.”

She suppressed a shudder. “I’ll be glad when it is all over with.”

“Amen.” He was quiet for a while before he said, “Your son has a special place in my heart, Jennie. I hope you know that.”

She couldn’t look at him because her feelings were rioting. She stared at the moon and prayed for strength to resist the tender love that still lived in her heart for him. “He thinks a lot of you.”

“It’s too bad you’re not interested in taking on a ranch manager. I had someone in mind for the job.”

“God willing, I might be in a position to hire someone like that in a few years. Right now, I have no need for one, which you can plainly see.”

“This fella would work for little or nothing. Room and board would be fine.”

“Room and board?” She had to look at him now to see if he was serious or teasing her again. “You think I’d let a man live here with me and my son?”

“Depends on the man, I reckon.” He rolled his head against the back of the rocker until his gaze found hers.

Jennie flipped a hand at him. “You’re talking foolishness now. I haven’t changed my mind since our last talk, Zach. For Oliver’s sake —.”

“I’m here to ask for the job, Jennie.” He sat up in the rocker, turning toward her. “I want to hire on as Oliver’s pa and your husband. If you’ll have me.”

Spots floated before her eyes and that’s when she realized she was holding her breath. She let it out and her heart swelled with hope. “Zach, don’t say such things unless you mean them with every fiber of your heart and soul. You said before that you don’t believe in marriage.”

“And I meant it – then,” he agreed. “But what I mean now with every fiber of my heart and soul is that I believe in marriage
with you.
You’ve made me a true believer, Jennie. Life is gray and gloomy without you and Oliver. You took the color right out of it when you moved here and turned your back on me.”

“I didn’t turn my back on you. There just wasn’t any future for me with you.”

In one fluid motion, he was out of the rocker and bending on one knee in front of her. He rested his hands on the arms of her rocker. “Look at me, Jennie. I’m as serious as a judge. Haven’t you missed me even a little bit?”

“Of course, I have.” She shook her head, chiding him. “And you know it. I love you, Zach. I didn’t stop loving you just because you couldn’t love me back.”

“I do love you, Jennie. I think I fell in love with you almost from the start, but I was too blamed stubborn to admit it. Jennie Caldwell Hastings, will you do me the honor of adding Warner to that long list of handles?”

She had never loved like this before, she thought, her heart so full that she feared it might burst. Laughing lightly, she drew in a shaky breath, almost afraid she might ruin the moment if she wasn’t careful or that he’d take back his words. “I might even knock off a couple of them and just go by Jennie Warner.” Hearing that, she smiled. “Yes. I like the sound of that.”

“Are you saying you will marry me?”

She framed his face in her hands as tears of happiness sprang into her eyes. “That is exactly what I’m saying.”

With a whoop, he stood up and scooped her out of the chair and into his arms. “Don’t start crying, darlin’, or we’ll both be boo-hooing on one of the happiest days of our lives.”

She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. “Zach …” She dragged her forefinger down his cheek and under his chin. “I noticed that Mercy isn’t tied out front anymore. Where is she?”

A half-smile teased his mouth. “Oliver and I unsaddled her and put her out in the corral with Tracks.”

“You weren’t planning on riding back to town tonight, were you?”

“Looks like you’ve found me out,” he admitted, kissing the tip of her nose as he carried her inside. “But I asked Oliver first if it was all right with him if I moved in here with y’all.”

“You asked Oliver before you asked me?” She craned her head back to lock gazes with him. His blue eyes glimmered in the dim light.

“I figured if it wasn’t okay with Oliver, then there would be no reason to ask you to marry me.”

When he was right, he was right, she thought as she rested her head on his shoulder. He walked toward the bedroom with the double bed and laid her down on it.

“You look so pretty lying there and I love you so much,” he said, his tone husky with desire. He started to unbutton his shirt, but stopped. “You’re going to let me stay the night, aren’t you?”

Jennie stretched lazily on the bed. “You’re going to stay with me every night from now on. Close the door, why don’t you.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” He shut the door and came back to her.

Sitting up, she curled a hand behind his neck and brought his mouth to hers in a kiss that telegraphed her longing for him. “You’re hired as my husband,” she whispered against his warm, moist lips. “Allow me to give you an advance on your wages.”

With a growling laugh, he set to collecting his due.

The End

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