*** *** ***
Hopeful that she was home, Jake dusted the loose snow from the rail on the side of her house and tied Hunter to it. The door creaked open before he reached the steps, and oddly enough, the first thing he thought about was that he needed to oil its hinges and clear the ice and snow from her porch. Then he brought his eyes to Cameron’s and took the first step towards her. A brief look of panic appeared across her brows and was replaced with open curiosity that seemed to ask, why was he there?
“Apologies for dropping by… Do you mind?”
She shook her head, but remained speechless.
He took the rest of the stairs, and she moved aside so he could enter. He spotted Drew sitting on a blanket in the middle of the floor, surrounded with wooden toys. He grinned wide at Jake, baring proudly, all of his eight teeth.
Cameron wrung her hands. He realized he missed witnessing that motion whenever she got nervous. She confessed, “It’s Lacey… The toys. She spoils him so.”
“Do you expect anything less from her?”
She laughed, and he was grateful she decided to relax in his presence. She offered him some coffee.
“Would love some.”
She gestured to a hook near the door. “You may hang your coat, and put your gloves near the fire to dry.”
*** *** ***
Her heart was picking up its beat. They were in such an intimate setting. The fire, Drew playing in their midst, Jake hanging his coat just as Andrew did when entering their home, she, in the kitchen preparing to serve… him.
She stole a glance at Jake making his way to Drew. He raised his hands to be picked up, and when Jake didn’t obey his wishes right away, he began to fuss. She set down the spoon in her hand and went to pick him up until she heard Jake’s strong voice speaking in hushed tones. “You don’t need coddling.” Jake sat on the floor in front of her baby and handed him a train. “You’re a big boy, Drew. There you go, see that? You’re just fine.” Jake reached out and ruffled his head.
Cameron spun around as tears instantly materialized. Swiping them away quickly and hopefully without notice, she began getting the rest of the serving tray ready. Knowing what Jake had just done brought pain to her chest. It was what Andrew should be here doing. But he wasn’t here and Drew needed a father. She felt contrite. She was coddling him, as Jake so rightfully put it. But he’d done it without scolding her. Now that she’d thought on it, when had this Jake emerged? Lifting the tray, she brought it into the living area and deposited it on the table, all the while looking at Jake with renewed questions. There was no doubt in her mind he had changed somehow and somewhere along the way in their off and on relationship. And come to think of it, he’d been around town longer than usual this season.
“Jake?”
He turned. “Yes?”
“The coffee… It’s ready for you.” She couldn’t help but inquire, “Are you heading out of town soon?”
He cocked his head in question. “Why do you ask?”
She sat at the table. “Because I am just getting used to seeing you around and am assuming you’re ready to be on the trail again.”
He joined her and to her shock placed a hand over hers. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Doing everything but looking at his hand touching her, bringing feelings to the surface she’d blatantly buried deep, she intended to find out what he meant. “You mean until you find another outlaw to hunt.”
He lifted his hand from hers and leaned back in the chair. Drew tossed a toy, no doubt wanting their attention upon him but neither looked away from each other. She came into a challenging mood, no longer willing to be hurt by this man.
Intently he replied, “I am no longer a bounty hunter.”
Cameron refused to believe him. “Maybe. But I’m sure you’ll find other reasons to disappear for months at a time.” She focused on the coffee now, pouring herself some and willing her hand to stop its shaking. She then poured his, wondering at the guard popping up, surrounding her heart.
“I should have said that I wasn’t going to go anywhere unless you and Drew were in my company.”
She nearly scoffed. What was he getting at? She laughed more bitterly than she’d intended. “You don’t need to concern yourself with us, Jake. You’re not responsible for us. We’ve been through all of this before.” She heard his chair slide back and shot her eyes at him in anger, sure he was going to walk out the front door. He couldn’t even take a little bit of truth. She was hardly surprised. In fact, he was only proving her point.
Instead he was at her side pulling her out of her own seat! Face to face with him he said in a humble voice, “I am not making myself clear. And you… You’re being difficult.”
A smile came to him and her earlier thoughts became clear. He’d changed for sure. It was in his eyes, his voice, the way he looked at her.
“I want you and I, and Drew, to be a family. Cameron, I would never do anything to dishonor Andrew. In knowing that, would you consider being my wife?”
“I can’t have you leaving us whenever things are difficult…”
“I made a promise to God that I would never do that again. I don’t even have the urge to. Instead, I would fight for my family. I couldn’t do anything different.”
He’d made a promise to God?
That was it. His countenance. She looked at every curve and feature of his face. The old Jake was not there. And the truth of it all was that she’d fallen in love with the new Jake and hadn’t even known it.
“If you’re sure…”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”
“Oh Jake.” She embraced him and allowed his strong arms to come around her. His lips turned towards her cheek, and lightly, he laid them there a long moment.
He murmured, “I will love and cherish you and be the best father to Drew as can be.”
She felt his hands move to the back of her neck as joy filled her. “I know you will and we will love you back.”
Their kiss was brief. Both knowing what would happen if they were not wise. Jake backed away and she nearly smiled at the slightest look of regret upon his face. Drew hollered out and tossed another toy in their direction before deciding to crawl away.
She pulled Drew out of reach of the fire and had a thought. “Who’s going to marry us? I’m the preacher.”
Jake had an answer quick enough to make her wonder that he’d already thought this through. “I know a preacher, I’ll have him here after Christmas.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Being the New Year and having a future bride within his grasp brought a welcome season into Jake’s life. He stood, waiting at the train depot on the lookout for Stephen Palmer. He was a nervous suitor and could barely contain himself to stand still. He’d worn out the ground from pacing until finally the train’s whistle echoing in the distance brought his anxiousness to a level he never knew existed.
Calm yourself.
Swiping sweaty hands, despite the cold, onto the pants at his thighs he was determined to look at ease when the preacher-sheriff disembarked. Jake found himself a pole to lean on and refused to move an inch. He was grateful Cameron was not with him to greet Stephen and to witness her husband-to-be acting like a lovesick cowboy. But as his thoughts carried her in his mind he couldn’t help it. His life was about to be complete. Cameron, having been out of his reach for so many years, was finally going to be his. And with Drew, Jake had an instant family.
Never could he have hoped for such a gift to come his way. He now knew what Andrew meant when he made Jake promise to get his life in order with God before he could have Cameron. He hadn’t realized at the time of accepting God into his life that he was fulfilling Andrew’s last wishes. Andrew had been right. Aside from wanting Cameron to be cherished and cared for, Jake needed to be of the same mind as Cameron. And though he felt he had a ways to go in this new area, a willing heart had never been more attainable. Nerves jumped vehemently as the train got closer and finally
chugged to a stop.
In greeting, Stephen clamped Jake on the shoulder. “Well look at you—gearing up for a wedding day. Who’d have ever thought?”
Taking his jest in stride, Jake answered, “Me. That’s who.”
“And a preacher to boot? She must be something. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“We’re on our way now. She’s staying at Lacey’s Place with her son until we wed tomorrow.”
Stephen halted their walk mid-way to the hotel. “Soon to be your son.”
Jake would have to get used to that. He nodded in agreement. The words spoken out loud would have felt foreign on his own tongue.
They picked up the pace again, and Jake smirked.
“You got something to say?” Stephen asked.
“The ladies reaction to you is all. Giddy as all get out.” Jake looked pointedly at the Swanson sisters, shamelessly peering at Stephen. How nice it would be to have his wife to come home to and never deal with the females again.
Stephen winked at them. “Pity I’ll be on my way after your wedding.”
“Yeah well, I got the only good one. You ain’t missing out on much.”
They had a good laugh, and when they entered the foyer of Lacey’s and his eyes met Cameron’s, nothing else would or could remotely matter at the moment.
*** *** ***
Cameron came to stand beside Jake and waited to be introduced. Stephen was nothing as she thought he’d be and was pleased Jake had a friend in him. For several hours they discussed the wedding plans for the morrow, over coffee in the restaurant.
Cameron smiled at Lacey, very much a part of the conversation. She couldn’t fathom how Lacey had conjured up such beautiful plans in two weeks’ time, although she wouldn’t have put it past her to do anything less.
As their discussion drew to a close, Stephen rose from his seat. “I’m proud of you Jake. The decisions you’ve obviously made since we last met are going to provide you with happiness.” He turned to Cameron. “I’m honored to be a part of your special day.”
Lacey chose to walk Stephen out, leaving Jake and Cameron alone. She asked him a question weighing on her mind. “You sure this isn’t too much? I’ve tried to scale Lacey back but she won’t budge. Everything has to be just so in order for her to be happy.” She left out the part that Lacey had given her grief that she’d missed out on her first wedding and wasn’t about to not take part in her wedding to Jake.
“You needn’t assure me of anything. Remember, I’ve known her a few years longer than you have.”
She took in his features, feeling less inhibited in doing so now. He was more attractive to her every day. Although she was being bold, she was the one to blush when he looked back at her with intensity. She was about to pull her gaze away, but gently, he cupped her chin and brought his lips to hers. When he was done engaging every emotion of passion possible within her core, he whispered, “I can hardly stand waiting until tomorrow.”
She gulped in panic but remained unmoving.
Finally he let out a small laugh. “You should see your face. I’m only speaking the truth. It does not mean that I intended on acting upon anything.” He gave her a less intimate peck on the nose and assured her, lest she doubt. “But once you’re mine, there will be nothing barring us from doing whatever we please, whenever we please.”
And with that, he walked out the door. This time, seeing his backside walking away from her only brought relief. She let out a shaky breath, hand over her heart and about fell over from dizziness. Lacey walked in just as she physically shuddered away the provoking thoughts and feelings invading her insides.
“My, my—you look a mite guilty Cameron Jackson, soon to be Collins. Come now, we must get to bed. You’re getting married in the morning.”
Cameron got to her room and thanked Penny for getting Drew to sleep. She slipped into bed beside her son and thought on his father. At complete peace, she knew this is what Andrew would have wished upon them.
*** *** ***
Cameron walked down the aisle. Lacey had outdone herself. Candles were everywhere. If she weren’t so preoccupied, she might fear a fire could spin out from them. White roses made from silk adorned every pew, and shiny material gathered on the floor beneath her feet, like a path of silky white water leading to Jake, who stood about as handsome as she could handle next to Stephen. She took a breath. Twenty steps, nineteen… smiling all the way, as best she could, at the wedding guests sporting grins of congratulations. Seeing Lacey, who was beaming, and Thomas, who in his brotherly way seemed relieved to pass her along to another, urged her forward step after step. Soon she stood beside the man she loved with all her heart. Drew, in Penny’s arms, seemed to affirm the union by letting out a bellow of giggles and unintelligible chatter. Both she and Jake turned to him before focusing back to each other, then to Stephen. Her heart was so filled with joy. Despite all of the hardships she’d endured over the years, God never failed to show His goodness.
After they were pronounced man and wife the celebration began. They did their duty of receiving kind and loving words from family and friends. For several hours Cameron felt Jake’s eyes boring into her, inside and out. She wasn’t sure he was going to go along with wedding etiquette much longer, and embarrassingly enough, it excited her. She knew where he was without laying eyes on him, and as soon as she gave him her attention, he departed the well-wishers surrounding him without a by your leave. She blushed, heavily. Politely excusing herself from Mrs. Kline, she met Jake halfway. It wouldn’t do to have him rip her away from old lady Kline, despite her eagerness to begin her life with him.
“Is Drew set to go with Penny and her Ma?” he asked briskly.
Warmth flooded her. “Yes, we only need to say good-bye to him.”
Ushering her around until they spotted Penny and Drew he said, “Let’s say that good-bye.”
The ride home was filled with a suspenseful quiet, almost as if they were each contemplating life without Andrew in it. They’d decided to live in her home. Drew was settled there and it was bigger than Jake’s. She’d taken initiative to remove Andrew’s belongings, keeping only what she knew Drew would want when he got older. Both she and Jake loved Andrew, and they knew he had loved them. Grabbing hold of this took the sting out of what they were about to share together.
Once there, Jake tied the reins and came to her. Without a word at all, he lifted her from the buggy seat and carried her inside.
Coming September– 2013
A Heart Worth Redeeming
Scores of people filled the city streets. Being midday, this contributed to the heightened flow of traffic. The train scheduled to leave from Chicago boomed its presence as it readied for departure.
“You’re all set to go, sir.” The train attendant pivoted on his heel and strolled over to the passenger waiting next in the long, endless line.
Blaine Jennings tucked the train ticket into his breast pocket. He checked his pocket watch. There was barely enough time to say good-bye to one of his closest and most trusted friends.
“Well, this is it. The time has come for me to go...”
“You’re doing the right thing.” Jacob Pearce shook Blaine’s hand.
“All aboard!”
The train whistle screeched again.
“I sincerely hope so. I do want to see my wife again, to win her back.” My wife... Lacey... The words fell from Blaine’s tongue, sounding most unnatural.
The line began to move much like herded cattle and Blaine and all his trepidation was being nudged forward. It all seemed to be happening too fast—this rash decision of his. Jacob held up his hand and waved. He, too, was inadvertently being pushed farther and farther from Blaine.
It was time.
friends
Lincoln County Series 1-3 Page 29