Jake appreciated the pep talk, but was still perturbed that he was having it with a distant cousin whom he hadn’t spoken to for many years. He wondered how much he had been talked about and exactly what had been said. “Have you talked to my father recently?” Jake asked.
Adam shook his head. “No, but I’ve corresponded with your mother. She is worried about you. Perhaps you should go back to them?”
Jake frowned, shaking his head. “No. I can’t go back there. The weather is no good, the town is too small and there are no jobs for me there.”
Adam raised an eyebrow, heeling his horse back into action. Jake followed him as he continued down the path. “No jobs in carpentry?”
“None that would pay for me to live comfortably.”
“So you want a comfortable life.”
Jake snorted. “Who doesn’t?”
“It’s not easy to get to a comfortable spot. You have to put in a lot of time and effort. That takes a lot of courage, especially coming from a standpoint like yours. You have to put in your all.”
Jake nodded. “Yeah, it’s not going to be easy for me.”
Adam fell quiet again and it worried Jake. What he was saying was close to the truth, but he didn’t want to disclose the severity of his problems.
“Tell me one thing, Jake,” Adam said.
“What’s that?”
“Do you have gambling debts? Should we expect a posse to come after you to pay these debts?”
Jake cleared his throat, thinking about the many men he had cheated at cards. Most of them didn’t realize or didn’t confront him about it. Others had. They were vicious, gun-slinging men who would definitely come after someone if he owed them money. Fortunately, there was no way for them to trace Jake to Wickenburg, especially since he had left in the middle of the night. “There should be no one coming after me for gambling debts,” he replied.
“Women?”
Jake knew what he meant by the simple word and shook his head. “No women. I haven’t been with a woman in years.”
“So we don’t need to worry about a gunfight in the middle of town then?”
“No.”
“I don’t know if you would have much support here, seeing as how you are new to this town and no one knows you.”
“The bartender seems like a good man.”
Adam nodded. “Sam is a good man, but he shouldn’t be pulled into your battles. He doesn’t deserve that since he doesn’t know you and you made your bed already. You must fight your battles on your own. We will support you, but we won’t coddle you. Understood?”
Jake nodded.
“I agree that you are grown man and that’s the only reason I’m talking to you like this. I don’t want to be disappointed in you. I want you to prosper and grow into what it is you want to be. I do want to see you happy, Jake.”
“You don’t really know me,” Jake said. “And I appreciate that you’re willing to help despite that fact.”
“Well, in my family, we don’t leave anyone behind. If someone asks for help, it should be given to them. That is my motto for life.”
“I am grateful,” Jake repeated.
“There’s the house.” Adam pointed into the distance down a long pathway. Jake could see the house settled against the side of a mountain, with a long field on one end, trees on another and a wide front lawn area. Two children were resting in the grass, sitting on a blanket. As they got closer, Jake could see that they were playing with wooden animals.
“Your children?” Jake asked.
“Yes.”
Jake could hear the pride in his cousin’s voice. It made him wonder if he would ever have that feeling. He hoped so. He was getting too old and would soon not be able to play with his children. “That’s wonderful, Adam,” he murmured in a voice so low that Adam almost didn’t hear him.
Before they stopped their horses in front of the house, the door opened and Alice emerged. She was standing with one hand on her waist and the other holding a small child, a wide smile on her face. It turned to confusion when she realized she didn’t recognize the man riding with her husband. Her smile remained, but the look on her face showed she didn’t know who he was. She moved her eyes back and forth between the men, leaving them on her husband for a prolonged period of time.
The children got up and ran to their father.
“This is Jake, family. He is a cousin of mine. Our fathers are brothers. Say hello.”
Jake was surprised when both children came over and gave him a quick hug.
“This is Max and Riley,” Adam introduced them, putting one hand on the head of the child when he said their name. “This is our baby, Carrie, and my wife, Alice.”
“It is a pleasure to meet all of you,” Jake said.
“Come inside, Jake,” Alice said. “We have some fresh lemonade and some cookies I recently baked for my children. You must be hungry.”
“I am hungry, yes, thank you.” The thought of drinking lemonade made Jake want to be sick. He wanted a beer or a whiskey. No lemonade. However, he would have to take what he was given. For now.
They tethered their horses to the hitching post and went into the small house. Adam was still adding rooms to the house and it was an awkward shape, but the rooms he added were solid, had a roof and floor and would suit Jake just fine until he found better accommodations.
As soon as they entered, they sat at a long table in the front room, which also served as the dining room and living room. There were a few chairs near the table, sitting in a semi-circle around the large fireplace. A pot-bellied stove took up a great deal of room in the kitchen, leaving no room for a table or chairs.
A small ladder to his left was used to get to the second floor, where there was a loft that covered the entire length of the house. The children slept up in the loft, while the baby occupied space in the master bedroom, which was slightly larger than normal. The additional room Adam had built was for Max. As he grew older, his parents became aware that he needed to have his own room, rather than sharing one with his younger sister. Both of them wanted privacy they weren’t getting while sharing a room.
They decided that Max would resume his bedroom upstairs during Jake’s stay. The boy seemed none too happy about it, but acquiesced after a bit of prompting from his father.
“I appreciate your sacrifice, Max,” Jake said. “I really do. I hope that I will be able to get a place of my own soon. I just need to get back to work.”
“You should be working now,” Riley said. Her parents looked at her sharply. She responded with an innocent face. “What did I say? Shouldn’t he be working now?”
“When you are an adult, you will understand how hard things are for people. You just need to mind what you say and try not to pry into other people’s business.”
Riley frowned slightly, her small face puckering in a cute way that had all of the adults in the room struggling not to grin. “I wasn’t getting in his business. I just asked a question. You always tell me to ask questions when I don’t understand something.”
“I’ve taken some time off of working, Riley,” Jake said gently. “But now I’m trying to get back into it and get my life back together.”
“You are trying?” Riley asked innocently.
Jake nodded. “I am.”
“I hope you get what you want… sir.” Riley looked embarrassed, her cheeks turning a light pink. “I did not mean to be rude.”
“I don’t think you were trying to be rude, my dear. Don’t worry about it. And you can call me Jake, just like your parents, if you want. I don’t want to be called Mr. Collins all the time.”
Riley perked up. “You have the same name as us?”
Jake smiled. “I do. What do you think of that?”
“I think that’s great!”
Jake felt a sudden sense of family and acceptance when he looked at the little girl. Her smile was bright and reached her eyes. She was looking at him as if he was a long-lost friend she had finally found. He held o
ut his arms and she gave him another hug.
He tousled her hair lightly when he let her go. “You are a nice little girl, Riley. Thanks for the hug. How old are you?”
“I’m nine,” she responded proudly.
“Well, I think that’s a wonderful age to be.”
At that moment, Alice set a plate with several cookies stacked on top and a glass of lemonade down on the table. “Here you go, Jake. Would you like me to make you some soup? Or anything at all? You must be hungry.”
“I am a little hungry, as I said. Let me finish off these delicious cookies and lemonade. Listen,” he looked at the children, who were distracted helping their father build a small fire for some added warmth. He leaned closer to Alice, who leaned toward him as well. “You don’t keep beer or liquor in the house, do you?”
Alice looked slightly alarmed and stood back up straight. “I’m afraid not. With the children here, it’s just too risky. When Adam wants a drink, he goes to the Horse N Saddle. You can try there if you like. Sam is a good man.”
Jake nodded. “I’ve met him. And I agree. He is a good man. I just wanted to ask. I didn’t figure you had any here.”
Alice glanced at Adam, who hadn’t heard a word of the conversation, before nodding and turning to go back into the kitchen.
CHAPTER FIVE
FAILING IN A BIG WAY
FAILING IN A BIG WAY
Jake was struggling. He had stayed with Adam and Alice for two days. He was on his third day of agony. He couldn’t decide whether he wanted to take his horse to Sam’s bar and get drunk or stay and ride out the effects of not drinking.
He went back and forth between being hot and then cold. His hands were starting to shake, which would not help get him any kind of carpentry job. He managed to go with Adam to the carpenter and blacksmith and several other places to see if he could get some work. They all said they would line up jobs for him and spread the word. In the meantime, he still had no money.
The temptation to talk someone into playing cards with him was strong. He knew that all he had to do was play a couple games and he would have enough to pay Sam and continue his drinking without trouble. Adam was not asking him for money, but being around the family constantly without having anything to drink made his nerves raw.
He was hit with several bouts of terrible pain in his head. It was the shaking that bothered him the most. How would he get a job if he couldn’t keep from shaking?
On the third day of his stay with the Collins family, Jake decided enough was enough. While the children were at school, Adam was at work and Alice was out running errands in town, Jake sat on the porch steps at the house, wishing he had a beer in his hand right at that moment. He hadn’t been able to keep from thinking about it for days.
He shook his head, baffled by his own stupidity. He was going to do something stupid today. He just knew it.
“I gotta stay right. I gotta be strong,” he told himself in a low voice. He stared out over the horizon, contemplating his options.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally gave into temptation. He saddled his horse, got on and made a trip into town to visit the Horse N Saddle. Since he hadn’t been there for a few days, he was sure Sam would take pity on him and give him a beer or two. Perhaps some shots of vodka if he was feeling particularly generous.
He rode quickly down the path, away from the house that had been his shelter for only a few days. It felt somewhat strange to him, being in a new place like he was. His heart was pounding as he rode. He wondered how Sam would treat him. He wondered if Adam and Alice had noticed his condition and whether they had told anyone about it.
It wasn’t long before he reached the Horse N Saddle saloon. He tethered his horse and went inside.
“Hello there!” Sam called from behind the counter. He immediately pulled up a mug and began to fill it with beer.
Jake hadn’t realized how thirsty he was until he saw the golden liquid spilling into the tall mug. He swallowed. His throat was dry, as if he had just walked through a long desert. He hoped he didn’t look as anxious to get the beer as he felt.
He walked casually to the bar and sat down on a stool. “How are you today, sir?”
“Just call me Sam, Jake. We’re all friends here.”
“All right.” Jake smiled at him.
“I’m doing fairly well. And you?”
Jake wondered if he was ever going to slide the drink in his direction. Was he waiting to be asked? He tried to keep his eyes from resting on the drink and staying there. He worked hard to keep his eyes on Sam. “I’m doing good. Grateful for my cousin. It’s been nice staying there.”
“Well, here’s you a beer to celebrate your new surroundings. I hope you decide to stay in Wickenburg for a while.”
“Thanks, Sam. I appreciate that.” The compliment didn’t make Jake feel any better about himself. He was destined to get in trouble, he knew it. Sam would kick him out of the bar and no one would want him in Wickenburg either. He pulled the beer closer. Just the smell of it as he lifted it to his lips gave him some comfort. The feel of the liquid going down his throat was cool and refreshing. He’d missed it, he realized. He’d missed it a lot.
“So what have you been doing with yourself these last few days?” Sam asked.
“Helping around Adam’s house,” Jake lied. “He’s got me on projects, you see, and I’m doing it to help with my room and board.” An idea came to his head as he felt the fog he’d been feeling lift a bit. “Tell me, Sam, you got work around here you need done? I’d be glad to do it in return for the beers.”
“Adam already paid me for the tab you ran a couple days ago. I’m not worried; I’ll get my money one way or another.” He laughed. Jake laughed with him, wondering just what he meant by that. “And yeah, I can probably send you some work. Not just from me, but from other men who come in expressing the need for some help from someone. You seem like you’d fit in just fine with them.”
“I do need to get to work. I’d like to work around here, helping you out. Maybe I can do that in exchange for staying here.”
Sam lifted his eyebrows. “I thought you were going to stay with Adam for a while? That was the impression I got from him when I spoke to him yesterday.”
Jake wondered how he should feel knowing he was being discussed when he wasn’t around. He supposed it was necessary, but was still curious about what had been said. “I really hate to intrude on his family. I’ve taken his son’s room, I eat their food and drink their drinks. I need to be able to give them their home back. You know?”
Sam nodded. “I suppose I do. You enjoying that beer?”
Jake knew Sam was being sarcastic. He had already finished off three quarters of the glass and was still restraining himself from downing the rest. He wanted the shakes to go away. He hoped he was hiding them from Sam. That was the last thing he wanted revealed. “You offering another?” Jake said, laughing and turning up the rest of the beer so that he could drink the last of it quickly. He set the glass down and said, “I’ll take one if you’re offering.”
Sam filled up the glass again. “Here you go.”
“Say, does anyone around here play cards?”
Sam nodded, setting down the glass in front of him again. This one he nursed, savoring each taste so that he wouldn’t look greedy to Sam…and to make it last a bit longer. “Sure, we have men in here every night gambling with those cards.”
“Do you ever have to deal with fights among the players?”
Sam shook his head. “Not really. The men around here all get along. We play a couple friendly games of cards and everyone leaves. You’re interested in joining the card games?”
“I am. I like playing cards a lot. How big is the pot?”
“It starts out a quarter and then you go from there.”
“A quarter?” Jake wondered if he could find a quarter anywhere in his luggage bags. Just one quarter could make a huge difference in his life.
“Yeah,” Sam seemed to
translate the look on Jake’s face. He reached into the pocket of his britches and pulled out a coin. “Here you go. I can see you want to play and I know you don’t have any coins. So take this one and pay me back if you win.”
Jake’s grin spread across his face. “Thanks, Sam. You are good sort!”
Sam laughed. “I try to be.”
“When do these fellows start their games?”
“Usually around 6, after they get off work. There aren’t many, mind you, as this is a small town. But we’ve probably got a good half-dozen to a dozen.”
Jake’s first thought was that even a half-dozen men was sufficient for him to get some money in his pocket. “I look forward to seeing them. What time is it now?”
Sam pulled a pocket watch out and flipped open the lid. “Looks like it’s half past four. That’s not too long to wait, is it?”
Jake shook his head. “Nah. Sounds like a few more beers though.”
Sam laughed. “Be careful, Jake. You drink too much and those guys will tear you up. You’ll be owing them!”
Jake shared his laughter. “I will be careful. I’m pretty good at cards.”
“That’s good. We do have some pretty fine players here, I gotta say.”
“I’ll give them a run for their money.” Jake smiled at Sam.
It was in the midst of a game that Jake realized he had made a mistake coming to the bar and playing cards. Sam kept him in steady supply of beer. His head wasn’t quite swimming, but it was well on the way and he was losing badly at cards. He was going to owe every card player in Wickenburg by the end of the night if he didn’t get some of the money back that he was losing. A few good games at the beginning had given him the money to keep playing. Nevertheless, he was down to nearly nothing and knew that if his luck didn’t change, things would go badly.
He began to count the cards and watch for ways to play around the other men so that they wouldn’t know he was cheating. There were three men he was playing against currently. They were all bigger men and had not had as much to drink as he had. They had their wits about them, while Jake was slowly losing his own.
Saved By An Angel (Family of Love Series) (A Western Romance Story) Page 4