“You can’t walk through there.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m going to carry you.”
“Oh, really,” she scoffed. “That’s silly. I can—”
He scooped her into his arms, and Obsi threw his head back and grinned while she giggled.
Jake made a huffing noise from his throat. “You’re getting heavy. But not too heavy for me.”
The secret within made her smile with love and tenderness. The impossible had happened, and she still couldn’t believe that fortune knew there was a place for them. “Because there are two of us.”
“I know that.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek. “Come February, you think it’ll be a boy or girl I get to hold?”
“I told you, I don’t know.”
“My mother said in her letter, it sounds like a boy.”
Helena smiled. “Well, when she and your sister, Sarah, arrive next week, I’ll let them both figure it all out.”
Giving her a gentle squeeze, Jake whispered, “I love you, you know.”
“I love you, too.”
Then he bumped the door open with his foot and made the traditional crossing over the threshold with his bride.
Author’s Notes
There’s something to be said about being known as a writer who tends to write humor. It’s hard to be serious! But with Crossings, the group of misfit western characters that usually come to my fingertips at the keyboard all went into hiding. Carrigan and Helena, and the people of Genoa, were not my normal, colorful mixture of characters. I hope that you, the readers and booksellers, will feel comfortable with the change of tone and style and enjoy this story as much as you have my prior books.
As usual, I haven’t done this alone. I want to thank Dorine Taggart, a fellow mom and neighbor here in this rural area we live in. As a transplant from the city, I just assumed that when mares foaled, you had high drama. You had to be in the barn with the lantern burning bright and biting your nails awaiting the big event as if the mare weren’t capable of this feat on her own. Dorine set this citified girl straight—quick. She’s offered to let me learn about horses via her minis. A good choice for this chicken, as I’m scared to death of anything with hooves and bigger than me.
I have to say that I could not have written this story as it is without the help of a very dear friend, Barbara Ankrum. Her insight with conflict and plotting was pivotal to me, without which Crossings would have taken a completely different turn—for the worse.
My sister, Michele, and her husband, Joe, were helpful in filling in the holes about Genoa and its history. Thank you so much for extending your hospitality to our family this past summer.
And lastly, a moment of praise for the best editor in the business. Without Caroline Tolley, none of you would be able to read my books in the quality she demands of me—nothing less than I am capable of. Her willingness to listen to my stories before they are developed, and give me constructive advice, is what makes writing worth it for me.
Thank you to the booksellers who continue to voice their generous opinions of my books. Without you, none of us would be here.
For those readers who are wondering about what’s up and coming . . . it’s back to the funny side once again, with a dash of intrigue, a look at the West around the turn of the century, and a repertoire of the most whimsical characters I’ve done yet. Coming soon from Pocket Star Books is Portraits. I hope you’ll watch for it.
As always, I enjoy hearing from readers. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought of Crossings. A self-addressed stamped envelope is helpful and speeds up my reply.
Happy trails,
Stef Ann Holm
P.O. Box 121
Meridian, ID 83680-0121
Books by Stef Ann Holm
Seasons of Gold
Liberty Rose
King of the Pirates
Snowbird
Weeping Angel
Crossings
Published by POCKET BOOKS
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An Original Publication of POCKET BOOKS
A Pocket Star Book published by
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Copyright © 1996 by Stef Ann Holm
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ISBN: 978-1-4516-1407-7
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1069-6 (eBook)
First Pocket Books printing January 1996
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Crossings Page 33