Lawfully Loved (Texas Lawkeeper Romance)

by Jenna Brandt

  Rebecca, on the other hand, was in no rush. She knew that tonight was her last evening with Jake before the settling party returned the horses tomorrow and he would be riding out to track down the Grimes brothers.

  The impending departure had put a damper on the enjoyable last couple of hours. She hated the idea of saying goodbye to Jake, but she couldn’t think of a way for them to practically be together. His job was in Abilene—he was positioned to become the next sheriff of Taylor County—and she couldn’t leave her family. Her father couldn’t take care of the children and run the livery without her.

  As Rebecca walked hand-in-hand with the strong, resilient lawkeeper, she knew for certain her heart wanted a future with him. But though they both enjoyed each other’s company and there was an unmistakable attraction between them, it wasn’t enough to bridge the deficits of their circumstances.

  “What are you thinking about?” Jake inquired.

  “About you leaving tomorrow once the horses return in the morning.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that too. I want to find a way for this to work, but I’m not sure how.”

  Rebecca pinched her lips together as she contemplated their situation. A few moments later, she said miserably, “I’m not sure how we can find a way.”

  They reached the front porch of the Caldwell home. Jake guided her up and sat on the bench swing, pulling her down next to him.

  “We may not have the answers, but God does. We just need to ask him and trust He’ll show us the way,” he whispered against her cheek as he gathered her against his side.

  She allowed herself to curl up against him, seeking his warmth to banish the cold setting in not only from the night’s air, but the realization she would have to say goodbye to Jake. If she only had tonight, she wanted to bask in his presence and allow herself to memorize how it felt to be in his arms.

  Time passed by without a word spoken; neither knowing what to say, but not wanting to separate.

  Mr. Caldwell poked his head out of the door and looked at the them. “Are you coming in, Jake?” he inquired.

  “I wish I could, Mr. Caldwell, but I need to get back over to my room and rest up. I’ve taken as much time away from my assignment as I can. Once the horses are back, I need to purchase one and be on my way.”

  “I’ll be inside after just a few moments, Papa,” Rebecca informed her father.

  With a disappointed look, Mr. Caldwell stated, “I’ll give you both a few minutes to say your goodbyes.” He closed the door, leaving them alone again.

  Jake stood up and pulled Rebecca up beside him. “I want you to know, I wish this could work between us. I wish we didn’t both have something keeping us from being able to leave our towns. If there was any other way—”

  Rebecca shook her head and said, “That’s enough, Jake. We can’t change how things are, which means that must be God’s answer. We have to accept we aren’t meant to be together.”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her there for several seconds before releasing her. She could tell he wanted to kiss her, but they both knew it would only make a tough situation worse.

  “Goodbye, Rebecca.”

  “Goodbye, Jake.”

  Thirteen

  The next morning Jake made his way over to the livery. Even though he had left to get a good night’s sleep before heading out, he had a fitful night of sleep. Rebecca’s crestfallen face kept floating through his mind mixed with her resigned words of disappointment.

  He found Mr. Caldwell finishing up putting the last of the freshly returned horses into their stalls. Jake greeted, “Good morning, Mr. Caldwell,” as he walked over to stand next to the older man. Jake placed his saddle bag down next to the fence.

  “Good morning, Jake. I’m assuming you’re here about purchasing one of my horses, now that they’re back.”

  “I am. I need to head over to Woody and see if there has been any sign of the Grimes brothers still in that area.”

  “Pick whichever horse you want. We can discuss the price after.”

  “When we’re finished, can I speak with Rebecca before I leave?” Jake asked hesitantly. “I was hoping to call on her when I come back to get Ginger once she has fully recovered.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’ll only make matters harder for the both of you.”

  “Mr. Caldwell, I wish the situation with your daughter turned out differently. I genuinely care for your daughter, but my job—my life is in Abilene. I’ve worked too hard to get to the place I’m at to walk away from all of it. I can’t give up my chance at being sheriff.”

  “Then it seems you’ve made your choice,” Mr. Caldwell said with a disapproving tone.

  Uncomfortable with Mr. Caldwell’s cold treatment, Jake glanced around at the full stalls and asked, “Which one of the horses do you think will work best for me?”

  Mr. Caldwell shrugged. “Depends on what you need. If you want a dependable and loyal one, then Betty would be a good choice. However, if you want speed and spunk, then Lola would work better for you. Of course, if you can’t make up your mind—if you’re just not ready—then there isn’t much I can do about that.” He turned to face Jake and stated matter-of-factly, “You see, Jake, there are all types, but you have to be ready to choose. If you aren’t, you shouldn’t have started the process in the first place.”

  It was quite clear Mr. Caldwell wasn’t just talking about horses. He was angry with Jake, and secretly, Jake was angry with himself.

  Jake ended up deciding on Betty—always preferring dependability over speed. He paid Mr. Caldwell the agreed upon amount and rode off towards Woody. Even with Rockwood Springs behind him, Jake couldn’t shake the feeling he was making a mistake.

  * * *

  All morning, Rebecca had been sitting by the window which faced the livery. It would have been easier to avoid Jake’s arrival, but Rebecca wanted to see Jake one last time.

  Even though she had only known Jake a couple of days, in those short hours she had come to care for him. If she didn’t have to take care of her family, there would have been a future for them. She could have moved to Abilene and started a life with Jake there. But she knew all of that was a fantasy, and she prided herself on being practical; practical with a hint of wistfulness. She was willing to suffer the pain to just see Jake’s face for one more moment.

  When he walked up to the livery, Rebecca’s heart tightened at the sight of him. He looked handsome as ever and she had to resist the urge to rush from the house to his side.

  He seemed to be in deep conversation with her father for a while before her father was taking their horse, Betty, out of her stall and handing the reins over to Jake. In return, he handed her father money. He mounted his horse, tipped his hat, and galloped off towards Woody.

  Just like that, he was gone. In the instant she knew he was never coming back, a hole formed inside her heart; a hole only Jake’s presence could fill.

  Fourteen

  Jake tried to push Rebecca from his mind as his horse thundered towards Woody. He should be concentrated on his job, focused on tracking down the Grimes brothers. It was crucial in order to keep not only himself, but the citizens of Taylor County safe.

  He waited for his training from the military to kick in. He had learned how to deliberately push everything out of his mind besides his current task. It was what had made him such an effective soldier, and later, deputy. Yet, his training was failing him for the first time.

  He didn’t know how to keep his mind from returning to the beautiful blonde back in Rockwood Springs. Silently, he asked for God’s help. He wanted to understand why Rebecca consumed his thoughts.

  An overwhelming thirst suddenly prompted Jake to reach into his saddle bag to find his canteen, but instead, he felt a thin piece of paper brush against his fingertips.

  Jake pulled it out and raised it to eye level. The folded piece of paper had his name scrolled on top in Lydia’s handwriting. Without thinking, he brought Betty to a h
alt and opened the letter.

  Jake-

  Please don’t tell anyone I put this in your bag. I did it when Papa wasn’t looking. You should know, I heard my sister talking to our father about what happened between the two of you. It made her sad, Jake, just like it made me sad, and Georgie sad, and my Papa. I thought you should also know, I heard her crying last night. She wouldn’t want you to know; she wouldn’t want anyone to know, but I think she loves you, Jake. It might be new love-but sometimes it doesn’t take long to fall in love. From what I’ve seen, mothers and fathers fall in love with their babies the moment they are born as do brothers and sisters. It’s probably why I love you too. I thought you were going to be my new brother. Well there you have it, Jake. The truth of everything. We all love you and if you’re willing to love us back, we could be your family.

  Sincerely,

  Lydia

  Was this his answer from God? He knew there was nothing more important on earth than family. Was he being so stubborn, he was walking away from a family who wanted to love him?

  Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming desire to return to Rockwood Springs, but he knew he had to deal with the Grimes brothers first. Once he settled this assignment, he would return to Rebecca and declare his intentions.

  * * *

  When Jake reached Woody, several of the townsfolk stared at him through narrowed eyes filled with a mixture of mistrust and outrage. Something was definitely amiss in the town.

  He arrived at the post office and took the reins of his horse, tossing them around the hitching post. He walked inside and headed to the counter where a man with a buttoned-up shirt, vest and glasses sat behind. He glanced up with a smile on his face that quickly faded as Jake approached.

  “Good morning, mister. My name is Deputy Sheriff Jake Bolton, and I was dispatched from the Sheriff’s office out of Abilene.”

  “You were supposed to arrive here on Friday eve,” the man accused with vexation.

  “My horse injured her leg outside Rockwood Springs and I was stuck there over the weekend until a horse was available.” Jake didn’t disclose the fact he met the woman he planned to return to once this was all over.

  “Well, while you were taking a break, our general store got robbed on Saturday by the rotten, no-good, dirty Grimes brothers.”

  Jake’s stomach knotted at the news. “Was anyone hurt?”

  “The store owner pulled his shotgun and they killed him for his trouble.”

  Fresh guilt fell on Jake’s shoulders. If he had been here the night before it happened, he could have not only stopped the robbery, saving the store owner’s life, but caught the Grimes brothers as well, preventing any further incidents from occurring. But he hadn’t been there and the worst possible outcome transpired.

  “I need to send a telegraph to the sheriff’s office in Abilene.”

  The man handed across a piece of paper and pencil, then directed, “Write down what you want to say.”

  Jake took the paper and jotted down his message. Once finished, he handed it back to the worker. He quickly read the message—taking a moment to give Jake a puzzled look which turned into appreciation—then set about sending it.

  Once the other man was done, Jake asked, “Did anyone see which way the brothers took off after the robbery?”

  “They headed south towards Rockwood Springs, but if you just came from there, they must’ve never made it.”

  A sickening feeling filled the pit of Jake’s stomach. Where were the brothers and what were they up to?

  Fifteen

  The morning sun was blazing above as Rebecca tended the family garden in the backyard. She had already picked the vegetables and fruit that were ready for harvest before cleaning up the rows from weeds.

  “The eggplants and carrots are looking great,” Judy stated as she leaned against the wooden fence that surrounded the garden.

  Rebecca glanced up at her friend and smiled. “Thank you, Judy. I think they might be the best crop I’ve grown.”

  “Looks like you might have enough to sell to the grocer over in Woody.”

  Rebecca stiffened at the mention of the neighboring town. Instantly, her mind flew to Jake and a multitude of questions started floating through her head. Had he arrived safely in Woody? Was he successful in tracking the Grimes brothers down? If he had encountered them, was he in danger?

  Judy must have noticed the shift in Rebecca’s attitude because she asked, “You miss him, don’t you?”

  “I shouldn’t.”

  “Just because you think you shouldn’t do something doesn’t keep you from doing it anyway,” Judy pointed out.

  Upset with herself, Rebecca objected, “We barely spent any time together. It was only a couple of days.”

  Judy shrugged, coming into the garden and picking up one of the rakes next to Rebecca. “It doesn’t have to take long to find yourself caring for someone.”

  “My feelings don’t matter. It doesn’t change the circumstances,” Rebecca stated as she wiped her forehead with the corner of her apron. “It would never work. We both have priorities keeping us in different places.”

  “I hear a lot of justification as to why you can’t be together, but are there any reasons you should be?” Judy challenged.

  It was a good question. Rebecca had been so focused on all the reasons they couldn’t be together, she never thought about why she wanted to be with Jake. A list started to form in her head.

  “Well, he makes me feel safe. I can trust him. He’s smart and self-assured, but not prideful. He’s a Godly man who enjoys spending time with my family.”

  “And he’s good-looking,” Judy added to the list. “Don’t forget that.”

  Rebecca smiled. “How could anyone forget that?” she said with appreciation. “He’s the most handsome man I’ve ever met, but he’s not vain about it. It’s almost as if he doesn’t even know it, which makes him even more appealing.”

  “You sound smitten, Rebecca.”

  If Rebecca admitted it to herself, Judy was right. She had never felt this way before. She had always blamed it on not having the time or room for a man because of her family situation, but the truth was, she had never met one who warranted her time and attention until Jake.

  “I think you’re right, Judy,” Rebecca admitted. Then, knowing it didn’t make a difference, she added, “But he left and he’s not coming back.”

  “You could write to him—tell him you were a fool to let him go—and explain how you feel.”

  With furrowed eyebrows, Rebecca shook her head. “I can’t do that. It’s unseemly for an unmarried woman to write an unsolicited letter to a man not related to her.”

  “Will you at least think about it?” Judy begged.

  “Think about what?” Lydia piped in as she came into the garden.

  “Never you mind, little sister. Judy and I were talking about adult matters,” Rebecca stated.

  Lydia rolled her eyes. “You act like I’m such a baby, but the truth is, I know you were talking about Jake.”

  “Let me guess, you were eavesdropping again,” Rebecca chastised.

  “No, I just figured it out since all you’ve been doing since he left this morning is moping around.”

  Rebecca stiffened as her eyes narrowed at her sister. Even though Lydia was correct, it irked Rebecca to hear the words out loud. “I’m fine without Jake,” she said. But even as the words of denial passed her lips, she didn’t believe them.

  “Keep telling yourself that,” Lydia said in a sing-song voice as she skipped out of the garden.

  “Don’t get mad at me for saying this, but your sister can be vexing,” Judy stated.

  With a nod, Rebecca agreed. “You have no idea how much.” A suspicious expression settled on her face.

  “I see that face your making,” Judy stated. “What are you thinking?

  “Lydia cares for Jake almost as much as I do, and yet, she didn’t seem at all upset at his departure.”

  “What are you getti
ng at?” Judy pressed.

  “I think my sister is up to something.”

  Sixteen

  As Jake analyzed the towns the Grimes brothers had targeted, he found a pattern. They only attacked towns with no law present. The brothers’ plan was smart because the rural, small towns of Texas were unable to protect themselves effectively.

  Jake pushed Betty towards Rockwood Springs, worried that every second that passed would put the woman and town he had grown to care for in danger. If anything happened to them, he didn’t know what he would do.

  Still puzzled over why he had missed the brothers on the road between Woody and Rockwood Springs, he thought of where the brothers could have ended up. Was it possible they stopped off somewhere to lay low for a day or two?

  As he passed several farm and ranch houses along the road, he kept his eyes peeled for any traces of the men. The fourth farm he encountered—set a little further back from the road—had an open pen for the farmer’s animals. Immediately, the hair on his arms stood up in warning. Farmers never left their pens open because their animals would get out, resulting in them wandering off.

  Jake stopped his horse several feet away from the front of the house and dismounted. He tossed his reins around the pen post and took a look around. There was a disturbance in the dirt by the unlatched gate of the pen. From what Jake could make out, a scuffle happened between at least two people. He spotted drag marks from the pen which carried to the house.

  Pulling his gun from its holster, Jake crouched down and moved quietly towards the front door. When he reached it, he placed his ear to it and listened. He couldn’t make out any sounds from inside the house.

  Not knowing what he would find inside, Jake made his way around the house. As he passed each window, he tried to look inside, but the shutters were firmly closed around the entire exterior. He saw several children’s toys in the yard and his stomach knotted with dread. The Grimes brothers were brutal men.