She smiled as she watched Creed cling to the horse's back with the tenacity of a cocklebur. Her husband had blossomed in the last five years, she thought, although blossomed hardly seemed an appropriate word for a man. Still, he had lost that hard edge that had been so much a part of him. He smiled more, laughed often. In spite of all his doubts about being a father she couldn't have asked for a better father for her children or a better husband for herself.
He had built her the house she had once dreamed of, with a big picture window overlooking the lake. They had started off with a small herd of cattle, a herd that had grown steadily each year.
To Creed's surprise, the town had gradually come to accept them both. People no longer remembered that Jassy's mother had been a whore, or that Creed had once earned his living with his gun.
Walking down the stairs, she made her way toward the corral. The battle was over, and Creed had won. Rose and Clay had ducked under the rails, and now they were both chattering a mile a minute, asking what he was going to name the horse, pestering him to let them ride.
"Let's ask your mama what we should call him," Creed suggested as Jassy approached the corral.
"I want to call him Thunder," Clay said.
"And I want to call him Rainbow," Rose said.
"How about if we call him Storm?" Jassy suggested.
"Storm? Why?" Rose asked with a frown.
"Well, when it storms, there's thunder, and then there's a rainbow."
Clay and Rose looked at each other, then nodded. "Storm," they said in unison, and began to giggle.
"Supper's ready," Jassy said. Pulling a hanky from her apron pocket, she wiped the perspiration from Creed's forehead. I love you, Mr. Maddigan."
"And I love you, Mrs. Maddigan."
Rose frowned at Clay. I love you, Clay," she said, imitating Jassy's voice.
Clay grimaced. I love Storm," he said, ducking when Rose made as if to hit him. "He's prettier than you!"
Creed grinned as he watched his daughter chase her brother toward the house. "See what you started with all that love stuff," he teased.
"Yes, indeed," Jassy said. She looked out over the valley, at their house bathed in the golden glow of the sun, at her two children, now happily tussling in the grass like puppies, at the tall, handsome man at her side. I wouldn't have had it any other way."
"Me, either," Creed said. Drawing her into his arms, he kissed her, loving the way she leaned into him, the way she always smiled when she saw him. Truly, he had found the treasure at the end of the rainbow the day Jassy McCloud came into his life. And he wouldn't have had it any other way.
I never intended to be a published author, so it's always a thrill to see one of my books on the shelf. When I started writing, it was for my own pleasure. Had it not been for a friend, I might still be writing in longhand and storing my manuscripts under the bed!
I've loved Indians forever. I think my first crush was Eddie Little Sky from Disneyland, whom I saw when I was 12. As I grew older, I developed a deep admiration for Native American customs and beliefs. Crazy Horse and Cochise were my idols, so it seemed natural that my heroes would be warriors who were tall, dark, handsome, courageous, gentle, tender, strong and sexy.
I love when my readers ask if I'm Native American. For me, that's the highest compliment!
Madeline Baker - Lakota Renegade Page 29