by Linda Bridey
Ryan’s eyes grew big and he said, “He’s an Indian? I wanna see!”
Jack laughed. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll see him before too awful long. Don’t worry.”
Chloe had sat quietly during the conversation. Now, her chin quivered and she put her head down on her arms on top of the table. Her small shoulders shook with sobs and she cried, “I want Daddy!”
Gina gathered Chloe to her and rocked her. She tried to hold back her own tears, but a few leaked out.
“My husband passed away two years ago and it’s been very hard on all of us,” Gina said.
Jack said, “I’m very sorry to hear that, ma’am. I’m Jack Samuels, by the way.”
“Thank you.”
The office door opened and a man entered. He wore a beat up, brown leather hat and a long, brown duster. Gina saw the flash of a badge as he moved. He looked neither to the right nor the left as he walked closer. However, he did take off his hat and, as he got closer to Ryan, he dropped it onto the boy’s head.
“A new hat rack. Good,” he said.
Ryan giggled and pushed the hat up so he could see. “I’m not a hat rack,” he said.
“A talking hat rack. Even better,” the deputy said as he took off his coat and put that on top of Ryan, too.
The boy shouted with laughter and Chloe stopped crying as she watched to see what would happen next. Gina smiled as Ryan fought his way out from under the coat.
“I’m not a hat rack,” Ryan insisted.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Pardon me,” the deputy said as he plucked the hat from Ryan’s hand and twirled it around in his fingers before throwing it at the coat rack in the corner. It settled nicely on a peg. “I’ll take that back. My apologies again.” The coat followed the hat.
Mitch smiled at Gina and said, “Gina, this is our other deputy, Rick Westlake. Rick, this is Gina Silvetti.”
“Italian. I like it. Both the name and the cuisine. Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Rick said as he held out a hand.
Gina stared at his hand for a moment and then took it. Rick’s coffee-brown eyes smiled at her as their hands met. She thought he had very nice eyes.
“Nice to meet you,” she said a little hesitantly.
Rick gave her a nod as he released her hand and then promptly plopped down in the chair next to Chloe. “And who’s this fetching young lady?” he asked.
“I’m Chloe,” she said with a small smile.
“Chloe? Well, this is strange,” Rick said.
“What is?” the girl asked as she brushed away a tear.
Rick smiled at her and said, “Just this morning as I was eating breakfast I thought, ‘Hmm, I think I’d like to meet a pretty girl named Chloe’.”
Chloe laughed. “No, you didn’t.”
“I did. I must be psychic because here you are,” Rick said. “Would you like me to read your palm?”
“Like at the fair?” Chloe asked.
“Just like that,” Rick said and held out his hand.
Gina wasn’t sure what to think, but since Mitch and Jack looked on with amused expressions, she felt it was all right to let Rick continue.
Chloe put her hand in his and Rick uncurled her fingers so he could look at her palm. “Let’s see. Oh, uh huh. You have a very long life line, so you’re gonna be a dried up prune by the time you die.”
Chloe laughed at his remark.
Rick closed his eyes and his brow furrowed. “Yes, I see it. Yep.” He opened his eyes again and said, “You will meet a very handsome boy when you start going to school here and, one day, when you’re older, the two of you will fall madly in love.”
“You’re pulling my leg,” Chloe said.
“Nope. I’m telling you the truth. You wait and see if I’m not right,” Rick said.
Ryan came running around the table and climbed up on Rick’s lap before Gina could stop him. “What about me?”
“Ryan, I don’t think Rick wants you on his lap,” Gina said.
“He’s fine, ma’am. Not to worry. You? I don’t even need to look at your palm to know your future. Sit up here a second,” Rick said and lifted Ryan until the boy sat on the table. “Now don’t go away. Close your eyes. You, too, Chloe.”
Both kids did as he asked. Rick went over to his desk, pulled a drawer open, and took something out. Coming back over to them he said, “Ok. Hold out a hand, but don’t open your eyes yet.”
Into each of their palms he placed a small, toy deputy’s badge.
“Ok, open your peepers,” Rick said.
Ryan shouted with joy when he saw what it was. “I’m a sheriff!”
“No, even better, you’re a deputy. Deputies get to do most of the work so the sheriff can stay around town keeping an eye on his pregnant wife. So we get to chase more bad guys than the sheriff,” Rick said.
“Wow,” Ryan said and inspected the badge.
Chloe smiled and said, “I can’t be a deputy. I’m a girl.”
“Did you by chance see a very pretty blonde woman with a big belly?” Rick asked.
“Yes. She was just here,” Chloe said. “She’s the sheriff’s wife.”
“That’s right. When she’s not going to have a baby, she’s a deputy. And let me tell you, she’s as tough as they come and you don’t want to be a bad guy and have her come after you,” Rick said.
Chloe looked at Mitch who said, “That’s right. My wife works as a deputy sometimes and she’s a darn good one, too.”
Jack grinned and said, “When she follows orders, you mean.”
“Shut up, Jack,” Mitch said.
Rick took the badge from Chloe and pinned it to her dress. Then he pinned Ryan’s to his shirt. “There. Now you’re both official Dawson deputies.”
Gina studied Rick as he spoke to the kids. He wore his light brown hair long. It brushed his shoulders as he moved. The way he moved was graceful and purposeful and the easy smile he flashed at the kids was very attractive and disarming. He wasn’t overly tall, maybe five foot, eleven, she thought. However, he was well-built and Gina thought he would definitely be able to overpower some criminal and bring him to justice.
Jack put a cup of coffee in front of Gina, startling her out of her scrutiny of Rick. He smiled at her and said, “I figured that might hit the spot. How about some cold chicken sandwiches?”
“Oh, I couldn’t—”
Jack said, “Pardon me for interrupting, ma’am, but you have to be hungry if you just got off the stage coach. I’m sure it’s been a while since you’ve all eaten. It’s no trouble at all.”
“Are you sure?” Gina asked.
Rick said, “He’s sure. Jack lives to cook and serve people food. Well, that’s not exactly true. He lives to cook, eat, and serve people food. If you want to see someone eat twice his weight, Jack’s your man.”
“Shut up, Rick,” Jack said as he turned his back on them and worked on the sandwiches.
“I’m hungry enough to eat a bear,” Ryan announced.
Rick said, “I’ll bet you could do it, too.”
“Yep,” Ryan confirmed as he once again sat on Rick’s lap. “You have long hair, but you don’t look like a girl.”
Gina meant to correct Ryan but a laugh came out when she opened her mouth. Ryan looked at his mother and laughed with her.
Chloe giggled and said, “No, you don’t.”
“Well, that’s a good thing since I’m not a girl. If you think I have long hair, you should see some of my Lakota friends. They all have long hair,” Rick said.
“I’m so sorry,” Gina said, “but I can’t stop him from saying things like that. The words are out before I can do anything about it.”
Rick shook his head a little. “It’s fine. I like it when little people are honest. Most of them are. I always enjoy the things they say.”
“Little people?” Gina said as Jack sat plates in front of her and the kids.
“Yeah. Kids are people, just smaller. So that makes them little people,” Rick reasoned as he stood up and sat
Ryan down on the chair. He pushed it in so Ryan would be close enough to reach his plate.
“Are you going to get me a cup of coffee, Jack, or just stand there trying to look pretty?” Rick said as he sat down at his desk and put his feet up on it.
Gina watched to see how Jack would handle Rick’s insult. Rick noticed her surprise and said, “Miss Gina, I’m not being rude. Jack is very attached to that stove and anything to do with cooking in general. French master chefs in France have nothing on him when it comes to getting ticked off with people trying to do anything for themselves in the kitchen. I made coffee last week because I was the first one here in the morning and I thought he was going to take my head off.”
Mitch laughed. “It’s true. That’s why I don’t bother cookin’ whenever he’s around. He’s very particular about his coffee and if it’s not made to his liking, he’ll toss it out. I can’t stand wastin’ it, so I just wait until he’s here to make it.”
Jack snorted. “The swill you call coffee isn’t fit to give to my pig. That’s why I don’t drink it. Mama makes great coffee and so does Uncle Marcus. He’s the one who taught me how to make coffee, so blame him for me bein’ fussy about it.”
Gina said, “Your coffee is very good, Jack.”
“Thanks. See? I like you. You know good coffee when you drink it,” Jack said.
Ryan had already finished his sandwich. “That wasn’t a bear, but it was real good.”
Jack laughed. “I’ll have to get you some bear meat, I guess.”
“You don’t eat bear meat,” Ryan said.
“I sure do,” Jack said. “My cousin and uncle hunt bear from time to time. It’s very tasty.”
“Wow. Are they gonna hunt soon? I wanna taste some,” Ryan said.
Gina shivered. “None for me, thanks.”
“Venison?” Rick asked.
“I’ve never had it,” Gina answered.
“Goat? Horse? Llama?” he asked.
“Eww,” Chloe said. “You eat all of those?”
“Yes and they’re all very good, too,” Rick said.
“When did you ever eat llama?” Mitch asked.
“The last time I was in South America,” Rick said.
“When was that?” the sheriff asked.
“Four years ago, actually. They’re a very unique animal and are actually good to eat,” Rick said. “Not only that, but their wool is incredibly soft and absorbent. Oh, that reminds me…”
Mitch watched him run out the back door and said to Jack, “Do you think that’s true? That he’s been to South America?”
Jack shrugged as he gave Ryan another half a sandwich and poured more lemonade for the kids. Gina saw what Rick meant about Jack liking to serve people. He anticipated what people needed and served it without anyone prompting him. “Who knows? He says stuff like that all the time, but I can’t tell if it’s true or not.”
Rick came back in and threw a package at Jack who barely caught it in time. “Why don’t you warn me when you’re gonna do that?” Jack said crossly.
“You’re a deputy, you should be prepared for anything at all times,” Rick said as he winked at Chloe and sat back down.
“What is it?” Jack said.
“Llama wool,” Rick said.
“No, it’s not.” Jack’s voice held disbelief.
“Go ahead and open it,” Rick said.
Jack did and encountered a thick mass of wool that was wonderfully soft. It didn’t feel like any sheep’s wool Jack had ever felt. “What’s it for?”
“Not what; who. That’s for your Aunt Wind Spirit. She wanted some to use for a new pair of moccasins,” Rick said. “Don’t lose it. I can’t just pull it out of thin air.”
“Where’d you get it?” Mitch asked as he came over to feel it.
“From my friend Miguel who lives in South America,” Rick said. “I’m actually having a couple of llamas shipped here next month. They’ll do well in this climate and then I can breed them and sell the wool.”
Chloe said, “So you really did go to South America?”
“I sure did.” He cocked his head at her. “You didn’t think I really did?”
“I don’t know. You could be just telling a story,” Chloe said with a shrug.
“True, but I guess that llama wool there says I wasn’t. Do you like stories?” Rick asked.
“Yeah. And plants. I like plants,” Chloe said with a smile.
“I like plants, too. Especially the ones you can eat,” Rick said.
Gina was happy for the chance to rest and to have the children entertained, but she had to think about where they were going to stay that night. She put a hand to her forehead and rubbed it. Rick noticed and said, “Gina, we’re not going to let you go without a place to stay, so don’t worry about that.”
Gina’s eyes widened as she looked at the deputy. “How did you know?”
“Steve told me about a week ago that you’d be coming. He was very excited about it, too. He was a good man and would have done right by you. You made the right decision in coming here. It’s a shame it worked out this way, but don’t doubt yourself about moving here. I’ve already talked to Elise and she isn’t ready to take on boarders since she’s trying to sell the house in a hurry.”
Gina suddenly felt sick. She was stranded in an unfamiliar place with her two children. Calculating her funds, Gina knew she only had enough money for one or two nights at a hotel, which would leave her without money for food. “Where will we go?”
Rick said, “Hmm. It’s a shame we don’t know anyone who has a big, huge house with lots of room for kids to run around and horses to ride. Someone with a little girl already there to play with and a brand new baby to spoil.”
Gina said, “That’s pretty specific.”
Mitch laughed. “He’s describing our mayor, Joe Dwyer and his wife, Lacey. They own a huge horse ranch and their house is basically a mansion. They only use half of the rooms.”
“We can’t stay there. I wouldn’t dream of imposing on someone like that,” Gina said. “We’ll stay at the hotel and I’ll figure something out from there.” She was determined to be independent.
“Mommy, I wanna see the horses,” Chloe said.
“I know, sweetie, but we don’t know these people. I’m sure they’re wonderful, but I don’t feel comfortable doing that,” Gina said.
“Gina, around here you’re gonna find that we take care of each other. Rick’s right; Steve was a good man and a good friend. We’d be doing his memory a great disservice if we didn’t take care of you and the kids,” Mitch said.
Gina’s brows drew together and she fought tears again. She’d come to be fond of Steve through their letters and she felt some grief over him. She also regretted that she hadn’t at least had the chance to meet him.
She turned her thoughts away from that line of thinking. She had to focus on finding a solution to their predicament. Her first consideration was her children. Going over her options, Gina realized she didn’t have many.
Mitch said, “I’d have you stay with us, but we don’t have enough room with the baby on the way and all. We have two teenage boys and a four-year-old girl, so we’re pretty full-up.”
Jack said, “Same here.”
Rick said, “I live in a two room place out in the woods, so that wouldn’t work, either.”
“Joe, however, would have more than enough room,” Mitch said.
“How do you know they would take us in?” Gina asked. It was inconceivable to her that someone, especially a mayor and his family, would open up their home to complete strangers.
“Once you meet the Dwyers you’ll understand,” Jack said. “I’ll go find Joe so we can get you settled.”
Gina didn’t object as Jack put on his jacket and left the office. What other choice do I have?
Chapter Three
“Come on in, Ms. Silvetti.”
Gina looked at the pretty brunette who stood at the open front door of an opulent ranch-style mansion. She
smiled nervously and said, “Thank you, Mrs. Dwyer.”
As she and the children entered the foyer, a tall man dressed in a butler’s uniform came to stand in front of Lacey.
“Lacey, you should not be out here answering the door. It’s chilly,” he said.
“Randall, I appreciate your concern, but a little cold air isn’t going to hurt me,” Lacey said as she smiled at his protectiveness. “Randall, this is Mrs. Silvetti and her children, Chloe, and Ryan.”
Randall gave his attention to their guests. Giving them a slight bow, he said, “It is a pleasure to meet all of you.”
“Likewise, Randall,” Gina said. “Please call me by my first name.”
“You talk funny, Randall,” Ryan said.
Randall smiled and said, “That’s because I’m from England.”
“Wow. Where’s that?” the boy said.
“Far away across the ocean,” Randall explained.
Gina was too busy looking around at the expensive furnishings to pay much attention to their conversation. While she found the house beautiful, she saw potential disasters everywhere. There were many breakable things in the parlor alone and she could see she was going to have to watch Ryan closely. He was the typical bull in the china shop.
“Mrs. Silvetti, if you will follow me, I’ll show you to your rooms,” Randall said.
Lacey said, “Once you’re settled, we’ll have some supper.”
“All right,” Gina said. “Thank you. Once I find a job, I’ll reimburse you for everything.”
“No, Gina. We’re only too happy to help and we don’t need it. Trust me,” Lacey said as she walked with them.
Gina smiled and said, “All right.”
Randall led them down a long hall and turned left. He stopped at the first room on the right. “This is for Miss Chloe.”
Chloe went in the room and her mouth dropped open. A canopy bed done in white and pink stood in the center of the room. A beautiful white dresser, nightstand, and bureau matched the bed. There was also a small white desk and more toys than Chloe had ever seen in one room before. She turned and looked at her mother in wonder.
Gina was just as astounded by the room as her daughter. Everything from the wallpaper to the curtains was exquisite and perfect for a little girl.