Jacob reached down and pulled his boot back onto his foot, breathing out as he did so. His body was mere inches from hers. A familiar scent wafted around her. She could not place the source—a soap or something, perhaps. But she closed her eyes and inhaled. And suddenly, she was there on the bank of the pond with Jacob sitting so close that their fingers were practically touching, laughing about some joke he had told her.
Back then, she had not considered the future or whether he would change his mind. All she had known was that he was the best friend she had ever had besides her father. And she had simply allowed her desire to be in his presence to guide her.
A hand touched her face, and a tiny gasp escaped at the sensation of skin against skin. Her eyes popped open to reveal Jacob’s brown eyes, his brows lowered in concern. No matter how his face had changed, those eyes had not changed. “Dawn, are you well?”
She nodded, but no words came to her. Both his closeness and that familiar smell that transported her back in time were too distracting. Why could she not lean into this? Lean into the comfort she found in his presence? Lean into the way he accepted her better than anyone?
“Jacob,” she finally whispered, but she had no other words to follow that one.
“Yes.” His voice was husky, barely more than a whisper either. And she could feel his breath on her skin. On her lips.
Jacob was so close. Could she let him in? Could she trust that God brought them back together?
In the next moment, the gap between them closed. She knew not if she had bridged the gap or he had, but it did not matter, for his lips pressed to hers in the sweetest union she could have ever imagined. The kiss held all the qualities Jacob did—sweet and accepting, attractive and teasing. It made her want to press further into the kiss. So she did. Jacob brought a hand up to her shoulder and matched her response.
Could being married to her best friend truly be this sweet? Dawn pulled back and swallowed. There was no threat before her, though, no look of disapproval or disdain. Only Jacob’s familiar face with a look of tenderness and possibly…love?
A blur rushed toward her from the right, and she whipped toward the movement. A small body slammed into theirs, embracing both her and Jacob around the neck. Mary did not utter a word, but Dawn found herself wrapped in a hug with both Jacob and the child.
What about the kiss had caused Mary to react in such a way?
“What is wrong?” she asked when the child sat back on her heels.
Mary shook her head and grinned. “Me happy.”
Dawn tilted her head but reached out and squeezed her little hand. “I am glad.” Whatever brought the child joy, brought her own joy. But she was still perplexed by the child’s response to their kiss. At least she did not resent their closeness, though. That was another hurdle passed.
Perhaps it was best for them to have their midday respite now and give Jacob’s ankle time to rest before they journeyed on. “We will unload some of Samson’s burden before we continue on, but we should go ahead and take our respite now and eat the bread and cheese.”
Jacob nodded. “That is a good plan. But when we reach the station, we switch places.” He leveled a pointed look at her, but the corner of his mouth was lifted.
Oh, how sweet and stubborn. “We will see,” she conceded with a grin of her own.
Somehow, they were able to enjoy their meal without any awkwardness. And true to his word, when they were within sight of the station, Jacob reined Samson in.
“Time to switch,” he said.
They stood at the edge of the tree line, with the station at the top of the hill. The vast log wall forming the front of the fortified settlement stretched wide on that horizon, beckoning them forth.
Dawn inclined her head toward Jacob’s ankle. “Are you sure you need to be walking on it?”
Jacob slipped to the ground but did not allow the injured leg to catch his weight. Then he attempted to mask his limp as he turned toward her. “I will be fine.”
Dawn crossed her arms and raised her brows.
Jacob only grinned. “Come on. Up my ladies go.” He nodded toward the saddle.
“We will load our packs back onto Samson, but we should all walk to the station. Together.”
Jacob watched her for a second. “All right.”
Once that task was complete, Jacob, with the reins in his right hand, extended his left toward her. Dawn clasped onto it and all the strength and confidence it held. Then she turned to Mary but frowned when she remembered that she could not take the child’s hand from that side. How could she ever hope for a family with her condition?
But, to her surprise, the little one did not bat an eye. Instead, much as Jacob had done on occasion, she grinned her bright grin and wrapped her little hand around Dawn’s wrist. Then she turned toward the station, head held high.
Tears pricked at the backs of Dawn’s eyes. These two loved her and accepted her exactly as she was, deformity and all. To them, it made no difference. She could barely consider a time when her heart had pressed with such joy.
CHAPTER 12
