“My little girl is finally home. I’ve missed you so.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “Oh, Papa, why didn’t you send word that you were so ill?”
He pulled back and looked at her. “Now, what good would that have done?” He patted her hand. “I want to see the lady Aunt Lydia turned you into.”
She smiled, then stood and did a little pirouette.
His brows creased. “Why are you wearing a dress but still look as if you’ve been climbing trees?”
A laugh escaped her throat. “I had a heck of a time getting here, Pa.”
“Tell me all about it.”
Everyone gathered in the living room, and Summer retold her story. For her father’s sake, she covered her worry and made her tale humorous. As she talked to her parents, her gaze wandered to the man who had set off her temper this morning. Jesse sat next to Rosie with his arm casually resting on the back of her chair. His attention was focused on Summer while a strange expression touched his face. Almost like the one she’d seen for a split second when he lifted her down from the wagon.
Out of all the people in the room, Jesse had changed the most—besides her father, anyway. It struck her odd to think of Jesse as handsome, so muscular, so much more a man. She didn’t even mind the mustache. Her mind quickly brought back the image of him tying the horse to the hitching post earlier today. His clothes practically strained across the cords of his muscles.
She mentally shook out her thoughts and tried to think negatively since he had annoyed her most of the time they’d known each other.
Soon, her father asked Ma to take him to his room so that he could rest. Summer hated seeing him this way and kissed his cheek, and quickly ran upstairs to her room. When she reached her bed, she fell upon her pillow and let her tears flow freely. Worrying about how she could convince Adam to help her turn the livery around and bring in more business weighed heavily on her mind and heart.
Soon, she noticed the frilly pink and yellow daisy bedspread. Despite her disheartened mood, she smiled. She used to hate this particular cover because of the feminine colors, but now it actually appealed to her.
As she ran the fingers of one hand over the patchwork and dried her tears with the other, peacefulness settled over her. For five years, she’d shared a room with two other girls at the school, but now she would have her privacy.
Everything in her room was the way she’d left it, except maybe cleaner. The unused vanity Pa had purchased several years back, with hair brushes, ribbons, and perfumes, beckoned her to make use of them.
She moved off the bed and stepped to the table. Her reflection shone back from the mirror, and she nearly fell over. She looked horrid. Her clothes were torn, her face splotched with dirt, and matted hair framed her head. Since Jesse had brought up her trunks, she quickly unpacked. Someone must have hauled up buckets of water for her bath, and she spent the next little while tidying her appearance.
Within an hour, Summer pulled on the rose dress her aunt had made for her over her freshly washed hair. She tugged it down around her hips and settled the bustle in place. She traced the white lace around the neckline, stitching carefully sewn by her aunt Lydia who made certain it was perfect. Glancing into the mirror, she turned side to side and realized she looked like the lady her aunt had worked so hard at creating. She lifted the silver brush off the vanity table and pulled it through her hair, taking care not to touch the bump on the side of her head. Instead of winding her hair into a respectable bun, she arranged her hair by pulling back the sides and tying it with a rose-colored ribbon.
As she descended the stairs, she noticed Pa trying to move from his chair to the roller-chair. His grunts and groans magnified the supreme effort it took. Her stomach churned at the sounds of him gasping for breath as he fell into the roller-chair.
“Marvin,” Ma spoke softly. “Why didn’t you call for me to help you?”
“I’m tired of asking for help all the time.”
Summer’s chest tightened with emotion as she reached the bottom step. Agony stabbed at her heart, and her eyes blurred with tears again. The realization that her father was dying hit her full force, and she couldn’t watch anymore. She darted into the kitchen, past Jesse and Rosie, and ran out the back door before letting go of her emotions.
* * * *
JESSE FROWNED AS SUMMERwhirled through the kitchen in a fit of anguish, her face drawn in grief. His heart went out to her. He stood at the sink basin next to Rosie as they peeled the vegetables for supper. Not very often did he help this way, but Rosie wanted everything special for Summer’s homecoming meal.
Rosie’s forehead creased, and she frowned. “Jesse? Would you talk to her? She needs some reassurance.”
“Me?” Panic slowly filled him. “Summer isn’t goin’ to listen to me.”
Rosie touched his arm gently. “She’s had quite an upset, and you’re the only one free to talk to her at the moment. I’m about ready to put the kettle on.”
“But... what if I put the kettle on and you go talk to her?”
“Jesse, when have you ever prepared dinner? Besides, I really would like you to do this for me.”
“But, she...I...we can’t talk.” His mind scrambled, trying to think of a way out. “All we ever do is argue.”
The corners of her mouth lifted into a grin. “Then it’s time the two of you settled your differences. I don’t want you constantly at each other’s throats once we’re married.”
Jesse silently cursed, then stormed out of the room. Women! Why did men fall all over themselves to please the fillies? The reason was beyond him. He understood her turmoil, though. It tore at his heart to watch the man he loved like a father wither before his eyes, and feeling helpless wasn’t his idea of aiding the man he idolized. True, he could ride with the sheriff and capture outlaws, but he couldn’t do one thing to help Marvin.
