“Thank the good Lord.” Rosie kissed Summer’s cheek, then pulled back slightly. “Look at you. Gracious, you’ve grown into a woman...and you’re wearing a dress.”
“And you’re pretty as spring flowers, just like always.” Summer smiled.
Rosie laughed and hugged her sister again. “Did my eyes deceive me, or did I see you tied up a few minutes ago?”
Summer turned an accusing glare at Jesse. “Yes, you could say I was embarrassingly affixed to the horse, thanks to yourfiancé.”
Rosie gasped. “Jesse Slade. I can’t believe you’d do such a thing.”
Jesse pushed his hat off his forehead. “Well, now, your sister wouldn’t listen–”
Summer sobered her expression. “Rosie, you can’t be serious about marrying this in-bred cowboy. He had absolutely no concern for my welfare and tied me up like some pig to be slaughtered.”
Rosie gave Jesse a reproachful look. “Do you have an explanation?”
He glanced at his sweet Rosie, and his anger cooled slightly. “My dear, we’ll talk about that later. Right now, we need to get your sister over to Doc Gill.”
Rosie’s attention finally landed on Summer’s wounds, and she sucked in her breath. “Let me have a look at you.”
“I’m fine, really.”
“Jesse is right.” Rosie’s arm linked around Summer’s waist for support, and walked toward the doctor’s office. “What in heaven’s name happened to you?”
Jesse cut in, “She–”
“You, stay out of this,” Summer warned, sending him a glare over her shoulder. “I’ll tell the story.”
Jesse shrugged and fell into step behind the girls.
“You tell me exactly what happened, dear Summer,” Rosie commanded in a sweet tone.
Summer’s gaze flew back to her sister. “It was just the most frightening experience of my life,” she began dramatically as they continued to walk. “Gunshots came from everywhere it seemed, and suddenly the driver was shot dead and fell from the stagecoach.”
Rosie gasped. “Oh, my.”
“The bandits popped shots at us right and left, and we dodged bullets to keep from being killed. Then...”
Jesse rolled his eyes while listening to Summer’s rendition of the story. The woman jabbered like a magpie, only pausing long enough to take a deep breath now and again. But he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off the gentle sway of her crooked bustle.Mercy!
“Once I slowed the coach, I noticed the rifle by my feet. By this time, the bandits were upon us, so I grabbed the gun and fired.”
“Don’t forget the part about your head,” Jesse interjected.
She shot him another piercing glare from over her shoulder but continued. “Well, you see, I was busy shooting bandits and didn’t notice one climbing up next to me. He took his rifle and hit me in the head.”
Rosie inhaled deeply, color seeping from her face. “Oh, gracious, no.”
“But not to worry, I shot the man right in the heart before he could do worse. Within minutes, I had all six bandits lying on the ground.”
Jesse cleared his throat, getting her attention. She rolled her eyes. “Jesse arrived at the scene just at the right time and helped with disarming the bandits.”
He continued to listen to the story in disgust. Why the little minx made it sound like an adventure. Didn’t she realize she could’ve been seriously injured?
It was hard for Jesse to hold his tongue while Summer hammed it up for Rosie, boasting like a peacock fanning its feathers. But listening to her made him think, and as he seriously considered what had happened, his annoyance evaporated. Maybe she did deserve a little praise. Given the circumstances, she’d had little choice but to do what she did. But he still didn’t like the idea of the fool woman pulling such a dangerous stunt.
He shook his head. Who else but Summer Bennett would put herself in such a life-threatening situation?
Jesse opened the door to the doctor’s office and ushered the girls inside. “I’ll be waitin’ for you across the street at the Low Down Saloon,” he said, but the sisters were so involved in conversation he doubted they even heard.
