Candy watched as man after man filed into the dormitory. They were all dressed in their Sunday best, although this wasn't Sunday.

     " Here they came, Harve, Sam, McGhee. And there to greet them was the sweetheart of their choice. Before Candy closed the door behind the last man to walk in, she looked again at Seattle Square. Where was her sweetheart on this St. Valentine's Day?

      "I'm so sorry, Jeremy," Lottie said apologetically.

     "I'm j-just glad you're all right." Jeremy helped Lottie over to a chair, pulled it out for her and held onto her arm as she sat down.

     "I don't know what happened. I was fine, then I was on the floor."

     "Allyn came to see you?"

     "No, I didn't send for her. It's only a sprain. She has other matters to tend to tonight. Mrs. Farnsworth is having her baby…"

     Jeremy nodded and offered a small, polite smile. His mind wasn't on the baby that Mrs. Farnsworth was having; it was on the romantic supper he'd planned to share with Candy. He knew his thoughts were probably selfish, but what would he do now? Lottie had offered to do the cooking, but twisted her ankle while rushing around in the kitchen.

     The Valentine's Day supper he planned to share with Candy was now only half prepared. "Wait!" he said excitedly.

     "Jeremy?" Lottie said uncertain. "Is something wrong?"

     "I'll do it. I c-can finish it!"

     "Finish it?"

     "The supper you were cookin' f-for me and Candy. I can do it…"

     Lottie swallowed and wasn't sure how to answer. None of the Bolts were known for their culinary skills. "I'm sure Candy will understand what happened. When I can get around, then I'll fix something special for the two of you…"

     "Thank you, Lottie. But, I want to do this…I promised her something special."

     "Help me up, then…"

     "You need to go and lay down…"

     "I will, but if I want to have a kitchen left, I better help you get started!"

     Joshua walked into the dormitory and smiled when he saw Ann. He loved the way the soft light in the room seemed to glisten off her long dark hair. "Hello," he said in a quiet voice as he went to her.

     "Joshua?" Candy said and hurried over to them.

     "Huh?" he absently answered. He was staring at Ann like a lovestruck schoolboy. Candy noticed, but ignored it.

     "Have you seen Jeremy?" she asked.

     "Jeremy?"

     "Yes, Jeremy…"

     "What?"

     "Joshua Bolt, have you seen your brother Jeremy?"

     "Is he missing?"

     "Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. He was supposed to be here over an hour ago…"

     Joshua sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Last time I saw him, he was tying his tie."

     "Then he was almost ready to leave the cabin?"

     "Yeah, suppose so…"

     "Well, I wonder what happened to him?"

     Joshua looked at Candy and hung his head. He couldn't stand the look in her eyes and before he knew it, he'd offered to go in search of his brother. "I'll be back soon," he told Ann and kissed her cheek.

     "Thank you, Joshua." Candy answered with a nod.

     "It'll be fine, Jeremy." Lottie said, trying to make him feel better.

     " "It's awful!"

     "Candy won't mind, really, she won't. It'll just matter to her that you tried."

     Jeremy stared at Lottie for a moment, then shook his head. There was no way that Candy was going to appreciate eating a burned roast for supper, followed by a lopsided cake---it didn't help that he'd gotten the amount of sugar incorrect on the recipe and added too much.

     "I can't…"

     "What is that?!" Joshua exclaimed, laughing. He'd finally caught up with Jeremy in Lottie's kitchen and saw the mess. Joshua lifted the lid off the roasting pan and wrinkled his nose as smoke rolled out. He waved his hand in the air to clear it and spotted the cake. "You've got to be kidding!"

     "Shut up, Josh!"

     "Jeremy, this is the worst you've ever done!"

     "Joshua, it's not his fault," Lottie chimed in. "I started fixing supper, but then I hurt my ankle. I got Jeremy started finishing up, and then I went onto bed; I should have stayed and helped."

     "What we should do is throw this out to the dogs!"

     Jeremy's eyes narrowed as his hands went to rest upon his hips. "Why d-don't we throw you out to the dogs!"

     Lottie sighed. "Where's Jason?"

     "Home, reading." Joshua answered. Jason was the smart one, no romantic entanglements, not yet anyway. "I came here lookin' for you," he looked pointedly at Jeremy. "Candy's wondering where you are?"

     "What t-time is it?"

     Joshua pulled out his pocket watch. "Late, almost seven o'clock. The other men are with their sweethearts, except, of course for me and you!"

     "Sorry, Josh…"

     "It's all right. She is worried, though, Jeremy. I'm going back over, should I send her this way?"

     "No!" Jeremy said quickly. "J-just tell her I'll be right there."

     Joshua couldn't help but laugh a little. Jeremy was such a sight. Flour dusted his face and hands, thank heavens he'd tied an apron around his waist to keep the mess of his clothes. "I'll tell her," he told him and left.

     "Take a deep breath, and go and get your girl. Trust me, Jeremy, Candy will love that you did this for her…" Lottie assured him. "I'm going upstairs. Lock up when the two of you are done." She offered a gentle, maternal kiss to his cheek.

     Jeremy nodded and started out of the saloon.

     Before he got out the door, he remembered the apron tied around his waist. He removed it and tossed it behind the bar. Jeremy pulled on his suit coat and headed for the dormitory.

      By the time he got there, Candy was gnawing her nails---Joshua had come back and said that Jeremy was fine, but wouldn't say where he was. When she heard the knock on the door, she hurried over. This had to be him.

     "Jeremy…" she said, sighing with relief. "I thought you forgot…"

     "Forgot? I wouldn't forget, Candy…Um, c-could you come outside."

     "Of course."

     She joined him on the porch and smiled, waiting on him to say something. Finally, he did. "Happy Valentine's Day…"

     "Thank you," Candy answered and kissed his cheek. He had a light dusting of something white on his face; she gently brushed it away.

     "I g-got something for you…"

     "Jeremy, you didn't have to…"

     "Well, actually, um, I made something for you…"

     "What?" Candy's mind whirled with ideas. Had he made her a new jewelry box? A hope chest, perhaps? "Come with me," Jeremy took her by the hand and led her across the way to Lottie's.

     They walked in and across the saloon, but stopped short of the back room that was behind the bar. "Close your eyes…"

     "What is it?"

     "J-just close your eyes…"

     "All right,"

     Jeremy opened the door and led the way in. "All right, you can look."

     Candy slowly opened her eyes and let out a little gasp. The room was beautiful; the table setting perfect. Candles were lit throughout and cast a romantic, soft light. "Oh, Jeremy…" she whispered as she walked around the room. "It's beautiful…"

     "Sit down," he said and pulled out a chair for her. He swallowed nervously and retreated to the kitchen.

     Candy smiled broadly. Jeremy had really outdone himself. Such a romantic setting, and they were completely alone. Oh, she knew Lottie was close by, but for all intent and purposes, she and Jeremy would be left undisturbed.

     "Hope you're hungry…" Jeremy said. He carried in the roast, surrounded by vegetables, on a serving tray that was covered to keep the food warm. Plus the cover hid the burnt places on the meat---maybe the dim lighting would work in his favor, too.

     "It smells wonderful," Candy commented, but did detect the odor of smoke in the air.

     "There's more…" he told her and scurried back to the kitchen.

     When he did, Candy quietly lifted the lid off the roast. "Oh my!" she nearly exclaimed as her eyes grew wide. The meat was burnt to a crisp! Candy replaced the cover when she heard his footsteps.

     "I made dessert, too…" he announced, carrying in the cake. Initially, it looked very pretty. White icing swirled around, two… was it two layers of cake? "It looks delicious, Jeremy."

     "Hope so…" Jeremy smiled proudly. Perhaps the main meal wouldn't be very good, and maybe the cake didn't look so great, but…

     "Oh no…" Candy covered her mouth with her hands. As Jeremy went to set the cake down, the top layer slid off onto the table.

     "Candy…" he said and looked at her quickly.

     She knew what would come next. He would feel badly and apologize because he would think he'd ruined Valentine's Day for her. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

     Candy reacted quickly and stuck her finger into the icing. "It's very good, Jeremy," she said, licking it off. "No, it's not, you're j-just sayin' that…"

     Candy swiped her finger into the icing again and stood up. "No, I'm not. Taste it, it's good." She held her finger to his lips.

     Jeremy grinned and took a taste of the cake icing. "Very sweet," he said and kissed her fingertip.

     "You're sweet to have tried so hard to do this for me…"

     "Didn't do a very good job," he sighed and looked around.

     "That isn't true, Jeremy. You spent your time doing something special for me, for us. That means more to me than you know."

     He nodded, feeling a little better. "Still wish I c-could have made this evening nice for you…"

     "You can…"

     "How?"

     "Dance with me?" Candy moved closer and no music was necessary for them as he held her close. Candy rested her head upon Jeremy's shoulder; this was a perfect Valentine's Day.

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