CHAPTER SIXTEEN

With Slim and Jess working side by side, the barn was built within days, but something was different between the men. Slim couldn’t figure it out. Now that the fight was over, Slim expected his friend to be relaxed, but each day, Jess became more restless with a shorter temper than the day before.

Since the fight, Laura had stayed close to Jess. Almost like a small child seeking the protection of its parent. She was always ready to pamper to Jess’ needs. So it was finally a welcome relief when Laura headed to towards the kitchen, leaving the two men alone, standing in front of the fireplace.

“You been trying to tell me something for days,” Slim observed. “Now she ain’t going to be gone long. Just enough time to heat up some coffee. So why don’t you say what’s on your mind?”

Jess glanced shyly at Slim. “I don’t think I’m going go back to Laramie.”

“What?” Slim’s face wrinkled with confusion, then relaxed with understanding. “Is it, Laura?”

“Can you imagine a lady like that with someone like me?” Jess chuckled but his laugh sounded bitter and angry.

“Don’t sell yourself short.”

“Slim, you know as good as I do that if this trouble hadn’t brought us together, she wouldn’t have even noticed me if she passed me on the street. Probably would have crossed the street just to avoid riff raft like me.”

“All I know is she’s shown interest in you. So if it’s Laura…”

Jess shook his head. “It ain’t. Oh I admit the idea of being with a woman like that. It’s tempting. It’s awful tempting, but I’m not ready to settle down. And the kind of lady she is, well, she wouldn’t settle for anything less.”

“Then what’s got you so edgy?”

Jess pressed his lips together.

Slim drew close to Jess. Like a brother, he placed his hand on Jess’ shoulder. “Jess, we’ve always talked before. You know you can tell me.”

“I just think it’s time for me to move on, that’s all.”

Slim’s grip tightened. “That ain’t good enough. Now you tell me what this is all about. You seemed happy working at the relay station. How come you don’t want to go back?”

Jess pulled his revolver out of his holster. “This is the reason. I thought I’d never wear this gun again, but I couldn’t keep it off me, even for a month. Face it, Slim, I ain’t never going to be nothing but a gunslinger.”

“So that’s what’s been eating at your craw? Well I wondered.”

“I ain’t ever going to be able to put this gun up. I tried but...” Jess shook his head.

“Jess, we need you back at the ranch,” Slim argued. “You know how much work is waiting for us.”

“Slim, it’s because of me that you risked your life here today. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here,” Jess argued.

Slim surprised Jess by agreeing, “That’s right, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be dead from Bud Carlin’s bullet. You saved my life. Why can’t I return the favor and save yours?”

Jess’s hand slid across the revolver. “Slim, your gun ain’t like mine. You know I altered it so when I draw, I’ll have the best advantage. And you know I’ve...” Jess stopped. A look of embarrassment formed on his face. His eyes dropped from Slim’s face. “I’ve sold my gun to the highest bidder.”

“You ain’t kept your past a secret. There’s no lies between us. We know each other’s secrets,” Slim said with a nod. “But those days are gone, Jess. Whether you want to admit it or not, you’ve changed. Once maybe you might have become a gunfighter, but you chose a different path. You’re no more a gunfighter than I am.”

“Laura seems to think so.”

Slim’s eyebrow raised with understanding. “She got under your skin, didn’t she?”

Jess frowned. “She brought back some memories that I wanted to forget. She made me see myself through her eyes, and it wasn’t a pleasant sight.”

Slim’s eyes narrowed with concern. “Jess, you’d be a fool to walk away from the relay station, and what I’ve learned about you is that you’re no fool.”

Jess glanced up at him. “No I’m just a hired gun...no more than a killer to some.”

Slim asked, “What do I have to say to convince you not to walk away from your home?”

Jess looked as if he had been hit. “I’m only a ranch hand...”

Slim interrupted, “I may run the outfit but don’t you think for minute that you’re only a ranch hand. You’re part of the outfit. You may not have been there long; but it wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“You mean that?”

“You ever known me to lie?”

A smile flashed across Jess’ face.

Slim slapped Jess’ shoulder with brotherly affection. “Now no more of this foolish talk. We got cattle to move before winter sets in, and you promised Andy to take him fishing, and you owe me for doing your chores. When we get back, I plan to go fishing while you do some work.”

Jess laughed. “Reckon I better stay around with all them plans you got going.”

Slim nodded and a silent understanding passed between the two men.

Slim said, “Holster the gun, Jess. It’s time to put it up. With luck, it’ll stay put up, but if not, well we’ll face it together. Savvy?”

With a grin filling his face, Jess eagerly slid the gun into his worn holster.

Slim glanced towards the kitchen. “Now where’s that coffee, she went to get?”

“Right here,” Laura greeted with a smile.

Slim wondered if she had been listening.

Laura placed the tray on the table by the chair. She poured steaming coffee into two mugs. “Jess.” She handed him a mug; then handed Slim one. “Slim.” She then sat down in one of the chairs near the fireplace. “After all that’s happened, it’s nice to be peaceful, isn’t it?”

Jess nodded. “Sure is.”

“I still can’t get over you fooling people into thinking you and Jess were engaged to be married,” Slim said.

Laura glanced at Jess. “You know I thought I would be uneasy about being engaged to a gunslinger.”

Slim’s eyebrow shot up with disapproval hearing the description of his friend. He defended, “Gunslinger? Jess? Why he’s settled down. You should see how hard he works at my place. He might have sowed some wild oats when he was younger but since he’s come to live with us, he’s become down right respectable.”

“Is that so?” Laura smiled at Jess. “Why Jess, before you know it, you’ll be so down right respectable that you will be getting married.”

Jess didn’t return her smile.

Laura glanced at the damage the fire and bullets had caused to the house. “I must say it was nice having a man help me with the work around here. I’ve realized that I could use someone permanent around here. I guess there were more advantages to having a fiancée than I thought there would be when I started the lie about Jess and myself. You know a lot of women my age are married by now. A lot of men your age are too, Jess.” Again she smiled at Jess.

The cup stopped halfway to Jess’ lips. “I uh...I need to check on my horse.”

“Your horse?” Slim mocked. “He’s tied up. Just like mine is.”

Without a glance back, Jess started walking towards the front door.

“What about your coffee?” Laura called out. “You’ve hardly...”

Jess only walked faster. “Checking a horse doesn’t take long.”

Within minutes both Slim and Laura heard the hoof beats. They hurried to the front door. For a quick second they saw Jess galloping his horse away from the ranch. Then all that remained was a small cloud of dust where Jess had spurred his horse.

“Where’s he going?” Laura turned towards Slim.

Laughter emerged from Slim’s lips. “He ain’t one for talking about marriage. Said there are only two things that scare him. Reckon that talk about marriage scared him fierce. ‘Spect he’s halfway back to Laramie by now.”

“You mean he’ll face down killers without even flinching but just the mention of marriage causes him to slink away like a scared rabbit?”

Slim again laughed. “It’s a wonder, ain’t it?”

Her voice changed from shock to softness as she moved closer to Slim. “What about you, Slim? Are you as frightened of marriage as Jess?”

“Me?” Slim took a step backwards.

Her eyes searched his face, studying his every feature. “Why you would be a man any woman would be proud to call her own, and you even operate a relay station, just like I do. You know, come to think of it, you and I have a lot more in common than Jess and I do. Why don’t we sit down and talk? I’m sure we’ll find we have even more in common than we thought.”

“Ma’am,” Slim eased himself around her then took a step onto the porch.

“Now where are you going?” She placed her hands on her hips and waited for an answer.

“I uh...” Slim took another step backwards. And still another step.

She opened her mouth to speak but Slim was gone, rushing to his horse. Within seconds, Slim was racing down the road after Jess, heading in the direction of Laramie.

Laura shook her head with wonder. “Well I guess I’ll just to talk to Mister Mose about what to do about this.”

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Chapter Seventeen