Love of a Bounty (Sequal to Unexpected Romance but can stand alone)

Chapter Thirteen

Two days later and Tessa was reading over the Telegram her neighbor had sent her. The farm was gone. Trigger Jones had burnt it to the ground and killed all the livestock after finding that Tessa wasn't there. While Tessa was sad to know that what her father had worked so hard for was gone she was also relieved because that meant she wouldn't have to lie to Richard.

She had been fully prepared to tell Richard the farm was gone and have her neighbor secretly sell it and wire her the money. She could tell by watching Richard in this town, interacting with the people that this was his home and her home was wherever he was. She had not been willing to let him give up something that made him happy for her especially when she really didn't care about the farm anymore anyway.

She walked outside the post office to find Richard standing on the porch waiting for her.

"I thought you said you'd be busy most of the day." she said as she walked up to him. He held up a piece of paper.

"You ready to become Tessa Helms?" he asked. Her eyes widened.

"You got it already?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yep." he said. Then his eyes narrowed. He could tell there was something wrong with her.

"Did you get a telegram back today?" he asked. She nodded and handed it to him. He read over it quickly, his eyes growing angrier with every word.

"That son of a bitch!" he exclaimed bringing a gasp from a woman walking by with a toddler on her hip. She glared at Richard and he offered her an apologetic grin.

"Sorry bout that, ma'am." he said. The woman shook her head and walked away. Richard looked back at Tessa.

"That bastard burnt the whole farm to the ground." he said. Tessa nodded.

"I know. I read the damn thing too." she replied.

"Guess we'll just have to rebuild it." Richard said folding the telegram and the marriage license and putting both in his pocket. Tessa shook her head.

"I was actually wanting to talk to you about that." she said. Richard took her by the hand and led her over to a bench on the wooden walkway and they sat down.

"What?" he asked.

"What would you say about settling down right here around Gatesville? I mean this is where my pa was wanting to move to anyhow."

"Not much land for farming around here." Richard told her. Tessa shrugged.

"I'm about farmed out." she replied. "Besides do you even know how to work a plow?" Richard chuckled and rubbed his chin.

"No, I reckon I don't but I was gonna learn." he said. Tessa smiled.

"You weren't made for that life. You were made for living out here." she said.

"What about you? What were you made for?" Richard asked.

"Being wherever you are." she replied. Richard looked at her to see if she was lying but she seemed to be telling the truth. He was relieved to say the least. He would have gone anywhere with her and done anything she had wanted him to but Richard didn't know the first thing about working a farm.

"How'd I get lucky enough to end up with a woman like you?" he asked. Tessa grinned.

"You're just blessed I guess." she replied. Richard chuckled.

"Bout as blessed as a cowboy who squats on a cactus in the dark." he said. Tessa glared at him.

"You are such a charming gentleman." she said. Richard shook his head.