Redemption

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Jessie plopped down in the train seat beside Colt, feeling relief mixed with butterflies in the pit of her stomach. She hated to leave her family with only a long letter to explain everything, but it had to be done. Colt had a plan, and she aimed to see it through.

“Did everything go well?” Colt asked beside her.

How she had missed that soothing voice of his.

Jessie nodded. “I hope so. I wrote out a letter explaining everything. I hope Momma doesn’t worry. I know she’ll wonder about me. I told them how to contact me, but explained that the mail doesn’t get to us very often out in Arizona.”

Jessie nearly smiled at the thought of returning to that tiny shack with Carby and Colt. She had missed their company.

The train’s whistle blew, and Jessie tensed. She was suddenly plagued with doubts. She didn’t want to be separated from her family again. What if they didn’t understand?

Colt must have sensed her disinclination, for he put his hand over hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“It’s gonna turn out alright, okay? You’re much safer with me. Adam might not be as inclined to pursue your inheritance further if you’re all the way across the country and living within two miles of Clint Slade.”

Jessie stared at his hand over hers, feeling secure by his presence. She knew that he would protect her if Adam grew violent, but who would protect her heart?

As she glanced up at his face, she knew that it was far too late for that. Her heart had already given itself away, even if it wasn’t wholly his yet, she knew and recognized the yearning within her. Something she had never felt with Adam.

Her mind told her to move her hand, but the strength flowing from him was something that she needed at the moment. Something she couldn’t survive without.

The train set to moving, and the butterflies in Jessie’s stomach multiplied. Terrified and nervous, she flipped her hand around until their palms touched, needing the reassurance that he was truly there.

Her eyes wandered over to his, and locked in place. There, in the depths of his pale blue eyes, lay the heart of a hero.

Someone who had traveled across the country to return a raggedy old dress to her.

Someone who had rescued her.

Her hero.

Of all the men she knew, no one wore his heart like Colt did. She felt as if she knew everything about him just by looking into his eyes.

All too soon, his eyes shifted until they looked out of the window to the swiftly passing town.

An emotion came over his face.

Hurt.

What had hurt him? She hadn’t even said anything hurtful.

Suddenly self-conscious, she removed her hand from his grasp and felt the coldness assail her with his absence. Clasping her hands together, she looked straight ahead and tried to avoid eye contact with the man next to her.

*****

Colt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What was he even thinking? Swooping in and taking Jessie away from her home? Sure, he had a good reason, but she was so nervous about the whole ordeal that it made him second-guess his plan.

Not to mention those big green eyes and how they looked at him so trustingly.

He couldn’t be trusted. Not when his heart belonged to two women.