Redemption

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Jessie sat slumped over in the wagon seat, her heart heavy and worn.

“What’s the matter, pumpkin?” Daddy asked.

Jessie sighed. “Oh, nothing.”

“It’s got to be something. You look like you lost your best friend. Have you?” Daddy pressed.

Jessie groaned and leaned back against the wagon seat. “I don’t even know. I’m so confused.”

“Confused? It appears to me that there’s nothing to be confused about. Just tell me if you want to go back and I’ll take you.”

Jessie was very tempted to take him up on that offer.

She shook her head. “I can’t. If he wanted me to stay, he would have just asked.”

“Ever think that maybe he was too scared to ask you?” Daddy asked.

Jessie paused. She hadn’t thought of that, but Colt was never scared to talk to her.

Suddenly, she heard hoof beats and turned around. A smile broke out across her face. She knew it.

She knew he would come after her.

“Stop the wagon, Daddy,” she said.

Daddy pulled the wagon to a halt and Jessie hopped down. She ran out to meet Colt halfway, not trusting either of them with the patience to wait until he reached her.

Colt pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted just as she reached him. She fell into him, his arms surrounding her. She wanted to cry and she wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t seem to even talk. Not that she felt words were needed. It seemed that neither of them did for a while as Colt ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer to him.

Finally, he set her back and smoothed her hair behind her ears.

“I should have never let you out of my sight,” he said. “You can’t leave me. I don’t know what I’d do. When you’re around… everything seems to make just a little more sense. You… you make it all a little better for me. It’s the most selfish thing in the world and I admit it, but either you stay with me or I follow you. There’s no in-between. Not for me. Not now. I love you more than life and everything in it.”

Jessie took his hands from her face and clasped them in her own. “If you think I’d leave you again you’re crazy. I was about three seconds of telling Daddy to turn around when you came after me. I love you, Colt Kidd. I love you with all my heart.”

Colt smiled down at her. “I’m not much, and all I’ve got is a job at a ranch and couple dreams as big as the sky, but if you… Now wait a minute.” He dropped onto one knee. “Figures I’d mess this up somehow.”

Jessie covered her mouth with her hands, not believing that this day was actually happening. Hadn’t she dreamed of it for weeks?

“Jessie Steele, will you marry me?” Colt asked.

“You know I will,” Jessie said through her fingers.

Colt stood up and took her in his arms. Jessie finally let out that giggle that she had been reining in. Colt set her down and she suddenly remembered her father. She turned and smiled at him, and he stuck his thumb up in the air.

“I guess he approves,” she said to Colt.

Colt smiled and put his arm around her waist. “Good. We’d hate to have to elope.”
Jessie smacked him on the arm for thinking such a thought, but couldn’t resist a smile.