Chapter 22

“I don’t see why she would be getting off here.”

Myra listened as her husband and the stagecoach driver conversed over the whereabouts of her daughter’s departure from the stagecoach.

“I tell you she did. She was a peculiar sort of girl, that Jessie Steele,” Sam Goody shook his head as he spoke.

“How do you mean?” Jacob asked.

“Well, she wanted to ride shotgun. I ain’t never heard of a woman wanting to ride shotgun. When I refused to allow it, she rode on top, asking me fifty hundred questions. She wanted to know if I’d heard of the Dottie Belle Ranch before. I told her that I had, and that I knew the owner of it. She asked so many questions I can’t even remember. When we made a stop at this little station, I told her that the Dottie Belle was about five miles in that direction,” Sam pointed west. “The next thing I knew, she was gone. She just vanished without as much as a goodbye. She didn’t have any luggage at all, but you could tell that she was a young lady with a purpose.”

“You let an eighteen year old girl walk off alone and didn’t even volunteer to look for her?” Jake asked, clenching his fists.

“We looked all around here for her. I guess she bought a horse and rode off to find the Dottie Belle,” Sam shrugged.
“Jess didn’t have any money on her, and she isn’t one to steal,” Jake informed him. “So that means you let an eighteen year old girl walk off in the middle of the Arizona dessert without as much as a horse. She could’ve died from a heat stroke and we don’t even know. Don’t you have any sense, man? It’s so hot out here the cows probably have to blow off the grass before they eat it and you don’t have the sense enough to think of what the weather could do to a young lady alone? I outta…”

“Jake,” Myra put a hand on her son’s arm and pulled him aside while Jacob continued talking to Mr. Goody.

Jake shook her hand from his arm. “That’s a stupid man over there, Momma.”

“I know how angry you are. Believe me, I am too. However, that’s all in the past and we can’t change that now. Chewing that man up one side and down the other isn’t going to change how things are. Let’s keep our heads.”

Jake bit his lower lip and looked out over the land that surrounded them, refusing to look in her eyes. “There’s no telling what’s happened to her,” he said.

Myra sighed. “I know. Let’s just get the information out of Sam Goody as soon as we can so we can continue the search for her. There’s always the hope that she’s okay.”

Jake rubbed his forehead and looked at the ground.

Myra understood his need to protect his sister, and she felt it on even a greater scale.

Lord, please help us find her soon. Help us to find her safe. We’ve just about used up all of our strength.

“Myra!” Jacob called. “He knows how to get to the Dottie Belle Ranch!”

*****

“Bliss, this is Jessie Steele. Jessie, this is Bliss Slade,” Colt introduced.

Jessie smiled at the woman in front of her, glad to finally be able to put a face to the name. She was a beautiful woman, with rich blonde hair and dark brown eyes, not to mention that bright smile that seemed to be drenched in happiness.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Jessie said, dipping in a curtsey as well as she could with her crutches.

“Likewise. Colt explained the whole situation to me on the way over here, and I have to admit that I never expected you to look this well after all you’ve been through,” Bliss told her.

Jessie felt herself blush, and put her head down. “I can assure you that I was a big handful those first few days.”

Bliss sat down at the table across from her. “Colt tells me that you lost your memory. Do you have it back now?”

“Some. I still have no idea how I ended up out here or why. That part is still… kind of blurry,” Jessie said.

Colt sat at the head of the table, and Jessie glanced at him, hoping he didn’t feel angry toward her for being so much trouble.

“Growing up, I was around cowboys with head injuries all of the time. When one of them got a concussion, they never had amnesia. They might not remember the accident, but they were always pretty sharp after the fact.” Bliss rested her chin in her hand as she spoke.

“D-did they ever remember the accident?” Jessie asked.

Bliss looked up at her. “Sometimes. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get your memory back, though.”

Jessie heaved a sigh. It didn’t give her a very good chance, though.

“This is a depressing topic. Tell me about yourself,” Bliss smiled.

Jessie smiled weakly back at her.

“Now, you make sure you tell me if you need anything, ya hear?” Bliss told Jessie as she put on her coat. “Women out here have to stick together.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Steele. It was wonderful talking to you,” Jessie smiled.

“Make sure you send Colt after me if you need anything, okay?” Bliss said.

Jessie nodded.

Colt and Bliss walked outside, and Jessie turned back to the table. It had occurred to her how much different Colt was when he was around her. He acted strange, like he was scared to make a wrong move. It puzzled her, and as much as she hated to be nosy, she desperately wanted to know what made him act that way. Taking a deep breath, she resolved not to be like her mother’s friend, Missy, who was determined to know every secret that anyone kept. Colt deserved to have his secrets, just as she deserved to have hers.

*****

Colt closed the door behind him and looked Bliss in the eye. “Well? What do you think about her?”

“She’s a sweet girl,” Bliss smiled. “I do wonder what brought her out here, though.”

“Didn’t you notice how she acted?” Colt asked.

Bliss drew her eyebrows close together. “She acted perfectly fine to me.”

“She was as nervous as a cat. She’s like that, and it drives me batty,” Colt rubbed his forehead.

“There’s nothing wrong with being nervous with strangers, Colt. Everyone is.”

“It’s not that she’s scared of people. She’s so insecure of people that she’s terrified of being judged. Can’t you see that?” Colt asked.

“Insecure? How can she be insecure about herself? She’s beautiful and kind and sweet.”

“She thinks she’s as big as a barn,” Colt groaned just thinking about it.

“Oh, I see.”

“What do I do about it?”

“What do you mean?” Bliss asked.

“Well, I’ve gotta convince her that she’s not all that she thinks she is. Every time she gets nervous she tries to hide her stomach, thinking that I don’t notice. Well, I do notice and it drives me crazy. It won’t do for a girl like that to think she’s ugly when she’s obviously not.”

Bliss smirked, as if Colt hadn’t just short of pleaded for her help.

“You fancy her, don’t you?” She grinned, smacking him on the arm.

“What? No… No… You don’t understand. She’s got a fiancé,” Colt defended.

“Then it’s his job to make her feel beautiful.” Bliss tugged on her gloves.

“He ain’t doin’ a good job of it,” Colt mumbled, putting his hands on his hips.

“If you don’t fancy her, then why do you care so much?” Bliss asked, smirking again.

Colt narrowed his eyes at her. “Because she’s a friend to me. Nothing more… nothing less.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Bliss said doubtfully. “Whatever your reason, just make sure you listen to her if she comes to you with anything. You can’t make her feel better about herself, that’s something she has to find on her own.”

Colt sighed. That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Bliss mounted her horse and looked down at him.

“When you get over avoiding Clint and I, we’d like to have you over for supper sometime. You can bring Jessie, too.”

“We can’t risk Jessie being seen,” Colt said quickly.

Bliss stared at him knowingly.

Colt’s heart dropped. She saw right through him.

“I… haven’t been avoiding you,” he protested.

“Yep, ya have. It’s understandable, though,” Bliss told him.

Colt put his head down, trying not to relive that day three months ago. An awkward silence passed between them.

“I didn’t mean to bring that up again Colt. I’m sorry,” Bliss said softly.

Colt took a deep, calming breath. “I’m fine.”

She sighed. “Think about it, okay? I don’t want to lose your friendship.”

Colt nodded.

She turned her horse toward the ranch and rode off.

Taking a moment to regain his composure before he went back inside, he lifted his eyes to the sky. He wanted to get over his busted heart and move on, but that was easier said than done.

*****

Jessie was helping Carby with the dishes the next morning, leaning on her good foot and drying a plate. Colt hadn’t left for work yet, and was sitting at the table, staring at the table. He looked like he hadn’t slept well last night, leaving her to wonder even more about the relationship between him and Bliss Slade.

“Colt, will you finish washing these? I’ve got to go out and put those rocks where I want my garden to go before it gets too warm,” Carby said.

Colt stood and walked over to the washbasin where a few dishes lay in need of washing. He washed them as if it was his common duty.

Jessie watched him for a moment. “Something on your mind, Colt?”

He glanced over at her. “Why do you ask?”

“You seem a little out of it this morning,” Jessie told him.

“I’m fine,” he said.

Jessie nodded. That was the typical male reaction.

They heard hoof beats come riding up to the front door, and they glanced at each other. Colt arched an eyebrow and went to look out of the window.

“Who is it?” Jessie asked.

“I don’t know him,” Colt said, walking toward the door.

Jessie peeked out of the window. She did a double take before she confirmed the face. That blonde hair, those hazel eyes, and that tin badge screamed familiarity.

“Colt,” she breathed.

He stopped and looked at her.

“It’s Adam,” she whispered.

His grip tightened on the doorknob and an emotion came over his face that she didn’t recognize.

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