Chapter 42: Not the Usual Jake

~Fine feathers make fine birds.~ —Aesop

This was not the usual Jake who always dressed in old, faded clothes and had dust in his hair.

No, this Jake was wearing a spotlessly clean blue shirt, and his customary red neckerchief was no longer faded and threadbare, but new and bright. His old, homespun pants had been replaced with tailored ones. Even his leather boots had been shined up.

He had removed his hat when coming in, and his reddish-blond hair was clean and brushed back out of his face.

Dannie realized, with an unwelcome jolt, that he was easily the most handsome man in the room.

The three other men appeared equally surprised at the sight of the cowboy.

Jake never so much as acknowledged their presence but kept his attention on Dannie. “Is Miss Preston claimed?” he asked.

“I’m afraid she is,” Sheriff Grant responded before Dannie could even open her mouth. “If you want the honor, Jake, you’re gonna have to wait your turn.”

The music started playing, and Dannie, with a glare at Jake, turned to the sheriff with a charming smile, took his arm, and walked off with him.

Cal and Mr. Foster shuffled off now that the object of their attentions had been taken away.

Jake stood rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed on Dannie, who laughed and smiled and chatted with the sheriff as they danced. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face Sam. The older man had a smile on his face.

“Just spoke to the local gossips,” he said in a telltale sort of voice. “Apparently, for the past year, Sheriff Grant and Cal Jennson have been locked in a battle to the death over the affections and attentions of Miz Preston. Drew Foster also seems to have designs on her. He’s been to the town more often in the past year than all the previous ones combined.”

A deep scowl set into Jake’s face. “What business does Sheriff Grant have tryin’ to court Dannie? He’s old enough to be her father.”

“Sheriff Grant is barely thirty,” Sam corrected with a laugh. “That’s only three years older than you. Don’t go adding years to his age just because yer jealous. Most folks here think he’s the best suitor for Miz Preston and hope that in the end they will make a match of it.”

“Over my dead body, they will,” Jake muttered as he moved closer to the dance floor, determined to be close to Dannie once this confounded dance was over. How long was the damn thing going to last? Weren’t those people tired of jumping around to the fast-paced music?

Finally, after an eternity, the musicians put down their instruments. Jake lost no time. He marched over, took Dannie’s hand, and dragged her away from Sheriff Grant.

Dannie, however, wasn’t going to be carted off like an animal. She wasn’t going to make a scene either, though. She followed Jake out of the dance hall without a word. The minute they were outside, she raised her free hand and smacked the man across the cheek.

The shock and pain had Jake releasing his grip on her.

“I do not appreciate being dragged off in such a manner, Jacob Wade! A woman is not a…a ~thing~ you can shift here or there at your pleasure. Mind your manners, and at least try to be a man of honor even if you cannot be a gentleman.”

She turned to go, but Jake put his hand out and blocked her way.

“Now, Dannie, hold yer horses. Don’t take off in such a hurry.”

“I’m just following your example, Jake,” Dannie retorted, putting her hands on her hips. “Maybe now you can get a taste of your own behavior. I do not know what sort of game you are playing, but just let me tell you I do not find it amusing.”

“I’m not playing any games. Calm down and hear me out, will you?”

She shivered a little as the wind blew around them, and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “Why should I hear you out? Did you hear me out? I remember you storming off while I ran after you.

“You’ve made a fool of me once, but you shall not do it again. Once bitten, twice shy, and I’ve been bitten far too many times. One day you are all kind and caring, and the next you decide that it’s fine to walk off in a huff for no good reason...”

“Dannie, just wait a minute.” Jake held out his other hand.

“I’m tired of waiting, and I’m tired of trying to figure it out on my own. If you can’t…”

“I was wrong, all right? I was wrong. I shouldn’t have run off the way I did. I’m sorry.”

“So why did you do it?”

“Because I’m darn scared of getting my heart broken again, and that turns me into a coward. When I heard that you got a letter from Paul Richardson, I panicked and turned tail and ran. You yourself said it: once bitten twice shy. I’ve been bitten too many times, too.”

There was a moment’s pause. Dannie then motioned for Jake to follow her, and they walked together away from the dance hall and into the night.

“Jake, I am going to ask you to be frank with me,” Dannie said at last. “What are your feelings for me?”

“I’m head over heels in love with you.”

Dannie stopped in her tracks and looked up at Jake with wide eyes. He laughed. “Thought you asked me to be frank. Only don’t ask me why or when it all happened. Truth be told, I can’t understand it myself.

“I swore to the heavens that I was through with love, and then the heavens dropped you into my lap. At first sight, it seemed like heaven itself couldn’t make me fall for you. You can be rude, you can be loud, and when you just start talkin’ and I can hardly get a word in edgewise, it drives me insane.

“Despite all this, I fell, and I fell hard. Truth be told, I fell last year while we were still on the road to Hopewing.”

“You sure have a strange way of showing your affections,” Dannie dared to point out.

“That’s because all this scared the wits out of me. I didn’t know how to handle it, so I decided to just steer clear of you. But then the heavens threw me into your lap again, and I figured maybe I could give it a shot. But then…well…”

“If you had any trust, you would have stayed and heard the whole story out. Jake, if you claim to love me, you need to be able to trust me.”

“If you promise to stay away from those three parasites lurking in the hall, I’ll never betray yer trust again!”

She laughed at this. “Now you know how strong the competition is?”

Jake reached out and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his. “Dannie, I know I’ve failed two tests already, but give me yer word of honor, and I swear on all that is good and true, I won’t fail a third time. Please?”

His pale green eyes peered into hers, and there was a desperate quiver in his voice.

The smile on Dannie’s face widened.

“Who would have thought you could sweet-talk so well? Very well, if you keep up with this good behavior, I won’t dance with any of them for the rest of the evening. They’ve had their fair share of me as it is.”

“Does that mean you are going to dance with me?”

“I suppose it does.”

“Only I’m warnin’ you, I’m a lousy dancer.”

“I’m sure I’ll survive.”

“Oh, and how about those baskets I saw lined up for the upcoming auction? Is one of them yours, there?”

“Perhaps,” Dannie teased.

“Which one?”

“Jake!” Dannie shook her head in disapproval. “I’m not supposed to tell you; that’s cheating. Cal Jennson was trying to find out from me too, but I didn’t tell him, and I shan’t tell you. You have to guess.”

“Ain’t no way I’m guessin’! Listen here, young lady, you do remember there is still an outlaw out there who wants my neck? I risked my life just to come here and apologize. I will not be eaten up by jealousy while I’m at it.”

His logic was convincing. Dannie gave in with a warm smile. “Ah yes, there is that fact. I forgot, for a moment. Very well, it’s the last one with the blue ribbons tied on the handle and the handkerchief with the blue birds.”

They had already reached the door, but Jake put his hand over the handle to keep her from opening it. “Wait a minute. I just confessed to you about how I feel. You never said anything ’bout your feelings for me.”

Dannie raised an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth twitching. “You think it’s so easy to get a confession out of me? My mother always told me that a lady’s feelings are not to be thrown out to the wind for any man to catch.

“Besides, seeing as so far you have failed every possible test of honor, you must be prepared to work hard to redeem yourself before I tell you my feelings. Come along, the auction will start soon.”

She pushed his hand away and walked inside.

“Work hard? Redeem myself? Danielle Frances Preston, you come back here and give me a confession!”