Page 33 of The Sheriff and the Outlaw

Colton looked between him and Josey. “Are you sure you don’t need to stay home… at least a few more days?”

“Would you mind?” Daxton asked.

“Pa, I’ll be glad to go with them to help out,” Lillian interjected, stepping out onto the porch.

“Are you sure you want to?” Daxton bent down to look in her eyes. “You don’t miss us too much?”

Lillian huffed. “Pa, it’s only been two days. Besides I’m saving up to buy Christmas presents.”

Daxton chuckled, proud of his daughter. “Well, if you’re sure.”

She smiled. “I am.”

Daxton nodded. “Colton, I’ll go ahead and take off tomorrow then, if you don’t mind. But I’ll be in on Thursday. Is that okay with you?”

Colton gave him a manly slap on the arm. “No problem at all, sheriff. Glad to do it.”

“Actually, James could probably handle it on his own tomorrow—”

“Stop right there.” Colton held up his hand. “Please, no. I’m begging you.”

One corner of Daxton’s lips curled into a smile. “Why? What has he done?”

Colton rolled his eyes. “Whathasn’the done?” Colton sighed. “Okay. I wasn’t going to tell you this, but he’s been driving the shop owners crazier than normal. I had to sit him down and have a talk with him, telling him to just walk by and not keep going into every store. Also, I had to actually tell him to sit in the rocking chair in front of the Sheriff’s Office and just keep an eye on the town that way.”

“And he didn’t?” Daxton asked, amused.

“Hell, no!” Colton turned to Ella and Josey. “Excuse me ladies.”

Ella and Josey both giggled, obviously enjoying the show.

Colton turned his attention back to Daxton and let out an exasperated breath. “He sat down for all of about ten minutes and then got up and started pacing again and going back to his usual ‘checking in.’ It’s one thing to be eager about your job, but he’s driving everyone crazy.”

Daxton chuckled. “Stay home tomorrow and I’ll go in.”

Colton laughed. “No, I can handle one more day.”

“Well, if you’re sure….” Normally, Daxton wouldn’t be taking off from work like this, but he wanted to make sure that Josey would be all right with the children before going back.

Colton chuckled. “Sheriff, don’t ask me again. I just might say yes.”

Daxton and the ladies laughed. He bent down and gave his little girl a big hug. “Come back home tomorrow night, all right? I miss you.” He was about to say that he missed his little girl, but he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of the other adults.

Lillian nodded. “Yes, Pa.”

Colton smiled. “I’ll bring her home.”

“Don’t worry. If I get to missing her too badly, I’ll come after her.”

“Pa!”

Daxton scooped his little girl up into his arms so that her feet dangled. “You may be growing up, but you’re not too grown up for me to do this.”

“I love you, Pa.”

“I love you, too, baby girl.”

Josey followed Ella to their buckboard and took her hand. “Ella, promise you’ll come back to visit soon.”

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