Page 81 of A Forgotten Heart
Elsie tensed and Nick squeezed her hand. “He wasn’t with the hired guns,” he whispered.
Elsie glanced at Ed, who lifted his mug toward his mouth. The worry lines on his face told her it was true.
The more desperate Quade became, the more unpredictable he would be.
“We’ve got all these men deputized, so let’s go find him,” Isaac suggested.
Danna nodded. “I’ll have to send a few to take the hired guns to Calvin but can spare half to go after Quade.”
The men nodded and started breaking away.
Tillie ran back downstairs, as if she’d been listening. “I don’t want you to leave, Papa.”
Drew scooped her up, speaking quietly.
Nick didn’t move. “You don’t want to go?” Elsie whispered.
His eyes were intense. “I’ve got a good reason to stay.”
Elsie’s heart leaped. They hadn’t finished their conversation.
Before Elsie could move, Marshal O’Grady pulled away from the group and approached Elsie. “Jamison seems to be on a warpath. Wants you back in town.”
It came as no surprise, but Elsie still couldn’t stop her pulse from quickening.
Nick leaned forward. “Elsie’s on Christmas break.”
The marshal’s eyes flickered. “I’ve been in your shoes,” she said to Elsie. “City council watching my every move. I learned sometimes it’s not about what I had a right to do but what would keep the peace.”
Nick’s frown deepened.
All the thoughts that had spun up when Elsie had come inside still churned. The only thing she could really lean on was her job.
She smoothed her hands down her skirt and stood. “She’s right. I should go.”
Nick pushed to his feet. “Then I’m coming too. Quade’s still out there.”
“No,” she said quickly. A flash of hurt crossed his face.
“Can you give us a minute?” he asked. Danna gave a nod, then stepped outside.
Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t like this.”
“I need my job,” she blurted.
Everything had happened so quickly in the past few days. Tensions had been high. Nick had loved her again—while his memories had been gone. She needed time.
A minute shadow crossed behind his eyes. “I understand.” Determination flattened his lips. “But you asked me a question earlier. I’d wanted to ask you the same question.”
Her heart fluttered. Had she heard right? “You want to start over? You forgive me?”
“We both made mistakes. Can you forgive me for walking away?”
Elsie inhaled to keep from crying, but one tear escaped, trailing down her cheek.
With featherlike gentleness, he wiped it away. “So, what do you say? Can we start over?”
She wanted to lean into his touch. But footsteps thudded on the floor above them. They weren’t alone. Maybe it was a good thing. “I think we already have. But Nick, I have to go back to town. I need some time.”
