Page 30 of A Letter to Adaya
“But the one you chose was her mount.” Anotherfinger ticked up.
“And you both have a wild affection for Jules Vernon, who probably wouldn’t appreciate it, naming your horses after his character, Phileas Frog.” The fourth finger taunted him as it straightened.
“Fogg.”
“What?”
“It’s Phileas Fogg.”
“Fogg... Frog, does it really matter? Then there is this minor matter that they own the property you’ve been trying to buy for the last year.” The fifth finger was up, but Nate wasn’t done. “Tell me again how you don’t believe in coincidences.”
“But what do I do now?” Beau rubbed a hand across his face, forgetting for a moment he’d just shaved.
“Well, you marry her, of course,” Carolina giggled, making Beau feel incredibly slow not to have heard her coming up the stairs. “Right after you confirm whether the man that’s going to hang on Friday is her father or not. I mean, she might need some time after that. They’re here, by the way.”
Nate let out another belly laugh, watching his wife scurry back down the stairs and out of sight.Pressing up from the table, Beau tucked the letter in his shirt pocket. It was time to find out just how bad of a time the girl he might love was going to have.
Who was he kidding?Somehow, he’d fallen in love with one of Emily’s strays after all.
Chapter Eleven
Adaya bit her lip as she followed Ranger into the doctor’s office, her confusion deepening as she took in the scene. As Ranger entered, a tall, dark-haired woman with a complexion like porcelain, dressed in a deep green velvet gown, lovingly embraced him. Adaya couldn’t help but admire how perfectly the two complemented each other. In the corner, a dark-haired young woman who was around Adaya’s age sat quietly, her delicate fingers playing with the air as if it were a keyboard or piano. But Adaya thought that the couple surely wasn’t old enough to have a daughter of such an age. The woman appeared to be in a trance and didn’t look up when the interlopers came into the clinic.
From around the corner, Carolina emerged with a welcoming smile. Her lips turned up to hide her tension as she moved forward and embraced Adaya tightly. Though Carolina was the least familiar of the Pickett wives, Adaya felt heat radiate from their hug, lessening the chill in her spirit that had only grown more intense on their way into town.
“Adaya, it’s nice to see you again.”
“How’s Jesse?”
“You know?” The nurse stepped back, still holding her by the arms.
“Yes, I was in the front yard when Ranger came to get Beau and Bass.” It was a relief to speak to someone finally and not suppress everything.
“He’s had quite an experience, but we think he’ll be all right. We’ve been keeping him heavily medicated.” A muffled sobbing sounded from the corner, and both women turned their heads to locate the source. The piano player had stopped moving her fingers and tucked into her knees as she tried to muffle her sobs. Her shoulders slumped as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Oh, dear.” Carolina let go of Adaya and approached the woman. “Izzy, you know he needs to rest. That’s why we’re giving him the medicine.” She paused for a moment, glancing around the room. “Do you think you could sit with him for a while? Nate is going out to see a rancher, and Beau is going to see the sheriff with Adaya.”
The sheriff?Adaya forgot how to breathe for a moment.Why would the sheriff want to see her?
Big blue eyes stared at Carolina for only a moment before the woman called Izzy nodded sharply and scurried down the hall.
“Is she alright?” Adaya couldn’t help but ask.
“She will be, but probably not until he is.”
“I thought Emily said that Jesse was unattached.”Why would Izzy be acting this way if they were unattached?Not that it mattered to Adaya. She had more important things to worry about.
Carolina and the other woman looked at each other and then giggled. “Isabelle plays the piano at the saloon. She’s become fast friends with Jesse, but there is no romantic inclination on either end,” the older woman spoke. “I’m June Hardin, by the way. I’ve heard much about you.”
“Most of it is probably not true,” Beau’s voice cut through the air and suddenly, Adaya forgot how to breathe. Turning, she spotted him near a small stairwell, Nate following behind. Moments later, she was throwing her body into Beau’s arms, much like Madison had done that first day. He caught her without hesitation.
“I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“Did you miss me, kitten?” His lips whispered the words against her hair as he held her tight for another moment before setting her away from himself.
“I was dreadfully worried about all of you.” She paused and looked at him for a moment. “How did you know I got a kitten?”
“A kitten? Inside the house?” Nate couldn’t contain his enthusiasm.
“Yes.” She bobbed her head proudly.
