Page 72 of My Heart Will Find You

She picked them up. Like before, they weren’t fully dry but they were wearable. “You did this for me,” she said softly. She couldn’t help it but tears gathered in her eyes.

Max pulled her into his arms. “What’s this about? It’s just a pair of pants, and they smelled so bad I wouldn’t be able to stand you today.” He leaned away to look at her. “Come on now, it’s all right.”

Etta put her head back on his shoulder. “No one has done so much for me in my whole life. I’m the one who takes care of people. My mother when she was alive, my little sister, my father. They all depend onme. Always.”

He slipped his hand into her hair. “Then it’s time for someone to look after you.” Pulling away, he kissed her forehead. “Let’s get out of here before the Cheyenne and the Pawnee find us. And the Kanza might kidnap you to keep. I’m not letting anyone take you away from me.”

She smiled. “I won’t let them or anyone else take me from you.”

“Not even the horse thief you want me to save?”

When she laughed, he wiped away her tears with his thumbs, then kissed her. “Is that bacon burning?”

Etta leaped away and saved their bacon.

They rode for hours. Etta didn’t know how Max knew the way to Arkansas, but he certainly seemed to.

When the sun was high and hot, he at last stopped. “The horses need rest,” he said.

“Poor things.” Etta achingly dismounted. “Too bad they’re not humans and can go without stopping.”

Max gave a grunt of laughter and pulled some hard little sticks from a bag and handed her a couple.

“Beef jerky. My favorite.” She nearly fell to the ground. She hurt all over.

However, when Max stretched out beside her and began kissing her neck, she forgot about muscle aches. When she fumbled at her clothes, trying to get the wide split pants down, he said, “Dresses are better.”

“This is my armor. Makes you work for the prize.”

His kisses deepened, and they made love on the grass in the shade of an elm tree. Minutes later, he was helping her back onto her horse.

“You are the best lunch date I’ve ever had,” she said. Smiling, he handed her the jerky she hadn’t finished eating.

When the sun was dropping in the sky and Etta was dozing in the saddle, with Max leading the reins, he turned off the trail and they entered a little town.

Sleepily, Etta said, “What is this place?”

“I have no idea. It’ll probably be gone tomorrow.”

He’s more right than he knows, she thought. She followed him to the stables and watched, her eyes barely open, as he talked to a man and handed over money. Max helped her down, removed their supplies from their saddles, and slung them over his shoulders.

“There’s a hotel,” he said. “Can you stay awake for it?”

“For clean sheets I could climb a mountain.”

They left the stables and walked through the usual dirt to a building with a double front door.

Max opened one and let her go in first.

It was a simple room, but along the edge were some tables and chairs. She assumed they were for playing cards, like at the Red Dog. But then she got a whiff of... Her eyes widened. “Is thatfood?” she asked Max. “Real food?”

“Yes. Stay here.” He dropped the bags at her feet and went to a tall desk to talk to a man.

Again, the aroma of cooking came to her. Etta closed her eyes. She felt like a cartoon character and she just might float away, buoyed by the smell.

“Come on.” Max picked up the bags. “Food first or the hot bath?”

“Food!” She nearly shouted.

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