Change of Heart by Fran Shaff

Author:Fran Shaff
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: frontier romance, historical romance, jase, jase kent, love story, marietta, marietta randolf, nebraska, romance, sweet love stories
Publisher: Fran Shaff

~ * ~

Marietta watched from the parlor window as Jase and Mabel rode away. The farther they went, the more alone she felt. Zack stood beside her, clinging to her skirt.

“I wish Jase and Mrs. Whipple didn’t have to go, Aunt Marietta.”

“Me too, but Mrs. Whipple wants to be with her son for Christmas.” She crouched next to Zack and kissed his cheek. “Just like I want to be with you. You can’t blame her for leaving, can you?”

He shook his head. “I know she had to go. Her son doesn’t have anyone to make him Christmas cookies.”

“That’s right. And Mrs. Whipple couldn’t go alone, so Jase is taking her. Her son will bring her back here next month sometime.”

Zack scratched through his blonde curls. “Next month? We’ll be gone before that.” He twisted his face as he thought. “While we’re here, you can cook for Jase and take care of him, but who will take care of him after we go before Mrs. Whipple comes back?”

Marietta hadn’t thought about taking care of Jase the way Zack had suggested since Jase had been spending most of his time working or in the bunkhouse with the ranch hands. The thought of doing things for him--cooking for him and caring for him--appealed to her much more than it should have. “Jase doesn’t need someone to take care of him every minute. He will always be fine. He’s a very strong and capable man.”

Calling Jase by his first name sent pleasure coursing through her. What a wondrous time it had been in Pine Rock Hollow the day they became intimate enough to speak to each other on a first-name basis. Marietta tucked the pleasure of her love for Jase deeply into her heart. On cold winter days to come in Aunt Mamie’s house--days filled with loneliness and loss--Marietta would be able to take out the day she’d spent with Jase in the wondrous, mysterious hollow and chase away the emptiness inside her. She’d be able to remember the heavenly touch of Jase’s lips against hers and the beat of her own heart as he’d pressed her close to him. She would always be able to remember the day she’d fallen in love.

Two days after Jase left with Mrs. Whipple, a snowstorm fell over the ranch. Though the storm was nowhere near as bad as the one that had delayed Marietta’s return to Chicago, it was serious enough to frighten her deeply. If it weren’t for the concern and comfort of Jase’s kind ranch hands, she would have spent every waking moment worrying about his safe return home and her trip back to Chicago with Zack.

Spike Farley assured her that Jase was one of the few men who could find his way around a prairie at night without moonlight. He promised her Jase would get home safely, and he’d get Zack and her to their stage in plenty of time.

While Spike’s words did give her great comfort, his reassurance began to wear thin six days after Jase left since he’d said he’d be gone only three or four days.

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