Free to Forgive by Susette Williams & Leah Atwood

Author:Susette Williams & Leah Atwood [Williams, Susette]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2015-11-15T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THREE

Jessie rubbed his eyes and blinked a couple times, sure it would clear the image in front of him. It didn’t work. The woman standing outside the general store, shielding her eyes from the early afternoon sun while she looked around was young, beautiful, and had curly blonde hair piled up on her head. He’d been dreaming about those curls for a couple months. But it couldn’t be her. Sarah wasn’t due for another week at least.

A grin crept up before he even realized he was smiling. If she was here already, that meant she was just as excited as he was to start their new life together. He wanted to shout and yelp with joy. Rather than getting carried away, it seemed prudent to make sure it was Sarah before he made a fool of himself. Jessie took a deep breath and hurried towards her.

A horse whinnied and snorted, catching Jessie’s attention. The wagon’s driver had pulled back sharply on the reigns. “Watch where yer goin’!”

“Sorry.” Jessie tipped his cowboy hat to the man.

The older man frowned, shook his head, leaned to the side and spit chewing tobacco over the edge of his wagon.

Jessie turned his attention back toward the woman across the road. She must have heard the commotion because she was staring at him now.

He grinned.

Her expression remained unreadable. If it was her, she might not recognize him. The Daguerreotype he’d sent Sarah was a couple years old, and it was of his whole family. He’d told her he’d shaved his beard and mustache off that he had in the picture. Their gazes remained locked as he approached.

Jessie stopped a few feet from her. His breath caught in his throat. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. She blinked rapidly, opening her mouth a fraction before closing it. She apparently didn’t know what to say either. Which gave him comfort. “You’re even prettier than the drawing you sent me.”

Her eyes widened. She covered her heart with her hand. “Jessie?”

He nodded and grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”

Remembering his manners, he took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, hoping he didn’t have an indentation from his hat.

“I’d forgotten you had shaved.” Her blue eyes held his brown ones captive. “I think you look mighty handsome without facial hair, but charming either way.”

“Maybe I better marry you before I take you home to meet my three older brothers.” Jessie’s cheeks warmed. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, even if he was thinking it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t mean to rush you.”

Sarah laid a dainty hand on his arm. “It’s all right, Jessie.”

He loved the way she said his name. Her voice sounded musical. When she smiled, he was happy to see that she had all her teeth, and they didn’t appear to be in bad shape either.

“I’m ready and I would be more than happy to marry you today if that would make you happy.” Sarah leaned toward him and gently touched his cheek.

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