“Hell, you shouldn’t have worn yellow. You know how I like that dress on you. And look at you—all filled out again in all the right places. It’s nice to hold a woman with some flesh on her bones and all kinds of soft things to grab hold of.”
Randy whirled around in a teasing dance move. “You’ll have to save the grabbing for later.” She hurried through the screen door just as Gretta was coming up the steps to get more pies. She stopped in front of Jake.
“You know, big guy, that if the light is just right, a person can see right through that screen door. It appears you’ve healed well.”
Jake grinned. “Damn right.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “A man just needs the right motive to get well.”
“Mmm-hmm. And your wife seems very happy.”
“I aim to please.”
“I’m sure you do.” Gretta laughed and walked past him to retrieve more pies. Jake walked out onto the veranda and limped down the steps to join the others.
Everyone sat at the huge length of tables, sixteen different conversations going on at the same time. Even Katie’s parents were there, having moved from Oklahoma to take up residence and help out on the J&L. It was a great relief for Lloyd and Katie, who needed their help with the children. Jake considered Katie’s parents two of the nicest, most unselfish people he’d ever known. He had the men build a cabin for them and liked to joke that if any more people came to live on the J&L, they would simply create their own little town right here. Harkner Acres, we’ll call it, he told everyone.
He still could not quite get over the fact that all of this was because he’d fallen in love with a woman from Kansas almost thirty-three years ago and bedded her one wild night in a covered wagon. His life had never been the same since.
Evie prayed and sang Amazing Grace, everyone’s favorite hymn. They ate…and laughed…and ate…and laughed…and Jake enjoyed teasing Katie into deep blushes, one of his favorite pastimes.
By then, Jake had made all the headlines. Jake Harkner, America’s Last Outlaw, Escapes the Hands of Death! Articles explained how he was saved by an old Mexican healer, a man he would probably never be able to find again if he tried…a man Jake personally believed was sent by God in answer to Evie’s prayers.
Randy sat down next to Jake, and they held hands—often. They kissed—often. They shared looks of desire—often. Not long after he first returned, they’d spent over three weeks at the line shack, making love and making love and making love, some of it quite disrespectful.
Jake’s leg had healed more, becoming a bit less painful, but he feared the pain would never truly go away, and he would always have a limp.
Before dessert was served, Sadie Mae came to sit on Jake’s lap. She showed him an egg she’d snuck out of the chicken coop, but in the next instant, Outlaw appeared between Jake’s legs and snatched the egg right out of her fingers, then ran off.
“Sadie Mae, what just happened?” Jake asked her with a frown.
She whispered in his ear. “I gave the egg to Outlaw. Don’t tell, ’cuz Mommy said I’m not s’posed to feed him chicken eggs.” She covered her mouth and giggled.
“You sure do like secrets, Sadie Mae.”
She nodded her head vigorously.
“I have a secret too,” Jake told her. He whispered in her ear. “When some bad men were hurting Grandpa, I saw a chicken right in front of me. And I said, Jake, that chicken must be little Sadie Mae, come to help you and make you feel better. So you were right there, Sadie Mae, and you helped Grandpa feel better.”
Sadie Mae hugged him around the neck and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad, Grampa. I don’t want you to hurt.”
A buggy appeared over the rise, and Terrel rode in.
“There’s a woman comin’,” he told Jake. “Calls herself Dixie, and damned if she don’t look like a… You know, one of them women.”
“Dixie?” Jake grinned and glanced at Lloyd. “Dixie James is here!” He looked at Randy. “How in hell did Dixie know about this?”
Randy grinned. “Because I wrote to her and invited her.”
Jake rose and handed Sadie Mae to Randy, leaning down to kiss Randy when he did so. “That was damn good of you.”
“Yes, well, just remember who you belong to. We have two prostitutes here who are both crazy about you.”
Jake laughed. “Woman, I’ve always known who I belong to.”
Lloyd grinned and rose to watch the buggy come in as Jake walked out to greet Dixie before she reached the house.
“Who’s Dixie James?” Gretta asked.