She felt a flush creep up her neck. “Deputy Beaumont, I assure you, I’ve learned my lesson. My place is here, reporting the news, not gallivanting about in the dark.”
Nash’s smile widened. “Glad to hear it. Though I must admit, your spirit is admirable. Not many folks would’ve had the gumption to even consider such a thing.”
As he spoke, Faith found herself studying the newcomer. Something in his easy manner put her at ease, cutting through the tension lingering in the air.
Nash reached into a pocket, drawing out a glove. “Mr. Jarvis brought this to the jail this morning. He didn’t know where else to take it. The sheriff wondered if you might be missing one.” He chuckled as he walked toward her and set the glove on the desk.
Her face flushed again. Clearing her throat, she reached out and picked it up. “Why, yes. This does look familiar. I removed my gloves to pick up the saddle…” Her voice drifted off.
“Understandable. It can be hard to cinch up a saddle with gloves.”
“Yes. Quite right.” Opening the drawer of her desk, she slid the glove into it.
“If you don’t mind, I’d best get back to the jail and let Brodie know you’re in your office.”
“Thank you, Deputy.”
Walking toward the door, he stopped, turning toward her. “Oh, and the sheriff asked for you to stop by the jail and let him know if you have the inspiration to ride out at night in the future.”
Clamping her jaw shut, Faith stopped herself from a response neither ladylike nor civil.
Joshua Beckett sat alone on the porch of the main house, a cup of coffee warming his hands before his mother called everyone to supper. His azure eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the sky met the jagged silhouette of the Rocky Mountains. His thoughts, however, were miles away, centered on one person. Faith Goodell.
He tried to think about the work waiting for him in the morning. Mending fences and moving cattle were never ending chores on the sprawling Wild Spirit Ranch. His mind should’ve been on them. Instead, it slipped back to the last time he’d seen Faith, after the bank robbery and his part in the posse tracking them.
Why was it so hard to tell her how he felt? He’d known Faith longer than anyone outside his family. She was as much a part of his life as the ranch itself. Telling her his feelings shouldn’t be more difficult than confessing he preferred beef to chicken. Yet the thought of laying his heart bare made his hands go clammy, and his stomach twist into knots.
What if she didn’t feel the same? Worse, what if his admission put a strain on their lifelong friendship? He needed her in his life. Losing her would be unbearable.
Joshua remembered how devastated Faith had been after her father died, the deep hollows in her cheeks, the emptiness in her eyes. Joshua had been the one to convince her to keep the paper running, to persevere. He’d wanted to tell her everything would be okay, and he’d always be there for her. But fear had stopped him.
Confessing his love could change everything. It could mean losing her entirely. And yet, doing nothing might cost him even more.
Sipping his coffee, memories flooded his mind, unbidden, though welcome. He saw the two of them as children, running wild through the town of Mystic and up into the hills of his family’s ranch. Faith had always been fearless, the one to dive into the swimming hole first or climb the highest branch of a tree. He’d been more cautious, following her wherever she led.
He thought of the time in high school when she’d been dating Ben Hadley. Joshua had simmered with jealousy, though he’d kept it well hidden. When Ben moved away and broke things off, Joshua had secretly been relieved, though he hurt for her all the same. She’d cried on his shoulder the night Ben left, and he’d been there, steadfast as an old oak in the following weeks.
More recently, he’d remembered the mid-summer evening she invited him to the newspaper’s anniversary, celebrating ten years in Mystic. They’d eaten roast beef and potato salad, along with molasses cookies and wild blackberry tea. She’d told him stories of her parents and the early days of the Gazette. Joshua had been so proud of her, of everything she’d accomplished on her own.
Then there was last Christmas, when she’d come over to the Beckett house for supper. The ranch was snowbound, and she’d spent the night. They sat up late, drinking hot cocoa in front of the wood stove, talking about old times. He’d come perilously close to telling her then, the words “I love you” dancing on the edge of his tongue.
Every moment had carved her deeper into his heart.
The porch boards creaked as Joshua shifted in his seat, stretching his long legs. His mind was a tangle, a knot he couldn’t hope to unravel. He wanted to tell Faith how much she meant to him, how he ached to be more than her friend.
He thought about Annalee, and how she’d been able to balance her friendships and her young loves. Joshua admiredher, but he didn’t share her fearless nature. At least not in matters of the heart.
Could he risk the life he knew for a chance at something greater? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was he couldn’t go on like this, with every interaction leaving him more conflicted, more unsure of where he stood.
He took another sip of coffee, now lukewarm. The horizon had shifted to deep oranges and purples, the sun slipping behind the mountains. Confession might ruin everything, but his silence was tearing him apart.
Chapter Thirteen
The rich aroma of Jolene’s pot roast lingered in the air as Grayson savored the final bite, a taste hinting at home and comfort. With a contented sigh, he set down his fork, the clink against the plate echoing in the cozy kitchen. “You’ve outdone yourself again, Jolene. This meal might just fortify me for what lies ahead today.”
Jolene’s smile illuminated her features as she collected his empty plate, her eyes holding a depth of understanding. “Strength will be your ally, Gray. Sounds as if the town council is brewing up quite the storm lately.”
He stood and stretched, groaning. “True enough. As a council member, it’s my responsibility to talk sense into the others.”
