when he saw the ranger in the shadows. “You coming?”
“No.” Jacob tossed his cigar. “I think I’ll sleep in Nell’s barn if she has no objections. Don’t want to get too
comfortable. I only have a few weeks off.”
“It’l be cold out there.” Parker pointed to the large barn where Fat Alice used to let the cowhands stable their
horses. The barn not only protected the animals against the cold but kept Fat Alice’s customer list private.
Jacob shrugged. “I’m used to the cold. It won’t bother me near as much as the noise at the hotel.”
Parker walked down the steps, his legs stiff with the movements. “I talked Mr. Harrison here into boarding at
Victoria’s. The beds are always clean, and the meals are filling. Nell offered him the job of straightening out her
books while she makes up her mind about marrying him. She even insisted on paying him in advance.”
Jacob extended his hand to Harrison. “I wish you luck,” he said surprised at how much he meant the words. If
Nell wouldn’t consider his offer, she could do a lot worse than Harrison for a bookkeeper, or a husband.
“Thanks,” Rand answered. “Does that mean I’l live past my wedding day if she picks me and not you?”
Jacob grinned. “It means, if she picks you, that you’l live until you break her heart.”
Rand stiffened. “I told you once, Ranger, I’ve no heart to offer and ask none as part of the bargain. But, after
meeting Miss Nell, I think we can be friends as well as partners. That’s all either of us want from the
arrangement, I believe.”
Jacob shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Try working with her for a few days on the books and see if you still feel
the same.” Jacob grinned from Harrison to the sheriff. “And don’t forget to ask how she got along with the last
bookkeeper.”
Parker waved his hand over his head. “Now that ain’t fair, Dalton, and you know it. He healed up just fine.”
Harrison frowned. “Who healed up?”
Jacob shook his head. “Just ask, but wait until after you’ve finished your breakfast.”
Harrison followed the sheriff while asking questions about Nell’s last bookkeeper, but the old man only laughed
and said accidents happen.
Jacob watched the two men climb into an old buggy the sheriff used when his arthritis was real y bad. After he
tied his horse onto the back, Harrison sat straight and tall as he took the reins. Parker looked like his bones were
slowly curling him into a bal . Within a minute they’d disappeared into the blackness between Nel ’s place and
town.
Jacob went back in the house to say good night.
Gypsy was halfway down the stairs with a load of bedding, and Nell waited in her wheelchair. Jacob noticed the
small couch had been turned toward the dying fire in the drafty old room.
When he entered, Jacob also didn’t miss the exhaustion in Nell’s eyes as she looked up from her desk. He
slowed, memorizing the way she looked at him. The way she always looked at him. Her eyes seemed to welcome
him home. Even when she was angry at him about something, she took him in from head to toe as if making
sure he’d come back whole.
“Mind if I bunk in your barn?” he said as he neared.
She smiled. “It’s yours. Or I’ll have Gypsy make up one of the rooms upstairs for you. The one you used when
you brought me back here only needs dusting, and it’l be ready.”
Gypsy mumbled about being overworked as she reached the ground level with her load.
Jacob shook his head. “Too many ghosts walking around up there.” He moved closer, knowing where she
planned to sleep tonight. Gypsy or Marla couldn’t carry her up the stairs. The big open room was already
growing cold with the night air and by morning would be chil ed, even if Gypsy woke up every hour to feed the
fire. The couch wouldn’t be a good place for Nel .
He leaned over, placed one arm around her shoulders and slipped the other between her knees and
“No.” Jacob tossed his cigar. “I think I’ll sleep in Nell’s barn if she has no objections. Don’t want to get too
comfortable. I only have a few weeks off.”
“It’l be cold out there.” Parker pointed to the large barn where Fat Alice used to let the cowhands stable their
horses. The barn not only protected the animals against the cold but kept Fat Alice’s customer list private.
Jacob shrugged. “I’m used to the cold. It won’t bother me near as much as the noise at the hotel.”
Parker walked down the steps, his legs stiff with the movements. “I talked Mr. Harrison here into boarding at
Victoria’s. The beds are always clean, and the meals are filling. Nell offered him the job of straightening out her
books while she makes up her mind about marrying him. She even insisted on paying him in advance.”
Jacob extended his hand to Harrison. “I wish you luck,” he said surprised at how much he meant the words. If
Nell wouldn’t consider his offer, she could do a lot worse than Harrison for a bookkeeper, or a husband.
“Thanks,” Rand answered. “Does that mean I’l live past my wedding day if she picks me and not you?”
Jacob grinned. “It means, if she picks you, that you’l live until you break her heart.”
Rand stiffened. “I told you once, Ranger, I’ve no heart to offer and ask none as part of the bargain. But, after
meeting Miss Nell, I think we can be friends as well as partners. That’s all either of us want from the
arrangement, I believe.”
Jacob shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Try working with her for a few days on the books and see if you still feel
the same.” Jacob grinned from Harrison to the sheriff. “And don’t forget to ask how she got along with the last
bookkeeper.”
Parker waved his hand over his head. “Now that ain’t fair, Dalton, and you know it. He healed up just fine.”
Harrison frowned. “Who healed up?”
Jacob shook his head. “Just ask, but wait until after you’ve finished your breakfast.”
Harrison followed the sheriff while asking questions about Nell’s last bookkeeper, but the old man only laughed
and said accidents happen.
Jacob watched the two men climb into an old buggy the sheriff used when his arthritis was real y bad. After he
tied his horse onto the back, Harrison sat straight and tall as he took the reins. Parker looked like his bones were
slowly curling him into a bal . Within a minute they’d disappeared into the blackness between Nel ’s place and
town.
Jacob went back in the house to say good night.
Gypsy was halfway down the stairs with a load of bedding, and Nell waited in her wheelchair. Jacob noticed the
small couch had been turned toward the dying fire in the drafty old room.
When he entered, Jacob also didn’t miss the exhaustion in Nell’s eyes as she looked up from her desk. He
slowed, memorizing the way she looked at him. The way she always looked at him. Her eyes seemed to welcome
him home. Even when she was angry at him about something, she took him in from head to toe as if making
sure he’d come back whole.
“Mind if I bunk in your barn?” he said as he neared.
She smiled. “It’s yours. Or I’ll have Gypsy make up one of the rooms upstairs for you. The one you used when
you brought me back here only needs dusting, and it’l be ready.”
Gypsy mumbled about being overworked as she reached the ground level with her load.
Jacob shook his head. “Too many ghosts walking around up there.” He moved closer, knowing where she
planned to sleep tonight. Gypsy or Marla couldn’t carry her up the stairs. The big open room was already
growing cold with the night air and by morning would be chil ed, even if Gypsy woke up every hour to feed the
fire. The couch wouldn’t be a good place for Nel .
He leaned over, placed one arm around her shoulders and slipped the other between her knees and
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