Jesse by Barbara Goss (best romantic books to read TXT) 📗

She couldn’t think of any way she might prevent getting on a train in Cheyenne.

 She looked up quickly when he approached. “You have everything cleaned up.  Thank you,” he said. Jesse must have shaved in the stream because his face was smooth. He set about packing his shaving brush and razor into his small traveling bag.  When he was done, he sat on the log beside her.

 “You smell divine,” she said.

“It’s my shaving cream,” he said.

“I love a clean-shaven man.”

“I’ve had beards and mustaches on and off for years.  I find them itchy and irritating.”

“Enough small talk,” Charlie said.  “What’s the solution to my problem?”

“You probably won’t like it, and I’m not so sure I can go through with it either, but it’s all I have.”

“What?”

Jesse fiddled with his fingers as if he were building up the nerve to tell her his solution.

“C’mon, Jesse—tell me.  My life depends on this.”

Jesse sighed.  “All right, but if you find the solution offensive, just say so.  You won’t insult me at all.”

 “Go on.”

“My solution is... you stay in Sunset Creek.” He watched her face turn from anxious to curious.  “You’ll live with me at my house.”

She felt her eyebrows rise.

He continued,  “We could get married.”

Chapter Ten

Charlie wasn’t sure she'd heard Jesse right since he’d spoken so softly.  She could tell he was unsure of her reaction and had been almost afraid to say, “We could get married.”

She knew by the way he was twisting his fingers that he was nervous about her answer.  She thought about making him wait longer for her reply, but she was too excited.

 “Yes!  That’s a wonderful solution.”

“You like it?” he asked.

“Well, I do have a few questions: what about love?  We aren’t in love.  What kind of marriage would that be in the eyes of God?”

“God?”

“I’m a church-going believer, Jesse.  I love the idea, but I don’t think it would be right in God’s eyes for two reasons: we aren’t in love, and you aren’t a believer.  The Bible tells us not to marry unbelievers.  It’s called being unequally yoked.”

“I see,” he said.  “Then, I guess we don’t have a solution.  I’ll have to put you on the train to New York.”

 “Wait,” Charlie said.  “You could help me solve the things standing in our way.  It’s worth a try because it’s a wonderful idea.”

“All right.  What do we do?” he asked.

“You like me well enough to marry me, right?”

He nodded. “Yes, I like you enough.”

“Do you agree that like could eventually turn into love?”

“I suppose it could,” he agreed.

“Now, all we need is for you to start going to church with me and believing.”

“Let me get this straight,” he said. “Our like will eventually turn to love, and I need to believe and go to church?”  When she nodded, he said, “So, when does all this have to happen?”

“Hmm,” she said. “I haven’t thought this through enough.  It would have to happen now for me to cancel my trip to New York.  We could turn back and get married at Sterling’s Mill.”

“What about the love and believing part?” Jesse asked.

“We’ll just do things a tad backward, is all.  I’ll clear it with God.”  She looked up at him. “I like you so much that I know it will turn to love before long.”

 “And if it doesn’t?”

“The church allows for annulments, though they are rare.  It will cost money in legal fees, but if we find out we’ve made a mistake, we could do that as long as we don’t consummate the marriage, and we can’t do that without love, anyway.”

He looked confused.

“Jesse, you seem unsure.  Do you like me enough to at least try it?”

“I do, but it’s a big step to take just so you can stay in Sunset Creek.”

Charlie touched his hand.  “I'll bet you’re sorry you suggested marriage, aren’t you?”

Jesse smiled at her.  “No,  I want you to stay in Sunset Creek, too.  I like you enough to want to keep you around.”

Charlie leaned over to kiss Jesse’s cheek.  “There.  That seals it.”

Jesse and Charlie turned around and rode back toward home, but they stopped at Sterling’s Mill along the way.  Jesse booked two hotel rooms and left Charlie to unpack their things while he visited a church to make arrangements.

Charlie rushed Jesse to the hotel's dining room as soon as he returned.

He escorted her to the small, somewhat shabby dining room.  Jesse had been in a lot of towns, but that hotel was probably the worse; it was a small town, and they didn’t get much traffic, being that far from a big city.

Despite the creaking wooden floors and a waiter with a soiled apron, the meal was delicious.  They both ordered the roast beef dinner, which they ate at a long table, usually shared with other guests, but since they were the only ones there, they had the table to themselves.  It was late, and Jesse supposed the other guests had already eaten.

“What did you find out at the church?” Charlie asked.

“We have to register at the town hall tomorrow, and then we can marry any time after that.”

“It’s becoming real and a bit scary, isn’t it?”

Jesse nodded.  “It is, but it’s like I keep telling myself, I’m not only helping you out but myself, too.  It will keep Delia off my back, and I could use the company, especially someone as bubbly and fun as you are, Charlie.”  He reached out and put his hand over hers.  “Even if love never comes, we are good together, don’t you think?”

“Definitely.  I enjoy being with you.  You scared me a little at first.  You looked rough, and I knew you were a bounty hunter.  I was surprised to