Jared parked in the garage and took Sara’s hand. “You’re awfully quiet.”
“I’m just thinking.”
“That reminds me. I’d like to give you my grandmother’s ring. When I told her about you, she said if she had died before we got together, she wanted me to give it to you. Mother kept it for me. You’ll need to try it on and see if it needs adjusting. It’s unique. It’s been in our family for generations. I’m not even sure how many.”
“That’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“If you’d rather I buy you a new one…?”
Sara held up a hand. “It’s not that, Jared,” she interjected and sighed, searching for the right words. “The ring is not important.”
You wouldn’t say that if you knew how rare it was, what it could, and where it can take you. He studied the expression on her face; his mood changed. “Oh, I see. You changed your mind.”
“No, it’s not that either.”
“So what is it?” he frowned.
“Before we went to the bookstore, were you planning on proposing to me?”
“No, but,” his voice trailed off.
“If we hadn’t gone to the bookstore, and you hadn’t confronted Joel, would you still have proposed?”
“Maybe, I don’t know. What difference does it make – it’s done.”
“That’s just it. I don’t want you to - I mean - I know why you did it at the store. You wanted to gloat to Joel.”
“Yeah, but….”
Sara chuckled. “That part was fun, seeing the look on his face,” she broke in. “I think he was as shocked as I was.” She paused and took a breath. “I don’t want you to feel obligated because of what you said to him.”
Jared sighed. “What do you mean?”
“I overheard you talking to Dave. I don’t need a commitment from you, Jared. I know you’re not… gonna leave me.”
He pushed her against the wall and kissed her thoroughly. He stared into her eyes. “I took advantage of the situation. I saw an opportunity, and I took it. I didn’t propose under the best of circumstances, I agree, but if I’d waited, it might’ve taken me a long time before I got around to asking you. I would’ve… eventually, but I meant it, Sara.”
She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She lowered her head. Jared cradled her face in his hands. “Sara Foster, I love you. I want to marry you. Will you be my wife?”
Tears filled her eyes. This wasn’t under pressure. This was real and done with real intent. “Yes,” she smiled.
Jared kissed her again and pushed some loose hairs behind her ear. “Do you believe me now? Do you want to be my wife? Because I don’t want you to say yes, simply because you know it’s the answer I wanna hear.”
“I meant it, Jared,” she nodded. “I want to be your wife.”
“Good,” he sighed. “I don’t know how much more of this uncertainty I could take.”
Sara covered his mouth with hers. “I’m yours, completely.”
He pulled away. “Oh, no, we’re not going through this again. Knowing you’re mine is gonna make it even harder to resist you.”
“Then don’t resist me,” she whispered.
The sincerity in her voice stole Jared’s self-control. He kissed her and touched her in places he’d never touched her before. By the time he regained composure and pulled away, they were both worked up. He pressed his forehead to hers. “No, Sara.”
“But you said back at Wisteria Hall you would…?”
“That was different!” he interjected. “I wasn’t thinking straight, and you were coming on so strong….”
Sara silenced him with a kiss and pulled his body tightly against hers. “Then maybe I should come on stronger now.”
He moved away from her. “I can’t, Sara!” His phone rang. He glanced at her, turned his back and accepted the call. “Hi, Dave. No, you didn’t catch me at a bad time. What do you have for us?” More lies? “OK, yeah. It’ll give us a chance to get through the funeral and the rites. Yeah, I guess I’ll go. Alright, we’ll meet you then. Thanks, Dave.”
“Dave’s friend wants to talk to us the day after tomorrow.”
“OK,” she nodded.
“I need a break, and I’d like to do some sketching. Do you feel like going for a ride?”
“Yeah, sure, but I’ll need to change. I don’t wanna go riding in my sandals.”
“Go change. I’ll get some things together. Take something to do. I might be out there for a while.”
“Such as?”
“I don’t know, my old guitar, a book, whatever – so you don’t get bored.”
“OK!” Sara kissed him and went upstairs.
~ ~ ~
When she entered the living room, Jared was waiting for her. He put his arms around her waist, lifted her and kissed her. “Feel like a short walk first?”
“Yeah, sure, why?
“Myra’s in the Jeep, Dad’s in the Ram, and I don’t wanna take the Merc down a rough road. It’s not far but if you’d rather.”
She softly smiled. “I don’t mind walking.”
Jared put her notebook and book in his pack and slung it and his guitar strap on his back. “Here, you take these unless they’re too heavy for you.” He handed her two full canteens of water.
“Shit!” Sara blurted and nearly dropped them.
“Here – swap me,” Jared laughed and passed her the guitar.
“I didn’t realize they would be so heavy!”
“No problem. They’re not heavy for me.”
She sighed. “I’m um, I’m sorry for what I said.”
“What do you mean?” he frowned.
“My, um, little slip of the tongue. You know, my colorful metaphor?”
His face lit. “Oh! You mean when you nearly dropped the canteens.”
Sara snorted. “I don’t normally say things like that.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he smirked. “I’ve said worse.”
~ ~ ~
The walk was short but pleasant. Everything was pleasant when she was with him. He made everyday things seem like something special. Sara propped her shoulders against the barn and waited while he saddled the horses. He placed the reins in her hand. “You do know how to ride, don’t you?”
“It’s been a while, but I think I can manage.”
His eyes widened. “In that case, you ride Jade. I’ll ride Satan. He can be feisty at times. Here,” he said and held their hands under Jade’s nose. She sniffed them, whinnied and shook her head up and down.
Sara frowned. “Why did you do that?”
Jared smiled and patted Jade’s face. “It’s an old Indian trick. When she smells my scent, she knows to obey. She’ll associate your scent with mine and obey you now, as well.”
“That’s neat, but what about the colt?”
“She’ll follow alongside her mother.” Jared slung the guitar strap over his shoulder.
Sara bent down to pet the colt. “Myra said you haven’t named her. What are you gonna call her?”
Jared grinned. “Colt?”
“That’s not a name!”
“Alright, you name her.”
“Jared – she’s yours!”
“No, Sara, she’s ours now. And, the honor of naming things mainly goes to the wife.”
“But I’m not your wife.”
He smiled. “Not yet, but you will be soon, so that makes it your job. What are you gonna call her?”
Sara looked up at him. “The white blaze down her face looks like a star. How about Star?”
“Why don’t we name her after you?”
“I don’t wanna name her Sara!”
“I didn’t say to name her Sara. I said to name her after you, angel.”
“Oh!” she smiled. “Better still, let’s call her Angelstar.” The colt whinnied.
“I like it, and so does she. From now on, her name will be Angelstar.”
Jared hoisted her onto Jade’s back and mounted Satan. He nudged him in the flank, and he loped forward. Jade trudged in behind him. The sudden jerk caught Sara off guard. She wobbled in the saddle.
Jared halted Satan and waited until she was beside him. “You OK with this? I could put you in front of me, and use the one horse. I thought it would be better for them this way.”
Sara patted the side of Jade’s neck. “I’m fine. She caught me off guard. I’ve got it now.”
“You sure?”
Sara smiled. “I’m sure.”
They headed across the desert toward the mountains. He was right, Angelstar easily kept pace with her mother, staying near her left flank.
~ ~ ~
The countryside wasn’t what Sara had expected it to be. There were a lot more trees and grass. It was beautiful, at least to her. To some, it might’ve appeared dead and barren. How was it supposed to look? It was a desert with tall cacti and prickly thorn bushes. Geckos and horned toads sheltered under the rocks against the baking sun. A lone eagle soared and wheeled in the updraft, high above them.
They stopped for a few minutes. Jared took a drink from one of the canteens and passed it to Sara. She struggled with the full canteen but managed to drink without giving herself a bath. Jared kissed her when she passed the canteen back to him. She smiled and licked her lips. The water was quenching, but his kiss was sweeter.
“Myra said the last time you were home was in January. Does this mean we won’t visit often?”
He chuckled. “Why – do you like it here?”
She scanned the horizon and breathed deeply. “I could learn to.”
Jared grinned and nudged Satan again. “Come on.”
Sara was glad they’d brought water with them. The air was hot and dry. They paused several more times to drink. She wasn’t thirsty a couple of the times they’d stopped, but he’d insisted she take a drink anyway.
~ ~ ~
When they reached the mountains, Sara was half expecting Jared to stop, but they kept going until they’d passed a row of six tall cacti. He dismounted Satan and tied him to a bush.
She sheltered her eyes from the bright sun. She couldn’t see anything that made this spot different from the others they’d passed without notice. She wondered what made it special. “This is where you wanted to come?”
He fastened the guitar to his pack and slung them on his back. He leaned his head back and pointed to a spot over halfway up the mountain. “Up there.”
Her eyes widened; she swallowed hard. Great, more heights. “Up there? On the mountaintop?”
Jared smirked. He knew she hated heights. “Not all the way up, but close.”
Sara dismounted Jade and tethered her next to Satan. “What is it about you Indians and heights? Can’t you look at anything from the ground?”
Angelstar tried to nurse; Jade nudged her away.
He laughed and slung their canteens over his shoulder. “Looks like Jade’s tired of being nudged and nibbled.” He leaned across, kissed Sara and groped her. “I guess all women aren’t alike.”
Her face flushed; she changed the subject. “Do you need me to take those or at least, one of them?” All I need is for him to start coming on to me now!
He smiled knowingly and chuckled. He enjoyed teasing her, but he would enjoy pleasing her more, eventually. “No! I’m assuming you’re new to mountain climbing, as well. You’ll need both hands to keep your balance. Besides, like I said, they’re not heavy to me.”
She imagined a boulder wouldn’t be heavy for him. He was as strong as an ox. “Well, Jared, there aren’t many mountains in Crooked Creek – hills yes, but no mountains.”
He took her hand, and they began their climb. “You’ll love it up there, Sara. You can see for miles, and it’s the only way I can get the right view for my sketches.”
Her eyes slowly scanned the height of the mountain. It seemed like an angry sentinel in front of her. She wasn’t looking forward to the climb. She imagined the only thing he could see from that high up, might be the tips of the treetops. “Can I close my eyes, and let you lead me as before?”
“No! You have to keep your eyes open this time. I said I was gonna get you over your fears. This is your second lesson.”
Sara whined. “Couldn’t you start with the wooden wolves or snakes?”
Jared laughed. “Trust me.”
She trusted him, but it didn’t mean she wanted to test her balance on a tightrope to prove it. He’d already dangled her over a cliff. Hadn’t that been proof enough?