hugged her body tightly. In her own right, Billie Webb was a pretty young woman.
“I never thought I’d see you again, Josiah Wolfe,” Billie said.
“Had to bring Lady Mead home.”
“You coulda kept her.”
“Didn’t seem right. Brought you Charlie’s gun and clothes, too.”
Billie didn’t say anything at first, just stared at Josiah and frowned at the sight of the package poking out of Josiah’s saddlebag. “Heard that Mick, O’Reilly, is dead. You kill him?”
“No, I didn’t have the chance. Would have liked to have brought him back here to hang.”
“They like hangin’ folks here.” Billie stepped off the stoop and walked to Josiah and slid her arms around him. He stood stiffly as she hugged him and pulled his body tight against hers. “I thought about you every day.”
A baby’s whimper came from inside the house, and Billie stopped and cocked her head, making sure everything was all right. Satisfied, she returned her attention to Josiah and angled her face up, like she expected him to kiss her.
Josiah stood back, pulling away from her embrace. “There’s a woman that I care for back home.”
Billie’s face grew hard. “You got married?”
“No.”
“Engaged?”
“No, we’re just . . . well it’s complicated. I’m not sure what we are. I got myself in a bit of trouble that still hasn’t been settled, and it’s not right to drag her into something that isn’t finished.” Josiah scratched the back of his neck. He suddenly felt like a schoolboy.
“Complicated, you say?” Billie asked, scrunching her forehead.
“Yes.”
“You love her?”
Josiah drew in a deep breath and shrugged. He didn’t know what to say, hadn’t said he loved Pearl to her or himself out loud. He hadn’t thought he could ever say those words again, after losing Lily.
“All righty then,” Billie said. “Guess you need to decide that. I’m not one to tell a man what he should do or feel, but I wouldn’t wait too long, Josiah Wolfe. Life can change in the blink of an eye. Charlie never got to see that little girl; now look what I’m left with.”
Josiah cocked his head toward the barn. “I’ll put the horse up, if that’s all right?”
The whimper from the baby turned into a cry. “Suit yourself. I’ll put a pot of coffee on. You need to rest your horse before headin’ back to Austin, and whatever’s waitin’ for you. Come on in when you’re done.”
Josiah started to say no, he had to leave right away, but he stopped and watched Billie Webb walk inside the house. The baby quit crying immediately.
He grabbed Lady Mead’s reins and walked her into the barn.
It only took him a few minutes to get her settled into a stall, fill her bucket with oats, and take off the saddle. The palomino looked glad to be home.
Back outside the barn, Josiah stared at the house and felt a bit homesick for his old life even though he was a million miles away from it. He could smell coffee, hear a baby giggling, and bare feet pacing on a hardwood floor, calming the child.
He looked to the sky, searching for an answer about what to do, and realized when he looked over to Clipper that he still needed to give Billie Charlie’s clothes and gun.
With more than a little hesitation, he walked back over to Clipper, grabbed the package of clothes and the rifle and headed to the door.
Billie was standing next to the stove, holding the baby, smiling widely, as Josiah walked inside. Josiah didn’t look back as he stepped inside the house.
THE RATTLESNAKE SEASON
THE SCORPION TRAIL
THE BADGER’S REVENGE
