Celia grinned, and he could see his own wild abandon begin to take over her thoughts. “The river is beautiful, no matter the time of year. Though the bluffs provide quite the spectacular view.” She paused. “I don’t know. Oughtn’t we do some work here? I need to make some more preserves . . . there certainly aren’t that many—”
“Celia.” Jack stood and set his napkin on the table before walking around to her. He took up her hands. “Play hooky with me today.”
“Play hooky?” She raised her eyebrows, clearly unfamiliar with the word.
“I mean leave the work for tomorrow. It isn’t going anywhere. You deserve a break from your worries.”
Her gaze flicked from him to the preserve jars waiting on the little wooden counter that sat against the wall. The morning light made her eyes look even paler than normal. He’d never seen eyes like that, not in his entire life.
“All right,” she said hesitantly.
He yelped in happiness, drawing her up in a little jig.
“Jack!” Celia laughed, her curls bouncing about her face as he took her across the kitchen floor. “I didn’t know you could dance.”
“I haven’t shown you anything yet,” he said as he turned her about.
She giggled. He turned her again, right back into her seat. She sat, still grinning as he held her fingers in his hand and bowed. “Thank you for the dance, my lady. Now eat up so we can take in the sights.”
He saddled the horses, feeling almost competent in the task, while he waited for Celia, who’d insisted on cleaning up the breakfast dishes. When they finally set off, Jack felt as if he were seeing everything for the first time. From Celia’s lovely form to the way the plains seemed to go on forever to the fluffy clouds in the sky. Even the chill here, as sharp as it was, seemed more bearable than it had been in New York. In fact, everything from New York seemed to be a distant memory, with the fear of Sullivan and Garrity Shane—along with the guilt he felt about his other investors—destined to slip into a forgotten place.
He shook his head. What was wrong with him? He was beginning to think of this as a place he wanted to be.
A home.
Chapter Fourteen
The North Platte wasn’t frozen yet, although with the air as cold as it was, it would happen soon. The banks were muddy from the light snowfall they’d received a few days ago, and bits of debris from the blizzard and subsequent flooding still lay strewn about on either side of the river between the trees. Despite the remnants from the flood, it created a lovely scene against the brown grasses, bare trees and firs, and blue sky that reflected in the water.
“It won’t be long before this begins to freeze over,” Celia said as they walked. They’d left the horses tied to a couple of trees, and Jack had taken up her hand as if it were the most natural thing to do. And Celia supposed it was for a married couple. She couldn’t remember Ned ever holding her hand, except for helping her into the wagon or other occasions that had required it. It was a wonderful, comfortable feeling, and she wished he might never let go.
“I’ve never seen a river this clear,” Jack said. He’d been looking at the bright blue water as they walked—when he wasn’t looking at Celia. “The rivers that border Manhattan look nothing like this. Although from the very tip of the island, you can see the ocean, and that was always my favorite. It’s hard to imagine how large it is from that vantage point. Once, when I was very young, my father took my mother and me out to picnic on a beach. From there, it looked as if the ocean went on forever.”
Celia listened to him in awe. Faith had been right after all. All she’d had to do was ask him a question or two, and everything she’d wanted to know came tumbling out. He hadn’t pulled farther away, as Ned had. In fact, it seemed as if he were eager to share more with her.
“I’ve never seen the ocean,” she told him as he led her around a large tree limb. “We lived too far from the Gulf to make it a worthwhile journey.”
“That’s too bad.” Jack glanced down at her, a smile in those dark eyes. “It boggles the mind, to see so much water with no land on the far side.”
“Didn’t you have any siblings?” The more he’d told her, the more Celia’s curiosity grew. She wanted to know about everything that made up this man she’d married.
He shook his head. “None at all. I made friends in our neighborhood for entertainment. My mother says that’s how I grew to be so good at speaking with people.” He laughed before growing somber.
“What is it?” Celia asked gently after a moment passed.
“It’s nothing.” He squeezed her hand and her heart jumped. “I lost both my parents not too long ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” Celia’s heart broke for Jack. It felt extravagant, having two parents alive and well back in Mississippi, while he had none at all.
“They tried hard to keep me out of trouble,” he said with a wry grin. “Tell me more about your family.”
“There isn’t much to tell.” Celia glanced out at the slow river and the copse of trees on the far side, thinking of home. “I miss my parents dearly, and my younger brother. But I’m thankful to be here with Faith.”
“And me?”
She turned to see him watching her with a cheeky smile, and she laughed. “Yes, with
