"That is in fact true, Sheriff Spencer," I said, addressing him by his formal title for the first time since...well, possibly ever. I saw his dark eyes narrow as he stared back at me, obviously not believing a word coming out of either mine or Austin's mouth.
"That's a load of horse shit and you know it!" Sam roared, pointing a crooked finger at me. "Why didn't I hear a word about this yesterday at Doc Thompson's? How come you didn't say anything to him about it?!?"
Austin turned around, stepped straight towards Sam's horse so quickly the poor animal seemed to cower and step backward. He looked Sam Spencer straight in the eye and spoke in a low rumble.
"You'll watch your language in front of the lady."
Sam's face began to turn fifty shades of red, his blood starting to boil at the stranger's insolence. Sam wasn't the kind of man that was usually talked to like that, what with being the sheriff and all. When he finally did get his voice back, the words came out seething, punctuated by flecks of his spittle.
"You better watch it, runnin' yer mouth like that at me in front of my men!" was the best he could manage. Austin held him fast with his stare, his expression quiet and composed.
"Sam," I said, stepping forward and hoping to soothe the situation somewhat. Last thing I wanted was to see someone get hurt, even stupid old Sam Spencer. But Austin wouldn't let me finish. He raised a hand without looking at me, still holding Sam with his stare.
"I'll handle this Grace. Sheriff, we got no problem with you or your men. We sure are sorry we got started off on the wrong foot last night and we'll be happy to make it up to you any way we can, but for the time being we've got a wedding to get ready for, small as it may be. So if you'll kindly turn around and head back, to town, we'll all be able to get on with our day."
It seemed like even the birds that had been chirping in the morning sun stopped singing in the silence that followed Austin's speech. I must admit I was still somewhat taken aback at being told that someone was going to handle any of my affairs and I made a note to set the man straight later. But that silence was unlike anything I'd ever heard, thick and heavy and full of danger as the men stared each other down. The posse buzzed with nervous energy and Austin and Cole standing looking cool and relaxed like this was something they did every day.
Just when it seemed that the air itself might burst from all the tension, Sam Spencer took a long, deep breath, then let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright then, seein' as how that's yer story," Sam said, his voice much calmer now, "who's to be the husband?"
Austin and Cole glanced at each other, obviously weighing their response. After a consideration that was a bit too long to not appear suspicious, Cole replied with a single word.
"Him."
Sam looked from one cowboy to the other, his look betraying that this was a matter far from over. When he finally looked at me, he sent a chill up my spine that ended in shivers at the base of my neck ten times worse than the day before. He stared me down for a while, a smirk crawling across his already crooked lips with the men watching him closely for what to do next. Finally, he shook his head, tilted his hat towards me and turned his horse away.
"Come on boys," he said to the men who'd come with him, "let's go see how warm the beer is down at the saloon." A couple of the men chuckled, but all of them turned along with the Sheriff and began to head down the hill. Once they were all gone, Cole and Austin both turned to face me. It was hard to tell what they were thinking, just from the looks on their faces. I narrowed my eyes at Austin, the memory of him interrupting me while I was talking to the sheriff bubbling to the surface.
"Now listen here, mister," I said, pointing a stiff finger at him in admonishment, "I can right well handle myself with the Sheriff and I don't need you or your friend sticking up for me!" My voice had gotten louder as I was speaking and I took a deep breath, but Austin just stood there, the same cool look in his eye that Cole had. "I've been managing just fine here before you showed up and I'll manage just fine after you leave. I won't have you bossing me around like some sort of..."
But Austin raised his hand in the air again and cut me off in mid-sentence.
"So you're not interested in our proposition then?" he asked simply.
The question caught me off guard and I looked away for a second, not sure how to answer. Truth was, I hadn't felt this way about any man in my whole life, not to mention two of them. Truth was, I did want to accept his proposition. I wanted nothing more than to be his...or I suppose their wife. But I'd be damned if I did it on anyone's terms but my own!
"So...the proposition was...a real one then?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking with nervousness.
"It most certainly was. You're a beautiful, smart woman Grace, even if you are a little bit wild. Cole and I, well we talked it over a good long time and if you'll have us, we want to make you ours."
I heard the birds
