As if she’d read his mind, Charlie said, “My birth name is Charlotte, but please don’t call me that. I hate the name.”
“I promise,” Jesse said. “I guess I’m to show you around town. Should I rent a buggy from the livery?”
“Goodness, no. Sean gave me a horse to ride while visiting.”
“Perfect,” Jesse said. He turned to Sean. “Congratulations.” He handed Sean an envelope.
“Thank you. We are having a small reception at my place, and we’ll meet you there. I’ll take the ladies in my buggy.”
After a dinner cooked by Charlie, Sean gave Jesse the nod, which he recognized as a signal that it was time to get moving. “Are you ready for the grand tour of Sunset Creek, Charlie?”
“I’ll be ready as soon as I change into my riding habit.” Charlie practically flew up the stairs.
Sean winked at Jesse. “She’s a spitfire. Good luck.”
Jesse scratched his head. “I know you two want some alone time, but a tour of the town will only take about ten minutes, fifteen if I stretch it out.”
“Take her to the creek and the old mine, and show her your place,” Sean said. “Just give us an hour.”
Jesse pulled out his watch. “I can easily do an hour. I'll have to ride home and change, so she can see my place first.”
Chapter Four
Jesse noted that Charlie was a skilled rider. She suggested a race as soon as he pointed out his home while on the dirt road.
She took off as soon as he agreed to the race, leaving him in a cloud of dust. He'd almost caught up to her when she reined-in at his home.
“Nice house,” she said as she jumped from her horse. “Are you going to paint it?”
Jesse noted how good she looked in her dark green riding outfit. “I haven’t yet decided on a color for it. What do you suggest?”
She tapped her finger on her chin as she studied the house from the front and the side. “White, but you need a contrasting color, so I suggest you get your builder to make you some shutters.”
“But I have glass windows—why do I need shutters?”
“For the color contrast and looks.”
Jesse wasn’t sure how to answer since he didn’t like her idea. He wanted a manly-looking home. “I suppose I need flowers around it, too?”
“Not unless you marry someday. Women love flowers.”
“And you? You’re a woman.”
“I might like a rosebush, but I’m not fond of too many flowers because they attract bees.”
“Ah, I see.” He tied the horses to a hitching post near his front porch. “I have to change my clothes. Would you like to look around outdoors while I do that?”
“Oh, no. I’d love to come in to see inside.”
Jesse shrugged, and she followed him inside. He showed her each room before planning to settle her in the sitting room while he changed.
“If you’ll have a seat, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“All right, but where’s all your furniture?”
“I brought some from Sterling’s Mill, a town about six miles from here. I’ve also ordered some from a catalog at the general store. It takes time to furnish a house out here.” Jesse steered her to the only sitting room chair, a rather hard sofa chair, and he disappeared into his bedroom to change his clothes. He thought that Charlie was slightly forward, but she was still a delightful young woman. She certainly was not his type, but he had to spend only an hour with her, and he could easily do that.
When Jesse returned to the sitting room, Charlie wasn’t there.
“Charlie?” he called
“In here,” she answered from his office.
Jesse found her staring at and touching his guns. He hadn’t worn his gun belt to the wedding, and it was hanging over a chair. Jesse had his whole gun collection on a nearby table. She’d been admiring his collection, but now she turned to touch the gun in its holster.
“Don’t touch that one; it’s loaded,” Jesse yelled.
She jumped and pulled her hand back.
“Goodness, you needn’t holler—just say it nicely,” she answered. “You scared the wits out of me.”
“Why the interest in my guns?”
“I love guns. I have a Colt Peacemaker in my suitcase. My older brother, Leo, taught me to shoot bottles from a tree stump.”
“Really?” Jesse asked; the woman never ceased to amaze him.
Jesse put on his gun belt, took his gun carefully from its holster, and pointed it at the floor. “This is my go-to gun. It’s a Colt single-action army revolver. It’s very accurate.”
He pointed to another pistol on the table. “This one’s my second favorite. It’s a Smith and Wesson .44 caliber, single-action six-shooter.” He fondled the white handle.
“And this one?” Charlie pointed to a gun.
“That was my father’s gun. It’s a Winchester Repeater.”
“I like this one.” Charlie pointed to the Smith and Wesson. “Instead of showing me your small town, could we do some shooting?”
Jesse smiled. He began to enjoy Charlie’s company—she appreciated doing fun things. “Sure. I have a place behind the shed where I practice shooting. I’ve been saving tin cans. C’mon.” He picked up the Smith and Wesson, took a box of bullets from the wardrobe, and led her outside.
He held out the Smith and Wesson. “Are you sure you can handle this one? It’s heavy and has a slight recoil.”
She took it from him, held out her hand for the bullets, and loaded the gun while Jesse set up cans on an old water barrel turned upside down.
“Ladies first,” he said.
Charlie aimed and shot all but one can.
“Wow! Good shooting.” He set the cans up again, and they spent the next two
