“A-all right.” Vera’s heart beat so fast she worried he’d hear it.
Wyatt leaned over and softly touched her lips with his. “There. Was that so scary?”
Vera shook her head, but then she realized he wouldn’t have seen it in the dark.
“It was rather nice,” she whispered back. “Could you spare another?”
Wyatt kissed her lips again, this time a bit longer, but still softly. “I love you, Vera, with all my heart.”
Suddenly emboldened, she grabbed the blanket separating them and threw it to the bottom of the bed. She threw her arms around Wyatt’s neck and pressed herself against him in a hug. “Oh, Wyatt, I love you. I want this as much as you do, I’m just so afraid of doing something wrong.”
Wyatt put his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. “When you’re married and in love, there are no mistakes.”
“I’m ready,” she whispered.
Afterward, Wyatt held Vera tightly. “This is how we’ll sleep every night for the rest of our lives.”
“Hmm,” Vera said. “I never thought love could feel this wonderful.”
Wyatt kissed her forehead. “Did we get lucky, or did God have His hand in this?”
“I didn’t know God was in the romance business, but I think He had something to do with it.”
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” Wyatt said. “This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had in my life and the best present ever.”
Vera laughed softly. “Same here.”
~~~~***~~~~
Thea couldn’t sleep. She was worried. Had she put the butter out? Had she soaked the raisins for the stuffing? Had she put the broth in the root cellar? Tomorrow had to be perfect. She climbed out of bed, threw on her robe, and tiptoed downstairs. On her way to the kitchen, she saw the sitting room lamp was on. Why was Sam up so late? She peeked in and squealed in surprise.
“Oh, I thought you were Sam!” Thea drew her robe tighter around her neck.
“I’m sorry,” Jack said, setting his book down on his lap. “I traded places with Sam so I could read a little before turning in. I didn’t want to keep a lamp on in the boys’ room. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, no ... it’s perfectly fine. I like to read at night, too. I’ve spent many a night on the settee for the same reason.” She walked closer. “What are you reading?”
Jack held the book up so she could see the title. “It’s the mystery you gave me. It’s so good I can’t put it down.”
“Do you have many books to read at home?”
Jack shook his head. “Sadly, I don’t. I borrow them whenever I can. I’ve had no home life the last few years.”
Interested, Thea took a seat on the chair across from him. “No home?”
Jack closed the book and set it aside. He sat up. “I’m an orphan, and since I turned sixteen, I’ve made my way from Oklahoma to Texas by working on farms and ranches.”
“I’m sorry,” Thea offered. “And here I was, feeling embarrassed because we’re so poor. At least I’ve always had a home.”
“How do you get by with no job and all? The farm is too small to support a family of this size.”
“Charity from the church saw us through some bad years, but now that Sam is working and Georgia sews for people, we’re doing all right.”
“Seems to me you’re doing more than all right. This is such a delightful home, full of warmth and love.”
His voice sounded wistful.
“God’s always provided, and I guess we’re a pretty close family. I’m so glad that you could come and spend the holidays with us. Vera said that you were a friend in need. What did she mean?”
Thea could see he was reluctant to tell her because he shrugged and grimaced.
“It’s all right. You need not explain. I’m just glad you’re here.”
“I killed a man in El Paso,” Jack mumbled.
“What?” Thea gasped. What could her sister have been thinking to invite a killer into their home? She tried to hide her shock, but knew she wasn’t successful.
“It was self-defense, and God has forgiven me. He’s wiped my slate clean as if it never happened. He has lifted my burden.”
Thea let out the breath she’d been holding and asked nervously. “Well, then, what was the need?”
“The brother of the man I killed is spending the holiday in Hays, and the sheriff suggested I leave town to avoid trouble.”
“The sheriff in Hays knows it was self-defense?”
“Yes, but, you see, the dead man was the sheriff of El Paso’s son, and his friends took his gun and placed it back into his holster. They were about to lynch me, so I fled. I ended up in Hays, where Wyatt and Vera gave me work.”
“That must have been scary.”
“The emotion I felt was more guilt than fright. I’ve carried that guilt for a long time. I saw him reach for his gun, and so I pulled mine out, not realizing his gun stuck in his holster for a second, and he was slow to the draw. Too slow.”
“If you had waited, you’d have been the dead one,” Thea said.
“I wished that had been the case at the time.” Jack looked down at the floor. “I wonder about that man’s life today, had I not shot him. Would he have married? Would he have children? But because I was faster on the draw, he won’t experience any of it. I ended a life, and that isn’t easy to deal with.”
“Not for a sensitive person,” was all Thea could think to say. “It wouldn’t bother some.”
“Wyatt and Vera took me to their minister, and he helped me see things differently.”
Thea smiled. “Then you need not have told me about it. It never happened.”
“You’ve been good to me,
