you had to see that.” She eased him back onto the pillows and pulled up the quilt to cover him. Joe felt a jab of pain as he adjusted his position. The effort of walking to the door and standing on his feet to face the man named Everett had cost him dearly. His side wound was a knot of excruciating pain.
“I’m sorry, too,” he said. “I never wanted to cause trouble for you, Sarah. I need to leave before I cause more.”
“No, you don’t.” She sat down next to the bed. A heart-melting smile teased her lips. “It wasn’t me you caused trouble for, Joe. It was only Everett. As long as I’m not doing anything wrong, I don’t give a dang what people think. I don’t plan to stay in Ogallala forever. If I get accepted by a medical school, I’ll be gone in a flash, and I’ll never look back.”
“I got the impression that Everett had other plans for you.”
“His plans, not mine. He wants to go into politics. It wouldn’t do for him to have a tarnished woman at his side, would it?”
The undertone of bitterness in her voice wasn’t lost on Joe. “Do you want to marry him?” Even asking the question was painful.
“I want to become a doctor,” she said. “If I can do that, I won’t likely marry at all.”
“And if you can’t? If medical school doesn’t happen? What then? Would you give in and marry the man?”
“Everett’s been good to me, and he’s been very patient. I’ve thought about it. But there’ve been times like today, when he’s shown me the side he’s kept hidden—arrogant, judgmental, and controlling. You saw how he treated both of us. I’d have to be desperate to say yes to him.”
She blinked away a tear, giving Joe a glimpse of how near to desperate she’d become. She was young, poor, and alone, living for a dream that might never come true.
If only he could give her that dream. Given the chance, he would gladly marry her himself and work to support her schooling. But the sad truth was, he had nothing to offer except love—and the love of a penniless young cowboy would be as worthless as dust.
More tears were welling in her eyes, spilling over to flow down her cheeks. She dabbed them away with a furious swipe of her hand. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “It’s been so long since I’ve had somebody I could talk to.” The tears kept coming. “Forgive me. I—I’m making such a fool of myself.”
“Everybody has the right to be a fool sometimes, Sarah.” As Joe spoke, he did something he’d never done before. Turning slightly toward her, he pulled her down to rest her head on his chest. She could have resisted, but she came willingly, her tears wetting his bare skin. He could feel her trembling as his hand stroked her hair.
“It’s all right, girl,” he murmured. “You don’t always have to be brave and strong.”
If Joe could have frozen a moment in time, it would have been this one, with Sarah in his arms, her hair silky soft against his throat, and her sweet fragrance creeping into his senses. The urge to kiss her was an ache inside him, but he knew that trying would likely spoil the fragile moment. For now, just holding her would have to be enough.
Far too soon, she lifted her head and pulled away. Her tears were dry, her cheeks flushed. “Heavens, you must be hungry,” she said, jumping up and smoothing her skirt. “I’ll get your breakfast.”
After she’d rushed out of the room, Joe lay still, listening to the sweet sounds of her rummaging in the kitchen and enjoying the aromas in the air as she warmed up the food. He wouldn’t mind staying here awhile, he thought. He could help her with the chores, help her fix up the old house, maybe even get a job in town to help out with money.
No, that idea was nothing more than a fantasy. Once his wound was safely on the mend, concern for her reputation and Everett’s displeasure would force him to be on his way.
Even if Sarah’s circumstances were different, Joe had plans of his own. As soon as he was able, he’d be off for Montana to pursue his own dream—the dream that the stampede had cut short. And he wouldn’t rest until Benteen Calder had paid for leaving him to die in that wash.