she drew her Colt on Ketchum while I was up at Rock Springs.”
“She did.”
Lee looked up from the road. “You were there?”
“I was. My first thought was to help, but she didn’t need it. Her Colt stopped Ketchum cold.”
“And yet, you’re still smitten with her?”
“I hear your wife shot you the first time you met. Yet, you married her.”
Lee chuckled, “Touché.” Lee studied him for a silent moment more as if reevaluating his former assessment of Garrett. “I’m glad we talked.”
“So am I.”
“I can say with authority that pursuing my sister is going to be akin to wrestling the wind.”
“I sense that.”
“So you’ll be returning?”
“More than likely. I have some things to tie up at home first.” He’d answered without thought but it felt right.
“If you decide being here is not for you and decide to return home, she’ll never leave the Territory to live back East.”
“I wouldn’t ask her to. I don’t want to cage her—just to be with her on whatever terms she chooses.” And it could be two weeks, two months, or two years. Of course, she’d probably feed him to a bear were he to confess this to her. When they met initially, he’d wanted to know all about her and that hadn’t changed. There were parts of herself hidden beneath her toughness he was certain she’d never shared, and he wanted to earn the opportunity to be trusted with them.
“I wish you luck, then.”
“Much appreciated. I’ll probably need it.” And he would.
Colt dropped Garrett off at the boardinghouse. He’d had a bath earlier at Spring’s, so after exchanging his suit for a clean shirt and trousers, he threw an extra fresh shirt and his shaving kit into his saddle bag and left the room. He saw Dovie in the hall.
“Oh, there you are. When you didn’t come back after the party, I was worried something had happened to you.”
“My apologies. Didn’t mean to cause concern.”
“Have you had breakfast?”
“I have. I won’t be back this evening.”
Dovie eyed him. “Okay. Thanks for letting me know.”
“You’re welcome.”
Descending the stairs, he passed Jarvis on the way up. Their eyes met. Garrett nodded a greeting, but the cold-faced businessman offered nothing in return.
Outside, Garrett set out for the short walk to Dr. Lee’s office. Unlike Jarvis, the few people on the walk acknowledged him as he passed. He wondered how many of them knew about him and Spring, but refused to dwell on the question. Their opinions didn’t matter.
Entering the office, he found Lee placing equipment and small vials into a worn black medical bag.
“Are you ready?” he asked Garrett.
“Yes. Can we stop by the livery? I want to retrieve my gelding.”
“Sure. You can either ride or trailer him to the buggy.”
“I’ll ride for now.”
Lee gave him a nod and they left to begin the rounds.
As he rode, Garrett thought back on his talk with Lee concerning Spring. Confessing his feelings about her had not been his intentions. He was usually more guarded with his intentions, another holdover from being enslaved, but the words seemed to have sprouted on their own. Yet, he’d spoken truthfully. He did want to be in Spring’s life, and although he hadn’t really considered returning to Paradise, the decision made sense.
Thanks to Porter James’s offer, he’d have a job. The town’s pace was slow and peaceful, unlike the frenetic pace of Washington. He’d saved up a bit of money with the hopes of one day moving out of his rented room, but what if he used it instead to buy a small piece of land and build a place of his own?
That possibility was exciting, and although there weren’t many people of the race around, the Lees hadn’t shared any tales of overt racial animosity or being targeted for the color of their skin. In the Territory, he might be relatively free to be himself and not constantly reminded of having to stay in his place. Jim Crow was infecting the country like a disease, and more than likely would eventually show its ugly face in places like Wyoming Territory, too, especially by men like Ketchum. Presently, however, it didn’t seem to be as virulent or as ingrained as it was back East, and for him that was also a plus. The true plus though was Spring Lee. If in the end, she decided she wanted no parts of him, he’d accept that verdict because he’d still be free to work and live life on his own terms. Growing up enslaved, it was more than