Beside Still Waters by Tracey V. Bateman Read Free Book Online

by now. I’ll be plenty safe with Ben and your pa.” She raised up on her dainty toes and pressed a kiss to Frank’s cheek. “You’re a good son, but I’ll be fine.”
    Frank and Terrance looked at Jonesy for support. In answer to their silent appeal, he smiled at his mother. “Really, Ma. I think I can go out in public one more time without a haircut.”
    The door opened, and Pa stepped inside. “What’s the holdup? The team’s all hitched and ready. Are we going to this thing, or ain’t we?”
    Apparently not the least bit intimidated by her husband’s crotchety attitude, Ma waved him to a chair. “Coffee’s still warm. Pour yourself a cup while I cut Ben’s hair.”
    “Isn’t it a bit late for that?”
    “It’ll only take a minute if we can get started,” she said pointedly.
    Pa blew out a breath. “All right. There’s no changin’ her mind when she’s got it set on somethin’.” He poured his cup of coffee and glanced at the two teenaged boys. “You two best go along to the dance before Elizabeth McDougal gives up on the both of you and picks some other fellow to dance with.”
    Jonesy laughed out loud as the competitive young men bounded for the door. The house shook as they slammed the door behind them. Jonesy pulled a wooden chair away from the family table while Ma brought her shears from the kitchen shelf.
    “Look at this,” she scolded. “I can’t believe you were going to take Eva to a dance looking like this.”
    “I’m not taking her.”
    “What do you mean?” A frown creased her brow. “Eva’s going with some other young man?”
    Heat spread across his face. “I don’t know. I forgot about it and never asked her.”
    She gave a huff of indignation. “Do you mean to tell me after all these months of beauing her around, you forgot to ask her to the biggest dance of the year? It’ll serve you right if she did take up with someone else.”
    Mindless of the sharp shears next to his ear, Jonesy turned to look at his mother. “Beauing her around? Eva and I are only friends. She knows what my plans are.”
    Pa gave a snort from his seat at the table. He swallowed a sip of coffee and spoke evenly. “What a woman knows in her mind and what her heart tells her are two different things.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “He means Eva Riley is in love with you, son. It’s as plain as the nose on her face every time she looks at you.” Ma’s voice gentled. “And unless I miss my guess, you’re in love with her, as well.”
    “Maybe.”
    A slow smile crept across her mouth. “You’re not going to deny it?”
    “Nope.” Jonesy gave her a grin. Finally admitting his love for Eva made him feel freer than he’d felt in a long time. “I knew for sure that day on the road. I’d never felt so protective of anyone as I did Eva.”
    “So what are you going to do about it?”
    “I don’t know. I have to get back to my land, but Eva’s whole life is here. I don’t know if I can ask her to leave.”
    “Maybe you should let her make that decision.” She scrubbed his neck with the towel and brushed at his back. “All done. Let’s go.”
    Jonesy kept his thoughts to himself as he rode alongside the wagon on Lady Anne. Some things were just too private to share. Things like whether he could ask Eva to go to Texas with him. In addition to big considerations like leaving her family, it would also mean a quick wedding. That thought sat well with him, but he couldn’t be sure how Eva would respond. After all, neither of them had spoken of any feelings beyond friendship. And though he suspected Eva returned his affection, a proposal would still come as a surprise.
    Wagons and horses littered the street between Joe Grafton’s restaurant at one end of town and the livery stable at the other. The empty lot next to the livery had been transformed into a dance floor, as there was nowhere large enough to hold everyone who would be attending from the town of Hobbs and the surrounding