Page 27 of A Letter to Adaya
“Did I tell you that Beau wrote me a letter? He gave it to me the morning he headed to town.”
“I thought he had some sense in that brain,” Aunt Cleo said, coming into the kitchen. She moved to the table and sat down. “Can someone get me a cup of coffee? My hands are aching today.”
“I’ll get it for you,” Adaya said, jumping up. It gave her a chance to avoid the three sets of eyes staring at her. She poured a cup of coffee and placed it in front of Aunt Cleo. “Do you need anything else?”
“No. I’ll just take one of these cookies.” She lifted one from the plate and dunked it into her coffee. “To make sure they taste all right.”
“I want to hear what Beau said to Adaya.” Georgia scooted closer in her chair. “Tell us everything.”
Adaya forced a smile and tucked her legs beneath her as she lowered herself onto the hard kitchen chair. She glanced at the three women huddled around the small wooden table, their expressions full of curiosity. Adaya had already decided Beau was going to be her husband, no matter how long it took for him to accept it. Maybe these wise women could offer her some words of wisdom to convince him.
“Well,” she began. “Emily had written me her letter, and I sent the wire. But the entire train ride, I kept thinking about the brothers that she mentioned. Her meager description of Jesse made his life sound exhausting. So, I wrote Beau a letter and dropped it off at the mercantile when we got here.” She laughed. “I didn’t know you were going to send two wild men to collect me!” Her eyes pinned Emily in place.
“Wild men?” Aunt Cleo snorted.
“Yes. Have you never noticed that Bass reminds you of a wolf? Or that Beau is a bear with a thorn in his paw?”
“Or that Simon looks like a crane?” Georgia supplied helpfully.
The older woman’s face lit up with amusement, and she chuckled. Her laughter grew in intensity until her shoulders shook, and soon she was laughing so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks. “What about Nate and Jesse?” Aunt Cleo asked when she could catch her breath, looking from one woman to the next.
“Nate’s not as severe as Bass, but he looks just like him,” Emily answered.
“And Jesse is an overgrown puppy.” All three answered at once.
“At least he doesn’t pee in the house,” Simon’s nasally voice broke up the merriment. In his calloused hands, he balanced a small gray cat, gently cooing to it as if it were a baby. Adaya had begged him to let her keep the cat she named Cinders, and against his better judgment, he had finally agreed.
“She doesn’t pee in the house,” Adaya defended immediately, rising to collect her pet.
“Tell that to the papers that were on my floor,” Simon quipped, with far less enthusiasm than Beau or Bass would have had.
“And what did you learn?” Georgia joked as she filled his cup and plated him a cinnamon roll.
“To close my office door?” Simon answered, taking the treat from his wife.
“Riders coming!” Walter’s voice drifted in through the open window, putting an end to the discussion with his words.
Adaya was ready to rush to the front window, but Simon quickly grabbed her arm. “Don’t go near the windows!” he commanded before releasing his grip on her. She glared at him, yet deep down she knew this was the correct advice. He put his untouched cinnamon roll on the table and raced from the kitchen, the porch door slamming behind him.
“I swear if those boys don’t stop slamming that door, the entire house is going to come down one day.” Aunt Cleo fussed before going back to her cookie and coffee. “Tell us more about this letter from Beau.”
“But then we can’t hear anything.” Adaya stood and moved closer to the wall. She leaned forward, tilting her head to get a better view out the window.
“I told you she knew something!” Emily gently swatted Georgia’s arm. “Tell us what you know.”
Adaya tilted her head, her hair sliding over one shoulder, and a hint of apprehension filled her throat. As much as she enjoyed the budding friendships with her companions, the thought of disappointing Beau weighed heavily on her heart like an anchor. “I don’t, really. Some man named Ranger came and talked to Beau. Then everybody but Walter left.”
Emily gave her a searching look before turning to Aunt Cleo. “That’s never happened before.”
Just as the older woman was about to speak, Simon reappeared in the doorway, interrupting her. “Adaya, come with me,” he beckoned.
Well, that can’t be good, she thought, putting the items in her hand on the table before following him out of the kitchen. Her heart was racing, and her hands shook before they made it to the front door.
“It’ll all be alright,” Simon whispered before opening the screen for her.
The man called Ranger was standing at the bottom of the stairs and Walter was nowhere in sight. “You’re that cowboy from earlier,” she said, moving to the top of the steps.
“Yes, ma’am. I came to fetch you. Beau needs to speak with you in town.”
