Jimmy took the steps leading up to the Marshall’s office in one giant leap. “Teaspoon?” He found him in his usual place, behind his desk with his feet propped up, reading the Rock Creek newspaper. “Teaspoon, can I talk to you?”

    “Yes, Jimmy?” Teaspoon asked slowly, lowering the paper just an inch so that only his eyes were visible, as if he intended to keep right on reading. In fact, he never tore his eyes away from what he was reading. “What can I do ya for?”

    “Teaspoon, I’m going to take a break for a few days.” Jimmy then added hastily, “If that’s all right with you, that is.”

    Teaspoon’s eyebrows arched. “A vacation, you mean?”

    Jimmy nodded, wishing that just for once a conversation with Teaspoon Hunter could be an uncomplicated thing. “Yeah, a break, vacation, whatever you want to call it. Is that all right?”

    Teaspoon inclined his head. “I suppose so. Where are you headed, if I may ask?”

    “I thought I’d go see my sister in Kansas.” Jimmy explained as he headed towards the door. The sooner he could leave the better. “I’ll be headed out in the morning.”

    “Good!” Teaspoon called out after him. “You can ride out with Lou then.”

    Jimmy froze in the doorway, then retraced his steps. “Excuse me?”

    This time, Teaspoon tore his eyes away from the paper and looked at Jimmy with interest. “I said, you can ride out with Lou. She’s got a run to Wichita tomorrow. You two might as well give each other some company.” He looked at Jimmy carefully. “Somethin’ the matter?”

    Inside, Jimmy wanted to yell at him, “Yes, there’s something the matter! Lou is the one person I’m tryin’ to get away from and now you want me to ride to Kansas with her?”

    But he maintained a poker face and shook his head. “Nope. Nothin’s the matter. Just surprised we have a run to Kansas that’s all.”

    Teaspoon nodded and resumed reading as he explained, “Oh that. We’re covering for Thompson’s station. Luck of the draw I guess.”

    Jimmy walked out of the office a lot more slowly than he had going in. Great. He and Lou, alone on a ride together. He shook his head wondering if things could get any worse.

    Teaspoon thoughtfully watched Jimmy leave. He had noticed Jimmy and Lou had been acting mighty strangely since their trip to Fort Laramie to take Elias Mills to his hanging, although Kid had gone too, and his only change was a sore arm. When Teaspoon had asked them about it, both Jimmy and Lou had told him that they each had gotten rather attached to Mills, and it had been hard for them to escort the man to his death. Still, Teaspoon had a feeling something else was gnawing at them. He shrugged. Perhaps a good long ride into Kansas was all they needed to air whatever it was out of their systems.

    Lou rode Lightning as if there was a prairie fire on her tail. And if Jimmy couldn’t keep up with her, then so be it. She certainly wouldn’t miss his surly company.

    She hadn’t even known that he’d be coming with her until she bumped into him that morning in the stables. When she asked him what he was doing, he’d growled at her, explaining Teaspoon’s suggestion and revealing to her in no uncertain terms how he felt about it. Then he’d been as friendly as a porcupine on the first half of the trip. So now Lou was hoping to shake him. She glanced back and realized he was still keeping up. Besides that, he looked even surlier. Damn!

    Lou turned back around and let the pounding rhythm of Lightning’s hooves beating on the hard ground slowly relax her. A good hard gallop always made her feel better when she was angry. And she had a right to be angry. She and Jimmy had always been close, but lately he’d been treating her differently. He’d been cold and distant towards her. Deep down beneath her anger, Lou was hurt and confused. Nothing had been the same between them since they’d taken Elias Mills to his hanging.

    Her heart ached when she thought of Elias, and of that trip. It had been a strange, bittersweet journey in more ways than one. Elias had become a friend to her on that short trip. It was peculiar, but he was like the father she wished she had had. He had made her feel good about herself, and she had been able to talk to him about things...Lord! They had even talked about her love life of all things. She missed him terribly. She could certainly stand to talk to him further about her love life now.

    Elias had said there were always others to consider. And Lou knew she had to honest with herself. While she still loved Kid, she couldn’t stop thinking about Jimmy. Her thoughts drifted back to the night when he had kissed her. That kiss - hard, passionate, desperate, electric... her cheeks flamed with the memory of it and although she hated to admit it, she’d give anything if he’d kiss her like that again.

    “Lou!” She stopped and scolded herself. She only had to look at Jimmy to know he didn’t feel the same. In fact, he acted more like he’d sooner kill her than kiss her. Even the day after their kiss, Lou had tried to talk to him about what had happened but he wouldn’t hear any of it. He just wanted to pretend it had never happened. Tears sprung to her eyes when she thought of how easily he had dismissed her. Luckily the wind dried her tears as fast as she shed them. She wouldn’t be caught dead crying in front of Jimmy Hickok.

    Jimmy sighed angrily, his temper reaching a boiling point. What did she think she was doing, trying to outrun him? Grudgingly he had to admit it was hard keeping up with her at this pace. But she weighed half as much as he did-of course she could go faster.

    As he watched her ride like a bullet in front of him, he couldn’t help but think about how it felt to hold her in his arms. He remembered Willow Springs and how he had her all to himself that night. He had been so proud to have her at his side, walking down the street. And then to dance with her in the street, holding her so close. She seemed to have enjoyed herself too.

    He shook his head in anger, reminding himself how things had ended in Willow Springs. Sure, he’d had Lou all to himself that night, and look what happened! She’d nearly been killed because of him. He could never forgive himself if something ever happened to her.

    And yet, he had kissed her.

    More anger boiled up inside of him. How could he have been so weak? But she had looked so beautiful in the firelight. And she had said things he had longed to hear; it was like she truly understood him. He had felt for an instant that perhaps she cared as much for him as he did for her.

    But he knew better than that. He knew her heart belonged to Kid. And why shouldn’t it? He was a good man - a better man than he was, that was for sure. Jimmy crouched down lower in his saddle and pushed his horse on even faster. He’d show her.

    Lou slowed down only when she was within a few hundred feet of the station in Lone Creek. She’d made good time, not surprisingly, and they weren’t quite ready for her.

    “You boys OK?” One of the Lone Creek riders, Bailey, asked them as he got new horses for them. Jimmy was still behind, and hadn’t gotten there yet.

    “Just fine.” Lou replied in a deep voice. “Why do you ask?”

    “You came ridin’ in here like you had trouble on your tail.” Bailey remarked.

    “That’s one way of lookin’ at it.” She replied wryly. “We’re just racin’, that’s all.”

    Bailey shrugged. “Well, watch your backs. There’s been some trouble ‘round these parts with the Springer gang.”

    “The Springer gang? Can’t say as I’ve heard of them.”

    “Southern sympathizers.” He explained. “They’re not people you want to spend any time with.”

    Lou nodded, anxious to get going before Jimmy approached them. “Thanks Bailey.” She took off at a gallop again, just as Jimmy trotted over to Bailey.

    Jimmy shook his head in irritation. Bailey looked at him quizzically as he led him to his horse. “Racin’ huh? Well looks like Lou is gonna win.”

    “We’re not finished yet.” Jimmy said grimly as he got onto his new horse and galloped after her.

    Bailey watched them go, shaking his head. “Kids.”

On to Chapter 2!