"Jesus, Jimmy, what's your problem? Are you trying to scare me to death?" Cody exclaimed angrily, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart.
"Maybe next time you'll think twice about slamming the door while I'm in here sleeping!" Jimmy retorted angrily, his gray eyes narrowing dangerously.
The two riders eyed each other for several moments, while the other riders rolled with laughter. Noah sank into a chair and tried to catch his breath. "You should have seen your face, Cody! It was paler than a new baby's bottom!"
Ike beat on his chest with his hands to get the others' attention. His body shook with silent laughter, making it hard for the others to understand. Almost as if he could read Ike's thoughts, Buck sputtered, "Ike said that was the fastest draw he had ever seen Jimmy make. He also said it was too bad Jimmy did it while he was still half-asleep!"
Fresh peals of laughter rang out over what Ike had said. Buck and Ike clung together as they laughed, Jesse rolled on the floor, holding his side and Kid leaned against the door as he roared with laughter. Cody and Jimmy glared at their fellow riders', neither believing that the incident in question was the least bit funny. Catching sight of the enraged expressions on both Jimmy and Cody's faces only seemed to increase their fellow riders' laughter. It was to this bizarre scene that Rachel and Teaspoon walked into a few minutes later.
"What in the world is going on here?" Rachel asked, as her eyes began to twinkle.
A wide grin spread across Teaspoon's face as, the riders explained what had happened in broken sentences. Both Rachel and Teaspoon burst out laughing. Gradually, the laughing began to dwindle down. By the time that it had, both Jimmy and Cody had given up their enraged expressions for sheepish grins.
"If you boys are all done laughing, maybe you could give me some room while I start supper." Rachel asked.
"Do we have enough time before supper to go out to the waterhole?" Cody asked.
"Supper should be ready in about an hour or so." Rachel said.
"I think that's a good idea boys. Nothing like a nice cool swim to get the appetite going." Teaspoon said.
Teaspoon was the first one out the door, the others following close behind. As Kid was about to close the door, he noticed Jimmy standing near his bunk. Knowing that they had a long way to go to repair the rift in their friendship, Kid decided that there was no better time than the present.
"Aren't you going to come Jimmy?" he asked, waiting to hear Jimmy's response.
Rachel looked up from the potato she was peeling, glancing quickly at Kid and then Jimmy. She guessed by the hopeful expression on Kid's face, that this question meant more to him than what it should. She only hoped that Jimmy realized it too.
Jimmy smiled at Kid. He knew Kid well enough to know that he was asking him to go because he meant it. He also knew that this was Kid's way of taking a step to try to repair the rift that currently existed in their friendship. The least he could do was make the same effort.
"I'll be along directly. First, there's something that I need to discuss with Rachel." Jimmy told him. Rachel turned to look at him with surprise evident on her face.
"Do you want me to wait for you?" Kid asked.
"No, you go on ahead." Jimmy told him.
Kid nodded and closed the door. Jimmy waited until Kid had left the bunkhouse, before turning towards Rachel.
"I wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier." Jimmy told her quietly.
Tears filled Rachel's green eyes at Jimmy's softly spoken apology. She knew how hard it was for Jimmy to admit that he was wrong, and was touched even more by it.
"Thank you, Jimmy." Rachel said and turned back to her peeling, thinking that the apology was the only reason Jimmy had stayed to talk to her.
"I love Lou." Jimmy said softly.
Rachel turned to him in surprise. After what he had said earlier, she had given up the idea of trying to talk to him about what she had witnessed the day before. Knowing how hard it was for Jimmy to talk about his feelings, she had decided not to bring the subject up to him again. Having him bring up the subject, clearly took her by surprise. It also made her feel good to know that Jimmy felt he could trust her enough to share his feelings with her.
"I know, Jimmy." She told him.
Her admission surprised him. "How did you know?"
"I really didn't know exactly how you felt about Lou. I just felt that something had changed between the two of you. It wasn't until yesterday morning, that I knew for sure." Rachel told him.
Jimmy's eyes widened in surprise as he realized that Rachel must have seen him kiss Lou. Rachel watched as he took in what she had told him. She grew concerned as his face reddened and his eyes darkened.
"I bet you think I'm the biggest fool there is! Kissing Lou like that, outside where anyone could see! I don't care though! I love Lou and I don't regret any of it!" he shouted at her.
'Jimmy, I don't think you're foolish, really I don't! I just want you to be" Rachel's words tapered off, as the bunkhouse door flew open. "-cautious."
Kid stood in the open doorway, his face reddened with anger. He had decided to wait for Jimmy at the barn, thinking that the ride out to the watering hole would give them an opportunity to talk. As the time went on, and Jimmy didn't appear, he had decided to go back to the bunkhouse and see what was keeping him. He had just stepped onto the porch, when Jimmy's raised voice reached his ears.
"Look Kid, it's not what you're thinking." Rachel began, clearly trying to diffuse an explosive fight between the two riders before it erupted. "Jimmy and I were just talking. He was just telling me"
"I heard what he said Rachel. I should have known that you had an ulterior motive for trying to keep Lou and I apart. You want Lou for yourself! I'm letting you know here and now, Jimmy, that I don't plan on giving Lou up without a fight!" Kid declared angrily.
Jimmy's eyes narrowed. "That suits me just fine Kid! Hope you're prepared for quite a fight, Kid, cause I've never lost one yet!"
"You bet I am!" Kid said, fiercely. "I don't know how to lose. I keep trying and trying until I succeed in getting what I want!"
"You boys stop it right now!" Rachel declared angrily. "You boys are talking about Lou like she's some prized horse that you both want! Lou's a woman, with her own thoughts and feelings! You just can't play around with her feelings like that! 'Sides, after what happened yesterday, I'd be surprised if she has anything to do with either of you!"
"We'll just have to make it easier for her to decide." Jimmy said. He held out his hand for Kid to shake. Kid hesitated a moment for grasping it and shaking it roughly. "Right, Kid."
"Right, Jimmy." Kid declared with a determined look in his eyes.
Rachel shook her head in utter disgust. "What am I going to do with you two boys!"
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