Sam folded the letter and threw herself down on her bed.
"Lyndelle, you snob," she muttered to herself. "I like this dusty little town."
Although lately she hadn't been showing it much. Her mind whirled non-stop trying to come up with an answer to her predicament.
No time to think about that now, though,she thought. JD would come to pick her up in only a few minutes to go riding. Sam knew exactly where they'd go. The Grove. the only place in the whole area they could ever be alone. He'd asked her so sweetly to join him on the ride that she hadn't been able to resist, though she knew she should. Then she remembered what Ezra had said, and figured maybe if she went, she'd get the courage to talk to him, and he'd fix her problems. She hoped.
So she tied her boots, and took the silver ring off the chain around her neck, instead putting it in the small wooden box Vin Tanner had made for her. She'd never be able to explain about Bryce Winston and his brothers.
A knock came at the door. "Come in," she called.
As expected, JD opened the door. He seemed more careful around her lately, since everything had transpired. He came inside, holding something behind his back. "Hi," he greeted, happy as always when he saw her.
She walked up to him suspiciously. "You're hiding something," she observed.
"Me?" he asked innocently. Sam nodded.
JD shrugged and pulled out a bouquet of wildflowers.
"Oh.." Sam breathed. "You shouldn't have." How much he loved her...How much she didn't deserve it.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know where those came from." JD continued his innocent act.
Sam laughed, despite herself and everything, and hugged him. It surprised him, she'd been standoffish lately, but it felt good to have her pressed against him again.
Holding her, JD wanted desperately to let her know that whatever her problem was, he'd fix it. Unknown to Sam, JD had been aware of her sudden change in attitude since the Winston boys' departure. He attributed it to the scare she'd gotten trying to single-handedly stop the robbery. But why wouldn't she tell him what was wrong?
Little did he know....In his arms, Sam felt horribly guilty, like the world's biggest liar. She had to tell him. But he was so happy at that moment, she couldn't ruin his jovial mood. After all, it might be one of their last joyous times together.
At the Grove, Sam managed to steer JD away from the rock she'd sat on with Bryce that day. She just didn't want to sit there and refuel those memories. Her days were hard enough without those emotions too. Instead, she found a soft patch of grass and settled down there. JD sat next to her and slipped his arm around her. The familiar feeling caused Sam to smile, remembering the old days when she was young and innocent and life had been perfect.
Damn you Bryce Winston..She thought, not really meaning it. You don't know what kind of storm you've left behind here in your wake.
Hoping it would be okay, JD reached out and caressed her cheek. The gentle touch sent Sam back to the first time he'd kissed her. The Valentine's day dance, under the tree. Did she really want to give him up after everything they'd been through together?
Ezra had told her to talk to JD about what she was feeling. Normally, she would've followed the gambler's advice to a tee, but this was so different.
An idea came to her. It was kind of crazy, and defiantely spontaneous. But it might work...yes, it would. It would be perfect. She'd go back to Tulsa, claiming it was just for a visit. Buck would let her, she'd go to see her family. She really did miss her aunt, uncle and cousins, not to mention her friends...Like Lyndelle, and Vanessa and Elisha..Even Jake Harper. They'd all provide a nice change from the rustic dusty Four Corners. Not that she ever wanted to return permanently to Tulsa, but it was her hometown..and she needed to get away from JD, not to mention all memory of Bryce Winston.
"JD?" she asked, in a whisper.
"Yeah?" he asked.
Might as well say it. "What would you say if I told you I wanted to go back to Tulsa?"
His face went pure white. "For how long?"he asked. She couldn't mean forever...could she? Was that why she'd been so worrysome lately?
"Oh no, just for a visit," she assured him. "Four Corners is always home. I'd come back."
"How long of a visit were you thinking of?" he asked.
She shrugged. "A month maybe?"
JD ran a hand through his hair.."Wow," he said. "A month without you.."
"I miss my family and friends," she explained. "I really uprooted my entire life and just came here. I haven't talked to any of them in so long." She didn't have to work hard to make her voice fill with longing; she realy did miss those people.
"I'd say...if it's what you want to do, it's fine with me," he said.
She rolled over and looked at him. "Do you really mean that, or are you just accomidating me cause you're trying to be sweet?" she asked, suspiciously.
"Well, I'd miss you like mad, but I'd understand," he replied.
Sam felt her heart fill with emotion for this young man, and she threw her arms around him and squeezed him.
"I love you," he said. "I can wait for you." He hoped she'd hear it as clearly as he meant it. He would wait forever for her.
"I love you, too," she replied, knowing she really meant it. She didn't know if she should, though, she didn't know anything anymore...All she knew was that she'd be able to leave Four Corners without JD suspecting a thing. Buck wouldn't be a problem at all, either. No one would know anything other than her story.
Except Ezra, and he was a confidante. He'd never tell a thing.....Right?