'Oh, Lord. How did I get the short straw on this ride? I think Jimmy cheated! I don't like getting stuck with Cody any more then he does and wouldn't you know it, I get a four day ride with him!' Lou glanced over to where the blond rider was carrying on a one-sided conversation without realizing it. She shook her head in dismay and grumbled under her breath so that Cody wouldn't hear, "Teaspoon, when I get back I may just kill you!" It had been over six hours in the saddle and the blond rider had not stopped talking. 'How can anyone have so much to say about nothing?' Lou wondered in amazement. She had finally had enough of his jabbering and snarled, "Cody, would you just shut up!" Cody looked at Lou confused. "What?" "You heard me Cody. Don't you ever run out of something to say? I swear you haven't said an intelligent thing since we left Rock Creek!" "Well, I'm sorry if you think my conversation is lackin'. I was just tryin' to be friendly 'n be entertainin'. If 'n ya wanted me to be quiet all's ya had ta do is ask," Cody stated with a hurt look on his face. 'Oh, great! Now he's gonna make me feel bad for yellin' at him.' Crying inwardly at her bad luck, Lou apologized, "I'm sorry Cody. I shouldn't have yelled at ya like that. I'm just not havin' a good day and I've got a headache that just won't go away." Little did the young man know that he was the headache she was talking about. Brightening up, Cody grinned, "Well, why didn't ya just say so Lou?" They rode in silence for the next hour or so before Cody inquired if Lou was ready to make camp for the night. "That sounds good Cody. Maybe an early night will make me feel better." They found a stream nearby to set up camp for the night where they could water the horses and wash the grim of the day away. After finishing a supper of beans and jerky, they settled down on their bedrolls. Cody was telling Lou about the time he had to take care of a brown bear named Bart when it's owner died, when all of a sudden Lou lifted her gun and shot near Cody's feet, making the young man jump up quicker than she had ever seen him move. "What the heck you doin' Lou? If ya didn't like my story all ya had to do was say so. You could've killed me!" he accused, his heart racing. Lou stood up and ran to where she had been aiming. Picking up a stick, she showed him the rattler she had seen moving in the firelight. As she looked at him, Cody's face went all pale and he started to waver to and fro then suddenly dropped in a dead faint. Lou rolled her eyes at the man and threw the snake into the bushes. Going over to the prone rider, Lou bent down and lightly slapped his cheek until she saw his lashes fluttering over the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Grinning up at her, Cody inquired, "What happened?" Lou laughed and told him, "Nothin' Cody. Why don't you go back to sleep." For a moment, he thought that the snake had been a bad dream the he noticed Lou setting her gun back down near her bedroll. He sat up, brushing his hair from his face as he tried to stop his hand from shaking. "Lou, you saved my life. I don't know how I can thank you..." Lying down, Lou closed her eyes and tried to shrug it off, "It ain't no big deal Cody. Now please go to sleep." "It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me," he stated as he lay down, keeping an eye out for any more slithering serpents. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The next morning, Lou awoke to the smell of coffee and sat up stretching and yawning. She noticed that the horses were saddled and ready for the days ride. "Good morning Louise. I hope you had a good nights sleep and that your headache has gone away," Cody mentioned as he handed Lou a cup of steaming coffee. Lou wondered what had gotten into Cody with how courteous he was being to her. The only other times she had heard him so polite was when he was trying to impress some woman he was interested in. Her head jerked up so fast that she just about spilled the hot liquid in her lap. Her eyes darted to where Cody was putting out the fire and she watched him with wary eyes. Cody was unaware of her scrutiny as he stomped on the last embers of the dying fire all the while humming. 'Oh this can't be a good thing! Cody only hums when he fancies himself in love...' Lou spilled out the rest of the coffee in her cup, having lost any desire for the drink. "All done Lou?" Cody questioned coming to take her cup and going to wash it out in the stream. Lou didn't say anything as she put her bedroll onto the back of her saddle. Her mind was too occupied with worry about Cody and the possibility that he fancied himself in love with her as she mounted Lightning. "You couldn't ask for a more perfect day!" Cody exclaimed thumping his chest and taking a deep breath of fresh air. "Blue sky above, a fast horse and a charming riding companion. Yes, that's what I'd call the makings of one fine day, wouldn't you Lou?" Lou almost whimpered out loud, 'Oh, Lord, this can't be happening. Please!' Clearing her throat, she glanced nervously at the other rider. "Uh, yeah Cody. Sure is a beautiful day. If you don't mind, I'd really like to get this letter delivered..." with that said, Lou urged her horse to a gallop leaving the blond rider behind in a trail of dust. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It was near dinnertime when the riders arrived at the main offices of Russell, Majors and Waddell in St. Joseph. As they got down from their horses, Lou announced her intention to say outside while Cody delivered the letter. "I just think it's a good idea if I wait here for you Cody. I don't want to take a chance on anyone finding out that I'm not really a boy," she told him in hushed tones, afraid that she might be overheard. Cody thought about it for a minute before seeing the logic in her statement. "Good idea Lou. I will be just a minute, then we can go find us a room and some dinner. I'm starving!" Lou just shook her head as Cody disappeared inside the office. "When isn't he hungry?" she muttered. All afternoon he had talked about nothing else then what he had planned on having for dinner. She could recite it by heart...a thick, juicy steak, mashed potatoes with corn and biscuits and for dessert he wanted the biggest piece of apple pie the hotel's restaurant made. By the time she had mentally recited his upcoming dinner, Cody had returned. "No reply for us to take to Teaspoon. Ready for that steak?" "Sure Cody. Let's get out of here." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ All through dinner, Cody was so courteous and considerate of his dinner partner and making sure everything was to her liking, that by the time they had finished eating Lou wanted to scream. She really preferred the old obnoxious, self-centered rider to this new version. Lou found it hard to turn down Cody's suggestion that they take a quiet stroll through town. He really had been a gentleman all evening. "It sure is a beautiful evening Louise." At the use of her feminine name, Lou looked around to make sure no one had overheard Cody before she let out the breath she had been holding. "Uh, yeah Cody. Sure is a nice evening. I don't know about you, but I'm beat. I would really like to return to the hotel and get some sleep before we head back tomorrow." Cody looked disappointed that she wanted to call it a night so soon. He had visions of wooing Lou under the full moon that was out that evening. The disappointment was conveyed in his voice as he murmured, "Sure, Lou. You're probably right. It has been a long day." Cody left Lou outside her door with a quick goodnight. She laid her hand upon his arm to stop him when he turned to leave. "I had a nice time tonight Cody. It's not often that I get to see this side of you. Goodnight." The young man stood a moment outside the closed door before his spirits lifted and he felt that he had once again impressed the woman of his adoration. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The ride home was tiresome to Lou, having Cody being so nice and friendly. She couldn't wait to get back to the station and enlist the help of the other riders to rid herself of Cody and his attention. Never in her wildest dreams would Lou have figured Cody to fall for her. She just wasn't like the usual women he was always 'falling in love' with. The sweetest sight Lou had ever seen was the station as it came into sight, making her spur Lightning faster. Cody tried to keep up but Lou had too much of a head start. As she jumped off her horse and handed the reigns to Ike, Cody finally caught up. Sliding down from his mount as Lou grabbed her bedroll and took off towards the bunkhouse, Cody called out, "I'll take care of Lightning for ya Lou!" Lou just waved a hand in the air as an answer to Cody's offer. Trying to get away from him as fast as she could, Lou rushed into the bunkhouse, slamming the door behind her. A few minutes later the door to the bunkhouse opened to let in Kid followed by Buck and Noah. All three looked a bit confused. "What the heck happened out there Lou? Cody hasn't shut up once since he got here. He's been goin' on and on about 'Louise' and how great you are and pretty and how you're such an angel..." Noah mentioned as Kid asked, "Yeah, what's up with that Lou?" Buck didn't say anything because he was trying not to laugh at the pained look on Lou's face at the mention of Cody's name. Lou closed her eyes and groaned. "I had hoped he'd be over it before we got back here." "Over what?" Jimmy inquired walking in and slamming the door. "Cody. He thinks he's in love with me..." she told the others as they all broke out laughing at the thought of Cody and Lou. "What's so funny? What, you don't think Cody could fall for someone like me? Is that what you think Kid? Noah? Jimmy?" and looking over at Buck, she added, "not you too Buck?" Lou's voice was full of indignation at their laughter. Noah and Jimmy threw up their hands as if to ward off her anger. "I never said that Lou..." Noah stated backing away from the angry woman. Jimmy skirted out of her way as she took a halfhearted swing at him. "Now Lou, you know it ain't that..." "Oh, no? Then what it is Jimmy?" Jimmy looked at Kid who was trying to make his way to the door unseen, and sent him a look that begged for his friends help. "What about you Kid, is that what you think?" Lou accused going to stand in front of the door blocking Kid's hasty exit. "Uh, no Lou. It's just that you aren't exactly Cody's type is all..." his voice faded at the look in her eyes. "And exactly what type am I Kid?" For the first time Buck spoke up from across the room where he had went for safety reasons when the argument started. "You're more Jimmy or Kid's type Lou...not Cody's." Lou threw Buck a dirty look and waited for him to continue which he did reluctantly, "You know Cody likes women who are all dependent and needy and who will be flattered by his stories and blue eyes. You ain't like that..." "Just what am I like Buck?" she demanded moving towards the young man. Buck looked at the other riders with a look that pleaded for someone to save him. Jimmy took pity on Buck and knew he was no match for Lou's anger if she directed it fully on him, so he stepped between Lou and Buck. Jimmy grabbed Lou by the arms and stopped her from going around him. "Now Lou. Just settle down..." he said trying to calm her. Lou squinted her eyes at him and demanded that he let her go and move out of her way or else. "Or else what Lou? You know we aren't makin' fun of ya. We just find it funny that Cody is suddenly 'in love' with ya after all this time. What happened to make him think you 'hung the moon and the stars'?" he asked then added at her look, "uh, those are Cody's words, not mine." 'They may not be my words, but I do agree with them...' Jimmy thought to himself as Lou's anger drained from her stance and she went to sit at the table. Resting her forehead in her palm, Lou sighed. Glancing at the other men who had sat down, she offered, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at y'all. Cody's been drivin' me crazy. First it was his talkin' then it was his attentions..." "Why don't ya take a deep breath and tell us about it Lou..." Jimmy told her giving her a pat on the back in comfort. For the next ten minutes or so Lou laid out the whole story and asked what she should do to get Cody to leave her be when Ike came in looking at the riders at the table. *Where's Cody?* he signed. "Still out in the barn with the horses," Buck told him just as footsteps could be heard rushing up the steps out front. "Ohhh..." Lou cried laying her head on the table. Jimmy grimaced and put his hand on her back and whispered, "You want me to shoot him for ya Lou?" She shook her head no as the door opened. "Your horse is all taken care of Louise," Cody announced as Ike tried to get his attention. "What did you say Ike?" Cody asked turning to see his signing better. *Amy Walker is looking for you. She baked you a pie.* "Amy Walker you say? I wonder what kind of pie it is..." he wondered out loud. *Smelled like apple* Ike offered. "Apple?! My favorite!" Cody called out as he ran back out the door to look for Amy and her pie. "Looks like that takes care of your problem Lou," Noah offered leaning back in his chair with a big grin. "You know, they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," Kid remarked grinning. "Looks like Cody's in love...again." Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!