Westward Holiday Read online

  Gus said, “I’m hungry. How come you don’t serve a free lunch like some places do?”

  Jake frowned. “I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned that ham. Because I’m only one man and I’ve got my hands full with runnin’ this place. I keep telling you that. The only free lunch you’re gonna get is at home.”

  “So hire someone to cook,” Gus said. He enjoyed getting Jake riled up and this particular argument never failed to do the job.

  “Are you gonna pay them? Not to mention I’d have to pay for all of the food, too. There’s no guarantee that people are gonna buy enough booze to cover the cost of making food. Nope. I’m just gonna stick with serving drinks. Go up to the Grady House and get something,” Jake said. “Or go to the bakery. Or go to Elliot’s.”

  “Nah. I’m fine,” Gus said with a smile.

  “I’ll tell you what. You watch the bar for a little while so I can write that letter and I’ll give you a couple of free beers,” Jake said.

  “All right. Deal,” Gus said.

  “Great. I won’t be long,” Jake said and went to his office in the back. Gus had tended bar for him on numerous occasions and Jake knew the place was in good hands. Jake settled behind his desk and then had to run back out front to get the letter that he’d forgotten on the bar. Back in his office, he started writing.

  Chapter Three

  Dear Ms. Walker,

  I was happy to get your letter. I’ve been described as kind, honest, and intelligent by some people. It really depends on who you ask and how sober they are at the time. Georgia is a long ways from Montana and the winters here are really cold. Are you sure you want to leave a nice warm place like Savannah to come here?

  Dawson isn’t real big, but more people are coming here all the time. My bar is called The Watering Hole and it’s always busy. I’m not sure how you feel about gambling, but we have poker games and darts. I don’t buy cheap beer or whiskey and I don’t water anything down. I know a lot of places do that, but I won’t.

  My pa owned the place, but when he started out, it wasn’t much more than a shack. I started helping him when I was a kid and together we built it into what it is today. My ma died a few years back, but my pa lives outside of town. His health isn’t always good, so I run the bar myself.

  I’d like to marry someone who wants a couple of kids and isn’t afraid of the work it takes to raise them. My saloon is large and I live in the apartment above it. I have three bedrooms, a parlor, and a big kitchen. I’ve been saving money for a down payment on a house, but I’m just not quite there yet. I’m looking for a woman who won’t mind my work schedule. I’m open from one in the afternoon to 1a.m., so I’m not an early riser since I don’t usually get done cleaning up until 3 a.m. or so.

  Women here tend to be fairly independent. If you want to work in the bar, that’s fine. I can teach you how to tend bar. It’s not hard and the folks that come in here are a lot of fun to have around. There are a lot of regular customers like the mayor and the sheriff. If you have some other kind of work you’re interested in, that’s fine with me.

  I have some questions for you. What kind of work do you do? Do you have family there? What’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite food? Do you ride horses at all? That last question is important because around here there’s times when you really need to ride a horse somewhere. It’s ok if you need to be taught how to ride. I can do that.

  Well, I’m off to work again, but I hope to hear from you. Feel free to ask whatever comes to mind.

  Jake

  As Rebecca finished peeling carrots for the Preston’s dinner, she thought about Jake’s letter and chuckled. His letter was both amusing and informative. She also liked the questions he’d asked her because they were all over the place, which she found charming.

  “What’s so funny?” Ellie asked as she came into the kitchen.

  “Oh, nothing really,” Rebecca said. She’d told no one about sending a letter to Jake and intended to keep it that way. Ellie especially would spread around that information because she couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. “Just remembering a joke my daddy once told me.”

  “What joke? You know I love a good joke,” Ellie said.

  “I’ll tell you later. I think I hear Simmons coming,” Rebecca lied. Simmons wasn’t coming, but Ellie hated the butler and Rebecca wanted to get rid of Ellie for the moment.

  “I’m going! You didn’t see me,” Ellie said and ran from the kitchen.

  Rebecca had enjoyed Jake’s letter so much that she’d looked at some more mail-order-bride ads in the paper. Her mama had always told her that putting all of her eggs in one basket wasn’t a good idea, and she’d taken that advice to heart. This gentleman seemed nice and all, but she might luck into a better situation.

  The only problem was that she hadn’t seen an ad with as much pizazz as Jake’s. They all seemed to say the same things and after a while, they’d simply blended together. There were a few that had said they were from wealthy men, but Rebecca thought they seemed too good to be true. Therefore, Rebecca had disregarded them. She would check the paper again, but wasn’t expecting anything different than she’d found.

  Once the carrots were done, Rebecca was able to leave because the evening girl would be along shortly. She removed her dirty apron and put it with the other laundry before she left. Out on the street, Rebecca walked home slowly. It was too hot to be scurrying around. As she was about to cross the road, two women that Rebecca had known in her former life walked along the street in her direction.

  Rebecca looked around, but there was nowhere to hide. Forced to be creative, Rebecca turned her back to them and bent over as though she were fixing the hem of her skirt. The women made caustic comments about being glad that they weren’t from the working class. Rebecca’s face flamed even though the women didn’t have any idea who she was. Tears of hurt and anger surfaced and Rebecca continued home as fast as she could so she could hide.

  Coming into her tiny apartment, Rebecca saw Jake’s letter on her table. Angrily she shut the door and sat her reticule on the table before flouncing down on a chair. She’d bought more newspapers, which she opened and looked at the personals. Nothing of interest jumped out at her except for the same ad for Jake. If his ad still ran, more women might answer it. Rebecca pulled her writing supplies over and began writing him back.

  Dear Jake,

  Thank you for being concerned for my welfare regarding the difference in climates, but it’s always so hot here and I think it would be refreshing to live somewhere where the seasons changed. I’ve been north to the ski slopes with my family in the past and enjoyed the snow and cold, so I don’t believe that Montana would bother me.

  I like a man with a good sense of humor and I could tell that you do. It’s very touching that you are carrying on your father’s legacy and that you are concerned for his health. Not all grown children care for their parents very much. The Watering Hole sounds exciting and fun. How impressive that you have such important friends.

  I confess that if it were not for my work in a kitchen, I would not be an early riser myself. Regarding children, I would like to have at least two. My favorite color is soft yellow, but picking just one favorite food is difficult. I am partial to caviar and catfish stew, although I enjoy almost any seafood. I enjoy riding horses very much and have a good seat so there will be no need to teach me to do so. My father and mother still live in Savannah and my brother, Benjamin lives in Atlanta. We are not especially close.

  As you stated, Montana is a long distance from Georgia and because of the cold winters there, if I am to come there this year, I most likely shouldn’t wait too long. Of course, I don’t know your feelings about how long you would like to correspond before meeting. Where would I stay until we are wed? Your apartment sounds charming and I can see how living there would be advantageous.

  I honestly can’t think of any questions at the moment, but if I do, I’ll send another letter to you.

  Sincerely, />
  Rebecca

  Jake thought about Rebecca’s letter as he washed beer mugs before closing the day after he'd received it. He wasn’t sure what he should tell her about when to come. Would it be too soon? Sammi came by the kitchen and told him there were customers to serve.

  “Hey, how long did you wait before you came here to meet Mitch? I mean, how many letters did you guys send back and forth?” Jake asked her as they walked out front.

  Sammi thought about it. “About three, I guess. Then I was ready to take a leap. Of course it helped that Jamie and Lacey were already here. Does it seem like she’s ready?”

  Jake served the three men that had been waiting before answering Sammi.

  “I’m not sure. She brought up the weather getting colder and said that if she’s coming this year she better do it soon. Does that sound like she’s ready?” Jake asked.

  Sammi nodded. “Yeah. If she’s asking, she’s seriously thinkin’ about it. I’d tell her to come ahead and say somethin’ like, ‘if things don’t work out there won’t be any hard feelings’. That way it takes some of the pressure off. That’s what I did with Mitch.” Sammi always got a warm feeling when she talked about her handsome sheriff husband.

  Jake laughed and the dimple in his left cheek became more pronounced. “For such a tough woman, you sure get all mushy when Mitch’s name is mentioned.”

  “Shut up. I can’t help it. I mean, just look at him,” Sammi said.

  Jake said, “I’m glad you’re happy, Sammi.” He felt a little jealous and then reminded himself that he hadn’t been looking for romance since his girlfriend Maggie had left town a year before. Watching Sammi getting married had made him realize that he wasn’t getting any younger and that he needed to something about finding happiness for himself.

  Sammi clapped him on the shoulder as she heard loud voices in the main barroom. “Don’t worry; sooner or later you’re gonna find the woman of your dreams.”

  Jake watched her go into action and smiled. He had never regretted hiring a woman as a bouncer. Sammi was tough as nails and a force to be reckoned with. It didn’t hurt that she was a deputy, too. She had the discretion of either simply tossing people out on their cans or arresting them depending on the offense. She certainly made his life easier.

  After closing that night, Jake sat in his office and wrote back to Rebecca.

  Dear Rebecca,

  I hope you’re doing well. There’s a good hotel here in town where you can stay. You’re right about travelling during the later fall and early winter. The weather here is fickle and it’s hard to predict when we might have snow. The decision to come is really yours. I’m ready whenever you are and if things don’t work out between us, there would no hard feelings on my part. If we aren’t compatible, there are a lot of good men out here looking for a good woman.

  But I’m really hoping that we can make a go of it. If you decide to come now, let me know how long it’s going to take you to get here and I’ll be waiting at the depot here in town. I hope to hear from you soon.

  Sincerely,

  Jake

  Dear Jake,

  I feel that it would be prudent to come now as well. I shall be leaving at the end of this week. According to the ticket master of the depot here, I would be there by the third week of September. I will send you another letter when I am closer and have an exact date of my arrival.

  I hope that we are a good match. I appreciate your position on the possibility that we cannot make a connection and your willingness to be civil about it. I am looking forward to meeting you very much.

  Sincerely,

  Rebecca

  Chapter Four

  In order for Rebecca to have enough money for the trip, she had to sell her last good pieces of jewelry. The diamond earrings, pendant, and broach brought a good price and she would have enough for her ticket with money left over to live on for a short time. By the time she arrived in Dawson, Rebecca was very travel weary.

  At the last stop in Wolfe Point, Rebecca had changed into her finest dress so she would make a good impression on Jake. She wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that her coach driver for the last leg of her journey was a woman. Beth was friendly, but a different breed of woman with which Rebecca was used to associating.

  Rebecca was surprised at how easily Beth unloaded her belongings and sat them in the depot. Beth wished her luck and gave her a friendly smile as she climbed back on the seat of her coach and drove away. Rebecca gathered her cloak more tightly around her shoulders. Jake had warned her about the cold weather, but she hadn’t expected to be quite so brisk.

  She went back into the depot and waited for a little bit. When no one came to meet her, she went back outside to see if Jake was out on the street anywhere. There were many people going by on horseback or on foot, but there was no man who fit Jake’s description.

  A man dressed in a very fine suit and coat rode in her direction and she descended the steps of the depot and moved into the path of the bay horse he rode.

  “Excuse me, sir, but might I trouble you for a little help?” she asked.

  He rode up to her and said, “Why certainly, miss. Joe Dwyer, Mayor of Dawson, at your service.”

  Rebecca smiled up at his very handsome face. “Oh, my. The first person I meet is the mayor. My name is Rebecca Walker,” she said and gave Joe a little curtsy.

  “Well, Miss Walker, it’s a pleasure to meet a fine lady such as yourself. How may I assist you?” Joe said. He took in her fine dress and pretty manners and realized that he was speaking with a genuine southern bell from a well-to-do family.

  “I’ve come to meet Mr. Jake Henderson, the owner of the Watering Hole. Do you know where I might find him?” Rebecca asked.

  Joe pushed his hat back on his head as he thought fast. It would be just like Jake to have forgotten when his potential bride was arriving or that he’d overslept. Either way it would look bad for him if she knew he wasn’t prepared to meet her.

  “Well, well. I was on my over here to fetch you. Jake got caught up with something and asked if I would come meet you and here you are,” Joe said. “I’ll tell you what. How about I take you to the hotel and get you checked in and then Jake will be right over.”

  Rebecca smiled. “That would be lovely. I can imagine as busy a man as he is that something unexpected might come up.”

  Joe dismounted and started gathering her luggage of which there was quite a lot. “I’ll send Jolene’s bell hop over to collect the rest. Is that a Georgia accent I detect?”

  Rebecca’s green eyes shone up at Joe. “Why yes it is, Mr. Dwyer. I can’t quite place your accent, though.”

  “I come from Texas but I love it here. It’s the reason I was interested in becoming mayor,” Joe said.

  They arrived at the hotel and Joe made sure that Ricky the bell hop went over to the depot to get Rebecca’s other luggage. He bid Rebecca goodbye and hurried over to the Watering Hole. He ran up the outside stairs and started pounding on the apartment door.

  Jake heard pounding and put his pillow over his head. The pounding didn’t stop so he got out of bed and padded across the cold floor in his bare feet to the outside door. He opened it and cold air rushed inside. Joe stood on the landing with a displeased expression on his face.

  The mayor entered Jake’s place without asking and said, “Did you forget what day it is?”

  Jake rubbed his eyes. “It’s Thursday,” he said. His voice was still gravely from sleep.

  “No, it’s Friday, my friend,” Joe said. “You’ve got a woman who just came into town to meet you and you forgot what day it is.”

  Jake gave Joe a startled look. “She’s here? It’s Friday? Damn it! Where is she now?”

  “At the hotel. I got her checked in and told her that you’d be along shortly, so get a move on it,” Joe said. “She’s a looker and very refined.”

  Jake smiled at Joe’s last remark. “I can handle that. Ok, get out of here so I can get ready. I’ll make it as fast a
s I can.”

  “Good man,” Joe said and left Jake.

  Jake hurriedly washed up, shaved, and dressed in one of his suits. The dark blue color suited him very well. He jogged to the hotel and asked Jolene which room Rebecca had been given. Then he ran up the stairs and found Room 9. He knocked and made sure his tie was straight as he anxiously waited.

  Rebecca opened the door and Jake smiled at her. His dimple flashed and Rebecca couldn’t resist smiling back. His dark blue eyes were beautiful and Rebecca admired his broad shoulders. Jake didn’t have Joe’s chiseled, perfect good looks; he was more rugged and cute at the same time. Rebecca could well imagine what an adorable little boy he had been.

  “Hello, Ms. Walker. I’m Jake Henderson and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jake said.

  Rebecca gave him her hand and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Henderson. Please, won’t you come in?”

  “Thank you,” Jake said. Joe hadn’t been kidding about Rebecca being a beauty. Her black hair was pulled up in a popular style that was very becoming to her. Jade green eyes looked back at him with humor in them. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to meet you right away.”

  Rebecca felt that she could be forgiving. “Think nothing of it. Mr. Dwyer was very kind to me and told me that you had sent him to help me since you’d had something unexpected happen.”

  Jake thought, I wish Joe had told me that when he woke me up. “Yes, I, uh, had a delivery come earlier than I expected.”

  “I completely understand,” Rebecca said.

  “Thanks,” Jake said. “Are you hungry? We have a nice restaurant right up the street from here.”

  “I’m famished. That would be lovely,” Rebecca said as she thought how nice he looked in his suit.