Written in   25  minutes.. No time for edits.

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Written in   25  minutes.. No time for edits.

Jason Morgan had been sworn in as sheriff of Diamond Springs, California, for all of ten minutes before he regretted the decision to come home.

He had no sooner hung up his hat in the local jail and taken a seat before one of his least favorite people sauntered through the door.

“Jason Morgan,” Richard Lansing said with a smug grin. For as long as Jason had known him, the man had tried to pretend like he wasn’t living in a frontier town that had been settled the year Ric was born. He wore slick suits and a hat that was more suited to San Francisco than Diamond Springs.

“Lansing.” Jason didn’t get to his feet to greet him. Instead, he leaned back and put his boots on the desk. He said nothing else because men like Ric Lansing always made themselves understood.

“I was surprised when the council said you’d offered to take the job,” Ric continued. He rocked back on his heels, tucking his thumbs into the pockets of his fancy vest. “I thought you’d left this town behind a long time ago. And everyone in it.”

The way he’d said everyone tugged at Jason, and he frowned slightly, tipping his head. “My grandmother still lives here.”

“Of course, of course. We’re all mighty fond of Miss Lila.” Ric’s smirk deepend. “I guess I had the wrong idea when you let Bethie just…wither away, waiting for you.”

Jason’s cheek twitched, and he fought the urge to swing his boots to the ground and get to his feet. “I don’t recall much of a wait,” he said dryly. “She’s married, isn’t she?”

“Well, not at the moment. But soon.” Ric nodded. “I had to wait until Dr. Lewis was a bit colder in his grave before offering for Bethie—”

“Dr. Lewis—” Jason did get to his feet now. “She married Dr. Lewis?” He’d never—he’d never asked his grandmother the identity of the man Elizabeth had wed. Hadn’t it been enough to know that she’d married someone else after ignoring all his letters for more than a year?

But—Cameron Lewis had been old enough to be Elizabeth’s father. Why—Why had she done it?

“Out of the blue,” Ric said, and his eyes darkened with slight irritation. It vanished quickly, but Jason saw it—recognized it. Ric had tried to court Elizabeth soon after she’d turned sixteen, but she’d never been interested.

And part of Jason had always wondered if his absence had made her change her mind—if she’d been Elizabeth Lansing all these years. But—Cameron Lewis—why?

Jason exhaled slowly. It didn’t matter. She’d married someone else and had never bothered to answer any of his letters. She’d made her choice.

“I’m sorry to hear she’s been widowed.”

“Well, a woman as fine as she is won’t be alone for long. Not when she owns that pretty piece of land.” Ric pressed his lips together. “You didn’t know Lewis had died? That’s not why you’re back?”

It made sense now — Ric’s strange visit and interest in Jason’s return. He thought there was a competitor for Elizabeth’s affections.

If it had been anyone else asking, Jason might have set the man’s mind at ease. He hadn’t allowed himself to think about Elizabeth since the day his grandmother’s letter had reached him.

But seeing as how it was Ric Lansing, the most irritating jackass known to man, Jason wasn’t about to give him the satisfication. “No,” Jason said finally. “But thanks for the news. I should go renew my acquaintance with the widow.”

“Now—”

Jason saunted over to the hat rack and plucked his off the peg. “If you’ll excuse me, Ric.”

“See here—”

Jason ignored the sputtering banker and went outside where his horse was still tethered to the hitching post. He swung up on its back and started out of town.

He hadn’t had any intention on seeing Elizabeth today—or seeking her out at all—but now that Ric had forced him to do so—

He found that he wanted to know what the hell had made a girl of nineteen marry a man twice her age when Jason had been off trying to make a life for them.

___________________

Elizabeth laughed as her favorite mare pressed herself over the edge of the stall, reaching for the treat in Elizabeth’s hand. “Now, now, Penny—don’t be greedy—”

She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, and swung to find a figure in the doorway of the barn. The sunlight at his back set his face in shadows—

Then he stepped forward and Elizabeth swallowed hard as Jason Morgan’s face came into focus. He’d grown in the last eight years, of course. He’d been twenty when he left, and was closer to thirty. His features had hardned somehow—

And his eyes seemed colder than they’d been once upon a time.

“Jason—” Elizabeth smoothed her hands down the skirt of her working dress. She fed Penny her treat and stepped forward. “I didn’t realize you were—I didn’t know when you were coming back.”

“I was sworn in this morning,” Jason said—his voice hadn’t changed, and there was something strange about that. Hearing her beloved’s voice and looking at a much harder man.

“Oh. Well, welcome home, I guess.” Unsure what to do with her hands, she folded them tightly across her chest. “What brings you out here? I mean, the Lazy W isn’t on your way home.”

“No, I—” Jason hesitated. He took his hat off, looked down at the brim. He was quiet for a long moment. “I don’t know,” he said finally. “Maybe I had some questions I don’t know if I have the right to ask.”

Elizabeth frowned. “Questions—” She exhaled slowly. “I don’t know why you’d have any questions. You never seemed to have them before.”

“Before—” Jason furrowed his brow. “Before when?”

“When you didn’t answer any of my letters.” Elizabeth arched a brow. “I thought after ignoring my letters for two years, you’d run out of things to say to me.”

“W-What letters—” Jason shook his head. “What are you talking about—”

“Don’t pretend—” Elizabeth started past him. “You ignored every single letter I ever wrote to you, and I’m sure I have nothing to say to you now—”

He grabbed her arm, whirled her around to face him. “You—What letters?” he repeated. “You never wrote me a single word. I sent you letters for over a year. And I even sent telegrams that couldn’t get lost—”

They stared at each other for a long moment as Elizabeth blinked, then closed her eyes. “Telegrams,” she repeated softly. “Damn it.”

“What—”

She looked at him, saw some of the ice had melted and he looked more like the boy she’d loved once upon a time. “My father. That son of a bitch. I hope he’s rotting in hell.”

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