Chapter 7 Jess Returns
Betas Saddletramp and Nakoosay
Jess's POV
The wind was bitter cold and as I pulled back the stagecoaches' curtain that was useless against the cold, I could see the snow starting to fall. Little white specks floated through the air and gleamed when the moon peeked through the clouds. The stagecoaches' wheels spun round and round; little bits of newly fallen snow and dirt spewed out the back as the wheels sent them flying.
I was the last passenger on the stagecoach, so my feet were up on the bench opposite me and my arms folded across my chest hugging myself for warmth under the buffalo blanket that was draped over me. The horse's hoofs beat a familiar symphony to me as they hit the frozen ground. I rested my head back against the wall and, untucking one of my slightly warmed hands, I reached upward for my hat. I tipped it forward, so it was covering my eyes, a force of habit rather than necessity, and closed my weary eyes.
All those years of long hours on horseback came flooding back to me and replayed inside my eyelids. I could feel myself being drawn into the memories of old and as I slowly started to drift off, I wondered if Slim would be surprised that I would be back a day early. It had been too long since I had seen him.
A couple of years ago it would have seemed silly for me to miss someone I hadn't seen for just a week. Slim is the only one I completely trust with my life. I trust Mort completely too, but somehow not to the same degree. What Slim has formed with me is special. He knew what I was when he hired me and made a friend out of me.
We were probably about 10 miles away from the ranch, so I let myself slowly start to drift off to sleep. Almost smirking, I finally drifted off, thinking to myself what a different person I was now than back then. Man, I missed Slim.
TBC
