Hi all,

Yeah, I didn't expect to be updating so soon either but I'm feeling particularly generous atm and considering my lengthened absence I might as well upload a few chapters close together to make up for it.

Some nice, cute chapters before things get interesting again *smirks and rubs hands together* you guys will not be happy with me at the end of chapter 29, we'll just leave it at that.

Enjoy

Chapter 26.1

'Dinner's almost on the table.' Jack exclaimed as he walked into the living room, placing the hand towel he'd been using to wipe his hands on the table as he walked past. Lisa looked up at him as he came past, the girl asleep on her shoulder. 'Sorry.' He lowered his voice. 'I didn't know she was asleep.'

Lisa chuckled, the girl sleeping on despite Jack having spoken rather loudly. 'I think this one could sleep through an earthquake right now.' She looked down at her, a smile on her lips. 'How long till dinner? I hate to have to wake her.'

'Probably another ten minutes or so, Lou's just finishing it up now.' He replied, taking a seat across from her. 'You all packed for your trip?'

'Yeah. I really wish I didn't have to go though.' She sighed heavily. 'I don't want to be away from Jessie-' She looked over at him. 'Or you for too long.'

'I'll be fine with her Lis, no need to worry about her at all.'

'It's not her I'm worried about.' She chuckled. 'I know she'll be fine. It's you I'm more worried about. Jessie's quite the rascal.'

'Things will be fine, I think I can put up with Jessie full-time for three weeks.'

'You two talking about me?' Jessie asked sleepingly, her eyes still closed as she slept on Lisa's shoulder. 'I'm going to be the perfect angel, no need for anyone being worried about anyone.' She yawned, opening her eyes as she sat up. She winched, feeling her shoulder. 'Ouch.'

'You okay honey?'

'Yeah, I'm fine. Just sore.' The girl replied, pushing Cougar off her and onto the floor. The cat stalked off over to her bed, curling up next to the fire. 'What's for dinner?'

'Vegetables and lamb roast.' Jack answered. 'Glad to see you've got an appetite.'

'It's doctor's orders, don't forget.' Jessie yawned again, glancing around as she heard the door open and saw Amy and Mallory walk in. 'I wonder how Ty and Mallory got along being here by themselves.'

'What happened to you?' Mallory asked as she came over, seeing the girls arm in a sling.

'I fell over last night and I'm afraid my shoulder wasn't too happy about that.' She sighed, having to explain her injury again. 'Jack dragged me off to the doctors after the trail ride. Apparently I'm not allowed to be riding for a week now.'

'That sucks.'

'No argument there.'

'Alright folks, dinner is ready.' Lou announced as she carried in the dishes. 'Is Ty joining us Amy?'

'He said he would be in soon and not to wait.' She replied as she headed down the hallway to the bathroom to clean up.

'About time.' Mallory exclaimed, the first one to the table. 'I'm starving.'

'Leave some for me.' Jessie teased as Lisa helped her off the lounge, taking a seat at the table next to where Jack always sat. Lisa took a place beside her while Lou headed back to the kitchen to grab the rest of the food. 'No wonder I don't get to eat much, you always beat me to the food.'

'How much do you want Jess?' Jack asked as he began to serve the roast up. 'One slice or two?'

'I'll start with one for the moment. Thanks.'

'Do you want me to cut your food up for you?' Lisa asked as she started serving the vegetables for the girl.

'Please. I'm not doing much with this arm in a sling.'

'How is your shoulder?' Lou interrupted as she walked in with the last dish and took a seat.

'Okay but I'm not allowed to ride for a week so that's annoying.'

'Not fun.' Amy replied, taking a seat next to Mallory. 'What are you going to do with Warrior then?'

'I was hoping that maybe you and I could try and work with him tomorrow. I'm not going to be able to ride him for a week and since Lisa leaves tomorrow I guess you'll have to be the one to exercise him for me.' Lisa placed her plate with her cut up food in front of her and she picked up her fork as she continued. 'Would that be alright?'

'Yeah, that would be fine.'

'How's Spartan doing?' Lou asked as she served herself some potatoes.

'He's okay, Scott said he'll be fine in a couple days but it was a close call.'

Jack frowed, looking over at Amy. 'What happened with Spartan?'

'It was all my fault.' Mallory interrupted. 'I took Spartan out and I fell off and he took off. He ate some of the grass that was sprayed along the back road to Big River and got pesticide poisoning.'

'Oh my gosh.' Jessie exclaimed in surprise. 'He's so lucky.'

'Yes, he is.' Amy agreed, helping herself to another slice of roast. An unusual silence descended upon the table as the people gathered around ate their dinner. She was deep in thought, thinking about Ty and the girl she'd seen him with in the barn-

'Earth to Amy.' Mallory waved her hand in front of her face, startling her. 'Took you long enough. I'm going to head out and check on Spartan.'

'Oh, thanks Mallory.' She replied quietly as the girl left then stood up, picking up her empty plates. 'I'll start cleaning up.'

Jessie was left at the table with Jack and Lisa as Lou started clearing the rest of the table away, picking slowly at her dinner. She knew she had to eat, she just didn't feel like it. She sighed, pushing her plate away and leant back in her chair. 'That's all for me I'm afraid.'

Lisa frowned, glancing over to see how much of her dinner the girl had eaten. 'You've hardly eaten anything.'

'I know. That's what's driving me crazy!' She replied, her tone slightly exasperated. 'For as long as I can remember I would eat as much as I could but now I just don't want to eat. It just doesn't make any sense and I wish I knew. I know I have to eat but I just can't do it.'

'It's alright Jessie, at least you've had something.' Jack assured her as he got up to help Lou and Amy clean up after dinner. He saw Lisa was going to help too but he stopped her. 'No Lis, you go relax. We'll take care of cleaning up.'

'You sure?'

'I'm sure. Go on.'

Jessie got up, looking at the clock. 'I think I'm going to head to bed soon.'

'It's pretty early.' Lisa commented as they walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch. 'You feeling alright?'

'Just tired, and sore.' The girl complained as she snuggled up next to her again. 'Can you play with my hair please?'

'Sure honey.' She chuckled, pulling the hair elastic out of the girl's hair and ran her fingers through it. The girl sighed in contentment and she smiled. 'When I get back you'll have to come sleepover at Fairfield. You and I can do a girls night.'

'Sounds like a good idea. We need to go shopping too when you get back.'

'Shopping for-?'

'Clothes for me for the rodeo.' Jessie replied, looking up at her. 'I really want to do it so I'm just going to stop fluffling around and enter. I know if I don't I'll lose my nerve and won't do it.'

'Sure.' She agreed. 'We can definitely do that. I'm so happy you decided to enter.'

'Yeah, I just hope I don't live to regret it.'

'You'll do just fine, I know you will.'

'If I can figure out what on earth is going on with Warrior, yeah, I might have a shot at not embarrassing myself.'

'I know you'll figure out what's going on, don't think you can't because I know you can.'

'Thanks for believing in me.'

'I mean it honey, you'll figure it out, don't you worry.'

'So-' Jessie decided it was time to change the subject after a moment. 'What was your favorite part about the cattle drive?'

'I don't know really, the whole trip was great.' She replied, still running her fingers through the girls hair. 'What was your favorite moment?'

'Watching you and Jack kiss.'

Lisa blushed, chuckling. 'You saw that?'

'Yep. Might I add that it took you two long enough to get around to doing that too.'

'Jessie.' She laughed, feeling her cheeks burning with embarrassment. 'Jack and I are taking our relationship slow and steady.'

'Any slower and a turtle would beat you.' The girl teased cheekily but then turned serious. 'You do love Jack, don't you?'

She nodded after a moment, recovering from the shock of the girl outright asking such a personal question. 'I do.'

'Good.' The girl snuggled closer to her, unaware of how uncomfortable she'd made Lisa feel. 'Because Jack loves you too. When are you guys going to get married?'

'Oh my gosh, Jessie!' Now she was on the receiving end of Jessie's mischievous nature. 'Honey, Jack and I have only known each other for a year or so, we can't get married yet.'

'Why?'

'Because we haven't known each other for long enough.'

'A year is a long time.' She replied. In her mind it was easy. Jack and Lisa both loved each other, why couldn't they just marry? 'How long do you have to know someone before you marry them?'

'It depends Jessie but I know that a year isn't long enough for Jack and I.' Lisa couldn't believe what the girl had just come out with. Where on earth did that come from? 'Why do you want us to get married?'

'Because then I'd have a mom and a dad.' Jessie looked up at her, her brown eyes sparkling. 'A mom and a dad who really love each other and don't fight with each other. All I remember of my mom and dad is them fighting and you know how that ended.'

So that was where this was coming from. It made sense now. 'Jessie, I know it might all sound so simple to you honey but there are a lot of reasons why Jack and I aren't getting married anytime soon. We both have our own lives, we're both set in our ways.'

'If you guys were to marry, would you guys adopt me?'

'Of course we would.'

'Good.'

'Anyone for desert?'

Lisa looked around as Jack walked in, carrying some bowls that he placed down on the table. 'What is it?'

'Apple pie.' He replied, looking over the couch at Jessie. 'I see you've got your Lisa bed back.'

Jessie laughed, the conversation she'd had with Lisa already forgotten. 'Yep. I do.'

'Do you want some pie?'

She shook her head. 'Thanks but no.'

'What about you Lisa?'

'I'd like a piece if you don't mind.'

'Alright. One piece of apple pie coming up.' He headed back over to the table, looking up from the pie he was cutting as Lou walked into the room. 'Have the girls arrived back in New York yet?'

'I think their flight lands in an hour or so.' She replied, looking down at her phone. 'Mackenzie just texted me to say she sent a copy of all the photos she took to my email.'

'Can I have a look? I want to see what photos she got of Warrior.'

'Sure. Let me go grab my laptop.'

'Mind if I sit down?' Amy asked as she walked around to the couch, holding her plate of dessert.

'Nope. Might be a bit crowded though.' Jessie chuckled as she sat up to make room for Amy to sit down beside her. 'Two's company, three's a crowd.'

'Here's your pie Lis.' Jack remarked as he walked over, handing it to her. He looked at the three of them on the couch, smiling. 'Room for one more?'

'Man, this poor couch.'

Lisa moved over closer to Jessie, patting the seat beside her. 'Here Jack.'

Jessie looked over at Cougar as Jack sat down beside Lisa, the cat looking up to see what all the commotion was. 'Next she'll want to sit on the couch too.'

'Okay, here it is.' Lou announced as she walked back in with her laptop in hand, taking a place on the floor since the couch was obviously fully occupied. She turned it on then grabbed up her email and clicked on the latest one. 'Here we go. Awe, that's a good one. Those are my girls.'

'I don't know how you did it Lou but you pulled it off.' Amy complimented, looking at the photo on the screen of the three women riding the horses.

'Yeah, I guess I did.'

Jack chuckled. 'Those girls will never forget that trip.'

'Neither will you grandpa.'

"Oh ah' Lou exclaimed as a message came through to her phone. 'Nicole says to say hi.'

'Look at you.' Lisa laughed, a photo of Jack sitting with the ladies coming onto the screen. 'Just dripping with ladies.'

'What can I say? I'm authentic. I'm the real deal. I am this countryside, right Lou? Oh wait, I think I'm also a legend.'

'Right grandpa.'

Jessie chuckled then yawned, glancing over at the clock again. 'I think it's time I hit the hay. I need to get some rest.'

'Yes you do.' Jack agreed as the girl got up. 'I'll see you in the morning Jess.'

'Mmhmm.' She gave him a hug with her good arm then turned to Amy and Lou. 'Night Amy, Lou.'

'Night Jessie.'

'Have a good sleep.'

'I'll come tuck you in.' Lisa got up as well and the two of them headed up the stairs to the girls bedroom, Jessie's pet mountain lion in tow. Cougar padded over to the girls bed, jumping up on top of the quilt then settled back down to sleep. 'Typical cat.'

'Yep.' Jessie agreed, trying to undo her buttons with one hand. She groaned after fiddling with the top one for what seemed an eternity. 'Lisa-'

She chuckled, quickly helping the girl get herself undressed. 'I've got it Jess. Where's your pajamas?'

'In the top drawer.' The girl replied, wriggling out of her shirt. She winced, glancing back at her shoulder. 'Yeah, I did a pretty good job on that.'

'I'd say so.' Lisa agreed, seeing the girl's bruised shoulder. 'You did a very good job on it.'

'I don't do things in halves, that's for certain.' She added as the woman helped get her ready for bed, trying to be as gentle with her shoulder as possible. 'I just wish I'd stop getting myself hurt. I hate having to have help with simple tasks like this.'

'You've just got to be more careful.'

'I know.' She sighed, placing her arm back in the sling again once her pajamas were on. 'I still can't believe Warri bucked me off. It's so unlike him.'

'Horses are as unpredictable as they are beautiful.' Lisa pulled the covers back and the girl climbed into bed, snuggling down under the blankets as she placed them over her. She sat down beside her, touching the girl's cheek gently. 'I'm going to miss you.'

'I'm going to miss you too.' The girl agreed. 'But it'll go quick and you'll be back. I know you have to go.'

'I'll ring you every night.'

'I know you will.' Jessie smiled, reaching up with her good hand to grab Lisa's. 'I'll be just fine here with Jack, you know I will be. You go do whatever you need to over there and that'll give me enough time to think of some tricks to pull on you once you get back.'

'I have a feeling you might be taking a little too much pleasure in my trip.' She teased. 'You're not going to miss me at all, are you?'

'Of course I will but it's not going to be like the way I missed you at the foster home.' She looked down at her blankets. 'I know you're coming back. Back then I didn't know if I'd ever see you or Jack again.'

'I will be back, I promise. I've got to be around for those pranks you want to pull on me, yeah?'

'Yeah.'

They fell silent, looking into each other's eyes for a moment then Lisa leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. 'Sweet dreams honey. I'll be back before you know it.'

'Night Lisa.' She yawned, unable to keep her eyes open a second longer. 'Close the door on the way out.'

Lisa chuckled, smiling as the girl drifted off to sleep and she quietly got up, glancing back at her as she closed the door behind her. She sighed, making her way down the stairs. Again she reminded herself that she knew this was going to have to happen when she'd agreed to take her on with Jack. It didn't make leaving her any easier though, especially when she had her aunt's words playing over in the back of her mind….