Chapter Eleven - Disaster
Deke regretted having to separate Aggie from Dad to take her back to town, but they had to maintain appearances and Aggie couldn't just disappear and go camping in the woods.
The ride back to Valentine hardly held the excitement and anticipation of their previous ride, but still Aggie was thankful to have had those few precious moments with her love. Jake had assured her they would soon be together, once they obliterated these vampires.
Deke smiled as he remembered the love and passion he had witnessed between his dad and Aggie and it made him ponder his own possible future. A future he had never before considered. This lady Gabrielle had stirred feelings and dreams of a life he thought he would never possess. His dad's happiness made him reconsider whether he too could possibly have a real relationship with this amazing woman, whether he dare even hope.
Once in town, he helped Aggie down from her horse at the livery and escorted her down the boardwalk. As they passed the bank, there she was. Gabrielle had just exited the hotel and he felt his legs turn into worthless clamps that could possibly stay on a horse, but were loathe to actually moving and supporting his body.
Aggie immediately noticed the change in his demeanor and quickly ascertained what the problem was.
"Deke, I'm fine to get back to the saloon. Why don't you go talk to the young lady?"
"What?"
"The young lady there that you are staring at. Who is she?" She gently inquired.
"Her name is Gabrielle. She arrived this morning on the stage. Her uncle greeted her at the hotel."
"Oh, Mr. Elkin's niece. He owns the hotel. She's visiting from St. Louis. She certainly is a beautiful young lady. Go ahead, go talk with her, don't worry about me."
"Nah, she could do better than me. All I'd ever bring her is trouble."
"Deke, I'm surprised at you! Do you have any idea the quality of men out here, especially in this town? She would be the luckiest girl in the world if she had the opportunity to spend time with you. Believe me I know, now get your butt over there and talk to her!" Aggie pushed him gently.
"Aggie, I'm shocked at your language." Deke smiled. "You really think I stand a chance?"
"Deke, you are the second best man I've known in all the years I've been out west." She answered with conviction, a sweet smile crossing her face as she again gently nudged him towards Gabrielle.
"You mind letting Scott know that the next time you see him?" Deke teased as Aggie just smiled knowingly at him.
Deke squeezed her hand, leaned over and tenderly kissed her cheek before mustering his courage and taking the first, few hesitant steps toward the woman of his dreams.
As soon as Gabrielle saw him approaching, she started smiling in anticipation. There was just something about this cowboy and it went deep, beyond his obvious handsome appearance. He had appeared hesitant with her, almost shy, yet she sensed a gentleness and kindness in him and most importantly, she had felt a connection from the first words he uttered.
Once he saw her shyly smile at him all his confidence returned and he knew this was meant to be. A few awkward words later and they had made plans to meet in an hour for dinner at Rosa's Mexican Café.
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Gabrielle wasn't used to Mexican food and Deke took the opportunity to educate her on the different foods and flavors that awaited her. She certainly was not afraid to try something new. They got samples of all the different foods and she willingly tried everything, even the jalapenos that she quickly determined were way too hot for her taste.
Deke wondered why he had been hesitant, since the evening was turning into one of the most enjoyable of his life. They seemed to possess a connection that made the evening flow with a comfortable ease that defied the energy that pulsed whenever their eyes met.
The evening was turning into one of his most memorable, before disaster struck. He was wiping a small amount of salsa from Gabrielle's upper lip and was leaning in for their first kiss when he felt evil descend upon them.
"Deke, what the hell is going on here?" Lila demanded.
Deke froze as his world crumbled before his eyes. Damn, this job.
"Lila, what are you doing in town?" Deke asked.
"What lover? Not expecting me outside of my big old house? Sorry lady, but I laid claim to him before you. Step aside if you know what's good for you."
Deke rose from his table and faced Lila, towering over her, smirking as he spoke.
"Lila, I told you before, I make the first move. Sorry, but I don't answer to you. Better get back home before Daddy comes looking. I'll see you later, on my terms."
He gave Lila a look that informed her he wasn't backing down, and if she wanted any relationship with him she better be willing to let him make that first move.
Lila smiled, hiding her anger momentarily before quietly walked away with one last retort.
"Just remember Deke, I'm the one who knows how to please you. When you're done playing with the paper doll, come see a real woman."
Somehow, Deke had known all along he was asking for too much. His job always took precedence over his life, and this night had proved that in spades. He could hardly explain the situation to Gabrielle and he didn't have the heart to fabricate a lie.
"Sorry about that. She thinks we have a relationship, but I really just met her. A little possessive if you know what I mean."
"Oh, well….It's not like we were committed or anything, after all this is just a date,…. nothing more." She murmured trying, but failing, to hide her hurt and disappointment.
Deke struggled for something to say that would reverse the negative impact of Lila's appearance, but nothing seemed to be coming to him. The evening was ruined and his chance had vanished. They finished eating and he took her back to the hotel, the unsaid words hanging over them like a storm just waiting to let loose and pour down upon them.
The evening had ended way too early and he wasn't prepared to explain his failures and face Aggie's concern over him, so he decided to take a ride in the moonlight and clear his head. The fact was he needed fresh air to replace the stagnant feelings of disappointment that Lila's appearance had created.
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Lila was not one to play second fiddle to anyone, let alone another beautiful woman. She had already heard all the rumors about Deke and Aggie and then to see him courting another woman was more than her pride would allow.
The men back at the ranch had been complaining about the lack of female companionship and she decided she knew just how to appease them. Let's just see how Deke reacted when his two other loves disappeared, she determined.
She issued orders that Aggie and this Gabrielle be brought out to the ranch to join the other hostages in their den of torture.
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Deke rode around for several hours and decided to just bed down out in the woods rather than disturb Aggie with a late night appearance. The calm of the night gave him time to reevaluate his priorities and get his mind focused on the job at hand. The stakes were too high for him to be mired in confusion and regret. His family depended on him and he would never let them down. His job always came first, it had to.
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Aggie never saw her attackers or had a chance to defend herself. She was grabbed from behind, knocked out and silently carried down the back stairs of the saloon, out to the buckboard that already held the still form of the lovely Gabrielle. A tarp was thrown over the women and the buckboard rolled out of town.