Author's Note: This is a bit of a different kind of story. It began in my imagination after watching "The Renegade Brand" and noting the friendly kidding tossed at Jess by the stage line superintendent, Mr. Frazer (I'm using the IMDB spelling for his name.) And one particular aspect of three other episodes influenced the plot line, as well: "Men in Shadows," "Lost Allegiance" and "The Run to Tumavaca." Stick with it past this first chapter, pards. I adore Jess, and this story will shine a respectful light on our hero, as you'll see as we move through it. A surprise is coming!
Clarification for reading: The italicized text at the beginning of each chapter signifies Slim's voice telling what is currently happening. The regular text afterward indicates Slim's retelling of a previous event. (With the exception of the first part of chapter two and most of the final chapter. In those instances, for readability's sake, italics are used sparingly, and I hope that what takes place in the present, versus what Slim is recalling, will all be clearly understood.)
But… When It Comes to Jess and Women…
Chapter One
Mr. Frazer, Overland's territory superintendent, doesn't ride out to my ranch just any old day. He's standing here on my porch, looking me in the eye with that well-known frown of his fixed prominently on his face.
"Plenty of trouble again, Slim. Seems not to be able to get through more than a month or so without it."
I move aside and wave him on in. "Mr. Frazer, how are ya?"
"Aggravated," he grumbles, as he steps into the hearth room and removes his hat. "I'm sure you know why I'm here." His eyebrows draw up as he watches for my reaction.
To my nod, I add one word. One I've said to him on more than a few occasions. "Jess."
Mr. Frazer pulls out a chair and plops himself down at the table. "Well, bring the coffee pot over. Let's hear about this latest mess. All of it. Beginning to end."
"I thought you already knew how it all started. And ended." I set the pot and cups on the table and take a seat.
"I want details on the middle part. I know it started with a woman." He sighs. "No big surprise there. And I sure as heck know how the whole gall-dang fracas ended." He pours himself some coffee. "He's hard-nosed, Slim, that's for certain; though, for the most part, he's a clear-thinking man. But… when it comes to Jess and women…"
"Yes, sir. Believe me, I know. Well, here's what happened."
And I settle in and get ready to tell him the story of that day…
The way he was acting was just getting to be too dad-blamed much. And it could lead to only one outcome. Trouble. I could see that. Why couldn't he? Why does a swish of a skirt make Jess leave his good judgment hanging across the saddle along with his chaps?
That's what I was thinking that day.
He's my best friend. My brother, actually. That's how I feel about Jess. And we're business partners too, own the ranch together now. I respect him as a man of strength and uncommon valor, intelligence and good humor, a person of quality and incredible integrity.
Jess is a good man, a truly good man. But he's no saint. And that's a good thing too, I reckon. Because Laramie would be a lot less safe if he was. And—I can promise you—a darned sight more boring too. No man is perfect. Every man has his flaws or he wouldn't be human. And as for my pard, well, you'd be hard pressed to find a weakness. But… when it comes to Jess and women…
They so often throw themselves at him, I guess it would be mighty difficult, okay, nearly impossible, for him to resist 'em every time. He is, after all, a healthy man with strong natural urges. I understand. I'm one of those guys too. And most times we show pretty good sense, Jess and me. In fact, now that he's learned to rein in himself and his temper some, he shows pretty good sense about most everything. While I sure don't consider myself an expert on females─not by any means─it wasn't too long after Jess got here that I felt like I needed to offer him some advice about his reactions around 'em.
I'd tried talking to him about it some, that first year he'd been here when he was more than a little wild. Come to think of it, he still is. Kinda wild, I mean. But he's a couple of years older now, and somewhat tamed. Well, more settled anyway. Not domesticated, as he says, but a little further along the path toward it. Maybe. I guess. I hope. Anyway, more than once I'd flat out lectured him—like a good big brother should, I figured—about using better judgment, more responsibility and plenty of self-control.
Now, thinking back on the day about two weeks ago when we were on our way home from Medicine Bow and stopped into that relay station, I guess I really should have realized what was happening right from the beginning. But I didn't. Not until trouble had a good toehold smack dab where Jess Harper's boots were planted, steady and close—real close—right in front of Belle Carson.
She sure is a pretty woman, Belle is. About Jess's age, I'd say. But she didn't come after him like most women do. Not at all. In fact, she seemed real hesitant, downright nervous, around both of us. And yet, Jess kept finding reasons to sidle up close to her. Reaching for something off a high shelf for her, moving chairs, helping her put food on the table. Things like that. She thanked him nice and polite like, but she wouldn't look him in the eye much. And never cracked a single smile, despite his constant attention to her.
That was mighty unusual. I've never seen a female be so standoffish to him. Usually, if Jess so much as glances in a lady's direction, or lets out a quiet laugh, or even just wipes the sweat off his face with his sleeve, the ladies swoon. Oh, it ain't that I'm jealous, mind ya. No, that ain't it. Not at all. Nope. Not me. I just feel embarrassed for the women, is all. Once, a couple of them got in a hair-pulling fight at a dance, because one edged the other aside so she could be next in line for a two-step with Jess. I've seen a yawn and a stretch from him send women near to making fools of themselves.
But not this lady. And it does bother Jess some, I was thinking, when a woman doesn't take to him. That very rarely happens, and when it does, I wonder if he takes it as a challenge. To see if he can win 'em over, or at least set 'em at ease. Turning on that Harper charm, flashing the smile and those dad-blamed eyes of his. Women never seem to be able to resist that. But she wasn't responding much to him. And yeah, I admit it, at first I was kinda smirking that she didn't.
While we were eating, he threw a grin in her direction more than a few times. I even saw him wink at her once. And it turned out that Belle has a four-year-old daughter, and Jess gave Holly a gentle hug, gaining the little girl's trust with some playful teasing that brought her to giggles. Kids love Jess. Probably because they can sense he loves kids. And being nice to her child is somethin' I know makes a widow, or almost any woman, warm up to ya. Especially any woman looking for a husband.
But the thing was, the worrisome thing was, this woman already has one.
