Chapter 26
Sam was surprised that Jake stayed all day with her. He was still holding her when Dad came in from the range.
She could hear Gram and Dad murmuring out in the kitchen before she heard his bootsteps coming closer.
"Hey Jake," Dad greeted him. "She behaving herself?"
"Hey Wyatt," Jake responded. "So far, she is."
"I'm still here," Sam rolled her eyes.
"You staying for dinner?" Dad wondered.
"If that's okay," Jake nodded.
What Sam couldn't see is that Jake gave Dad a very possessive look that surprised her father. Jake told Wyatt in that simple look that he wasn't going anywhere even if he appeared rude. He was there to spend time with Sam regardless of anything else.
It was then that Wyatt realized just how serious Jake Ely was about his daughter. He envisioned Sam and Jake marrying some day in the future. Wyatt gave Jake a slight nod and told them he'd see them at dinner, that he needed to clean up.
Instead of going up to take a shower, Dad went back into the kitchen to speak with Gram.
"Do you know how serious Jake is about Sam?" Dad asked his mother.
Gram turned from the stove to look incredulous at her son.
"You're just noticing this?" Gram almost laughed. "Wyatt that boy's been serious about your daughter since he was six years old. Just how many young boys that you know want to hang around with young girls? He's been in love with her for years and they both just realized it."
Dad's jaw dropped. He really had had no idea.
"It doesn't bother you?" Dad asked.
"Who better than Jake Ely?" Gram asked a question of her own.
"I suppose you're right," Dad murmured.
"I am right," Gram insisted. "Jake is the best man Samantha could ever hope to fall in love with."
Dad nodded. "I was just a bit surprised by it," he admitted.
"You're the only one," Gram told him. "Maxine and I have discussed it for years."
Dad nodded again, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well regardless, I think he's going to sprout roots on the couch at this rate."
"They're young and in love," Gram shrugged. "I know from talking to Maxine how much the two of them have missed each other. Even if they still hadn't realized their feelings for the other, they would have missed each other with Jake being gone. Remember how miserable Jake was when Sam was sent to San Francisco."
"I had forgotten about that," Dad said. "I worry to think what might have happened with Jake if I hadn't started hiring him to work with the horses."
"Maxine was extremely worried," Gram murmured. "Do you know he locked himself in his room and cried for days? Maxine was afraid he would harm himself."
"I had no idea," Dad responded.
"No, I didn't think you did," Gram told him. "I'm only telling you now so you'll understand just how much they mean to each other."
"I still need to shower up," Dad headed towards the stairs.
Gram turned back to her stove amazed at how clueless her son was sometimes.