CHAPTER 10

Later that afternoon, they all are to reunite at the Bolt cabin in town ready to execute their little plan. Candy enters the cabin and rushes over to Jeremy falling into his arms.

"Candy, did anyone see you come here?" Jason asks.

Shaking her head but remaining in Jeremy's arms she answers, "No, I was careful. I came the back way." Looking into Jeremy's eyes she asks, "Jeremy, do we really have to do this?"

"It's the only way to stop Stempel's meddling in our business. It'll be all right, don't worry." He kisses her lips gently. "Just remember, this is only for show. I don't mean anything I say to Jasmine. All right? I love you."

"And, I love you," she replies.

"Candy, is Biddie ready?" Jason asks.

"Yes, she's sitting on the porch waiting for Jeremy to make his move. Jeremy, please be careful. I don't trust her."

Jeremy nods his head and kisses her forehead before he walks out the door.

Jeremy gets to the saloon door and takes a deep breath while he wipes his sweaty hands on his trousers. He takes a look around, seeing Biddie on the dormitory porch. He chuckles to himself. Opening the door, he sees Jasmine and Lottie sitting at a table enjoying a cup of tea. He marches over and interrupts.

"Lottie, Jasmine, sorry for the interruption."

"That's all right, Jeremy. Can we help you with something?" Lottie asks as she winks at him as Jason had told her earlier what they were planning.

"Well, I, hmm, I was wondering if Jasmine would like to take a walk with me," he says nervously.

"Why Jeremy Bolt! What will Candy say about this?" Lottie asks while Jasmine stares at him.

"To be honest, Lottie, I don't care what Candy will say. Now Jasmine, will you walk with me or not?" Jeremy asks.

"Oh no, I guess you and Candy are arguing again," Lottie states.

"Doesn't matter Lottie. This is something I've been wanting to do for days. I just finally got my nerve up to tell Candy and to ask Jasmine." Jeremy holds his hand out to Jasmine.

Rising from her seat, she takes his hand and says, "I would love to walk with you, Jeremy." They go outside. "Where are we walking to?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could walk up to Lover's Lagoon. We should have plenty of privacy there," Jeremy answers.

"Jeremy! Jeremy!" Biddie yells at him as she comes running over to them. "Well, there you are. I have been looking everywhere for you."

"I guess you found me cause here I am, Biddie. What do you want?" he snaps.

"My goodness, aren't we in a grumpy mood," Biddie giggles. "I just wanted to tell you that Candy wants to see you."

"Tell her I'm busy right now." Jeremy takes Jasmine by her elbow and tries to walk off, but Biddie isn't going to let him leave quite yet.

"I know you're angry with Candy, but do you really think you should be doing this right now?"

"Biddie, I don't mean to be rude, but would you please keep your nose out of my business. I'll do what I damn well please. Now, good day," Jeremy tells her as he and Jasmine finally walk off.

"Well, I never!" Biddie scoffs.

As they get to Lover's Lagoon, Jeremy looks around and sees Jason, Josh, and Candy hiding in the bushes. He grins at them. "Would you like to have a seat?" he asks Jasmine.

"What's this all about, Jeremy? Why all of a sudden do you want to spend time with me? I mean, before you acted like I had the plaque or something," Jasmine questions.

"I'm sorry about that. I really wanted to get to know you better, but you know I was influenced by Candy. That woman tries to lead me around and tells me what to do all the time. I just finally got tired of it and told her that I wanted to take a break and see other women for a change. You're the first woman I thought of." He moves closer to her and strokes her cheek. "You've made quite an impression on me, Miss Westover."

"I have? Well, what kind of impression, Mr. Bolt?" she asks seductively. But before Jeremy can answer, she moves away from him and stands next to a large tree.

Jeremy comes over to her and places his hands on the tree trunk enclosing her where she can't move.

"Look, I've never done anything like this before. I've always been, well I guess you could say, uncertain when it comes to women. I didn't know how to act or what they would think of me. But I like you and I think you like me. I want to take a chance. I want to know everything there is to know about you."

"What about Candy?" she inquires.

"What about her? I know everything there is to know about her and believe me, she doesn't excite me the way you do." He uses one hand to gently undo the top three or four buttons on the bodice of her dress and then runs his finger down towards her cleavage. "So far, I like what I see."

Candy is beside herself and wants to run out putting a stop to what's going on. Jason and Josh grab her arms to keep her still. "Not yet," Jason whispers.

"My, I thought you were the shy one. What's happened to you?" she asks.

"You happened. I've never met a woman like you before. Like I said, you excite me." He says breathlessly as he cringes on the inside.

"You excite me too, Jeremy Bolt." And with that she throws her arms around him and kisses his lips passionately making him squirm to part ways with her.

"Now," Jason whispers to Candy.

Candy walks up to them and cries, "Jeremy! How could you? How could you do this to us?"

Jeremy pulls away from Jasmine. "C-C-Candy! I-I-I. . ."

"So, you like what you see? She excites you like I never did, huh? Well, you can have her," Candy turns to leave.

"C-C-Candy, please let me explain," Jeremy pleads.

"You can't explain this away, Jeremy. I thought you were the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I thought you were different than all the other men around here. You were so gentle, kind, and loving. But I was wrong. You're the same as all men. You see a woman who flaunts her big. . ." she bites on her bottom lip, "her big breasts at you and you become lustful. I never want to see you again."

"You can't m-m-mean that, Candy!"

Josh runs in and stares at everyone. "Candy, you found him! What's going on?"

"Oh, I found him all right. He was making out with Jasmine," she cries harder.

Josh acts astounded. "Making out? Jeremy? My own brother?" He walks towards Jeremy. "How could you, Jeremy? You know how I feel about her. You couldn't stand that I was happy, could you?" He grabs Jeremy by his shirt collar and gets ready to punch him out.

"Josh," Jason shouts. "Let Jeremy go! What's going on?"

Josh releases Jeremy pushing him away. "You're not worth it. From now on, Jason is the only brother I have. You're dead to me."

Jeremy's eyes fill with tears. "Josh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Or you either, Candy."

Jason says, "Jeremy, what did you do?"

"I betrayed my girl and my brother. I'm sorry, but I can't deny my feelings for Jasmine any longer. She makes me feel more alive than I ever thought was possible," Jeremy says as he walks over to Jasmine and puts his arm around her waist.

"Jeremy, I'm so ashamed of you and your actions. I want you out of here. You're not welcome here any longer."

"B-B-But where will I go?" Jeremy asks.

"Who cares as long as it's not here!" Jason states. "Candy, do you care?"

Holding her head up and staring Jeremy in the eyes she declares, "No, I don't care. He's dead to me, too." She turns and walks off going back to Seattle.

When everyone leaves and Jeremy and Jasmine are alone again he says, "Well, I guess that clears the way for you and me to be together now."

"Together? What do you mean?" Jasmine asks.

"I mean that when you go back to Olympia, I can go with you and stay at your boarding house. We can get to know each other better," Jeremy explains.

"You can't do that," Jasmine protests.

"Why not? I thought that's what you wanted. You told me the first day we met that you wanted to spend time with me. That you thought we would get along quite well. I made that happen and now you don't want me! I gave up my family and my girl for you!" Jeremy tells her quite angrily.

"Jeremy, I'm sorry. I think you read more into my words than what I meant. You're a sweet boy and all and you're extremely sexy, but that's just it. You're still a boy. You're too young for anything to happen between us."

"I don't believe it. And for your information, I'm not a boy. I'm 19 years old. I'm a man. I want to thank you for ruining my life. The sooner you go back to Olympia, the better. Have a safe trip." Jeremy hastily walks back to Seattle leaving Jasmine alone.