CHAPTER 12

The next day Candy is saying her goodbyes to her friends as the stage arrives. Lottie gives her a big hug as she says, "Candy, are you sure you want to do this? I'm sure you and Jeremy can work this out."

"Now Lottie, don't be trying to talk Miss Pruitt into staying," Aaron says. "She's doing the right thing. How could she ever trust baby Bolt again?"

Candy replies, "I'm sure, Lottie. It's too late for me and Jeremy. Has anyone seen him lately?"

"Well, he's probably hiding his head in shame, Candy," Lucy Dale answers. "I knew he would mess up sooner or later. I mean, he is barely old enough to be called a man. My husband Arnold should have had a good talk with Jeremy since it seems his brothers forgot to talk to him about how to treat women."

Aaron rolls his eyes and hands a magazine to Candy. "I bought this for you to take along. It'll give you something to do besides look out the window."

"Thank you, Mr. Stempel and thank you for all your help in getting me back home."

"You're quite welcome. Have a safe trip," Aaron states.

Jasmine comes out of Lottie's giving demands to a young man carrying her trunk. "Now, be careful with that. I don't want it all beat up."

Candy is dismayed. "What on earth are you doing here?" she asks Jasmine.

Jasmine laughs, "It looks like we're going to be stage companions. I'm going home to Olympia."

"Oh, no we aren't! You can wait to take another stage. I'm not riding all that way with you and Jeremy," Candy complains.

"Oh relax, Miss Pruitt. It's just you and me. Jeremy isn't going with us."

"What do you mean, he's not going? He chose you," Candy says.

"But I didn't choose him. He's a little young for my taste. He has a lot of growing up to do."

Candy's mouth drops open. "So, he was just a challenge for you? Just a plaything? What do you do, put a notch in your corset for every man that falls for you, much like a gunslinger does to his gun when he kills someone? You're disgusting." She turns away and walks over to where Biddie is standing.

Jason notices Aaron taking an envelope out of his pocket and placing it in another magazine. He then hands it to Jasmine. Jason "accidentally" knocks it out of her hands and it falls to the ground. Josh swoops in and gets Aaron's and Jasmine's attention while Jason stoops and picks the magazine up. Before he hands it back to Jasmine, he switches envelopes. "How clumsy of me. I'm sorry."

Taking the magazine from Jason, Aaron checks to be sure the envelope is still in there. "You need to be more careful, Bolt. Here you go Miss Westover, I bought you this magazine to take along."

"Why thank you Mr. Stempel. That's very kind of you," Jasmine responds.

"That's Aaron for you. Mr. Kindness himself," Josh laughs.

The driver announces that it's time to go. Jason helps Candy into the stage, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Stay in touch, Candy. We'll miss you. Maybe someday you can forgive Jeremy and come back to see us."

"I'll miss all of you, too," she sighs. "Even Jeremy."

Aaron helps Jasmine into the stage. "Good luck with finding a spot for your boarding house. Sorry, Seattle wasn't the right spot for it."

"Thank you," she answers.

The stage pulls out and everyone stands and waves. When everyone begins to leave, Jason calls out, "Wait! There's something I'd like for all of you to see."

Aaron asks, "Bolt, what are you up to?"

Jason grins like a possum saying, "Aaron, do you have the papers with you? I know you do because you probably carry them around with you everywhere you go, just in case."

"As a matter of fact, I do have them with me," he says as he takes them from his pocket.

"Good old predictable Aaron," Josh laughs.

"Yeah whatever," Aaron says. "Do you want to sign the papers here in front of everyone?"

"I do," Jason answers. "But we need to wait five minutes or so until Jeremy gets here. You know, it's not legal unless all three Bolt brothers sign them."

"I thought Jeremy left Seattle," Aaron says.

"Not quite yet. He knew he would have to sign the papers first," Jason replies.

"All right, but Jeremy better hurry and get here. He's costing me time and money."

After a few minutes have passed, everyone hears something. "What is that?" some say.

"It sounds like a woman shouting," Lottie says.

They turn towards the shouting and see Jasmine Westover running into the square shouting and waving her hands. She is out of breath when she reaches them. Jasmine looks around and sees the man she came back to see, Aaron Stempel. Angrily she takes her finger and pokes him in the chest as she yells at him, "Why of all the dirty tricks! Aaron Stempel you're a low down, lying, conniving, cheating, two timing, back stabbing SOB! How dare you try to cheat me out of the money you promised me for breaking up Jeremy and Candy! I did my part, now you do yours! Where's my money!"

Everyone is looking at Aaron. He says, "I don't know what she's talking about. Honestly, I don't."

"Don't listen to him!" Jasmine continues to yell. "He's just trying to weasel out of paying me!" She takes the envelope from the magazine and opens it, showing cut up newspaper clippings. "This is what he paid me with! I want my money!"

"I don't understand. I put real money in the enve. . ." Aaron begins but stops when he realizes he has said too much.

"Well, well, so you were behind all this," Jason says. "You'll do anything to get our mountain, won't you?"

Aaron smirks, "So, you found me out. I still get your mountain because Miss Pruitt left Seattle."

"I don't think so, Aaron," Jeremy says as he and Candy walking hand in hand, stop in front of him.

"As you can see, I didn't go anywhere," Candy laughs. "I'm still here and the Bolts keep their mountain."

"What is this? A trick?" Aaron asks.

"You can call it a trick if you want to, but I call it 'turnabout is fair play'. You see, someone heard you and Miss Westover discussing your plans to run Candy out of town. So, we decided to help you out. Jeremy and Candy staged their little break up," Jason explains.

"How did we do, Aaron? Pretty good, huh?" Jeremy asks.

Jasmine asks Jeremy, "So you were just pretending to want me? You had no intentions of going off with me to Olympia?"

"That's right. Why would I be interested in you or anyone else when I have the most beautiful girl in Seattle right here on my arm? Candy is everything I've ever wanted."

Aaron asks, "If you knew what we had planned, why didn't you just call me on it? Why pull this prank?"

"Because Aaron, we wanted everyone here to know how low you would stoop to get what you want. Maybe now, you'll stop with all your shenanigans and leave us Bolt brothers alone."

Helen and Maude stand beside Aaron. Helen says, "Really Aaron, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you were better than this. I'll pray for you."

"Yeah, yeah, sure you will," Aaron replies.

Reverend Adams confronts Aaron. "Mr. Stempel, I expect to see you in church on Sunday. You need to ask the Lord for forgiveness."

"What about my money?" Jasmine asks.

Taking an envelope out of his pocket, Jason says, "I guess you mean this money. I don't know who it belongs to. I mean, Aaron did put it in the envelope but you Jasmine, technically didn't earn it because Jeremy and Candy are still here together. I guess it still belongs to Aaron." Jason holds it out to Aaron.

"Aww, give it here," Aaron says. He takes the money and divides it evenly. He then says, "Here Miss Westover, this is for all your troubles." He then gives the rest to Candy, "I'm sorry, Miss Pruitt. I want you to put this in the Brides Dowry Fund."

"Why thank you, Mr. Stempel," Candy beams as she takes the money.

"Aaron, I hope you've learned your lesson," Lottie says. "Come on. I'll buy you a drink."

"No, Lottie," Jason shouts. "Drinks are on the house, compliments of the Bolt brothers. After all we're celebrating. Jeremy and Candy are still here together and we still have our mountain."

"You Bolts are a thorn in my backside," Aaron says as they all laugh as they go into Lottie's to celebrate.