Chapter 30

Among shadows, the flickering wick of an oil lamp shed its light over the stack of papers on top of the neatly arranged desk. The office was small, with just enough room for a table and a couple of chairs. There was not even a single window, so the atmosphere was usually gloomy and dark at all times of the day.

Sitting at the desk, Louise hunched over the pile of papers, carefully examining each of them. Since she had been away for too many weeks, the paperwork and receipts to check mounted up. Louise usually took care of the store accounts, occasionally requesting Albert's help, but this time she had not asked him to see to the paperwork during her absence because she had not counted on being away so long. In any case, now that she planned to stop running the store, she had to revise and check that everything was in order. Theresa had not told her yet whether she would like to accept her proposition, and after this morning's awkward exchange Lou had not wanted to insist.

The sound of a door being unlocked and opened echoed in the store, and a voice ensued. "My, you're back!"

Lou's attention got drawn away from the tedious paperwork and she smiled when she realized who was talking. "Jack," she said and rose to her feet. "It's good to see you. Yes, I'm back… came back last night."

"You know, things haven't been the same without you," Jack replied, taking a few steps closer and staring directly into her eyes.

Lou started feeling uncomfortable, and lowered her gaze. Jack Stewart had started working for her a year ago as the city had grown, and so had the business. Jack was an attractive bachelor in his early thirties who lived with an uncle of his. Since almost the beginning, Lou had noticed a peculiar interest from the young man, and a few months after he had asked her permission to court her. Lou had naturally said no, but even though Jack had not insisted again, she sometimes could feel his uncomfortable looks and even lust, which even scared her. However, Jack was a harmless soul, and in the year she had known him, he had proved to her he was a good man and a hard-worker. Louise had never regretted hiring him because it was very enjoyable to work alongside such an amiable man.

"Has it been busy around here?" Lou asked, tactfully turning from him and arranging the iron weights next to the scales.

"Like usual. Nothing ever changes around here."

Lou raised her eyes to him after his comment. "Some things might change now," she let out, and at Jack's frown, she added, "We need to discuss something."

"All right then," Jack replied. "Let me make you a cup of your favorite tea first."

"Thanks."

As Jack walked to the end of the store where there was a small stove, Lou returned to her tiny office and the accounts. A pencil in her hand, she ran her finger down the list on a paper, checking every single item, when suddenly her eyes lost their vision as a couple of hands covered them. Lou got startled and inhaled deeply. The familiar touch and the scent she knew so well told her it was Kid straightaway. His lips lowered to her neck and nuzzled it, and then Louise was tempted by a wicked idea, and decided to play a little game.

A moan escaped her lips as she said, "Oh gosh, I love it… you always know how to stir the fire inside me. Oh Richard!"

At once the hands let go of her as well as the lips on her neck. Lou turned in her chair, and when she saw Kid's unhappy and shocked expression she burst out laughing. "Gotcha!" she said among hysterical giggles.

"It ain't funny, Lou," he replied without a pinch of amusement in his voice.

Louise rose to her feet and came up to him. "Oh I'm sorry," she said in an exaggerated apologetic tone, and cupping his face in her hands, she kissed his mouth. "I was just joking," she said and kissed him again.

When Louise pulled away, Kid noticed a man standing a few feet from them and holding a cup of tea. Louise blushed as she saw Jack staring at them with a flabbergasted expression. Smiling awkwardly at her employee, she walked away from Kid towards him. "Uh, Kid, this is Jack Stewart. I told you about him, didn't I? Lou said, sheepishly taking the steaming cup from the man.

"Yes, you did. How do you do?" the Southerner said enthusiastically, shaking hands with the man. "I'm Louise's husband."

"Hu… husband?" Jack stammered in obvious surprise, and sent an annoyed look at his boss, which she ignored. It took Jack a second to get a grip of himself, and he said, "Then I guess congratulations are in order."

"Uh…" Kid's voice faltered, not sure what to say. This kind of reaction was not alien to him since the same had also happened with his acquaintances in Fort Kearney when he had told them about his wife. Few people had known he had been married for long, and the situation for Lou was practically identical. It was an awkward position since he could not accept those congratulating words for a supposedly recent wedding, but at the same time he did not want to explain their matters with Lou to every single soul he came across. "Uh… thanks. Having Lou in my life is enough reason to deserve your congratulations."

Jack did not say anything. The smell of Lou's tea lingered in the air and wafted into Kid's nostrils. "What's that?" he asked curiously.

"My tea," Lou said flatly.

"Tea? It smells quite strong," Kid said, and taking the cup, he dared to take a sip. Instantly, his forehead and nose scrunched up in disgust. "What on earth is this concoction?"

"A special tisane," Jack explained in a stiff tone. "It has different leaves, herbs, and spices. My uncle is an herbalist, and makes special natural compositions."

"It really helps my stomach," Lou added. "And I like it."

Kid then said he was going out for a while, and after kissing Lou on the cheek and bidding Jack goodbye, the Southerner walked out. As the little bell attached to the store door tinkled as it closed behind Kid, Jack turned his annoyed eyes to Louise. "Nice chap… your new husband," he said, not bothering to hide the irritation and sarcasm from his voice.

"He ain't really new," Lou replied non-chalantly. "We've been married for quite a long time, but we had problems, and led separate lives for a bunch of years."

Jack shook his head, feeling anger soar in his heart. "I really didn't expect this from you."

Louise did not like the tone he was using to talk to her, and grew annoyed as well. "Expect what?" she exclaimed. "Why on earth do you sound so annoyed?"

"You made a fool out of me, Louise McCloud! You know what I feel about you and…"

"I said no," Lou reminded him, cutting his angry speech short. "And I told you my reasons."

"Yes, your reasons… all that crap about it being a bad idea since we work together," Jack spat angrily.

"That's not what I just said. I told you I didn't feel that way about you. Did you erase that from your mind or what?"

"I had hopes that you eventually would change your mind about me. You seemed to like me, and I really hoped," Jack added in a low voice.

"And I do like you, Jack. You're a nice man, and a good friend, that's what you are to me. I don't think I gave you any reasons to believe I wanted anything but friendship from you. Or do you think my behavior to you was reproachable?"

"No," Jack admitted between gritted teeth, "but if you had told me you were married."

"Jack, I don't need to use my marriage as an excuse. I just told you how I felt, and that should have been enough. Kid and I were separated for years, and I really thought we'd never get back together again. Do you honestly think your expectations would have changed knowing I had a husband miles from here, and our marriage was practically ruined?"

"I had a right to know," Jack insisted, totally shattered by the pain of learning Lou's heart was not free. He had really thought one day Louise would be his, and now this out-of-the-blue husband of hers changed everything. "I'm really disappointed in you."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Lou muttered. "I really am."

Jack took a few steps closer, and his angry eyes fixed on her. "Louise McCloud, I hope he breaks your heart real bad, and you feel in your soul what pain is actually like."

Jack turned his back to Lou, and walked away. Louise wanted to say something, anything, but the words did not come to her. It was not right what was happening. They had always got on well, and she could even say Jack was much more than an employee. A sense of camaraderie and even friendship had grown between them, and Lou had not expected Jack would react so harshly to her secrecy about her marriage. They had talked and laughed together so much in the time they had known each other, and Lou had often deluded herself to think Jack had forgotten his infatuation. Yet, a single look from him always made her realize that was not the case, and her desire for just a simple, wholesome relationship had crumbled down. Lou had even suggested a few times he give one of the local girls an opportunity, hoping he forgot her once and for all, but Jack had never minded her, and never went with other women. His attitude was peculiar, but Lou had no call to say anything as long as he did his duty in the store, and was a good friend to her. And now resent and bitterness shone in all his self and he sounded as if he really hated her guts.

Lou stared at him, and once again tried to say something. Yet, then the store door tinkled open, announcing their first customer. She would have to find another moment to tackle the situation and talk to Jack. Plastering her best business-like smile on her lips, she stood behind the counter and welcomed the early riser. "Good morning, Mr. Major. What can I do for you this morning?