III

Jacob paced the floor beside the staircase of the hotel. They rode up in the carriage to Helena yesterday, and they'd be heading back home to the Yellowstone tomorrow. Long journey. Cara hadn't wanted to come.

When they first received the invitation to the governor's mansion for some kinda gala thing, Cara's first reaction had been full of honor. It was an honor, of course. But then immediately she said they couldn't go. Or rather, she couldn't go.

"I've nothing to wear to a fancy party with the governor and I certainly don't have time to make anything. If you want to go, you'll have to go on your own. I'll not turn up and make a fool of either of us, thank you very much."

And that's all she would say on the subject.

So the next time Jacob was in town, he did something he never thought he'd do. He bought an evening gown. He hardly knew what he was doing or what the exact measurements were, but luckily Cara had shopped in that store before and they had some things on file for her. He picked out a color he thought she would like and pointed to a picture of a dress pattern that looked like something she might wear. And by the time he was ready to go back home, the gown had been finished and packed up in a box for him.

As long as he lived, Jacob would never forget Cara's reaction when he brought it home for her.

"What on earth have you done!?" she said, gasping upon opening the box.

"You said you didn't have anything to wear to the governor's mansion so now you do," he told her.

"Jacob," she scolded, "this is the kind of frock a young lady wears when courting a gentleman."

"Are you sayin' you're not a young lady?"

"I'll be forty years old in two weeks' time," she reminded him. "And you're no gentleman, gettin' somethin' like this for me!"

But she eventually relented and agreed to the trip to the state capital for the party. And now he was dressed in the finest suit he had and he was waiting for his wife to finish fixing her hair and getting into that dress he bought for her.

A door closed somewhere upstairs and Jacob heard footsteps on the landing. He looked up and his jaw dropped.

The lavender satin gown hugged every curve of her. Plenty of curves, too. There was a time when he was the only man alive who knew about those curves, but now the whole of Helena would know about them too. Maybe the measurements the store had on file were old or mistaken or something. Because the dress seemed mighty tight up around her…well, that decolletage of hers was pushed up and on display.

She looked so beautiful. God himself had molded this woman. Jacob knew every inch of her, had mapped her with his hands and lips countless times over the last couple decades. And sure, she was gonna be forty soon, but no woman ever looked so beautiful.

"Jacob, close your mouth before you catch a fly." Cara had reached the bottom of the stairs and wrapped her arm around his.

"Beautiful," he breathed.

And Cara smiled. "It is a pretty dress. I never imagined wearing anything so fine. And I thank you for buying it for me."

Jacob couldn't help himself from leaning down to kiss her. Just once. Nothing too scandalous in public. Not at their ages. But just enough to tell her everything he couldn't seem to find the words to say.

When he pulled back, she was smiling even more.