Saturday arrived with overcast skies, but the road was clear enough for them to drive to town and attend the taffy pull.
“I’m so glad you all could attend. You must stay with us tonight,” Emily Jane said, smiling at Anna Mae with pleasure.
“Are you sure you don’t mind us spending the night?” she asked, uncomfortable with the idea of staying at Emily Jane and William’s overnight.
“Of course I’m sure,” her friend answered. “It will be late when the fun is over and I’d hate to think of you all on the road home. Especially as cold as it is.”
Beth Winters stood at the stove, making the taffy that would be pulled later. She’d already set several batches in bowls on the counter beside her. Hot water steamed under them to keep the taffy soft and manageable.
It was just the three of them standing in the kitchen. “Is it supposed to snow again?” Beth asked, measuring sugar, corn syrup, water and salt into a saucepan. She blended it with a wooden spoon while the other two women watched.
“I hope not,” Emily Jane answered, “I’m sick of snow and cold.” She shivered.
Anna Mae smiled. She loved the snow, but not the cold so much. “I wouldn’t mind having a white Christmas.”
“That reminds me, William wanted me to ask if you and Josiah would mind coming into town Christmas Day instead of us going out there. He’s concerned about the baby.” Emily Jane rubbed her swollen belly.
Beth continued to stir the sugar concoction. “Men are always worried about the first baby.”
“I’ll have to ask Josiah, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” Anna Mae watched Beth’s every movement. She loved taffy but had never gotten the knack of how to make it. If she learned today, maybe she could teach Rose and Ruby when they got older. Hers always came out crystalized. Crystalized candy wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t taffy.
“Ask me what?”
Anna Mae recognized her husband’s voice and her heart greeted him. She turned with a smile. “If we’d come to town Christmas Day and save William and Emily Jane the hassle of coming out to our place.”
“I don’t see why not. Unless we get a white Christmas, and then it will depend on how much and how wet it is.” He walked over and poured himself another cup of coffee. “Beth, is that first batch about ready to pull? We have some young’uns in there who are getting restless.”
Beth touched the taffy she’d made. “I think it’s cool enough for little hands to pull. Anna Mae, would you get the butter and start greasing palms? Emily Jane, will you make sure the kids stay on the floured sheet out there? I’d really rather not clean up a sticky floor when this party is over.”
Both women nodded.
“Here, Josiah, you take the taffy and instruct the children to use only their fingertips to lift the edges of the warm, flowing candy, and then to pull it out about twelve inches from each other. As quick as possible they will need to fold the taffy and then pull it again.”
Josiah took the big bowl and nodded. “How much should I give each pair of children?” he asked, looking puzzled and as if he regretted coming into the kitchen.
Anna Mae grabbed up the butter and grinned at him as she walked by. She’d expected the past few days with him to feel strained, but they hadn’t. They’d both acted as if he’d never told her to ask the girls to call her Mother. It was easier to pretend it never happened and continue on with their friendship.
“Just give them a big hunk of it and let the pulling begin.” Beth waved them all out the door.
“Line up, everyone. Time to grease your hands so you can pull taffy,” Anna Mae said, as she hurried into the room. Several of her students were present and smiled at her in greeting.
Sometimes Anna Mae wished she were back in the classroom, but when they started pushing and arguing the way they were now, she didn’t miss it a bit. “If you children don’t settle down I’m not going to give you any butter, and that means no taffy pulling.”
Immediately the kids formed a nice straight line. She smiled at each of them as she scooped out a little bit of butter and told them, “Rub that all over your hands.”
As soon as they were ready, Emily Jane called them over to the sheet that had been covered in white flour.
Anna Mae watched with pleasure as Josiah divided the children into teams of two and began giving them taffy to pull. Laughter immediately rang out as the kids began to tug at the sticky candy. The longer they pulled the harder it became to do so.
“Adults, time to get your hands dirty,” Beth called as she came from the kitchen carrying another big bowl. “Husbands find your wives. Singles find a partner.”
Levi and Millie stood with Josiah and William. Levi raised his voice for all to hear. “Better do as she says, or no candy for you to take home.”
Several of the men grunted and the women giggled. It was amusing to watch those same grunting men hurry across the room to their wives. Anna Mae smiled as Josiah came to stand before her. She coated his big hands with butter, very aware of the callused skin that set her fingertips to tingling as she smeared it on.
She took a glob of butter for herself and then passed the bowl to the woman closest to her. Anna Mae tried to ignore Josiah’s waiting eyes as she applied the butter to her hands as she would lotion.
Beth came by and gave them a large glob of candy. Together they followed her earlier directions, working the candy between them and laughing as they tried to keep it from oozing to the floor.
“This is really fun. I’m glad I told Levi we’d come,” Josiah said, glancing at the twins, who sat on the sidelines in high chairs with other children around their age. They all had taffy and were eating it faster than it could harden. “The girls are having a grand ole time.”
“Yes, and the added sugar will keep them up most of the night, too.” Anna Mae felt the taffy becoming harder. She grunted as they pulled again. When they came together once more she said, “Emily Jane has invited us to spend the night.” She pulled away again.
They came back together. “No can do. We have a cow to milk and she’s not going to be happy to be getting milked late as it is.”
Anna Mae stopped and looked at him. She’d forgotten all about Jersey. She should be grateful for an excuse not to have to sleep in the same room with Josiah, but she found herself feeling a little disappointed. The one night they had to share a room she hadn’t slept a wink. Josiah had tossed and turned on the floor so much that she was sure Mr. Meeker had heard him through the wall.
“Let’s see if this is ready to cut,” Josiah said, pulling her and the taffy as he made his way to the table.
They found an empty platter and laid their candy down. Beth walked past and thrust a pair of scissors into Anna Mae’s hand. “Get to cutting. I’ll have one of the older boys come get it to wrap.”
Anna Mae laughed. Beth Winters could be very bossy. She watched as the older woman walked about the room, praising the children on their wrapping and rushing the adults to hurry and get the candy cut.
Josiah’s warm breath tickled her ear. “You might want to get started. I believe if you don’t have that cut by the time her boy comes by for it, Mrs. Miller, we’ll be in big trouble and get no candy.”
A giggle eased from her throat. “While I’m cutting what will you be doing?” she asked, looking up into his bright blue eyes.
“Supervising, of course.” His face was only a few inches from her.
If she wanted to, Anna Mae could easily lean forward and kiss him. She ducked her head. Now where had that thought come from?
She snipped the candy into small pieces, aware that Josiah watched her every move. Why? Why was he studying her as if he’d never seen her before? Had he thought about kissing her, too?
* * *
Josiah knew he had to get away from his sweet wife. She smelled of candy and he’d felt the urge to kiss her just now. Kiss her right in front of everyone, something he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate. “I’m going to go let Emily Jane and William know that we won’t be able to spend the night.”
As he approached his brother-in-law and wife, he heard their teasing remarks. “I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun making candy.” William winked at his wife, who was busy cutting their candy into bite-size pieces.
Emily Jane giggled and her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. “Probably when you were a little boy.”
“Probably so.” He hugged her growing waist. “But I bet it wasn’t nearly as much fun as this.”
Josiah shook his head. Even though they’d been married several months now, they still behaved as newlyweds. For a few short moments he’d shared similar happiness with Anna Mae. Not like “in love” newlyweds, but fun just the same.
He cleared his throat. When they both looked at him expectantly, Josiah said, “Can you help me with something outside?” He motioned for William to follow him.
Emily Jane frowned. “Josiah, are you sure? It’s pretty cold out there.” Her brow furrowed with worry.
“This won’t take long, Emily Jane.”
William didn’t seem to want to leave his wife any more than she wanted him to leave. “I’ll be right there, Josiah.”
“All right. I’m heading out for some fresh air.” Josiah crossed the room and then reached for the front door handle.
“Pssst.”
As natural as breathing, Josiah’s hand lowered slowly to his holster. He turned to face the stairs behind him.
Grady leaned over the rails and whispered, “Come here, Josiah.”
His shoulders sagged in relief and he removed his hand from his gun. Josiah took the stairs two at a time.
“Where you headed?” Grady asked in a low voice, as soon as he was close enough to talk.
“I invited William to meet me outside. I planned to tell him me and Annie can’t spend the night at his place.” He didn’t add that the desire to kiss his wife had him hankering for much needed fresh air.
Grady frowned. “Why not?”
Not used to having to answer to another man, Josiah all but snapped, “We have animals to take care of.”
It wasn’t lost on Josiah that his friend had slipped into the shadows to avoid being seen below.
“Why are you living in the country, Josiah? You’re not a farmer, you’re a lawman. Shouldn’t you be near the town you swore to protect?”
Irritation rose in him again. Josiah had no intention of discussing his situation with anyone at the moment, so he shrugged casually. “It works right now.”
Grady shook his head and probably would have argued if Josiah hadn’t changed the subject. “You find out anything?”
That did the trick. Grady growled. “Yes, no thanks to that bumbling deputy of yours.”
Weariness settled between Josiah’s shoulder blades. “What happened?”
“Had a situation back of the stable the other night about an hour after you went home. Saw two fellows ride up the back alley, so I hid in the loft. It’s not good, Josiah.”
Unease joined the weariness. “Did you know them?”
“One of them. It’s Jose Garza.”
Josiah’s misgivings increased by the minute. “Jose Garza of the James gang?”
“The one and only.”
“But why would a notorious gang want to mess with a little town like this? We’re not even on the map. Our bank won’t have enough money in it to make it worth their while.” His head was beginning to pound at the seriousness of their situation.
“Not sure. They could be looking for a town to make their home. They may check out Granite and decide there’s not enough law here to keep them from taking over.” Grady grimaced. “Or they could be looking for towns with newspapers so the tales of their actions can be recorded.”
Josiah resented the first remark, but knew it was true. “But our newspaper is just local stuff. Probably not more than fifty copies per week.”
“Doesn’t matter. Newspapermen, like your Mr. Lupan, tend to write about all these shenanigans. Other newspapermen will take what your Mr. Lupan wrote back to their syndicated presses and make heroes of criminals. The story could go all over the United States.”
“You met Mr. Lupan, our newspaper editor?”
Grady nodded. “You might want to deputize him. He’s a much better tracker than the one you’ve got. I’ve been dodging him for days. He knows I’m staying here at the boardinghouse. He plans to find out who I am and why.”
Josiah couldn’t help but smile at Grady’s description of Mr. Lupan, who wasn’t above spreading a little bit of gossip, since he’d learned it sold more papers than the news. “Speaking of plans, did you overhear the James gang plans?”
“Enough to know they’re waiting on someone else to arrive on the stage. I’d have learned more but your deputy came down the alley and heard voices. He cocked his pistol, Josiah.” Grady’s voice reflected his scorn at the error. “Gave his position away before they ever saw him. They would have ambushed him had they not been waiting on this other feller to arrive. He’d be a dead man right now.”
“I’ll have a talk with him.” Josiah felt momentary panic when he thought of young Wade trying to protect the town by himself.
Steely green eyes stared into his. “He needs to be trained, Josiah, not talked to. And who’s going to train him when he’s out on patrol at night and you’re thirty minutes away on the farm?”
He didn’t need a lecture from his mentor. What he needed was to move to town. But how to approach Anna Mae about the sensitive subject? She liked living on their farm and taking care of the animals. “I’ll see to it, Grady.”
An hour and a half later, Josiah handed the twins down to Anna Mae. Neither awoke and he knew she would have them tucked in for the night before he ever finished with the chores.
He turned Roy and the wagon toward the barn. Once the horse was unhitched, Josiah started the dreaded process. He looked at the chickens. He didn’t much care if he ever saw one again. Unless it appeared on his Sunday plate. He led Jersey out of the stall and reached for the stool.
What was the James gang doing in his town? He should have been the one to learn of them, not Grady. And then there was the training of Wade. If the James gang shot the boy, there’d be no reason to train him. Josiah leaned his head against the cow’s side. He couldn’t afford to let his deputy make mistakes like cocking his gun before he even knew what he’d be shooting at.
“What’s on your mind, Josiah?”
Warning spasms jolted him around. Lost in thought, he hadn’t heard her approach. Had she opened the barn door? He must not have closed it, which was even worse. He was losing his touch. And any good lawman knew that was a dangerous thing.
Pretending her sudden appearance hadn’t shaken him up, Josiah asked, “What do you mean, Annie? And what are you doing out here? You’ll catch your death of cold.”
“I came to help with the chores so you wouldn’t have to be out here so long.” She pulled her cloak tighter around her. “You didn’t say a word all the way home.”
Josiah raised his head but continued to milk the cow. “Neither did you.”
“But I was reliving the excitement of the day, and I would have shared with you except that you seemed so withdrawn.” She placed a palm on his arm.
He stared at her fingers while some illusive thought tugged at his memory. She jerked her hand away and clasped it against her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be forward. And I don’t deliberately try to intrude. I just wanted to help if something is troubling you.”
He recovered her hand. “Oh, Annie. You could never be any of those things.” Suddenly the chores didn’t look so dreadful, and fresh eggs, butter and milk sure did make a man’s stomach feel good. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes and felt strongly compelled to convince her of her worth. “Annie, you make things look so much better, easier. When I feel things are impossible, you challenge me to rethink. I feel like I can accomplish anything if I work hard enough.”
She made a slight gesture with her right hand. “That’s exactly how I feel, Josiah. I make a mess of things, but you don’t treat me like I’m hopeless. You help me without making me think I’m an idiot.”
He lifted an eyebrow inquiringly.
“Like with the legs on the girls’ table. Or your patience teaching me to tend these animals,” she reminded him.
He couldn’t contain the grin that overtook his face. “Well, I need your help out here.”
“Exactly, and you trust me to help.” She shifted from foot to foot. “What I’m trying to say is that I love my life with you. We’re connected somehow.”
He finished milking the cow and moved the bucket off to the side. He stood and pulled her close for a hug. “I agree.”
Carried away by emotions they both seemed to feel, he watched as she straightened the lapels of his coat. He felt the shy yet eager affection coming from her. Anna Mae looked down as if focused on the material under her fingertips.
Josiah couldn’t have stopped his reaction to her if the barn had been on fire. He placed a hand on either side of her face and tilted her head. He touched her lips with his like a whisper. She closed her eyes, waiting, and he kissed her again, tender and light as a summer breeze.
She opened her eyes, then bumped awkwardly against him. He barely managed to keep them from falling. His kisses had never had that effect on Mary. Josiah searched Anna Mae’s startled face.
“Jersey pushed me!” Anna Mae accused, pointing at the cow. “Can you believe that? She knocked me against you.” Her eyes widened in understanding. “She’s jealous.”
Josiah laughed out loud. “Most likely she wants to be back in her warm stall. She figures you need to quit lollygagging and get to work.”
He dodged Anna Mae’s friendly slap against his arm and set about putting the cow back in her stall. Farmer Miller to the rescue. How long would he be able to keep this up?
Grady was right. Josiah did belong in town, but how would he tell Anna Mae? Could he tell her? So many unanswered questions plagued his mind as he added fresh hay to the stall. And any good sheriff knew that the sooner you solved a case the quicker your mind could rest. But if he continued to kiss his wife, his mind would continue to remain mush and the case would never get solved. He sighed, knowing he’d enjoyed the kiss more than he should have. Now what? Had their relationship just changed again? And if so, what did the future hold for them?