Give My All to Jessie (Third in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Mama, I'm fine!" Langley insisted. "I've been home for two months and you're still fretting over me."

"I'm not fretting," Rose denied indignantly. "I'm....parenting."

Langley raised a brow as she sat a fresh cup of coffee on the table in front of him. "Mama, I'm a grown man. I can make my own coffee. What's going on with you? You've been walking around on eggshells around me since I got back."

"It's just..." Rose sat down across from him and tugged at her shirt sleeve. "I don't like seeing you so sad."

"Who says I'm sad?"

Rose snorted. "Langley I've known you for nearly eighteen years! For the first half of your life it was only you and I. I can tell when you're sad and I know good and well it's because of her."

Langley's defenses rose and that scab on his heart tore a bit. "Who?"

"That Jessie woman."

Marston chose that moment to step into the kitchen with Lucy on his hip and Langley glared at him accusingly. Marston was the only person that would have told Rose about Jessie. Jeremiah and Rose didn't speak much, Delilah wouldn't have betrayed his trust but Marston? His pa was a spineless coward when it came to keeping things from Rose.

"You told her!" Langley accused.

Marston's golden eyes widened a bit as he sat Lucy down on her feet. "I tell your mama everything, kid, and you know that. Besides, you never said it was a secret," he added defensively.

"How long have you known?" Langley asked his mama.

Rose picked at the tablecloth. "He told me the day you told him. I didn't say anything because I figured you simply needed time to heal. I only mentioned it today because I'm desperate to help you."

"No one can help me, alright?" Langley snapped as he shoved himself to his feet. "The woman pretended to love me, she pretended to care. She did all that so I'd do what she wanted and then once she got her way she let go of me in a real quick hurry."

His heart was bleeding all over again as he headed for the door. "Wait!" Rose called out. "Langley, I didn't mean to make you mad. No one wants to hurt you, son. We love you."

Langley shrugged but he didn't turn back to them. "I'm not sad, mama. It's just wounded pride because I was made a fool of. And I'm not mad. I know that you and pa share everything and that's how it should be. You all are lucky to have one another. Now I'm gonna head into town and get some work done in the shop for a couple of hours."

"Dress warm, kid," Marston warned. "It's cold out there."

Langley nodded and left the kitchen.

"Me and my big mouth," Rose whispered sadly. "I just hate seeing my son so sad."

"Why is Langley sad?" Lucy asked.

Marston crouched in front of her. "Because sometimes people hurt us and when it's people we trust and love then it hurts us real bad."

"But you'd never hurt me," Lucy countered, laying he hand on his cheek.

Marston smiled and kissed her forehead. "That's right. And anybody that does hurt you will have to deal with me."

He made a fist roughly the same size as his daughter's head and she giggled. "Papa, you're silly. Why would anybody be scared of you?"