The Matchmaker's Match

{Chapter} 12

“I’m just teasing” he smiled.

Toni looked straight ahead, her brow creasing.

“Your face looks too stressed these days,” he told her.

“Nobody ever said that cattle drives relieved stress did they?” Toni took on that look of determination he had grown so fond of.

“No, they didn’t. There are ways of relieving stress, you know” Erik took on his pointed voice again.

Toni looked over at him. “How’s that?”

Erik smirked.

Toni smiled.

Erik inched closer to her, turned her so that the baby was between them, and pulled her into his arms, kissing her thoroughly. Toni responded, catching up on a week’s worth of kisses that she had lost. They pulled apart, but not too far.

“Did you know that you’re my favorite wife?” Erik asked as sweetly as he thought possible.

Toni smiled again. “Wouldn’t that imply that you’ve had more than one?”

Erik pretended to think. “Well, let me think on that.”

Toni leaned in and kissed him again. She pulled away just enough to lay her head on his shoulder, the baby still between them.

“I never thought I would miss our little family so much. I hope Sandy’s alright,” she said.

Erik sighed. “I’m sure she is. You know how responsible Aubrey is.”

They heard the familiar call to wake up.

“Bacon in the pan, coffee in the pot!”

Erik groaned and removed himself from his wife and baby, sliding off the wagon tongue.

“I love you,” Toni said.

Erik looked back at her. “I love you more.”

“We’ll see about that” Toni narrowed her eyes at him playfully.

Erik stole another quick kiss before walking back toward camp.

Thank you so much for my family, Lord. Heaven knows I don’t deserve them.

**********

Katie kept her eye on Brant at breakfast that morning. She admitted that he did act suspicious, but she didn’t see anything that could convict him of anything. It could be that Adam was just too jumpy after his brother’s death, yet it could be that his years as a lawman had paid off with good instincts.

Adam came into camp shortly after another guard was sent to relieve him. A few strands of his dirty blonde hair had come loose from its short ponytail, and fell in front of his face. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose and he squinted his eyes several times. He was obviously dog-tired.

Katie poured him a cup of coffee and carried it to where he stood a few feet away from the circle around the campfire.

“Here” she handed him the steaming cup of the hot brew.

Adam looked up, taking a moment for his eyes to focus. He smiled and accepted the cup.

“Thanks” he said.

“You don’t look so good,” Katie stated.

“I don’t feel so good” Adam answered her.

Katie sighed. “Adam, I don’t know much about the ways of a cowboy, but I sure know that Mark wouldn’t make you take the midnight watch for five nights in a row. What’s going on?”