Read Online Charlene Sands by Winning Jennas Heart - Free Book Online
Authors: Winning Jennas Heart
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come through. And the realization hit him hard, the implications far too confusing for him to sort through at this time.
“Thanks, Mr. Callahan.” The young beaten man came up to him, holding his jaw, but not looking too worse for wear. He’d be all right in a few days.
Cash couldn’t see past the images fogging his mind, but he knew he had to. This situation wasn’t resolved yet. He held three men at gunpoint, one of whom was bleeding.
“I didn’t like the odds,” he said to the young victim. And suddenly he knew why that was so important to him. Suddenly, he knew that playing the odds had been his life.
“What happened here?” He pointed the gun at the three men looking for answers. It dawned on him how easily he held the gun, how right it felt in his hand.
“Willy cheated us at cards last night. We came to get our money.”
“Did not,” Willy denied. “I won that money fair and square. You folks were drinking too much to know a king-high straight from a pair of deuces.”
The four men began arguing, raising voices, making accusations.
“Hold it!” he shouted above their ranting. “We’re gonna let the sheriff decide.” With the tip of the gun, he nudged them out of the alley.
“Ahh, do we have to?” One of the assailants whined.
“Sure do. I don’t trust you all to settle this on your own, and we got a man here bleeding. He needs to see a doctor.”
Two hours later, after giving a statement to the sheriff, Cash waited by the wagon for Jenna, still reeling from his revelation. His insides churned, the bitter reminder of who he was couldn’t be ignored. Though Cash found it hard facing the truth about himself, about the life he had led, he knew he had no choice but to open his mind and allow all those memories to flow in. And they did flow, hundreds of images coming to mind, and each onereminding him that he wasn’t the man Jenna wanted. He wasn’t Blue Montgomery, farmer. He wasn’t the man who Jenna had admired, who’d struggled hard on a family farm, until soft words and hope-filled pages in those letters, had him venturing to a new life with a sweet, loving woman.
No, he was Cash Callahan, notorious gambler. Each day of his young life had been about one sole thing, survival. He’d been cast out so many times he’d lost count. He’d been alone, a youngster on his own and had to make do with the devices the Lord had given him. He’d developed a knack for gambling. Some said it was a gift. He’d struggled hard to survive in an often cruel, calculating world, starting early in life, fighting to gain a reputation until he’d finally come into his own. Up until this point, he hadn’t had harsh thoughts about the life he’d been forced to choose. He’d done what he’d had to do to sustain his life. But now, it was different. Now, he had a wife, who wasn’t really his wife. And he had to tell her who he was.
In one bleak moment, Cash would shatter all of Jenna’s dreams. Her heart would break in two. The news would crush her, no doubt. And if his being a gambler didn’t destroy her, then learning the hard truth about what happened to the real Blue Montgomery certainly would.
Cash had been responsible for his death.
Jenna approached the wagon, a rosy glow shining on her face. Hell, Cash had put that look onher face. Just hours ago, he’d had the same contented look. But now, Jenna would know no happiness. He’d wipe away that glow and bring her nothing but pain and heartache.
“Blue, you look pale.” Her expression faltered, her dimples disappearing, replaced by sincere concern.
He helped her up into the wagon and took a seat next to her. He wanted out of Goose Creek, real quick.
“Is something the matter?” she asked, when he didn’t respond.
All he could do was shake his head.
Hell, every damn thing was the matter. He had to find a way to break the news to her. He had to explain who he was. But he decided telling her here and now would be too hard for Jenna. The
“Thanks, Mr. Callahan.” The young beaten man came up to him, holding his jaw, but not looking too worse for wear. He’d be all right in a few days.
Cash couldn’t see past the images fogging his mind, but he knew he had to. This situation wasn’t resolved yet. He held three men at gunpoint, one of whom was bleeding.
“I didn’t like the odds,” he said to the young victim. And suddenly he knew why that was so important to him. Suddenly, he knew that playing the odds had been his life.
“What happened here?” He pointed the gun at the three men looking for answers. It dawned on him how easily he held the gun, how right it felt in his hand.
“Willy cheated us at cards last night. We came to get our money.”
“Did not,” Willy denied. “I won that money fair and square. You folks were drinking too much to know a king-high straight from a pair of deuces.”
The four men began arguing, raising voices, making accusations.
“Hold it!” he shouted above their ranting. “We’re gonna let the sheriff decide.” With the tip of the gun, he nudged them out of the alley.
“Ahh, do we have to?” One of the assailants whined.
“Sure do. I don’t trust you all to settle this on your own, and we got a man here bleeding. He needs to see a doctor.”
Two hours later, after giving a statement to the sheriff, Cash waited by the wagon for Jenna, still reeling from his revelation. His insides churned, the bitter reminder of who he was couldn’t be ignored. Though Cash found it hard facing the truth about himself, about the life he had led, he knew he had no choice but to open his mind and allow all those memories to flow in. And they did flow, hundreds of images coming to mind, and each onereminding him that he wasn’t the man Jenna wanted. He wasn’t Blue Montgomery, farmer. He wasn’t the man who Jenna had admired, who’d struggled hard on a family farm, until soft words and hope-filled pages in those letters, had him venturing to a new life with a sweet, loving woman.
No, he was Cash Callahan, notorious gambler. Each day of his young life had been about one sole thing, survival. He’d been cast out so many times he’d lost count. He’d been alone, a youngster on his own and had to make do with the devices the Lord had given him. He’d developed a knack for gambling. Some said it was a gift. He’d struggled hard to survive in an often cruel, calculating world, starting early in life, fighting to gain a reputation until he’d finally come into his own. Up until this point, he hadn’t had harsh thoughts about the life he’d been forced to choose. He’d done what he’d had to do to sustain his life. But now, it was different. Now, he had a wife, who wasn’t really his wife. And he had to tell her who he was.
In one bleak moment, Cash would shatter all of Jenna’s dreams. Her heart would break in two. The news would crush her, no doubt. And if his being a gambler didn’t destroy her, then learning the hard truth about what happened to the real Blue Montgomery certainly would.
Cash had been responsible for his death.
Jenna approached the wagon, a rosy glow shining on her face. Hell, Cash had put that look onher face. Just hours ago, he’d had the same contented look. But now, Jenna would know no happiness. He’d wipe away that glow and bring her nothing but pain and heartache.
“Blue, you look pale.” Her expression faltered, her dimples disappearing, replaced by sincere concern.
He helped her up into the wagon and took a seat next to her. He wanted out of Goose Creek, real quick.
“Is something the matter?” she asked, when he didn’t respond.
All he could do was shake his head.
Hell, every damn thing was the matter. He had to find a way to break the news to her. He had to explain who he was. But he decided telling her here and now would be too hard for Jenna. The
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