“Thank you, but I won’t need you to accept the money for me, after all.My sister will arrange for my brother to send me the funds.”
Vanessa didn’t smile, but her pride wasn’t at stake, so she didn’t need to.
“Let me know if you change your mind,” she said.
*
Jayce
Jayce’s mother walkedinto his bedroom while he was packing his bag for the return trip.
She stood against the closed door and folded her arms, as if blocking his exit.“Why did Malika ask me to accept a money transfer for her?”
That was a good question.
Jayce spun possibilities around in his head, because he had no idea.“Did she say where the money was coming from?”he asked.
That was a good place to start.
“Her sister in Djitania.”His mom’s eyes were worried.“I don’t think her sister agreed to send her any money, though.When she hung up the phone, she thanked me and said she didn’t need my help, after all.She looked upset.”
His mom must have misunderstood.Nothing upset Malika.She was fearless.A little out of touch with reality too.
“I’ll see if I can find out what’s going on,” he said.
“Thank you.Now maybe you can explain why you’re in such a bad mood.”
“I’m not in a bad mood,” he said, surprised.“What makes you think that?”
“You’ve got something big on your mind.A mother can tell.”
Twenty-five million dollars was pretty big.If he said anything, she’d want to know why he was worried about it.Then she’d be more worried about shotgun weddings, and he didn’t want to go there, because he hadn’t asked Malika to marry him, yet.Then, he’d have to ask her brother.If Ali demanded his money back, he’d have Benny and Mavis to contend with, as well.
He had to tell his mother something, however.“Burning Scrub is planning a bank robbery for the new client.Adam wants to use nitroglycerin to open the safe.”Adam and nitroglycerin were a problem the whole state of Montana should be worried about.
“Tell him to be extra careful.Dave and his crew dropped in a few days ago on their way by.He’s very proud of the renovations they made to the bank, especially the new floor they installed.He showed me pictures.It’s gorgeous.They won’t be pleased if Adam damages it.”
Jayce picked up his backpack.“Are you really okay with Dad buying a bison herd?Can the ranch afford it?”
His mom waved her hand as if shooing a fly.“Your dad says there’s a big payday at the end of the summer, so there’s nothing to worry about.It will cover his bison and the new barn too.”
Just what he needed to hear—that his parents had the ranch’s cut of the Burning Scrub money already spent.He might end up having to rob a bank for real.
He waited in the kitchen for Malika while she changed her clothes.
She looked so cute when she walked in that his heart blinked a few times, then woke up.She wore her curls in a long, twisted braid.His mother had gifted her with a split skirt and low-heeled boots intended for riding from the costumes she kept on hand.She looked straight out of the nineteenth century and born to the life.
He wouldn’t mind being married to her.He was beginning to think he’d prefer it.
But first, he had to ask her.
*
He couldn’t decidewhen he should propose, other than that it had to happen before they reached Burning Scrub.
He couldn’t ask her too soon.He didn’t want to have to discuss wedding details all afternoon, and women enjoyed that sort of thing.His mother had talked about Belle’s wedding for days.
He couldn’t leave it too late, either.The closer they got to Burning Scrub, the harder it would be for her to contain her excitement.He’d have to impress upon her the importance of not telling anyone, especially Tilly, until he’d talked to her brother.
