Page 2 of Love’s Silver Bullet

His heart cramped when a pool of tears wobbled on the brim of her tiny lashes, and frantic to stop their flow, he lunged for a pink daisy wildflower from the bouquet she’d dropped at his feet. “Look, Half-Pint, I can make you a new one that’s even prettier,” he said, scooping up the daisy with the strongest stem. “See?”

She watched as he wound it round and round until he could tie it off at the end, finally producing a perfect little ring with a pink daisy on top. Heart pounding, he held it against her ruffled pink dress and pinafore. “And it even matches your dress.”

“B-But it’ll j-just die l-like the other one.”

Jake froze at the fresh tears brimming in her eyes. “Sure, sweetheart,” he said in a rush, desperate to bring a smile back to her face, “but that’s okay because I can make you a real one out of silver from your uncle’s silver mine. Would you like that?”

Her lips trembled into a beautiful smile that made him feel like he’d just beat the pants off Blaze in a shootin’ contest. “Oh, Jakie, yes!” She held out a tiny hand, and he carefully pushed the daisy ring on, amazed at how perfectly it fit.

“It’s beee-uuu-tiful!” she said in a near squeal, tiny arms hugging him the best that she could.

“Okay, wedding’s over, Sullivan, so buck up.” Blaze tucked the Bible under his arm as he moved toward the door, his and Dash’s hilarity apparently appeased for the moment. “Those fish won’t catch themselves.”

“Yeah, Jakie,” Dash said, tossing a grin over his shoulder as he followed his brother, “after all, you still have to change so you can catch some fish for your bride.”

“Can I go, Jake, please, please?” Sheridan bounced up and down, the makeshift veil flopping in the air along with his heart.

“Uh-oh,” Blaze said to Dash, grimacing as he backed out of the stall. “Definitely our cue to make tracks.” He blew a kiss to his sister. “Sher, you make a beautiful bride, darlin’, although I can’t say too much for the groom”—he winked at Jake—“’cause I think you could have done better.”

“Jakie, please?” Sheridan kept hopping, hands in prayer mode while that adorable jut of her lower lip reeled him in faster than a blue gill on a cricket dipped in bacon grease.

Jake pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking this shouldn’t be that difficult for a twelve-year-old pretend groom. But blue blazes, it was hard to say no to this little gal!

Expelling a heavy sigh, he gently gripped her arms, reverting to big-brother mode. “Now, Half-Pint, you know the rules, sweetheart. Your brothers and I play wedding with you, and you let us go fishing without a fuss, right?”

She gave a jerky little nod while two fat tears made an encore. “But it c-could be our h-honeymoon …” she said with a little heave that all but broke his heart.

Honeymoon? Jake blinked. She was barely four years old, for crying out loud. Where the devil did she get these things anyway, in a house of bachelors, no less?

Shaking the absurdity of her statement off, Jake homed in on those soggy blue eyes once more. “Silver Lake is no place for a little girl, Sher, and you know it. Weeds and snakes and chiggers and heaven knows what else.” He gave the lace on her frilly puff sleeve a gentle tug. “Besides, you’ve got your best dress on.”

“I can change …” she whispered.

“Sully, you coming or not?!” Blaze’s impatience echoed from the entrance of the barn, ringing in Jake’s ears. “So, help me—we’ll start the blasted tournament without you …”

“Coming!” he shouted with a lift of his head before carefully brushing Sheridan’s long silky curls over her shoulder. “Look, Sher, how ’bout I ask Angus to makes us wedding cake for dessert after dinner, and I’ll even help you cut it. Would you like that?”

She sniffed and nodded. “And will you sit by me too?” She sounded so frail and sad that Jake all but melted into the hay.

“You bet, and I’ll even eat any vegetable on your plate you don’t want”—he leaned close to whisper, as if it were their secret—“without your uncle being any wiser, okay?”

“Okay,” she said in voice as small as she, allowing him to brush away her tears with his thumb. A tiny smile peeked through her pout like the sun through a thunderhead, brightening his day. “Cross your heart and hope to die?” she whispered with a blink of blue eyes that captured his heart all over again.

“Jaaaaaake!!” Blaze’s screech could have splintered the walls.

He slapped a hand to his heart, face solemn as he repeated their own personal oath he’d taught her one day. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” Giving her a squeeze, he stood to his feet. “Gotta go, sweet stuff, but I’ll see you at dinner, all right?”

“Okay,” she said softly, the sadness in her eyes twisting his heart. “But I wish I could marry you for real someday.”

He winced, praying for the day she’d finally grow up and fall in love, setting him free to be the big brother he longed to be. “I do, too, darlin’,” he said softly, squatting once more to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “But you have to remember, Sher, I’m like a big brother, so this is only make-believe. Which means no amount of wishing can ever make it true, okay?”

He waited for the shaky nod that never came, finally pulling her into a hug. Propping his chin on top of her silky head, he wandered into a dead stare. Because he had no doubt whatsoever that when it came to him and wishes of marriage …

He was plumb out of luck.

CHAPTER ONE

Virginia City, Nevada, June 1886