Page 98 of Love’s Silver Bullet

A harsh chuckle erupted from Finn’s mouth as he kneaded the deep crimp above his nose. “Consider you?” He shook his head as he offered Jake a lax smile laced with affection. “If I had my pick of any man in the state, son, you’d be at the top of the list. What I didn’t consider, however, is you ever being interested. Truth be told, you’re like a son to me, Jake, and a brother to my nieces and nephews, so I just assumed you were happy being a part of our family, part of the Silver Lining Ranch.”

“And I have been, sir,” Jake said in a rush, leaning forward to grip taut fingers on the edge of Finn’s desk, “from the moment you took me in. Happier than I ever dreamed possible.” He inhaled sharply as he sat back again, expelling it in one, long, depleted sigh as his gaze bore into the front of Finn’s desk, seeing only the past he’d sought to leave behind. “And certainly happier than I deserved.”

“Jake.”

He looked up, cursing the burn of moisture at the back of his lids.

“You’re one of the finest men I know, son, and a better influence on my two nephews than I could have ever hoped to be, although God knows I tried.”

“No, sir—your nephews revere you.”

He smiled. “Yes, I know they love and respect me, but my faith has always put them off, Jake, and you know it. At least till Maggie brought Blaze around. But you?” Jake looked down at his hat, unable to bear the quiet look of respect in Finn’s eyes because God knows he didn’t deserve it. “You earned their respect from the moment you arrived, with a quiet faith that quickly earned mine as well, and I want you to know, son—you will be sorely missed.”

Jake’s head shot up, his parted lips emitting uneven breaths. “Sir, are you saying—”

“That the job is yours if you want it, Jake, providing you answer one question first.”

“Yes, sir?” Jake stared, his breathing growing more ragged by the moment.

Finn paused, his wise eyes searching Jake’s face with true affection. “Have you prayed about it?”

Jake blinked, not exactly sure how to answer that. Had he prayed about staying away from temptation with Sheridan? Most definitely. Had he prayed for an answer to side-track any notion of marriage with her? Unequivocally. But had he prayed about applying for the sheriff position and leaving Silver Lining Ranch? He gulped. Not exactly.

He scuffed the back of his head. “Well, I’ve certainly prayed about these unsettled feelings I’ve been having, sir, like I expressed to you earlier, so when Cyrus”—his Adam’s apple hitched in his throat over the fact that Cyrus was actually gone—“well, I mean … when his job opened up … I just saw it as an answer to my prayers.”

His gaze lifted to lock onto Finn’s, the gratitude in his heart bringing an unwanted sheen to his eyes. “Because it’s no secret that losing a marshal in a town like Virginia City is a difficult situation for you at best, sir, and a dangerous one at worst. So I see this as the opportunity I’ve prayed about for years, to somehow thank you for all that you’ve done for me in my life.”

The sudden glaze in Finn’s eyes left Jake undone, and steeling his jaw, he battled his emotion with a firm heft of his chin. “So, let me do this Mayor McShane, please—for you and for me—because you saved my life, sir, in more ways than one, and I’d like a chance to pay you back.”

“You’ve paid me back a thousand times over, Jake, with your unbridled love and respect, so this is hardly necessary. But I am in dire need of a marshal, and you are just what I want, so how about we give it a trial run for six months or so?”

Jake bounded up from the chair to extend his hand, heart pounding in his chest. “I can’t thank you enough, Finn, because you’re saving my life once again.”

“Somehow I doubt that, son, but we’ll just consider this an equal trade, all right? I need a marshal, and you need a break from the ranch, so I consider this a gift from heaven.”

Jake expelled a silent sigh. You have no idea, sir.

Finn reached across his desk to rifle through a stack of papers, finally pulling several sheets from the stack. He slid them across the desk to Jake. “I’ve already sent word to several U.S. Marshal and sheriff friends of mine regarding my need for a marshal since Deputy Wilcox didn’t want the job, but that’s easily fixed with a letter. So, here’s the application I need you to fill out, Jake, along with the job description and salary.” He gave a nod toward the papers Jake picked up. “You’ll be as surprised as I was at just how much Cyrus did for this town. Not only did he keep the peace, but he hired deputies, formed posses, conducted hangings when warranted, and last but not least,” he said with a faint smile, “served as county tax collector, not to mention working closely with me on many city matters.”

Excitement rushed through Jake’s veins like adrenaline as he studied the papers. “It sounds like just the change of pace I’ve been looking for, sir, so thank you.”

“No, thank you, son.” Finn pulled a calendar out of his desk drawer to study. “Let’s give you a week or so to settle things up with Blaze at the ranch, then plan on starting two weeks from today, all right? You can bring those papers with you all filled out if you will.”

“Yes, sir.”

“That’ll give us time to have Cyrus’s house spruced up a bit before you move in, but you can plan on doing that on Saturday.”

Jake blinked. “Sir?”

Finn grinned. “One of the few perks in your job, Jake, and believe me, you’ll more than earn it.” He scratched the back of his neck with a fond smile. “That cottage off F Street on the edge of town wasn’t much to look at before Cyrus and Abigail moved in over fifteen years ago. But now it’s a right pretty little cottage thanks to all the work they did, although I suppose it could use a fresh coat of paint on both the house and fence.”

He shot Jake a wink. “But it does have a double bed in a private bedroom, which is a sight better than sleeping in a bunkhouse cot with twenty smelly hands, I’ll wager. You won’t have to put up with the other boys’ snoring anymore, but you will have to make your own meals. Although,” he said with a hint of a twinkle in his eyes, “I’m sure the single ladies in this town will be more than happy to provide an endless stream of casseroles and what not, so I’m not too worried about you.”

Jake stared, suddenly worried enough for the both of them.

“Unless, of course,” Finn continued, you want to trek out to the ranch for an occasional dinner because you’re always welcome, Jake, so I hope you know that. Because you’re family, son, blood-related or not, which means you’re expected for family dinner every Sunday as usual and holidays, too, understood?”

Jake offered a grateful smile. “Thank you, sir.”