Page 55 of Ask No Tomorrows


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Sam looked at her, his gaze lingering on her. “Riley, if they don’t leave peacable, we’ll have to make them leave.”

Riley’s eyes widened. “But you said you weren’t a gunmen.”

“I’m not. But I sure know how to use a gun.”

Riley gazed at him in shock. “No…when I get the deed and the money, then you will leave.”

Sam stood up. “What are you talkin’ about, girl? If you couldn’t handle Harry before, what makes you so sure you can now? Once he figures out how you duped him, he’ll want your hide.”

Riley stood up and walked to the edge of the camp. “It’s no longer your concern once the deed and money are handed over. I’ve got a plan, in my head. I’ll hire a new crew before I go out to the ranch, and they will stand behind me. And you and I will end when we come out of the bank.”

Sam followed her, his eyes wide and blazing with anger. “Like hell it’s over. I haven’t come this far to see you shot down on your own property. No sir…we’ll finish it. Then I’ll ride west.”

“Sam.” She looked straight at him, her tears about to fall. “You’ve made it clear to me. You don’t believe we could make it together, because you’re a black man, and I’m a white woman. Despite the fact that we got something powerful between us, you chose to ignore it. You kissed Mavis like you meant it, you kissed the whores like you meant it, and you kissed me like you meant it, but you didn’t. I understand that now. It’s just the way a man is. So you go on your way. You’ve chosen how you want it.”

“Riley, you’re not lookin’ at this right. You got everything all messed up. How can I make you understand? You are gonna be a woman of means, a big time rancher. I’m just a cowboy. It’s not just the black and white, it’s a lot of things…”

“My money, is that it? Money don’t mean nothin’ Sam when you are alone and scared out of your wits and need help. Neither does pride. My daddy told me a long time ago, it’s not just using a gun, or building an empire, it’s standing tall for what’s right that makes you a real man. It’s fighting for those needs that makes you a man. You don’t love me enough to fight for me, but I love you enough to let you go,” Riley cried out and turned away from him. “Go on west Sam, I don’t need you any longer.”

“Riley!” Sam hollered, disbelieving.

Nodog whined, standing between them.

“Go on, Sam…get out of here,” Riley cried, not bothering to look at him any longer.

“Miss Tilda told you I kissed her?”

“Yes…and Nannette, and Mavis…I don’t need a hammer hitting me in the head to tell me you are just one of those men who kiss women, make them all starry-eyed and up and leave with no intention of doing the honorable thing.”

“Honorable thing? I haven’t compromised you, Riley!” Sam shouted.

“No…you just misled me…that’s all,” she chided.

“Misled you? I’ve done everything to keep from misleading you.”

Sam turned away, and slowly walked to his horse that was hobbled. He mounted and stared down at her. “Come on, Nodog…”

But Nodog refused to budge either. “You too?” Sam frowned at his dog.

“Goodbye Riley, and good luck…take care of Nodog,” Sam said lowly as he rode out of the camp.

Riley couldn’t watch him ride away. But the tears fell one after another now and Nodog whined at her legs.

Choking on her tears, she looked down at Nodog. “I don’t know where I got the guts to tell him goodbye. Now if he don’t come back…maybe I can get over him in a few years. Maybe…”

***

Sam camped not far from her, angry that he couldn’t come to terms with his feelings for Riley he swore and bedded himself down without any supper.

The fact that Nodog chose Riley instead of him hurt too and added to his loneliness.

“How could Nodog do this to me?” he fumed as he dumped the last of his coffee and laid out his bedroll.

“How could she…”

He shook his head. “Fool woman, don’t she know by now how I feel about her? If she can’t tell how I feel by now, she’s blind as a bat.”

Wrestling with his feelings, Sam tried to settle in for the night. He was almost asleep when a big storm blew in.

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