Jess cooked up a big ham, and she used that for ham sandwiches for the picnic. There was enough left that she could make some lovely omelets for breakfast for all the men the next morning. She left a sandwich with some of her potato salad in the middle of the table as she packed up a basket with lunch. It was obviously a basket used for marketing, but she knew it would work for a picnic just as well.

She called out as she left, “Your lunch is on the table, Miss Hazel! I put a pile of mending out for you as well.”

“That’s fine, dear! We’ll do the mending together.”

Jess shook her head. As much as she loved Miss Hazel and knew the older woman loved to take care of her boy, she was shouldering all the work. Jess liked to work, so it didn’t bother her, but it did surprise her that Miss Hazel was shirking.

She walked toward the Mountie office and enjoyed the quiet of the street. There were few people out and about. It was a quiet little town, and just the opposite of what she was used to in Ottawa, but it was a welcome change.

Jess stood for a moment outside the door to the office, wondering if she should just walk in, but she decided it was a place of business. A knock would be conspicuous and out of place. She opened the door to find Theodore leaning over his work, his dark hair falling into his eyes. He needed a haircut.

She cleared her throat. “Constable Hughes?” She felt like she was being too formal when she referred to him that way, but he hadn’t yet asked her to call him Theodore…or Teddy. She always thought of him as Theodore, but Miss Hazel insisted upon calling him Teddy. She couldn’t help but wonder which he would prefer from a woman he had almost kissed at a dish basin.

Theodore looked up, his green eyes flashing. “Jessica. Thank you for coming to rescue me from my paperwork!”

“I’m happy to do it!” She watched as he took his hat off the wall and plopped it atop his head.

“Let’s go for a quick tour of town, and then we’ll have a picnic in the meadow behind the mercantile.”

“I’d like nothing more,” she said softly. Her voice sounded breathless to her, and she bit her lip. She couldn’t sound that way to him. It might make him realize just how much she cared, and of all things in the world she wanted, that was at the very bottom of the list—unless he told her he cared, and then she could blurt the words right out!

Theodore offered his arm, something he’d rarely done with a lady. Back in Ottawa he’d had a young lady he squired around for a while, but she was easily forgotten when he’d decided to be a Mountie. He was excited to show Jess the small town he’d grown to love. “No one is quite sure how Squirrel Ridge Junction got its name, but you must admit, it is unusual.”

Jess nodded, a smile playing at her lips. She took the proffered arm, walking with him. “It is unusual, but I tend to like unusual things.”

“Is that so?”

She nodded. “I’ve always insisted on working for a living, though I didn’t need to. I liked to contribute to my parents’ household.”

“You were a bank teller? Isn’t that what you said?”

“Yes, I was. I never much liked it except for paydays. When I could take money to my father to make his life easier, it always brought a smile to my face.”

He smiled at that. “I didn’t know women enjoyed that sort of thing. I thought they didn’t feel the need to be independent.”

“I’m not most women.” Jess let him show her the mercantile and the small church. “How many people live in the area? Do you have mostly farmers?”

He nodded. “The town built up when the railroad came through, and there were a few farmers who stayed. It’s barely enough people to support the mercantile, but the men here are good people. All hard workers.”

“Is there a saloon?” She hadn’t seen one, which surprised her a bit. In her mind, men who lived in the West were drinkers.

“Not here in town. There’s one the next town over, which is about an hour’s ride from here. Why? Do you need some whisky?”

She laughed. “Not particularly. I just had in my head that men out West were big drinkers. I don’t know where the idea came from.”

“I don’t either.” He led her out behind the main street and took the blanket she was holding over her free arm, spreading it on the ground. He sank onto the quilt, feeling a bit strange. He hadn’t been on a picnic in ages. Weren’t picnics for small children?

Jess pulled their plates and the ham sandwiches from the basket. She added a small amount of the potato salad she’d covered with cheese cloth to each plate, and poured them each a glass of lemonade from a jar she’d found. “I made enough ham for breakfast tomorrow as well.”

He smiled. “You’re going to spoil us, and we’re all going to be very sad when you’re gone. Usually we just eat each other’s cooking. We all hate to cook, so the meals are…well, they’re not always palatable.” He took a big bite of his sandwich and groaned softly. “You made fresh bread?”

She shrugged. “I had a little time this morning.” She didn’t tell him she’d also scrubbed down his walls and floors, and she planned to do all the laundry she could find the next day. She hated the idea that he had to do everything for himself.

“It’s wonderful. Did you make just one loaf?”

Jess shook her head. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were starving to death!”

“Not at all. But…I do get hungry for things I miss. Not one of us knows how to make bread, so we usually buy it from the mercantile, but it’s a couple of days old before they even get it there. Fresh bread is a welcome taste.”

“I’ll be sure to make it again while I’m here.” She took a bite of her own sandwich, watching him, but trying to do it without him noticing. “How often do you do paperwork?”

“Not too often. Usually Joel volunteers to do it, because he’s the commander of our small group, and it’s easier if he just does it. If one of us does it, then he has to spend a few minutes reading over it anyway.”

“Do you prefer paperwork or dealing with people?”

“Oh, I much prefer to do rounds. We have a wide territory, and with five of us, we can just barely make it everywhere in a week.” He took a bite of her potato salad, his eyes closing with pleasure. “Where did you learn to cook?”

She shrugged. “My mother taught me. I’ve always enjoyed playing with recipes, and I improved some of my mom’s.”

“I have never tasted better cooking. I didn’t think there was a woman alive who could cook better than Mom. You can!”

“Thank you. She spent a couple of weeks teaching me to make your favorite things before we came West, but I just kept making everything the way I always have. I hope that’s all right.”

He frowned at the reminder that she’d been brought to him as his bride. “I think your cooking is wonderful. You don’t need to change anything you do. Not for me.”

She continued eating, not certain how to respond to that. “Did you always want to be a Mountie?” she finally asked.

“Not until my father died. Do you remember what happened to him?”

She shook her head. “No, I remember when it happened but not what happened. I was really young.”

“Well, he’d gone on a business trip to the West, not far from where we are, actually. While he was out, he was murdered. His killer was never caught, because there were too few Mounties back then. I decided I would become a Mountie so no one else would ever have to wonder who killed their father.”

She reached out and took his hand before she realized what she was doing. “I’m so sorry, Constable Hughes.”

“Why are you so formal with me? You know my name.”

She shrugged. “You’ve never asked me to use your name. Your mother always calls you Teddy, and everyone else calls you Theodore. I didn’t know which name you preferred.”

“I’ve always preferred everyone call me Theodore, except my mother. I like her special nickname for me. Perhaps you would use my nickname as well? And call me Teddy?”

Her eyes met his, and she felt like they were having another moment. A special one like they’d had while she washed dishes that morning. She looked away shyly. “I’d like that.”

“I would too.” He looked down at her hand, which was still holding his, and he squeezed hers. “May I call you Jessica? I know you prefer Jess, but…”

“That would be nice. Jess seems so boyish to me, but it has always been my name.”

He reached out and tilted her chin up, so she was looking into his eyes. “Maybe while you’re here, we could…get to know each other better. I think you’re very special, Jessica.”

“Because I can cook?” she asked. She knew it was rude of her to come right out and ask that way, but she’d learned at a young age that if she wanted to know the truth about something, the only way to get it was to ask.

He smiled at that. “Well, that is a bonus, but no. I like you. You didn’t yell at me when I was so rude to you at the station. You still made me a delicious supper. You cooked for my friends this morning and acted like you didn’t mind. You’re a worker, and I value that in a woman. You have to be willing to do your share and then some to survive in the West. And…well, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met. I don’t want to throw away the chance I have to get to know you better just to thwart my mother’s plans.”

“Would you do that?”

“Try to thwart my mother’s plans? Yes, I definitely would. She always acts like she knows what’s best for me…and even if she does, I don’t want her to think she’s right. Does that make any sense at all?”

Jess nodded, a smile on her face. “It’s like my older brother, who thinks he knows everything about everything. I hate it when he’s right, and I’ll often do something to make it so he can’t possibly be right, just so he’ll be wrong for a change.”

“You’re as stubborn as I am, aren’t you?”

“Definitely. I was determined not to even speak to you for the whole week after the incident at the train station, but I realized your mother was to blame for that, not you.” She shrugged. “Why punish myself by staying angry, when I can easily forgive and have a good week visiting a region I never dreamed I’d be able to travel to?”

“So we’re agreed?” he asked.

“Agreed?”

“May I court you until you get on the train to go back to Ottawa, Jessica? I want to get to know you better and see if we might suit. Despite the fact that it would make my mother very happy if we were to marry.”

Jessica laughed. “Yes, I’d like that very much. You see, I like your mother, and I wouldn’t mind if she was happy.”

He grunted. “Well, I like her too, and I want her to be happy…but…I don’t want her to be right.”

“I completely understand, which is a bit frightening for me to admit.”

“I like you even more for agreeing with me, Jessica.”

Jess smiled at him, surprised they were in complete agreement. She reached into the basket and pulled out something else she’d made. “You had blackberry bushes in back of the house. So I made muffins.”

He took the muffin from her hand, surprised that it was still a bit warm. When he bit into it, it seemed to melt in his mouth. “You can use every berry out there if you’ll keep making muffins like this!”

“I thought I’d make some jam before I leave as well.”

“I will be eternally grateful for anything you can make that will stay good for when you’re gone. Even the mercantile’s bread would be good with jam on it.”

“Then I’ll make sure I do that. I’ll make more muffins too though. I can make you a lunch for work tomorrow.”

“Or I can come to the cabin to eat lunch tomorrow. Would that be all right?”

She nodded. “Yes, that would be fine. We should have a little spat while you’re there for lunch to make your mother think her plan will never come to fruition.”

“Would you?” Theodore asked, his eyes wide. “I would love that!”

“I was joking. What would we fight about?”

“I don’t know. I could tell you that I don’t like you wasting my berries in jam when I like muffins better.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Would she believe it?”

“Who knows? Might be fun to find out.”

“You truly do have a bit of an evil streak. Your mother told me you did, but I never believed her.” Jess wasn’t sure why, but she admired him all the more. What was it about this man that she’d been in love with him for more than half her life?

“I do. I’m not even ashamed of it. I’m usually on the side of good.” He flashed her a smile that had his dimples shown to their best advantage. She’d always loved his dimples.

“As long as you’re on my side, I think we’ll do just fine.”

He took her hand in his, his thumb stroking her palm. “I have a feeling that from today forward, I won’t even contemplate the opposite side.”

“What if we’re playing baseball and I’m on the other team?”

He frowned. “Do you play baseball?”

Jess nodded. “I grew up with two brothers. I was always the catcher.”

“Are you any good?”

“Better than most girls. It’s the long legs, you see.”

“You are inordinately tall.”

“Does my height bother you?” she asked.

“I’m six inches taller than you. Why would your height bother me? It will be nice to dance with you and not have to hurt my back as I hunch over.” Theodore grinned at her.

“When will we dance? Is there a place to dance around here?” Jess hadn’t seen anything that could possibly work for dancing, but she loved to dance, and being held in his arms for the length of a song would make her happier than she could express.

“Yup. My place. Kendall plays the guitar and sings. He’s actually really good.”

“I would love to hear him play.”

“Just don’t start thinking that you can fall in love with a guitar player. You came out here to marry me if you’ll remember.” He couldn’t believe he was feeling a bit of jealousy over her interest in Kendall’s guitar playing. It was silly.

“I came out here to marry a Mountie, and you promptly told me you didn’t want me. Remember?”

“I think I’ve changed my mind.” His words were soft, but she heard them. Did that mean he wanted to marry her? Or just court her?

“How much time do you have left in your lunch hour?” Jess asked, realizing they’d been sitting there talking for a long time.

He checked his watch and jumped to his feet. “I was supposed to be back ten minutes ago. No one will know, but I’m never late for anything! I’ll have to work ten minutes late to make up for it.” He reached a hand down to help her to her feet. “I’ll see you at supper time.”

“Will all the men be there?” she called after him as he all but ran back to the office. It was a good thing she could see the cabin from where she was. He wasn’t going to escort her home from the looks of it.

“All five of us Mounties!” he hollered back as he disappeared around the corner.

Jess shook her head as she picked up the remains of their picnic and folded the blanket. Their first outing had been one she’d never forget. He was interested in her, and wanted to get to know her better. She would be walking on air for the rest of the day.

Theodore Hughes had realized she was more than just a pest. She couldn’t think of anything that would make her happier.

She carried the picnic basket into the cabin along with the quilt, before going out the back door with a metal pail. She picked a bunch more berries. If he liked muffins that much, she’d make some to go with the omelets she had planned for breakfast the next day. She had an odd feeling that no one would mind at all. The men all seemed thrilled to have someone cooking for them.

Miss Hazel looked up from her book as Jess came back into the cabin. “Did you have a nice picnic? Oh, you don’t have to answer that. I can see from your blush that you did. I’m glad.”

Jess smiled. “I’m going to start supper and continue my cleaning. Do you want to help?”

“Why would I help? You’ve got it handled.” Miss Hazel waved her hand in the air, indicating Jess should do whatever she planned to do.

Jess shook her head. It was a good thing she loved Miss Hazel, or she might get annoyed with her.