Summary: Candy meets a beautiful young woman during a supply run in Virginia City and falls in love. This is the fifth story in my Forever Reimagined series and written from Candy’s point of view.

Rating: PG

Word Count: 9,479

Forever Reimagined series: 

Book 1: Vengeance is Mine
Book 2: No More Promises
Book 3: The Second Honeymoon
Book 4: Remember Me
Book 5: Once In A Lifetime
Book 6: The Most Precious Gift of All 
Book 7: To Love, Honor, and Cherish

Book 8: Trapped (By MelissaR1992)

Chapter One 

It was nearly noon as I helped Joe load supplies onto a wagon. I had grown used to the Nevada heat, but that particular day was almost unbearable. It didn’t help that Joe kept yacking on and on about his kid. 

“And of course Alice starts to panic as any mother would, but I kept her calm like the sensitive and tender-hearted husband that I am.” 

The only thing worse is Joe talking about himself. 

“So we looked all over for her until finally, we pulled open the bottom cupboard, and there she was with a big pot over her head. She had crawled her way inside. You should have seen her, it was the cutest thing I ever saw.” 

Joe gave that high-pitched boyish giggle of his. Some may find it endearing, but I find it annoying. I couldn’t stand it any longer. 

“Joe?” 

“Yeah?” 

I leaned back against the wagon with my head tilted towards him. “Have I given any indication at all that I care about this story?”

Joe shrugged his shoulders. I could tell I had offended him. 

“Well, I mean, she is your goddaughter. I thought you would want to hear it, that’s all.” 

“Well, I don’t. Can we just finish this order and get out of here, please?” I snapped. 

“Fine, sheesh. What’s got you so sore anyway?” 

I’ll admit I was a little harsh with him. I didn’t mean to be. We all have bad days, but it was no excuse. 

“I’m sorry, Joe. I guess this heat’s getting to me, I don’t know. How much more we got?” 

Joe looked over the list. “We just have one more order for Pa. That timber order and then we should be all set.” 

“Good. Do you think we have time for a beer? Or three?” 

“I suppose we could spare a few minutes.” Joe tucked the list inside his jacket before he told me, “Alice is fixing supper at our place tonight. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.” 

“No, thanks. I’m sure your pa’s got plenty more work for me when I get back.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah. Maybe some other time.” 

“All right. Well, let’s finish getting these loaded and then check on that timber for Pa.” 

“Right.” 

I guess I was a little hard on Joe. The truth is he really is a good guy. He’s saved my hide more times than I care to admit. He’s also one of the best friends I’ve ever had. The last few years have been rough for him since losing his brother. I still remember the day we found out. It didn’t seem real. Hoss was one of the toughest guys I knew with a heart of gold. Always willing to help a fella in need. It didn’t matter who he was or where he came from. It’s funny the things you think about when someone you cared about dies. I remember wishing I could have thanked Hoss for everything he did for me. But knowing who he was, he probably would have told me no thanks was needed. That was just the kind of man he was. 

Joe took his death pretty hard. It was understandable given how close they were. It was the first time I had ever seen Joe completely shut down. It hurt to see him like that. I knew Ben was worried, that’s why I always tagged along when Joe went into town. He didn’t even need to ask me. I’d come up with the dumbest excuses, but when I’d see the look on Ben’s face, I knew he appreciated it. 

Then Joe met Alice and he was back to his old self again. I was happy for him. Alice is a great girl. He deserves to be happy with someone. Then there was me; still single. Not that I’m looking. I gave that up a long time ago. Then I saw her step out of the stagecoach. 

Time seemed to stop in front of me as I saw a beautiful young woman in a lavender dress; her long brown hair spilled out over her shoulders. I watched the driver hand over her bag when I heard Joe’s voice. 

“We better get moving if you want that beer.” 

“Uh huh,” I muttered as I continued to stare at this woman. 

“Candy?” 

I snapped out of it. “Huh?” 

“I said we better get moving if you want to stop and have that beer before we head back.” 

“Oh. Right, yeah.” 

I helped Joe load the rest of the supplies when I heard the gentle voice of a woman. 

“Pardon me.” 

I turned around and there she was. She was even more beautiful up close. 

“I’m terribly sorry to bother you, but could you tell me where I could find the Virginia City hotel?” 

Her voice was such a heavenly sound, almost like bells ringing if that’s even possible. Words escaped me at that moment. I found myself staring at her. Her eyes were a striking blue. The most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. I heard Joe answer her. 

“It’s right up there at the end of the street, ma’am. You can’t miss it.” 

“Thank you.” 

She smiled at me and walked off. I fixed my gaze on her as she moved out of the street and onto the boardwalk. I felt a tap on my shoulder, but I ignored it. 

I heard Joe say, “She’s a nice looking woman, isn’t she?” 

Oh no. Not this time, buddy. I told Joe to back off. Joe busted up laughing which angered me even further. 

“Well, by all means go right ahead. I already got a girl, remember? In fact I have two. A big one and a little one,” Joe chortled. 

I’m so distracted by this girl I had completely forgotten Joe was married now. Our rivalry days were long over. I actually had a shot with her. Not that I didn’t before. 

I closed my eyes tight in embarrassment. “Oh, right. Sorry. Habit.” 

I glanced over towards the hotel and saw she was in trouble. Two men were being a little too friendly with her; forcibly trying to carry her bags for her. I got Joe’s attention and pointed to them. 

“You take the little one, I take the big one?” I asked. 

Joe suggested, “Why don’t you take the little one? I took the little one last time.” 

I flashed a big smile. Joe jokingly told me that I could also have the girl. I never thought I’d hear those words come out of Joe Cartwright’s mouth. 

Joe and I hurried over to the two men. Joe took the one on the left and I took the one on the right. He was a little bigger than I thought, but I’m quick. I threw a punch at him and he fell back. If he was smart, he’d stay down. I glanced over and saw Joe throwing punches left and right at the guy who was nearly twice his size. I wished Joe wouldn’t act so macho. It wasn’t winning me points with this girl. 

I saw the guy I took down get back up again. He wasn’t smart. I threw another hard punch at him and he fell to the ground. He better stay down this time, I thought. I looked over at the girl and saw her smiling at me. I found myself smiling back at her when she gasped. I turned around and the man who I was fighting punched me across the face. I fell face first right into the water trough in front of me. This just wasn’t my day. 

I came up out of the water and shook it off me. The girl rushed to my aid. 

“Are you all right?” 

I stood up and smoothed my wet hair back, reminding myself to kill whoever placed that water trough there. “Yeah. How about you?” 

“I’m fine. Thank you, mister….” 

I stumbled over the water trough as I introduced myself to her. “It’s Canaday. But my friends call me Candy.” 

“Oh. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Canaday. I’m Hannah Bowman.” 

Hannah. I knew she would have a pretty name like that. I reached my hand out to her, forgetting that I’m sopping wet and I sprayed a little water on her. Nice going, Canaday. Embarrassed, I apologized to her. She didn’t seem phased by it which was reassuring. She thanked me for helping her. I struck up a conversation. 

“Did you just arrive here in town?” 

“Yes. This is my first time here in Virginia City.” 

“Oh. Well, it’s a nice town, good people. You’ll really like it here.” 

“I’m sure I will.” 

“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you then.” 

“I guess so. Goodbye.” 

She started to walk over to the hotel when an idea came to me. 

“Wait. I just remembered. There’s a boarding house just down the street from here, past the hotel. The owner, Mrs. Sutton is looking for new boarders. I’m sure she’d be happy to take you in.” 

“Oh. Well, I’ll look into it. Thank you.” 

“My pleasure.” 

She gave me a warm smile and I watched her walk down the street before I made my way back over to Joe. I couldn’t stop smiling as I said to Joe, “I think she likes me.” 

Joe crossed his arms and responded with a nod of his head, “Mm-hm. Yeah, you really impressed her.” 

I honestly didn’t care what Joe thought. I have a good read on people. I definitely had made an impression on her. 

“I could use that beer now.” I looked down at my wet shirt and added, “And some dry clothes.” 

Joe chuckled and I felt him place his hand on my shoulder. “Come on.” 

Joe and I stopped by the saloon and had our beers. All the while I couldn’t stop thinking about this girl. I had only just met her and she already had a hold on me. One thing’s for sure. I wanted to see her again. 

Chapter Two

I rode into town the next morning. I gave Ben a pretty poor excuse, so I’m sure he suspected something. But I had to see her again. I looked over at Mrs. Sutton’s boarding house and wondered if Hannah was there. I saw the door to the boarding house open and Hannah walked out. A big smile spread across my face and I made my way over to her. 

She was wearing a green dress that time with a shawl draped over her shoulders and her hair pinned back. I said hello to her and asked how she was doing. 

“Fine,” she said with a shy smile. 

“I see you’re staying at the boarding house.” 

“Yes. Mrs. Sutton is very nice. I only had enough money for the deposit, but she was kind enough to allow me to pay the rest when I find a job.” 

“Oh, if you’re looking for a job, there’s a little boutique just down the street from the mercantile. My friend, Joe Cartwright, the fella who was with me yesterday. His wife, Alice, used to work in the hat department. Miss Grayson is the owner, I hear she’s hiring.” 

She flashed a smile. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.” 

“I can walk you over there right now if you’d like.” 

“I would like that, thank you.” 

We started walking along the boardwalk. She turned to me and said, “I still don’t really know my way around this place yet.” 

“Oh, you will. It just takes time. But you’ll get the hang of it.” 

I nervously played around with my hat as beads of sweat started to form on my forehead. Say something, Canaday. 

“So, how are you liking Virginia City so far?” 

“Well, I only just arrived yesterday so I haven’t really seen that much of it to know how I feel about it yet.” 

I closed my eyes tight. “Oh, that’s right. Sorry, it must have slipped my mind.” 

I looked away from her and rolled my eyes in embarrassment. Luckily she didn’t think anything of it. 

“It’s all right,” she said. “It seems like a nice town so far and it’s certainly a lot bigger than the last town I was in. Quite frankly, that town was boring anyway.” 

“Well, you’ll never have to worry about that here. Life in Virginia City is never boring. Not in the least.” 

“That’s good to know. Mrs. Sutton told me about the Cartwrights. She said they’re pretty famous here.” 

“Yeah, Ben Cartwright owns one of the biggest ranches in all of Nevada, the Ponderosa. He’s actually my boss, I work for him as his foreman.” 

“Oh, how nice. I’ve never been on a ranch that big before.” 

“It’s quite a spread. You’d really like it.” 

We made it over to Miss Grayson’s Boutique. “Well, here we are.” 

She thanked me again and gave her appreciation for all my help. Now was the perfect opportunity to ask her out, but I hesitated and clammed up. What was I waiting for? It wasn’t usually that difficult for me to ask a girl out. Maybe I was losing my touch. 

“Would you like to have dinner with me sometime? I’d kind of like to hear more about that boring town you were telling me about.” 

She giggled at that. I made her laugh, so I thought that was a good sign. 

She hung her head down. “Well….” 

Oh no, I spooked her, I thought. I had maybe come on too strong. 

“I’m sorry, that was….” 

“I would love to.” 

My head snapped right back up. “You would?” 

“Yes. Dinner sounds lovely.” 

I smiled wide. “Well, all right then. How about tomorrow night? Say around seven?” 

“All right. Sounds fine.” 

“Good. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.” 

She walked into the boutique and I breathed a sigh of relief. That was easier than I thought. I guess I wasn’t out of touch after all. 

***

As I rode back to the Ponderosa, I couldn’t stop smiling. I walked through the door, whistling away. I saw Ben and Joe over by the stairs. Joe was holding his daughter, Sara Marie in his arms. 

“Hey everybody,” I said with a smile on my face. 

Ben came up to me. “Oh, Candy. I was wondering if you’d mind heading over to Salt Creek with Joe. One of our steers broke loose.” 

“Sure thing, boss.” 

I looked down at little Sara Marie and caught her smiling at me. I gently brushed my fingers underneath her chin making her giggle. She’s cute as a button with a wicked little smile and green eyes that sparkle. She’s Joe’s kid all right. I was honored when Joe asked me to be her godfather. It made me feel like I really was a part of the family. Joe mentioned to me how just a moment ago, Sara got herself into a little mischief. I chuckled and jokingly remarked how she’s just like her old man. I don’t think Joe appreciated it by the annoyed expression on his face. I then asked him a question that threw him off guard. 

“I was wondering if maybe I could borrow some of your Bay Rum for tomorrow night.” 

Joe raised his eyebrows at me. “Oh. Sure.” 

“Thanks, buddy.” I patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll go saddle our horses.” 

I strolled up to the door whistling away. I found myself singing, “I’ve been dreaming of Hannah with long brown hair. La da de dum.” 

I must have had Ben and Joe scratching their heads, but I didn’t care. Because I had a date with the most beautiful girl in Virginia City. 

***

The next evening, I had put on my Sunday best and rented a buggy. After I arrived in Virginia City, I walked up to the door of Mrs. Sutton’s boarding house, holding my hat in my hands. I took a deep breath and knocked. Mrs. Sutton answered. 

“Oh, hello Candy. Come in.” 

I stepped into the house and Mrs. Sutton told me that Hannah was almost ready. It wasn’t long before Hannah appeared at the staircase. She was wearing a bright yellow dress. Her long brown hair was down that time and curled over her shoulders. I didn’t think she could get anymore beautiful. I guess I was wrong. 

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” she said.

“No. Not at all. Shall we?”  

Hannah grabbed her shawl and we headed over to the door. Mrs. Sutton told us to have a good time and to make sure I took good care of her. I reassured her she was in good hands. 

When we stepped outside, she noticed the buggy. 

“I rented a buggy for us. I hope you don’t mind,” I told her. 

“No, it was a lovely gesture.” 

I helped her into the buggy and we headed over to the restaurant. 

When we got to the restaurant, we were seated at a private table in the corner. It didn’t look very crowded that evening, which gave us some time alone to get to know each other. 

She took a sip of wine and placed it back down on the table before she spoke. “I must say I’ve never heard of anyone with the name Candy before. It’s very interesting.” 

I crossed my elbows down on the table and responded, “Well, there’s an explanation for that. You see I was born on an Army Post and my father’s name was Canaday, so I was naturally called Candy.” 

“Oh. Where’s your father now?” she asked. 

“He died when I was a boy, same as my mother.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” 

“Yeah, the Army practically raised me. They taught me everything I know.” 

“What was that like?” 

“Well, I can’t say every moment I spent in the Army was a pure pleasure. I eventually had to leave and so I did. Then I was on my own for a while. I actually preferred it that way. I was a wanderer; moving from place to place, never settling down. That was until I met the Cartwrights. They offered me a job and sort of took me in as one of their own. And I’ve been with them ever since.” 

“Well, they must be quite a family.” 

“They are. They’ve shown me what being a family is all about. I’ve thought about leaving many times, but I kept sticking around. And now I’m a godfather to Joe’s kid.” 

She gave a faint smile and said, “Well, they must really think a lot of you to allow you to be a part of their family.” 

“Yeah. I don’t think much of myself, so it’s nice to know someone does.” 

She laughed at that. There was something about her that seemed familiar to me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. 

For the rest of our dinner together, she told me about her life. Where she grew up, the dreams she had as a young girl. She lost both her parents to Scarlet Fever when she was seventeen with no other living relatives to take her in. She was all alone. That’s one thing we had in common. 

Not only was she very polite and soft spoken, she had a great sense of humor. Like me, she saw the funny side of things. She was also very warm and kind. 

After dinner, I took her back to the boarding house. I walked her up to the door. She turned to me and said, “I want to thank you for a lovely evening.” 

“It was my pleasure. I had a great time.” I looked down at my hat in my hands. I wanted to ask her out again but I didn’t want to sound too forceful. “I’d like to see you again if you don’t mind.” 

She fixed her gaze on me and asked, “How about tomorrow night at six? I get off work at five. I got the job. I meant to tell you earlier.” 

I flashed a big grin. “That’s great. Six is fine. I’ll be here.” 

“All right. Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight.” 

She walked into the boarding house and I could hardly contain my excitement. I spun my hat around and placed it back on my head before heading back over to the buggy. 

Chapter Three 

I took Hannah out to dinner again the next evening. Then the day after that, we went on a picnic to one of my favorite spots on the Ponderosa. I was falling even harder for this girl with each moment I spent with her. 

One evening, Ben invited Hannah to the Ponderosa for dinner. I guess Ben and Joe wanted to see what it was about this girl that had their foreman so smitten.

Hannah and I sat across from Joe and Alice at the dinner table while Ben sat in his usual spot at the front with Jamie across from him. 

“I want to thank you for inviting me to supper, Mr. Cartwright,” Hannah said.  

Ben smiled. “Of course. Any friend of Candy’s is always welcome here and might I say a very lovely one at that.” 

Alice asked, “So, how did you and Candy meet?” 

Hannah glanced over at me. “Well….” 

Joe butted in. “Oh, I would love to tell this story if I may.” 

I wasn’t about to let Joe embarrass me in front of Hannah. 

“Uh, Joe? I believe she asked Hannah to tell the story.” 

“Oh, I know, but there’s more to it than that. If she wants to know all the full details, that is.” 

“Well, I don’t think they need to know that,” I gritted. 

“Oh, I think they do since it’s such a fascinating story,” Joe quipped. 

Alice intervened. “You’ll have to forgive them, Hannah. They always act like this.” 

Joe said, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I do have a million other stories about Candy if you want to hear them.” 

I knew I had better make my escape before Joe had a chance to humiliate me. 

“Okay,” I chuckled. “I think it’s about time Hannah and I go for a little walk.” 

I got up from the table and led Hannah over to the door. She said to Ben how nice it was to meet him before I rushed her out the door. 

Outside, I took a breath and heard Hannah laughing before I apologized to her. 

“It’s all right,” she giggled. “The way you were carrying on like that, I could have sworn you were brothers.” 

“Well, I guess in a way we kinda are like brothers. The Cartwrights have certainly treated me like one.” 

“Well, they’re really wonderful. And so kind.” 

“Yeah. I’ve never met a family quite like the Cartwrights. When I first met them I couldn’t believe that a family could be like that. Care about each other the way they do. Their loyalty to each other. I was never close like that with my family. The only person I was ever really close to was Ann.” 

“Ann?” 

Oh boy. I never thought I’d open that door again. Especially with a girl. 

“Yeah. She was my wife.” 

“Your wife? You were married?” 

“Yeah I was. It was a long time ago. Ann and I grew up together. She was an Army brat like me. We were young and loved each other very much. But her father, the Colonel, didn’t think too highly of me. I guess he thought I wasn’t good enough for her. Maybe I wasn’t. He had the marriage annulled.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“It took me a long time to get over her. She was the first girl I ever really loved.” I glanced over at her and could tell I had dampened the mood. “I’m sorry. I’m ruining things for us, aren’t I?” 

“No. Not at all. I don’t mind.” 

Her smile reassured me. 

“I’ll go hitch up the buggy. Just wait here.” 

***

I took Hannah on a tour of the Ponderosa. I knew the layout pretty well and have ridden through that place dozens of times. But this time felt different. 

I brought the buggy to a stop and helped Hannah down. I took her hand and led her up a hill. We came up to a lake. 

“I had dreams of a place like this once. I wanted to have a home of my own. I always pictured a cabin near that tree over there. That way you can sit out on the porch and enjoy the view. It’s a silly dream I suppose.” 

“I don’t think so. It’s a beautiful dream to have. I had a similar dream once. Sadly, it just never worked out for me. I’m not sure if it ever will.” 

I was reminded of the words of another girl I once loved. 

“Don’t ever stop dreaming. No matter what happens between us.” 

Suddenly it hit me. Laura. That’s who she reminded me of. It had been a long time since I thought about her. Our chance at a happy life together was cut short due to a man who was blackmailing her. Her death left a gaping hole in my chest. Now it was as if Laura had come back from the dead to haunt me. Or to repair my broken heart. 

I turned Hannah’s shoulders to face me. “Someone once told me you should never give up on dreaming. No matter what happens.” 

“That person is very wise. Maybe we should listen to them.” 

We both stared out into the lake, taking it all in. As much as I enjoyed that time alone with her, I knew I should get her back to the boarding house. 

“Hey, it’s getting late. I promised Mrs. Sutton I’d have you back at a decent hour.” 

She nodded her head with a smile and I drove her back to Virginia City. 

***

We arrived at the boarding house and I walked her up to the door. She turned to me and said, “I had a wonderful time today.” 

“So did I.” 

We stood there for what felt like an eternity until I remembered the day. 

“Would you mind accompanying me to church on Sunday?” I asked. 

She gave a faint smile. “I’d like that very much.” 

“I’ll rent a rig and pick you up tomorrow morning.” 

“All right.” 

I paused for a brief moment, gazing into her eyes before I leaned in closer to her until my lips touched hers. The kiss lingered for a little too long and I had to force myself to pull away. I stared at her and she just smiled at me. She told me goodnight and started to head to the door when she turned around. 

“I think that Colonel was wrong about you. Any woman would be lucky to have someone like you.” 

After she headed inside, I turned around and rested my hands on top of the railing. Her words nearly took my breath away. It’s as if she had healed a wound deep within me that I never thought needed healing. A smile escaped my lips followed by soft laughter. I was falling in love with this girl. 

As I made my way back to the Ponderosa, I started thinking about my future. I had given up on love and here I was open to the possibility again. I’d only been in love a few times in my life. Sure there were other girls that Joe and I competed over, but we were just playing. I don’t think I was ever really in love with them. 

I think Ann and Laura were the only true loves of my life. Then again there was Lisa. Although I’m not sure if I really loved her or just wanted to marry her out of guilt for killing her husband and leaving her a widow. I could have had a good life with her and been a good father to her son, Kenny. Sure we would have had to tell Kenny the truth about his father someday, but there’s a chance he would have understood if we had just explained it to him. Then again he might have grown up hating me for the rest of his life. The thought of that was almost too much for me to bear. I understand why she had to leave. 

It had been a few years since I last saw or spoke to her. I did receive a letter from her about a year ago. She said her and Kenny were doing well and that she had found someone who would be a good husband and father to Kenny. I was happy for her, but at the same time, it left a dull ache in my heart thinking of the life we could have had together. 

That was all in the past and I had fallen in love again. I hoped she felt the same way. 

Chapter Four 

It had been over two weeks since I met Hannah and I think it was safe to say we were officially courting. It felt great to be in love again. I had almost forgotten what it felt like. 

One evening, I took Hannah to a barn dance. She told me she was not a very good dancer, but I said she was lying on account of how gracefully she moved along to the music. As the crowd danced and clapped their hands, I took Hannah’s hand and pulled her into one of the stalls. We kissed passionately when she pulled away from me, giggling. 

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, Mr. Canaday?” 

“So are you. Would you do me one favor?” 

“What’s that?” 

“Don’t ever call me mister.” 

She let out a soft giggle and kissed me while I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. 

***

A few days later, I wanted to surprise her at work, so I snuck up to the window and took a peek. I saw her talking to Miss Grayson. I leaned back against the window and waited with my arms crossed. 

The door swung open and Hannah walked out. I moved away from the window. She came up to me, her lips pressed together in a firm line, trying to hold back laughter. 

“You are going to get me in trouble.” 

“I’m sorry.” I took her in my arms and told her, “I just had to see you.” 

I kissed her and she took hold of my hand. “Oh, I’m glad you’re here actually. I have something I want to show you. Come here.” 

She started pulling me to the door, but no way was I setting foot in that place. 

“Whoa, hold on. I’m not going in there.” 

“Oh, don’t be silly.” 

She dragged me inside as I held on for dear life. I scanned the room and saw all of the women staring at me, whispering among themselves. I could only imagine what the fellas in the bunkhouse would say if they saw me there. 

Hannah led me up to the counter and pulled out a pie. 

“It’s lemon meringue,” she said. “It’s my grandmother’s recipe. I made it this morning with help from Mrs. Sutton.” 

I got a good whiff of the pie and it had a pleasant sweet aroma. “It looks good. I’ll wait outside.” 

I leaned in to kiss her when I heard a few ladies snickering. I’m pretty sure my face turned bright red from embarrassment. I hurried out of there as fast as I could. 

Outside, I took a breath and waited by the hitching post when I saw Joe and Alice approach me. Joe asked if Hannah and I would join them for supper that night. Before I could give him an answer, I glanced through the store window and saw Hannah with a man all dressed up in fancy clothes, placing a shawl around her shoulders. My heart sank into my stomach at seeing her laughing with him. I clenched my fist into a ball as anger boiled to the surface. I must have left a trail of dust behind when I stormed through the door. 

I grabbed the man by the shoulders and threw a punch at him, knocking him over a display table. I lunged at him when I felt my shoulders being yanked away. 

“Candy! Hey, take it easy.” 

I fought against Joe’s firm grasp. “Let go of me!” I shouted. 

Through my fury, I heard an exasperated Hannah say to me, “Candy, what on earth is the matter with you?” 

“Do you mind explaining to me what he was doing with his hands all over you?” I seethed. 

“If you must know, he was having me try on a shawl for him. I was trying to be polite.” 

“Oh, yeah, it looked like you were being real friendly with him.” I looked down at the louse and barked, “I suppose you think it’s funny to be friendly with another man’s girl!” 

“Candy, the shawl was a present for his wife!” Hannah argued. 

My whole demeanor changed in an instant. I exchanged a few quick glances between Hannah and the man I had hit on the floor. 

“His wife?” I stuttered. 

I felt like an idiot. A raving jealous idiot. I helped the man off the floor and immediately apologized. 

“Oh, that’s quite all right. It was an honest mistake.” He turned to Hannah and said, “Good day, ma’am.” 

Hannah grabbed the shawl off the counter. “Wait, sir. Don’t you still want this lovely shawl for your wife?” 

“Oh, that’s all right.” He picked up his hat and told her, “I’ll just get her something else. Good day.” 

After the man left the store, Miss Grayson walked in. 

“What in heaven’s name is going on out here?” 

I looked down at the broken display table and the various expensive fabrics scattered around the table as well as the shattered glass on the floor. My shoulders sank as the weight of what I had done hit me. 

Miss Grayson gasped before she fixed a stern gaze on all of us. “All right. I demand to know who is responsible for this?”  

There was no use hiding it. I stepped forward. 

“I am, ma’am.” 

“And who might you be?” she asked. 

“His name is Candy. He’s a friend.” 

I stared at Hannah wide-eyed in disbelief. A friend? I didn’t think I could feel any worse, but boy did that hurt. I wanted to believe she was just saying that out of anger, but I questioned whether those past few weeks we had spent together meant anything to her. 

Miss Grayson said to Hannah, “Well, I should have known you were involved in this. I should have trusted my instinct about you.” 

Hannah mentioned to me how getting that job wasn’t easy for her. That even furthered my guilt. 

Hannah pleaded, “Please, if you would just let me explain.” 

“I don’t want to hear it. I’m sorry, Miss Bowman, but you leave me no choice. I’m going to have to let you go.” 

I tried reasoning with her. “Wait a minute, it wasn’t her fault.”  

Alice interjected, “Miss Grayson, it was just a misunderstanding.” 

“Nevertheless. I am trying to run a business, and I will not have anyone in my shop who chooses to consort with….hooligans!” 

I offered to pay for the damages, but it was no use. Even after Hannah pleaded with her one more time. 

“Please, Miss Grayson. If you would just give me another chance, I can prove that I….” 

“I’m sorry, my dear, but my mind is already made up. I’ll gather what I owe you for the week.” 

After Miss Grayson disappeared behind the curtain, Hannah turned to me and I could see the fury in her eyes. 

“I hope you’re happy now. Oh, I don’t ever want to see you or speak to you again!” 

She stormed out the door and I hurried after her. 

Outside, I gently took hold of her arm, but she yanked it away from me. 

“I don’t have anything to say to you,” she scowled. 

“Hannah, please. I made one little mistake.” 

“Well, your one little mistake cost me my job.” 

“I know, and I never meant for that to happen. You gotta believe me when I say how truly sorry I am.” 

“I don’t even know why you felt the need to barge in and pick a fight with that man anyway,” she raved. 

“Because it looked like he was trying to….” 

“Trying to what? Woo me? Entice me?”

“Well, yeah!” I shrugged. 

“Well, he wasn’t. And even if he was, you don’t need to come to my rescue. I can take care of myself.” 

The fire in her. I’d have found it adorable if I wasn’t so angry at her. 

“Well, if that’s the case, maybe I should have just let those jerks have you. It would have saved me the trouble,” I barked. 

Her mouth gapped open in shock and she growled when Alice came up to us. 

“Hannah? You forgot your pie.” 

“Thank you, Alice. I know just where to put it.” 

Hannah took the pie and hurled it right into my face. I couldn’t say I didn’t see that one coming. I heard the crowd around me laughing along with Joe’s obnoxious giggling. I wiped the cream dripping down my face and had a little taste. On the bright side, she made a good pie. I should have gone after her, but I knew it was no use. 

Thankfully, Alice let me use her handkerchief and I rode back to the Ponderosa in humiliation. 

The next day, Ben received the bill from the damages to Miss Grayson’s Boutique. Unfortunately, I had already asked Ben for an advance last month, so I didn’t have the money to pay for them. Just my luck. As if I wasn’t humiliated enough, seeing the look on Ben’s face when he got the bill was enough to make me want to leave town. I never thought I’d be on the receiving end of that look. Now I know how Joe and Hoss felt. 

I tried talking to Hannah, but she refused to see me or even listen to me. Maybe she needed more time, but I was sure I had really messed things up for us. 

***

One afternoon, Joe and I stopped by the saloon for a beer. I hadn’t exactly been my usual outgoing self and Joe took notice of that. 

“Hey, come on, enough with the sulking. You’ve hardly said a word all day.”

I raised my head from my crossed arms on the table. “I’m sorry, Joe. It’s just, here I finally meet a girl who makes me feel something I haven’t felt in a long time and I blow it.” 

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. You can’t change what happened, it’s done.” 

I let out a sigh. “I know. I wish I could.” 

Joe suggested, “Look, why don’t you try talking to her again.” 

“Oh, I tried, Joe, but she won’t even listen to me. I even tried going over to that dress shop and begging Miss Grayson to give Hannah her job back. I even offered to pay her salary for the next few months.” 

“You mean with Pa’s money,” Joe pointed. 

He had to bring that up. It was bad enough Ben was having me clear out watering holes for the next few three months to pay off the debt. It was something I became very good at. 

I leaned back against the chair. “Anyway, she wouldn’t budge. She’s one tough old lady.” 

“Yeah, Alice told me she was.” 

“Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to accept that it’s over.” 

I sensed Joe fixing his gaze on me. “You really did love her, didn’t you?” 

“Yeah, I did,” I breathed. “Well, we better head back. Your pa’s been waiting for that timber order.” 

I left the saloon with Joe and we headed back to the Ponderosa. I heard even more bad news from Alice the next day. Hannah told her she planned on leaving town. All hope dwindled away, but I wouldn’t give up without a fight. 

***

I tried one last time to get through to her. It was late in the evening as I came up to the door of the boarding house when I noticed a crack in the doorway. I gently knocked. 

“Mrs. Sutton?” 

I opened the door and the place was a mess. Chairs were knocked over. Broken glass was scattered on the floor. It looked like someone robbed the place. I scanned the room and found Mrs. Sutton on the floor. I hurried to her aid and helped her up off the floor.

“Mrs. Sutton, are you all right? What happened?” 

“Oh, Candy. They’ve taken Hannah.” 

“What? Who took her?” 

“There were three men. They didn’t tell me their names, but they kept saying something about gold.”

“Can you give me a description of them?” 

“Yes. They were Mexican. One of them had a red handkerchief tied around his neck.” 

“Did they say where they were heading?” 

“I think I heard one of them mention Silver City, but I can’t be certain.” 

“All right, now this next question is very important. How long ago did they leave?” 

“I don’t know, about twenty minutes before you came in here.” 

I immediately started calculating the distance in my head. It’d be nightfall before they reached Silver City, so I was sure they’d want to rest their horses. That gave me a pretty good head start. 

I thanked Mrs. Sutton and asked her if she needed Doc Martin. She reassured me that she was fine and to hurry. 

I hightailed it out of there as fast as I could. I mounted my horse and rode down that street like lightning shot out of a bottle. I didn’t know who these fellas were, but they’d taken the wrong girl. 

Chapter Five 

I made it about five miles north of Virginia City when I noticed smoke in the distance. I dismounted my horse and snuck into the bushes. I followed the smoke and started to hear voices. I moved in closer, staying low to the ground. I gently pulled back the branches and saw a man with a rifle in his hand near a small campfire. He fit the description that Mrs. Sutton had given me. 

I looked to my right and there was Hannah laying back against a tree; her hands tied behind her. I had to get closer to her so I moved away from the bushes and made my way over to her as quietly as possible. 

I was inches away from her as I got her attention. She nearly screamed and I quickly clamped my hand over her mouth. 

I tried to keep her calm. “Shh. Hey, it’s all right, it’s me.” 

“Candy? What are you doing here?” 

“I came to get you out of here.” 

“Candy, please, you need to get out of here now,” she pleaded. 

“No, I’m not gonna….” 

I heard the sound of a gun cocking right up to my ear. 

“Qué pasa, mi amigo.” 

Great. I slowly lifted my hands up and turned around; staring into the cold dead eyes of a man I had wanted to forget. Javier Alvarez. He and his gang had been searching for gold that resulted in two innocent people being killed three years ago. They were brought to trial, but somehow the jury found them not guilty. Hoss and I were at that trial and knew they were guilty. We saw Javier pull the trigger. 

“Surprised to see me, eh?” he grinned. 

“What do you want?” I asked in disgust. 

“It is very simple, amigo. You are going to help me find the gold.” 

“And if I refuse?” 

A sinister grin spread across his face. He looked over at Hannah and knelt down in front of her. 

“This is your sweetheart, huh?” 

He pulled out a knife. I started to move when his compadre pulled a rifle on me. Javier slid the knife delicately along Hannah’s cheek. It took all I had in me not to wrap my hands around his throat. 

“She is a fiery one. It would be a terrible waste, but I need a hostage.” 

“Then take me instead,” I offered. “You want gold? I can get it for you.” 

“Oh, you will, senor. But I think I will hold onto this one. She is much too beautiful to part with. Now….” He reached his hand out to me. “Your gun.” 

I handed over my gun belt and his compadre tied my hands behind me with a piece of rawhide before he pushed me down right next to Hannah. I looked up at Javier with stern eyes. “You’re not gonna get away with this. This time I’ll make sure you hang.” 

Javier glared at me and then left Hannah and me alone. I tried to move my hands, but they were so tightly bound from the rawhide sinking into my skin that each movement brought intense pain. I winced and laid my head back against a tree. If only I could get to the knife in my back pocket, but it was out of reach. I glanced over at Hannah and noticed her hands were just within reach. I couldn’t let Javier suspect anything, so I struck up a conversation. 

“Well, this at least gives us time to talk.”

“I already told you I have nothing to say to you,” she snapped. “And I don’t know where that man got the idea that we’re together because we’re not. I’m not your girl nor will I ever be your girl.” 

Javier was right about one thing. She’s a spitfire all right. 

I rolled my eyes. “Well, it’s nice to know you’ve forgiven me. I thought you didn’t need anyone to rescue you.” 

“I don’t, so what are you doing here?” 

“Rescuing you.” 

I glanced over at Javier and his men as I devised a plan in my mind. It was three against one. One wrong move could get us both killed if I wasn’t careful. I whispered to Hannah, “I have a knife in my back pocket. I’ll distract them while you reach in and grab it, then I want you to hand it to me, all right?” 

“Candy, please….” 

“Hannah, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” 

Her blue eyes stared right into mine. 

“I guess I have no choice,” she said. 

“No, I guess you don’t.” 

She nodded her head slightly and I let out a loud whistle. “Hey, you. Come here.” 

The man with the red handkerchief around his neck looked over at Javier who signaled for him to come over to me. 

“What do you want?” he grumbled. 

I felt Hannah dig into my back pocket for the knife. I cleared my throat. 

“Ahem…I was just wondering if I could trouble you for a drink. I’m kind of thirsty.” 

“You have not earned that privilege, senor.” 

“Oh, so that’s how it is, huh?” 

Hannah placed the knife in my hand and I began cutting away at the rawhide. 

“So, what do you get out of all of this?” I asked. 

The man with the red handkerchief around his neck chuckled. He placed his boot on top of the stump near us; his hands resting over the rifle. “Javier promised me a third of the gold. I could not pass up the offer.” 

“And you believe him?” 

“He clothed me. He fed me. He took good care of me when I was all alone after my family died. Why should I not believe his word is as good as the gold, eh?” he grinned. 

“Well, for one thing he’s a liar. He’s only using you to get what he wants and once he’s got it, he’ll shoot you and leave you to die, first chance he gets.” 

“I think you are the liar, senor.” He moved his gaze over to Hannah and a smug grin appeared. “Maybe after we leave you to die….” He softly caressed Hannah’s cheek and she jerked her head away from him. “This beautiful vixen can be our sweetheart, eh?” 

“Keep your hands off her,” I barked. 

“Are you going to make me, senior?” 

“Yeah….” I pulled the rope loose and took a swing at him. “I think I will.” 

I heard Javier yelling in Spanish and next thing I knew, his compadre came charging at me. I quickly tackled him to the ground and punched him across the face. The man with the red handkerchief snuck up behind me, but I elbowed him hard in his stomach. He let out a yelp and I took a swing at him. 

The other man pulled out a knife and aimed it right at me. I grabbed hold of the man with the red handkerchief, spun him around in front of me, and the knife plunged right into his back. He fell limp in my arms and I dropped him to the ground. 

One down, two to go. Fueled with adrenaline, I tackled the other man when Javier pulled a rifle on me. I paused and looked up at him as my heart pounded in my chest. 

“Where are those Cartwrights to save you now, mi amigo?” 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the man I tackled picking up my knife from the ground. He attempted to lunge it at me, when I grabbed hold of his hand and drove the knife right into Javier. He yelped and fell limp to the ground. I then knocked the other man out cold. 

I slowly got back up as I wiped at my mouth. I picked up the other knife on the ground and walked over to Hannah. 

I cut the piece of rawhide from her blistered wrists before helping her up. 

“Are you all right?” I asked. 

She looked at me wide-eyed in astonishment. “Are you crazy? They could have killed you!” 

With one eyebrow raised, I retorted, “You know, I was hoping for something more along the lines of a thank you.” She sighed in irritation before I added, “I’m surprised you’d even show any concern for me at all. I thought you didn’t care.” 

“Well, I do care!” she argued. “I may be angry with you, but I wouldn’t want you to get yourself killed over me.” 

“Well, I’m sorry, but I just can’t help myself. Because despite everything that’s happened between us, I’m still in love with you.” 

She stared at me in disbelief. I had her full attention, so I figured I better not waste any moment. 

“I know I made a mess of things and I know I can’t make up for what I did, but I’m darn sure gonna try. I made a mistake, I’m not perfect. If you’re looking for a man who is, then I’m sorry to say, you’re gonna have an awful time finding him.” 

“I never thought you were,” she murmured. 

I sighed. “All right. Just answer me this and I promise you, I’ll get out of your life forever if that’s what you want. Do you love me?” 

She closed her eyes and hung her head down. “Yes,” she breathed. “I do.” 

“Then please,” I pleaded. “Give me another chance.” 

I could see her struggling to give me an answer. I hoped I had gotten through to her. 

“Well, I guess I’ve said all there is to say. It’ll be daylight in a few hours. After that, we’ll head back to Virginia City and report what happened to Clem.” 

I could only hope she’d change her mind about leaving and agree to give me another chance. The love we had only happens once in a lifetime. But the odds had never really been in my favor. And I didn’t expect them to be. 

***

A few days later, it was Sunday and the Cartwrights had invited me to church. I wasn’t exactly in a church-going mood, but I couldn’t turn down their offer. I showed up bright and early, dressed in my Sunday best. I waited over by the church steps with my hat in my hands when I saw Joe and Alice, holding little Sara Marie, in her arms, approaching me. 

Joe told me, “You know, Candy, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you this early for church.” 

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Yeah, a first time for everything I suppose.” 

Ben walked up to us. “Well, it’s good to see everyone here bright and early this morning. Shall we go in? Jamie’s already inside waiting for us.” 

“Yeah, we’ll be there, Pa,” Joe said.  

“All right. You be sure to save me a seat next to my granddaughter.” 

After Ben headed inside the church Alice told me she ran into Hannah the other day and invited her to join us at church. I doubted she’d come, but then I saw a buggy pull up and there she was. Mrs. Sutton accompanied her. 

Joe and Alice greeted them while I stared at Hannah. She was as beautiful as ever, wearing the same dress she wore on our first date. 

After Joe and Alice went inside the church with Mrs. Sutton, Hannah and I stood there staring at each other, not knowing what to say. I broke the silence. 

“Shall we?” 

She gave a faint smile and nodded. I opened the door for her and we headed inside. 

The sermon the reverend gave that morning was on forgiveness. How very convenient. And ironic. It was as if the Almighty had a sense of humor. I hadn’t been much of a believer in fate or destiny. Maybe it’s because I’d been dealt such a bad hand in my life. I did believe myself to be a lucky guy, but not with love. And I didn’t think that was ever gonna change. 

After the service, I waited near the doors of the church while the Cartwrights mingled about with their friends and neighbors. 

I looked over at the gravesite and saw Hannah standing near a tree. I took a breath before I walked over to her. 

She turned around and greeted me with a shy smile. I guess it was hard for either of us to find the words to say to each other. 

“I want to apologize to you,” she said. “I acted rather foolishly. You saved my life and I’m grateful to you. I also realized how much you must really care about me if you were willing to fight that man in the store even if it was just a simple misunderstanding. I also know you couldn’t have known I’d lose my job over it either. I could see how much it really hurt you. The truth is before I met you my life was…complicated. There’s so many things about me that you don’t know. I’ve done things that some would deem unforgivable. So I really had no right to be angry with you. I’ve never met anyone like you before, Candy. You’re kind, caring, brave. You’re everything I’ve hoped for in a man. I hope you can forgive me.” 

“Forgive you for what?” 

She looked up at me and I flashed a wide grin, making her smile. 

“How about we start over again?” I asked. 

“I’d like that,” she said. 

The warmth of her smile and the radiance of her beauty made me want to take her in my arms right then and there. Patience, Canaday. 

She told me, “Mrs. Sutton was able to get me another job. I’m working as a seamstress in Mrs. Burton’s store.” 

“That’s great. I’ve met her, she’s a fine lady.” 

“I also should apologize for throwing that pie in your face, it was wrong of me.” 

“Well, I probably deserved it. You did make a good pie.” 

She laughed at that. “I thought I would attempt to make your favorite. Rhubarb.” 

“You remembered my favorite pie?” 

“Of course. It’s one my mother used to make when I was a little girl,” she told me. 

“Oh, I think we’re gonna work out just fine.” 

She giggled. We both gazed into each other’s eyes for a brief moment before I got an idea. 

“The Cartwrights invited me to supper tonight. I hope you’ll join us.” 

“I would love to.” 

“Good. So, pick you up tonight around six?” 

“I’ll be there.” 

After our conversation, I walked with her back over to the buggy where Mrs. Sutton was waiting. I was happy we patched things up between us, but I also couldn’t help but wonder about this woman’s past. She was an open book; hard to figure out. But I sure was gonna have a whole lot of fun trying. 

The End 

Author’s notes: The episodes I referenced were Star Crossed and The Stalker. I also took inspiration from the episode, Queen High.