Page 56 of Colorado Bride

As hard as she tried, she couldn’t keep the tears from falling.

Two days later, Emily was preparing supper when Ben came into the kitchen carrying a box with a big red ribbon on it.

“What’s that?”

She jutted her chin toward the box he set on the table.

“A present.”

After their little fight a couple of days ago, a present was the last thing she expected, unless this was to apologize.

“For me?”

“Don’t look so surprised.Of course, it’s for you.Open it.”

She wiped her hands on her apron, then walked to the table, pulled the ribbon open and unwrapped the package, careful to keep the paper usable for another gift.

Inside was a leather covered box stamped with the name Colt.

Her heart started pounding, her stomach turned over and her hands felt moist so she wiped them on her apron again.

She looked over at Ben.

He grinned.

“Go ahead.”

She gingerly opened the case and found a Colt pistol, much smaller than Ben’s.She plucked it from its resting place.

It was about half the weight of Ben’s Colt 0.45.

“This is a twenty-two.That’s the size bullets it uses.They are a lot smaller and that’s why the gun is so much smaller and, therefore, lighter.But don’t think because it’s not as big that it isn’t just as lethal as the one I carry, because it is.”

She laid the gun back in the case.

“Oh, Ben.”

She rushed to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard.

“Thank you.”

“I knew you’d be needing a smaller weapon and I ordered this two weeks ago.The gunsmith got it from Denver just yesterday.”

“You’re still giving it to me?Even though we were fighting?”

He sighed.

“Emily, we will have disagreements over the years to come.But we’re still married and I still will follow through on my promises.”

“Oh, Ben.Thank you and forgive me for doubting you.”

He hugged her close.

“You’re forgiven.Where will you keep the gun?It doesn’t do much good if it’s not on you.”

“I’ll keep it in my apron pocket or my skirt pocket.I’ll always have it with me.I never know when I’ll need it.With your crazy mother and ex-fiancée, I might actually have to use it, but I truly hope I never do.”

“I hope you don’t either, at least on humans.You can shoot all the snakes you want.”