Jude strolls up to us and plants his thumbs in the pockets of his tight, dark canvas trousers. His big, rosy lips are pursed around a lit cigarette, and my legs get light as if the very sight of him might swoop me up like a tumbleweed in the wind.

He’s got on a blue-collared shirt with a red bandana around his tanned neck, and his rich blue eyes sparkle an even lighter shade than his crisp, clean shirt.

His wavy black hair that’s parted in the middle is covered by a brown gambler hat.

Jude is about as breathtaking as could be.

And here I am, covered in dirt and gunpowder!

But Jude smiles at me all the same.

He tips his hat. “Ma’am.”

My cheeks blush and I smile back at him, clumsily leaning against the fence, trying to not appear completely smitten.

“Kalen,” Daddy says, motioning toward Jude, “I believe you two are already familiar. And Sarah, this is Mr. Jude Price. Jude, this is my daughter, Sarah.”

Jude takes a drag off his cigarette and his eyes sharpen on me.

“We ran into each other before,” I stammer, “at the store!”

Oh goodness, please tell me he remembers before I make more of a fool of myself.

“You were buying peaches!” I add like that might make me seem less like a rambling oaf.

Jude nods and without missing a beat replies, “And you were buying sweets. Lemon drops, if I remember correctly.”

I can’t contain the huge smile Jude’s buttery voice puts on my face. “That’s right, Mr. Price.”

“Please,” Jude says, blowing a soft billow of smoke out his nose, “call me Jude.”

I damn near melt while fanning a hand to my face.

Daddy gave me a gun but has yet to give me the holster, so I set the empty pistol down on the crate, knocking over the Sharps rifle and a handful of bullets to the grass.

I scramble to pick everything up.

Kalen laughs.

“Normal for hands to shake after firing for the first time,” he teases.

“Far from my first time!” I snap, not wanting to appear a rookie in front of Jude. “You should know that.”

I pluck the Sharps rifle off the ground. It’s heavy. Heavier than any rifle I’ve ever held.

“I’ll show you how good a shot I am, Kalen,” I growl, opening the Sharp’s breech and snagging one of its finger-sized bullets off the table.

Daddy swipes the rifle out of my hands. “Oh no, you won’t! This ain’t no rifle for girls, Sarah. Damn near blew my shoulder off each time I shot it. Maybe in a few years. But not now.”

Jude takes a final puff off his cigarette and stomps it under the heel of his boot. Designs of a spade and club, then a heart and diamond run along each respective side of the leather.

He says to Daddy, “Heck of a rifle there, sir.”

The two share a firm handshake.

Daddy shuts the breech. “Sure is, son. Now let’s mosey inside for a proper meal. There, we can all catch up.”

Kalen leads the way back to our ranch home and Daddy cleans up the guns and bullets outside. Jude walks beside me, ensuring that my heart sits thumping right inside my throat.

“Miss Sarah,” he says, slowing his pace.

Kalen keeps walking, and Daddy grunts as he slings a repeating rifle over his shoulder.

“Just Sarah is all right by me,” I say, tracing my fingers along the belt holding up my ranch pants.

If I knew the best birthday present was gonna be this handsome feller sitting down to dinner with us, I would’ve put on a darling dress! I’m still in my damn ranch clothes!

Jude rubs a thumb against the tip of his nose and reaches into his back pocket.

“Well, Sarah, heard it was your birthday today.”

Jude hands me a small box with a white bow wrapped around it.

“Here,” he says. “Happy birthday.”

By my stars, is this really happening? Fumbling for words and staring into Jude’s incredible blue eyes, I accept the box.

“Go on, open it,” he says with a sly smile.

He checks over his shoulder to see Daddy lugging over the guns.

“One sec,” Jude says, racing over to Daddy. “Need a hand, sir?”

Daddy laughs, “Now Jude, I might be old, but I can still carry my arsenal into my home with no trouble.” Daddy climbs up the ranch’s front stoop and grunts with each step.

“He’s like an ox,” I chuckle, opening the box, grateful that Jude and I have a moment alone.

I blink several times, trying to believe what I see in front of me.

“Jude…”

Inside the box is an exquisite silver pocket watch with etchings of flowers on the case. Jude props his hands on the wall of the ranch and gazes down at me. We’re close enough to kiss.

“You like it?” he asks. “I tried to get something girly, you know?”

I can’t believe a guy my age could afford something like this.

“Like it? It’s gorgeous! I can’t accept this, Jude. It’s too nice!”

Jude closes my fingers around the watch.

“Ain’t such a thing as something too nice for a girl as beautiful as you.”

Jude blushes, too, and I find my confidence again at his touch.

“Well, I hug folks who give me gifts,” I smile. “So do you mind if I give you a hug?”

“I reckon that’d be just fine.”

We hug, and I feel the big muscles on Jude’s back. His round shoulders, his strong biceps.

Now all we need is a kiss…

“Y’all coming?” Kalen shouts out, poking his head out from the deck. “Chow’s about to get cold.”

Jude and I break away and I clear my throat. “Jude was just giving me a kind gift is all.”

Kalen raises a brow, then looks at the watch.

“That’s awfully nice of him,” Kalen says, “but you don’t need a watch to know that it’s dinnertime. Come on now! I worked hard over this!”

We all laugh and race inside the ranch.

Daddy keeps it quaint and fairly bare. There’s a wooden table set for eating, a pot over a fire, and the skull of the first bison Kalen hunted.

Kalen sets a basket of lopsided biscuits down on the table. Jude pulls my chair out for me, and Daddy smiles ear to ear. I take a seat and Jude sits across from me.

“Uh, Kalen,” I say, poking a finger to a biscuit. “These look a little… lumpy.”

A belly laugh erupts from Daddy, and he leans back in his seat.

“Boy, didn’t I teach you better than that!”

Kalen grits his teeth and under his breath murmurs, “About as lumpy as your head, sis.”

I stick my tongue out at Kalen and he snickers. “Anyway, Sarah! I made your favorite. Beef steaks with potatoes. Beans and biscuits.”

Jude plays pacifist and says, “I think the grub looks delicious, Kalen.”

Kalen raises a hand toward Jude. “Finally. An appreciative feller!”

I kiss Kalen’s cheek, feeling beyond blessed and happy. “I am appreciative. This is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

Kalen fixes everyone a plate, and the smell of roasted, salty beef fills the air.

I’m in heaven!

We dig into the savory meal Kalen prepared.

“It’s important,” Daddy says, wiping a napkin to the side of his mouth, “that my children know how to cook and take care of themselves out there. You know how to cook, Jude?”

Bringing a piece of beef to his mouth and blowing the steam off it, Jude replies with a grin, “I could fix myself something to survive.”

“That’s good,” Daddy nods.

I can’t take my eyes off Jude. His muscular chest. The way he gracefully cuts his steak, like he’s been taught good manners.

And I’m just now realizing the big iron on his hip.

“Our momma cooked one heck of a meal,” Kalen says, his smile fading. He plays with his potatoes and gets quiet. “Nobody quite did it like her.”

Jude chews and swallows. “Is she still…”

“Dead,” Kalen says harshly, like a stab to the gut. “The move out West took her.”

Jude presses his lips together and puts a hand over his heart. “Sorry for your loss. Didn’t have a momma growin’ up either. I know it ain’t easy.”

Glancing at Daddy, Jude forces a smile. “But y’all got one heck of a father here. Crawford ‘Railroad’ Townsend.”

Jude sips at some milk and continues, “Y’all know we wouldn’t have that big railway system and trains running through Blackwood if it weren’t for your Pappy.”

Although the memories of Momma tug at my heart, I can’t help but feel prideful for Daddy and all that he’s done.

“Appreciate your kind words, Jude,” Daddy says. “Got a good head on your shoulders. Which is why I wanted to talk to you about becoming a Deputy…”

Kalen’s head arches toward the fields. He drops his knife, and it clatters on the table.

What on earth?

Through the window, I see a bursting fireball.

Flames take the fields of our crops.

Somebody is trying to burn us to the ground…