A Headstrong Woman(39)

“I think she’s mine too; she’s a sweetheart. It makes it easy to love her doesn’t it?”

Alexandria smiled and nodded, “It does.”

They eased their way out of the pew and into the aisle; Anna edged her way in front of Alexandria to follow Jonathon. Alexandria rolled her eyes and followed. Her sister never had been good at subtly.

“Alexandria,” Lane called and hurried around the crowds to catch up.

She turned and waited; she was still slightly miffed at him from their last two encounters.

“Hello, Lane,” she greeted him politely when he reached her.

“Hello, Alexandria, I wanted to apologize for our last two meetings; I know I was out of line. It’s just that we’ve been friends a long time and I care about your wellbeing; I worry about you.”

“Thank you, Lane, for caring and for your friendship. I won’t lie to you and say it isn’t a little hard at times but I assure you that I am doing alright,” Alexandria laid a hand on his arm to reassure him.

Lane laid his hand over hers and smile, “I’m glad to hear that, Alexandria.”

“There you are, someone woke up looking for you,” Jonathon stepped up beside them.

“Hello, Lilly,” Alexandria reached for her daughter.

“I should let you get going; I’ll be praying for you,” Lane assured her.

“Thanks, Lane; I’ll see you next Sunday,” Alexandria turned from wishing him farewell to make her way from the church.

“Your parents want to know if you would like to join them for lunch, they figured since I was driving if they told me you couldn’t get gone before they asked,” he relayed Carolyn’s message.

“I’ll have to find Anna and ask her; what about you, as you said, you’re driving. What are your afternoon plans?”

“Mine are flexible.”

“I told Millie it was a possibility that Mama and Daddy would invite us,” Alexandria had stopped in the church yard and was chewing her lip.

“Did Mama find you yet,” Anna approached.

“No, but I know she invited us to lunch.”

“Can we?” Anna looked so hopeful that Alexandria wasn’t certain she could turn her down.

“Why don’t we,” Alexandria smiled at her sister.

“Good; you’re coming as well, aren’t you?” Anna turned to Jonathon.

“He’s coming, now let’s go.” Her mind made up, Alexandria was ready to get moving, but that was always the way it had been with her.

***



Jonathon watched with concern as Alexandria attempt to rope the heifer in the corral. He had watched nervously over the past few weeks as she had first learned to rope the barrel from Spirit’s back and then a calf. He was afraid that she didn’t weigh enough to hold her own against a full-grown heifer, but she had begged, her eyes wide and pleading and he had given in. She was getting good at getting around him, he realized; the thought made him frown. She had more than her fair share of feminine charm and wasn’t even aware of it. Lord help him, if she ever became of aware of it. He watched as she was yanked from the saddle and hurried to her side.

“Alexandria, that’s enough. You’re going to get hurt,” he told her as he helped her to her feet. Alexandria seemed to be having trouble with the concept that the horse was supposed to do the pulling once she had lassoed the animal and he was afraid she was going to be seriously hurt if she wasn’t careful.

“I am going to stop her,” Alexandria insisted as she stomped over to Spirit and remounted.

“Alexandria, please, I am asking you as a…” he was still trying to reason with her when she rode past him already pursuing the cow again. He gave up and hurried to get out of their way. She tried again unsuccessfully for several more minutes before she roped the heifer and again came out of the saddle. This time she was dragged several feet across the rocky ground beneath her. Jonathon winced and moved to kneel beside her; he kept an eye on the agitated cow.

“Are you okay?” he asked as she sat up; tears stood in her eyes. She grabbed her shoulder. “Let me see.” He pulled her hand away to find her shirt tattered down her shoulder and back on the right side. He picked her up, deposited her on the other side of the fence, and led Spirit from the corral. He then led Alexandria into the house and started gathering first aid supplies.

“What are you doing?” Alexandria demanded.