3. Summer

Staring out the window you think back to when your father was still alive. He had been very sick for months and knew he didn't have very much time left. Still, you were shocked when he told you that he asked Sheriff Austin if he would marry you. You were initially indignant at the thought of your father deciding your future. "Please." He had asked you though coughing fits. "I need to know someone will be around to protect you." You wanted to protest but seeing your father in such a state made you bite your tongue and promise him you would. Austin showed up the next day and gave a somewhat more formal proposal. You were fairly surprised that Sheriff Austin had even agreed in the first place. He's a few years older than you and you hadn't talked often before the unexpected proposal.

It's been three months since that happened and you still haven't talked very much. You understand that being sheriff of the town is a demanding job but you wish he'd try making some time for you. It's a small town and so you know most of your neighbors and the town folk. But Sheriff Austin didn't grow up in town and only moved in about five years ago. He moved here specifically to replace the last Sheriff after he retired and seems to keep to himself mostly. People were a little skeptical of him at first but he quickly won their respect when he expertly handled some cattle thieves that came through town. Despite this you've grown fairly agreeable with the thought of marrying him. There's not a lot of eligible bachelors in town so you should be happy to end up with such a capable one. It still would be nice to get to know him a little bit better before you do wed. You were so shaken up after your fathers **** you haven't even picked a date out yet.

After a few more minutes of thinking you get up from the table and go out to finish the rest of the chores. It's nearing sunset when you finish and return home again. You're thankful you'll be able to take a little time off tomorrow so you can go into town for some supplies. When you're done eating a quick meal you go outside to sit on the porch. The last of the sun is dipping behind the horizon and the sky is a mix of purple and red. As you're staring out at the land in front of you something catches your eyes. You squint trying to make the object out in the dim light and see it's a horse running across the horizon. It seems to be riding away from town which you find odd since the direction it's heading leads nowhere. You frown but shrug as it's of no consequence to you. The sky turns a deep blue as the suns last rays fade away and the first stars begin twinkling above you. You spend another minute enjoying the moment before returning inside.

The next day you work quickly and finish all of the essential chores before noon. When you're done you saddle up your horse and set off. The ride is quiet and you lose yourself in thought as your horse slowly trots forward. As you’re nearing the town a flash of red shakes you from your thoughts and you bring your horse to a stop. There's a scrap of red material caught on the bush to your right and you gently pick it out. You turn it over in your hand and note that it looks like fabric from a bandana. You're not sure why but you tuck it away into your pocket before continuing on. You stop your horse just outside of town and fasten his reigns to a fence. You head past the gate and walk down the familiar path to the only grocer. You pay for the few supplies you picked up and thank the store clerk before leaving. As you're walking out the door you stop when you see Austin across the road. You breath in sharply when he notices you and begins walking towards you.

He nods his head at you when he arrives and you offer him a polite smile back. "Sheriff." You don't feel comfortable calling him by his first name around town yet. You're also still a little disappointed he couldn't stay longer yesterday. You feel bad when you look up at his face and see his tired expression. The five o'clock shadow on his face is telling that he didn't sleep last night. "Is every thing okay?" You ask softy, shifting the bag of goods in your arms to your side. "Just a little trouble here last night." He replies and turns to look at the building across the way. It's the only inn in town and is makes most of it's money from the gambling tables it runs. "Seems someone was trying to pull a hustle but they got away before I arrived." He doesn't sounds happy when he says this and you can't help but think of the horse you saw last night. Whoever the rider was seemed to be heading away from town so you decide not to bring it up. The last thing you want is Austin going on a long man hunt.