Jenny Read Free Page B

think so. I told her I thought we could
work it out, but she said no."
    "Maybe Jenny just needs some time to think about
    "We've been engaged for months now. She's had
plenty of time to think about it." His growing anger
was clearly evident in his tone.
    "Well, if you want my advice, I think you should
go see her again and try once more. Maybe if you
took her some flowers or candy? You should try to
sweet-talk her, you know court her a little bit woo
her."
    Cole looked up, and, for the first time that night,
his expression was slightly hopeful. Someone was offering him a plan of action. "You think that might
make a difference?"

    "You still love her and want to marry her, don't
you?" Fernada asked insightfully.
    He paused, the pain of Jenny's earlier rejection still
sharp. "Yes," he answered slowly.
    "Then you need to go to her and try one more time.
Don't give up if you really love her. True love is
worth fighting for."
    Cole drew a deep breath and looked a bit unsure
as he set his glass back down on the table. "But she
said she didn't want me."
    "I don't believe that for a minute. Think about it.
What were her exact words? Did she really say, 'I
don't want you, Cole'?"
    In his mind, he carefully went over the conversation, and he realized Fernada was right.
    "No, she said, `I don't want this,' "he repeated
slowly.
    "So she didn't say, `I don't love you, Cole'?"
    No.
    "All right, then all you have to do is figure out what
`this' meant. Go to her and ask her. If she's the
woman you love, the woman you want to spend the
rest of your life with, then try again. Convince her
that she can't live without you."
    He finally managed to smile for the first time since
he'd come into the saloon. "Thanks, Fernada." He
shoved the glass of whiskey aside and stood up.
    "Good luck, Cole."
    He nodded and started toward the hotel. It might
be the wee hours of the morning, but he didn't care. He loved Jenny, and he was going to find her and tell
her that. He was going to convince her to marry him,
and then he was going to spend the rest of his life
loving her, just as he'd planned that morning when
he'd gotten ready for the wedding.

    That morning seemed very long ago now. He'd
been excited, eagerly anticipating the night to come,
never suspecting for a moment that it would end like
this. But that didn't matter now. Cole knew Fernada
was right-anything worth having was worth fighting
for.
    Cole started down the street toward the hotel where
Jenny was staying; then he remembered a house a few
blocks over that had a flower garden in the front yard.
Since it was late and very dark, he didn't think the
owner would miss a few flowers. As quietly as he
could, he raided the garden, picking only the fullest,
sweetest-smelling blossoms. Jenny deserved the best.
Bouquet in hand, Cole headed for the hotel.
    There was no one at the front desk when Cole entered. Not that it mattered nothing was going to stop
him now. He was a determined man. He was going
to Jenny, and he was going to convince her to marry
him. He crossed the lobby and took the stairs two at
a time like an eager schoolboy. Cole stopped before
her hotel room door, clutching the flowers in one
hand, and knocked.
    He waited.
    No response.

    He knocked again, believing her to be asleep. His
anticipation grew.
    When he heard no one moving around inside the
room, he knocked one more time and called out,
"Jenny. It's Cole. I need to talk to you again. It's
important."
    He waited.
    No response.
    Cole frowned. He was a bit angry and a bit worried,
and he wasn't sure which emotion was more prominent. He'd known that persuading her to talk with him
again might not be easy, but he hadn't fancied having
to break down the door to get the chance. The way
he was feeling right now, breaking down the door
wasn't out of the realm of possibility, but he really
didn't want to face her if he was angry. He wanted
the opportunity to woo her to sweep her off