"Strings? " "Commitment, " he explained. "Men don't."

"Then all those married men were hog-tied and dragged to the altar? "

He thought the image fit perfectly. "Yeah, they probably were."

"Was your brother-in-law forced into marrying your sister? " He'd forgotten he'd told her about his family. "Mary Rose and Harrison? "

Before she could say another word, he shook his head. "Harrison wanted to marry her." She sat down and began to untie her shoelaces. He stood there watching her while he tried to figure out how they had gotten into such an intense discussion.

"Look, Jessie, all I'm saying is that . . . " "You don't want strings.

" "Exactly." He almost shouted the word.

"Brace yourself, Cole. I don't want strings either, " she whispered.

"I don't want to get married, and I'm never going to, " she added with a nod.

"You'll get married one of these days, " he predicted, and immediately frowned over the possibility.

"Because life would be easier? " He stretched out on the bedroll and stared at the stars while he considered his answer.

"Yeah, it would be easier, and it would also be good for Caleb to have a father around."

"My son and I don't need a man to make our family complete. Oh, you make me so angry, Cole. You're like the majority of people I've encountered who want to push their expectations and beliefs on me."

"It's difficult to be a single mother."

"I know how difficult it is, but I'm happy . . . genuinely happy, and if I married someone just to gain respectability, I'd be miserable and would have no one to blame but myself."

"Respectability? What does that have to do with anything? " "Never mind."

"You brought it up. Tell me what you meant."

"As soon as strangers find out I'm not married and never have been, they assume I had Caleb out of wedlock, and then . . . " He prodded her to continue. "Then what? " "They're compelled to make sure I know exactly how they feel about it." He was watching her closely. "How do they do that? Give me an example." She shrugged and tried to pretend that all the hurt she'd suffered had barely mattered to her. "When Grace and I went shopping for supplies, a woman slapped me across the face when she found out I'd never been married.

I had Caleb with me, and when she asked who he belonged to, Grace told her he was my son." Cole was outraged by the incident. "What did you do? " "I took Caleb outside."

"I'm sorry you didn't punch her." She smiled. "I wanted to, but I didn't give in to my urge because it wouldn't have been ladylike, and I had Caleb with me. I didn't want him to see his mother behave in such a manner. Grace took care of her, though, " she added. She put her hand over her mouth and giggled. "It was a sight to see. I watched her through the window." He smiled in anticipation of what she was going to tell him. "What did she do? " "She snatched up a ruler from the counter and backed the woman against the wall. She didn't hit her, but she blistered her all the same with her lecture, and by the time she was done, the woman was crying. It was ridiculous really. Grace was half the other woman's size. Later, we laughed about it."

"But it still hurt, didn't it? " She didn't answer him. "Grace is the first real friend I've ever had, " she whispered. "I would do anything for her."

"And she would do anything for you, wouldn't she? " "Yes, she would, "

she agreed. "Do you have any close friends? " "My family, " he answered. "I'm close to my brothers. They drive me crazy sometimes, but I'd kill anyone who tried to hurt them." She couldn't imagine having siblings and pleaded with him to tell her what his life had been like growing up in such a large family. She was clearly astounded to find out that his brothers and sister and mother weren't blood relatives.

He spent over an hour talking about his growing up years, sharing both humorous and poignant stories with her. The warmth in his eyes and his voice indicated the love he felt for his family, and by the time he finished, she ached with her own loneliness. She yearned to belong .

. and to be loved.

"We joined together to become a family, " Cole said. "And never once did I think any of them would run out on me. That's what you think always happens, though, don't you? " "Experience has taught me not to trust anyone else."

"What about your friend Grace? " "Oh, I trust her implicitly."

"And Rebecca? " "I don't know her well, but I could probably trust her, I suppose.

She's been very kind to Caleb and me."

"The three of you have been loyal to one another."

"Neither one of them jumped to the conclusion that Caleb was illegitimate, " she pointed out. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head to work out the tension.

"I've decided that when Grace and I get to Denver, if anyone asks, I'm going to tell them I'm widowed."

"One lie will only lead to another and another, " he told her. "Look at the mess the three of you have gotten into by lying about being a witness. If all of you had simply stepped forward and told the truth before the reporter made you front-page news, your life would have been far less complicated. The judge wouldn't have insisted that Daniel and I haul you and Grace and Rebecca to Blackwater. I imagine you and Grace would already be in Denver."

"I told you I was the witness, " she reminded him. "Grace and Rebecca are going to Blackwater? " "They're on their way now." She was flabbergasted. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? " "You were about to leave your son. You had enough to worry about, " he said.

"Why does this judge want all three of us? I told you I was the witness."

"Yeah, well, so did Grace and Rebecca."

"But that can't be, " she nearly shouted.

"All three of you have come forward to tell us that you were there hiding under the desk."

"No."

"Yes, " he countered.

"No wonder you didn't believe me. You wouldn't let me tell you what happened. I did try."

"I didn't want to hear any more lies." She took a calming breath and tried not to get angry, for he had every right to doubt her. She had lied to him in the past.

"Why would Grace and Rebecca say they were there? " "You tell me. "

She thought about it a long while before venturing a guess. "Grace must feel she has to protect me . . . She knows I'd do the same for her, but I still don't understand why Rebecca would lie."

"She didn't lie, Jessie. She is our witness. Now go to sleep. I'm tired, and I'm not in the mood to argue." She lay down and rolled to her side so she could stare at the fire. Her mind was filled with questions. Cole had sounded so certain Rebecca was the witness, and she couldn't figure out why.

"Cole? " "Now what? " "I saw the man on the roof of the building in Rockford Falls. . . . He killed Mr. York, and I tried to shoot him, but I dropped the gun."

"I remember. What about him? " "I've seen him before, and I recognized him." He let out a weary sigh. "Where'd you see him? "

"In the bank. His name is Johnson. Mr. Johnson. I watched him kill those innocent people." CJ he told him everything.

She remembered every word that was spoken, every laugh, every scream.

As she related the sequence of events to him, beginning with her untied shoelace, she remained dry-eyed and calm. Too calm, Cole thought, for her voice was completely devoid of emotion. He didn't ask her any questions, and when she was finished, she got up and walked to the lake.

He didn't know if she wanted to be alone or not, but it didn't matter to him because he was compelled to go to her. She stood with her arms folded at her waist, her stance was rigid, and when he tried to put his arm around her, she jerked away.

"Don't." Ignoring her protest, he moved in front of her, blocking her view of the lake, and forcefully pulled her into his arms.