He rose and left us alone.
I took John's hand again, uncertain why my heart was hurting worse than my head and my stomach in knots. John wasn't really my father.
But his joyful smile …
God this is hard. The day I went for another drink with Carter, we were going to have a very long talk.
"If the sheriff disturbed you, I will hunt him down," I said firmly.
"He did not." John chuckled.
"Oh, I forgot my list," I said. "I'm still deciding. I think I'm leaning towards Travis." A seventeen-year-old kid will be easier to handle than a man like Philip. "I'll let you know soon, Father."
"No need."
I perked up. "Because you changed your mind about marrying me off?" I asked hopefully.
"Because I chose for you, my Josephine."
Shit, shit, shit. I curbed the curse words and instead drew a breath. It was hard to pretend to be upbeat about something that sounded downright horrible to me. "Who did you choose, Father?" Please don't say Philip!
"A man not on the list."
I waited anxiously.
"Sheriff Taylor."
"Really? Why?" I replied. "I thought he was poor?" The dread in my stomach turned to fluttering butterflies, and my heart skipped a beat. The sheriff was definitely the sexiest man I had met here, one who was always around when I needed rescuing. But there was something going on with him, a reason why five women had traveled from the future to find him and three had disappeared shortly after succeeding. I didn't think he hurt them, but I think he knew a lot more than he was telling me.
"We were discussing the tension between settlers and the savages," his father said. "I have always been an advocate for us all living in harmony. Philip does not share my views, like many others of stature who have nothing to gain from peace. The sheriff maintains strong ties to both communities."
I listened. Before, Taylor hadn't been an option because of who he was. Now, he was John's choice for the same reason. "Did he say something to you to make you change your mind?" I asked, puzzled as to what the sheriff might've said in so short a time. Of all my options, I liked the one of the sheriff best.
But something wasn't right about John's decision, unless it was a sign of his senility.
"Not at all. We did not discuss you."
"Oh. So he doesn't know?"
"Not yet. It was my concern for you keeping my lands after I die. The natives are growing restless. You'll be safe, if he's your husband."