Sweet Texas Revenge

Chapter 16

             Samantha woke up alone. She looked around the room looking for any sign of Cade but he wasn't there.  The large indent on his pillow was the only evidence he was there.  Samantha stretched and quickly jumped out of bed and dressed. Going downstairs, she spotted Carmen in the kitchen with Amanda. 

            "It's about time you wake up," Carmen scolded.

            Samantha ignored her and picked up Amanda. "How's my little girl?" she asked as she kissed Amanda on the cheek. Amanda responded with a little giggle. Samantha looked into her daughters blue eyes and smiled. She looked so much like Cade.

            "Where's Cade?" Samantha put down Amanda and poured herself some coffee.

             "Unlike you, he woke up early and went with Travis to learn more about the ranch."

             Her eyes widened in shock. Samantha sat up straight in her chair. "With Travis?"

             "Calmate, he didn't recognize him," Carmen responded.

             "Are you sure?"

             "Well, do you see Travis in shackles?" Samantha gave her a sideways look of annoyance. "Your handsome husband did say to meet him by the pond when you finally wake up."

              "So I overslept. Big deal?" Samantha said as she picked up Amanda and started up the stairs.

              "You haven't done that in all the time I've known you." Carmen yelled back. 

               Samantha quickened her pace up the stairs to put Amanda in her room. She wanted to hurry and meet Cade. She couldn't believe she had the best night's sleep since the first night she spent with Cade almost a year ago. It's true she never overslept but she never felt so safe before. Samantha quickly changed into her riding clothes. 

               Samantha rode towards the pond wondering what her husband was up to.  When she arrived, she found a sheet spread out on the ground and a basket of food. Cade laid on the blanket on his back with his forearm covering his eyes. 

               "It's about time you showed up. I thought I would have to eat all this food myself."

                 Samantha dismounted Beauty and tied her to a tree near his mount and sat down near him. He sat up and smiled, showing his dimples. 

                "What's all this for?" Samantha asked. 

                "It's a picnic. We've done everything backwards, I figured we should have a courtship."

                "Courtship, huh? I'm not the type of girls who likes flowers."

                Cade chuckled as he handed her a drink. "I know but I figured we should get to know each other since we're already married. What do we have to lose?"

                Samantha genuinely smiled at Cade. "Ok. Let the questions begin."

                 They talked all afternoon. He told her about his father and Phyllis and they spoke of Robert. She told him most of her childhood. She explained how Roddy Laws murdered her parents and how she was taken in by a wonderful family. She never mentioned the MacDonald gang or her life of crime but she did speak of the love they shared and how she was sent off to a finishing school in New York. They even spoke of the day Robert was killed. They both shared that grief. That was another bond they shared.