A Heart Renewed by Karen Baney Page A

it was.”
    Too close, he thought, as he tried to get his emotions under control.
    Once back at the wagon train circle, his emotions started to settle.  Then he helped Julia down from the wagon.  When he touched her hand, lightening shot through him, stirring up the confusing feelings all over again.  As soon as she was safely to the ground, he quickly released his hold.  Why was he suddenly so nervous around her?
    Shaking off the unsettling feelings, he left her to start supper while he went to find the wagon master.  He found the short stocky man as the last touches of light faded from the sky.  He spoke briefly with him to see if he and Julia could join the wagon train west.  The wagon master agreed before assigning them a place.
    With business settled, his mind returned to the jumbled emotions sparked from this afternoon.  Slowly walking back to camp he tried to understand what was happening.  He was acting like a fool—getting all flummoxed around his childhood friend.  This was Julia Colter—the girl who beat him in a roping contest.  The girl that could ride as well as any man.  The one that would prank him in school as often as she could.
    The woman who wormed her way into his heart these last weeks, despite her curt words and melancholy.
    As he turned the corner around the end of their wagon, he caught a glimpse of her in the firelight.  She was standing over the skillet, finishing supper.  The light from the fire highlighted her shapely silhouette.  Adam thought he had never seen such a lovely woman.  He gazed at her as if it were the first time he had truly seen her.  Her sandy brown curls trailed down her back, gathered together by a dark ribbon.  Her smile could brighten a gloomy room, though she wasn’t smiling now—hadn’t in a very long time.  And those blue, mischievous eyes.
    A sigh escaped his lips unguarded.
    Adam shook himself from the thoughts that both warmed him and scared him all at the same time.  Clearing his throat, he let her know he was back.
    Watching her prepare a meal seemed surreal.  Prior to this trip, he’d never seen her cook and assumed she didn’t know how, with all of the time she spent outdoors.  Surprisingly she was a good cook.  He took a seat just as she handed him some supper.
    “Is everything settled?” she asked, her voice bordering on pleasant.
    Swallowing a bite of food, Adam replied, “Yes.  We leave the morning after tomorrow.”
    “How long do you think it will take?”
    “The wagon master said we should arrive by the first of November, maybe a little earlier if we do not run into bad weather or danger.”
    “Good.”  Having finished her meal, she sat there for a minute before continuing.  “Adam… I, um… I…” she stammered.  He waited.  “I’m sorry that I have not thanked you for rescuing me.”
    “Julia—”
    “No, let me finish.  I know you sacrificed a great deal to get me out of Texas in a hurry.  You were not able to say goodbye to your family or plan your departure as you wished.  Instead, you took compassion on a friend in danger and you did everything you could to get me out of that danger.  You have kept me safe.  You have kept me sane.  And I have done nothing but snap at you and make myself difficult to live with.  You saved my life.  You may not understand all that has happened, but you did save my life.  And for that, I am grateful.”
    When she turned and looked into his eyes, Adam was never more thankful that they now had separate sleeping arrangements.  The look of gratitude nearly undid him.
    Later, during the middle of the night, he woke with a start.  He listened to see if he heard Julia crying in the wagon.  Complete silence.  Then he realized that it was the silence that caused him to stir.  He had become so used to the sound of her crying that when it was missing it seemed off.  Thank you, Lord, for giving her rest.  Please keep mending her wounded heart.

    Two weeks later, well into