“Almost.”

“Ma’am?”

“I’m not putting one foot off this porch until you promise to call me by my first name for the rest of the night.” Henry had to stop and think for a minute. He wasn’t sure he could do it, seeing as how he hadn’t called her by her name the entire time he’d been at the ranch. He had tried to do it the night he asked her out, but it was as if it hurt his tongue when he tried. “Well?” she asked playfully. “I’m waiting.”

“I don’t know, ma’am…I just…”

Jessie turned for the door.

“Okay, okay!” he blurted. “I promise.”

“Okay then. Shall we go?”

“Yes, ma’a…Jess… Jessie.” He winced, putting the hat back on his head.

“We’ll work on it,” Jessie said, gently taking Henry by the hand and starting down the steps. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“No, ma’am.” He winced again.

The drive to town took the normal forty-five minutes. Or at least it was normal for Henry. It was twenty minutes too slow for Jessie. Still it was an enjoyable ride, and soon enough Henry brought the truck to a stop near the feed store, parked, and the couple walked into town.

The main street was busy with foot traffic, including the occasional child running past with a lit sparkler in his or her hand. There was also the sporadic sound of firecrackers going off down the side streets, along with the intermittent whistling of bottle rockets and other small fireworks in the distance. There was an odd odor of gunpowder and cotton candy in the air, and it was all mixed with laughter and cheerful conversations of the folks on the street. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience for Henry, one of community and friendship that he had not encountered in a very long time.

They stopped at the park in the middle of town just as a horse drawn hayride pulled to a stop at the curb. The people who had ridden on the wagon gleefully jumped off, and another group waiting in the park jumped on. Henry and Jessie stood on the sidewalk watching the people get situated on the wagon when the wagon driver saw them. “Come on folks!” he said in a deep baritone voice. “Hop on, we still got plenty of room.”

Jessie smiled and turned to look at Henry who was politely shaking his head at the wagon driver. “Oh come on,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the wagon. Henry resisted the whole way. He had used big horses and wagons like this to do chores on a ranch since he was a kid. Riding on a horse-drawn wagon through the streets of town with a bunch of people singing and carrying on seemed a bit silly to him.

The people on the wagon added friendly encouragement to Jessie as she got him closer, and a man and woman slid over to make room. Jessie quickly vaulted herself onto the vacated spot, still holding Henry’s arm and pulling him near. At the very last minute, Henry looked in all directions to make sure nobody he knew was watching, and finally joined Jessie on the wagon. Spontaneous applause broke out as the driver yelled, “Bill and Bob, git up!” and the wagon lurched forward.