Chapter 1

Seated with the wall to his back, a soft smile lit the tracker's face as he witnessed the celebration before him. Seeing his fellow regulators and other chosen members of the town have a good time did his heart good, filling it with rich emotions which he would treasure forever. Everyone was laughing, telling jokes, and bestowing gifts to the guest of honor. He paused for a moment wondering what it would be like to be the center of attention at a time like this, but quickly dismissed it knowing he'd likely be too embarrassed to enjoy himself. He didn't have to worry about that anyway, he figured, he'd told Chris a long time ago he had no idea what day he'd been born.

"Wooo weee!" Buck Wilmington squealed. "Come 'ere, Sally, and give the birthday boy another kiss!"

The giggling buxom blonde barmaid willingly allowed the ladies' man to pull her on his welcoming lap. Wrapping her soft arms around Buck she kissed him soundly on the mouth.

"Having a good time, Vin?" JD asked dropping into the seat beside the sharpshooter. Raising his beer mug the young sheriff took long draw on the brew.

Vin dipped his head with a nod.

"I think it's even better than last year's celebration!" JD noted, toasting his honorary older brother with his beer. "'Course Ezra's party a couple of years ago was a lot of fun. I'll never forget the look on his face when you gave him your present."

"Tweren't nothing," Vin said, his brilliant blue eyes reflected his embarrassment of being reminded of Ezra's reaction to his gift.

"He still has it you know. He framed it."

This news gave Vin pause. "Just words on paper, JD."

"Oh you know as well as I do, it wasn't 'jess words on paper'. He liked that poem you wrote," JD pressed. "Meant something to 'im."

Vin reached for his hat, which he had hung earlier on peg on the wall. "Time for m' rounds," he announced, successfully terminating the conversation with the younger man. Rising he crossed over to the birthday boy, shook Buck's hand, nodded to the rest of the revelers, and exited the saloon.

"Ever notice how Vin always has to leave early to ride patrol during one of these birthday parties?" JD questioned the group.

"Did you ever realize we have yet to commemorate Mr. Tanner's birthday?" Ezra countered dryly.

JD's jaw dropped. "I-I didn't…"

The gambler interrupted. "I can only conclude either Mr. Tanner does not choose to divulge the date of his birth, or more probable…"

"He doesn't know," Chris Larabee said sadly stepping up behind the men.

Ezra nodded and sipped at his shot of whiskey.

"He's got no clue at all?" JD pressed.

"I questioned him a couple years or so ago, shortly after we started celebrating," Chris said. Tilting a shot of whiskey into his mouth he grimaced as the amber liquid hit the back of his throat. "All he could tell me was he was five when his mother died and that he remembered she died when the bluebonnets were in bloom. He told me every spring he adds a year to his age, and according to Vin, 'figgers it's good enough'."

"So he'll never know for sure?"

"Probably not, JD," Josiah answered.

"I would 'spect that Vin's mother gave birth to him at home. If she were lucky, she mighta had a midwife to help her, but it mighta just been Vin's father," Nathan said.

Ezra nodded. "I would think it's highly likely that Mr. Tanner has never celebrated his time of birth, at least not that he can recollect."

Rose slipped off Buck's lap and the rogue leaned forward in his chair grinning broadly. "Jest cuz we don't have an exact date, don't mean we can't have a birthday party for Vin." A sly conspiratorial grin spread beneath the man's mustache.

The other five beamed at the idea.

"That's a great idea, Buck! But when would we do it?" JD asked. "What day would we pick?"

Ezra pulled out his deck of cards and deftly withdrew several cards and with a flourish spread them across the table. "Pick a card," he instructed the youngest member of the group.

JD's hand hesitated over the cards before he finally made his decision. Turning the card over, he revealed the four of spades.

"April," Ezra declared, "the fourth month." Picking up the cards, he reshuffled them into the rest of the deck and this time fanned out all fifty-two cards across the table. Tapping them with his index finger, he instructed Buck, Chris, and Nathan to each select a card.

The three men each carefully chose a card apiece and turned them over to reveal a two of clubs, a jack of hearts, and lastly a nine of spades.

"The twenty-first. Vin's birthday will be April the twenty-first." Ezra said with a grin. "If I'm not mistaken, that is also just about the time the bluebonnets are in bloom in Texas. We have about three months to prepare the best birthday commemoration this quaint community has ever witnessed!"

TBD