Page 72 of The Cowboy Who Came Home
“I don’t know,” Edith said. “I just feel like there’s something you want to tell me and haven’t.”
“I don’t know what that would be,” he said, his tone settling into normalcy.
“Okay,” she said, her voice rising a bit now. “I just—you can tell me stuff, okay? Anything.”
“I know that, Edith. I always have.”
“Okay,” she said as the she-shed approached. “Then let’s take our afternoon nap.” She grinned as she opened the door and entered ahead of him, the comforting sight of her couch, her book posters, her desk, greeting her.
She paused just inside the door, where she had a small wall unit air conditioner, and pressed the button to get it going.
“How long will that take?” Finn asked. He released her hand and headed the few steps to the couch.
“A half-hour,” she said. “We can have some ice cream, so we don’t get too hot.” Edith set about getting out her sherbet and ice cream, unsurprised when Finn took the ice cream and she settled next to him with a bowl of orange sherbet.
“Okay, with every bite, we have to say something.”
“Say something?” Finn took a bite of his ice cream.
“Yeah, you cheater.” She grinned at him. “So tell me your favorite food.”
He ducked his head, that glorious cowboy hat making him so handsome and the smile making him so dang cute too. “Breakfast burritos.”
Edith giggled. “See? Something I didn’t know.”
“What would you have guessed?”
“I don’t know. Steak?”
“Mm, I do love a good steak,” he said.
She took a bite and nodded to him as if to say, Go ahead. Ask me something.
Finn nodded, his throat working as he swallowed. “All right. You have an hour all to yourself. What do you do?”
“What time of day is it?”
“Evening,” he said. “The perfect summer evening, with a little breeze, and the sun setting into darker blues and purples.” His bright eyes sparkled, because he did seem to know some of Edith’s favorites hadn’t changed all that much over the years.
“I’d go for a walk,” she said. “Along the river, in town.” She sighed and looked up toward the ceiling. “You know, with the big trees overhead, and the wind whispering secrets to me about life, the universe, and God Himself.” She smiled and met his eye. The electricity between them flowed easily, and Finn scooped up another bite of ice cream instead of kissing her.
“Your turn to ask me something.” He took his bite of ice cream, clearly teasing her.
“Have you ever been in love?”
Finn took the question in stride. “No, ma’am, unless a dog counts, but I don’t think it does.”
“It does not,” Edith said dryly. She put another spoonful of sherbet in her mouth, really enjoying the tangy, tart orange flavor against her tongue.
“Do you think God knows us?” he asked, his voice low. “Like, do you think He cares if I find a ranch here, or about your sinkholes, or…just any of it.”
“Yep,” Edith said without missing a beat. “I absolutely believe that He does.”
Finn’s eyes danced around, and Edith reached over and took his face in her hand. “I know He loves us, Finn. Individually. I know He knows you want a ranch, and I know He knows about the sinkholes.”
“He could’ve stopped them.”
“Yeah, sure.” Edith took another bite of her sherbet, breaking her own rules of the game. “But God doesn’t give us challenges we can’t handle.”
