Page 77 of Saltwater Cowboy

“Wells, always a pleasure,” she said, her voice soft but laced with affection.

“Figured you could use a little sunshine today,” I replied with a smile. It wasn’t much, but I liked doing this for them. Over the years, they’d given me something invaluable—company when I needed it most and conversation when silence felt too heavy.

Rose lingered near the stairs, letting me take the lead. She didn’t stay unnoticed for long. One of the residents, a sharp-eyed woman with years of wisdom behind her gaze, curled a finger in Rose’s direction, beckoning her closer. Rose hesitated for just a beat before stepping forward.

“You’re new around here, aren’t you?” the woman asked, her voice carrying the weight of someone who had seen a lifetime of stories unfold.

Rose offered a small smile. “Just visiting for a bit.”

The woman’s lips curved in a knowing grin. “You won’t want to leave. People here have a way of making you feel like you belong.”

Across the porch, Rose met my gaze, something unreadable flickering behind her eyes. Then, slowly, a soft smile tugged at her lips. And in that moment, I saw it—the way she was starting to see this place the way I did.

I shifted the weight of the flower box in my arms. “Come on,” I said. “Let’s head inside and spread a little more sunshine.”

Inside, the scent of lavender and clean linens filled the halls, mingling with the warmth of home-cooked meals drifting from the dining room. The hum of quiet conversation and the occasional burst of laughter created a kind of gentle comfort that settled deep in my chest.

I spotted Mrs. Lillian in her usual chair by the window, her silver hair pinned back neatly, a book resting in her lap. She looked up as I approached, her eyes lighting up the way they always did when I visited.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite cowboy,” she teased, setting her book aside. “Come to sweep an old woman off her feet?”

I chuckled, kneeling beside her and handing her a bouquet of soft pink peonies. “Thought I’d try my luck.”

She took the flowers with a delighted smile, bringing them to her nose and inhaling deeply. “Lord have mercy, Wells Calloway, you sure know how to make a lady feel special.”

“Only the best for you, ma’am,” I said, adjusting the blanket draped over her legs. “How’ve you been?”

“Oh, the usual. Beating everyone at cards,” she said with a playful glint in her eye.

I grinned, leaning in. “I bet you still got a few up your sleeve.”

Mrs. Lillian patted my hand, her grip soft but steady. “You always were a good boy, Wells. The kind that gives people something to look forward to.”

Across the room, Rose stood quietly, watching the exchange. I didn’t notice her at first, but when I glanced up, I caught the expression on her face—eyes warm, lips parted just slightly, like she’d just stumbled upon something unexpectedly beautiful.

Her gaze lingered on me, then on Mrs. Lillian, and I saw it clear as day. The way this moment touched something deep inside her, the way it shifted something in her chest.

Maybe she was starting to see Wippowa differently.

She gave me a soft, knowing smile, and for once, she didn’t look like she was just passing through.

I stood, lifting the flower box with one arm, and nodded toward her. “You gonna help me play flower delivery, or you just here for the show?”

Rose smirked, stepping closer. “Depends. You always this charming with the ladies?”

Mrs. Lillian let out a delighted chuckle. “Oh honey, you have no idea.”

Rose laughed, and I felt something settle inside me.

As Rose stepped closer, I handed off another bouquet, but my attention was pulled away by a chuckle from the corner of the room.

“Well, well,” Mr. Grady drawled, straightening in his chair as his cane rested against his knee. “Ain’t often we get such a vision of beauty walkin’ through these doors.”

Rose blinked, then let out a small laugh. “Are you talking about me?” She pointed to herself.

Mr. James, sitting beside him, adjusted his suspenders with a dramatic sigh. “Darlin’, if I were fifty years younger—hell, even thirty—I’d be fighting off the rest of these old fools for a chance to take you out dancing.”

“Oh, hush now,” Mrs. Lillian teased. “You’d have to remember how to dance first.”