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He scowled again. “Fine. I’ve got no desire for it, then.”
“I can’t imagine learning to be a gunfighter is all that involved. One afternoon passing along a few tips, and he could be on his way.”
Gray grew quiet and stared at his plate long enough Mercy didn’t think he’d answer her at all. Finally, he said, “You don’t need teachin’ to die.”
His voice was so rough and pain-filled that she felt it in her own soul. She swallowed hard, trying to force a bite of dry biscuit past the sudden lump in her throat.
Gray grabbed his chicken again and took another bite. “Everyone does it eventually.”
She should probably say something profound, something that would help erase that haunted look from his eyes. But there was nothing she could think of that seemed close to adequate.
“Well,” she said, one corner of her mouth tilting up. “He seems a nice enough young man. It wouldn’t hurt you to have a few more friends in this world. Why don’t you at least try to get to know him?”
Gray snorted. “I don’t care to know anyone. Most people who know me try to kill me.”
“So, you decided on the off chance he doesn’t want to kill you that you’ll give him a reason to change his mind?”
He froze with his chicken halfway to his mouth, his lips twitching. “Something like that.”
Jason returned before she could say anything else, and she fixed him a heaping plate, which he dug into appreciatively. They spoke of minor pleasantries while they ate. Well, she and Jason spoke. Gray had gone back to his glowering grunts and occasional snarls.
“How did you find me?” he finally blurted out.
Jason glanced at him in surprise but took a quick drink of apple cider and wiped his mouth. “It took a bit of doing,” he confessed.
Gray nodded. “That’s good, I suppose. I’d hate to think it was easy for you.”
Jason grinned. “Oh, not at all. I knew you wouldn’t go back east, and north was most likely out of the question as well. I tried south at first. But when I reached the first town and no one had seen you, I knew you must have gone west.”
“Maybe I’d just managed to pass through without anyone realizing,” Gray said.
Jason shook his head, his grin growing even wider, if that was possible. “You stand out quite a bit more than you think you do.”
Mercy nodded her agreement, adding her own smile to Jason’s when Gray glowered at her.
“So, I backtracked and went west, and this was the first town I came across. And they’ve definitely seen you here.”
Gray frowned, and Mercy wondered if his face ever got tired from making that expression. Hers hurt if she smiled too much. Surely the reverse must be true as well.
“That was an excellent meal, Miss Mercy. I thank you.”
“No need to flatter her, Sunshine. She’s got no interest in you.”
Jason blinked in surprise, and Mercy stared, completely speechless.
“It isn’t flattery if it’s true,” Jason said. “I meant every word. As for her interest…” His gaze flicked to her. “I could only be so blessed as to draw her admiration.”
“We’re engaged,” Gray blurted out.
Jason’s face froze in an expression so comically stunned that Mercy had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
“That’s…” The poor man seemed like he didn’t know quite what to say. He glanced at Mercy. “Congratulations?”
…
Gray frowned again. Jason’s expression was one of someone who thought they should offer condolences, but at least he managed to say the right thing, even if he looked as though someone had just told him Mercy was engaged to marry a two-faced dancing billy goat.
“You seem surprised,” Gray said, though even he knew pointing this out was ridiculous.Everyonewas surprised, including Gray himself.
