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“There are no vacancies within fifty miles of this place. The rodeo is coming, and I need a place to stay.” She briefly closed her eyes, recalling the conversation they’d had earlier when she’d insisted on making her stay as short as possible. Boy, was she eating her words right about now. “And the contractors are going to be out almost a year. I think I might be able to stay somewhere else when the rodeo leaves, but until then…” She waited for him to look in her direction.
When she didn’t speak, he finally lifted his eyes. They were the eyes of someone who had seen a lot in his life. He’d gone through so much, and she only knew tiny pieces of it. A flutter erupted in her chest, recalling the way he’d held her—how he’d found the most precious item in her home.
Agatha needed to push through. “I’d like to stay at your hunting cabin as long as you will allow.”
His brows pulled together. “I’m sorry? What made you think that anything had changed?”
She blinked rapidly. “I beg your pardon?” Then she grimaced, realizing just how often she had been asking him to repeat himself.
Zeke reached for her hand, pulling it toward him, palm up. He placed some bills there, then folded her fingers over. “You’re welcome to stay at that cabin as long as you see fit. There were no conditions. Now, go on and get some new clothes. I’m headed to the hardware store across the street. If you get done before me, we can meet up here, or over there. Your choice.” He grabbed his cowboy hat from the seat between them and placed it on his head. “Go on, then.”
The hesitation lasted only momentarily before she launched herself from his truck and hurried around the front. Zeke exited as well, then nodded to her before he headed across the street. Agatha glanced down at the cash in her hand, expecting to see twenties. A gasp tore from her throat, finding a wad of hundreds.
Her head snapped up, but her voice died in her throat as he disappeared into the shop. There was no way she could spend all of this on clothing. Not in one trip, anyway. But there would be no demanding he take it back. She had the strongest feeling he’d shove the money down her throat if he could. Perhaps Zeke wasn’t as bad as everyone had made him out to be—a little rough around the edges, but a good man, nevertheless.
She didn’t realize a smile had crossed her face until she entered the small clothing shop and the harried chatter dropped to nothing. The room went cold. Agatha glanced toward the storefront where the chirping had been taking place, only to find two women. One stood behind the counter and the other in front, leaning over it with her elbows resting in the middle.
Now, they both stared at her. The one in front of the counter stood slowly, a smile stretching across her face. “Welcome to Courtney’s. Let us know if there’s anything we can help you with, hun.”
Agatha nodded, offering a faint smile. When she turned to peruse the aisles of clothing, the whispering started up again. She didn’t catch much, but the words that she could make out were such that it was clear she was the topic of their conversation.
Words like “Zeke, new woman, dating, fire” were tossed around as if her right to privacy didn’t exist in these four walls. Clearly, this town was far too small for something like a housefire to remain a secret—especially when Zeke Callahan let the poor woman living there stay on his property.
By the time Agatha had gathered all the items she wanted, she was fuming. Had billows of steam been rising off her shoulders and her head, she wouldn’t have been surprised in the slightest.
The women stopped their gossip. Apparently, they had no clue just how bad even a whisper could carry in this small shop. The one who’d welcomed her smiled as she took the clothes draped over her arm. “Did you find everything you were looking for?” The woman’s eyes darted out the front window toward the hardware store where Zeke was. It was almost too obvious what she meant by that backhanded comment.
Agatha wasn’t going to play their game.
Or maybe she would. She just wouldn’t play by their rules.
“Actually, yes, thank you. It’s amazing what you can find when you’re not even looking for it.” There. Let them take that statement and run with it. The gossipers should beware. If they wanted to play with fire, they shouldn’t mess with her. She’d already been burned.
The women glanced at one another with surprise and perhaps a little greed. They had most definitely taken the bait.
Armed with her change and the bags of clothing, Agatha headed across the street toward the store where Zeke would be found. Hopefully, he wouldn’t mind the games she’d set in motion. Though she couldn’t see him being the type who would care about the local gossip. Maybe he’d even be amused that she beat them at their own game.
Her steps were lighter as she shouldered into the hardware store and immediately turned down the nearest aisle. Zeke wasn’t readily visible, and she didn’t hear his gruff voice. Agatha stood on her toes, glancing up and down the aisles but then stopped when something bright yellow caught her eye.
Surrounded by several different variations was a little yellow birdhouse. It had a blue roof and a little red-painted post for the birds to perch on before they entered. This birdhouse had to be the cutest thing she’d seen in a long time. It was bright and sunny, and it was exactly what she needed in her life.
Agatha grabbed the house from the hook where it hung and continued wandering through the store. By the time she made it through the whole place, she finally found Zeke at the front, speaking with another older gentleman. He leaned against the counter, speaking with the man in hushed tones.
Her movement caught the attention of the shop owner and his focus shifted to her, which drew Zeke’s attention as well. He glanced over his shoulder, and for a moment she thought he might smile. Instead, he straightened, said one more thing to the man and dropped his palm to the counter.
Agatha approached slower this time. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No, you’re fine.” Zeke motioned to the birdhouse. “You getting that?”
She lifted it and a smile filled her face. “Yes.”
Zeke exchanged a glance with the man, but they said nothing. What a strange reaction to her getting a birdhouse. The whole ride back to the ranch, she burned with the questions of why he might react to her that way. On top of that, why was he at the hardware store, but he didn’t purchase anything? He hadn’t been at the front of the shop when she’d gotten there either.
When they turned onto the road that would lead them to the ranch house, she nearly asked him what all of it meant, but then she stopped herself. None of it was her business. Yes, they were a little closer now—mostly due to her losing her cool earlier. But they weren’t close enough for her to confront him on any of it.
The truck came to a stop, and she held onto her birdhouse tighter. “Sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?”
