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It was a good thing Shane was a decent man, or Zeke might have been tempted to get rid of him in a way that looked like an accident.
Shane shifted beneath Zeke’s scrutiny. “Is there something you needed to tell me, sir?”
“Dad,” Eloise warned.
Zeke dragged his focus to his daughter. “What?”
“Everything okay?” Eloise reached for Shane’s hand, giving her father a pointed look.
Zeke sighed. Ever since he’d relinquished control over his family’s lives, he couldn’t seem to get his footing. Every day presented a new challenge that wore him down. He was supposed to be the king of the castle, the man in charge, and now what? He was the one who got pushed around by his daughters and his neighbor. “I’m fine. Just waiting until I can leave to pick up Charlotte.”
“And it’s going to be great,” Brielle insisted.
“You keep saying stuff like that, and when it doesn’t come true, you’ll be the one I blame.”
She laughed again. “You just need to get out there again—find someone who makes you smile, someone you can’t stop thinking about.”
That sounded an awful lot like Agatha.
No, it didn’t, his head seemed to argue. She makes you mad. She’s irritatingly stubborn and thinks she knows better. She pushes your buttons in ways no one ever has. Do you really want to be with someone like that?
His head had a point. He just had to keep reminding himself of that. Evelyn had been perfect for him. She’d had a quiet strength that he could lean on, but she knew when to let him take the lead. No other woman he’d met in his life had the same kind of qualities, nor would they hold a candle to the woman he’d loved for over a decade.
Agatha was a near opposite of his late wife, and while he had grown to be friendly with her—perhaps even somewhat attracted to her—he knew when to pull himself back to reality.
Zeke pulled away from Brielle and let his gaze sweep through the room again until it landed on Shane. The young man seemed to grow incredibly still. It was as if he knew instinctively that Zeke was going to request to speak to him alone before it even happened.
Shane got to his feet at the same moment Zeke cleared his throat. “Shane, a word?”
Eloise was the only one who looked even a little surprised by the request. Thankfully, Brielle and Wade didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.
Zeke jerked his chin toward the front door, then strode in that direction, knowing Shane would follow him.
They stepped out onto the front porch, and Shane closed the door behind him. Zeke rested his folded arms on the porch railing and squinted. “The rodeo is just about over.”
Shane didn’t respond, though his shuffling made it clear he was still present.
“Agatha has been looking into a few motels that might have room after all the tourists and cowboys leave.”
“That’s news to me.”
Zeke cocked a brow at Shane over his shoulder. “When this whole fiasco began, she was insistent she wouldn’t stay in my cabin. But when she found out about the availability around here, she changed her tune.”
“Okay, I’m admit, I’m curious as to why you’re bringing this up to me.”
“Have you seen the state of the motel in town? It can barely be classified as a hole in the wall. I was wondering if you heard anything about her looking for other accommodations.”
Shane rubbed his jaw as he moved closer. He leaned his back against the railing on the other side of the stairs, his arms folded. “She hasn’t mentioned anything to me. Though, to be honest, she’s usually kept her personal life to herself. Agatha values being professional above all else. I don’t even think she would request help if she thought I could offer it. In fact, I’m surprised she accepted the help you gave her. I can only imagine the fight she put up.”
A smile tugged at Zeke’s lips. “I didn’t really give her much of a choice.”
“No, I didn’t suppose you did.”
They stood there quietly as Zeke retreated into his own thoughts. He probably shouldn’t have even brought up Agatha with Shane. He clearly wasn’t going to get what he needed from the man.
“May I ask why you asked?” Shane said.
Zeke pressed his lips together tightly. He didn’t dare show his cards. If Shane even got a whiff that Zeke was attracted to Agatha, he had no doubt the man would spill his guts to those seated in the living room. “I was hoping you’d be a voice of reason, but from the sounds of it, she won’t listen to you any more than she’d listen to me.”
