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“How are you?” Claudia said, and Ellen realized that they had never gotten together to chat. She had promised that, but there had been so many things happening that she just hadn’t made the time.
“I’m doing well. She was up a lot last night, which means that Travis was up with her, and when I come during the day, I often take her with me whenever I have to go somewhere so that he can have some time to rest.”
“That’s awfully nice of you,” Claudia said, and there didn’t seem to be any censure or disappointment in her voice. But Ellen felt like she needed to explain anyway.
“I’m sorry that we never made it to get together. I... I’ve been pretty busy.”
“You don’t have to explain. You don’t owe me anything. Although, if you ever want to talk, I certainly am willing to listen. I’d like to actually.”
“I hope someday that the story can be told. I think that there may be some danger for people if it gets out right now.”
“I understand,” Claudia said, and she didn’t seem the slightest bit offended that she couldn’t be privy to the information. After all, Ellen knew that Claudia wouldn’t say anything if she asked her not to. But if she told one person, then another, then another, then soon the whole town would know, and there wasn’t any point in trying to keep it a secret.
Not that she thought that that was necessarily the right thing to do.
She and Travis hadn’t had a chance to talk since the morning that he told her that he loved her for the first time.
It hadn’t been that long ago, and Ellen still hadn’t come down from the glow that those words and that confession had given her.
And that kiss.
Definitely the glow was most likely from the kiss.
She smiled.
“Well. That’s a...very nice smile,” Claudia said with a wink.
“Hey, polecat. How are things going out there on Polecat Lane?” Jesper Hansen stepped out of the post office, and Ellen turned to greet him, but his eyes were only for Claudia.
It was no secret in town that Claudia and Jesper never got along. Which was a little bit odd, considering that the Hansen family was well-beloved in town, and Claudia’s family, the Clybornes, got along with everyone.
But she supposed that sometimes there were just people who rubbed each other the wrong way.
“Look who got out of the pigsty long enough to go to the post office. I sure hope you took your monthly shower before you did so. Oh, I guess not,” Claudia said, her words sweet but her eyes throwing daggers at Jesper as she waved her hand below her nose like there was a stench in the air.
“Sorry, polecat. That smell is from you.”
“If that’s what you want to think, go ahead. That doesn’t make it true,” Claudia called to his retreating back.
“Ugh! That man makes me so angry,” Claudia whispered to Ellen as she stomped her foot on the sidewalk and crossed her arms over her chest.
Ellen opened her mouth to ask what had happened all of those years ago that had caused such a problem between them. She’d tried to ask before and just had never been able to get the words out. They didn’t come any easier this time either, and before she could say anything, a furry head stuck itself between Ellen and Claudia.
“Billy,” Ellen said as she put a protective hand around the sleeping Alice, just so Billy’s horns didn’t accidentally bump her, and petted Billy with her other hand, scratching him on the forehead and down around his cheek to where he loved it under his chin.
“Oh my goodness. Sweet Water is so unique,” Claudia said, one hand on Billy and the other scratching Munchy who had come up beside her.
Billy had been chasing Munchy for years, and finally she seemed to have given up, or maybe Billy finally won her over, but for the last few years, they’d been together.
“I know Lark keeps trying to keep these two on her farm, and of course Jeb indulges her, because Jeb indulges Lark with whatever she wants, but he can’t seem to stay away from town.”
“As I understand it, they’d been fed in town for years. If it were me, I wouldn’t want to give that up either.”
“I guess that’s a good point. And you’re right. For a long time, the town took care of them. Billy was known as a matchmaking steer, and Munchy seemed to be his accomplice, although I think the love affair was really between those two.”
“I think they’re just good friends. They’re not romantic partners or anything, they just...love each other.”
“Yeah. Like friends do.” Although, her friendship blossomed into more. And she couldn’t say that she was upset about that. It actually made her smile every time she thought about it. Although, Munchy and Billy would never be anything but friends. Still, a good friendship was a great way to start a relationship of more.
