delivered her safely to her brother’s home. Yet, even if he could somehow find the will to step out of Elizabeth’s life, something felt amiss, and he wouldn’t let her suffer through any unknown trouble alone. He couldn’t.
Maybe, just maybe, when he had figured this problem out, she would be willing to leave with him.
Sensing that someone was directing a question at him, he focused his attention back on the ladies gathered in the small parlor. “What was that?”
Annabelle repeated, “Will you be able to find someplace to stay? I’m so sorry that we don’t have enough room for you both, but…”
“It’s fine.” That was that, then. He would search for a room and a job. Shouldn’t be too hard.
Turning, he noticed Elizabeth’s expression had fallen. Her brows scrunched as she bit her lip. “You’re not staying?” Her whisper quavered in the air between them.
“I’ll be around. I won’t leave you.”
“You’ll tell me where you’ll be stayin’?” It was a plea.
“Of course.”
Taking one last look around, David admired the room with the small, colorful chandelier, furniture with soft blue cushions, flowered wallpaper, and deep burgundy carpets. Elizabeth would be comfortable here.
“Well, I’ll be going now.” He regretted the uncertainty in Elizabeth’s soft, sagebrush eyes, but he walked out the door and let it shut firmly behind him.
***
Joe leaned against the counter of the general store and glared at Jacob Lawson. “When are you going to realize that people need you? And I’m not talkin’ about here.” He waited for Jacob’s inevitable denial of the truth. Jacob couldn’t seem to tear himself away from his work, not even to focus on his wife or his best friend. At least, Joe fancied himself to be Jacob’s best friend. He hardly knew anymore.
“I know.” Jacob turned away from the shelf where he had been stacking cans of beans. “I just can’t believe that I have a sister. That she’s here. I’m not ready to face her yet.”
“You can tear yerself away from yer business for a few hours, can’t ya? Don’t ya trust me enough to take care of things while you’re gone?” Joe wouldn’t admit that he was glad he was the one to find Elizabeth at the station—and that he wouldn’t mind spending more time with her. Let Jacob stew for a while and suffer for his stupid choices.
“Of course I trust you. There’s just a lot I need to take care of here. You know it’s hard for me to get away at any time.”
“Oh yes, I know. Whenever I see Annabelle I’m reminded of that little fact. You don’t even have time for yer own wife, so how are ya goin’ to find time for yer sister, right?”
Jacob’s face turned hard. “Don’t start with me. I have my problems, but I’m a good man. As your boss, I treat you fair, right? And Annabelle hasn’t ever wanted for anything.”
Shaking his head, Joe replied, “Except fer some company. She never wanted for that before you married her. How do ya expect her to handle the loneliness now?”
“Come on, Joe.” Jacob sighed. “It takes a lot to make a living in this dyin’ town. You should know that by now.”
Joe couldn’t deny it. Grabbing a can of beans off the shelf, he studied it, wondering how he could convince Jacob to do right by his sister. She had come all this way to meet her long-lost brother, and now he was being a stubborn mule of a man. That pretty little girl deserved better than this.
“Don’t put her off for too long. She had to have sacrificed a lot to come here. No matter what sort of guilt yer feeling, she needs you.” Tossing the can to Jacob, he shook his head. “Right now I’m on her side, and I don’t see that changin’ anytime soon, regardless of our friendship.”
Jacob held the can tightly in his hands, staring down at it as if all the solutions to his problems were contained in that worthless piece of trash. Disgusted, Joe went to the door, ignoring the curious glances of
Maybe, just maybe, when he had figured this problem out, she would be willing to leave with him.
Sensing that someone was directing a question at him, he focused his attention back on the ladies gathered in the small parlor. “What was that?”
Annabelle repeated, “Will you be able to find someplace to stay? I’m so sorry that we don’t have enough room for you both, but…”
“It’s fine.” That was that, then. He would search for a room and a job. Shouldn’t be too hard.
Turning, he noticed Elizabeth’s expression had fallen. Her brows scrunched as she bit her lip. “You’re not staying?” Her whisper quavered in the air between them.
“I’ll be around. I won’t leave you.”
“You’ll tell me where you’ll be stayin’?” It was a plea.
“Of course.”
Taking one last look around, David admired the room with the small, colorful chandelier, furniture with soft blue cushions, flowered wallpaper, and deep burgundy carpets. Elizabeth would be comfortable here.
“Well, I’ll be going now.” He regretted the uncertainty in Elizabeth’s soft, sagebrush eyes, but he walked out the door and let it shut firmly behind him.
***
Joe leaned against the counter of the general store and glared at Jacob Lawson. “When are you going to realize that people need you? And I’m not talkin’ about here.” He waited for Jacob’s inevitable denial of the truth. Jacob couldn’t seem to tear himself away from his work, not even to focus on his wife or his best friend. At least, Joe fancied himself to be Jacob’s best friend. He hardly knew anymore.
“I know.” Jacob turned away from the shelf where he had been stacking cans of beans. “I just can’t believe that I have a sister. That she’s here. I’m not ready to face her yet.”
“You can tear yerself away from yer business for a few hours, can’t ya? Don’t ya trust me enough to take care of things while you’re gone?” Joe wouldn’t admit that he was glad he was the one to find Elizabeth at the station—and that he wouldn’t mind spending more time with her. Let Jacob stew for a while and suffer for his stupid choices.
“Of course I trust you. There’s just a lot I need to take care of here. You know it’s hard for me to get away at any time.”
“Oh yes, I know. Whenever I see Annabelle I’m reminded of that little fact. You don’t even have time for yer own wife, so how are ya goin’ to find time for yer sister, right?”
Jacob’s face turned hard. “Don’t start with me. I have my problems, but I’m a good man. As your boss, I treat you fair, right? And Annabelle hasn’t ever wanted for anything.”
Shaking his head, Joe replied, “Except fer some company. She never wanted for that before you married her. How do ya expect her to handle the loneliness now?”
“Come on, Joe.” Jacob sighed. “It takes a lot to make a living in this dyin’ town. You should know that by now.”
Joe couldn’t deny it. Grabbing a can of beans off the shelf, he studied it, wondering how he could convince Jacob to do right by his sister. She had come all this way to meet her long-lost brother, and now he was being a stubborn mule of a man. That pretty little girl deserved better than this.
“Don’t put her off for too long. She had to have sacrificed a lot to come here. No matter what sort of guilt yer feeling, she needs you.” Tossing the can to Jacob, he shook his head. “Right now I’m on her side, and I don’t see that changin’ anytime soon, regardless of our friendship.”
Jacob held the can tightly in his hands, staring down at it as if all the solutions to his problems were contained in that worthless piece of trash. Disgusted, Joe went to the door, ignoring the curious glances of
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