Daisies in the Canyon(19)

He kept letting his eyes shift around the kitchen to catch glimpses of her. Sure, she was cute as a newborn baby kitten, but she’d been through a lot the past twenty-four hours. That was probably the only thing that made her vulnerable. It’s a wonder she hadn’t whipped out some martial arts skills and knocked him colder than an ice cube when he’d kissed her.

“You do realize that there’s lots of single guys living in the canyon and in Claude and Silverton,” he said.

She brought two casserole dishes from the refrigerator and popped one into the microwave to heat it up. “And that is supposed to mean?”

“Think, Abby. This isn’t a big ranch, but it would be a real nice living for a cowhand who’d like to move up in the world. Someone who hasn’t got, nor will ever have, the money to buy his own place. I’m sure that Shiloh and Bonnie have already been sized up at church and bets are being made as to which cowboy will make headway with them. Wait until they see you when they come callin’ with their hats in their hands.” He smiled.

“I’m so sure they’ll be fallin’ all over themselves to flirt with a woman who lives in her old army camo. And if they did, I’ve got too much on my plate to deal with a relationship right now. With anyone, Cooper.” She looked right into his eyes.

“I get your drift, Abby, but it doesn’t have to be strange between us. We can be friends and neighbors even if we don’t have sex again,” he said.

She inhaled and let it out slowly before she spoke. “I’m like those cowboys you are talkin’ about. I’ve always wanted my own piece of dirt—granted, I never pictured it being as desolate as this. I’m an only child, which means I don’t share too well, and I’m not going to play nice with Ezra’s other two daughters. Not even if I do feel sorry for Bonnie.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, more to keep from wrapping them around her than anything else. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?”

“I’m stating fact, not trying to talk anyone into anything,” she protested.

“Didn’t sound like it to me,” he argued.

“Frankly, Cooper . . .” She smiled.

He quickly threw a palm out to stop her. “Don’t finish that line. I saw the movie.”

“You watched Gone With the Wind?” she asked.

“Grandpa loved it. He took Granny to see it on the big screen when they were dating, and every time it was rereleased, they went again. Then when DVDs came around, he bought it for her one Christmas and they watched it together once a year on the anniversary of their first date in 1947. He was seventeen that year and she was sixteen.”

“That is so romantic,” she said.

“We Wilson men tend to be romantics. He also watched it every year after she passed away on the anniversary of their first date.” He grinned.

“That’s what I want when I settle down. A love like they had,” she said.

“So you’re ready to settle down?”

“I have no idea,” she said.




The minute church was over, Loretta brought her daughter, Nona, up the aisle to Shiloh and Bonnie. “Where’s the third one?” she asked.

“Abby stayed home today. Maybe she’ll come next week,” Shiloh said. “I’m pleased to meet you, Nona. You’ll have to stop by the ranch and visit with us sometime.”

Nona sure didn’t look like she could ever be Loretta’s daughter—or her sister, or even kin to her. They were both lovely women, but Nona was a short blonde who reminded Shiloh of Abby in girl clothing. She had big blue eyes and a small frame, a beautiful complexion, and a little bit of sass in her attitude. Yes, sir, she looked more like Abby’s sister than she did Loretta’s daughter.

“And this”—Nona pulled a man away from a group of people—“is my husband, Travis. We’ve only been married a few weeks. Y’all ladies want to come to Sunday dinner at Lonesome Canyon with us today? There’s always plenty and we’d love to have you.”

“Not today,” Rusty said. “I got a text message from Cooper that said he was taking steaks over to the Malloy Ranch to cook dinner for us. Maybe we could take a rain check.”

“Anytime,” Nona said. “Oh, wait a minute. Waylon, come on over here and meet two of Ezra’s girls.” She motioned toward a cowboy on his way out the door. He turned around and waved, then made his way back through the crowd to where they were standing in a group near the front pew. Shiloh’s chest tightened when she saw his blue eyes.

“This is Shiloh and this is Bonnie. The oldest one, Abby, stayed home today, but you’ll meet her before long. They all three have Ezra’s blue eyes,” Nona said.

He shook Bonnie’s hand first and then Shiloh’s. “My pleasure, ladies. I live across the road from Malloy Ranch. Drop by anytime.”

“Guess we’d better be going,” Nona said. “Maybe we can have a girls’ day out some Sunday afternoon.”

“Know where there’s a good spa?” Shiloh asked.

“Oh, yes, I do. I’ll call you or come by and we’ll make some plans,” Nona said over her shoulder as Travis escorted her toward the door with a hand on her back.

Shiloh wished Waylon had his hand on her back. As handsome as he was, she would have let him lead her anywhere.