A Rancher's Pride(32)

And maybe, in that, she’d find point number three for the judge.

As Becky neared the next building, she slowed.

The day had gotten overly warm, with the humidity high and the temperature now at ninety-eight, according to a thermometer hanging in the sunny front window of Lou’s Barbershop. Good thing Kayla had remembered to ask Lianne to throw several pairs of shorts into the boxes of clothing she’d sent.

Through the plate-glass window, one of the barbers, a gray-haired man in an old-fashioned long white apron, saw Kayla looking at the thermostat. When he noticed Becky beside her, a smile touched his face. He waved at her, and she grinned and waved back. He came to the open front door of the shop.

“Well, hey, Sam. Looks like you got yourself some company.”

“Sure have.” Sam introduced Becky then, after a pause, Kayla.

Lou made an instant hit with Becky when he pulled an orange lollipop out of his apron pocket.

Kayla tried not to shake her head. More sweets. Catching her niece’s eye, she put her finger near her chin, then gestured with her upraised palms. “What do you say?”

In one swift movement, Becky raised her hand to her mouth and pulled it outward.

“Thank you,” Kayla voiced for her.

“Anytime.” Lou smiled.

They stopped next at the hardware and feed store.

Sam went about his job with a vengeance, she noticed, introducing Becky to everyone he knew—which seemed to be every single person they came across. As an afterthought, almost, he would remember to mention Kayla.

She decided to let that pass. For now.

At the small department store, she looked through the packages of curtains, searching for a set for the window in Becky’s guest room. Which reminded her…

“Sam,” she said.

He turned from his inspection of a display of window hardware.

“The headboard of the bed Becky’s using. I told you I’d never seen a design like that before. Did you make it?”

He hesitated, looking away, as if he didn’t want to answer the question. She couldn’t understand why.

Finally, he nodded. “Yeah.”

“You do beautiful work.”

“I try.” The words came out grudgingly.

She shrugged. If the man didn’t want compliments, she’d keep them to herself in future. She selected a set of curtains in a bright floral print that would pick up the colors in the throw rugs. “I’m ready to check out.”

When Becky came up beside them, Kayla held out the package to her.

Becky raised her brows and put her hand flat on her chest.

“Mine?” Kayla voiced for Sam. She nodded.

Becky took the package and ran toward the cashier at the front of the store.

“Hers?” Sam asked. “Becky’s room already has curtains.”

“I thought I’d buy something to make it a little more girlish in there.”

“You don’t need to be buying her anything.”

“I want to.”

“She’s my child. Any buying that gets done around here, I’ll do it.” He turned on his heel and strode off in Becky’s wake.

Kayla stood there a moment, puzzled by his strong reaction to her offer. She shrugged again. So, he didn’t like his daughter to have gifts, even when they were bought by someone else.

What would the judge think about that?



THEY WORKED THEIR WAY back down the other side of the street, through the post office and the volunteer firefighter station, in the same fashion. With Sam still barely remembering to introduce her along with Becky. By that time, Kayla’s previous irritation at his slights, compounded by the rejection of her gift, had worked itself up to a steady simmer. A good soak-down with one of the fire hoses might have done her some good.

Without that, the next snub from Sam would probably make her boil over. In a very polite way, of course.

They had reached Town Hall again, where Becky jogged up the path to the front steps, climbed them and jumped down. She proceeded to play this game as they stood watching.

“We’d better head back after this,” Sam said. “You were planning on stopping at Harley’s, right? I’ll go with you. It’s about time to start stocking up for that barbecue the judge invited himself to.”

The barbecue. “Yes, I need to pick up a few things at the store,” she said, her voice shaking.

She had hoped Sam would forget all about the judge’s comment. The idea of the barbecue worried her more than she wanted to admit. That day in court, she had seen for herself how the judge seemed to favor the local boy and had heard how strongly he felt about Becky being part of the history of Flagman’s Folly. Now that Sam had shared his story, she understood the judge’s words. She could almost go along with them. Becky did have strong ties to the town. And Flagman’s Folly appeared to be a nice place filled with friendly people.