Cowboy Up(46)
“I’ve been thinkin’ about it a lot these past few weeks and, well, I don’t really want to be livin’ forty-five minutes away anymore. I used to think bein’ that far from Pine Oak was a good thing, but now, not so much.”
His face gets soft when my explanation sinks in. “What are you thinkin’?”
“The buildin’ next to the hardware store is openin’ up. The lady who owned it doesn’t want to deal with the trouble of ownin’ a business now that she’s gettin’ older, so I was considerin’ opening back up there.”
“Miz Jordan’s? The florist?”
“Yeah,” I answer quietly, looking at my plate knowing he’s likely thinking the same thing I did when I found out that was the only place in town available for rent.
“Darlin’, that’s right next to your mama’s salon.”
“I know.”
“Not that I don’t think you could handle it, but Caroline, that woman bein’ that close to you makes me feel a whole lot of unease.”
I nod, looking away from the intensity in his gaze and pushing some of the chips left on my plate around with my fingertip.
“I love the idea of you bein’ closer, darlin’, especially if that means you’re goin’ to be doin’ it sooner than later, but I’d be lyin’ if I said I was okay with puttin’ you that near to her.”
“There’s nowhere else, Clayton. I’ve looked. I wanted to know all my options before I brought it up to you. I want to come home, not just because of us, but because I don’t feel safe in Wire Creek either. Being here, well, I don’t need to constantly worry.”
He frowns. “I thought they ruled the fire an accident.”
“According to the report, but I’m not sure.”
He steps around the island and pulls me into his arms. “Why do you think it wasn’t an accident, Caroline?” I can see the concern written all over his face and in the tense set of his shoulders.
“I think someone’s been tamperin’ with things. Materials are goin’ missin’ and yesterday Joe, the contractor, told me some of the electrical he had finished was pulled out. How would that even happen?”
“I’m not sure,” he says thickly.
“We only passed inspection because Joe worked through the night to fix the issue, but somethin’ in my gut is tellin’ me I shouldn’t go back there. I wanted to talk to you before I put a for-sale sign in the window and start lookin’ for somewhere else to open up again. Whether that’s here in Pine Oak or maybe in Law Bone, either way, I don’t want it to be in Wire Creek anymore.”
“Don’t buy the Jordans’ old place. It might look like the only option now, but havin’ you that close to your mama isn’t gonna happen.”
“I’m goin’ to have to look at Law Bone, then, and the only thing I found there was clear on the other side of town. Not that I’m lookin’ for a new space based on the distance to your place, but . . . uh.” I stop when he flashes me a wide, toothy smile. “What?”
“Linney, I think we need to start basin’ your search off how far it is from the ranch, so don’t get embarrassed when you say it because, darlin’, I agree.”
“Now that I’m going to sell, Clayton, I need to find somewhere to live that isn’t a motel. I can’t use the ranch as my base when I might find somethin’ to rent that’s on the other side of you, but close to a potential space for the store.”
He throws his head back and laughs. “How many nights have you been at that shitty motel, darlin’?”
I shrug. “It’s been two months since the fire and I started stayin’ there not long after that. I don’t know exactly how long though.”
“Let me rephrase that. How many nights since we started explorin’ us have you actually stayed there?”
“That’s different, Clayton. We haven’t exactly had tons of time to get together between me bein’ busy durin’ the day either sleepin’ or monitorin’ the build, and you’ve got a busy schedule of your own here. By the time I get a few hours in at Hazel’s and get here, it’s been so late I either fall asleep or you insist I stay.”
He steps closer, smiling down at me with the most open expression of affection. “Darlin’, it might’ve started out that way, but I haven’t wanted you anywhere else for weeks than in my bed. You want to make up one of the guest rooms as yours, do it, but I think it’s time we both admit this is your home.”