Page 43 of Cowboy and the Convict

A little of the air frozen in Janie's lungs funneled free, the tightness in her shoulders relaxing a little. "That's nice." Her eyes lifted to the overcast sky. "I think you came just in time."

Sharon snorted. "I think I came a couple months too late." She rubbed her arms. "The weather down south has me spoiled. I can't take the chill like I used to."

Janie relaxed a little more. Sharon didn't sound like a woman who was planning to move back to Montana. "You want to come inside? It's warmer there."

Sharon was already turning toward her trailer. "That sounds great. We can talk things over in there."

There was something ominous about her words. Talk things over. It had her anxiety ratcheting back up as she led Sharon inside.

Her landlady stood just inside the door as Janie put her purse and coat away. The older woman propped both hands on her hips, looking around the small living room and kitchen with an approving gaze. "You sure have taken good care of this place." She turned to Janie with a big smile. "That's why I wanted to give you the first go at buying it from me."

Janie nearly dropped the tray of cinnamon rolls in her hand. "You're going to sell it?"

It hadn't occurred to her that Sharon might get rid of the place. Maybe it should have, but her landlord had owned the place long enough it was free and clear. Janie paid her rent early every month, kept the place up, and only called in the most dire of circumstances—like when the fridge went out. She'd assumed there was no reason for Sharon to sell it. Not when she was likely making money from the deal.

"When I first moved to Florida, I wasn't sure I was going to stay. I was mostly just looking for a little break from everything here." The sadness that flickered across her face was replaced with another smile. "But I love it down there. The weather's good, and I've made plenty of friends." She wiggled her brows. "Some friendlier than others, if you know what I mean."

She did, and didn't want to dwell on it even though imagining her landlady tangled with another retiree would probably be one hell of a distraction from the worst-case scenario playing out in front of her. "But I thought you had family here."

"I do." Sharon sighed. "But as they get older, my granddaughters get busier and busier with their own lives." She lifted a finger and her brows. "Which isn't a bad thing, but I can't make my life all about them."

Of course she couldn't make her life all about them, but didn't she want to make it a little about them?

"I figure I can come up a couple times a year and visit." She shrugged. "Hell, they can come visit me at the beach whenever they want."

Setting the cinnamon rolls onto the counter so they didn’t end up on the floor, Janie brought one hand up to rub her aching head. "When are you planning to sell?"

"If you buy it, as soon as possible." Sharon hesitated. "If you don't, then I'll put it on the market when your lease is up."

It was a lot to take in. More than she could wrap her brain around with Sharon staring at her expectantly. She needed time. Room to come to terms with what was happening before having this conversation. "Can I have a few days to think about it?"

Sharon held up both hands. "Of course. I wouldn't want you to make any snap decisions."

It wasn't that. There was no decision to make, really. She couldn't afford to buy the place. Was even less likely to get a loan. Janie smiled anyway. "Thanks. I'll get back with you in a couple days."

“I’ll be in town the rest of the week, so take your time.” She opened the door. “I’m off to surprise my granddaughters.”

At least Janie wouldn’t be the only one shocked to see her. “I bet they’ll be super excited you’re here.”

Sharon snorted. “They’ll be excited about getting their Christmas money early.”

She turned toward the porch, jumping back in surprise. “Oh.” She let out a breath, sagging forward. “You scared the hell out of me.”

Janie moved in behind her, concerned about what had Sharon clutching her chest the way she was, only to discover she had another visitor. Devon stood on her welcome mat, still decked out in his uniform, looking shocked to see a strange woman at her door. Janie stepped closer, intending to introduce them, but stopped short when Devon greeted her landlord.

“I didn’t know you were in town, Sharon.”

Of course he knew her. She forgot most of Moss Creek’s residents had lived there forever. And with his job, he likely knew more of the residents than most.

“I was just about to come see you and the girls.” She poked her head out the door. “Is everything all right?” She lowered her voice as she stepped outside, eyes swinging around the park. “Did someone do something illegal?”

Janie ignored the hint of excitement in Sharon’s voice. She also ignored the way her landlady kept babbling on about who could be the most likely culprit behind Devon’s arrival.

Because the only thing she could focus on was that Sharon said she was just about to go see Devon and his girls.

Devon’s eyes met hers as Sharon hustled down the stairs. If she was like the rest of the town's population, she was likely already deciding how to spread the fire of gossip that didn’t exist on her way to Devon's house.

The shock of discovery was quickly turning to anger. Betrayal. Hurt. And she wasn’t known to make her best decisions when she was hurt. So she did the smartest thing she could and slammed the door in his face, spinning away to march straight into her bedroom so she could fall onto her bed and cry like a teenage girl.

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