Page 23 of The Rancher's Wedding

“I have to pick a few things up at the general store, anyway. I’d be happy to join you.”

***

Estelle dropped the letter off at the post office and walked over to the general store with Michael. She noticed a few rocking chairs in the front.

“Do you mind if I sit and rest here for a bit?” she asked. “My feet are starting to ache.”

“You go on right ahead. This could take a bit, so go ahead and make yourself comfortable.”

He went inside and she sat herself down in the chair, surprised at how good it felt to finally relax. She didn’t realize how tired the walking had made her, especially on top of all the ranch work she’d been doing lately. It was energizing being out in the fields, working with Michael and actually accomplishing something. Her life felt like it had purpose and every day was a new day, with new skills to learn and more animals to meet, but it was still exhausting.

“Congratulations.”

She looked up to see the voice coming from an old man, with a white beard and a joyful smile on his face.

“On the marriage, I mean,” he said.

“Oh,” Estelle said. “Thank you!”

He sat down in the chair next to her and offered his hand, which Estelle shook.

“Calvin Friar,” he said.

“Estelle Williams… I mean, Holden.”

He laughed. “You’ll get used to it, I promise. My wife was still slipping into her maiden name a full six months after we tied the knot. But, you know, you get to be with someone long enough, it’s hard to imagine ever being without them.”

“I can imagine.”

“It was a beautiful ceremony you two had. Of course, you’re a beautiful bride, so you didn’t deserve anything less.”

Estelle blushed. “Thank you,” she said again.

This was a far cry from what she was used to in Philadelphia. There, people didn’t just go up to strangers and start talking. It made her feel uncomfortable, but one look at the man’s face put Estelle at ease. She didn’t recognize him, and yet he still appeared friendly and comforting. Perhaps in a small town like this, there was no such thing as strangers.

“Do you know Michael?” she asked.

“Sure, sure,” Calvin said. “Such a tragedy he and Jacob went through.” The smile dropped from his face as he shook his head. “I can’t even imagine. But he’s always able to keep his spirits up and, if that’s not admirable, I don’t know what is.”

“What happened to them?”

Calvin looked at her and his smile dropped. “I feel I spoke out of turn, I apologize. It’s not my story to tell, I’m afraid. I bet he’ll tell you when he’s good and ready. But I will say this: Michael’s a genuine hero, and don’t let him tell you otherwise.”

“He seems like quite a wonderful man,” Estelle said.

“Missy, you have no idea,” Calvin said. “We all know what happened and how you two met, and let me just tell you, you couldn’t have asked for a better husband. If I had a daughter, Michael is exactly the kind of man I’d want her marrying.”

That reassured Estelle, though not completely. After all, she was only in this mess because of what a father thought might be best for his daughter.

“That’s wonderful to hear,” she said. “Everything’s been just lovely so far. I am enamored with the ranch and Grafton Town. It’s such a nice place to be.”

Calvin smiled back at her, barely able to contain himself, waving his arms ever so slightly to emphasize his words. He had quite a bit of energy for an older gentleman. “That’s what we love to hear. We try to be as welcoming as we can to outsiders like yourself. I promise you, before too long, you’ll feel like you’ve lived your whole life here. You’ll be just another member of the community. We look after each other here.”

Calvin’s smile was reassuring to Estelle. There was something genuine about him and, for that matter, everybody in Grafton Town. No one was just acting out of what they believed was supposed to be proper. When they said, “Good morning,” they really meant it. It wasn’t just that they didn’t say negative things about one another; it really felt like they had nothing negative to say about anyone.

The word that came to mind was “nice.” Everybody here was very nice. Estelle still wasn’t used to it, but she was beginning to relax into it. Sometimes, every once in a while, things that were too good to be true turned out to actuallybetrue.

Maybe this was one of those times. Or, rather, one of those places.

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