Page 17 of Steadfast

Maeve practically elbowed the cowboy aside as she stepped between them to confront Sam Jenkins.

“I’m new to town, so I don’t have to pretend to like you.” She launched into him, stepping into his space. “How dare you talk to Ruth Callaway like that. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Sam’s lips curled into a mean smile, speaking past her as though she didn’t exist at all.

“Do you know her?”

The cowboy standing behind her gave a quick shake of his head.

“This matter doesn’t concern youlittle girl.” Sam shuffled her away with the back of his hands, dismissing her as though she was completely insignificant. “Go away.”

Maeve made a choice that she would soon come to regret.

She pointed a sharp finger in Sam’s face, lifting her chin with an icy, cold gaze as though he were beneath her. It was an action she had seen her mother do over the years to those she deemed inferior.

“You’re nothing but country trash.” Her voice sounded callous and harsh in her ears, loaded with her father’s judgmental tone.

A crowd of townspeople had heard the shouting and begun to gather around them to witness the fray.

“I thought you were cute,” Sam sneered, “but then you had to go ahead and open that mouth.” He looked to the cowboy behind her. “Does thislittle girlhave an off button?”

Maeve took a step forward, dangerously close. She prepared for a fight with the sun weathered little man in overalls, who was rocking back on his heels with a snide smile. “Thislittle girlis about to—”

Before Maeve could finish her threat, she felt a sharp tug on her arm. Ruth Callaway yanked her down the street and away from Sam.

“Maeve, you’re making a fool of yourself,” she snapped.

She felt angry tears sting her eyes as she called back to at least capture the last word.

“You just wait until Abel Callaway gets here,” Maeve assured him.

“Abel Callawayhasarrived.” The booming voice echoed behind her.

It sent a wave of surprise that caused her heart to beat faster and her stomach to summersault.

She whipped around. The young man in the tan cowboy hat now came into focus. His emerald green eyes had a twinkle of mischief, sending a wide grin behind his light brown beard that accentuated his deep dimples.

Ruth threw her hand in the air, “Not now, son,” she said, practically shoving the now stunned Maeve through the door of the shop and away from the prying eyes of the citizens of White Bridge.

The damage was done. The gossip about the feisty, disrespectful new girl in town would spread like wildfire.

Maeve was still feeling her blood pressure pumping in her ears as everything within her still wanted to pummel that terrible little man who was still standing just outside. She felt her mind spinning on everything she wished she would have said in the heat of the moment.

Ruth paced a little as she collected her thoughts, pinching the bridge of her nose as if feeling the onset of a tension headache.

“Maeve, what were you thinking?”

Before she could answer, Ruth cut her off. It was clear to Maeve that it was now her time to humbly listen.

“No, you weren’t thinking, you couldn’t have been.” Ruth shook her head in disbelief. “If you had stopped to consider for just a second before blowing your top, you would have realized that you were making thingsworse.”

“He just made me so mad,” Maeve finally dared to speak. Her excuse suddenly felt hollow as she attempted to explain her uncharacteristic reaction. “I didn’t like the way he talked to you.”

“He has all the power, Maeve,” Ruth replied, the frustration leaving her voice as quickly as it had arrived, “This isn’t something a few petty insults can fix. And about that—”

Maeve glanced up with a wide eyed look, wondering what else she could have possibly done wrong.

“I’ve been trying to help you fit in. It’s not easy to be accepted here.” Ruth folded her arms as she leaned against the counter, “You are not in some California suburb, Maeve. You’re in the country now, and you insulted half the darn town.” Ruth shook her head and sighed. “And you embarrassed me by airing my dirty laundry.”

---