Page 21 of Steadfast

It’s nobody’s business how much money I have.

The last thing Maeve Callaway wanted to be known for was her bank account, which Oakleigh knew contained a weighty sum.

“Okay, just blink twice if I’m close.” Mia fished for information. “Does she have more than the Davenports?”

Oakleigh offered a conspiratorial side glance.

“Wow,” Mia sat back in her chair, contemplating. “More than my parents?”

“No one has more money than your parents,” Oakleigh answered with a smile as she rolled her eyes at Mia’s ridiculous question.

When she turned her eyes back on the road, she caught sight of Sawyer’s unsmiling face as he stepped in their path.Oakleigh felt a surge of panic as she jammed her foot on the brake pedal, causing the G-Wagon to chaotically skid over the uneven dirt road. Her once secure travel mug flung toward the dash, splashing coffee all over the interior and ruining Oakleigh’s outfit. She threw her hand to her chest, inhaling and exhaling deeply to settle her racing heart. Coffee dripped off her steering wheel, leaving even more dark stains on her jeans.

She couldn’t help but notice that Mia’s cashmere sweater was spared, and she remained as flawless as always.

Sawyer strutted over to her window and pointed hard with his finger, signaling Oakleigh to roll her window down.

“And this is Sawyer Callaway,” Oakleigh gestured, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a glance. The window gave a low hum as it rolled into the door.

Before he could launch his attack, she yelled at him through the open window. “Sawyer, you scared me half to death. Do you know that? And just look what you did to my car!”

“Typical,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. He leaned heavily on the car door and tipped his hat back with a flip of his fingers as he addressed her with his usual snide tone. “How many times do I have to say it? You slow down on this road.”

Oakleigh crossed her arms defiantly. She knew she had been taking the road too fast, but it burned her up to be caught by Sawyer, especially in front of Mia.

“I thought you said there were no more cute cowboys?” Mia observed.

“And I stand by my statement,” Oakleigh murmured, her voice dripping with disdain.

Mia leaned across Oakleigh and tipped her sunglasses down to get a better look. She extended her hand to politely introduce herself.

Having been fully immersed in his standoff with Oakleigh, Sawyer’s eyes widened as he finally noticed the beautiful young woman sitting in the passenger seat.

He shook her hand in a gallant way that made Oakleigh shudder.

“Can we go now?” Oakleigh shot back, interrupting the palpable connection that had immediately sparked between the two.

“We’re driving cattle on this road tonight, so take that lead foot of yours off the gas pedal from time to time, ya hear?” He tapped the top of the car, signaling that she was free to go.

Oakleigh resisted the temptation to jam her foot down and leave him in a cloud of dust.

The rest of the drive was fairly quiet until they passed over the idyllic bridge into town. A gentle breeze lightly fluttered the flags that hung over the doorways of the shops. Main Street was lined with old ranch trucks that belonged to the locals who were determined to get their errands done before the crowds of day trippers inconveniently flooded the streets.

“Oaks, it’s like a painting,” Mia gushed, taking in the scenery.

Pulling into her reserved parking spot, Oakleigh felt her annoyance rise again as she eyed Amos, who was already waiting outside the shop door. The notoriously grumpy old man wore a deep frown on his wrinkled face while he anxiously tapped his foot.

“Well, it’s about darn time,” Amos reprimanded, jabbing at the face of his watch.

She glanced down at her coffee spattered outfit as she toggled the keys from her purse. He leaned on the window, tapping his fingers furiously causing her nerves to rattle as she rifled through the hefty keyring to locate the one that would open the shop.

Oakleigh paused on the sidewalk, steadying herself and regrouping her confidence.

“Amos, we’ve gone over this a million times,” she said, trying to hide that he was already piercing through her armor. “The shop opens at 7 am every day.”

“Well, Ruth would say that if you’re on time, you’re late,” he scolded with an unearned amount of confidence.

“And I’m not Ruth,” she replied, already feeling pressed to defend herself.

---