Page 10 of Her Saltwater Cowboy

It was Wednesday afternoon, just two days before the big event, when Willow reread the message that had popped onto her phone screen a short time ago: her mama wanted to see her.

She hated to let this opportunity go by. Mainly, because her mother rarely asked for her by name anymore. When might this happen again?

But of all weeks! How would she make the time?

Kit McGinnis, the housekeeper, bounced into the kitchen just then, carrying a basket of laundry soaps, cleaning products, and towels. She dropped the whole mess on the island, blew a puff of air upward to dislodge a stray hair, and huffed a big, fat sigh. “I’m starved.”

“Long day already?”

“The way Ace is fussin’ about, you’d think royalty was daring to enter the premises this week.”

Willow pushed away the impending detour in her schedule and pointed to a stool in front of the island. “Have a seat.”

Kit turned a hopeful grin on her. “Don’t tease me, Willow. I’m in no mood for teasin’!”

Willow flung open the door to the fridge and examined the contents inside. Something about a hungry soul needing sustenance buoyed her spirit, mainly because that was a need she could usually fulfill. Besides, it kept her mind off the myriad other things she had on her to-do list. She grabbed a plate, then pulled out lettuce, a bowl of chicken salad, and took fresh rolls from the pantry.

Kit gasped. “You’re seriously going to feed me?”

“I am. All this is fresh too. Made it myself.”

“Ooh, I can tell it’s homemade. Smells so good.”

Willow worked deliberately, slicing a roll and laying a curly red leaf on the bottom half, followed by a heaping spoonful of chicken salad. And then another. She topped it with the top half of the roll and pushed the plate in front of Kit.

Kit picked up the sandwich with gusto and took a bite. “Mm! Willow, honey, I think you’re my new best friend.”

If only. The last best friend she had left Willow behind, like all the lukewarm ones did. She was no longer looking for a bff, but she wouldn’t turn down a trustworthy offer of one either.

With only a quick nod of acknowledgement, Willow busied herself with putting away the food, followed by wiping down the counter. Her delight in feeding the housekeeper some lunch was quickly squelched by thoughts she no longer cared to linger on.

“You okay over there?” Kit held the sandwich in front of her, as if in mid-bite.

“Me?” Willow shrugged. “Yes, yes, of course.” She turned to the sink to squeeze water from the rag.

“Something’s going on. My drama detector is up.”

Willow coughed out a laugh. “Drama detector!”

Kit nodded. “It’s more reliable than a cow at milking time.”

“I seriously doubt that.”

Kit frowned and looked upward, as if thinking. “Well, fine,” she finally said. “But it’s better than one of the cowhands at milking time.”

Willow laughed and lowered her voice. “That I can see.”

“I learned that one the hard way!” Kit said the words laced with laughter, but Willow had heard the gossip about how her romance gone bad with a ranch hand or someone led her straight into the arms of Eli, one of the hands who had been here the longest.

“Earth to Willow.”

Willow met her gaze.

“You gonna spill it?”

The short answer: no. It would be all kinds of wonderful to have a friend to confide in, the kind she once had, before the events that turned her family’s life upside down. She had to get the focus off her.

“Can I ask a question?” Willow said.

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