Page 16 of Wrangling Her Heart
“True. I still wish I could spend more time with Tillie, though.”
“Well, you’re living under the same roof, ain’t ya? You’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other. That’s half the battle right there. Find something for her brother to do.” Baxter picked up an empty pail near the chicken coop before catching up with Rex’s stride once again. “You worry too much, brother. Tillie seems to like you fine. Don’t let George’s antics get under your skin.”
Rex nodded; a weight lifted off his shoulders. Maybe he had been reading too much into George’s behavior. As they approached the porch, he couldn’t help but notice Sawyer and Annamae standing on the porch, their lips locked in a tender embrace. They looked so happy, so content, and Rex couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing for a love like that.
“Lord,” he whispered under his breath, “grant me patience and wisdom in this situation. Help me find the right path to Tillie’s heart.”
As his prayer left his lips and lingered in the dusty air, Rex hoped God would hear it. But for now, Rex could only wait and hope that an opportunity to express his feelings to Tillie would present itself.
“Do you think they’ll like me?” Tillie asked.
Rex glanced over at Tillie; her face etched with worry as they approached his brother’s house. He could see the fear in her eyes, the uncertainty about being accepted by his family.
His warm brown eyes met Tillie’s, and he gave her a reassuring nod. “Just relax and be yourself,” he said, noticingher nervous habit of chewing on her bottom lip.
“You don’t think they are upset that I missed yesterday, are you?” Tillie and George didn’t make it back until the sun was nearly setting, so it was too late to gather many acorns.
“They are very forgiving. We’ll just have to make up for it today.”
They rode next to each other on the path that followed the creek leading to Baxter’s home. Rex pointed out the small animals and birds as they traveled along.
“Why does your sister need a bunch of acorns?” Tillie asked.
“She soaks and dries them, and then makes flour from them. If there isn’t enough time this year to get it done, she’ll save them for next year.”
“That sounds like a lot of work for little reward.” She moved her horse closer to the creek. “How deep is that water?”
“It’s about ten feet in the center. It would be less work if we had done it when we said we would.”
Tillie’s eyes narrowed, and she scrunched up her nose in frustration. “I already apologized for missing yesterday,” she said through gritted teeth. “What else do you want me to do?”
“Alright, Tillie.” Rex would let the conversation slide. “Why don’t you tell me what really happened while you were in town with George?”
Tillie rode silently next to him, preoccupied with her own thoughts for a moment. She maintained her gaze on the path ahead before finally responding. “It was nothing much. George just needed a few supplies, is all.”
Rex squinted, detecting an underlying tone in her words. He couldn’t think of any reason she would need to lie to him. “Really, Tillie? I know there’s more to it than that. I can see it in the way you are sitting in the saddle.” His voice was gentle, butfirm.
Tillie sighed. “All right, fine.” She turned in the seat to look at him. “George ran into an old... friend from our time in Texas.” She spat out the wordfriendas if it left a bitter taste in her mouth. “I didn’t much care for him, truth be told.”
“Is this person someone we should be worried about?” Rex asked, his protective instincts kicking in.
“Let’s just say I’m glad we left Texas behind,” Tillie replied, avoiding Rex’s probing gaze. “But it’s not something you need to worry about, Rex. I can handle it myself.”
Rex knew Tillie was strong-willed, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was keeping something important from him.
His eyes followed her every move, taking in the way she kept her arms crossed tightly over her lap as she held the reins and avoided making eye contact with him. He could sense her unease and his heart ached with concern for her.
As they neared Baxter’s house, he realized there was more to her story than she let on. The tension between them was palpable. He steered his horse closer to hers, his voice gentle yet insistent.
“Tillie, you know you can trust me,” he said softly, silently begging for her to look at him. “Whatever it is, you don’t have to face it alone. We’re in this together now.”
She lifted her head, and he searched her face for any clue to what she might be thinking. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she finally met his gaze, her vulnerability shining through her tough exterior. Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. “Why? You don’t even know me.”
His heart clenched at her words, feeling a pang of hurt in the distance she seemed to put between them. He wanted to reach out, to show her he genuinely cared, but he could see the wallsshe had built around herself.
Speaking in a hushed tone, Rex attempted to penetrate her emotional barrier. “You’re right, Tillie. I might not know everything about you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. You’re family, too.”
Tillie hesitated, her gaze dropping for a moment before meeting his again. The weight of unspoken words lingered between them, hanging heavily in the air. Finally, she drew in a shaky breath and spoke, her voice wavering slightly.
