Page 5 of Wrangling Her Heart
“Why so cheap?”
“Probably because there are a lot of them.” He handed therifle back to Petunia, who continued to coo over the firearm. The sound of the door opening caught his attention as the wind pushed two travelers inside.
The small bell above the door rang as the strangers entered the store. A layer of dust covered them from their journey, and the woman was visibly shivering from the cold.
Rex observed them from where he stood, noting the weariness etched into their features. The woman’s pale, trembling hands clutched her thin shawl, while her cheeks flushed with red. Her worn dress was threadbare in spots, and her hair was messy and tangled from the long journey. She held her bonnet in her other hand and Rex could see that it only had one ribbon. The other must have broken during the journey.
The man beside her was tall and rugged, his eyes scanning the shop with a keen intensity. The woman’s gaze wandered around the store, taking in every item with a mix of curiosity and exhaustion. Her eyes widened as they landed on Pet, and she whispered to her companion.
“Excuse me, Petunia.” Rex gently touched her shoulder and walked toward the front of the store to greet the newcomers. While walking through the store, the woman’s fiery red hair captured his attention. It seemed to glow in the dim lighting.
He had never seen hair that color before! He had the urge to run his fingers through the tangled mess and smooth out the knots.
She reached up with shaking fingers to brush a few strands away from her cheeks. Her eyes glanced around and stopped briefly on Rex before quickly moving to look at the floor. He wasn’t sure if the blush on her cheeks was from the cold or if it was because he caught her staring. He cleared his throat and put on his most charming smile, attempting to ignore the unsettling feeling that stirred within him.
Extending a hand towards the man, Rex offered a smile. “Welcome to Flat River. I’m Rex Hartman. We don’t get too many strangers around these parts,” Rex drawled, leaning back against a display strewn with leather bridles and horse liniment. “Especially ones that look none too pleased to be here.”
The man stiffened, his hand twitching at his side; the sign of someone that was used to pulling a sidearm if necessary. Not seeing the bulge of a gun belt underneath the man’s coat, Rex knew the man was unarmed. He wasn’t worried about the stranger right now.
“We’re just passing through,” the man said.
“Passing through to where?” Rex pressed, pulling his arm back, his posture unyielding. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and looked at the young couple.
“North,” the man snapped, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.
“North,” Rex echoed, an eyebrow arching skeptically.
The man hesitated for a moment before relaxing slightly. “Forgive my rudeness. I’m George Youngerman. This here is my sister, Tillie,” he said, gesturing towards the woman beside him. The woman lifted her head, her emerald eyes briefly meeting his, and he could see a spark of defiance in her eyes.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Rex said with a polite smile. “Can I help you folks with something?” He glanced over his shoulder. “It looks like Dillon is busy at the moment.”
George Youngerman stepped forward, craning his neck to look over Rex’s shoulders. “As I said, we’re just passing through. I need to get a few supplies before we continue north.”
“Of course, The Aldens have an excellent selection of items here,” Rex gestured towards the shelves filled with various goods.
Tillie placed a gloved hand on her brother’s arm. Her teeth chattered as she attempted to speak. “W-w-we’re looking for our brother, a Mr. Youngerman.”
Rex noticed her lips were blue around the edges. It must have been freezing on the ride.Why didn’t they use one of the heavy covers?He scratched his cheek. “Can’t say I know anyone by that name in town. But I think you need to get warm before you do anything else. You plan on staying here, or just passing through?”
“We are just stopping in the towns to find our brother. We’ll go wherever the stage goes next.” Turning, she coughed into her glove.
“Hush, Matilda. You don’t need to bore this stranger with where we are going.”
“It’s no mind.” Rex reached over her shoulder to the enamel cups hanging on wooden pegs near the windowsill. “How about a cup of coffee?” he said softly. “That cough sounds like it could turn into something terrible if you don’t get warm.”
Tillie turned to him with a smile, revealing a set of perfectly straight and white teeth. “The air was rather cold on the ride from Grand Platte. I’d like that, thank…”
“We don’t have any money for coffee, Tillie. Just sit by the fire and let me get a few provisions for the next leg of the trip. I don’t want to be beholden to that woman who was riding with us.”
“There’s no charge for the coffee. The Aldens always keep a pot on.”
“Then I will have a cup,” George said, his shoulders relaxing slightly.
Rex gave Tillie a smile. “I don’t know how long this has been here. It may have been brewing all day.”
“It’s fresh. Esther just made it,” Whit said, rising. “Please sit down. This is closer to the fire.”
“Thank you.” Tillie placed a shaky hand on Whit’s arm while she maneuvered around the stove to the vacated seat.
