Page 6 of Wrangling Her Heart
Rex’s heart pounded with conflicting emotions as he watched his brother offer a seat to Tillie. The way her fingers lingered on the crook of Whit’s elbow made Rex burn with jealousy. But as he observed his brother’s genuine smile and welcoming gaze towards Tillie, Rex couldn’t help but feel guilty for his envy. He didn’t know this woman, and neither did Whit. But there was something about this mysterious woman with fiery red hair and green eyes that had captured both his and Whit’s attention.
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one that noticed it either. Esther Billings shifted uncomfortably on the bench before clearing her throat. It took a moment for her to compose herself before asking, “I hope you aren’t staying long, Miss Youngerman.” A hint of disapproval tinged her voice, along with something else.
Was that jealousy?Rex thought.
Tillie’s eyes flickered with annoyance. She reached out her gloved hands towards the fire. “We won’t overstay our welcome.”
He couldn’t help but notice the tension in the room as the atmosphere grew heavy with unspoken words. Esther opened her mouth.
“Esther,” Whit growled in low warning.
Rex had never heard his brother speak like that. Filling the cup in his hand, he handed it to George, who murmured his thanks before wandering over to browse through a collection of items on the shelves.
“What?” Esther said, adjusting her skirt so it wasn’t close tothe stove. “It isn’t like there is any place for them to stay. Unless you want to stick them in the room at the livery?” She sounded hopeful for a minute.
Rex’s muscles tightened as he observed the tense atmosphere in the room. Whit leaned in close to Esther, whispering something that made her stiffen. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she abruptly stood up, storming past Whit and out the door. He grabbed his dusty cowboy hat from a hook and hurried after her.
“I hope I didn’t upset her,” Tillie said.
Rex turned his attention back to Tillie, who was gently blowing on her coffee. “You did nothing to upset her,” Rex said finally, pulling up a chair beside Tillie. “Esther can be prickly sometimes.” His eyes flicking towards the door where Whit and Esther had just exited. “It’s nothing you said or did.” He fumbled with the edge of his hat, suddenly feeling self-conscious under the scrutiny of those piercing green eyes.
“I guess it doesn’t matter since I’m just passing through.” Tillie leaned back on the bench, cradling the coffee cup in her hands. “Thank you for the coffee. And for your kindness, Mr. Hartman.”
“Please, call me Rex,” he replied, feeling a strange sense of comfort in her presence. “And it’s no trouble at all, Tillie. We look out for each other around these parts.”
“I appreciate it, Rex,” Tillie said. Her emerald eyes met his, and he felt something stir within him that he couldn’t quite place. He flashed a rare smile at her, feeling a warmth spread through him at the sound of his name on her lips.
He cleared his throat, breaking the flirtatious silence that had settled between them. “You mentioned you were looking for your brother? You think he might be up this way?”
“Yes. Last we heard; he was part of a cattle drive headed this direction.”
Rex scratched his cheek. “Cattle drive? Only drive I know about was Caleb Chapman bringing a bunch of longhorns from Texas up this way.”
“Oh, I wonder if he was part of that?”
“I don’t know many of the cowboys over there, but I can ask Marmee the next time I see her.”
“Marmee?”
“She knows everyone in town.”
“Hmmm. Thank you.”
Rex’s lips turned up slightly, revealing a shy dimple. “Are you going to tell me his name?” he asked teasingly.
“Oh,” Tillie laughed, the sound going right to his heart. “Sawyer. Sawyer Youngerman.”
Rex shook his head. “Don’t recognize that name, but we have a Sawyer here in town. I know he came on that cattle drive north.”
“You do?” Tillie’s eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, but maybe I’ll have a word with him and see if he knows my brother.” She placed her empty mug down on the bench. “Do you know where I might find him?”
Rex nodded. “He’s right over there,” he said, pointing to the crowd of people gathered around a glass display case. “He’s married to my sister.”
As Tillie moved around the barrels of crackers and apples towards the gathering, Rex couldn’t contain his excitement. If Sawyer had any clues about Tillie’s brother, that meant she might stay in Flat River for a while. He grinned to himself and made a note to talk to Baxter later. With his experience courting, his brother would know exactly how long it would take for Rex towoo Tillie.
Chapter Three
Tillie stretched her arms above her head, feeling the plush sheets and warm handmade coverlet beneath her fingers. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept in a proper bed. As she rolled over, she grabbed a fluffy pillow and hugged it to her chest. The smooth leather scent mixed with a hint of fresh straw filled her nose, bringing a content smile to her lips. When Annamae showed her to the room where she would stay, Tillie couldn’t help but feel excited at the thought of sleeping where Rex normally laid his handsome head.
