Page 58 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
The women, children, and the few men who had been hiding there for safety slowly left, their murmuring voices a soft echo in the small space.
Violet was still looking at him when he turned his attention back to her.The look in her eyes made something in his chest clench tight.Everything she was feeling was right there on her face to see.She cared about him.Despite him trying to push her away, her grandfather was right.She had feelings for him and damn his soul, he had to admit, if only to himself, he cared about her as well.
“What happened?”
Her voice seemed to break whatever spell had them standing there staring at each other.He shifted on his feet and looked toward the front of the store they were standing in.It was a dress shop, if he had to guess.There were ribbons and bows hanging on wooden dowels suspended from the ceiling, and all sorts of lace and sateen fabrics were stacked high on display racks.
There was glass on the floor from a broken window.A stray bullet must have hit it.Luckily, Violet had been in the back store room away from the danger when it had.
“Just some drunks trying to settle a gambling dispute down at the saloon,” he finally answered her.“The sheriff has them in custody.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Not that I could tell.”
She nodded and let out a breath.He motioned her toward the front of the store and he followed when she headed back out onto the sidewalk.They both stopped and stared at those still lingering by the saloon.
As shoot outs went, this one was pretty clean.No one died, which was always a plus.
Commotion from the hotel drew their attention.There were several men on the sidewalk looking into the restaurant.The window had been shot out there as well.
Violet sucked in a sharp breath.“We forgot Bonnie’s food.”
Josiah looked at his watch.It was close to noon now.“It’s nearly lunch time.Let’s head over and check on her and Archie first, and I’ll go back to the restaurant and grab her something.”
Archie was awake when they let themselves into the doctor's office.He still looked feverish, but smiled when he saw them.
Bonnie had that wide-eyed look of someone starting to fear the sound of gunfire.He couldn’t say he blamed her.It took a bit getting used to and as small as Silver Falls was, there wasn’t much shooting going on in town there.Well, other than when Archie was shot.
Bonnie stood when he shut the door behind them and said, “What happened out there?”
Violet told her everything that went down and he filled in any blanks in her story.The doctor came in midway through the telling, and after a few questions about Archie’s well being, and a few from Violet about when Archie would be all right to travel, he left them alone.
“I guess I need to put an ad in the paper about a new doctor for Silver Falls while I’m here.With Doc Tibbens not being able to do much anymore, we need a new doctor.It isn’t convenient to run to Elkin every time someone has something more serious than a cold.”
Bonnie nodded.“Doc Tibbens is getting up there in age.”
“He is,” Violet agreed.“Are you still hungry, Bonnie?The shooting happened right after we left the restaurant and—”
“—No, I’m fine,” she said, cutting Violet off.“The doctor's wife actually brought in something for us not long after you left earlier.”
“Oh, well, that’s good.”
They talked for a few more minutes before they said their goodbyes and headed back outside.
“So, what now?”Violet asked.
Josiah looked toward the sky.It was well past noon.If they left now, they’d not make it back by dark, and he hated trying to maneuver a wagon after the sun went down.“It’s too late to try to pull the wagon back home today, but we can rent a few horses and probably make it by nightfall.”
“What about the preacher?”
The preacher?Damn.He’d forgotten all about him.That had been his number one priority after getting Archie seen to.How could he have forgotten already?
Because he’s no longer a priority.
“Right.”He looked down the street both ways as if the man was going to pop around the next corner.“I think he may be a lost cause.Besides, the sheriff said there hadn’t been anything filed in his office, so I’m not sure searching for him will produce anything.”
“What does that mean?”
