“I can’t believe you, Zona,” Brandon said. “What are you doing over here?”
“Nothing,” Zona said. “I just brought her the food.”
“Nowhehas no food,” Duke said.
“I’m fine,” Brandon said. “I told you guys a thousand times, I’mfine. I’m a grown adult, for crying out loud.” He threw Arizona a dirty look, and his stride lengthened.
Lenore cataloged the movement, now knowing how Brandon sounded and looked when frustrated.
“I’m going to get you some more,” Arizona said. “It’s just a quick trip to town.”
Lenore turned away then, smiling to herself. Nothing was a quick trip to town from the homestead. After a few seconds, she dared to peek around the pillar again. Brandon and his family had moved out of earshot, but he turned and looked over his shoulder at her. Their eyes locked for one horribly wonderful moment before he ducked his head to Dawson and said something else.
Lenore eased back into her cabin, whistling for Admiral and Susie-Q to come with her. Then she softly closed the door and forced herself not to turn the lock or run into the bedroom.
In fact, her stomach growled. She faced the kitchen, wondering what Arizona had packed for Brandon that she would also like.
Lenore had beenawake for about thirty minutes on Monday morning before the light of the day turned from gray to golden. She’d fried a couple of eggs and made a pot of coffee, and she loved this soft time in the morning before she left the cabin and had to face the reality beyond.
She glanced at her phone as it chimed and noted the time—seven-fifteen in the morning. She had no idea who it would be, as she didn’t get a lot of calls and texts in the first place.
Her breath caught in her throat when Brandon’s name popped up. She quickly abandoned her last few sips of coffee in favor of reading his text.
I know I don’t technically start until tomorrow,he said.But I’m here and I’ve got nothing else to do. If you want, we could walk around and I can start to make some notes and formulate a plan?
A plan sounded like exactly what Lenore needed, as hers for the day was to go feed the chickens and dogs, and then try to repair anything that had broken in the past couple of days.
She honestly didn’t know what she did all day, but she worked hard. However, at the end of the day, it felt like she had very little to show for it.
Yes, a plan sounded heavenly.
Are you sure?she typed out.It’s Halloween. Do you have anything going on with your family?
I did all that yesterday,he said.
She had seen him leave the homestead around nine-fifteen in the morning. She’d assumed it was to attend church, and perhaps he had. He hadn’t returned until about seven o’clock last night, and Lenore had done her absolute best to stay in her cabin and not go see what, if anything, he unloaded from his truck.
Part of the man’s pay was a private cabin, and Lenore wasn’t his momma or his landlord. He didn’t have to tell her where he was going, who he spent time with, or when he’d be back.
Another message from him came in.I’m all yours now, Lenore.
Warmth shivered through her veins. “I’m all yours now, Lenore,” she whispered to herself, letting the words wash through her, cleanse her. She let her eyes drift closes as she imagined what it would be like to be Brandon Rhinehart’s.
How would it feel if she really was his—and he was hers?
“Don’t be stupid,” she muttered, her eyes flying open and reality settling into her retinas.
He wasn’t hers, and she wasn’t his. They simply worked together.
Or they could, if she would text him back and tell him she’d very much like to walk around the homestead and start formulating a plan.
She did that. Then she said:You’re up early.
Nerves, I guess, he said.I want to call my brother real quick. Let’s meet at the chicken coop at eight. Sound good?
Lenore could get to the chicken coop in a three-minute walk, so she texted back,Yep. See you then.
Her own nerves wouldn’t allow her to sit at the dining room table any longer. She got up and cleaned her dishes and then set about feeding the dogs on the back porch.
