Myra Johnson - The Rancher's Redemption

Yep, the historical society could just find some other old house to show off.

“Avery, get a move on. We’re running late.” Erin scooped up her purse and keys from the kitchen table, then snatched Avery’s lunchbox off the counter. “Grab your backpack, honey. And don’t forget a sweater.”

“I’m hurrying as fast as I can, Mom.” Stomping feet echoed from the hallway. “And anyway, you should have woken me up sooner.”

Erin pressed the button to open the garage door. “I know, and I’m sorry,” she said as Avery bounded past her. “I forgot to set my alarm.”

She wasn’t sure when it began, this struggle to get anywhere on time. Growing up, she’d earned a reputation for being early to everything. Maybe it was the people pleaser in her, the same part that had kept her married to an abuser in hopes that if she was good enough, if she tried hard enough, she could eventually change him.

Now, with Payne out of the picture, apparently she’d relaxed her standards. Or else it was rebellion, pure and simple. Her way of reclaiming a semblance of control over her life.

Whatever the case, she needed to redevelop the habit of punctuality. Getting her daughter to and from school on time was important, yes, but when Erin reported to her new job at Wanda’s Wonders next week, she couldn’t expect the gift shop’s owner to overlook tardiness.

As she sped through downtown Juniper Bluff toward the school, Avery kicked the seat back. “You’re driving too fast, Mom. You’re gonna get a ticket.”

At that very moment, Erin spotted a patrol car parked where the school zone began. Guiltily, she eased her foot off the accelerator and allowed the car to coast until the speedometer dropped below twenty miles per hour. Pasting on an innocent smile, she steered past the officer and into the school’s drop-off lane.

A teacher’s aide opened Avery’s door, and she scooted out. “Bye, Mom. See you after school!”

Waving to her daughter, Erin swallowed down the lump in her throat. She still couldn’t believe her little girl would soon finish first grade. Where had the years gone? This Saturday would be Avery’s seventh birthday. Erin still needed to put the finishing touches on the basket she’d started yesterday. It wasn’t much of a birthday gift, but for now, it was something Erin could afford. Besides, Avery loved collecting pretty things—beads, rocks, feathers, leaves—and this basket would be a perfect place to keep her treasures.

Before Erin could finish the basket, though, she had another chore on her to-do list. The small three-bedroom bungalow her brother Greg had helped her purchase suited their needs just right, and the neighborhood seemed safe enough. But living on her own for the first time in her life, she couldn’t shake her apprehension. Ideally, she’d prefer to install an alarm system—another expense she couldn’t afford. Instead, she’d decided to invest in security lights for the front and back of the house. Those shouldn’t cost too much, and how hard could they be to install?

Picking up groceries last weekend, Erin had noticed a hardware store across from the supermarket. A few minutes after leaving the school, she pulled into the Zipp’s Hardware parking lot and found a space between a dirt-encrusted pickup and an older-model hatchback. The brick building with the green metal sign across the front appeared to have been around almost as long as the town itself. All kinds of intriguing gadgets lined the display windows on either side of the entrance, and Erin grew so entranced that she almost forgot why she’d come—until the door burst open and a crusty old guy in overalls and a baseball cap nearly plowed into her. He mumbled an apology, climbed into the dirty pickup and drove away.

So much for small-town friendliness. With an annoyed shake of her head, Erin marched inside. She paused to get her bearings, her gaze skimming the signage over each aisle: Plumbing, Tools, Fasteners, Electric...

“Can I help you?”

Erin turned with a start. “You?”

“You!” yesterday’s cowboy said at exactly the same time.

She backed up a step, yesterday’s butterflies returning with ferocity. “You work here?”

“I do.” One brow arched. “Did you make it on time to pick up your daughter?”

“Yes. I mean, no. But it was okay. She was helping her teacher feed the gerbils.” And why did Erin feel the need to explain herself?

The cowboy looked at her askance, one wayward lock of brown hair sliding across his temple. “Gerbils. Aren’t those just glorified rats?”

“They’re actually pretty cute. I had a pair when I was a kid. And then they had babies and Mom made me give them away—” Lips pursed, Erin crossed her arms. “I—I’m actually looking for security lights. Do you carry those?”

“Lighting’s in aisle seven.” Starting in that direction, he peered over his shoulder. “Erin, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said, hurrying to follow. “I’m sorry. I’m terrible with names. Ken?”

“Kent.” He stopped about halfway down the aisle. “Here we go. Security lights. You want manual or automatic?”

Erin bit her lip. “What’s the basic difference?”

Slanting her a crooked smile, Kent picked up a box. “This one’s manual. That means you have to turn it on and off yourself from the light switch.”

“Of course.” With a silly-me eye roll, Erin bent to read the printing on another box. “So...automatic means the lights come on by themselves, obviously. How do they know?” She cringed at how ignorant she must sound.

“Well, there’s the kind where you set a timer for exactly when you want the light to go on and off. Then there’s this one,” he said, indicating the box she was examining, “which has a simple light sensor. On at dusk, off at dawn.”

“I like that.”

“Or there’s one other option,” Kent said, reaching for a box on a higher shelf. “This one has both a light sensor and a motion detector. If you don’t want the light on all night, you can set it to come on only when there’s activity to trigger it.”

Erin hadn’t realized she’d have so many choices. An amber warning light blinked in her brain. “That one’s probably the most expensive.”

“Yeah, they do go up in price when you start getting fancy. Where do you plan to use it?”

“Front and back porches.”

“Any reason you wouldn’t want the lights on all night? Like bedroom windows nearby, or neighbors who might be annoyed?”

Valid points. Points Erin hadn’t considered. “How much exactly is the motion-detector style?”

Kent brought a box down from the shelf. “This one’s our bestselling model. It’s priced at $69.95.” He must have noticed her flinch, because he returned the box to its place and chose another one instead. “Now, this one here has fewer bells and whistles but works just as good, and it’s $30 cheaper.”

Still a lot, but definitely more affordable. Erin pictured her minuscule checkbook balance. Maybe she could buy one today and hold off on the second one until after she got her first paycheck.

She felt Kent’s eyes on her. Thoughtfully, he asked, “You were wanting two, right?” When she replied with a hesitant nod, he drew a hand across his chin. “This is actually a closeout model. With the newer ones expected any day now, we need to clear out shelf space. I’ll sell you the second light for half price.”

Erin brightened. “Really? That would be great!” If things went well, she could have the lights installed before she picked up Avery from school. And maybe tonight she’d actually get a full night’s sleep instead of tossing and turning and listening for every little sound.