Lauri Robinson - The Cowboy Who Caught Her Eye

Shaken, she gathered the bills out of the cash drawer and blew out the lamp on the counter. Walking past Carter, she hissed, “You’re still leaving.”

She could hear his laughter, and it rattled her very being.

Molly got up twice and moved the money to different locations—out from beneath her bed to behind the wood box in the kitchen, and then to the top drawer of her bureau—but still couldn’t sleep. Counting sheep didn’t help, neither did rehearsing how she’d insist that Karleen fire Carter. Therefore, when she crawled out of bed the next morning, she was groggy and irritated—more so than normal.

It was while Molly was pulling the third batch of cinnamon rolls from the oven that her mood hit rock bottom.

“Goodness,” her sister commented while entering the kitchen. “The store is busier than yesterday. We’re going to need another batch of rolls. People who hadn’t gotten a good look at Carter yesterday are trying to today.” Karleen started placing rolls on a plate. “Actually, some who had seen him yesterday are back for a second look.” Grinning, she added, “He is so very handsome, don’t you think?”

“That’s disgraceful, Karleen,” Molly snapped.

“What? Licking my fingers?” Karleen asked, doing just that.

“That, too,” Molly said, setting the heavy pan on top of the stove with a loud thump. “Carter Buchanan is not staying here.”

“Yes, he is,” Karleen insisted. “He’s not only good for business, he’s exactly the help we’ve needed. The cows were milked, the eggs gathered and the animals fed before I even got up. You, too. No boy from town would manage all that.”

Her sister was pointing out how last week Molly had suggested they hire a boy from town, which increased her irritation. Shoving the last pan of rolls into the oven—not caring if they ran out before the noon train or not—Molly slammed the door. “Those are simple, everyday chores that don’t hurt us a bit to accomplish. Having someone else do them is just plain lazy.”

“Well, maybe I want to be lazy for a while,” Karleen said. “Lord knows working in the store all day and baking dozens of rolls and breads isn’t enough for us to do.”

“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain,” Molly scolded. She was a fine one to be preaching Bible lessons, but couldn’t stop the reprimand from coming out.

“I didn’t take his name in vain,” Karleen insisted. “I said he knows how hard we do work around here.” Sighing, she rested both hands on Molly’s shoulders. “You never used to be like this. Even just a few months ago you’d have been happy to have the extra help. Carter’s a wonderful salesman. He’s even sold two pairs of those shoes that peddler unloaded on us. That alone should have you dancing. What’s happened to you, Molly? Even Ivy is afraid you’re going to snap her head off like a bean stem for the tiniest mistake.”

Molly shrugged out from beneath her sister’s hold. She couldn’t handle anyone touching her, but more because the truth hurt. “Because I grew up. And it’s time you did, too.”

“I have grown up, Molly. I may not be as old as you, but I haven’t been a child for a long time. Not since the day Mother and Father died. It wasn’t my fault, Molly. It wasn’t my fault they died and we had to learn to run this place.”

“I never said it was,” she insisted.

“You act like it is.”

“I do not,” Molly retorted. “Now, hush up, the customers might hear you.” For good measure Molly waved a finger at her sister. “And don’t be snippy with me.”

“Snippy? Me?” Karleen all but snarled. “You’re the snippy one. Ask any of the customers, they’ll tell you. You act like everything is someone else’s fault, including why Robbie Fredrickson wouldn’t marry you.”

The last bit of starch left her knees—the small amount she’d held on to all this time—but other places, Molly was still seething. “I didn’t want to marry him.”

“Because no man wants to marry a woman with two younger sisters to take care of.”

Her hands squeezed the chair harder. “I didn’t say that,” Molly corrected.

“Well, Robbie did,” Karleen said. “I may only be sixteen, Molly, but I know some things, including that if a man really loves a woman, he doesn’t care how many sisters she has.”

Karleen was right, she herself had told Robbie those exact words, but her sister didn’t know everything. “You don’t know anything about love. You’re just a child.”

“I know more than you think.” Karleen leaned across the table. “I know Robbie only courted you to get this store for the railroad.”

“We didn’t court,” Molly seethed. “And I know exactly what Robbie wanted.” She did know, and she’d known it five months ago, but she’d wanted things to be different. Not just for her but for her sisters.

“Then get over it,” Karleen snapped.

Molly bit her tongue, refused to answer. She was over it all right, but Robbie was not the problem. The result of that night was. It had seemed no matter how hard she worked, there was no hope of things changing. She’d hated everything about her life that day and wanted out.

Karleen and Ivy had gone to Ralph and Emma Walters’s wedding party at the hotel. The whole town had been there, and she’d planned on going too, except the freight had arrived ten minutes before it was time to leave. It couldn’t be left out for anyone walking by to pilfer, so she’d stayed home, carrying box after box inside until it was good and dark. It had rained, too, exacerbating her sense of misery, and had made her recall how fast everything had changed. How that violent spring storm had hit two years prior, causing the James River to flood its banks, washing away buildings and stealing the lives of people so quickly the entire town was in shock for months afterward.

Safe, here at home, she and Karleen and Ivy hadn’t known what had happened to their parents until the preacher arrived and explained how the bridge had collapsed beneath their wagon.

“Molly?”

Things had changed that fast again five months ago. Molly pushed Karleen away and stumbled for the door, needing much more than fresh air.

“Molly, I’m sorry,” Karleen shouted, but Molly kept moving.

If she stopped, she might collapse.

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