Her smile widened. “You’re a man of many talents, Braxton Jones.”
“I try.” He winked, then glanced at her empty hands. “You didn’t find anything ya liked?”
“Oh, I… um…”
“My treat, Phoebe.”
She shook her head.
He wagged his finger at her again. “Ah, ah, ah…”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not fair. Stop using your blessings excuse to buy me things.”
He grinned like a Cheshire cat. “It’s working, isn’t it?”
She crossed her arms. “I admit it makes sense, but… you’ve done enough for me already. Besides, soon I’ll be able to afford more.”
That got his attention. He straightened. “Oh?”
“If you must know, the sisters hired me. I now have a paid position with them.”
His chest tightened. “You do?”
She nodded once. “So, you see, I can pay you back in time…”
“No, you won’t.” He shook his head. “But I’m happy for you, Phoebe. I know you need the work.” He also knew he was going to have his work cut out for him. What if she gave up on the idea of finding a husband and decided to simply work and live her life? She could now. If Phoebe was able to support herself, she’d want to stay put. How could he ask her to trade a life of independence for the hard work of caring for a large ranch?
He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. “What happens when Miss O’Malley returns from Wild Rose Ridge?”
“They’ll have two of us to help. Augusta, Margaret, and Josie have discovered that having two helpers is much better than one.”
“Well, I’ll be,” he drawled. “Doesn’t that beat all?”
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing. I’m happy for ya. Now ya can… take your time finding a husband.”
“Yes, indeed I can.” She fingered the drawstrings on her reticule. He should have bought her a new one. It looked as careworn as her old coat.
“Pick out a book, Phoebe,” he said gently. “It’s Christmas, and I like giving presents.”
She studied him for a moment. “You’re a good man, Braxton. Thank you. But… this is hard for me. I’m not used to having someone…”
“It’s all right, darlin’. I understand.” He smiled, then gave her a gentle nudge toward the nearest aisle. He thought of her father. From the sound of it, the man had taken from Phoebe and her mother more than he’d given. If he showed up again, would he try to take Phoebe’s hard-earned money?
The thought rankled, and his jaw tightened.
After a few moments, Phoebe returned with a book. A romance novel. Braxton smiled and added it to his own. The shopkeeper took his money, then wrapped both books in brown paper.
“Thank you again,” Phoebe said. “You didn’t have to do all of this.”
“I know, but I wanted to. Soon you’ll be able to do the same for someone else.” Braxton fought the urge to run a finger down her cheek. Her skin looked soft and creamy, and he wondered how she’d fare in the Texas sun.
They left the shop and wandered through a few more stores before he led her to a restaurant. It took a bit of coaxing, but he finally got Phoebe inside, and soon they were seated at a corner table near the fireplace. He wanted to be sure she stayed warm.
Braxton gazed at her across the table and realized he wanted to do this with her every day. But what did he have to offer her now that she could provide for herself? City living was easy compared to what awaited her on his ranch. The work would be harder. There were rattlesnakes and storms, cattle rustlers, coyotes, and a dozen other dangers that came with ranch life.
For the first time since he’d realized he was falling for her, Braxton worried he might not be able to win Phoebe Hale.
