But that didn’t make the task any easier.
He’d been saving every penny he could to provide the kind of life she deserved, and at the rate he was going, she’d be old and gray before that time came, if ever. It would be stupid to make his intention known when he owned nothing but a sack full of clothes. Although he now lived in the small room behind the jail instead of the livery stable, it still wasn’t a proper home. And what little money he’d saved wouldn't be enough to even think about building one.
A gust of wind gusted down the street; the air chilly. He glanced at the sky. Heavy gray clouds filled the horizon, and he wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t snow soon. Putting his coat back on, he pulled the collar up around his ears, and he blew out a breath before heading into the barn. He had more important things to do today than try to figure out how to win Daisy Campbell’s hand.
Callie was an unexpected bit of joy in an otherwise terrible trip. Her new friend had shown her the entire town and even bought her a tiny cake at a small shop that sold bread and pastries before escorting her back to the livery stable.
The wind was howling by the time she pulled the barn doors open, and with nothing but her traveling dress and cloak for warmth, the air was downright frigid.
She shivered when she stepped inside the barn. The temperature wasn’t much better in there, but with the wind blocked, it was bearable. Clay was stepping out of one of the horse stalls when she said her goodbyes to Callie and shut the barn doors. He looked her way and smiled before wiping his hands on a rag and tossing it aside.
“Have fun?” he asked when she started his way.
“I did,” she said. “I don’t have any girlfriends back home. My sisters are the closest thing I have to one, but they don’t count.”
“I don’t imagine they would.” He secured the gate to the horse stall and faced her. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes, Callie bought me a small piece of cake at one of the eateries in town, but that was hours ago.”
He nodded and said, “Want to go down to the restaurant and eat, or do you want me to bring something back for you?”
“We can go to the restaurant. There’s no need for you to carry plates all over town.”
The restaurant was packed when they got there, and they had a small wait, not that she minded. There were soft benches to sit on just inside the door, and the smell coming from the kitchens was divine. She people-watched while they waited, and once they were seated at a table and had ordered their supper, Clay said he almost had enough money to send their telegram.
“I have no idea how long it’ll take to reach Silver Falls, but at least they’ll know what happened once it does.”
She nodded and looked around the room. A huge rock fireplace sat along one wall. The heat the roaring fire produced seeped into her bones and made her sleepy. Everyone she saw was talking, some so animatedly, their hands were moving as much as their mouths were.
Clay tapped her hand to get her attention. “What are you thinking about so hard?”
She smiled and said, “Trying to remember what it sounded like with this many people in a small space.”
He looked around the room, taking everyone in before turning his head back to her. “Loud.”
She grinned when he did.
Their food arrived a few moments later, and neither spoke as they ate. Clay was eating so fast, she wondered if he’d choke, then realized he hadn't eaten all day. She’d had a piece of cake, and although it wasn’t much, it was still more than he’d had. By the time they’d finished, the crowd had thinned to only a few patrons. She was loath to leave, truth be told. She was grateful Liam let them stay in the livery stable’s tack room, but with the way the temperature had been dropping throughout the day, she knew she was in for a miserable night.
Clay paid their bill and stood, holding out his hand with a smile. It was such a small thing, him offering his hand and waiting for her to take it, but she felt her face heat all the same. Was this what a proper date would be like? She’d never been courted by a man, or had dinner alone with one, but she imagined this was exactly the way it would feel.
His fingers closed around her own when she laid her palm against his. He helped her to her feet, their eyes locking as she stood. He glanced at her mouth, and her pulse jumped. Was he thinking about kissing her again? She licked her lips without conscious thought, and his eyes glazed a bit before slowly tracking up her face. He stared at her, his fingers tightening on her own. She was sure he was about to kiss her, but in the next instant, someone bumped into him, making him lose his balance, and the moment was shattered.
He glared at the man who’d run into him, both of them exchanging words before Clay turned back to her and said, “Let’s go. It’s getting late.”
Stepping out onto the sidewalk, they both stopped and stared. Snow was falling hard and fast, the flakes big and wet. The town was already nearly covered, and people were scurrying to get wherever it was they were going. Clay gave her hand a tight squeeze and motioned toward the livery stable with his head. She knew without words that he was saying they needed to hurry back.
The horses were staring at the door when they ran inside the barn. They must sense the change in the weather. Like most livery stables, this one was built solid, the boards constructing the sides close enough together that little air seeped through, but with no heat source, it was cold.
Daisy helped Clay bed all the animals down, finding extra blankets for them, and filling their stalls with more straw. When they were done, she was warmed clean through but knew it wouldn’t last.
The tack room was a welcome sight. After hauling straw in and out of stalls, plus her adventure through town earlier in the day, she was bone tired. Clay came into the small room a few minutes later, carrying more horse blankets and a bundle of straw. He scattered it across the floor, making a little nest for himself before tossing one of the blankets down on top of it. He added another to cover himself with and gave her the remaining two.
They spoke very little while readying themselves for bed, and once she was cocooned in the blankets and covered to her head, she stared at Clay where he lay on the floor beside her.
“Are you warm enough?” he asked.
It took him saying it a few more times before she made out his words in the growing darkness. “Yes,” she lied. He nodded his head and lay down, staring up at the ceiling. She wondered what he was thinking about. Home, she imagined. It's what she thought of most of the time. She realized then that her family did not know she hadn’t gotten on the train. They probably assumed she was halfway to Boston by now, not stuck in town, sleeping on a small cot in a livery stable while snow piled up outside.
