He smiled and finished with, “I have a house…”
But she didn’t see what else he said as sudden movement behind him drew her attention. She glanced up to see Veronica at the door. When Clay grabbed her hand, she looked down in time to see him say, “Daisy, will you marry me?”
The expression on his face was her undoing. He looked so—hopeful. So sincere. Tears filled her eyes to the point she wasn’t able to see him properly, and his words should have made her ecstatic, but this was all wrong. Had she not seen him in Veronica’s arms the night before? Yes, you did. So how could he sit there and ask her such a question? Not to mention the house he spoke of. She knew where it was. It was in Butte. Liam had told her he’d offered it to Clay, and if she said yes to his proposal, she’d have to leave her family.
Veronica threw her arms into the air and said something. Everyone, including Clay, looked back at her. She was talking so fast, Daisy didn’t catch what she said before the girl turned and ran out of the store.
Clay touched her hand again to get her attention. Veronica’s outburst didn’t change the look on Clay’s face. She’d seen it so many times. It was a look that made her think he really did love her, only today it didn’t give her butterflies or make her wish he’d do exactly what he was doing now. Today, it made her heart hurt more than it had been.
It was all too much. His proposal after seeing him with Veronica. Knowing he would take her away from her family. Her heart broke because she’d wanted this, secretly dreamed about it, and now that it was happening, it was so overwhelming she did the only thing she could think of. She turned to the curtain and ran, slamming open the back door, and didn’t stop running until she reached her house and the security of her bedroom.
She tossed her basket down, its contents spilling over the floor, and let the tears clouding her vision come. She saw her bedroom door open a few moments later out of the corner of her eye.
Violet peeked around the door. “Gramps said—” Her eyes widened when she saw her and stepped fully into the room. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
The moment she started crying again, Violet crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her. Violet let her cry, not trying to stop her, and every painful memory she had flooded her senses. She cried for the day she’d had to leave Butte and leave Clay there, her heart breaking because he wasn’t coming with her. She cried for the pain of seeing him in Veronica’s arms and for the knowledge that he’d asked her to marry him with the intentions of taking her back to Butte. When the last tear came long minutes later, she lifted her head and wiped her face.
“What happened?” Violet said.
“Clay…” The words got stuck in her throat.
“Clay, what?” Violet prompted when she looked up at her.
“He asked me to marry him.”
Violet smiled and raised her hand to wipe a stray tear off her cheek. “I know. He came by earlier, and Gramps made him ask for your hand. Hearing a man say those words can be emotional, but this many tears is a little excessive.”
Daisy pieced together what Violet said and pulled away, walking to the dresser. She dunked a clean washcloth into the water she’d poured into the washbowl that morning. The cool cloth felt good on her swollen eyes, and she stood there with her face covered while taking deep breaths. Violet, touching her arm long minutes later, had her lifting her head.
“What’s wrong, Daisy?”
“He’ll expect me to move to Butte.”
“Butte?”
She nodded. “Liam offered him a partnership in his livery stable and a house that had belonged to his old partner. He told me not ten minutes ago that he had a house, so I know the one in Butte is the one he’s talking about.”
“Well, surely that isn’t what caused all these tears.”
The images from the night before, and the day she’d left for the train, when she’d spotted Veronica and Clay beside the mercantile, filled her head. That kiss had made her heart ache, but seeing them together—it felt as if she was going to die, the pain was so intense. It had morphed over the long hours she’d lain in bed crying. That heartache turned to anger, and she’d been livid by the time her eyes drooped, sleep trying to claim her. She’d never wanted to snatch someone bald before, but last night she had. Her fingers had itched to claw Veronica’s eyes out of their sockets and drag her down the street by her hair.
Jealousy was an ugly thing, and she wished to had never experienced it.
Violet tilted her chin up so she’d look at her. “Talk to me, Daisy.”
She blew out a breath, knowing Violet wouldn’t let this go, nor would she leave her room until she told her what was wrong. Licking her lips, she said, “I saw Clay last night. With Veronica.”
Violet’s head tilted a fraction. “Saw them…what?”
“Hugging.”
“Where?”
“In the livery stable. I ran over there when I saw Clay ride into town and walked in on them hugging.”
Violet said nothing at first, just looked at her before finally saying, “Who was hugging, exactly?”
