“A memory of what?” he asked her.
“I had a crush on Cal Cassidy back in school,” she heard herself admit, as if his deep voice were some kind of truth serum. “I hadn’t thought about it in forever.”
“Isn’t that the sheriff?” Dalton asked, his eyebrows lifting.
“He was older than me,” Ella said, nodding. “And he didn’t even know I existed. He’s happily married now, of course, and nothing ever came of it. It was just funny to think about it out of nowhere.”
Dalton nodded, his expression thoughtful.
Of course he knows it wasn’t out of nowhere. What was I thinking?
“So, what do you think of our little market?” she asked him quickly, hoping to distract him from her silliness.
“It’s wonderful,” he said, looking around. Somehow, the way he saidwonderfulreminded her that even though people tossed the word around every day until it practically lost its meaning, it really did containwonder. “What happens when it rains?”
“It used to mean we canceled or we packed it in early,” she told him. “But now we’ve got a covered space to use in the wintertime or when it rains.”
“So, a good change?” he offered.
“Yes,” she said smiling as she remembered their earlier conversation. “That is a good change. But the highway coming in that caused the area to be developed in the first place? I’m not sure how that will turn out.”
“That’s fair,” Dalton agreed.
“Look,”Dove yelled happily as she ran toward them, holding a white paper sack. “She gave methreecupcakes.Three.”
Ella looked over at Mal from the bakery, who waved to her and winked.
“She said you guys should have one too,” Dove said, handing Ella the bag. “She said they’re special.”
“That was so nice of her,” Ella said to Dove. “Did you thank her?”
Dove’s eyes got really big, and then she was blasting back to Mal’s table and yellingthank you, before dashing back.
The people Mal was waiting on smiled indulgently and Mal laughed and waved again.
“Open it up, Mama,” Dove said impatiently. “I want you to see them.”
Ella met her daughter’s eyes.
“I meanpleaseopen it up,” Dove said.
“Okay,” Ella told her.
“Should we go sit at the bench?” Dalton offered, pointing to an open spot near the library entrance.
“Okay,” Dove said, taking each of them by the hand.
For a moment, Ella was thrown. Walking this way made them look like a family.
But it wasn’t like she was the one holding Dalton’s hand. Not that it mattered. Folks around town had been making assumptions all day anyway, giving her knowing smiles and approving nods.
It was surprising, really. After losing her husband young and being a widow for four years now, she supposed it was probably normal for folks to expect her to be ready to open her heart again. But it still felt strange.
She let herself be led up to the bench, where she sat on one end and opened the bag after Dove released her hand.
Dalton seated himself on the other end, but Dove was too excited to sit. She stood between them, squirming with excitement over the sweet treats.
“Okay,” Ella said. “Let’s see what we’ve got here.”
