She glanced at him, trying to judge his thoughts by the look on his face. He looked a little disappointed.
Flo tried to remember what the inside of the house looked like. It wasn’t that bad, surely. She remembered hardwood floors, a roof that didn’t leak, the most modern of windows replacing the old ones. There were a lot of good things about the cottage. But she would eventually need to replace the wood stove and the ice box, both of which were showing their age. She didn’t have her own bed but she knew one of the men who worked in the furniture store. He would help her out.
She’d been thinking about all the things she would need when she moved into her cottage. She would be starting brand new, with nothing but what she could fit in travel bags.
It would be the first time she had ever really been in on her own. Without any restrictions or rules. It would be a home for her to do whatever she liked with.
Her heart thumped a little harder the closer they got to the cottage.
“You’re beaming.” She turned to give Johnny a curious look. He had a big smile on his face. “Look at you. I can see how much you want this place. But I don’t know… are you really sure? It’s such… a dump.”
Flo felt a stab of resentment in her chest. She frowned at him. “How can you say that? It’s beautiful.”
“Well, I’m curious. Let’s go in and have a look around. I can make a better assessment. I’m just… not gonna candy coat it for you, okay? I’ll be nice. But if this place isn’t worth your money, I have to keep you from making that decision without knowing all the facts first. You need to make an informed decision.”
Flo bit her lips together, chewing thoughtfully. “All right, Johnny. Let’s see what you think.”
Chapter 14
Johnny listened to Flo go on and on about what she planned to do with the cottage. As soon as he stepped inside, he knew she was in for a long repair. She pointed out the roof and the windows, which did appear to have been recently updated. He pumped the faucet in the kitchen and there was running water coming from the well.
The floor creaked when he walked but he didn’t sense any decaying problems and didn’t see any mold or other problems in the walls or foundation. Everything just looked so… old. He imagined a witch staying in this cottage in the 1600s, when knights and dragons roamed the land.
He grinned.
“It’s not bad, Flo. Kinda cozy, I guess. Perfect for one person or a couple.”
He walked across the small foyer to the stairs going up the right side to the second floor. They were covered in a matted red carpet that would be the first thing Johnny would replace. It looked like many muddy boots had made their way up that flight of stairs.
He put one large hand on the ball at the end of the staircase railing. He pushed it to see if it would wiggle but it was solid. He settled one foot on the bottom stair and tested it to see if it would break under his weight. It, too, was solid and strong. He was surprised.
“What do you think so far?” Johnny could hear the apprehension in Flo’s soft voice. “Do you think it’s worth buying?”
Johnny cocked his head toward the stairs. “Let’s go up and see it on the second floor and I’ll tell you what I think.” She came up behind him as he went to the top and looked from left to right. The hallway was very small. It had two doors one on the right and one on the left. He opened them both and stuck his head in, looking around the empty, dusty rooms.
There was one room taking up the entire right side and one room that took up the entire left side of the house. As a result, the rooms were huge. The chimney ran up through the middle of the house with the fireplaces all in the middle of the house and the one chimney being used for all the rooms.
“I like it.” He would have told her he liked it even if he didn’t. He knew how much this place meant to her. If it needed a lot of repair, he’d be glad to help her out. And from the looks of things, he didn’t see anything that couldn’t be fixed with a little time and money. And heart.
The heart was something he knew wouldn’t be lacking. The look on Flo’s face told him how much she wanted to live in this cottage.
He wondered if she would be happy living in the cottage all by herself. Lately, it had been hard for him to think of what it would be like without her. Living with Marian every day. Loving Marian and having a family with her.
For some reason, those goals didn’t seem as important as they had only a few days ago. Last week.
Seeing Flo turn in circles, her wide eyes taking in all the dirt and grime and cracks as if each one had a hidden diamond inside and she was the only one who could see it, made him happy. He started back down the steps, nodding at her.
“It’s definitely worth the money.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, staring at him. “So you will still follow through on the deal and give me the rest of the money to buy it?”
Johnny was startled by the question. He didn’t recall that ever being in question. He pulled his eyebrows together and gazed at her. “Of course. I never said I wouldn’t. What are you thinking? That I would see it needed work and back out?”
She looked ashamed, her cheeks turning a rosy color. He felt bad. He didn’t want her to feel embarrassed. “You’ve done what I asked, Flo. I wouldn’t go back on my word. I’m not like that. Thought you knew that about me.” He was a little offended.
“I’m sorry. Of course you’re not. I just… it wasn’t you. I mean, you’ve been so willing to go along with all this…”
Johnny snorted, cutting her off. “I’m not the one willing. You’re the one doing this without any chance of gain in the end.”
“This is my gain,” she responded, lifting her arms to take in everything around her. But her voice didn’t quite correspond with her actions. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself of that.
“I reckon you’re right.”
“And your gain is the woman you desire and the family you want so much.”
Johnny just nodded. “Yes, I was thinking about that last night. Talked to Marian a little about it, too.”
Flo gave him a confused look.
“She came out to the ranch last night. Well, it wasn’t at night. More like the evening. Right after dinner and before bed.”
“That sounds late to me,” Flo said in a curt tone.
Johnny went from the small parlor to the kitchen to the dining area and another room he assumed would be a library or a den. “It’s a nice place,” he said absent-mindedly, looking around him one more time. “With some work, it could be a lovely home. I’d be glad to help you fix it up.”
“If you have time for me.” Something in Flo’s voice made him look closely at her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, bracing himself. Sometimes when she had that look on her face, he’d said something she didn’t like and he didn’t realize it.
“Nothing’s wrong,” she responded, her voice cold. “Why would something be wrong?”
He stopped at the front door and crossed his arms over his chest, looking down his nose at her. “You’ve got that look on your face. What’s wrong? I say something wrong?”
She looked away from him and he knew there was definitely something up.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, Flo. Come on. What is it?”
“You talked to Marian last night,” Flo said. “I just didn’t realize that. That’s all.”
Johnny studied her face. She didn’t like Marian. The fact that she’d agreed to do this with him was amazing enough as it was. It’s not like he could ask Flo to change her mind about Marian. That was never gonna happen. And he didn’t expect it to.
“Let’s go to town and get a bite to eat before the day ends.”
“Before the day ends? It’s lunchtime. You have plans this afternoon?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Maybe with Marian?”
Johnny realized in an instant that Flo’s dislike for Marian had only deepened since they started this charade. He wished he knew why she detested Marian the way
she did. When this was over and he was all Marian could think about, he would miss Flo. With her feelings toward Marian, there was no way the three of them would be doing things together.
“No plans with Marian,” he said. “I think we’re supposed to be seen in public together more than me and her. Otherwise the jig is up, don’t you think?”
“Yeah.” Her voice was frozen. He almost wished he didn’t have to spend time with her. Right now, it looked like she wanted to be alone. Or at least, not with him.
“You want a bite to eat?” he said, feeling a little irritated with her. She was letting her hatred for Marian come between them. Everything was fine when they weren’t talking about that woman.
He cleared his throat and held out his hand to her. “Come with me, my dear. Let’s sort this out over some meat and potatoes.”
He was glad when she gave him a grin. They rode back to the corner restaurant that was popular in their little town.
As he slid out of the saddle, Johnny glanced inside the restaurant bay window and noticed Marian inside at a table. She was with Richard, one of the men who worked in the lumber mill. She was smiling from ear to ear. He looked away when she glanced through the window. He didn’t know whether she’d seen him looking or not.
At that moment, he heard a shuffling sound and looked up to see Flo practically falling out of her saddle. He instinctively lifted his arms and she fell directly into them.
Their eyes met. They were close enough to kiss for a brief moment. Johnny’s heart went into overdrive.
It suddenly occurred to him. Here was Flo, one of the most desirable women in Texas, right in front of him. They’d been friends for so long. Could a relationship be built from a friendship? Or would it ruin everything they’d built up between them? They trusted each other. They were always there for the other, no matter what was going on.
The moment seemed to last a million years. He could feel her soft breath on his lips long after he set her on her feet. It was hard to let her go when he put her down. He felt cold without her against his body.
She was gazing at him with the same look he had. He was in a daze and it was taking a moment to come out of it.
Someone yelled out and Johnny heard a crashing sound followed by several sets of boots on the wooden walkway, running. He and Flo both snapped out of their dazes and looked toward the saloon. A man had come stumbling out and fallen down the three steps up from the road.
Johnny felt dagger-eyes in his back. He whipped around and glared through the window at Marian.
How did she like being the one jealous all the time?
Chapter 15
Johnny took off in the direction of the saloon. Flo watched him, her chest tight with anxiety. She’d seen Marian in the window. She wondered if Johnny realized she’d fallen out of the saddle into his arms on purpose. Did it make him mad?
The look on his face when they were so close… her breath caught in her throat remembering it. Her heart was still hammering just from the adrenaline that raced through her body. His blue eyes so intense, a love she was sure she saw like a wild fire raging through his soul, passing from his eyes to hers.
Did he feel the way she felt? Was he thinking what she was thinking?
When he ran off to the saloon and inserted himself into the fight she stayed behind, calling out for him to be careful. She heard the door to the restaurant open but didn’t hear it close. That probably meant someone was standing with the door open.
And it was probably Marian.
Her ears caught the sound of soft footfalls, meaning someone wearing slippers.
Probably Marian.
Flo’s entire body was numb and as tense as her muscles could be. If Marian said something to her… how would she react? What would she say? She was supposed to be marrying Johnny. These days, that was really all she wanted. She was willing to put the cottage second if she thought Johnny would drop this insane notion of being married to a woman like Marian and give her a chance instead.
But she wasn’t going to say anything about her feelings to Johnny. The thought of ruining their friendship by bringing relationship matters into it made her feel a little sick to her stomach. She couldn’t lose him because she’d lost her heart to him. It wasn’t his fault and she wasn’t going to ruin everything.
“Well, well, well…”
The repeated word sounded like a needle sticking in Flo’s ear. She narrowed her eyes and twisted her upper body to look at Marian.
“What do you want?”
Flo wasn’t a good liar, even when her intentions were good. This, however, was an emergency and the only lie was one she wanted to be true.
“I see you have Johnny just wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?” Marian grinned in a snide way, tilting her head to the side. The young man who’d followed her out stood behind her, listening but not saying a word. Flo glanced at him and then settled her eyes on Marian. She had to remember that she was trying to make Marian jealous so she’d show Johnny more attention.
And it seemed to be working.
“Isn’t that how engagements usually go?” she asked, keeping her voice as quiet as she could, keeping her eyes directly on Marian’s.
Marian stepped down to the road and took a few steps closer to Flo.
Flo’s blood ran through her body, like shards of ice in a waterfall. She hoped she looked cool as a cucumber on the outside because inside, she was a nervous wreck. She’d never gotten in a fight and didn’t really want to start now. But she had to stand up for herself. And deep in her heart she knew no matter what Johnny felt for this woman, she wasn’t right for him.
Marian leaned forward, her eyes sharp as daggers. “He is still mine, you know. I told him so just last night. We were so close, Flo. You could only hope to have his heart the way I do.”
Flo was seething on the inside and, whether the engagement was real or not, she couldn’t just respond with silence. She balled her hands into fists but kept them close to her sides.
“I think you’re mistaken, Marian,” she said quietly, lifting her hand and holding Johnny’s mother’s ring up in front of the woman’s face. She held it too close to make a point. Marian scowled and moved back a step or two.
“Don’t put that in my face, Flo,” Marian hissed. “Unless you want me to rip it off and make you eat it.”
Flo was surprised by the level of malice in Marian. She’d never shown an ounce of concern or love for Johnny before. Why was it suddenly so important for her to have him? She pulled her hand back, but only because she didn’t want to risk Johnny’s ring.
She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Marian. “No matter what you say, the ring is still on my finger. And until it’s not, you are the one who should be concerned. Not me.”
“Oh, my dear Flo!”
A new voice cut into the conversation, one that sent a streak of relief through Flo. She looked past Marian, who spun around to see Mrs. Fitzpatrick bouncing toward Flo, her arms outstretched.
“Here you are, my dear, I was wondering what you were doing with your day off. Let me see your face. Left. Right.”
She directed Flo to look to the left and right while she looked in her employee’s eyes. Flo knew what she wanted. Mrs. Fitzpatrick often did that to make sure the white was white and didn’t show a shadow of evil.
True Love Leaves no Doubts: An Inspirational Historical Romance Book Page 9
