with Joe.”
“I do,” he said. “You think I should stop seeing her?”
Rachel blinked. “Well, no. Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s starting to look as if everyone either wants me to make a lifetime commitment right off the bat or pull back. Those are two extreme choices, considering we just started seeing each other. I’ve never dated a woman with a child before. I don’t know if I’m ready to be an instant father. I don’t know that much about kids, let alone babies.”
Rachel sank onto the kitchen chair across from him and sighed. “This kinda stinks for you,” she said. “Everyone is so excited for Stacey to get involved with a man who would be both a good husband and father that they’re jumping to conclusions. Do you wish you hadn’t started seeing her?”
“No. I do wish everyone would stay out of our business, but I don’t see how that’s going to happen. I have feelings for Stacey, and for Piper, too, but I have to figure out how to slow this down and get it more under control,” he said.
Rachel nodded. “I know control has always been important to you, but good luck with it. I hear it doesn’t always work in the romance department. My offer to babysit Piper sometime still stands. Otherwise, I’ll let you figure this out on your own.”
After eating his dinner and taking a hot shower, Colton went to bed, but he still didn’t sleep well. He tossed and turned, trying to figure out what he should do about Stacey.
It was so cold that by afternoon the next day, he decided not to torture himself by staying outside any longer and chose to work in one of the barns close to the house. Hearing the barn door swing open, he turned to see Stacey standing in the doorway holding Piper in one hand and a basket in the other.
His gut took an involuntary dip at the sight of them. Both pairs of eyes were trained on him expectantly. “Hey there,” Stacey said, and lifted her lips in a hesitant smile. “Have you recovered from taking care of us on Saturday night?”
“I think the more important question is whether you’ve recovered. How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Much better. It was a twenty-four hour virus. I’ve been holding my breath because I was afraid either you or Piper might catch it. You haven’t felt sick, have you?”
“No, but I’m lucky that way. I don’t get sick very often,” he said, thinking he might not have gotten the stomach virus, but he still felt as if he’d caught some sort of emotional virus that was keeping him bothered and interrupting his sleep.
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “I wanted to thank you. Seems like I’m doing that a lot lately,” she said and smiled again. “I made some chocolate-chip cupcakes for you. You seemed to like the other ones.”
She lifted the basket toward him, and he moved forward to take it. “You didn’t have to do that, but thank you.”
“My pleasure,” she said, and the silence stretched between them. He felt her searching his face, but he couldn’t offer her any answers if he didn’t have any answers for himself.
She cleared her throat. “Well, I guess I’ll go now. Thank you again for taking care of us on Saturday.”
“I’m glad I could help,” he said, and watched her walk out the barn door. Part of him screamed that he should go after her. But Colton had no clue what he would say.
* * *
Stacey walked away from the Fosters’ barn with a lump in her throat. She couldn’t bear to return to her house right away, so she drove into town and wandered around the Superette with Piper perched on her hip. Stacey knew she’d gotten her hopes up about Colton, and she clearly shouldn’t have.
She picked up a couple bananas for Piper and seriously checked out the chocolate bars.
“Oh, no,” a female voice said from behind her. “I’m counting on the hope that I won’t crave chocolate once I deliver this baby. You’re scaring me, Stacey.”
Stacey turned around to find Ella Mae Jergens looking at the candy-bar display. She smiled at the pregnant woman. “I’ve always loved chocolate,” she said. “Pregnancy didn’t make it any worse, so don’t base your fear on me.”
“You’re so sweet,” Ella Mae said. “I really have to watch my weight. I’m married to an important man, and there will always be women chasing after him.”
Stacey felt sorry for Ella Mae if she thought her husband would stray due to a little pregnancy weight. “I’m sure he adores you and sees you as truly beautiful.”
Ella Mae smiled. “You’ve always been a nice girl. I was glad to hear you’ve been spending time with Colton Foster. Other people have been saying the only reason you got involved with Colton was to get back at Joe, but I didn’t believe them. You ignore those rumors and hold your head high, Stacey. You deserve a good man.”
Stacey’s heart tightened with distress. “What other people have been saying that?” she asked. The only time she’d heard the horrible rumor was from Billy, Joe’s friend.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Ella Mae said. “I heard it from my mother, who heard it from someone else. You know how this town is. Any kind of gossip, true or false, spreads like wildfire. Don’t pay any attention to it. It will pass. But I will get just one candy bar,” she said, and grabbed one from the display. “Here comes my mother. I’m spending the day with her. Take care, now,” Ella Mae said, and headed for the checkout.
Sick from Ella Mae’s comments, Stacey put the bananas back and fled the store. Could the day get any worse?
After Stacey returned home, she couldn’t muster much conversation. Her mother tried to make small talk as the two baked side by side in the kitchen, but Stacey just wasn’t in the mood. She wondered if having to take care of Piper on Saturday night had pushed Colton over the edge. Even though he’d always been sweet to the baby, he wasn’t her birth father. He may have looked at his experience Saturday night and feared for his future.
Or had he heard more about the nasty rumor that Ella Mae had repeated to Stacey? Stacey knew that people in Horseback Hollow liked to gossip, but she was sick over the latest outright lie that was spreading like fire.
“You’re very quiet, Stacey,” her mother said as Stacey washed some pots and pans. “Are you feeling ill again?”
“No, no. I’m fine,” she said, and dried the lid to a pot.
“Is something bothering you? I talked with your father last night about your financial concerns and he doesn’t want you worrying,” she said. “If you need more money—”
“I don’t,” Stacey said. “I got another student lined up for tutoring this week, but I know I’m not going to be making a lot of money right now. I’ll figure that out later.”
Her mother nodded and spread out a dish towel on the counter to dry. “Okay. Is there anything else on your mind? You know you can talk to me.”
Stacey inhaled and sighed. “I’m not sure this thing with Colton is going to work out,” she confessed and fought the urge to cry. She wiped the already clean counter for the third time.
“Why
