“Thanks for coming by.”
“Please, Papa? Please?” Charlie hopped up and down.
A big smile spread over Julia’s face and she went to Charlie. “Oh, he’s adorable. Look, Rafe, isn’t he sweet? Oh, I can’t wait until we have one of our own.”
Rafe blushed and jumped up into the wagon. “We’ve got work to do.”
Tripp pulled off his hat and wiped his brow with his shirtsleeve. “What kind of cookies are they?”
Kaitlin ground her lips together then replied, “Oatmeal.”
He thought for a moment. “Okay, Charlie, you can have a cookie. But just one. Don’t spoil your supper.”
“I’d like you three to eat with us tonight,” Julia said. “I’ve got chicken in the oven.”
Kaitlin nodded. “Thanks. I think Mr. Callihan is hungry already.”
She gave him a smile and went inside the store. Julia followed her in and looked the place over. “You’ve got your work cut out for you.”
Kaitlin nodded in agreement The kitchen needed a thorough cleaning from top to bottom before anything could be unpacked or a single meal, cooked.
“Let’s get started,” Julia said; picking up a broom.
“But don’t you have work to do in your shop?”
She shrugged. “Nothing that can’t wait.”
Kaitlin smiled. “Thanks.”
“So,” Julia asked as she swept, “you and Tripp are partners?”
Kaitlin pumped water into a wooden bucket. She’d known questions of this nature would come up. “Business partners. Strictly business.”
“That’s right.” Tripp’s voice sounded from the doorway.
He walked into the kitchen carrying another crate. Rafe followed him inside.
“We’re just running the store together,” Tripp said. “That’s all.”
“Papa?” Charlie pulled on Tripp’s trouser leg. “How come ladies’ underwear has bows on it?”
A stunned silence fell. All eyes riveted Tripp.
He gulped. “What?”
“See?” Charlie pointed into the bedroom. “Miss Kaitlin’s underwear has pink bows. How come?”
Without wanting to, Tripp gazed into her room at the white garments piled in the middle of the bed. Soft, delicate, womanly things.
“Uh, well, uh…” Tripp pulled at his shirt collar. “We’ll talk about that later.”
Tripp took Charlie’s hand and hurried out the door, Rafe on his heels.
Over the next several hours they unloaded the wagon, cleaned the upstairs bedroom and moved the furniture in, a bureau and washstand, a small bed in one corner, a double across the room. The kitchen was half done when hunger overcame everyone and they went next door to Julia’s to eat.
The back room was small but cozy, with a lace tablecloth, fresh flowers, and the delicious smell of roasted chicken in the air. They settled around the table.
“When do you think you’ll open the store?” Julia asked as she passed the biscuits.
“Don’t know, exactly.” Tripp spooned peas onto Charlie’s plate, then took some for himself. “I have to do some figuring on that.”
“Well, it can’t be soon enough to suit me,” Julia said. “I’m so glad you’re here. Porter needs another store—and a lot of other things.”
Rafe shook his head. “I don’t know. Some townsfolk were glad when the railroad changed its mind and didn’t come through here. Didn’t like the notion of all those new people coming in. You never know what kind of folks you’ll get.”
“I think it would have been good for Porter,” Julia said. “It certainly would have helped my business.”
Rafe chuckled. “I guess if the railroad had come through town, you two wouldn’t have ended up with old man Finch’s store.”
Kaitlin and Tripp glanced at each other across the table.
“I wonder if he sold his other property here in town?” Rafe asked. “He owned a lot of land.”
“Good riddance to him, I say. A grumpier, more hateful old man I’ve never met.” Julia nodded. “Mr. Finch hasn’t been back to Porter in months. I hope he’s gone forever.”
“He’ll be mighty surprised if he comes back and sees how well our store is doing.” Kaitlin nodded confidently.
“We’ll have to see how things go.” Tripp looked down at Charlie beside him. “Eat your vegetables, son.”
“Things will go well,” Kaitlin said. “I just know it.”
“Well,” Tripp said, “we’ll have to see.”
They finished supper, and while Kaitlin and Julia cleaned the kitchen, Tripp and Rafe went outside to check on the horses.
“Come on, Charlie,” Tripp called from the door.
The boy rubbed his eyes and slid down from the kitchen chair.
“Charlie can stay with us,” Kaitlin said.
Tripp shook his head. “No. Charlie stays with me. Come on, son.”
Julia followed the boy to the door and closed her hand over Rafe’s arm. “You won’t be out late, will you?”
He eased her fingers away. “I’ll be back in a while.”
The men went outside, with Charlie running ahead of them. It was dark now, with only lanterns from the back windows of the shops to light the way.
Rafe stopped a short distance down the boardwalk. “I ought to apologize for Julia.”
“Apologize for what? She seems like a nice woman, a good wife.”
Rafe shook his head. “She’s pretty headstrong, if you get my meaning.”
He’d never known a woman more headstrong than Kaitlin Jeffers, but didn’t think that was exactly what Rafe meant.
“Damn…” Rafe hesitated to speak, and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Julia just won’t keep her hands off of me. You know what I’m saying?”
Tripp’s gut tightened. “What?”
“Every time I turn around, there she is. Every morning. Every evening. Every time I get near her, she’s wanting to—Well, you know.” The man blushed.
Tripp’s
