she gave him a bright smile. “We normally eat supper around six o’clock.”
His lips twisted in a wry grin. “And I guess I should also ask just where there is.”
Cassie Lynn gave him the directions, then looked around. “Where are Noah and Pru?”
His expression immediately closed off. “They’re back at the hotel.” He straightened and gave a short nod. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.” And with that he turned and headed toward the stable.
Cassie Lynn stared at his back for a moment, wondering at his abrupt change in mood. Had he been put off by her question?
She turned and slowly headed back to Mrs. Flanagan’s, replaying the conversation in her mind. He said he’d left the children at the hotel. Were they alone? She could see why that would embarrass him. But he was new to town, so it was understandable that he hadn’t found a caretaker for them. If she wasn’t already committed to Mrs. Flanagan, she would have been happy to take that position herself.
But she would make a point of giving him some recommendations this evening.
Not only was she happy to help, but she wanted to do anything she could to make it easy for him to settle in here.
If that’s what he wanted to do.
* * *
Riley went about his tasks at the livery automatically. It was the kind of work he knew well and was comfortable with. He didn’t mind working with and around horses, even when he was asked to muck out the stalls. It was good, honest labor.
But what he really itched to do right now was saddle up River and take him out for a long run. Riding across wide-open spaces was something he craved, the way a hawk craved skimming the air currents. It made him feel free and alive. It also cleared his mind and helped him see things more clearly.
And the ability to think clearly was something he definitely needed right now.
He wasn’t sure why he’d just accepted Miss Vickers’s invitation. Ever since he’d taken the kids from their home in Wyoming and set out on this never-ending journey, he’d made it a practice to keep the three of them to themselves as much as possible. All things considered, it was best if they not draw any attention to themselves. It also made it easier to slip away when the time came to move on.
And it always came.
He’d had every intention of following that same course of action here by politely refusing her invitation.
But somehow, when he’d opened his mouth, yes came out instead of no. He still wasn’t certain how that had happened. Maybe it was because he was getting travel-weary, or that the constant worry over whether Guy would catch up with them was wearing on him.
Because it certainly couldn’t have anything to do with Miss Vickers herself. After all, in other towns, there’d been other ladies, some equally as pretty, some equally as interesting, who’d tried to claim his attention, and he’d never faltered from his course.
Then again, none had been pretty and interesting in quite the same way as Miss Vickers. A way that tugged at something inside him.
Riley gave his head a mental shake, pushing aside that totally irrational thought. It was more likely that he’d slipped up because he was just tired.
Her question about the kids had brought him up short, though. Brought him back to his senses. It was probably innocent, but he’d been put in tough spots by nosy, well-meaning folks before, folks who wanted explanations about where they’d come from, where they were going, what had happened to the kids’ parents. Trust had never come easy to Riley and nothing that had happened the last couple of years had changed that.
He toyed a moment with the idea of finding a plausible excuse to cancel on her. Then he discarded it. Doing that would call as much if not more attention to themselves than if he just followed through. Besides, reneging on a promise, even one as minor as this, didn’t sit well with him.
It was just one meal, after all. And once he’d fulfilled his obligation to attend, he could insert some distance, put up some walls. Which shouldn’t be difficult since he and the kids weren’t going to be here more than a few days anyway.
Grabbing a pitchfork, Riley headed for the hay stall, but before he could get to work, he heard someone step inside the livery from the street.
A new customer? Riley quickly looked around for Mr. Humphries, but when he didn’t spot the owner, moved forward himself. “Hello. Is there something I can do for you?”
The man gave him an easy smile. “Actually, I heard Fred had hired someone new and thought I’d come around and introduce myself. I’m Ward Gleason, the sheriff around these parts.”
Riley hoped his expression didn’t give anything away. “Good to meet you, Sheriff.” He pulled off his work gloves and extended his hand. “I’m Riley Walker.”
“Mr. Walker.” The lawman shook his hand and gave a short nod. Then he released it and eyed Riley with a casual glance that didn’t fool him one bit. “Mind if I ask what brings you to our little town?”
He’s only doing his job, Riley told himself. Surely there wasn’t anything more to it than that. “Not at all. I’ve got my niece and nephew with me and we’re making our way to California. But since we’re not in a hurry and they are kids, I’m making frequent stops along the way to give them a chance to get out and about and see other parts of the country.” That was true, as far as it went.
“Any particular reason you chose to stop here?”
Riley shrugged, keeping his demeanor open and casual. “I make it a point of never traveling more than a few days at a time. My niece was getting restless and this just happened to be a good stopping off point.”
“Just the luck of the draw, is that it?”
“I guess you could say that.” How much longer would this thinly disguised interrogation last?
But the lawman didn’t seem to be in a hurry to take his leave. He crossed his arms and leaned against a support post. “So this isn’t a permanent stop for you?”
“Nope.” Riley placed his hands on top of the pitchfork handle and leaned his weight against it, trying to emulate the sheriff’s relaxed pose. “Don’t plan to be here more than a few days.” Maybe shorter if the sheriff took too keen an interest in them.
“And where are your niece and nephew right now?”
Keep it casual. “They’re resting at your town’s fine hotel.”
“Hi there, Sheriff.” Mr. Humphries’s hail turned both men’s heads toward the side office. “You looking to rent a buggy?”
Riley tried not to let his relief at the interruption show.
The sheriff straightened. “Hello, Fred. No, I’m just getting acquainted with Mr. Walker here.”
Fred Humphries gave Riley a smile. “Well, he’s a good worker, at least so far. And he seems to know his way around horses, too.”
Uncomfortable with standing there while
