Chapter Eight
Naomi wasn’t sure what to do with herself.
The weekends were hers, which was wonderful in theory, but she hadn’t quite figured out what that looked like yet.
She’d love to explore Clifton properly, but she didn’t want to go alone.
Ethan was at breakfast with his brothers and even if he wasn’t, she couldn’t imagine dragging him through shops. Not many men had the patience for it.
Serena though.
She pulled out her phone and scrolled to Serena’s name, then hesitated. It was still early. She’d wait until nine.
She tucked her phone back in her pocket and headed up to her apartment. Breakfast would take up some time, and she was hungry anyway. She’d had other things on her mind last night and hadn’t thought much about food.
She smiled to herself as she pushed open the door.
She was halfway through a bowl of cereal when her phone buzzed on the cushion beside her. She picked it up and grinned when she saw the name.
“Hey, I was going to call you.”
“Great minds,” Serena said. “I wanted to know if you felt like exploring more of Clifton today.”
“Good heavens, you read my mind. That’s exactly why I was going to call you.”
Serena laughed. “I can pick you up. What time? We could grab lunch at the diner after.”
“Eleven? I need a shower. I’ve been cleaning Jewel’s stall.”
“You know there are ranch hands for that, right?”
“I do. But she’s my horse.”
“Fair enough.” Naomi could hear the smile in her voice. “Eleven it is. Wear comfortable shoes. I plan on doing a lot of walking.”
“Good to know. I’ll see you then.”
She set the phone down, finished her cereal, and thought that Saturdays in Clifton might turn out to be her favorite thing.
At exactly eleven she heard a car horn, opened the door, and peered out to see Serena’s SUV at the bottom of the stairs. She grabbed her purse, pulled the door closed, locked it, and ran down.
She climbed in and buckled her seatbelt. “Hi. This is going to be fun.”
“So much fun. We’ll hit every shop we can.” Serena grinned and pulled out of the yard.
They were halfway to town when Ethan’s truck passed them going the other way. Both women waved and he touched the brim of his hat without slowing.
“I thought he had a meeting this morning,” Serena said.
“He did. Then he went to the diner to have breakfast with his brothers.”
Serena glanced at her. “And how do you know that?”
“I was there when the client showed up to look at the horse. Once they made a deal Ethan mentioned he was heading to the diner.” Naomi shrugged.
Serena was quiet for a beat. “You two aren’t fooling anyone, you know.”
Naomi looked at her. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on. He can’t keep his eyes off you, and you can’t stop looking at him. Everyone on that ranch can see it.” Serena kept her eyes on the road. “Everyone.”
Naomi said nothing.
She wasn’t sure what Ethan would think about that. She wasn’t sure what she thought about it either.
Serena parked on Main Street, and they climbed out into the warm morning sun.
“So,” Serena said as they started down the sidewalk. “Has anything actually happened or are you two still dancing around each other?”
Naomi looked at the shop windows as they walked. “He took me to dinner at The Hartland.”
Serena stopped walking.
Naomi kept going two steps before she realized and turned around.
Serena was staring at her. “The Hartland?”
“Yes.”
“He took you to The Hartland.” Serena fell back into step beside her, quieter now, like she was turning something over. “He hasn’t taken anyone there in a long time. Not since Claire.”
Naomi looked at her. “You knew her?”
“I knew of her. Before my time, but people talk in a small town.” Serena glanced at her. “He doesn’t do anything without meaning it, Naomi. Taking you there means something.”
“I’m not going to read anything into it. Not yet.”
“Okay, I’ll let it go for now.”
“I want to go in here.” Naomi looked at the antiques displayed in the window.
The bell above the door chimed softly as Naomi pushed it open and stepped inside.
She stopped and looked around.
The place was wonderful. Packed floor to ceiling with everything imaginable, old furniture, vintage signs, glass cases full of jewelry and pocket watches, shelves of mismatched China and oil lamps and wooden boxes worn smooth with age.
The smell of old wood and something faintly floral hung in the air.
“I love it in here,” Serena said behind her.
“I can see why.” Naomi moved toward the nearest shelf and picked up a small ceramic horse, turning it over in her hands.
“You must be new.” A woman appeared from behind the counter, late thirties, pretty, with warm eyes and an easy smile. “I’m Savannah Collins, everyone calls me Vanna. I own the shop.”
“Naomi Austin. I just moved to Ethan Harrison’s ranch. I’m a barrel racer trainer.” She set the horse down and shook Vanna’s hand. “I’ve been wanting to come in since my first day in town.”
“Well, take all the time you need.” Vanna turned to Serena. “Hey, you.”
“Hey.” Serena hugged her. “How’s Grady?”
“Wonderful and aggravating in equal measure.” Vanna smiled. “The usual.”
A second woman came through from the back carrying a small wooden chair, setting it carefully on a shelf. She looked up when she saw them.
“Serena.” She came over and hugged her. “I didn’t know you were coming in today.”
“Spontaneous Saturday.” Serena turned to Naomi. “This is Maggie Lancaster. Maggie, Naomi Austin.”
“Nice to meet you.” Maggie shook her hand. “I heard you say you just moved to Ethan’s place. Are you settling in alright? Ranch life can take some getting used to.”
“I love every minute of it.” Naomi meant it.
She browsed slowly, taking her time with each shelf, while Serena caught up with Vanna and Maggie. She heard the names Grady and Rafe come up more than once, and the easy warmth in both women’s voices when they talked about them.
She was working her way toward the back of the shop when she noticed the curtain.
“What’s back there?” she asked.
Vanna looked at her. “Go ahead and look. It’s my favorite part of the shop.”
Naomi pushed the curtain aside and stepped through.
She went still.
The back room was filled with dollhouses.
Dozens of them, lined up on shelves and tables, every size and style imaginable.
Victorian mansions with tiny working lights, a farmhouse with a wraparound porch, a little craftsman bungalow with a garden out front.
Each one was handmade, every detail deliberate and perfect, down to the miniature books on the shelves and the tiny dishes on the tables.
She stood there and felt something catch in her throat.
She’d wanted one so badly as a little girl.
She could remember pressing her nose against a shop window once, somewhere she couldn’t even remember anymore, staring at one just like these.
She’d asked her grandmother for one that Christmas and her grandmother had cried quietly and told her maybe next year, and Naomi had understood even then that there wasn’t money for it.
There never had been a next year for that particular wish.
She blinked hard and stared at the nearest one, a little white farmhouse with green shutters and a red door.
Serena appeared at her shoulder. She took one look at Naomi’s face and said nothing for a moment.
“You okay?” she said quietly.
“Yes.” Naomi stepped back from the farmhouse and cleared her throat. “I just always wanted one of these when I was little.”
Serena put her hand on her arm and left it there.
Vanna appeared in the doorway. “They’re all handmade. I get them from a man in Oregon. He’s been making them for forty years.” She looked at Naomi gently. “He can make any type you’d want. I try to keep them in stock, but I’ve actually had to sell the displays. They’re very popular.”
Naomi looked at the little white farmhouse with the red door.
“Maybe someday,” she said.
“We also have layaway on everything in the store.” Vanna smiled.
“That’s good to know.” Naomi took one last look around. “I promise I’ll be back. This place is amazing.”
“Please do come back.” Vanna walked them to the door.
“See you soon, Vanna. Maggie.” Serena waved.
“Have a good day,” Maggie called, and Vanna smiled as the door swung closed behind them.
They stepped back out into the warm sun and Naomi took a breath of the warm air.
“What’s next?” she asked.
“I thought we’d hit Paige’s.”
“What’s Paige’s?”
Serena grinned. “Lingerie.”
Naomi didn’t hesitate. “We’re absolutely hitting Paige’s.”
Serena laughed and they turned down the sidewalk.
****
Ethan entered the barn office, strode around the desk, and dropped into the chair. He didn’t feel like being cooped up inside the house, so he’d work out here instead. The barn sounds helped him think, horses moving in their stalls, the occasional nicker, the swallows in the rafters.
He pulled up the books and got to work on the paperwork for the sale. Carl Pruitt had seemed like a good man who knew exactly what he was looking at. He’d just purchased a champion, and Ethan had no doubt Copper would earn back her price many times over in the right hands.
He hoped she’d be happy there too. He always did with the ones he sold.
Every contract he drew up had a clause in it, if he ever found one of his horses being mistreated, he’d take it back.
No negotiation, no refund. It had never come to that, but the clause was there and he meant every word of it.
He had no tolerance for people who abused animals. None.
An hour later he pushed back from the desk, stood, and stretched. He’d been sitting too long in that uncomfortable chair.
He walked out into the barn and found Rowdy and Kurt talking near the far end. They both turned when they heard him coming.
“Hey, boss,” Kurt said.
“Afternoon.” Ethan stopped beside them. “How’s it going?”
“Almost done with the stalls,” Rowdy said.
“Once you’re finished you can head out.” He looked at Kurt. “Who else is here today?”
“Curly. He’s getting ready to ride the fence line.”
“Make sure he takes a radio. You know how he is.”
Kurt grinned. “Gets in a hurry.”