Chapter 7
Deep down, Henry knew there was going to be a dark origin story. He just didn’t think it would turn out to be so similar to his own. If there was anyone out there who could relate to him, it would be this woman.
It was really too bad Sam couldn’t see what he saw in her. She truly had the kind of strength that a regular person could only dream of having, but like most things in this world, the price was too steep.
He pulled the truck around and parked in front of a boutique that sold women’s clothing. He’d heard Annabel talking about it once before. It had the coat and shoes that Sam had requested, but it also had a wide selection of clothing. He wouldn’t have been surprised if they had tote bags or backpacks somewhere in the back.
Henry had already made up his mind before they got in the truck. While Sam insisted on only purchasing the two items, he’d busy himself with finding a few outfits for her to try on as well.
She might not realize it, but the outfit she was wearing needed to be replaced. There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind that she’d deny his request to get her something, but he was going to do it anyway. Sometimes, people just needed to accept the help they were being offered.
He turned toward her after he killed the engine. “That store right there will have everything you need, and if it doesn’t, then we can head out and take a look at the cowboy supply store that we passed coming in. They have everything from farming equipment to clothes for us ranchers.”
Sam eyed the store before them with dismay. “I don’t think that’s the sort of place that is going to sell me the kinds of shoes or the coat that would be beneficial to my… situation.” She brought her eyes back to meet his. “I’m not some hoity-toity girl who has the luxury of staying inside all winter long. Inevitably, I’m going to have to find a place where they don’t force their guests to sleep outside or in the chimney.”
Henry wrinkled his nose. “No one’s gonna make you sleep in the chimney.”
“Okay, they might not have forced me to, but on several occasions, I’ve had to bring something to the front desk and the people working there asked me to clean out the fireplace so they could start using it as it got colder.” A smile tugged at her lips, but she kept it at bay. “You never realize just how much you want to become the princess in the soot than when you wake up covered in it.”
“How old were you?” Henry asked. “That doesn’t sound like something a young girl would be requested to do.”
She shrugged. “I suppose that was the time I ran away from the Hamiltons. It was that shelter on the corner of Ash and Fifth Streets.” Her eyes shot to meet Henry’s. “Oh yeah, I had just turned fifteen. It was their way of giving me something to keep me busy and also get me started working for the man.”
He chuckled. “Working for theman?” Henry sobered when her expression didn’t match his level of amusement. “I have a hard time believing that someone would put you to work just so you could become a contributing member of society.”
“You would assume wrong.”
“Is it so bad? Helping people out? I didn’t like that I had to work my tail off at the ranch, but if I didn’t pull my weight, I didn’t get fed.”
Sam turned away from him. “That’s different. You were trying to help your family. I didn’t have any.”
That was a good point, but it didn’t change the fact that in order to get something out of this world, a person had to work for it. Even he could see that.
Based on her body language, he didn’t feel he could point out that fact. She had chosen to live her life in a certain way, and for all intents and purposes, she was happy with her choices.
Henry turned his attention toward the boutique store. “I have a proposition for you.”
Her head snapped around and she stared at him with distrust. “I’m not that kind of girl.” Her words were like a strike to the chest. Pain and mortification hit and hit hard.
His eyes cut to meet hers. “I don’t know what you think I was going to suggest, but I assure you it’s nothing that would put your reputation at risk.”
She eyed him, still not showing even an ounce of flexibility. “I’m not going to apologize for being cautious. In my experience, people simply aren’t trustworthy. I shouldn’t have to trust you just because you gave me a place to stay and want to get me a coat.”
“No, but you should be more willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. I haven’t done anything to make you feel at risk, have I?”
“No,” she murmured.
“Then hear me out before you jump to conclusions. I swear, I’m not trying to pull the wool over your eyes. I’m just trying to help.”
“I don’t need—”
He mumbled something under his breath in exasperation. “Will you cool it and listen to me? I know you don’t need my help, but maybe you’d be interested in what I have to offer.”
Sam clamped her mouth shut. Her arms were folded, and her eyes narrowed. He wouldn’t have been surprised to find that there was a piece of indestructible glass that had magically appeared between them. When she didn’t speak to him right away, he continued.
“What if I offered to take you in there, get you a couple new outfits, some new shoes, and a coat. We could get you a suitcase to put them in, too. Then I could help you get a job.”
Her brows shot up. “A job?”
“Yeah. I’m sure there are plenty of places around here that could use the help. Honestly, with two of my brothers moving out, I think we could use someone like you out at the ranch.”
Her lip curled into a sneer. “You think that with a snap of your fingers, you can change me? That you can bring me to a place like this, get me some new clothes, and just like that, I’ll be cured? My homelessness isn’t some plight that needs to be fixed.” With each sentence, her voice raised another octave. But it was when her face turned red that he realized his mistake. He shouldn’t have made the offer.
Maybe she would have been more open to it a few days down the road. But this was the first day they’d really spent together. It wasn’t even that he was trying to change her. He just wanted to help.
“Take me home.”
“But—”
“I said, take me—back. I’m not going to go on some shopping spree with someone who thinks they’re God’s gift to the world. I don’t need your help. I’ll graciously take the room you’ve offered for the night, and then I’ll leave.” Sam didn’t look at him after that.
Somehow, he knew that even if he tried to talk to her about what he was trying to do, she wouldn’t believe him. Or maybe that wasn’t the problem. She believed him, but she was offended that he wanted to change her.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. Sam wouldn’t be swayed, and he couldn’t expect her to just go along with what he said because he thought it would be beneficial.
Who was he kidding? He wasn’t going to just sit here and be bossed around by the likes of her. She needed help, but she was being stubborn.
Henry pushed the door open, causing Sam to jump and stare at him with wide, unsuspecting eyes.
“Where are you going?”
He grabbed his hat from where it was on the seat between them and placed it on his head. Then he pointed to the storefront. “I’m going to get a few things in that store. You can come with me, or you can stay out here. I don’t much care one way or the other.” With that, he shut the door and strode to the entrance of the store.
Itching to stop and turn around if only to see whether she’d made a decision or not, Henry paused with his hand on the door handle. Then he shook his head. Looking back would most definitely make her dig in her heels harder than she already had.
Henry yanked open the door and went inside.
And immediately regretted it.
He glanced around the store that was clearly marketed toward women. He couldn’t see anything that resembled what a man in this town would want to wear. There were brightly colored clothing sections. On one wall was a selection of white and cream flowy outfits. In the back, at least, there appeared to be jeans and other options better suited to an active lifestyle.
“Hi! Can I help you?” A young woman approached him with a bright smile on her face. “Are you shopping for someone in particular?”
He glanced through the window at his truck, where he could see the silhouette of the exact woman he wanted to shop for. If only she would have followed him inside. Heaving a sigh, he turned to the woman and sized her up. His gaze trailed up and down her frame, and a grin spread across his face. “You’re actually pretty darn close to the same body type as who I’m shopping for.”
The woman hesitated, her smile less bright. “Sounds like you don’t know her size.”
“I don’t. But that shouldn’t matter, right? If you’re close enough and we get stuff that’s more…” He glanced toward the flowy clothing section. “Like that stuff over there. It would work, right?”
Her eyes followed his gesture, and when she returned them to him, she nodded. “Sure, those style choices tend to more easily fit different body types, within reason.”
He marched over to the wall and started pulling off shirts and dresses. He wasn’t sure what Sam was into. She might hate everything he picked out. But for some reason, that didn’t matter. Worst case scenario, he could bring back what she wouldn’t wear.
Most of what he picked out were lighter fabrics, so they could be worn in warm or cooler temperatures. When he headed toward the back, he picked out a couple pairs of leggings and one pair of jeans. Those were the only things he worried about.
After he checked out, he tossed the bags into the back of the truck and drove toward the store where he’d be able to get a hard-shell suitcase and a coat. Neither one of them spoke a word. Sam didn’t even insist that she wanted him to take back what he got.
That was the strange part. After all her insistence that she didn’t want help, he could tell there was a part of her that was curious. Maybe she simply wasn’t ready to accept the help that was offered.
His demeanor softened at that point. The amount of stuff she would have gone through to get that sort of mentality tugged at him in ways he wasn’t prepared for. Whenever he looked at her, all he could think about was that he wanted to make sure she was going to be okay. It wasn’t anything romantic. He knew better than anyone that he wasn’t ready for a relationship. Perhaps this was just a way for him to give more of himself.
Sam’s closed-off demeanor didn’t change. Not when they stopped at the supply store. Not when he insisted she tell him what size of shoe she wore or she’d get something that didn’t fit. And not when he’d brought out a beautiful sheepskin coat. That one probably cost more than Wade would have approved of. Thankfully, Brielle would think the opposite.
The rest of the way home, Sam remained the ever-stoic person he’d come to expect. When they got back, he put everything neatly into the suitcase, then lugged it out of the back of his truck and placed it at her feet. “There,” he said triumphantly.