Chapter Eight #3
“Busy,” he finally said, grabbing the chicken like a caveman and shoveling it into his mouth.
“Had to repair the bit of fence I have by the north pasture. One of the steers almost got out. Henry stopped by; said he’s got a lead on some new cattle.
Might be worth looking into.” He was talking with his mouth full, and then he wiped his lips with the back of his hands.
June tried not to mind. She was glad he was at least talking a little, and he seemed to like the food.
“What about your day?” he asked. “Looks like you did a lot.”
Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Seth stopped chewing and looked at her, his head cocked to the side as he spoke around his food. “The house is real clean, and you made this supper. It tastes really good.”
He continued chewing and looked down at his plate again. June didn’t know what was more of a relief—hearing the food was good, or seeing him look away.
His eyes were too much for her, especially after he had just given her the biggest compliment to her work that she’d ever heard from him—or any man, really. As much experience as she’d had with men, she had never met one who noticed that much. Not without being told.
She brushed a strand of hair behind her ears, tucking it in smoothly. “Well… yes. I cleaned. I cooked. And… I went into town to see Mary and Sophie. Just… catching up.”
Seth nodded, taking another bite of his chicken. His lip smacking was now starting to get on her nerves.
June tried to keep quiet for a minute or two, but eventually, she simply couldn’t handle it any longer. “Mr. Whitman…” she began hesitantly. “Could you please chew with your mouth shut?”
She braced herself, waiting for him to snap at her.
But instead, he gave an amused snort. “I’m sorry,” he said, trying to stifle his chuckle, covering his mouth with a hand. “I was just really hungry. But… ‘Mr. Whitman?’”
She gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, it’s still new.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
They both stopped and looked one another in the eyes, and a silence fell over them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t entirely easy, either. June couldn’t seem to look away from those perfect green eyes.
Eyes like those almost made her forget all about Trey.
Almost.
Stop. You can’t afford to forget. And you really can’t afford to get attached.
She saw it all over her friends. They both looked happier than ever. The truth was, they were all settling into their lives here in Fort Davis. They had found something they had all wanted their entire lives.
Was it possible for her to find the same here with Seth? The idea seemed far-fetched, but the thought wouldn’t leave her alone. Especially now, when she was staring into his eyes.
“You alright?” Seth’s voice broke through her reverie, and she realized she’d been staring at him. Awkwardly.
“Oh, yes,” she said quickly, her cheeks heating up. “Just lost in thought.”
His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, as if he was assessing her answer, but then he nodded. “Long day, I suppose.”
“Yes,” June agreed, though it wasn’t the chores or errands that had tired her. It was the weight of her own doubts, the guilt she’d been carrying around for the past few weeks.
“I’ll clean up,” she announced, pushing herself away from the dining table. She stood up and grabbed her plate, then his.
He leaned forward stiffly in his seat and cleared his throat awkwardly. “You did good with dinner. Thank you.”
The unexpected compliment caught her off-guard. She smiled in earnest this time. “You’re welcome,” she replied, her voice unusually quiet.
It was almost as if there was a sudden, unspoken understanding passing between them. She nodded to him, and he leaned up, his elbows on the table, his head tilted in her direction. Finally, he nodded too.
And then he smiled.
June’s chest quaked, and she felt her lips tugging at the corners, pulling into a smile that matched his.
Her stomach fluttered with nervousness. It was a simple moment, but for the first time since the day she’d married him, she wondered if this house, and this man, could really be more than just a temporary stop.
Enough, June! She busied herself cleaning up the kitchen, but as she scrubbed plates, her thoughts drifted to the day she’d left the orphanage.
She’d dreamed of a life that was hers alone, a place where she could belong. This ranch wasn’t exactly what she’d imagined. She had only ever thought of the city—but maybe this wasn’t so far off, either.
The sound of Seth’s chair scraping against the floor caused her to jump right out of her thoughts. She noticed that his movements were slow, tiresome, as he headed to his bedroom. “Goodnight, Annabelle,” he called over his shoulder, his voice low but kind.
June stiffened. There it was.
Annabelle.
The name he’d used brought her sharply back to reality. Her shoulders slumped, and she felt her heart sink in her chest. How could she ever expect to stay here longer than temporarily when he didn’t even know her real name?
“Goodnight,” she replied, before shuffling to her own room.