Page 26

“Your work is beautiful,” she said softly. “The craftsmanship of that cradle was impeccable.”

The admiration in her voice confused him. Maybe that was why he blurted, “I’ve sold more pieces since then. Would have sold even more if I could finish them faster.”

“Would you ever open a shop in town?” Her eyes met his.

“I have responsibilities here.” The words hurt to say.

Her expression softened, and he couldn’t quite look away.

He tracked her movements as she crossed the floor to where he sat.

“You can put yourself first every now and again.” Her voice was quiet and serious. “Wouldn’t Drew understand if you asked for time?”

He’d never talked to Drew about his work. He’d just always done whatever his brothers asked.

He didn’t have an answer for her, but she didn’t seem to require one.

And he clearly wasn’t getting any more work done tonight.

He double-checked the latch on the box of sharp tools. His eyes lifted to find Rebekah staring at his hands. She was close. His heartbeat pulsed in his ears.

“Why do you double-check everything?”

“What?” He blurted his surprise at the question.

“I’ve seen you do it before.”

If he’d heard anything but gentle curiosity in her voice, he wouldn’t have answered. He didn’t want to be a story. But whatever was still between them, he wanted her to know.

“When I was a boy, Pa took Drew and Isaac with him for a chore. Funny, I don’t remember what.

” He shook his head. “Nick was sick, so I had to stay home with Ma and Nick. They fell asleep. That’s when I decided to go to the barn and look after the chores.

In my head, everyone was going to be so proud of me.

Ed the wonder boy. Taking care of the chores. ”

She moved closer to where he stood, reaching out to touch his hand. The warmth of her spread through him, urging him on. “What happened?”

“I forgot to close the stall door. The horses got out. I figured Pa’d be furious—they were part of our livelihood.” He turned his eyes to her face. “I went after them.”

“You caught them?” Her eyes widened. She was looking at him with a kind of hero worship he’d seen her direct at Isaac before.

His stomach twisted. But he forced the words out anyway, knowing he was about to erase that look from her face.

“I got lost.” He fiddled with the sandpaper when it was too hard to look at her. “I was out in the woods all night. Isaac found me. Said he was tired of having to babysit me.”

For a moment, Ed got lost in the memory. Felt the same mix of terror and relief he’d known back then. The same anger at himself, that he couldn’t be better than Isaac.

“Anyone can get lost.” Rebekah’s words jolted him out of the memory.

He stared at her hand clasping his. His heart was pounding in his ears again. He didn’t know what to think about this gesture of comfort. “If I’d double-checked the latch, I’d have been the hero for once.”

“Not every hero walks around with a six-shooter on his hips. What about Joshua walking around Jericho? Wasn’t he a hero when the walls fell?” Leave it to Rebekah to try to bolster him.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Right before they went in to fight?”

She gave him one of her looks, but with a hint of a grin.

Now that she’d mentioned it, he’d heard of plenty of men who were known as heroes without a six-shooter on their hip, as she’d put it.

Missionaries, preachers, statesmen. All because they’d done their best with what God had given them.

They were worthy of being seen. Maybe he was too.

“Today, you were the hero. At least to me.” She was looking at him like it was true.

His hope grew with her praise. He wanted nothing more than to repeat the kiss he’d given her before. But first, he had to tell her.

The words were on his lips?—

“Uncle Ed!” A shout accompanied Tillie and Jo spilling into the cabin. Instantly, he released Rebekah’s hand and took a step back.

“Rebekah!” The delighted squeal came as the girls made a beeline for Rebekah.

“What have I told you about being careful in here?” He ruffled Jo’s hair as she walked past him.

She ignored him. “I didn’t know you were here, Miss Rebekah.”

Both girls circled around Rebekah. Ed still wanted to talk.

“Don’t you have chores?” he asked.

Jo rolled her eyes. “It’s almost supper.” Her face lit up. “Are you staying, Miss Rebekah?”

Tillie looked up from where she’d bent to draw something in the sawdust on the floor. “Oh, please say you’re stayin’.”

“She’s staying,” Ed said quickly. Rebekah hadn’t seemed so sure in the marshal’s office, and he didn’t want her getting any ideas about going back to the Boutwells’ place.

Over the girls’ heads, Rebekah held his gaze for a moment that stretched long. “I do need a place to stay. Your uncle protected me today when someone started shooting in town.”

“He did?”

“Someone was shootin’ at you?”

“Uncle Ed?”

“Why’d they shoot?”

The girls’ exclamations tumbled over each other. They stared at Rebekah and Ed expectantly.

“Why don’t you tell them?” Rebekah suggested.

He had to clear his throat. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He didn’t want to remember the terror that had crashed into him when he’d thought he might not be fast enough, strong enough.

Rebekah’s gaze softened as if she’d read his thoughts. He wouldn’t mind it if she always looked at him like that.

And then Tillie tugged on her skirt, demanding, “What happened?”

The story spilled out of her, details he hadn’t considered, like their reflections in the store windows as they’d darted past, the way the wind had ruffled their hair as they’d run through the alleys, even the scents behind each store.

She even remembered the place they’d paused to take a breath.

How close the side of the building had felt against her back as they’d paused in that alleyway.

“…and your Uncle Ed kept putting himself between me and those bullets flying at us.”

The way she was looking at him…like he was Isaac.

You don’t need to be Isaac. Be yourself. You’re deserving of love.

Kaitlyn’s words from weeks ago replayed in his mind.

“Pa doesn’t have any stories like that.” Jo scowled.

“Yes, he does.” Tillie elbowed her sister, who shot her a glare. “Remember when?—”

The girls began arguing even as Rebekah smiled at him faintly.

Luckily, the dinner bell rang out.

Jo and Tillie scrambled for the door.

He rubbed the back of his neck, all of it descending on him at once. He wanted Rebekah in his life. Wanted a family with her.

He was going to have to tell her everything.

“I need to talk to you.”

But before he could say anything else, Tillie rushed back inside and grabbed Rebekah’s hand. “C’mon! We gotta tell the others about Uncle Ed.”

Rebekah sent an apologetic look over her shoulder. And then she was gone.