Page 3 of Resilience on Canvas

Chapter Two

Henry

While Henry Sherwood was restocking the cans of soup in the largest corner store in Guymon, he kept on looking over his shoulder to check for customers.

Specifically, Henry was checking for Clara Davis, the woman he was supposed to marry in less than a month.

Every time he heard the little entryway bell clang, icy panic ran through his veins, making him shudder.

He knew he shouldn’t have ignored her when she’d come to purchase some necessities yesterday.

And yet, the moment he’d seen her out of the corner of his eye, he had started toward the stockroom, his legs shaking as he’d practically run to avoid his future wife.

And then they had locked eyes. And Henry had turned away.

He couldn’t keep up with the ruse no more.

When Henry’s father had first come to him to tell him that Clara wanted to marry him, or, more likely, Clara’s father wanted them to be married, he had tried his best to seem thrilled.

Even while the bean stew they’d been having for supper had been trying to climb back up his throat.

How he had kept himself from vomiting right then and there, he wasn’t sure. It had been a true miracle .

Henry had spent the following months pretending it wasn’t happening. But now it was April. And he couldn’t pretend no more. Somehow, he’d have to break off the engagement. Either that or follow through with it. Though that’d only lead to more trouble once the wedding night came.

After Henry set the last of the cans on the shelf, he pushed himself to stand.

And then the entry bell rang.

Henry sucked in a breath and closed his eyes.

Jesus Christ Almighty. Here it came. Without even looking, Henry knew it had to be Clara.

Because why wouldn’t it be? Clara came to the shop every evening or so to buy things—the minimum her family needed for their evening meal or such.

And it was nearly closing time. Lord help him.

Swallowing his fear, Henry opened his eyes and whirled back around to face his fate.

He found Robert Davis, the most handsome man in the entirety of the world, of the whole everything in existence, staring back at him, his brown eyes intense as ever, burning with that fire that never failed to make Henry weak in the knees.

“Oh...” Henry’s mouth had somehow become filled with cotton balls, preventing any real words from coming. Dang, how hard would it have been to say something simple, like hello?

Robert didn’t seem to have the same problem. Crossing his arms over his chest, he skipped right over any pleasantries and asked, “Why’d you ignore Clara yesterday?”

Henry still couldn’t talk, so he merely shook his head.

“Don’t try to pretend that wasn’t what you were doin’, neither.

Clara told me what happened. She said she tried to talk to you, but you turned yer back and walked into the storage room.

” Robert knitted his brows together, and the fire in his eyes burned hotter.

Henry was finding it hard to keep looking at him.

It was like staring at the sun. “Now, what’s this about?

Be honest. I know you and me haven’t talked much ourselves, but we say hello to each other in church and our families are plenty friendly.

Did one of us upset you somehow? Wasn’t Clara.

Couldn’t be Clara. She’s as nice as they come.

But if my brothers came in here causin’ trouble, I swear to you I’ll teach ’em some manners.

Ain’t no reason to call off a whole weddin’. ”

Henry licked his lips. He tried to swallow, but sputtered a cough instead.

Robert rolled his eyes in response.

Once Henry finally managed to compose himself, he said, “No one upset me. I mean, I... I...”

“You what?” Robert said with a huff.

“I was nervous,” Henry lied.

Henry balled his hands into fists, fighting the urge to fan himself. It seemed like Robert’s blazing-hot stare had set his face on fire.

Robert cocked an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

Golly, he was handsome. Henry could keep staring at him for forever. Even if it meant that he might eventually burst into flames.

Tearing his eyes away, Henry spluttered, “I’ll talk to her. Next time I see her, I’ll talk to her. I promise.”

And I’ll call off the weddin’, Henry finished inside his head.

“Alright, well, you better. And you better figure out how not to be so nervous, too. I’m no expert, but once you two are married, you’ll be talkin’ plenty. And more.”

Henry’s mouth fell agape. Robert Davis was truly as bold as they came.

And, Lord, Henry really liked that about him.

“Yeah, I-I know,” Henry said, his cheeks still warm.

Robert nodded curtly. “Good. ”

What followed was a period of uncomfortable silence, probably only a couple of seconds long, but it felt like it was lasting forever. Especially because Robert’s eyes were still boring into Henry’s soul.

“So...” Robert started, finally looking away. He reached up to scratch his head. “Do you sell them penny candies here?”

“Yeah, uhm, yeah.” Henry flicked his wrist over to one of the shelves toward the front. “We got a bunch of ’em.”

Robert pursed his lips. “How much?”

“Uhm... a penny?” Henry said, his voice wavering. Was Robert trying to be funny?

Shaking his head, Robert snorted a laugh. “Of course. Sorry. Penny candy costs a penny. Makes sense.”

He turned to head over to the shelf where they kept ’em, and Henry followed.

Robert took two of the same kind—little ones with green-and-white-striped wrappers—and then paused to study the selection some more.

He reached for one of the larger candy bars—one of them Snickers ones—but seemed to think better of it, retracting his hand.

Maybe because those weren’t really “penny candies.” Instead, Snickers bars cost three cents each.

“Two cents, then?” Robert said, holding out in his palm to show Henry the two small candies.

“Right.”

After Robert shoved the two candies into his pocket, he took out a little linen sack and found two pennies.

“Here,” he said, handing the coins to Henry. “Well, take care, now. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Henry’s heart stuttered. “Tomorrow?”

“Church?” Robert said, raising one of his eyebrows again.

“Oh!” Henry blurted out. Where the hell was his head? “Church. Right. Church. ”

God, he was making such a fool of himself. Robert turned to leave, and Henry’s eyes flitted back over to the candy shelf as an idea popped into his head. Before he could change his mind, he snatched up one of them Snickers bars and then caught Robert’s sleeve.

“Hey, uhm, here.” He thrust the bar into Robert’s hand, pulling back the moment their skin touched. He wiped his hand on one of his pant legs. Like maybe he could rub off the tingly feeling of want that had settled there. “Take it.”

“How much is it?”

“No, I mean...” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “It’s free.”

“Oh. Why?”

“Just...” Henry paused. He hadn’t really thought this far. “I’m sorry for the, uhm, the Clara thing. And...” And I like you. A lot. “And I know yer always workin’ so hard on that farm of yers. It’s probably tirin’. Especially with the way things are right now.”

“Yeah, well, not much farmin’ for me no more. We planted a couple of crops, but they barely even make enough for us to eat. Especially once I sell a few in town.” Robert fell silent and clicked his tongue. “Ain’t like it was. Before.”

Before.

Back when their land was fertile. Back when most everybody had money to shop.

Back when Henry had first taken notice of Robert tending to that farm of his when Henry had been trying out his family’s new Model A.

He could still remember the way Robert’s bare torso had looked in the sun, slick with sweat from working that combine.

Could still remember how he’d felt that stirring of something , something he’d known he shouldn’t have been feeling, something he’d felt for other men but, before that point, had mostly been able to ignore .

Henry swallowed thickly and tried to force the memory to stop replaying in his head.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “About that farm of yers.”

“We’ll have some rain soon. God willing.” Robert tore the wrapper open with his teeth and took a bite. Holy hell. “Thanks for the candy,” he said, shaking the bar back and forth mid-chew.

“Uhm.” Henry blinked a few times. “Sure. Anytime.”

Hopefully not too often, though. Henry’s uncle would surely fire him. Or, maybe Uncle Bob would fire him soon anyway. Because that Snickers bar certainly wasn’t the first penny candy to turn up missing. Henry never could resist letting the schoolchildren take a piece or three.

Watching Robert leave, Henry took a few steps backward, not yet willing to turn away.

Robert was... wow. Strong. Handsome. Confident.

He was a lot of things. And Henry couldn’t help but cherish this rare opportunity to stare.

He hadn’t really seen Robert too much over the last few months, aside from when they were in church.

Used to be that Robert would come to town with Clara every day, and the two of them would visit the store together.

But now, Robert was probably busy with whatever there was left of his farm.

He had no help no more, either, not with his father coming into town every morning, sneaking into one of the hush-hush businesses—places that were selling liquor that was much stronger than beer—and not stumbling back ’til suppertime.

Henry was still lost in these thoughts when he tripped over his own two feet and fell on his buttocks, hitting the floor with a thud.

The ringing of the bell that was hanging over the entryway as Robert left must have covered up the sound, because Robert hadn’t seemed to notice.

Thank God. Henry blew out a long breath and scrambled to his feet.