Page 37 of The Rancher's Wedding

“What is it?”

“Have you not been to a town fair before?”

Estelle couldn’t say she had. Was she supposed to have been to one? Was this something that she had missed out on by being in the city all her life?

“Not to the best of my recollection,” she said.

“Oh, well, then it’ll be a surprise for you. Ask Michael to take you. You aren’t going to want to miss it.”

***

“You know,” Michael said, “it’s been so long since I’ve gone that it completely slipped my mind.” He looked at her, his eyes wide and sincere. “It’s not so much fun when you don’t have anyone to go with.”

“Let’s invite Jacob, as well.”

“Well…” Michael looked away, down at his right foot, which was scraping against the floor as if that would somehow generate an answer for him. “I’m not so sure he’d want to go.”

Estelle was beginning to get frustrated with Michael’s inability to communicate with his brother. “There’s no harm in asking and, even if he says no, I’m sure he’d appreciate the offer.”

“The thing about Jacob—” Michael began, but Estelle sighed and cut him off.

“I’ll ask him, then. Come on.”

She took his arm and dragged him up to Jacob’s cabin, where she knocked on the door.

“Jacob?” she called.

For her, he opened the door. With a smile, even. When he saw Michael, however, his expression changed.

“Yes?”

“Would you like to join us this evening for the town fair?” she asked directly, spitting it out as if she was taking a survey, with no emotion involved. It was a simple yes or no question.

Jacob looked over at Michael, who stood there not saying a thing, shaking his head and wiping the sweat off of his brow.

Estelle could see it in Jacob’s eyes: he knew he was being invited, but didn’t feel like Michael wanted him there.

“That sounds like an awfully good time,” Jacob said, though his voice didn’t make it seem like much fun, in his gruff monotone, “but I’d rather stay in, if it’s all the same with you.”

Estelle looked over at Michael. Perhaps she shouldn’t have had him join her.

“Well,” she said, “you’re welcome to join us if you change your mind.”

Jacob closed the door and returned to his cabin.

Michael turned his head toward Estelle. “He usually doesn’t enjoy doing these sorts of things.”

Estelle fumed. “Of course, he didn’t want to join us. Everything in your actions and the way you were standing, not saying anything, made it seem like you didn’t want him there.”

Michael shrugged. “What do you want me to do?”

Wasn’t it obvious? “Knock on the door and tell your brother, with sincerity, that you would like him to join us.”

Michael sighed. He knocked on the door and Estelle walked a few paces away to give him space.

“Jacob?” Michael called out.

“What is it?”