Sassy Cowgirl Kisses by Kathy Fawcett
Chapter 21
Their tour began with a visit to the Amber Waves store in town, where Ash’s old pal Amber looked glad to see him, but not so glad to see the beautiful Sassy trailing behind him.
Her greeting went from “Hey Ash!” to a tepid “oh hi,” when introduced. As for her part, Sassy was warm and friendly, browsing the store enthusiastically while the two old pals caught up a bit. Amber had stayed in town after high school, first attending a community college, then an online business school. Between her internet sales and assisting Casey with her real estate management, Amber was doing quite well for herself.
“Look how tall you got, Ash,” Amber exclaimed, looking up at the boy, who merely shrugged. He thought she sounded a bit sad, but didn’t know why. There was definitely distance between them now so he couldn’t ask her so freely—he’d barely seen her in the past few years, when he tended to spend his holiday time in Michigan.
“I s’pose.”
He looked around the storefront and shook his head in wonder. She had expanded into the vacant store adjacent to her, and also expanded her product line from vintage finds to Wyoming souvenirs and reproduction antiques. Half her store looked like it came out of a magazine, with rustic home goods strung with fairy lights.
Faux dining tables were set with antler-handled coffee mugs, stamped burlap runners, and plates designed with black bears marching around the rim.
“What a beautiful store,” Sassy said as she rejoined the two. “I’ll have to come back before I leave town and buy my mama a gift.”
Amber visibly brightened at the comment.
“Oh, you’re not staying in West Gorge? Pity.”
“It is a pity, isn’t it,” Sassy replied, “I only have a summer internship at West Ranch. Of course, if someone were to offer me a job I might stick around. Maybe you’ll have an opening in the fall, Amber.”
Amber fidgeted a little, before shaking her head and answering.
“I hear the Pet N’ Feed store is hiring a night time cage cleaner,” she said at last.
Sassy held onto her smile while her eyes narrowed at Amber—almost imperceptibly.
As Ash watched, the girls reminded him of two bighorn sheep squaring off to do battle.
“Well,well, Ash West. You’re a sight for sore eyes!”
Sassy hung back in the hospital gift shop, amongst the Get Well Soon pillows and cards, while Ash got an enthusiastic hug from Marta Scott, the manager.
“To think I knew you back when you were a teenage pickpocket,” Marta blurted loudly to a blushing Ash. He smiled big, though. Sassy was glad to see he could take a little ribbing, and couldn’t wait to hear the rest of that story.
After introducing Marta to Sassy, they made polite conversation for a few minutes—Marta asking Sassy all kinds of too-personal questions. Where was she from, who was she dating, and did she plan on staying in Wyoming. Sassy managed to be polite but evasive, then slipped away to pretend to read the greeting cards.
Marta raised her eyebrows suggestively at Ash and whispered theatrically, “and here I was gonna put your love life on the West Gorge prayer chain. I see God already dropped a perfect angel right in your lap.”
Ash cleared his throat uncomfortably at the image. Sassy was suppressing a smile, he could tell, as he glanced her way across the small store.
“It’s not like that, Marta,” he choked out. “But I’m knee deep in ranch work and my new job, so my love life doesn’t need intercession at the moment.” Ash knew the power of West Gorge prayers and could only imagine what trouble the church-going people in town could stir up for him. Why, they’d have him dating, engaged, and married by the Harvest Fest.
A bun in the oven by Christmas.
“Don’t forget to stop by the jail and say hi to my son, Jason,” Marta said as the two prepared to leave. “He’s captain of the police force now, but you’ll always be his favorite lockup.”
Sheesh.
Ash knew he’d better go before Marta said any more. As it was, Sassy was getting a very in-depth look at his past. Maybe he should drive her past the school where he played hooky as an adolescent; or to the local grocery store where he stole canned goods to feed his Granny—that would complete the picture.
Getting back in his truck, Sassy was blessedly silent, but she was watching him closely.