Читать книгу The Parson's Christmas Gift - Kerri Mountain - Страница 16

“Whoa, Malachi!”

Zane leaned back in the saddle and pushed upright in the stirrups, pulling the reins at the same time.

His thoughts had unraveled from the moment Journey cocked her gun his way in the barn. Lost in a jumble of possibilities, each worse than the one before, he had nudged the horse into a full gallop by the time he’d made it halfway to town. He gave the horse its head until he found himself almost at Norwood’s Mercantile. Sliding from Malachi’s high back, he landed in front of Mrs. Decker. She stepped back with a gasp, her hand patting her heart.

“Pardon me, ma’am.” He swept his hat from his head. “I didn’t see you coming.”

She tucked her hair back into place with a dainty sniff. “I should think it would be hard to see much of anything coming in that cloud of dust you raised, Reverend.”

Zane swiped his face in the crook of his elbow. She would have to be the one to catch him in a moment of recklessness. “Forgive me, Mrs. Decker. I’m afraid my mind was distracted and I allowed the horse too much leeway. I never meant to startle you.”

She walked off with a huff, but he heard her mumble. “What that man needs is a good woman to settle him. I should think a minister and widower would maintain greater decorum. Now, my Mary…”

Widower. He hated that word. All the love and joy he and Sarah had shared, all the hopes and dreams and plans, cut down into that one word. He sobered, stroking Malachi’s mane a moment before tromping up the steps.

Lost in thought, he plowed into Abby as he stepped through the door, catching her by the elbow. “Whoa! I’m sorry, Abby! You’re the second person I’ve done that to in as many minutes.”

She slipped a stray hair behind her ear. “Where’s the fire then?”

“I’m in too big a hurry, I reckon. I—Wait, weren’t you to take Miss Rose home after the Mission Society meeting?”

“Yes, she needed to pick up some things in town. Did you want to see her? She should be back any minute. I thought I’d straighten up a little while she finished.”

“I need to talk to Sam if he’s around.”

Zane forced his glance to the storeroom, avoiding Abby’s level gaze. “He’s out back. Is everything all right?”

He smiled at her raised eyebrow. “Nothing you need to pester me about. I just was hoping to catch Sam.”

“Fine. But you know he’ll tell me anyway.”

With a smile and a soft squeeze to her wrist, he cut through the room and around the counter to the back of the store.

He found Sam outside unloading supplies hauled from his weekly trip to Virginia City. “Need a hand?”