Temporarily Texan

“Okay.”

“Why don’t you have a cell phone?”

She sighed. “I had one until two days ago.”

“What happened?”

“The goat ate it.”

“The goat?”

“Billy. He eats everything,” she said with a sigh. “Once he ate my purse while I was talking to a friend, and I didn’t even notice until the strap fell off my shoulder.”

Troy laughed, but she didn’t think it was funny that her cell phone was now in a compost heap in New Hampshire.

“I didn’t have time to replace it before I left for Texas.” Much less the money, since it wasn’t insured. “Now, can I make those calls before it gets any later?”

FIFTEEN MINUTES AND SEVERAL phone calls later, Raven was finally convinced that there weren’t any motels, hotels or bed-and-breakfasts in or around Brody’s Crossing. She probably should have believed Troy Crawford, but it had seemed so unlikely that there was no place within a reasonable distance where she could rent a room. That was unheard of in New England, but she remembered all the wide-open spaces along the highways as she’d driven through Oklahoma and Texas, so she supposed it made sense in the West.

She sat alone in the Crawford home office and wondered what she was going to do now. Accept his hospitality, grudging though it might be, or…what? Money was somewhat tight. She could sleep in her car, but where, and for how long? Besides, the weather was so hot!

And really, where was the need, when Troy Crawford had offered her his guest room? He’d even volunteered to sleep in the barn, for goodness’ sake! The hot, dusty barn. She’d taken a peek inside the small bedroom out there, and she wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It was even more depressing than this bare-bones, no-style, outdated house.

“Did you find a place to stay?” he asked, startling her as he leaned against the door frame. The man was so silent. He didn’t hum or whistle or stomp around.

“No, as I’m sure you knew. As you’d warned me.”

“So are you going to stay here? I’ve got to tell you, it’s a long drive to anywhere, especially at night.”

She sighed. “I know it is. Besides, maybe Mrs. Philpot or Mr. Sam will call or e-mail with some answers.”

“Perhaps, but I wouldn’t bet on it until Monday.”

“I know.”

“Well, then, I’ll get my things together. I’ll go out to the barn to sleep, but I have some work to do first.”

She might regret this in the morning, but she couldn’t put him out of his own home. She faced the other wall and absently folded the length of her scarf. “No, you don’t have to stay in the barn. I mean, this is your house. If you wanted to get in, you could. I’m sure there are keys. I feel safe with you in the daylight, so I’m certain I’ll feel equally safe at night.”

“You’re sure?”

He said the words so softly that she had to look back at him to see his expression. Unfortunately, he gave nothing away. Just that softer than expected question.

“Of course,” she said briskly, letting the scarf slip through her fingers.

Chapter Three

Raven pushed away from the desk and stood up. “I’ll be glad to help with dinner.”

“Um, are you sure you can cook?”

“I cook for myself all the time!”

“I doubt I have any of the ingredients you’re used to.”

“I doubt that you do, either. Fortunately, I brought a supply of food until I can locate organic vegetables.”

He shook his head. “Good luck with that. Most folks around here believe in ‘better living through chemistry.’”

“I’m sure there are some people who grow their own produce without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.”

“If you say so.”

“I’ll track them down.”

He held up a hand. “I wish you more luck than you had finding a motel.”

She took a deep breath, ready to argue some more, but all the steam when out of her. He was probably right about the vegetables. After all, he was from round here. She was the visitor, the outsider.

This was not a role she relished. She hadn’t enjoyed being considered “different” when she was a child, and she didn’t like it now. Back in New Hampshire, she fit right in. She had friends, business associates, acquaintances. She had like-minded e-contacts around the globe.

But in Texas, at least in this part of the state, she was definitely odd.

“If we can’t prepare a meal together, may I at least use your kitchen? I promise to clean up after myself.”

“Of course. I’d fix you a meal, but you probably wouldn’t eat it.”

She swallowed her affirmation. “I’m sure you’re a fine cook.”

“Beef, beef and more beef.”

“Yuck, yuck and more yuck. Do you ever think about how cruelly the cattle are treated?”

“It barely crosses my mind. And really, that’s a small part of their life. Most of the time, they get to graze in a pasture, hang out with their friends and eat all they want.”

“Before they are suddenly taken away from everything they know and placed in an overcrowded, dirty stockyard, then prodded into a slaughterhouse!”

“Look, I think of animals as animals, and you obviously want to give them human emotions. We aren’t going to agree on this. Can’t we just move on?”

Raven wasn’t so sure she could “move on” past his beef-obsessed views. However, she was a guest in his home and it was her duty to be more polite than she’d been.

“I’m sorry. You’re right—let’s just not discuss it.”

“Right. Now, would you like to go first?”

“What?”

“In the kitchen. That way, it won’t be…well, contaminated by my meal.”