Hometown Sweetheart

“Okay, people. Let’s get this cleared up and we’ll go for our next hike. There’s a pretty spot halfway up the mountain where you can see the whole town of Knotwood. Then we’ll come back and go inside to watch one of the movies we rented. After that, dinner and singing.”

Shiloh came running toward her but when the big dog almost knocked her down and kept going past her, Shanna turned to see what had caught his attention.

Simon stood at the open gate between their fences, his expression not quite a frown, but not anywhere near a smile, either. But he looked good in his old jeans and even older button-up shirt. He always looked good, even when he seemed so mad.

And just because she loved a challenge, Shanna tossed the rest of her trash in the nearby can and walked over to aggravate him a little bit.

“Come to fetch your dog?”

Simon saw the hint of dare in her pretty eyes. “He’s not my dog.”

“Is that why you let him roam around with us every afternoon?”

Not exactly sure why he’d let Shiloh stay out so long, he shifted his feet and glanced over at where the kids were playing ball.

“I forgot he was out,” he said, thinking it was the truth. He often let the dog roam around the gated yard but he had forgotten that he’d left the gate between the two properties open when he’d come over to put out the fire the other day. Or maybe he’d left it open on purpose so he’d have an excuse to come over.

She looked from him to his boot shop. “I guess it would be easy to get so caught up in your work you’d forget everything. Even all of us right next door.”

He hadn’t forgotten her, oh, no. He’d heard her laughing and calling out to the kids. He’d even heard her reading from the Bible and giving a lesson to go along with the Scriptures. But he wouldn’t tell her that. “I sure tried.”

“Were we too loud and noisy?”

“No. I just turned my music up.”

“Oh, right. I thought I heard a Toby Keith song playing earlier.”

He shot her his own daring look. “Got something against country music?”

“Not at all. I can dance the two-step with the best of them.”

That surprised him. “Really now?”

“Really. My uncle Doug grew up in East Texas and I still visit relatives there all the time.”

He let that slide. “I’ve got customers all over Texas.”

“I know. When I told my aunt and uncle I was moving here to take a teaching job, my uncle got all excited. He knows all about Simon Adams boots. He sure admires your work even if he can’t afford your cowboy boots.”

“I try to adjust my prices for customers,” Simon said, his tone defensive even if he’d worked to sound neutral. “I build a basic boot that’s fairly reasonable.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. I do need to get him something for Father’s Day.”

Father’s Day for an uncle? Interesting. “Too late for this year. I’ll be doing good if I get to the orders I’m working on for Christmas.”

“It’s amazing, what you do,” she said, the sincerity in her eyes making Simon think they’d somehow gone past sparring with each other to actually having a conversation. “Your brother brags on your work all the time.”

“He just likes the customers my boots bring into the general store.”

She grinned at that. “Well, it’s nice to be able to get sized for a custom-made pair of boots, I guess.”

“I do off-the-shelf boots, too. You know, for the general public. Less expensive.”

“Really? Maybe I will be able to afford a pair for my uncle after all. He’d love that.”

Simon would make sure her uncle got his boots, if he had to sneak around and get the man’s measurements himself. He didn’t know why that mattered, but he could be nice when the mood struck him. And looking into her eyes somehow did make him want to be nice.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her tone full of distrust.

“Man, do I scare you that much?”

“You don’t scare me one bit,” she replied, her hands on her hips. “But I’m pretty sure I scare you. We all scare you. You know, you could be a good example to these kids. Come on out and play with us sometime, maybe? Tell us about your craft, measure some feet for boots—just for fun.”

“I don’t know about that.” Simon patted Shiloh, the steam gone out of his need to pick at her. But the image of her dainty little feet being measured for boots brought logic back into his brain. “I guess I’d better head back and close down the shop.”

She nodded then cooed at Shiloh, the sound of her gentle words making a funny little shiver do its own two-step down Simon’s backbone.

“You can send Shiloh over anytime.”

The dare was back and he couldn’t resist it. “And what about me? Am I invited back for s’mores next time you have a picnic?”

She seemed shocked, her expressive eyes widening. “I thought you’d rather not share in our little picnics out here. Or any other part of our happenings here for that matter.”

She had him there. He’d made it pretty clear he wanted to be left alone. “I’d rather not have to put out another fire but I like hotdogs.”

“Maybe next time then.” She turned to spin away then whirled back around. “Hey, your mom is coming later to cook spaghetti. You’re welcome to join us.”

His mother made the best spaghetti. Thick, rich sauce with fat meatballs. Garlic bread. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had her spaghetti.

“I’d better not—”

They both turned at the sound of a vehicle moving up the winding drive.

His mother. And she had Rick and Cari in the truck with her. Great. Just great. Too late to make a hasty getaway.

“Looks like that’s them now. They’re early,” Shanna said, waving in glee. “Your mother wanted to get a head start, I guess.” Shiloh took off, barking his delight.

While Simon stood there, busted and embarrassed. Because he knew his overly-zealous mother would jump to the wrong conclusion.

But Simon didn’t have to worry too much about his mother’s assumptions regarding him being caught here talking, no, actually flirting, with a pretty woman.

Oh, no. He knew he was in for some serious ribbing when his brother emerged from the big truck with a grin splitting his face.

“I see you’ve met Shanna,” Rick said, slapping Simon on his back so hard Simon nearly pitched forward.

Wanting to throttle Rick the way he’d done—well, tried to do—all during their growing-up days, Simon took a breath and counted to ten, thankful Shanna was now laughing and talking to Cari and his mother. “I came over to retrieve your dog.”

Rick let out a snort. “Didn’t look like you were in any kind of hurry to take Shiloh home to me.”