Occasional nursing assistance with a physician who served remote communities.
A horse she cared for better than most men cared for themselves.
And opinions.
Too many opinions, in the cowboy’s view.
Especially about him.
“You do not listen when you are afraid.”
“I listen.”
“You wait for people to stop talking.”
“That is listening.”
“No.”
“What is it?”
“Waiting.”
He had glared.
She smiled.
He disliked how often she smiled when he was losing an argument.
The attraction had arrived slowly enough for both of them to pretend it had not arrived at all.
He noticed first that he knew the sound of her horse approaching.
Then that he kept extra coffee ready even though she drank tea more often.
Then that he stopped using the good blanket in the guest room because she liked it.
Then that she began leaving small things behind.
A leather hair tie on the table.
A folded cloth near the wash basin.
A pencil.
A book.
Nothing deliberate.
Nothing enough to call possession.
But the house began to contain evidence of her.
He hated how much he liked it.
The first almost-kiss happened after an argument over the deed.
His mother’s old deed.
The one that later vanished.
The Apache woman had found it inside a box the cowboy had already searched twice.
He accused her of moving things.
She accused him of being unable to see what did not match his expectation.
She held the paper up.
“This was under the property-tax receipts.”
“I looked there.”
“You looked for a deed.”
“Yes.”
“This was folded inside an envelope marked feed accounts.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Your mother may have wanted it overlooked.”
“By whom?”
“Maybe by you.”
The cowboy stared.
“That would be cruel.”
The woman smiled.
“You have met your mother?”
He laughed before he could stop himself.
Then they both went quiet.
Too close.
She held the deed between them.
He reached for it.
His fingers closed over hers instead.
Neither moved.
The air changed.
He looked at her mouth.
She noticed.
His heart kicked hard enough to irritate him.
Then the foreman opened the door carrying a broken bridle and said:
“You two done pretending paperwork is romantic?”
They separated so fast the foreman laughed for an entire minute.
The Apache woman threatened to throw the bridle at him.
The cowboy seriously considered helping.
Nothing happened after that.