Love's Story Read Free Page A

idea.” Meredith beamed, then stifled a yawn. “Well, now that we have that settled, I think I’ll go to my room. I need to finish up my Overland Limited story so we can get it posted tomorrow.”
    â€œGo ahead. I’ll just mingle down here a bit and see if I can glean any information about where your loggers buy their supplies.”
    â€œGood idea.” She patted his hand. “Good night, then.”
    â€œGood night, Storm.”

    The next morning Jonah greeted Meredith with news that he knew where the loggers purchased their supplies.
    â€œWonderful! Is the postal office on the way?”
    â€œI believe so. We’ll need to take the cable car.”
    They ate breakfast at the hotel, walked to the post office to mail Meredith’s story, then rode the cable car to a shop called the Outfitters. With Meredith’s first step inside, the heel of her shoe caught in a gaping hole.
    Jonah’s hand shot out to steady her. “Watch your step.” He nodded at a nearby man. She followed Jonah’s gaze to the man’s boots. They had spikes in them. “Loggers’ boots,” he whispered. “That’s what’s tearing up the floor. I guess we’re in the right place.”
    Meredith smelled the masculine scents of leather and tobacco. Her eyes roamed over the displays of tools, leather goods, clothing, bedrolls, rolls of canvas, coils of rope, liniments, and books. Along the wall lined with tools such as picks, shovels, axes, and handsaws, she caught a snatch of conversation between two men. She heard them mention Bucker’s Stand, and that was all she needed.
    She walked up behind them. “Excuse me, sir.” The men did not turn around to acknowledge her. She glanced at Jonah. He hesitated, then cleared his throat. The men quit talking.
    â€œPardon me, may I have a word with you, sir?” Meredith asked.
    The closest man turned to face her, while the other tipped his hat at Jonah and went back to his shopping. The well-cut tan suede vest enhanced the man’s masculine form. She looked up expectantly, and to her ill fate, into familiar brown eyes. The melancholy man from the train. She hadn’t realized he was so handsome.
    He smiled and stared at her for an uncomfortably long period of time before asking, “Did you want something?”
    Her face heated. “Yes. In passing, I overheard you mention Bucker’s Stand. May I ask, are you headed there?”
    The man removed his hat and smirked. “I am.”
    â€œThe reason I ask is, my friend and I are looking for someone to guide us, accompany us, to Buckman’s Pride.”
    â€œI’m sorry, I can’t be of help.” He replaced his hat and turned to go.
    â€œWait.” She grabbed his sleeve. “We can pay.” He stopped, looked at her, then at his arm. Instantly, she released him. “I… I’m sorry.”
    â€œSo am I.” Then he was gone.
    Jonah had observed the entire scene. “I thought we were going to find out what the overland trip was like before we offered to pay someone to guide us.”
    She leaned against a shelf filled with boxes of nails. “We were. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’ve never acted so unprofessionally. It’s that… that man. When I saw him, I couldn’t think clearly. Why, he makes my blood boil!”
    Jonah lifted a wooly eyebrow that matched his brown mustache in color. “Well, I hope we don’t meet up with him again. He seems to bring out some mighty strange behavior in you. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were smitten with him.”
    â€œWhat!” She jerked away from the wall, and her hand struck a shovel that clattered to the floor. “That is utterly ridiculous. You know me better than that.” A clerk appeared to pick up the shovel and straighten tools. She stepped away, then had to jerk her foot loose from where it had sunk deep