nodded and smiled again. With his hat under his arm, he pulled out his notepad. It is my pleasure, ma’am. Thank you for having me. Please call me Clay. He extended the pad to Mrs. Killganan.
She read it and, with a tender smile, said, “Thank you, Clay. I hope you’re prepared to write a lot tonight, for I have many questions. May I take your hat?” She took Clay and JT’s hats and hung them on the hat tree next to the front door.
Lynn took the Winchester from JT. “Clayton, is it all right if I leave your rifle here next to the hats?”
Clay nodded.
“Please, Clay, let me show you to the dining room,” Lynn’s mother said. She took Clay’s arm and walked with him into the dining room.
Lynn and JT moved ahead.
Clay was momentarily startled, but quickly returned the smile to his face. The Suit he’d had trouble with at Ma Nelson’s was sitting comfortably to Mr. Killganan’s left. JT moved quickly to sit next to the Suit, causing Mr. Killganan’s obvious consternation.
Mrs. Killganan smiled. “Clay, may I introduce you to my husband, Elmer Killganan.”
Killganan rose and extended his hand, and with a tight smile, said, “Yes, Andrea, Mr. Barlow and I met in the bank today.”
Clay shook the hand, smiled, and nodded to Killganan.
“And this gentlemen”—the word gentleman was pronounced cooly by Mrs. Killganan, because the Suit did not stand—“is James Davis. Everyone calls him Cotton. I’m sure you can see why.”
The man’s hair was so blonde it was almost white. Clay put out his hand, and Davis reluctantly took it. “Come, Clay, you’ll sit over here, next to me and Lynn.” She guided him behind Davis and JT.
They reached the end of the table, and Clay pulled the chair out for her and gave her a small nod.
She looked somewhat surprised, but appreciative. “Why, thank you, Clay.”
He then stepped around to the side of the table where Lynn was about to pull out her own chair. He placed a firm hand on the chair, looked into those deep purple eyes, and slowly pulled the chair out for her. She smiled straight into his eyes, then gave a small curtsy and sat down. Clay slid Lynn to the table, moved to his chair, and sat.
None of the other three men had missed the show. JT was grinning. Both Killganan and Davis were frowning. Davis had remained seated throughout the episode. As his daughter was seated, Killganan sat down, his chair dragging noisily across the wooden floor when he pulled up to the table.
I’m sure glad Ma taught me manners. She told me they’d come in handy someday.
Clay picked up his pencil and started to write. I’m sorry this is necessary. I want to thank you for the supper invitation. You have a beautiful home. He first passed the pad to Mrs. Killganan, and then to Lynn. She read it and passed it to her father.
Killganan read the note. “Mr. Barlow, may I call you Clay?”
Clay nodded.
“Clay, it’s our pleasure. What you see around you is Mrs. Killganan’s doing. She has a talent for decorating.”
Mrs. Killganan beamed at her husband. “Thank you, Elmer. Clay, I’m glad you like it. I enjoy the effort and the results. Now, tell me about yourself. How is it that you come to be here?”
Clay wrote on the pad. It’s a long story.
Mrs. Killganan looked at his note. “Why, Clay, we have all evening. I’m sure we are all interested. Isn’t that right, Cotton?”
She hadn’t missed the animosity that had passed between the two young men.
“I reckon. Though I’d rather hear about Lynn’s day.”
Lynn laughed and said, “Cotton, my days are so much alike, I’m sure it wouldn’t be near as interesting as Clayton’s.” She laid her hand on Clay’s arm. “We’d love to hear about you.”
Though she left her hand on his arm only momentarily, Clay could still feel the warmth through his suit jacket. He marveled at the feeling. It was as if her hand were still there.
Between eating and writing, the evening passed quickly. Cotton spoke seldom,
She read it and, with a tender smile, said, “Thank you, Clay. I hope you’re prepared to write a lot tonight, for I have many questions. May I take your hat?” She took Clay and JT’s hats and hung them on the hat tree next to the front door.
Lynn took the Winchester from JT. “Clayton, is it all right if I leave your rifle here next to the hats?”
Clay nodded.
“Please, Clay, let me show you to the dining room,” Lynn’s mother said. She took Clay’s arm and walked with him into the dining room.
Lynn and JT moved ahead.
Clay was momentarily startled, but quickly returned the smile to his face. The Suit he’d had trouble with at Ma Nelson’s was sitting comfortably to Mr. Killganan’s left. JT moved quickly to sit next to the Suit, causing Mr. Killganan’s obvious consternation.
Mrs. Killganan smiled. “Clay, may I introduce you to my husband, Elmer Killganan.”
Killganan rose and extended his hand, and with a tight smile, said, “Yes, Andrea, Mr. Barlow and I met in the bank today.”
Clay shook the hand, smiled, and nodded to Killganan.
“And this gentlemen”—the word gentleman was pronounced cooly by Mrs. Killganan, because the Suit did not stand—“is James Davis. Everyone calls him Cotton. I’m sure you can see why.”
The man’s hair was so blonde it was almost white. Clay put out his hand, and Davis reluctantly took it. “Come, Clay, you’ll sit over here, next to me and Lynn.” She guided him behind Davis and JT.
They reached the end of the table, and Clay pulled the chair out for her and gave her a small nod.
She looked somewhat surprised, but appreciative. “Why, thank you, Clay.”
He then stepped around to the side of the table where Lynn was about to pull out her own chair. He placed a firm hand on the chair, looked into those deep purple eyes, and slowly pulled the chair out for her. She smiled straight into his eyes, then gave a small curtsy and sat down. Clay slid Lynn to the table, moved to his chair, and sat.
None of the other three men had missed the show. JT was grinning. Both Killganan and Davis were frowning. Davis had remained seated throughout the episode. As his daughter was seated, Killganan sat down, his chair dragging noisily across the wooden floor when he pulled up to the table.
I’m sure glad Ma taught me manners. She told me they’d come in handy someday.
Clay picked up his pencil and started to write. I’m sorry this is necessary. I want to thank you for the supper invitation. You have a beautiful home. He first passed the pad to Mrs. Killganan, and then to Lynn. She read it and passed it to her father.
Killganan read the note. “Mr. Barlow, may I call you Clay?”
Clay nodded.
“Clay, it’s our pleasure. What you see around you is Mrs. Killganan’s doing. She has a talent for decorating.”
Mrs. Killganan beamed at her husband. “Thank you, Elmer. Clay, I’m glad you like it. I enjoy the effort and the results. Now, tell me about yourself. How is it that you come to be here?”
Clay wrote on the pad. It’s a long story.
Mrs. Killganan looked at his note. “Why, Clay, we have all evening. I’m sure we are all interested. Isn’t that right, Cotton?”
She hadn’t missed the animosity that had passed between the two young men.
“I reckon. Though I’d rather hear about Lynn’s day.”
Lynn laughed and said, “Cotton, my days are so much alike, I’m sure it wouldn’t be near as interesting as Clayton’s.” She laid her hand on Clay’s arm. “We’d love to hear about you.”
Though she left her hand on his arm only momentarily, Clay could still feel the warmth through his suit jacket. He marveled at the feeling. It was as if her hand were still there.
Between eating and writing, the evening passed quickly. Cotton spoke seldom,
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