Virginia’s on her own later. “I think I prefer these, after all.” She scooped up the day-of-the-week bikini panties. “With my day-planner stolen, at least with these I’ll know what day it is.”
Sadie started to laugh again, but caught herself before she aggravated the congestion in her chest.
Alana turned to give the woman privacy, noticed a package of T-shirts in different colors and tossed it into her basket.
“Here’s a slim cut that should fit you.” Sadie held up a pair of Levi’s against Alana’s hip. “Good length. You shouldn’t have to roll them.”
“Perfect.” She draped them over her arm and surveyed the contents of her basket, everything from deodorant to a charcoal eye pencil and mascara. “This should do it.”
“I reckon Noah will have a sweatshirt he can loan you when it gets too chilly in the evening,” Sadie said, and Alana didn’t miss the sly glance that passed between the two busybodies.
“Did you want to know if I’m staying with him?” Alana asked, directly meeting each pair of blue eyes. “If so, I’d suggest you ask the sheriff.”
“Hell, we all know you’re staying at his place. Can’t keep a thing like that secret in Blackfoot Falls. What we don’t know is which room you’re staying in, his or the guest room.”
“Oh, God. You people need more entertainment in this town.” Alana moved to the register and set the basket on the counter. She kind of liked Sadie, but wasn’t about to get that chummy with her.
“That’s a fact,” the woman said. “The boys are getting tired of shooting pool and feeding the jukebox. At least since those gals from the Sundance have been popping in, the younger hands don’t go spend their paychecks in Kalispell every Friday and Saturday.”
“You have a real jukebox?”
“The genuine article.”
“You know, I’ve never seen one.”
“Tell you what. After slowpoke here finishes ringing you up—” Sadie looked pleased when she got a snarl out of Abe “—we’ll go by Virginia’s and Louise’s. Then I’ll take you to the Watering Hole. I don’t open for another hour, but I gotta set up, and you can play some tunes on the old girl. I’ll even spring for the quarters.”
“I’d like that, but no more shopping for me. I’ll get my luggage back soon.” When Abe rang up the final item, out of habit Alana reached for her purse, then sighed.
“What does Noah say?” Abe was bagging her purchases, but he stopped what he was doing. “Is he of the mind your things will suddenly turn up?”
Sadie set her magazine on the counter, her brows knitted in a frown as she waited intently for Alana’s answer. In fact, both she and Abe looked as if there was nothing more important at this particular moment than what their sheriff had to say. Clearly, they put a lot of stock in Noah’s judgment.
“I don’t know,” Alana said slowly. “He’s a difficult man to read.”
Grinning, Sadie dug into her jeans’ pocket and laid out some bills. “Not to folks who know him. He’s as uncomplicated as a man could be. Though I’m still not sure why he came back. But we’re lucky to have him.”
“Came back?” Now who was being nosy? Alana couldn’t help it; if she had the chance to learn something about the man, she wasn’t about to lose the opportunity.
“After his stint in the army and then college, he went to Chicago.” Abe passed her the bags and glanced at Sadie. “What was it, three or four years?”
“There about. He was a policeman. Said he liked it.” Sadie picked up her magazine, leaving the bills on the counter. “You can keep the two cents,” she told Abe, then turned to Alana. “You ready?”
Alana had more questions, but she heard the bell over the door, signaling a new arrival. Not anxious to make any more friends, she hurried along. “Abe, do you have a receipt for me, or something I should give Noah?”
“I’ll take care of it,” he said, waving her off and greeting his next
Sadie started to laugh again, but caught herself before she aggravated the congestion in her chest.
Alana turned to give the woman privacy, noticed a package of T-shirts in different colors and tossed it into her basket.
“Here’s a slim cut that should fit you.” Sadie held up a pair of Levi’s against Alana’s hip. “Good length. You shouldn’t have to roll them.”
“Perfect.” She draped them over her arm and surveyed the contents of her basket, everything from deodorant to a charcoal eye pencil and mascara. “This should do it.”
“I reckon Noah will have a sweatshirt he can loan you when it gets too chilly in the evening,” Sadie said, and Alana didn’t miss the sly glance that passed between the two busybodies.
“Did you want to know if I’m staying with him?” Alana asked, directly meeting each pair of blue eyes. “If so, I’d suggest you ask the sheriff.”
“Hell, we all know you’re staying at his place. Can’t keep a thing like that secret in Blackfoot Falls. What we don’t know is which room you’re staying in, his or the guest room.”
“Oh, God. You people need more entertainment in this town.” Alana moved to the register and set the basket on the counter. She kind of liked Sadie, but wasn’t about to get that chummy with her.
“That’s a fact,” the woman said. “The boys are getting tired of shooting pool and feeding the jukebox. At least since those gals from the Sundance have been popping in, the younger hands don’t go spend their paychecks in Kalispell every Friday and Saturday.”
“You have a real jukebox?”
“The genuine article.”
“You know, I’ve never seen one.”
“Tell you what. After slowpoke here finishes ringing you up—” Sadie looked pleased when she got a snarl out of Abe “—we’ll go by Virginia’s and Louise’s. Then I’ll take you to the Watering Hole. I don’t open for another hour, but I gotta set up, and you can play some tunes on the old girl. I’ll even spring for the quarters.”
“I’d like that, but no more shopping for me. I’ll get my luggage back soon.” When Abe rang up the final item, out of habit Alana reached for her purse, then sighed.
“What does Noah say?” Abe was bagging her purchases, but he stopped what he was doing. “Is he of the mind your things will suddenly turn up?”
Sadie set her magazine on the counter, her brows knitted in a frown as she waited intently for Alana’s answer. In fact, both she and Abe looked as if there was nothing more important at this particular moment than what their sheriff had to say. Clearly, they put a lot of stock in Noah’s judgment.
“I don’t know,” Alana said slowly. “He’s a difficult man to read.”
Grinning, Sadie dug into her jeans’ pocket and laid out some bills. “Not to folks who know him. He’s as uncomplicated as a man could be. Though I’m still not sure why he came back. But we’re lucky to have him.”
“Came back?” Now who was being nosy? Alana couldn’t help it; if she had the chance to learn something about the man, she wasn’t about to lose the opportunity.
“After his stint in the army and then college, he went to Chicago.” Abe passed her the bags and glanced at Sadie. “What was it, three or four years?”
“There about. He was a policeman. Said he liked it.” Sadie picked up her magazine, leaving the bills on the counter. “You can keep the two cents,” she told Abe, then turned to Alana. “You ready?”
Alana had more questions, but she heard the bell over the door, signaling a new arrival. Not anxious to make any more friends, she hurried along. “Abe, do you have a receipt for me, or something I should give Noah?”
“I’ll take care of it,” he said, waving her off and greeting his next
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