The Cowboy Who Caught Her Eye by Lauri Robinson Page A

anything show. Neither the baby, nor just how naive and young Karleen still was.
    Lifting her chin slightly, Molly forced a smile to reappear, and because she truly wanted to know, she asked, “Is there someone you want to have court you?”
    Karleen’s sigh wasn’t audible, but Molly saw it. “Not right now,” her sister said. “I promised you I wouldn’t think seriously about marriage until I’m eighteen, and I’ll keep that promise,” Karleen said resolutely. “Because it takes both of us to keep this place running.”
    The weight on Molly’s shoulders increased tenfold.
    “But, when I am eighteen, and Carter has this place running as well as Papa had it...” Karleen paused as a grin returned to her face. “I will take J.T. more seriously.”
    A year from now things would be worse. The railroad might own the store. Once her condition was revealed, the entire town would shun them—including J.T. and his entire family. Therefore supporting the hope in her sister’s eyes was impossible.
    “J.T. Walters is just a boy,” Molly snapped. “Neither of you have any idea as to the responsibility marriage brings.”
    Karleen frowned. “And you do?”
    “Of course I do.” Molly stomped across the room, but not so far she didn’t hear her sister mumble. “What did you say?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Yes, you did.”
    “I said it’s no wonder you don’t have any friends left. You can’t be happy about anything,” Karleen answered. “Just yesterday J.T. told me to tell you hello from Emma, but I didn’t because I knew it would make you mad. Just like everything else.”
    The door slammed as Karleen left the house, but it was the amount of guilt rising inside Molly that made her flinch. Emma Smith, now Walters since she’d married J.T.’s older brother, Ralph, had been her best friend for years. They’d never argued, not once in all the years they’d known each other, until two months ago, when Emma had burst into the store, joyously proclaiming she was pregnant. The very day Molly had owned up to herself that she, too, was pregnant.
    Seeing the shine, the excitement, in her friend’s eyes had been more than she could take right then. Emma’s ploy had worked. Molly’s hadn’t.
    It had been in this very kitchen, just a few days before her wedding, that Emma had told Molly about it. How she and Ralph had already been together. Emma said Ralph kept putting off the wedding, and she couldn’t wait any longer, so she’d packed a picnic lunch and when Ralph became amorous, she encouraged him instead of stopping him. Afterward Ralph had agreed they should get married immediately.
    On that day, and several others, Molly had thought her friend had been foolish, but the night of Emma’s wedding, for some irrational reason, all she could think about was how it had worked. How Ralph had changed his mind.

Chapter Six
    M olly spent the next hour or more moving slowly, cooking, for no matter how miserable she was, her family still needed to eat. The meal was ready and the table set when she walked out the back door in search of her sisters.
    They were across the yard, picking daisies from a cluster near the barn.
    She’d almost arrived at their side when Carter rode in. Her entire being somersaulted and Molly had to admit it wasn’t a bad feeling he gave her. Furthermore, she’d known he’d be back, that he hadn’t truly left.
    “Hi, Carter,” Ivy yelled as the palomino walked closer.
    “Hello, Miss Ivy, Miss Karleen, Miss Molly,” he greeted, full of smiles and grace as usual, while nodding at each one of them as if they were almost royalty.
    Ivy giggled, and Molly had to confess the sound was musical. Everything Karleen had said about Carter was true. He was organized and authoritative, but her sister had missed a few things. He was also charming, way too charming, and handsome. Undoubtedly handsome.
    “You’re silly,” Ivy said.
    Molly cringed, half afraid she’d said her thoughts aloud.
    “And