supplies. Maybe he’d get lucky and she’d forget all this nonsense about her needing to diet.
As he walked over to the bunkhouse, he chuckled. Pearlie was going to be mighty disappointed if Sally refused to make any more pies or bear sign for a while, that was for sure.
Smoke rode his big Palouse stud while Cal and Pearlie rode in the buckboard. Pearlie, after talking to the men he’d left in charge while they went on their jaunt up to Canada, found they were in dire need of several rolls of wire, some nails, and various other assorted supplies to make the repairs that always seemed to be necessary to keep a ranch in good order.
As they rode into town, Smoke said, “I got some bad news, boys.”
“What’s that?” Cal asked.
“Sally thinks she’s getting fat, so she’s going to go on a diet.”
“What?” Pearlie exclaimed. He remembered the last time Miss Sally went on a diet. He’d about turned into a rabbit, they’d eaten so many salads and greens and carrots. “Please don’t tell me that, Smoke,” he said, a pained look on his face. “I was just getting used to having home cooking again.” He rubbed his stomach. “I don’t know if I can stand to go back to eating all them greens again.”
“You and me both, pal,” Smoke said as they pulled up in front of the general store.
When they entered, Cal saw what he thought was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen in his life behind the counter. Her hair was long and fell down over her shoulders, and framed a face that belonged to an angel.
“Hello, sir,” she said with a smile when she saw him gawking at her. “What can I get for you?”
“Uh . . . er . . . ” he stuttered, not knowing what to say since he’d plumb forgotten why they were there. All he could think of was how pretty she was and why had he never seen her before.
“Hello, miss,” Smoke said, moving toward the counter. “You must be Sarah Johnson.”
Sarah’s eyes narrowed and a slight flush appeared on her cheeks. “Do I know you, sir?” she asked, her voice hardening and her neck stiffening.
Smoke held up his hands, a flush appearing on his face at her reaction. “I didn’t mean to give offense, Miss Johnson,” he said quickly, looking around to see if Peg or Ed Jackson was around to rescue him. “It’s just that my wife, Sally Jensen, said she met you on the train the other day, and she told me to tell you hello when we got here.”
Sarah’s eyes stayed hard for a moment, and then she made a conscious effort to soften her expression. “Oh, of course, you must be Mr. Jensen,” she said, sticking out her hand and forcing her lips into a cordial smile.
Smoke shook it. “Yes, I am, but my friends just call me Smoke.”
Sarah forced her eyes off Smoke, lest she give away the hatred she felt for him. “And who are these gentlemen with you, Mr. . . . uh . . . Smoke.”
“This is Calvin Woods, and the skinny one over there is my ranch foreman, Pearlie,” Smoke said, inclining his head at the two men.
Sarah nodded her head at Pearlie and smiled demurely at Cal, causing the boy to blush furiously.
“Are you here alone?” Smoke asked, looking around the shop as he loaded his arms with supplies and piled them on the counter.
“Yes,” Sarah answered. “Mr. and Mrs. Jackson took the morning off to take their children on a picnic.” She glanced over at Cal, who was still standing there staring at her with his mouth half open. “Mr. Jackson said he might even do a little fishing on the creek up north of town. Mrs. Jackson will be in later.”
“They must trust you very much to leave the store in your hands all alone.”
She dipped her head, embarrassed by the compliment, especially as it came from a man she was all set up to hate. “Yes, sir, I guess they do.”
Cal moved up next to Smoke and also dumped a load of supplies on the counter, almost stumbling over his feet since he seemingly couldn’t take his eyes off Sarah.
When the boy just stood there staring, Pearlie, standing behind him with his arms also loaded down, cleared his throat loudly. “If you don’t mind, podnah,” he said with a hint of a laugh in his voice, “I’d like to put these down when you’re finished gawkin’.”
Cal whirled around, his face bright red. He leaned forward and thrust his face out. “I ain’t gawking, Pearlie, an’ don’t you dare say I am.”
“Calvin,” Sarah called, “do you want me to add those things you’re holding?”
Cal turned back around and put his supplies on the counter. “Uh, yes, ma’am, but everybody just calls me Cal.”
Sarah smiled, forgetting for the moment her hatred of Smoke Jensen and everyone who worked for him. Cal was very cute, she thought, and he seemed so shy she just wanted to grab him and cuddle him like a little puppy.
Her soft mood was ruined when Smoke stepped up to the counter and said, “Just put it on the Sugarloaf bill, if you would, Sarah.”
When she nodded, not looking at him for fear her hatred would show in her eyes, Smoke and Cal and Pearlie began to pick up the supplies and carry them out to the buckboard in front of the store.
Once the wagon was fully loaded, Smoke climbed up on his horse and inclined his head toward Louis Longmont’s saloon. “Why don’t we grab lunch over at Louis’s?” he asked.
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Pearlie said, “Though we’d better save some room for Miss Sally’s bear sign. She told me yesterday she was gonna cook up a batch today.”
“Uh, I wouldn’t count on that, Pearlie,” Smoke said as he spurred his horse toward Louis’s saloon.
Pearlie slapped the reins on the butts of the horses pulling the buckboard and caught up with Smoke. “Oh,
