for an introduction or some gossip. Beau held her hand the whole time, trying to make her feel more comfortable. George, who owned the grocery store, stopped by to say hello, as did the Hardware store owner who offered help with fixing up a sign for her at a discount if she would place his ads with her morning newspapers. The library and post office employees she met told her to drop off pamphlets when she had them, and they would send them out to neighboring libraries and post offices. Mara couldn’t believe how nice everyone was. As they finished their meal, Jennie came rushing in, shoving herself into the other side of their booth.
“Jennie, we were just leaving,” Beau said, narrowing his eyes at her.
“I’m sorry, I just, Mara, I think I’d love to take you up on your offer. How about I move in tomorrow, and Beau here can help me? I don’t have furniture, so I don’t have to bring much other than my clothes and personal items. I never was one for much belongings. I’ll box it all up tonight. Can you be moved into Beau’s house by tomorrow morning?” Jennie stared at Mara, and Beau looked at her with suspicion. She was acting odd for such a cool and collected woman. Mara grew excited next to him.
“Oh Jennie, that’s wonderful, thank you. Yes, I don’t have much either, since I just moved. Beau, do you hear that? I have my first employee.” She shook his arm, bubbling with happiness. Beau didn’t want to ruin it, but he gave Jennie a look that said they needed to talk, and soon. Mara all but shoved him out of the booth as she stood to hug Jennie. The women embraced and Jennie frowned over Mara’s shoulder. Beau handed her the bill and money.
“Mara hon, could you please run this over to pay and I’ll work out with Jennie what time she needs me to help her.” Mara was oblivious and stepped away, no longer nervous about being the new person in town. People stopped staring at her and she finally had a small feeling of belonging.
“What is going on Jennie? She can’t see it, but I can tell something spooked you.” He moved closer to her so that he could lower his voice. He glanced over his shoulder, smiling at Mara who stared at him.
“I was just at the grocery store and there was this guy in front of me. Cheap suit, greasy slicked back hair, and too much cologne. So, I’m putting my food on the conveyor belt and he’s buying beer, and he asks if anyone knows where to find you. You know we protect our own. He says he wanted to hire you, so I hand him a business card of yours, that one you gave me back when we met? He then pulls out a picture and asks Jimmy, George’s teenage son, who works the register, if he’s seen this woman. When Jimmy says no, he turns to me. He’s looking for Mara.” Beau cursed under his breath. As he tried to warn Jennie, Mara returned and she just shook her head at him. Mara wrapped her hands around his arm, grinning ear to ear. He didn’t have it in him to ruin that happiness. She had already been through so much, run so much, he couldn’t do it to her anymore.
“Let’s head home then sweetheart. You can pack up your things and I’ll do some arranging at my house.” Jennie waved as she exited ahead of them, calling over her shoulder.
“See you two tomorrow.”
“Things are coming together so well. My new guests show up in the morning. After I get them checked in, we can get my things over to your house and then you can help Jennie move in. Oh, and I have to wash the sheets, you know, new bedding for her. Maybe these two guys will bring me more business by spreading the good word around after staying at my place!” Beau immediately remembered the men that Mara said were checking in and the odd feeling he got when she told him their names.
“What were your guests’ names?” He asked her.
“Mr. Thomas and Mr. Jones.” That’s what it was, they sounded fake. Two Mr’s, with the most common last names out there.
“How about while you
“Jennie, we were just leaving,” Beau said, narrowing his eyes at her.
“I’m sorry, I just, Mara, I think I’d love to take you up on your offer. How about I move in tomorrow, and Beau here can help me? I don’t have furniture, so I don’t have to bring much other than my clothes and personal items. I never was one for much belongings. I’ll box it all up tonight. Can you be moved into Beau’s house by tomorrow morning?” Jennie stared at Mara, and Beau looked at her with suspicion. She was acting odd for such a cool and collected woman. Mara grew excited next to him.
“Oh Jennie, that’s wonderful, thank you. Yes, I don’t have much either, since I just moved. Beau, do you hear that? I have my first employee.” She shook his arm, bubbling with happiness. Beau didn’t want to ruin it, but he gave Jennie a look that said they needed to talk, and soon. Mara all but shoved him out of the booth as she stood to hug Jennie. The women embraced and Jennie frowned over Mara’s shoulder. Beau handed her the bill and money.
“Mara hon, could you please run this over to pay and I’ll work out with Jennie what time she needs me to help her.” Mara was oblivious and stepped away, no longer nervous about being the new person in town. People stopped staring at her and she finally had a small feeling of belonging.
“What is going on Jennie? She can’t see it, but I can tell something spooked you.” He moved closer to her so that he could lower his voice. He glanced over his shoulder, smiling at Mara who stared at him.
“I was just at the grocery store and there was this guy in front of me. Cheap suit, greasy slicked back hair, and too much cologne. So, I’m putting my food on the conveyor belt and he’s buying beer, and he asks if anyone knows where to find you. You know we protect our own. He says he wanted to hire you, so I hand him a business card of yours, that one you gave me back when we met? He then pulls out a picture and asks Jimmy, George’s teenage son, who works the register, if he’s seen this woman. When Jimmy says no, he turns to me. He’s looking for Mara.” Beau cursed under his breath. As he tried to warn Jennie, Mara returned and she just shook her head at him. Mara wrapped her hands around his arm, grinning ear to ear. He didn’t have it in him to ruin that happiness. She had already been through so much, run so much, he couldn’t do it to her anymore.
“Let’s head home then sweetheart. You can pack up your things and I’ll do some arranging at my house.” Jennie waved as she exited ahead of them, calling over her shoulder.
“See you two tomorrow.”
“Things are coming together so well. My new guests show up in the morning. After I get them checked in, we can get my things over to your house and then you can help Jennie move in. Oh, and I have to wash the sheets, you know, new bedding for her. Maybe these two guys will bring me more business by spreading the good word around after staying at my place!” Beau immediately remembered the men that Mara said were checking in and the odd feeling he got when she told him their names.
“What were your guests’ names?” He asked her.
“Mr. Thomas and Mr. Jones.” That’s what it was, they sounded fake. Two Mr’s, with the most common last names out there.
“How about while you
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