The Texan's Engagement Agreement. Noelle Marchand
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filled her. “Threatening letters?”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Nothing serious or out of the ordinary for an investigative journalist, I assure you. It only makes me more eager to break the story. I’ve a hunch whoever it is set up a fake charity in one of these out-of-the-way towns we’ve been visiting. The three we’ve been to so far have all seemed legitimate. I wasn’t planning to visit a fourth on this trip, but we may as well check it out since we have to stop here anyway.” He flipped through a few pages in his notebook. “Any chance you’re familiar with this address?”
She leaned closer and was relieved to see that it was on Main Street but in the opposite direction from Johansen’s Mercantile. “That has to be in the newer section of town. They were just starting to build in that area when Mother and I moved away. If you’d given me the address, I could have had one of my friends look into it for you.”
He shook his head. “A good reporter finds out the facts for himself. Besides, if something is amiss I’ll need some sort of proof. Think you can lead the way?”
“I’m sure I could.” They checked their luggage with the stationmaster before heading off to investigate. Adelaide kept her head down as much as possible, but the glimpses she caught of the town proved it had gone through a surprising number of changes within the five years she’d been gone. There were so many more businesses, and everyone looked more fashionable and up-to-date than she recalled.
It only took a few minutes for them to find the building. It looked like any other business, except that it boasted no sign to indicate what type of business might be conducted inside, and all of its cobalt-blue shutters were closed tight. Knocking on the door yielded no answer.
Her stepfather set up his camera and took a few pictures as proof of the building’s existence. “I think I’ll talk to a few townsfolk while we’re here to find out if they know anything about this place. The stationmaster told me there’s a popular café on the other end of Main Street. Let’s head over there and see what we can discover.”
Adelaide bit her lip as alarm lifted her brows. Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t find it within herself to protest as she followed Everett’s purposeful step in the exact direction she’d wanted to avoid. They’d nearly reached the café when she heard a delighted gasp. “Adelaide Harper, as I live and breathe! That is you. I knew it.”
Adelaide turned just in time to receive a hug from her former classmate. “Ellie O’Brien. No, it’s Ellie Williams now. Isn’t it?”
“It most certainly is.” The blonde grinned and then transferred her smile to the man who came to stand beside her. “You remember my husband, Lawson, don’t you?”
“Of course.” She offered her hand to Lawson who had graduated a couple of years before her.
He gave it a friendly squeeze. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”
Adelaide responded in kind before introducing her stepfather to the couple. They soon realized that they’d all been heading to Maddie’s Café and decided to share a table. As they ate, Ellie asked, “So, Adelaide, what brings you back to Peppin after all these years?”
Adelaide refused to follow the speculative glance Ellie sent out the nearby window, since she knew it would land directly across the street...on Johansen’s Mercantile. Feeling a hint of warmth spread across her cheeks, Adelaide allowed her stepfather to explain the nature of their visit. He didn’t go into detail, but what he said was enough to put a frown of pure confusion on Lawson’s face. “There is no orphanage in Peppin. I ought to know. If there had been, I would have been put there when I first arrived in town ten years ago.”
Ellie shook her head. “Lawson Clive Williams, you know that isn’t true. My sister and brother-in-law never would have allowed it. Neither would the Williamses.”
“You’re right, honey. I just meant that I would know if there had been an orphanage in town.”
Adelaide shrugged. “Well, the building is one of the newer ones. Perhaps it’s in the process of being set up.”
Both Ellie and Lawson seemed doubtful.
Everett hummed thoughtfully. “In that case, I’d like to find out just how long it’s taking them to get started. Where’s the local land office?”
“If you don’t mind me tagging along,” Lawson offered, “I’ll take you there myself.”
Ellie waved the men on saying, “We’ll meet y’all at the mercantile.”
As the men left, Adelaide’s gaze snapped to Ellie’s sparkling green eyes. “Ellie, I couldn’t. Things didn’t end well between Chris and me. He wouldn’t want to see me.”
Ellie tilted her head as her gaze slid between Adelaide and the mercantile several times. Finally the woman shrugged. “It seems to me, the question isn’t would he want to see you, but...” Ellie placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward before lowering her voice. “Do you want to see him?”
Adelaide wavered. “Well, maybe...just a glimpse. A glimpse—simply out of curiosity...”
It only took a few moments for them to formulate their plan. Ellie would go into the mercantile and lure Chris over to the display window. Adelaide would catch a glimpse of him as she oh-so-casually and undetectably walked past. Afterwards, she’d just keep on walking right to the train station where Ellie would tell Everett to find her.
There was hardly any risk involved. There was nothing to be nervous about. There was no reason to examine why seeing Chris had become so important to her.
Adelaide waited until she saw a flicker of movement in the display window. Heart pounding in her chest, she strolled toward it. She stole a quick glance, only to accidentally catch the unmistakably kind gaze of Olan Johansen. Chris’s father froze. Recognition flared in his eyes. He leaned forward and knocked on the glass as if he didn’t already have her attention.
She realized she’d stopped in her tracks. Panicking, she started to turn one way then the other before realizing it would be incredibly rude not to acknowledge the man. She did so with a smile and a minuscule wave. He grinned, then beckoned her inside.
Her eyes widened. She shook her head. Still smiling, she began to back away muttering, “Oh, no. Oh, no. No. No. No. I am not going in there.”
The man left the window an instant before he stepped onto the sidewalk. He was saying something, but all she could do was stare at the mercantile door, which somehow got ever closer. She was speaking now, responding automatically to whatever he’d said. “Yes, it’s wonderful to see you, too. I’m surprised myself. I wasn’t planning to be here. Oh, doesn’t the store look wonderful? You’ve rearranged things, haven’t you?”
“Chris!” She winced as Mr. Johansen’s bellow echoed through the large store. “Chris, come here. Chris!”
Adelaide backed up a step as everyone but Chris gathered around to see what the commotion was about. Finally, Chris eased through the crowd with Ellie at his heels. He was just as tall as she remembered, but he’d filled out in muscle—a man now, instead of the boy she remembered. He moved with a sense of purpose and confidence that a less sensible woman might find downright intoxicating. His hair had grown out a little but it still reminded her of spun gold. His fingers raked it away from the worry that wrinkled his brow as his blue gaze landed on his father with a mixture of confusion and concern. “What is it, Pa? Are you all right? What’s happened?”
“I’m better than all right. Look who’s finally here.” Olan caught her hand and lifted it, pulling her a step forward. Adelaide barely held back a groan. All she’d wanted was a glimpse of Chris. Instead, she was getting a whole lot of trouble.
Chris’s gaze continued to search his father’s