Brett entered the kitchen at his usual time to find Ned eating toast and porridge while the coffee dripped. It was the first time since she'd woken that Maisey hadn't been there with a smile and a plate, not that he expected it but it was outside her routine. He thought back to the warning Andy had given him that it was possible she had overdone. Her bedroom door was mostly closed but no light came from inside. Ned shrugged and shook his head, Brett decided to give her some space and let her sleep.
"Don't you dare think you're getting out of taking me with you," a very awake Maisey called from the dark bedroom when Ned opened the back door. Brett had just lifted a frying pan out of the sink that hadn't been there the night before.
"I'm pretty sure you don't want to ride a tractor all day," the old man called back.
"Very funny," Maisey laughed, "Brett promised to take me to see fence repairs today," she told him, "I've just had a bit of a... wardrobe malfunction." she explained from the bedroom. She was embarrassed to tell him she'd started menstruating & had to throw out the burned eggs from having to walk away from cooking, "What time does the grocery store open?" She only had minimal supplies in her truck.
Brett gapped at the dark space that was her doorframe, "You want to go back to town already?"
"Need and want are two very different things," she declared coming into the room, "and no, it's not an errand you can run for me," her fingers were deftly braiding her long hair out of her face. "and since I have to go: does anywhere sell hats?"
Brett scowled, "the feedlot does, it's open now and the other stores open at 8."
Maisey looked at the clock, "Can I follow you out in my truck then I can just duck out and come back when I'm done in town?"
"Need more of those heavy gloves, 100 yards of 9 gauge," Ned said absently, "a half ton of that mushroom manure Jonas has and that 15" blade sharpened."
Brett could have hugged his uncle, "Sounds like I need to make a run into the feedlot unless you can handle all that?" with a shrug at her blank expression he nodded, "alright greenhorn, let's head out to the barn and see what else we didn't know we needed yesterday then we'll run into town." Maisey grabbed a hoodie and followed him into the cool morning air.
It didn't take long for Maisey to figure out this was a make work project so she didn't have to go alone. She was grateful but decided not to say anything.
Brett showed her different tools and gathered up a six types of clippers or shears that could use sharpening and took the axe and hatchet for good measure. He couldn't figure out what would force her to want to go back into town so soon but decided she'd tell him when she was ready, meanwhile he meant to have enough to do to be there.
It was 6:30 when they finally climbed into Brett's truck with the tools stowed. Like the day before, the drive was short and it was almost too soon before they pulled into the lot. Blindloss' diner lights were on and she could see a few patrons but mostly the town was busy on their properties. As she stepped out of the truck the same man from the day before came out of the building.
"Morning Hank," Brett shook the man's hand, "this is my friend Maisey."
"Ma'am," Hank tipped his cowboy hat at her. Backlit as he was Maisey couldn't really see his features and greated him from the bottom of the steps. "Now Brett what brings you in so early?"
Brett grinned, "Well, Ms Maisey needs a hat," he indicated to her to come up the stairs, " And Uncle Ned gave me a list of things that he forgot to tell me to take care of yesterday so figured I'd get that done before I start mending fence."
"A hat is it?" Hank's tone was smiling, "Why don't you head on inside, ma'am and take a look around while I help Brett with his needs. Ms Anna came by with a list for the Doc this morning. She's inside settling up with my man there."
At that announcement Maisey smiled and thanking him went inside. Anna turned with a surprised grin when she entered the room, "I'm very proud of you," Anna told her. "Maisey, this is Lucas Barnes, Hank's righthanded man at the feedlot, Lucas that's Maisey, she lives out at the Bogs with Brett."
Lucas was muscular and lean like all the younger cowboys Maisey had seen, with brown hair and green eyes she felt stabbed right into her soul, "Yes," she couldn't break eye contact, "Uncle Ned and Brett have been kind about letting me stay there," she hated the inference that Anna made. "Andy suggested I ned a hat," she said, "Medicine Hat's a little too far to go for a hair cut and if I'm going to learn to help at the Bogs now that I'm feeling better I need something to keep the dratted hair out of my eyes." she swiped at some in emphasize, "And then, since you're being so helpful Anna, you can help me find some things at the grocery store while Brett is sharpening every tool in Uncle Ned's tool shed."
"The wall behind you, " Lucas told her as he continued to record Anna's purchases and she found herself melting at the deep baritone in his voice, "try the tan one three rows up or the darker brown one two above that, black would not suit you're pretty blue eyes and fair skin well at all."
"Now how come you didn't flirt so pretty with me when I came in for a hat last time?" Anna pulled the two hats down with a pretty pout, making Lucas flush.
"I'm not flirting," he told her bluntly, "you wouldn't know flirting if it jumped up and bit you Anna," he teased back, "Poor Nate's pride was tore up good when you showed up to the river with Kevin and barely talked to him all afternoon."
Anna had the grace to flush as she settled the tan hat on Maisey's head, "he should have had more sense than to say a bunch of us are going swimming and said he wanted to picnic with me," she changed the hats, "I'd have told the poor kid he's much too young for me and not told half the town to come down to swim." even Maisey laughed, "get both, the light one for working, the dark one for when you're not."
"I need 2?"
Lucas's rich throaty laugh drew her eyes back to him, "Stay here long greenhorn and you'll have at least three: your work hat, your town hat and your formal hat. Some ladies even have a Sunday church hat."
"Let's just start with one," Maisey decided, "which one is better?" she asked again.
"The lighter one, if you're only taking one," Lucas told her, handing Anna her credit card back, "it looks good and it has a little wider brim at the back that will keep sun off your neck. You ladies go shop now and we'll settle up when Brett's done, I'd better go help him load that manure before Hank bursts a blood vessel straining himself."
He held the door and then took the ramp in three opposite direction. "he was so flirting, " Anna whispered conspiratorially.
"Come on," Maisey laughed, "Save me the embarrassment of asking a stranger where I can find sanitary napkins."
Anna nodded, dropped her purchases into the truck and walked down the block with her friend, "i was surprised to hear you and Brett at the feedlot just for a hat, this makes much more sense."
"I think Brett just about fell over this morning when I told him I wanted to go back into town."
"I'm sure." Anna smiled, "One day that Lucas is going to realize what's in front of him," she sighed suddenly melancholy, "you'd think five years of only going in when he was there would give him a clue." At Maisey's questioning look she confessed, "I've had a crush on Lucas Barnes since eighth grade when he slugged Brett for knocking me over in a soccer game." she sighed, "but I can't get him to see me as anything more than Andy's sister, the nurse, or Brett's little friend."
The two women entered the store and Anna took her to the right area of the store, saying good morning to several of the women who worked there in the mornings. "Have you tried being less subtle?"
"What do you mean?" Anna worried her thumb nail, Maisey noted that most of her nails had been chewed. "Invite him to do something."
"Like what?"
Maisey paid for her purchases, "Well you've helped me and basically told the guy I'm off limits so let me help you out." Lucas and Brett were leaning against the tailgate when they got back to the truck, "hey Lucas," Maisey interrupted, standing close to Brett and touching his arm, "Brett and I were going to go for a picnic this Saturday and Anna has to come as my nurse to make sure I don't overdo it, would you come and help keep her company? I don't want her to be bored while Brett shows me around and I don't think I like the sounds of some of those other guys you were talking about."
Anna was dumbfounded, Brett was surprised by the declaration and confused. Lucas was thoughtful, "Only if Anna brings chicken sandwiches," he said finally, "should I meet you at the Bogs or where?"
"The Bogs is fine, let's say 11 so everyone can sleep off any hangovers."
"Does that mean Brett's bringing you out Friday night?"
"Nope," she shook her head, "I don't do crowds. Brett should be going though, he owes Addie a dance."
Brett groaned, "Get in the truck, troublemaker, Ned's going to wonder where we're at."