Maybe that was something they could talk about eventually, but an awkward silence descended and she found herself talking just to fill it.
“My horses are coming back, although I guess I told you that in the text.” They had had such an easy rapport when they spoke at the festival. Why was it so weird today?
Maybe it was because she realized after talking to him that they had so much in common, and she actually admired him. He was handsome and kind and articulate, and she saw him as a man, rather than…someone who had lost his wife.
“The stables are empty and waiting on them. I was going to fix some fence, so the pastures will be ready for them as well.”
She couldn’t help the widening of her eyes. He didn’t need to do that. He wasn’t using the pastures at all, and the only reason thathe’d be fixing the fence would either be for the aesthetic effects or because he wanted to help her. After talking to him, she guessed the latter, because that was just the way he was.
“Wow. Maybe I can come and give you a hand with that fence. Once I unpack my car, I don’t have anything else planned for the rest of the day. Although Tuesday I just told Sunny I would give her a hand with some muffins she has to make.”
“All right. That sounds good to me. We’ll plan on fixing fence on Monday around ten o’clock or so?”
“Yeah. That sounds good.”
“Perfect. That gives me a chance to check in with my business and make sure everything’s going okay there.”
She nodded, and he said, “I guess we should go ahead in.”
“Yeah,” she said and somehow found herself walking up the steps, very aware of his presence beside her. She hadn’t realized how much bigger he was than she, and while he didn’t make her feel scared or threatened in any way, she felt petite and feminine. Which was…a little odd. And it was even more odd that she liked it. Usually she enjoyed feeling competent and in control. As she didn’t particularly like the feeling of being small and dainty.
Funny how having the right person beside her made the feeling one that she cherished rather than disliked.
“Gilbert McBride!”
Mrs. Tucker came hurrying toward them from the side of the church.
Summer wasn’t sure whether she should stay or whether she should run away. She figured she was saved from Mrs. Tucker, since Mrs. Tucker had already asked her for her favor of the day. But maybe she should give Gilbert and Mrs. Tucker privacy.
She was a little trapped between the two of them though, since her back was against the wall and Gilbert moved over to allow Mrs. Tucker to stand a little to her left in front of her. For her to leave would have made more of a big deal than for her to just stand there.
“Good morning, Mrs. Tucker,” Gilbert said pleasantly.
“I’m so glad I caught you. I have the most wonderful news,” Mrs. Tucker said, lifting both hands and pumping her fist like Gilbert was going to be excited.
Summer figured that that meant she had something extra difficult for Gilbert to do. And she tried not to giggle. After all, it wasn’t kind to glory in someone else’s misery. And Gilbert truly did look miserable, despite his pleasant tone.
“And what would that be?” he asked, tilting his head and seeming to feign interest.
“We have a new resident in our small town. We are so blessed to have Darla Zoubak who is moving here all the way from Washington, DC. Now, I said to myself, Helen, who would be the perfect person to show Darla around our town, and do you know whose name came to my mind immediately?”
“Roland’s,” Gilbert said immediately, and Summer had to stifle a laugh. Of course he would name his brother, hoping that Mrs. Tucker would go sink her claws into him.
“That was close. Right family, but it was you.” She used both pointer fingers to point right at Gilbert’s chest. It was a little surprising that he didn’t try to duck.
“I know that you will be the perfect person to lead her around, and I don’t like to be the one that reminds you of things that happened in the past, but it’s been almost a year since you lost your wife, and you really need to get back in the dating scene. Darla is perfect for you. She’s a professional, she works for a congressman in Washington, and she’s looking for a weekend getaway. Which, of course, our town is perfect for her. She has all of next week, and so she’s spending it here with us, and she somehow got my name.” Mrs. Tucker put a hand on her chest and pretended to be shocked, like everyone in town wouldn’t say her name as the person who knew the most about everyone, except possibly the Secret Saint.
“And she gave me a call and asked me if I could set her up with someone who not only could be a possible love interest for her weekend getaways here but also who would show her around thetown and give her a good time. Automatically I thought of you. You are the best person to represent our town, and I hope you don’t mind, but I gave her your name and your number, and she’ll be contacting you about where you two can meet on Tuesday for you to show her everything you know about our quaint little town.”
Mrs. Tucker looked so pleased with herself that Summer wasn’t sure she would have been able to come up with any kind of rational argument, and… Maybe Gilbert didn’t want to.
After all, Mrs. Tucker was right. It had been a year since his wife passed away, and he probably was ready to get into the dating scene again, and Darla really did sound perfect for him. After all, he had a business in a bigger town, and he was used to rubbing elbows with businesspeople, and for some reason, that made Summer, and her little horseback riding therapy thing, seem like kindergarten compared to Darla and her big-city ways. A congressman. That was impressive.
She wished she would have left whenever she had the opportunity, but to leave now would feel like slinking away, and she didn’t want Gilbert to think that she was all doom and gloom just because they had spent one evening having a nice conversation together, and now he was being tapped to lead another woman around town.
“I know you’re not going to let me down. Your mom will be so pleased with you being the next Mrs. Tucker of Mistletoe Meadows.” Mrs. Tucker waved her hand in the air and hurried off.
“I’m not sure I was given the opportunity to decline that,” Gilbert said slowly after she left.
