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“It’s gone better than I’d hoped,” he said, patting her hand and smiling down at her. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled made her stomach flip.

Sadie cleared her throat and stood straight to stretch as best she could in her outfit. A trickle of sweat tickled its way down between her breasts. “I could use a break. Maybe we should hold out until tomorrow for the rest.”

“If we get a couple more in, we’re half done,” Wally said, hand on hip.

Gripping her waist, she tried to lean back enough to readjust herself. How’d she used to wear these corsets so often? She winced at a stab of pain that hit her side and coughed, trying to gulp some air.

Wally pulled her close with a hand splayed across her back. “What’s going on? Are you sick?” he whispered.

“No. It’s this damn corset,” she admitted, unable to look him in the eye. “I hate these things, but I wanted to look proper for your guests.”

“I guarantee you, none of these women have worn one all day,” Wally said, voice soft and comforting like a warm biscuit. He tipped her chin up to face him and she tried her best to suppress another coughing fit. “Let’s take a break. Get out of that thing and be yourself, please. No one wears them in Washington anymore.”

“Really?” Sadie felt her eyes go big. Washington sounded like a perfect place to her. Women who were equal to men and held male jobs, no corsets, and people like Wally. She could get used to a place like that.

“You bet. I’ll come back. I have a project to work on that Teddy can help with, and then we can discuss where to go from here. You’ve been great. Thank you.”

Glancing over his shoulder at her with a huge, gorgeous smile on his face, Wally led the group away. Unable to help herself, she returned his grin. Try as she might, she couldn’t figure where they might be going since Devil’s Creek was the only town within ten miles. Wally and his secret life had her baffled and curious. The man was like a perfect nut she just had to crack open no matter how tough it was because she knew the inside would be worth it.

The shell isn’t too bad, either, she thought, watching his backside as he retreated toward the hill and into the distance with a gaggle of people behind.

She jumped when Teddy appeared at her side, tracing her view to the retreating group.

“You like him, don’t you, Ma?”

“Of course I do. He’s a nice man, and they don’t come around often. I got lucky with you and your daddy.” She pulled him close.

Teddy rolled his eyes like she hadn’t answered his question. Maybe she hadn’t, but the truth was, she didn’t know how. It was true that Wally knew how to kiss and touch her in ways that brought her back to life like she hadn’t thought possible after James died. But physical infatuation wasn’t enough to take care of Teddy’s future. She liked Wally’s kindness, how he always treated her like someone of equal worth despite his intelligence and stature. And those coffee eyes…she could drink him in all day long.

But Wally’d made it clear he couldn’t stay, and though she wouldn’t stop trying to convince him otherwise, she’d have to respect that if it came down to it. And she didn’t want Teddy to get too attached if the man wasn’t sticking around.

He’d lost too much already. They both had.

“Why are you crying, Ma?” Teddy asked. Only then did she feel the tears burning trails down her cheeks.

Sadie wiped at her face, trying to laugh it off. “It’s this damn deathtrap I put on. I need to get it off. How about you fix us some lunch while I change?”

Teddy agreed with a grunt and set about finding some jerky and a jar of pickled vegetables off the shelves for them since that was easiest.

The moment she loosened the laces and dropped the thing to the ground, Sadie gulped a lungful of air. Her abdomen hurt like a son of a bitch, and her head felt fuzzy, so she slipped into some of James’s old jeans she’d altered and her favorite cream-colored shirt with laces up the top in the front. The loose sleeves and light cotton material felt good compared to the overtight, stiff, and too hot outfit she’d worn earlier. She pulled the pins out of her hair and gathered the coiled curls, twisting them into a quick braid.

“You set out three plates,” she said, joining Teddy at the table after pulling on her worn leather boots.

“Wally’s coming back,” Teddy said, setting out the prickly pear jam they normally saved for special occasions next to the biscuits that were still taking over the house. Sadie had baked all night for Wally’s groups, figuring she had to feed all those people in one day.

“I see,” Sadie said, tearing off a bite of jerky as she took in her son.

Teddy had grown so much in the two years since James had left. She found herself surprised to notice his baby face had thinned out and his limbs had grown tall and lanky like the rest of him. His overalls were several inches too short. Why hadn’t he said anything? She’d have to get new ones for him. Ike had a new book in the store called the Sears Roebuck Catalog. He’d bragged about it as Harriet had checked out. If she could order him some new clothes, maybe she could avoid the long, uncomfortable visits to Eleanor while she dodged questions for hours. She’d have to check the can and see how much of their dwindling money she could spare. She’d gladly go without her own new duds if it meant Teddy was taken care of.

Teddy sat down and stared at the window.

“Eat,” Sadie said between bites.

“I’ll wait for Wally.” Teddy kept his eyes on the distance.

What if Wally didn’t come back? Sadie’s heart squeezed. But just as she was about to make up some excuse, Wally’s figure rose in the distance. Teddy’s face lit up with a grin, and he rushed out the door to meet him.

Sadie set down the half-eaten piece of jerky and stared at it.

If she could crack the nut named Wally and figure out what he wanted most, maybe she could somehow give it to him. And if she did that, she could get him to stay, and that would solve all her problems.

She’d already tried sex, duplicity, and bargaining, and she’d gotten this far. Maybe it was time to do what she detested most. But if it was for Teddy…

Making up her mind as Wally and Teddy came through the door laughing, Sadie nodded. She’d stoop to playing on his sympathies.

Of course, if that didn’t work, there was always the shotgun…