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Adam recoiled in horror, only half feigning it. “Perish the thought.”
Woodson made a noise that might have been a laugh. “Employment, then? The clock is tickin’.”
“As a matter of fact, I was just hired by Mr. Vernice, Mrs. DuVere’s builder.”
Woodson looked him up and down, if anything emphasizing his skepticism rather than bothering to hide it. “You don’t seem the buildin’ type.”
Adam shrugged. “I’m willing to learn. How hard can it be?”
Woodson barked out a laugh. “I’ll be amazed if you last the day.”
Adam didn’t bother to hold in his sigh. “I might surprise you.”
“Very few people surprise me.”
“Maybe I’ll be one of the lucky few,” Adam said, still not really believing he was sitting in a tavern, at a table full of men making him chat about his feelings, trading mostly civil words with the bastard he’d been sure would shoot him on sight only a few hours earlier.
Woodson grumbled. “Don’t count on it.”
“Now, Sheriff, the least we could do is lend him our support,” Sunshine said.
“He’s still alive,” Woodson said with another glower. “That’s support enough.”
But Doc raised his glass. “Much luck to you, Mr. Brady.”
Sunshine followed suit, with a grin that Adam was beginning to realize was his perpetual facial expression. Preacher didn’t say anything but raised his glass as well.
“Thanks,” Adam said, oddly touched by their well wishes. He raised his glass and gave them a small nod, then took another sip of his whiskey. “Well,” he said, blowing out a breath. “If it doesn’t work out, I’m sure I’ll find something else. I still have time. Three weeks and six days.”
Woodson snorted. “You’re goin’ to need ’em.” He drained the rest of his mineral water and clapped his hat on his head. “I think I’ll be headin’ home to see what my wife has burned for supper.”
Woodson nodded at Adam, ignoring his raised brows, and stalked out of the tavern.
Adam groaned into his glass and hazarded another tiny sip. The whiskey singed its way down his throat and hit his stomach like a trail of acid. He released his breath with a hiss. Good stuff.
“Don’t worry, Brady. If the building job doesn’t work out, I’m sure you’ll find something around this town that needs doing,” Doc said with an encouraging smile. “If you’re sure you don’t want to try and patch things up with Nora…”
Brady cocked an eyebrow at him and shook his head. “Trust me, she’s better off without me.” He’d learned that the hard way, more than once.
“Well, good luck, then,” Doc said, draining the last of his drink and standing to take his leave. He tipped his hat at Brady and headed out the door.
“I’ll walk over with you, Doc,” Sunshine said. He turned to Brady with a big grin. “Welcome to town.”
Brady raised his glass to him. “Thanks.”
Left alone with Preacher, Brady tried to sit under the man’s solemn stare and not squirm.
“You’re set on an annulment, then?” Preacher finally asked.
Adam nodded. “It really is for the best.”
“If you say so.” He shrugged and then frowned. “Well, if you’re dead set on it, it’ll take me a little time to figure out how to do it.”
Adam’s brows rose. “You mean you don’t know how?”
Preacher shrugged again. “Never had anyone who wanted to annul their marriage before. Out in these parts, you get lucky enough to find a woman who’ll marry you, you tend to keep her.” He rubbed his finger along his bottom lip, his brow creased in thought. “It’d be easier to divorce…” he muttered. Then his frown deepened. “But you can’t divorce if the marriage was never legal. No matter what God may think of the matter.” He thought for another moment, then shook his head. “I suppose if you’re not a religious man, you could go on your way and consider yourself unwed.”
The pastor’s grim face said enough about what he thought of that idea.
