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The only reaction she got from him was a grunt.
He could be grumpy all he wanted. She wasn’t going anywhere, and he needed to get used to it.
Scarlett followed Elijah into the hardware store, making sure to stay close. She wasn’t about to let him wander off and purchase anything without her knowing. It didn’t matter that he seemed to have good intentions. If she was going to do this right, she needed to make sure she didn’t take any handouts from anyone.
The irony wasn’t lost on her. Yes, her father had been trying to do just that—to make sure they weren’t getting Elijah’s help for free.
Elijah stopped and pulled something off the shelf to examine it. While he was reading the back of the packaging, she took a minute to study him. He had a small bit of scruff growing along his jawline that seemed to make it more angular. His eyes were the same kind of blue as Annabel’s, but his hair was darker—brown rather than blond.
He’d always been more serious than Lucas. But that was about all she knew about him.
Well, that and he was fiercely protective of his family.
Was it strange that even though he’d targeted her as the threat, she found his need to keep his sister safe almost desirable?
Yes, it was weird. He’d been nothing but rude to her since she’d gotten back to town. Elijah wasn’t the one for her, no matter how much she wanted to settle down. He glanced in her direction, but she wasn’t fast enough and he caught her staring.
She blinked, flushed, but held his gaze.
“What?” he murmured, placing the item back on the shelf.
“Why are you helping my dad?” It was the only thing she could think of to ask him that would make sense. His helping was out of the norm on a good day. And considering everything else that was going on, it simply didn’t make sense.
He stared at her for maybe a second longer, then moved down the aisle without an answer. She hurried after him, then got in front of him. “Hey, I asked you a question.” Though her tone was light, even she could hear the accusation in it. She needed to pivot if she didn’t want to mess up what her father had set up because even she could admit they needed help, and right now, it wasn’t like there were many who were knocking down the doors to do that. “Don’t get me wrong. I do appreciate that you’re willing to help, but it… doesn’t add up.”
Elijah stiffened. Or maybe that was all in her imagination. It was possible that she was seeking out defensive behavior because she wanted him to be up to no good. He slipped down another aisle, and she fell into step beside him. “I’m helping because my brother offered and then wasn’t able to follow through.”
She lifted her brows. “Lucas asked you to do it?”
He frowned, his jaw working back and forth. “Yeah. And a Keagan is nothing without his word. So, if he’s not going to be around to help, then someone needed to be.”
His explanation only added to his attraction. Elijah might be helping her out of duty, but he didn’t have to. It wasn’t his responsibility. Once again, Elijah was demonstrating how important his family was to him.
She couldn’t help but wonder what it might have been like to have someone so protective over her. Scarlett’s whole life had been about sticking up for herself and chasing after the things she wanted because if she didn’t, no one else would do it for her.
“What?” Elijah demanded, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“Nothing,” she stammered. “I just couldn’t figure out why you would go through all the trouble to help my father when you have a lot on your plate, too.”
“What are you talking about?” Now he really was defensive.
“You… your family’s farm… it’s always been a little rough going, hasn’t it?”
The pure and utter indignation that shined from his expression had her second-guessing everything she knew about the Keagan’s property and the business they ran. Annabel hadn’t updated her on how things were going. They usually didn’t talk about anything she didn’t find interesting, and she’d always resented being the one to help raise her brothers and sisters.
Unless she’d only been keeping that stuff from Scarlett because she was embarrassed by it.
“I don’t know what Annabel has said to you, but our farm is doing just fine. There’s a lot of work, but we’re all pitching in. Ever since we were awarded some money, we’ve been able to—” He cut himself off. “We’re doing just fine,” he repeated.
She didn’t know what to say. There was nothing she could say that wouldn’t sound like she was trying to placate him.
The longer they stood there at odds with one another, the worse the sensations in her stomach became. Scarlett looked down at her feet, feeling like all of her previous confidence had drained from her body and now she was standing in it like she might have stood in a puddle after rain.
Elijah sighed. “Look, I’m willing to help as long as your dad needs me to. I’m not walking away with nothing. I’m going to get compensated. So don’t go trying to find problems where there are none.” He turned and strode away without waiting to see if she’d follow him.
She’d always known that Elijah had strong feelings about his family. As the third in line, he’d always seemed to be ready to take on more responsibility than was needed.
But he also had a good head on his shoulders, and he wasn’t about to lose out on an opportunity that could benefit him. She couldn’t fault him for any of it.
