as Athena walked into the feed store in Cowboy Crossing.
Because of taking care of Mr. Hudson for the last months of his life, she’d gotten to know the Hudson family fairly well.
Marlowe Hudson, who was married to Clark Hudson, smiled at her from behind the counter when she walked in.
“Athena! It’s great to see you. I thought you might be leaving Cowboy Crossing now that...your assignment is up.” Marlowe’s face dimmed slightly, and Athena couldn’t blame her for stumbling and not wanting to mention Mr. Hudson.
It had been a blow to the family, as deaths always were, especially since this had been mostly unexpected and rather quick.
“I’m actually going to stay in town a little longer. My new assignment is from out of town, and you wouldn’t know her. However, I know you know Preston, since he was around here growing up and moved here not long ago.”
“Of course. I don’t see him in here much, but he was good friends with Andrew and Shane.” Again, Marlowe stumbled over mentioning the friend who had died while rock climbing with his friends.
He hadn’t been from Cowboy Crossing either, but the three friends had spent time in town.
Marlowe’s face brightened again. “Perfect timing for you to come. Ivory is here,” she said, referring to Chandler Hudson’s wife. “She’s back looking at the garden seed. This time of year, everybody’s ready to get their hands back in the dirt.” Marlowe held her own hands up. “I’m not even a gardener, and I can’t wait to get out and plant a few things.”
“You garden,” Athena said. “You eat stuff that you grow.”
“True. But around here, there are serious gardeners, and that’s not me.”
“Yeah, me either.” She’d chosen to be a nurse, and she loved it. But the older she got, the more she knew she’d love to have a family to care for more than patients. It just wasn’t something the Lord had given her. It wasn’t something her heart had allowed, stuck as it was on someone who could never love her back. Not like he loved the bottle.
“I guess Clark has the children?” Athena asked.
“He does. We’ve actually hired someone to work behind the counter here, but it’s going to be another week before they can start.”
“Spring’s a busy season.”
“It sure is. And Clark wants to be in the field. I can’t blame him. I know his mom will watch the children, but we didn’t want to overwhelm her with her still grieving.” Marlowe shook her head. “These are her golden years. She was supposed to be able to enjoy relaxing and not working so hard and maybe doing some traveling with her husband.” Marlowe’s lip turned back. “I hate to see her spend the rest of her life alone.”
Having been with the Hudson family, especially Mrs. Hudson, for several months while Mr. Hudson declined, Athena knew that Mrs. Hudson was highly unlikely to be spending the rest of her life alone. There had been a man who had been very attentive to her, although not disrespectful or inappropriate in any way.
However, Athena was pretty sure that man was interested in more than just a platonic relationship with Mrs. Hudson.
That probably wasn’t her information to hand out.
“What makes you think that Mrs. Hudson’s never going to get married again?” Ivory came up and said, taking the words right out of Athena’s mouth. Although she probably wouldn’t have said it quite like that. While she was good friends with Marlowe and Ivory, she wasn’t part of the family and didn’t feel quite that relaxed.
Marlowe’s mouth dropped open like she had never even considered the idea. “Well... Well.” She had to laugh. “I suppose it’s possible. I hadn’t considered that. Mrs. Hudson is just, you know, married to Mr. Hudson. There’s no one else.”
“I know what you mean,” Ivory said with a sweet smile, her face glowing. Being married to her movie star husband had been very good for her. She’d come out of her shell and blossomed beautifully, like a tender rose, sweet and pretty, on the end of a hearty climbing bush. “I suppose you’ve been in the family longer than I have, but still, seeing her in town, it’s hard to picture her with anyone else. But Mrs. Hudson isn’t that old. I mean, maybe to us, but she’s barely fifty. I’m sure she would love to do all those things that you said, and I’m sure she would love a romance to go with them.”
“Mrs. Hudson’s a beautiful woman. On