Ella: an Everland Ever After Tale Read Online Free Page B

wouldn’t run out; after all, when the train left tomorrow morning she’d be unable to return to buy more. But the businessman in him was pleased to hear the amount. “Excellent.” He began to wrap the small bolt of fringe in brown paper. “Whatever you’re making will certainly be lovely. I’m glad that I had enough for you.”
    She glanced up at him, and when she saw that he was smiling, relaxed a little. That same callused finger tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear as she shifted her weight from one hip to the other. “Honestly, you were my last stop, Mr. Crowne. Mrs. Pedlar told me that since this shop was run by a man, you were unlikely to have the right fripperies.” Ian wasn’t surprised; he had very few female customers, and assumed it was because of gossip. Pedlar Dry Goods was run by a husband and wife, with almost-grown children, so they had no end of help, and apparently most of the customers too. It was galling.
    Ella continued airily, obviously not realizing the importance of her little confession. “But she must tell all the women that, because her fabrics were well-picked over.”
    “Not mine, though.” He felt a little silly, defending his store to this stranger who was passing through, but it was instinctive. He wanted her to think well of him.
    “Not yours.” A smile, and Ian’s breath caught. Had she been pretty when she was staring at him in awe, or when she blushed? When she smiled brightly like this, she was downright beautiful.
    He felt the thickness climb up his throat again—the way it always did when he was attracted to a woman who would only pity him—and build in his trousers, and this time he didn’t tamp it down. He was too busy looking, admiring, wondering at Ella’s bright smile.
    It was like a ray of sunshine had sneaked in through the door and wound its way around to the back of the store. Ian’s heart felt lighter , somehow, staring at her. She was stunning.
    And then something did sneak in through the door. Manny had been out on the porch with Shiloh and Vick, but he tended to not stay in any one place too long. Now he did his little hop-shuffle towards the counter, and caught Ella’s attention. And she smiled again, when she saw the scrawny crippled dog. “Hello there. Who’re you?”
    She squatted down, right there in the middle of his store, and put her hand out for Manny to smell. The dog whined, and if he’d still had a tail, would’ve tucked in between his legs. Ian whistled quietly, and Manny’s haunches lowered trustingly. As he lifted himself around the edge of the counter, Ian spoke to Ella. “This is Manny.” The dog’s tongue lolled out when he heard his name. “He’s not fond of strangers.”
    Still with her hand out, Ella patiently smiled. “Hello Manny, I’m Ella.” The dog took a cautious shuffle forward on its three legs, until he could sniff at Ella’s hand. “See? Now we’re not strangers, are we? Good boy, Manny.” By the end of her soothing chatter, the dog let her scratch under his chin.
    Ian, who’d been in the process of lowering himself down to assure Manny that Ella wouldn’t hurt him, was surprised. Manny didn’t often tolerate anyone’s touch besides Ian, and Ella hadn’t hesitated to make friends with the crippled animal.
    And he’d been watching her face the whole time… there’d been no pity there. Just friendship.
    So maybe he was a little confused, trying to second-guess himself, as he wrapped up the rest of her purchases. Manny sat on the opposite side of the counter with her, and she occasionally reached down to absentmindedly scratch behind the dog’s ears. He’d never seen a woman do that with a dog as ugly as Manny.
    “Manny doesn’t usually let people touch him.” He’d found the bloody and beaten dog tied near the DeVille ranch last summer, so it was understandable that Manny didn’t trust anyone besides Ian himself, and that trust had taken months to build. “He’s shy.”
    She was still