Monroe sobered and gave her a sour look. "No. You make sure they don't feel welcome to do so."
She looked up at him. He was serious. Why? He couldn't be attracted to her, so it had to be the timber.
Gray-green eyes met hers in a way that put butterflies in her stomach. Timber man or not, if she thought he was really interested in her…but no. He was a well educated man with class. She was nothing but a hillbilly going nowhere. She didn't even have a job - couldn't afford a haircut, much less decent clothes.
"I'm sorry," he said gently. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."
Right then she did what any mature woman would do. She turned and ran from the house. She had to. She didn't want him to see her cry. She wasn't sure why she was crying. He hadn't embarrassed her…had he? Was that why she was crying? Oh, why did things have to be so complicated?
Barrett stared after Mary Jo. Now he had done it. He wasn't sure how he had done it, but he was certain that he had hurt her feelings. She kept looking at her clothes. He certainly wasn't put off by her clothes. Sure, she would look better in more fashionable clothes, but he wasn't exactly a fashion statement either. There was something about her that attracted him as no other woman had. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't try to do what was fashionable or be someone she wasn't - or maybe it was the fact that she wasn't interested in him. No, in spite of the way she acted, he was certain that she was interested. Was it mere vanity that made him so sure?
Ma shook her head as she turned to the kitchen. "You might as well stay for lunch. Yer already here."
Warmth rushed up his neck. "I'd better go. I didn't come here to eat. I should have known better than to come up here so soon. I scared her off."
Ma stopped and turned, giving him a stern look. "I expect that she went looking for that sign so's she could call you. She's hard to figger sometimes, but I think she would be more hurt if you left." She glanced at the door. "I reckon maybe it would be a good idea if you was to talk to her."
He frowned. "Now?"
Ma gave him a weary smile. "Now. She's havin' a hard time."