Page 5 of Resilience on Canvas

“Don’t try to pretend that wasn’t what you were doin’, neither. Clara told me what happened. She said she tried to talk to you, but you turned yer back and walked into the storage room.” Robert knitted his brows together, and the fire in his eyes burned hotter. Henry was finding it hard to keep looking at him. It was like staringat the sun. “Now, what’s this about? Be honest. I know you and me haven’t talked much ourselves, but we say hello to each other in church and our families are plenty friendly. Did one of us upset you somehow? Wasn’t Clara.Couldn’tbe Clara. She’s as nice as they come. But if my brothers came in here causin’ trouble, I swear to you I’ll teach ’em some manners. Ain’t no reason to call off a whole weddin’.”

Henry licked his lips. He tried to swallow, but sputtered a cough instead.

Robert rolled his eyes in response.

Once Henry finally managed to compose himself, he said, “No one upset me. I mean, I... I...”

“You what?” Robert said with a huff.

“I was nervous,” Henry lied.

Henry balled his hands into fists, fighting the urge to fan himself. It seemed like Robert’s blazing-hot stare had set his face on fire.

Robert cocked an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

Golly, he was handsome. Henry could keep staring at him for forever. Even if it meant that he might eventually burst into flames.

Tearing his eyes away, Henry spluttered, “I’ll talk to her. Next time I see her, I’ll talk to her. I promise.”

And I’ll call off the weddin’,Henry finished inside his head.

“Alright, well, you better. And you better figure out how not to be so nervous, too. I’m no expert, but once you two are married, you’ll be talkin’ plenty. And more.”

Henry’s mouth fell agape. Robert Davis was truly as bold as they came.

And, Lord, Henryreallyliked that about him.

“Yeah, I-I know,” Henry said, his cheeks still warm.

Robert nodded curtly. “Good.”

What followed was a period of uncomfortable silence, probably only a couple of seconds long, but it felt like it was lasting forever. Especially because Robert’s eyes were still boring into Henry’s soul.

“So...” Robert started, finally looking away. He reached up to scratch his head. “Do you sell them penny candies here?”

“Yeah, uhm, yeah.” Henry flicked his wrist over to one of the shelves toward the front. “We got a bunch of ’em.”

Robert pursed his lips. “How much?”

“Uhm... a penny?” Henry said, his voice wavering. Was Robert trying to be funny?

Shaking his head, Robert snorted a laugh. “Of course. Sorry. Penny candy costs a penny. Makes sense.”

He turned to head over to the shelf where they kept ’em, and Henry followed. Robert took two of the same kind—little ones with green-and-white-striped wrappers—and then paused to study the selection some more. He reached for one of the larger candy bars—one of them Snickers ones—but seemed to think better of it, retracting his hand. Maybe becausethoseweren’t really “penny candies.” Instead, Snickers bars cost three cents each.

“Two cents, then?” Robert said, holding out in his palm to show Henry the two small candies.

“Right.”

After Robert shoved the two candies into his pocket, he took out a little linen sack and found two pennies.

“Here,” he said, handing the coins to Henry. “Well, take care, now. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Henry’s heart stuttered. “Tomorrow?”

“Church?” Robert said, raising one of his eyebrows again.

“Oh!” Henry blurted out. Where the hell was his head? “Church. Right. Church.”

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