A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (34 page)

at the door he had only partially closed, she barged right

into her son's room. Dakota was already shirtless, bent

over the washstand, Charles Rawlings Sr. talking to his

back.

426

"So how's the ranch?"

"Doing great," Dakota spoke as he scrubbed. "I worked

with Cash the days I was there. Everything looks fine. I

think he's got a sale coming up soon."

"I've been following the prices. He should do well at

market right now," Charles commented.

"How can you be talking about the ranch at a time like

this?" Virginia demanded, arms akimbo.

"At a time like what?" Charles questioned in confusion.

Virginia pointed to Dakota. "The boy is in love."

"He didn't tell me he was in love," Charles stated. He

then mumbled, "No one tells me anything."

"Of course he didn't tell you he was in love, you're only

interested in the price of beef. Did you even ask about your

mother?"

Charles looked sheepish, and both Virginia and Dakota

had to fight smiles as they looked at him.

"How is your grandmother?" he ventured at last.

228

427

2^0 lori wick

"I didn't get a chance to go see her, but as far as I know

she's doing fine."

"And Cash?" This came from Virginia.

"Great. I've been at the ranch quite a bit these last few

weeks. He's doing well."

"Slater and liberty?"

"I haven't seen them, but I think everything is fine."

"Good. Now, about this girl/' Virginia started. "Whaf s

her name?"

Dakota grinned but still said quietly, "Darvi."

Virginia's eyes widened with memory. "Darvi Wingate?

Isn't she engaged to Brandon Young?"

"Was engaged," Dakota corrected.

"Did you have something to do with the breakup?"

Charles asked.

"No. It all happened before we met."

Virginia was frowning again. "Before you met? She's

428

Marty Bracewell's niece, isn't she? You've known each

other for years."

"Met again," Dakota explained and waited for the barrage

that wasn't long in coming. His mother wanted to

know everything. Dakota did not volunteer every detail

but gave his parents a fairly clear picture of the situation.

His mother was stunned into silence, and he was rather

relieved. It had been an emotional time.

"Is she all right now?" Charles asked kindly.

"Yes. She's doing very well."

"Good. I forgot to ask how long you can stay," Charles

continued, reading his son's face very easily.

"I should head ba"ck to Aurora tomorrow, but I'll return

for the party. The timing hasn't been right to talk to Darvi

about some of what I'm feeling, and I may never have a

chance, but I wish to do my own talking."

Both parents nodded in agreement, understanding

completely. '

ATexasSky 231

429

"111 get an invitation out today. I'll also send for the

tailor, or if you'd rather, you could go to him and speed the

process a bit"

Dakota nodded. "Ill do that. Thank you, Mother."

Virginia went to hug him again. "If s good to have you

here, scars and all, even if if s just for a day."

Dakota looked over his mother's head to see his father

looking pleased. It was at that moment he realized he'd

missed a vital opportunity. This was the first time he had

seen his parents since coming to Christ. By coming in and

mentioning Darvi he had lost his chance, at least for the

moment, of bringing up the changes in his life.

His parents left him alone, and Dakota prepared to go

uptown. As he did so, he prayed for yet another opportunity

to share his faith. If not now, then in a few weeks when

he returned to St. Louis

5" * '

Darvi would evemually kick herself for not making trie

430

connection, but they had never socialized with the Rawlngses

before, and she simply gave their last name no

thought.

Accompanying her parents to the party, she wore a

dress of dark apricot. Made for her, it was lightweight and

full-skirted. It fit perfectly, displaying her lovely shape and

slim arms and neck. She didn't go for too many ruffles or

much lace, but her gown was elegant.

A group of six arrived just ahead of Darvi and her parents,

Stanley and Clarisse Wingate, forcing them to wait in

line for just a few seconds. Nevertheless, the moment Darvi

caught sight of Mr. Rawlings, her mind began to work. She

didn't have time to develop any ideas--they were inside

more quickly than she expected--but as soon as she

spotted the man who had occupied many of her thoughts

for the last two and a half weeks, it all made perfect sense.

232 lori wick

Dakota was slightly taller than his father/ who was an

older version of the Ranger, and Darvi's eyes drank in the

431

sight of him in a formal suit. His shirt was a snowy white,

a black tie at his throat, and to Darvi he looked taller and

larger than ever.

Her parents went through the receiving line first, and

almost before she was ready, she was standing in front of

him. Dakota held her eyes as he bent over her and kissed

the back of her hand.

"May I see you on very short notice?"

"Yes." Darvi's soft tone matched his own.

"This evening? After the party?"

All she could do was nod. She thought it might be time

to move away, but Dakota still held her hand. Her mind

scrambled for something to say.

"I've heard from Annabelle Hewett," she got out

"She told me she'd been in touch."

Darvi's eyes widened. "You've seen her?"

"I just got back."

Darvi nodded, even as her heart sank. "And thaf s why

you want to see me."

Dakota studied her face.

432

"Are you seeing Brandon again?

Looking surprised, Darvi said no.

Dakota couldn't stop his smile. More people were

coming in the door, so Dakota turned to his mother.

"I'm going to walk Darvi to the punch bowl. 111 be back

shortly."

Virginia sent a beaming smile at the small strawberry

blonde, who smiled in return. Dakota offered his arm and

led her away.

If Darvi expected more of his time, however, she was to

be disappointed. Dakota walked her directly to the punch

table, got her a glass, and bent slightly to catch her ear.

"What time may I call for you later? I thought we might

go for a walk."

"What time are you available after the party?"

A Texas Sky 233

"I think about six."

433

"Will seven o'clock work then?" Darvi asked, wishing it

could be now.

"I'll be there."

Darvi forced herself not to watch him walk away. Most

people knew she was no longer engaged, but she hated it

when people talked about her.

There was someone talking about her right now, but

had she known about these two and how kind their words were, she would have relaxed.

"Is Darvi all right?" Virginia asked as soon as Dakota

was back at her side.

"Why do you ask?"

"She was dearly surprised, Dakota, and she looked

rather pale."

"I noticed that too. 111 be seeing her later and hopefully

I can dear everything up."

More guests arrived, and they went back to work. They

spent another 20 minutes receiving people and then joined

their guests in the huge garden at the rear of the house. It

was a large group, but Dakota had little trouble finding

Darvi with his gaze. He forced himself not to stare at her,

434

much as he wanted to, but to mill around and talk with his

parents' guests, some of whom he hadn't seen for years.

And he enjoyed himself. He was even able to have a brief

conversation with Darvi's father, who watched him rather

closely but did not seem to object to him as a person.

Dakota's heart, however, could not see seven o'dock

coming fast enough.

5"5"S'

"Did you have a good time at the party?" Dakota asked

when they were barely out Darvi's front door.

"Yes, I did. Your parents are very nice." She glanced

sideways at him while they walked. "We've never been

invited to anything at your parents' home before."

234 lori wick

"Haven't you?"

"No. Did you have anything to do with today's invitation?"

^ "Yes, I did."

435

Darvi stopped and turned to him. "Why, Dakota? Why

did you never tell me you're from St. Louis?"

"Because I'm not," he began, but seeing how stunned

she was over that statement, he didn't go on. He glanced

down the sidewalk just then and saw they were almost at

the park.

"Would you mind if we sat down?"

"No,thafsfine."

A few minutes later they took opposite ends of a bench

in the middle of the park so they could turn and see each

other. Darvi said not a word but waited and hoped that this

man wasn't about to hurt her. She worked to keep her emotions

from showing, hoping he would explain everything.

"The first thing I need to tell you is that I've never intentionally

kept something from you. I knew you were from

St Louis, but where I was born just never came up."

She looked confused, so Dakota tried again.

"I left St. Louis when I was five, Darvi. My home is

Kinkade, Texas, 111 always think of it that way. My father

worked the ranch until just six years ago, when he and my

436

mother moved back here. I'm 26 years old, and for most of

those years my parents lived in Kinkade. My grandmother

is still in Texas. She loved it so much she didn't want to

move back, even though her only son did.

"On top of that, St. Louis is a sprawling city. If you had

looked at my face when we pulled into your neighborhood

and then up to your house, you would have seen that I was

stunned to see how dose you lived to my parents."

"Why didn't you say anything then?" Darvi asked. It

was not an accusation, just an honest appeal for understanding.

"I was all ready to meet your parents, Darvi, but they

weren't there. Brandon was. I could see that you didn't

A Texas Sky 235

want him hugging you, but for all I knew he'd had a life-changing

experience of his own, and the two of you would

be engaged again by the time we next saw each other. I

wasn't even convinced that he might not be with you at the

party today."

For a moment they stared at each other, and then Darvi

looked at her lap. She fiddled with the folds in her skirt

437

before speaking.