City Girl (31 page)

Reagan closed her mouth while he took his plate to the table, but she wasted no time in bringing him a cup of coffee. She was going to set it next to his plate and start on the dishes when he invited her to sit down.

Reagan did so, always a little wary when this happened, but Cash looked completely at ease.

“How are you?” he asked, his eyes on hers.

“Fine.”

“Are you sure? You don't get a lot of time off, and I don't want you wearing down.”

Reagan made herself think about it. She was often too fast in answering questions about herself as it was a subject she never wished to discuss.

“I'm fine.”

“Not too tired?”

“At times I am,” she admitted, working to be honest. “But not right now.”

“Okay. For a time a couple of women from town were coming out to help Katy with some of the housework, but for one reason or another, they both had to quit. I'm thinking about getting someone else in, just to lighten the load, and if I do that soon, it will relieve you a little.”

“How will Katy be with that?”

“I think she'll be fine,” Cash said, even as his heart was asking how Reagan would deal with it. “Doc should be out today,” he added. “I know Kate is hoping for a good report.”

“She says the pain lessens all the time. I think she'll be out of that bed next week.”

“That would be right on schedule. I'm going to do a little rearranging of furniture so she'll be able to get around in that chair.”

“All right. There was a woman in New York who lived in a wheelchair. She wouldn't allow anyone to help her. She moved the wheels and propelled herself anywhere she wanted to go.”

“Sounds independent.”

“She was.”

“That must be common to New Yorkers,” Cash said with a small smile, his eyes watchful.

Reagan looked at him.

“Was that a compliment or an insult?”

“Depends.”

“On what?”

Cash didn't answer. He only smiled and stood, getting ready to take his plate to the counter.

“You're pretty confident, you know that?” Reagan said to his retreating back.

“How's that?”

“You think you can tease me and still get a hot meal tonight.”

Cash smiled, much as he had at the table, his eyes warm as he looked at Reagan for a moment and then went on his way.

The housekeeper didn't move for a time. She had work to do certainly, but for the moment she wanted to figure out her enigmatic employer. Her eyes half-closed in thought, she sat and looked at the place where he'd been sitting.

It didn't help, and after just a few minutes, she pushed to her feet. Time was wasting, and she still didn't know what to think of the man.

Eighteen

“O
KAY
, K
ATY
,” C
ASH DIRECTED AFTER
dinner that night. “You read the verses in John 14, and Reagan, you put your finger in 1 Corinthians 10:13 so you can read that in a minute.”

Katy took a moment to find the passage and began. “‘In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.'”

“Did you see all the promises in there?” Cash asked the women. Dakota's own head was bent as he studied the verses with them.

“But the word ‘promise' isn't in there,” Reagan said quietly.

“That's true, but God can't lie, so anything He tells us in His Word can be taken as a promise.”

“That's the part!” Katy exclaimed. “When Pastor Ellis said that in church, I didn't understand it. And both times he and Mrs. Ellis have visited, I haven't known how to word the question.”

“But it's clear to you now?”

“Yes.”

That settled, Cash had Reagan read her verse.

“‘There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'”

“Do you understand what that means?” Cash asked and watched Dakota nod.

Reagan and Katy were still studying their Bibles, so he waited.

“I think it means that I have no excuse to sin,” Reagan said.

“That's true, Reagan, but there's more to it than that. God always provides a way out. We never have to be slaves to sin again, because He always gives us some way to escape every time we're tempted.”

From there, Cash took them into Psalms. For the next hour they studied verse after verse on the promises of God. Only when Katy began to flag did Cash bring things to a close.

“Thank you, Cash,” Katy told him as the men kissed her and left the room. Reagan stayed to ready her for the night.

“Did you learn as much as I did?” Katy wanted to know.

Reagan smiled as she filled the water glass and put everything within reach.

“I might have learned more. You keep forgetting, I haven't heard any of this.”

Katy patted the chair, and Reagan sat close to her. The older woman took her hand and held it.

“Tell me about Wednesday.”

“Wednesday?”

“Yes. Isn't that the day you went shopping?”

“Yes, but I don't think there's anything to tell.”

“How did you end up with three dresses?”

Reagan smiled. “Lavinia was having a one-day sale.” Reagan paused and looked deflated. “I should have shopped for you too.”

Katy grinned in delight and confessed to Reagan what was in the note she'd sent. The younger woman looked shocked but also very pleased.

“Go on now,” Katy finally shooed her away. “You've had a long day. Go sit and put your feet up.”

Reagan kissed her goodnight and then walked out to find the men talking in the living room. She had rarely let herself sit on one of those beautiful sofas—she never felt she had time—but did so now, hoping she was not intruding.

“I'm glad you joined us,” Cash said. “Put your feet up.”

He smiled at her when she settled in and then turned to his brother.

“What will Darvi be doing tonight?”

“She'll probably have dinner with some of the friends we've made. The church family there is small, but it's very close. The townsfolk are kind too.”

“What do you do for a living now?” Reagan felt free to ask.

“I'm filling in for a sheriff who's been hurt, so I'm still in law enforcement.”

“And what will you do when the sheriff comes back?”

“I just heard that that's not going to happen for a while, but when he does return, I have two options: I could get another job in law enforcement, or Darvi and I could come back to the ranch, build our own place, and work with Cash.”

Reagan turned immediately to her employer.

“Will you be expanding if that happens?”

Cash blinked. “As a matter of fact, I will, but how did you know that?”

“Well, you have things completely under control right now. If you're going to add another full-time man, I assume you'll be letting your foreman go or expanding your herd.”

“And what would you be knowing about herd expansion?” Dakota asked, his mouth open a little.

“Well, sometimes I look at the books Cash has on the office shelves, the ones that talk about ranching,” she answered, clearly embarrassed, and then looked to Cash. “I hope that's all right.”

“Of course it's all right. Do you have any questions?”

“Actually I do.” She leaned forward a little, her eyes alight with interest. “Do you brand just in the spring or more than once a year? And why do you brand when you have fences? I thought branding was going out of style with fences becoming so popular.”

Cash had all he could do not to gawk at her as he answered.

“Brands are still important when we go to market. Also, fences don't always hold, and with more ranchers moving into the area, I want to be certain I can claim my own herd. We're also not immune to rustling.”

“I wondered about that. How often do you come across head that have lost some of their brand?”

“Off and on.”

“Do you redo it?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“You sound rather interested in ranching, Reagan,” Dakota put in.

“Oh, I am,” she told him honestly. “I think it would be wonderful to own my own ranch. Even a small place would be exciting.”

“And how would you work things?”

“Like Cash does. He does a great job. Although I would probably put the barn and paddock further from the house to cut down on the dust.”

The men smiled.

“Our mother felt the same way, but by the time she realized it, it was too late.”

A few moments later, Reagan stifled a yawn and asked to be excused. Out of courtesy, the men stood when she rose and left, but sat back down to talk some more.

“How long has she lived here?” Dakota asked.

“Since January.”

“And she's from New York?”

“Yes.”

Dakota stared at his brother. “She reminds me of Father. He was so city bred, but he sure took to Texas.”

“I hadn't thought of it, but you're right. Other than the heat before she got lighter clothing, she hasn't batted an eyelash over much of anything.”

Cash had no more said this when he remembered the armadillo. He laughed as he explained to Dakota.

Dakota had all he could do not to mention how well suited she seemed for his brother, but he restrained himself and remembered once again to pray only for God's will and not his own concerning his oldest sibling and the two women living in his house.

On their way to church, Cash was thinking about the good time he'd had with his brothers, and how nice it would have been if Dakota could have stayed to see the church family. He did this in an effort to ignore how Reagan looked in another one of her new dresses, this one a medium blue that made her skin look like fresh cream.

He was praying for both his brothers, their wives, and the new baby—whether he or she had arrived or not— when he realized that Reagan was staying very close even after they'd arrived at church and walked into the building. Brenda had filled in with Katy as she had before, and Cash and Reagan had come at a good time to visit. Reagan, however, seemed unwilling to move from his side.

“Everything all right, Reagan?”

“Um hmm.”

Cash looked down at her profile; she was worrying her lip a bit, her eyes watchful.

“Why do I have a hard time believing that?”

“I don't know,” she said with a complete nonchalance that Cash wasn't buying.

“All right,” he said, his voice dropping as he stepped in front of her. “What's going on?”

“Can't I stand with you?”

“You know you can.”

“It's just until Holly comes.”

“What happens then?”

“I'll have someone to stand with.”

“Why must you stand with someone?”

With that, Reagan's mouth shut. She looked up at him and then away, but said nothing more.

“You may stand with me all morning if you want to.”

“Thank you.”

There was no missing her relief, and Cash was glad he didn't press her, but he wasn't done. Almost as soon as they left the church, he asked her again.

“Has someone at the church seemed threatening to you?”

Reagan's eyes grew.

“No.”

“Has someone made improper advances?”

“No.”

“Has someone done anything that I need to know about?”

“I don't think so.”

“You didn't sound as sure that time.”

Reagan fiddled with the fabric in her lap and fingered the Bible she'd brought.

Cash waited in silence for her to speak.

“It's hard to explain.”

“What is?”

“Why I stayed close to you.”

“I'd really like you to try, Reagan.”

Not for the first time she noticed that his voice was always kind. Even when he was giving orders, he managed to use a tone that never frightened her.

“I think some of the men have heard about my decision for Christ. And so I think some of them want to catch my eye, like you said about the ranch hands.”

“And that doesn't happen if you stay with someone?”

“Well, it might happen if I'm talking to Holly, but I know it won't happen if I'm with you.” Reagan suddenly heard what she'd just said, and her head turned swiftly to look at him. “I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“I think I just admitted that I used you this morning,” Reagan said with some exasperation, thinking he should know.

“No, you didn't. If I ever feel used, I'll tell you.”

“So you don't mind?”

“That you stand with me? Of course not. I can't honestly think of a single man at church who would mean you harm, but if you don't wish to encourage any of them, that's fine.”