Counting on Starlight (3 page)

“I did care for him,
loved
him. The wedding got so...big. I don’t know.” She watched Aunt Chin Mae lift the top from the box. “I couldn’t think, I couldn’t breathe....” Like now. Thousands of honeybees swirled and pulsed on the frames inside the hive, turning themselves into a mass that thought and moved as one.

“You ran away.” Her aunt waved her closer. “Empty the feeder and refill it.”

Liann turned away and lugged the five-gallon bucket full of honeybee food closer to the hive. “I didn’t run away. I called off the wedding and figured I needed a fresh start.” She pulled out the plastic feeder and dumped the leftover liquid along with a few dead bees at the foot of the nearest oak tree. When she returned, she filled the feeder with fresh food and returned it to the hive.

“You are a runaway bride.” Aunt Chin Mae shrugged. “It happens. You take a timeout and see what God wants for you.”

They restacked the hive and moved on to the next hive under a nearby tree. This was crazy. She was inches away from groups of bees who could swarm around her, crawl under the cuffs of her sleeves, and...  No wonder she ran from California. “How do I know what God wants for me? I hardly know what I want for myself.”

“You young people think too hard. You go off and do things without listening.”

“Listening?”

“You have elders in your life. God gives elders to help you. Your father, he did not want you to marry Matt. Said you were leaping too soon, too excited. You are in love with love.” Her aunt repeated the process at this hive.

“I’m twenty-six, Aunt Chin Mae. I’m not a baby. I know how to make decisions.” Her own words rang in her ears. She’d just said she didn’t know what she wanted for herself. “Dad never said anything to me about him not really wanting me to marry Matt.” Not really. Although Liann had to admit she never quite asked. She simply did what she thought was best at the time.

“Your father tried to talk to you, but you don’t know how to listen. A wise person listens to counselors. A fool ignores good advice.”

“That sounds like something out of Proverbs.” She couldn’t help but smile at her aunt’s intensity and her own fumbling.

“It is.” Aunt Chin Mae waited as Liann filled the bee feeder. “There. And see, God has been taking care of you. He provided a way home for you today. Your car is taken care of. Good thing Jake Tucker saw you having trouble.”

“True, but if he hadn’t come, I would have gone back into the school.”

“Yes, but God presented your solution before you even had a problem.”

Liann sighed. It couldn’t be that simple. She didn’t believe in just letting things happen to you. If people thought that, then people would never step out, take chances.

Jake Tucker. He reminded her of why she left California, left Matt. He was confident, take-charge, sure of himself in a way that was nothing short of charming...things that had drawn her to Matt in the first place. One easy decision for her, though. She wouldn’t get herself entangled while here in Starlight. She didn’t need the complication, didn’t know how long she’d be here. Plus, she wouldn’t let herself get sucked into more ideas with someone with a strong personality.

Chapter 3

The winding road had a generous amount of shoulder as Liann jogged along, enjoying the morning breeze. Another scorcher coming, but she was determined to beat the heat and get her three miles in. She didn’t want last night’s blue mood to follow her into a new day.

This morning she’d read in Proverbs, the book of wisdom. She needed wisdom not to make the same mistakes twice. Plus, last night she’d checked her e-mail. Matt had sent three in the last week, the most recent one from yesterday. Ironically, it arrived around the same time she’d been stranded at the school.

Li, I don’t understand what it is that I’ve done wrong. Call me. We can work it out. Even if all we do is go to a justice of the peace, I still want to marry you. Our plane tickets are still good for Wyoming, and we can still reserve a cabin.

He really thought she’d change her mind if he held on long enough. He just didn’t get it. It didn’t come down to the wedding, even though the menu only had one thing on it that she liked, even though the guest list had mushroomed to nearly two hundred. She almost stopped short on the road.

She didn’t want to go camping at Yellowstone for her honeymoon, not even in a cabin with electricity and running water. She really wanted to go to the Caribbean, find a quiet patch of beach, and watch the sun rise every morning. And go horseback riding, snorkeling, maybe investigate the culture of the island.

Then why hadn’t she ever told Matt? Why not, indeed?
Poor Matt
, she knew people were saying back home. She hadn’t lied to him, ever. But she’d buried herself and gone along with him.

Liann quickened her pace, dug in to climb the slight incline, and let herself grin when she reached the top. These Texas roads were steeper than they looked and could fool a runner until they were already heading up the grade. She refused to let her burning legs make her stop.

Sweat burned her eyes. Next time, she’d bring a headband or something to keep herself from running off the road while wiping her eyes. Another figure, a man, was jogging in her direction. Something about his shoulders and posture told her she’d seen him before. Jake, the football coach.

He snapped to attention and looked straight in her direction. He waved first then crossed over the road to meet her.

“G’morning.” His arms bore a sheen of sweat, as did his face and neck.

“Hey there. Trying to beat the heat?” she asked.

“Yes. I don’t think it worked.” He fell into step beside her. “Mind if I run with you for a few minutes?”

Part of her wanted to turn round and run home. But a car drove by, and its driver honked and waved.

“Hey,  Coach,” a teenage boy called out the driver’s window. “Getting your miles in early?”

“Yes, trying to,” said Jake. “See you at nine?”

“Sure thing.” With that, the young man sped off.

“That's Tim. He's a good kid. He’ll likely make starting quarterback.” Jake glanced at her. “You okay? This heat can sure sap your energy and dry you out quickly.”

“I’m managing. I thought I came out early enough before the heat was bad, but I guess not.” She tried not to puff as she jogged along. Jake had to shorten his stride for her to keep up with him. He could probably beat her in sprints, no problem.

“So, how’s Trixie?”

“I dunno. Biff never called. Either he was busy, or whatever’s broken is worse than we thought.”

“He’ll call. He's thorough.” They continued along, stride for stride. “So, Trixie’s owner. What’s your real name?”

“Liann Rivers.”

“You know Bert and Chin Mae?”

“My aunt and uncle.”

“We’re almost neighbors.” He nodded down the road. “Tucker Ranch.”

“Ah, okay.” She tried not to glance to the side. Jake Tucker had the physique of a running back and plenty of speed. He didn’t run with his feet slapping the pavement, and he carried his weight well.

“Race me to the gate?”

“No, you’ll beat me.” She kept jogging, refusing to let him see any sign that her legs were in flames and the stitch in her side threatened to make her gasp.

“Are you so sure?”

“Of course. You’re at least eight inches taller than me, for one thing.” She glanced up at him. He had to be teasing her. “Plus you’re holding back with your stride. And you can talk just fine. Me, on the other hand...” She tried not to pant and run at the same time.

“I could let you win.” He chuckled.

Good grief.
She hoped he could fit through the ranch gate ahead with the size of his head. She jogged a few more strides before speaking. “I don’t need anyone to let me win.”

“No, I guess you don’t.” He lengthened his stride. “Catch me if you can.”

“Not today. See you around, Jake Tucker.” She tried not to roll her eyes as the distance increased between them and he headed to the gate for Tucker Ranch. She did, however, stop along the side of the road after he passed through the gate. She leaned over, bent at the waist with her hands resting on her knees, gasping for air.

She might as well have been sitting in a sauna for half an hour, the way sweat poured from her arms and legs and ran down her back. Her pulse roared in her head. She sucked in a breath. Walk it out. She needed to walk it out. She fought to keep her feet moving, even plodding along, but they felt like she had bricks strapped to them.

“Hey, are you all right?” Jake stopped just inside the gate. He tilted to one side. Or maybe that was her.

“Just…need…to catch my breath.” She tried to gulp more air. “I have a stitch.” She sank onto the grassy roadside, hearing Jake call her name, sounding like he was at the end of a long tin can. Please, no snakes next to the road, or in the tall dry grass just this side of the barbed-wire fence. Aunt Chin Mae told her never to go barefoot outside and to always watch out for snakes in the field.

Strong arms helped lift her up. “C’mon, you need to get cooled off.”

“I’m fine, really. Just felt a little lightheaded for a minute.” Liann tried to pull away, but part of her didn’t mind leaning on him as he helped her along the driveway. A long ranch house lay catty-corner to the end of the drive, and a small stone building lay at the other side of the driveway with a barn and a few other outbuildings behind them. This was how she’d gone through life, letting people and things pull her along. She’d given up her voice. Not anymore. She tried to pull away and stand on her own.

At that moment, she also realized the potential trap she’d stepped into. Jogging, alone, in an unfamiliar place. So what if Starlight wasn’t the big city? She was letting a man she’d only met once—albeit as a good Samaritan—take her down his driveway, to his home. She stopped her stumbling gait along the driveway.

Jake paused,and she allowed herself to meet his hazel eyes. “Look, it’ll take a few minutes to get you cooled off and hydrated. My sister’s in the house. She’s a trainer for the football team, and she knows how to treat heat exhaustion.” His arm around her waist loosened, but he continued to help her along.

“Sorry, thanks, but I'm going to walk back to my aunt’s house.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. You need cool compresses and electrolytes and some cool air. If you want to call your aunt or someone and tell them you’re okay before you go inside, go ahead. I don’t mind.” He released her and pulled his cell phone from his belt. She stood there and tried not to sway.

She felt like she was talking around cotton in her mouth. “Okay.” She took his phone and dialed.

“Who is this?” Aunt Chin Mae answered, skipping the typical hello as usual.

It’s Liann.”

Whose phone you using? Where are you? I thought you were running.”

“I am. I don’t feel well. I met up with Jake Tucker, and we’re at the Tucker Ranch. I'm using Jake’s phone.”

“Okay. You need me to come get you?”

“No, no thanks. I’ll see you soon.” She glanced at Jake, who stood there with his arms folded.  She ended the call and handed the phone back to Jake.

She didn’t really need rescuing, and yet here was Jake Tucker again. But he’d stopped long enough to let her make a phone call. She clamped a hand on her stomach to stave off the wave of nausea that hit her.

“What’s wrong?” Jake asked.

Liann shook her head. No way was she going to lose her coffee and muffin in front of him. She covered her mouth with one hand then leaned to the side and emptied her stomach on a poor unsuspecting cactus at the side of the driveway.

#             

Liann stood there, pale as a sheet of notebook paper and swaying like a leaf. Jake wanted to carry her the rest of the way to the house, but she’d probably fly at him and accuse him of making a pass at her. He didn’t dare look at the liquidy mess she’d just barfed up on the cactus.

“C’mon, we need to get you inside. I’ve seen this before. You’re dehydrated.” He allowed himself to place his hand on her shoulder.

Liann nodded. “I’m so sorry....” She glanced over her shoulder as she hobbled along. “Do you have a garden hose handy? I can clean it up.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He glanced at her, noting the sweat on her brow, on her arms. “Can you make it?”

She nodded. “I can do it.”

He fought to keep his pace slow, but he’d seen people knocked on their backs by the heat. They drew closer to the house. Liann looked pale, but she’d set her jaw. Stubborn woman. Then her foot tripped on a rock.

Jake caught her from stumbling in time then kept his arm securely around her. “Almost there.” She didn’t pull away but looked up at him as she nodded. He saw strength in her dark eyes.

So far he’d made himself immune to the ladies of Starlight, many of whom seemed to like his title of assistant coach. In a year, though, Lord willing, Starlight would be behind him, and he’d be on to the next big thing. Maybe he’d make time for a relationship then. But not now. Some ladies thought they could deal with the life of being with a coach, but at least six months out of the year he worked fifteen-hour days, and it was all about the team. Most women wouldn’t put up with that.