Lone Star Holiday (14 page)

“Hey!” She threw a wadded piece of paper at him. Her heart melted when he chuckled. She watched his fingers drift back to the strings. This man deserved to be loved with a whole heart. Not the tarnished, damaged one that beat in her chest.

“You play?” Mrs. Miller’s voice suddenly boomed from the double doors, a fierce scowl puckering her face. The disapproving energy crushed the fragile mood.

“Yes, ma’am,” John answered with a heavy sigh.

Her cane thumped the floor with each step. “Why haven’t you led the worship music?” her voice snapped.

“I was hired to preach.” He gave her a gentle smile.

Lorrie Ann loved how he treated everyone with respect and tenderness, even the dragons. She didn’t have the tolerance, another reason she didn’t belong with him.

“Pish!” The old Dragon Queen gave a final stomp of her cane. “Pastor Levi, this is not your highfalutin big-city church. You have more than one job.”

“Yes, ma’am. Miss Ortega just suggested the same thing. Great minds must think alike.” He dared to wink at her.

Mrs. Miller’s frown went deeper into her wrinkles. “I heard a rumor. You need to know, I will remove my support if that Puente boy, with all the things on his face, is in the band.” She glared at John. “This is what happens when you let people like her run things.” Her nose went higher. “Their kind corrupts.”

Lorrie Ann bit her lip and battled to keep the ire locked down. Not trusting herself to speak, she focused on John. He moved closer to the old lady.

“Mrs. Miller, I appreciate your concern, but we do represent the body of Christ, and our doors are open to everyone.” John patted her arm and led her back to the foyer.

Lorrie Ann collected herself and joined them.
Please, Lord, give me the right thing to say. I need words from You and not my anger.

“Please let me reassure you.” She used her best smile. “Derrick will not be playing with the band. I hope you attend. Please keep us in your prayers. I believe it will be a special night of worship.”

“Humph...we’ll see.” She stood tall and glared at John for a while. “Young man, you need to stay focused and not become distracted by things that glitter.”

“You’re not giving me dating advice, now, are you?”

“Humph! Better men than you have been led down the wrong path because of a woman.”

“And hearts have been touched because of a woman, Mrs. Miller.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Maybe.” She cut her glare back to Lorrie Ann.

Lorrie Ann watched as John escorted the Queen Dragon to her car. He did love unconditionally.

With a sigh, she wondered what it would feel like to have someone love her that way.

She shook her head, disgusted with herself. All her life, Aunt Maggie had loved her, but because of old hurts, she had pushed her away. Just like Uncle Billy and Yolanda. They hadn’t made her an outsider; she had done that to herself.

John returned with a big smile on his face. She sighed. Man, did she love that smile.

“Did I hear you lie to that poor woman?” he whispered.

“Poor? Right. Anyway, I didn’t lie.” She dramatically laid her palm over her heart. “I promise he won’t be playing
with
the band.” She winked. “We have other plans for Derrick.”

John laughed. “You are exactly what this town needed.”

She smiled back. “God knew, I needed this town.”

“Yeah, He’s good that way.”

She sent a word of thanks to God. Life was good—better than she’d ever dreamed.

Chapter Fifteen

L
orrie’s life turned into a nightmare. In the morning, Melissa called from L.A. and informed her that due to the recent incidents they would be looking for a new manager. Apparently, some so-called friends had forwarded a couple gossip blogs about her and Brent’s little scandal.

Oh, well, so went life in the entertainment business. She had already received some messages from other groups interested in her but hadn’t returned any of the calls or emails just yet. What surprised her most? She didn’t really care enough about it to be upset.

All her energy was focused on the current disaster heading straight at her. The locals liked to call it the One Hundredth Annual Christmas Pageant.

She now referred to it as her pending nightmare.

With coffee in hand, she looked over her list. She heard a truck pull into the driveway but didn’t bother looking up. Uncle Billy must have come in early for lunch.

It surprised her to see John’s boots stopping in front of her. Putting her laptop and coffee on the little table next to the rocking chair, Lorrie Ann stood. “Is everything all right?”

John nodded, his face grim. “I need your help.”

* * *

“Sure, what is it? The girls?”

“The girls are fine.” His throat locked up. This had been a mistake. He couldn’t do this.

He glanced away from her, not really seeing the trees and birds past the patio but instead...all the time he had spent in the studio, away from his wife and family.

He needed to do this.
God, give me the strength to turn it all over to You.
“I need help with something.” He turned back to Lorrie Ann. She stood with a concerned expression on her face. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she had no makeup on. She really had no idea how beautiful she looked without all the extras.

Sighing, he forced himself to focus on the reason he’d come to her. “Do you have some free time now? If not I can come back later.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I can help you now.”

He found he couldn’t talk, so he settled for nodding and heading back to his truck. Her steps quickly followed behind him. Holding the passenger door open, he waited for her to settle in before closing the door and getting into the driver’s side. The journey began.

After a few minutes of engine-rumbling silence, she turned to him. “You should know I’m not in the habit of jumping into a car without knowing where I’m going.” Silence sat between them. “Any hint as to where you’re taking me?”

“I have to get something, and I don’t think I can do it alone.” His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel.

She sat silently again, waiting as they continued the drive. He finally veered through the big gates of his father-in-law’s ranch. Taking the winding road past the main house, John pulled up to one of the bunkhouses in the back.

More silence as they sat there. He ran his hands over the worn steering wheel, feeling the cracks. Fear and guilt choked him.
Okay, God, I know those feelings aren’t from You.

Lorrie Ann reached across the bench seat and touched his arm. “John, you’re starting to make me nervous. Why are we here? What do you need me to do?”

She trusted him, and he knew that didn’t come easy for her. He was suffused with more guilt as he thought about her mother. He couldn’t even think of any type of relationship with her while that hung over them.

Taking the keys out of the ignition, John separated one of them and handed it to her. “I need you to unlock the door for me.”

“Okay. Can you tell me why?”

He didn’t look at her, shaking his head as he climbed out and walked toward the porch. Pausing at the bottom step, he rested his hand on the rough railing. It was past time to unlock the door. Once the decision was made he thought it would have been easier. Did it make him weak that he needed her here, to get him over the threshold?

Lorrie Ann walked past, pausing before going up the steps. She looked up at him. “Are you sure everything’s all right?”

He nodded, not even bothering to try to speak. His heart pounded against his chest, and his hands started to shake a bit. It had been over four years since he’d taken the walk down these steps.

Lorrie Ann stood at the door, and after a few seconds of wrestling with the lock, she pushed it open. Turning back to him, she waited.

“Thank you.” His voice croaked, raw with emotion. Easing through the door, he focused on Lorrie Ann’s presence.

Musical equipment covered the wood floor, carefully boxed and stacked against the bare walls. He watched her walk through the dust particles that floated in the beams of sunlight.

Following her, he brushed calloused fingertips over the amps, drums and boxed-up soundboards. John tried to swallow, but his throat didn’t seem to work.

“You have enough equipment to start a band.” She pivoted around.

John couldn’t speak. This was the right thing, and he was glad they were doing it together. With a sigh, he picked up one of the smaller boxes and handed it to Lorrie Ann.

Clearing his throat, he managed to get some words out. “Thanks for unlocking the door. I didn’t think I could do it by myself. I’m taking all this stuff to the church.”

She nodded and followed him. In silence they loaded one box after another. He stopped after the fourth trip. Seeing each box placed in the bed of his truck, he felt the tension begin to ease. Now for the big one. “I’ll get the rest of these. Would you start pulling the instruments from the room over there?”

“Sure.” She smiled at him before heading to the other door, not asking a single question.

While taking another load to the truck, he heard Lorrie Ann gasp.

John found himself smiling. He figured she’d appreciate what she found. As he crossed the room, his footsteps echoed off the walls.

At the open door, he saw her holding a black lid, the hard case containing one of his many guitars. Her eyes wide, she met his gaze. “Is this a 1958 Les Paul?”

He moved closer to her. “Yeah. I should take that one to the house.”

She just nodded before heading to the quilt-covered grand piano. Lorrie Ann looked back at him. “Is this a Steinway?”

He grinned. “The one in the back is a newer Steinway.” He joined her, lifting the custom-quilted cover off the baby grand. He played a few keys. “This is a 1970 Baldwin. It was a gift. It needs to be tuned. I’ll probably get George to help me move them to the church. When the youth building’s finished, I’ll take them all over there.”

He closed his eyes and listened to the sweet notes. A lightness settled across his shoulders. A weight he’d carried for so long he hadn’t even noticed it, dissipated.

“Oh, John, this baby grand would be perfect in the corner of your new living room. I can see it right next to the office.”

The vision flashed across his mind’s eye: his girls sitting side by side, on a bench, playing music. “I always kept my music at the church. I didn’t want the music to interfere with family time.”

“So you spent all your time at the church.” Lorrie paused. “Instead of isolating that part of you, maybe the music should become a part of your family.”

He stepped away from the Baldwin without responding.

She followed him, her gaze roaming over his old life. “This collection of quality instruments tells me a great deal about the owner. Music is not just a hobby but in every fiber of your DNA. How could you cut it out of your life completely?”

Opening a violin case, he ran his fingers over the dark glossy wood. “Guilt. Easier to lock it away than deal with it.” Raising his head, he looked into her sweet eyes. “
Ephesians
tells us, ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works.’ When I cut music from my life I wasn’t completely trusting God.” He walked over to her. “The other day you said I wasn’t sharing my gifts. I’d like to thank you for that, Lorrie Ann. I know you think God brought you here because you needed us, but God also brought you into my life. Because we need you just as much.”

“Oh, John.” Tears started beading up before she spun away from him. “I’ll put these in your backseat. The kids are going to fall in love with them.”

Yeah, and he seemed to be falling in love with her. But he kept that to himself, grabbing a couple violins and following her out.

* * *

Lorrie Ann looked across the field. Everywhere she turned, people were working. She glanced down at her list, so much still undone.

The donkey, Alfredo, only moved if you gave him a banana, but it disagreed with him, causing foul odors to fill the air around him, every time. Her fingers went to her forehead when she saw Celeste and her group rolling around like puppies again. The pressure pounded against her temple.

She looked down at her notes once more, hoping for answers. The lights guy still didn’t understand stage cues, and Vickie argued over every costume idea. As of yet, Lorrie Ann had not seen one completed outfit.

She walked toward the band. Her solo drummer had pulled a disappearing act again.

Stopping at the edge of the stage, she waited for John to finish showing Kenny how to place his fingers on the strings of the new Gibson.

“Excuse me, guys. Have you seen Derrick?”

They both looked up at her, smiles on their faces. “No, ma’am, but I saw Carlos, so he should be around somewhere,” Kenny answered.

She hated when they called her ma’am, but they couldn’t seem to help themselves.

Humor flooded John’s eyes as he smiled at her. “Your special project gone AWOL again?”

There seemed to be a new lightness in John since they had pulled his instruments out of storage. Sharing his music skills with the kids came so naturally to him.

Last Sunday in church, he had led a worship song. His voice had hit every note perfectly with so much emotion, everyone had stood in awe, forgetting to sing along.

With his influence, the quality of their sound would improve greatly by the night of the show.

That was the only thing going right. She looked down at her notes yet again. More question marks and concerns shadowed her script.

She reluctantly looked back to the stage. The worst part of her life right now? She was totally falling in love with a man that could never be hers.

She checked her phone. She didn’t have even half the to-do list done, and everyone was already packing up. Mothers arrived to pick up the younger ones, and she finally saw Derrick sitting in a truck waiting for Carlos.

She hurried over and smiled at him. “Hey, missed you. Have you been practicing?”

He nodded. “I had work to do for my uncle.”

“That’s fine. Your part is a solo. Just keep practicing. You’ll make it for the full rehearsal, right?”

He shrugged.

“Derrick, if you need any help, all you have to do is ask. It’s okay. People want to help.”

He nodded but kept his face straight ahead.

“Well, okay.” She patted the door. “Oh, look, here comes Carlos.”

“Hello, Miss Lorrie Ann. Dare has been practicing every minute at home. Momma yells, but he just keeps practicing.”

Derrick rolled his eyes and waited for Carlos to buckle up before starting the old work truck.

“Bye, Carlos. Bye, Derrick.”

Carlos leaned out as far as the seat belt would allow and waved. “Bye, Miss Lorrie Ann. Bye, Celeste.”

Lorrie Ann looked behind her and found Celeste standing there. “Hey, girl. You ready to go home? Your father has meetings tonight at the church.”

“Yeah. Rachel is talking to Seth.”

Lorrie Ann frantically scanned the area, tracking down Rachel and Seth. They sat at the piano, laughing. She grabbed Celeste’s hand and rushed toward them. A groan escaped her throat when she saw John make his way to the pair.

He laughed at something Seth said, causing Rachel to glare at her father. Seth slid off the bench and shook John’s hand. He moved away from them, walking backward. With a silly smile on his face, Seth missed the step and lost his balance. Rachel gasped and jumped up, reaching for her crutch.

Vickie stood by the storage door. “Seth, stop being an idiot and get to the car.” She stomped off without another word.

John stood over Seth with his hand out. “Are you okay, Seth?”

“Yes, sir.” He took the offered hand, his face redder than a fresh strawberry.

“Welcome to the man club. Beautiful girls turn us all into goofs.” John patted him on the shoulder.

“Daddy!” Horror filled Rachel’s face.

John laughed and rubbed the top of her head. “Sweetheart, it’s time for y’all to head home. I have a building meeting tonight.” He hugged Celeste and winked at Lorrie Ann. “I’ll see you when I get home.”

She raised her eyebrows. His mood seemed different tonight.

“See ya.” She reached for Celeste’s hand and headed to her car. Rachel pouted as she climbed into the front seat.

Lorrie Ann sighed as she headed home.

Home.
Oh, man. When had John and his girls so completely slipped into her heart? When had the cabin become home?

She thought about the contacts in California, waiting for her reply. Time had run out. She couldn’t afford to play house with John any longer.

* * *

John’s boots hit the top step. If anyone asked him about his faith, he told them he’d turned his life completely over to God. For the past week his eyes and heart had been open to the punishment he’d inflicted on himself.

Lorrie was right, but he didn’t know if he wanted to tell her. He smiled. She already seemed a bit bossy.

Working with the youth and music brought another worship experience back into his life. Threading his fingers through his hair, John interlocked them on the top of his head and gazed at the stars shimmering in the deep purple sky.

He should know by now God’s timing was beyond his understanding but always virtuous. He needed to trust God’s plans for him were good.

With a deep breath, John gave the stars one last look before turning to the cabin. He stopped and laid his palms flat against the rough cedar wood of the door. He pictured her waiting for him on the back porch and the two precious girls sleeping in his bed. He took a deep breath and prayed.