No Place Like Home (12 page)

She understood, at least in part. He didn't want to leave anyone behind. He'd been hurt deeply.

“My mom and dad knew I was messed up. Dad had tried to talk me into coming home. At least for a visit, he said, to see how much Mule Hollow needed me. But I wouldn't.”

Dottie couldn't stop herself. She laid her hand along his cheek but didn't speak. There was nothing to say. Just being here was the important thing.

“When I did come home—for the funeral—I saw what my dad had tried to tell me. There was a need. But I came home to forget as much as to help.” He looked at her. “That doesn't sound noble, does it? Now you know I'm selfish.”

“You sound human to me.”

He shifted to face her, searching her eyes. Gently as a feather he touched her cheek and her breath caught in her chest. “I don't think I'll ever marry.”

A picture of Brady growing old alone flashed across her mind. “I don't understand. You would be a wonderful father. The house is—”

“I chose to be a cop. I believe it would be unfair to father children when I could walk out the door one morning and not come home at the end of the day.”

“But Brady, it happens every day. As callous as it sounds, all parents die sooner or later. That's how life is. Those of us left behind…we cope. We go on.”

Taking her hand, he studied it then placed a gentle kiss inside the palm.

“Not on my watch.”

“But that's crazy, Brady!” she exclaimed, surprised by the violence of her rejection of that thought.

“Why? People choose careers over family every day. It would be abusive and selfish for me to bring kids into this world knowing my job is dangerous…. Yeah, I know I'm the sheriff of a two-bit town. But it only takes one bad call. One slipup, and my family would be left behind.”

“But Brady, cops have to have lives, too.” This was insane.

“It's not just the threat of being killed on the job, it's also that the divorce rate is high. I saw it.” He raked a hand down his face. “Dottie, this conversation is moot. I don't know why I even brought you out here today.”

“Maybe you just needed someone to talk some sense into you.”

Their eyes met, his were defiant and she knew hers were their equal. The level of emotion ran high between them, the sound of the rushing water behind him seemed to match the pace of the blood pounding through her veins. Filling her senses.

His gaze dropped to her lips.

“No, I brought you out here to have fun. But this attraction—” He backed away, meeting her eyes. “Look, I realized finally you need to understand why nothing can come of this. I thought you needed to understand.”

She lifted her chin, her gaze connecting with his more fully. “Well I don't.”

D
ottie stared at the night sky and fought the tears. Life was just not fair.

Brady had ended their afternoon with as much tension between them as they'd started out with. The man was stubborn to a fault. Hardheaded as any man she'd ever met and narrow-sighted when it came to changing his mind on family.

Cassie had left her a note that she was spending the night at Lacy's place to help deliver a calf. So Dottie was alone.

Feeling suddenly lonesome, Dottie decided to reach out to life at the end of the computer keys by writing Todd about her strange and overwhelming feelings for Brady.

However, when she turned her computer on, an e-mail from Todd was waiting for her.

His news was unexpected. The worst of her fears had happened. The powers that be had come to an agree
ment early and in one sweep of a pen No Place Like Home had lost its lease. They were to move out immediately.

Ten days.

How had this happened? She understood that God hadn't said life would be easy. But she didn't understand why sometimes there never seemed to be a break in the clouds for some people.

Needing to seek God's guidance, Dottie started walking and praying. Her hip throbbed a little from the afternoon ride, but it couldn't compare to the pain in her heart.

Lord, Lord. I don't understand….

She thought she was just wandering, lost in prayer, until she found herself in front of the beautiful older home at the end of Main Street that belonged to Adela Ledbetter.

Dottie had come to know Adela as a lovely woman of strong faith. Dottie needed to talk to someone, so without hesitation she walked up the pathway. Her heart was heavy, her emotions frayed. When Adela answered her knock a tear rolled down Dottie's cheek.

“Oh, dear, you look like you could use a friend and a hot cup of tea.”

There were times in her life that Dottie knew God had placed specific people in her path for specific reasons. Looking into the startlingly wise eyes of Adela, she knew this was one of those times.

“Thank you, I really need a friend right now. A Godly friend.”

Adela took her arm and led her over the threshold and into her beautifully crafted historic home. It was like stepping back in time, with the wide entrance hall, intricately carved stairway and elaborate antique furniture.

“Now come into my kitchen. Sit. Relax while I make tea and then you tell me what has you so upset.”

Dottie took the chair offered, cupped her hands on the table and watched the petite woman fill the teakettle with water.

“I've been praying for you,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at Dottie.

The simple words washed over Dottie. “You have?”

Adela nodded then reached for the tea bags. “The moment you arrived in our delightful town, God placed you on my heart. The story of your survival, your faithfulness, you've been through the fire and lived. It's amazing. Really. You have a special purpose.”

Dottie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had been through the fire. “God's been good to me.” And He had, so how could she be so angry at Him. Because she realized that was exactly how she felt.

After a moment Adela brought the tea in two dainty china cups to the table. “Now, dear, what's upset you?”

Dottie managed to tell Adela about the home losing its lease. “I just don't understand, Adela. These women were doing so well. They were making progress. I don't understand the heartlessness of the landlords doing this. But I especially don't understand
God allowing it. I mean He placed Stacy and Rose on my heart. He's given me this opportunity—or so I thought, to be used by Him, and now it's gone. What will they do?”

Adela watched calmly with her wise eyes. “They will do what they will do. It's that simple. What will
you
do?”

Dottie paused. “Excuse me?”

Adela took a sip of tea. “Will you pray? Will you give up because the plan hasn't progressed as you've seen it in your heart? What will you do?”

Good question.
“I don't know, Adela. When I read that e-mail I was so upset because I thought I clearly saw God's plans for me. I mean, all those months in the hospital I prayed for Him to give me a reason to understand why this had happened to me. You see, for a while I'd been feeling like there had to be something more to life than just getting up and going to work every day and making money.” Dottie took a sip of her tea, savoring the touch of lemon. “Then, like an answer straight from God's heart, Todd suggested I would be good for the ladies at the women's home he'd started a few months back. He had no idea of my feelings when he said God had placed it on his heart that maybe I might be ready to use my business skills as a mission opportunity.”

Adela smiled. “That's how He works. He prepares the way even before we see the path.”

“Yes! I've believed that with all my heart. And that's why I've been so excited about the opportunity. Especially after I went out there and spent time with
everyone. And now it's like everything has been turned upside down. I don't know what to think.”

Adela laid her delicate hand on Dottie's arm and patted. “You will. God hasn't brought you this far to leave you stranded. Do you believe that?”

Dottie nodded. “I did. No. I do. I really do believe that.”

“Then why don't you use my phone and call your brother. Talk to him in person instead of on that computer and see if there are any other developments.”

Dottie glanced at the phone sitting on the end of the counter and instantly longed for contact with her brother. It wasn't just the devastating news about the home being closed but also thoughts of Brady, too, that drove her to stand. “Thank you, Adela. I think that's exactly what I need.”

“And this is exactly what I need. For an old woman, I like it when God can still use me.” She smiled and her eyes twinkled like stars.

Dottie walked over to the phone as Adela's words echoed in her ears.
I like it when God can still use me…
He was using Adela, even tucked out here in the middle of nowhere. That was pretty impressive.

Lifting the phone from its dock, Dottie felt better. Things would work out. God had a plan.

Even if it did seem like a maze right now and she was just a little mouse hunting for the right path.

 

Dottie was awakened the next morning by a knock on her RV door by one Gordon P. Rudy. Prudy for short.
She'd felt once more as if God was smiling down on her as she dressed, then watched him haul her RV to his shop. However, that had been before he'd started digging around under the hood. The infuriating man had been at it for thirty minutes. He was like a human band. Whistling, humming and clucking. Whistling, clucking and humming.

Just about the time she thought he was going to say something he'd throw her a weird look over his shoulder, shake his head then dive back in with a bout of rapid tinkering. It was getting on her nerves. “I don't know about this engine,” he said suddenly, out of the blue. “There's not much left of her, not much at all.”

“Are you sure?”

He zapped her with an inquiring gaze over the top of his grease-speckled glasses.

Okay, maybe that was a silly question. “I meant to say— It's burned up, but you can fix it. Right?”

He perked up at her confidence in his abilities. “Sure, I'll tear into it. But it might take me a day…” He paused, scratched his scraggly chin. “Or two. Truthfully, there ain't no guarantees. I might have to get a whole new engine. That could take a few days, even a week.”

A week! Todd needed her in L.A. He'd assured her not to worry. When they'd spoken, his confidence radiated through the phone wires. Even with the short ten-day turnover time, he believed God would provide them with a new house. In the meantime, they were packing up and preparing for the move. Wherever it might be.

It had been the strangest thing, talking to him. She could still hear the fire in his voice when he'd said, “Dottie, it's when we have no answers that trusting the Lord is so exciting. That's when we actually see God shine!”

How quickly she'd forgotten. After all God had carried her through, she felt like the Hebrews out in the wilderness when miracle after miracle had protected them and still they'd forsaken the Lord. She'd been quick to judge their unfaithfulness. And now, after the miracles He'd worked in her own life, she'd done the same.

The realization had shamed her, but the prospect of seeing God at work again thrilled her.

She just had to get to L.A. to see it happen. Prudy was looking at her, one smudgy eyebrow wrinkled in question. Waiting for her to make some kind of observation. “A week, you say,” she said, fighting her frenzied nerves. “So what you're telling me is that I may need to find other transportation out of here.”

“Like I said, it may take me a few days, but then it should be ready to roll. One way or the other.” He laughed at his humor, showing a wide mouth of teeth.

“What does that mean? One way or the other?” She lost the battle. Her nerves kicked in. “My brother needs me to help pack and move. They only have a few days to get relocated, and packing up four families is a lot of work.” Calm down, Dottie. Think. “I need to rent a car.”

“Now, ma'am—” Prudy wiped his hands on the dirty brown work rag “—if you give me a day. Or two.”

She tapped her toe, thinking. Norma Sue had already
invited her and Cassie to spend the night at her place for as long as they needed, so a place to stay wasn't any problem. She just needed to hit the road. “I'll give you a day,” she said. “I'll be back tomorrow to see what you've come up with. Then I'm getting a rental car. I can always come back for the RV, but day after tomorrow, mark my words, this little gal will be in L.A. And that's a promise.”

 

Brady flicked his wrist, let the lasso twirl above his head, watching the calf, feeling the expert moves of his horse as it anticipated each motion of the calf. There was nothing like the thrill of riding a highly trained cutting horse. It was an experience that took your mind away from everything except the powerful motion of the horse as it hunkered down low, dug its hooves into the dirt and skillfully directed the calf in the way it should go. Letting the lasso fly, he snapped the tension as soon as it settled around the calf's neck. Brady was off the horse in a blink. Flipping the calf, he snagged its feet and expertly wrapped them together.

“You beat your record,” Clint called from his perch on the gate, holding up a stopwatch. “Man, that was some concentration.”

Brady stepped away from the calf to take his hat from J.P. “Good ride, cowboy,” the younger man said. Brady gave him a nod and slapped the dust off his hat onto his leg as he led his horse over to Clint where he took a seat on the fence beside him.

He'd taken the day off, at least in theory. Everyone knew where to reach him in case of emergency.

After leaving Dottie at her RV the day before, he hadn't been able to think straight.

Had it really been less than a full week since she'd driven into his life? It was true, but hard to believe since it had become nearly impossible to imagine his life without her.

But he would. Soon.

Prudy was back in town and it was only a matter of hours before Dottie would realize leaving Mule Hollow might only be a phone call away. When Prudy explained how critical her RV's situation was, she'd call for a rental.

She'd leave in a moment. There was really nothing more she could do for Cassie. The kid was pretty much grown, with a definite mind of her own, and didn't seem to be a criminal. Mule Hollow was about the safest place in the world for her to choose as her residence.

There was nothing to keep Dottie in Mule Hollow anymore. The soft ring of her laughter drifted through his memory. Her smile rode on its crest.

Yesterday had proved that the tension between them was the product of feelings that ran deep. A connection he had no right to want to strengthen.

Dottie had been through too much, he could never ask her to take a chance on life with him.

He couldn't picture Dottie in the role of grieving widow.

Even though, despite his attempts to stop it from happening, he'd started picturing her in the role of his wife.

“Earth to Brady, man, you've got it bad.”

Brady regarded his longtime friend. “No. I don't.”

Clint lifted an eyebrow in answer. “Oh, yeah. You do. Believe me, I know the signs. I've been there.”

Brady shot a glare at him. “Look, Clint, I came out here today to relax. Not to get a lecture on—” He broke off. Not wanting to voice what he had no business voicing.

“Love. Come on, buddy. This is me you're talking to. I was there when you got your first crush on Stella Benford.”

“And that makes you a expert on my love life.”

“You mean, your lack of a love life. Do you think I haven't noticed? Not that I wasn't where you are at one time. But Lacy changed that, my friend.” He chuckled.

Brady watched the chute open and the horse and rider charge out after the calf. Clint started the watch and clicked it off again when the cowboy missed his throw.

“You can't tell me that you're going to ignore what's happening between you and Dottie. She seems like a great gal. Everybody can see there's something going on between you two.”

“Drop it, Clint, she's leaving. She has a life and it's not in Mule Hollow.”

“Listen to me for a minute. I thank God every day for allowing that ball of trouble, Lacy Brown, to crash into my life. You saw her. You know how she shook up my world. It wasn't pretty. But she's the best thing that
ever happened to me. You need your life shaken up, man. And you need to move mountains to make it happen if you have to.”

“God's going to have to do that if anything is going to come of the feelings I have for Dottie Hart. Yeah—” he met the smile in Clint's eyes “—rub it in. You're right, I can't deny that I've never felt the way Dottie makes me feel. But the way I see it, that's all the more reason for me to protect her. Isn't that what a man is supposed to do? Protect the ones he loves—cares about. For me that's stopping it before it happens.”