No Place Like Home (18 page)

By noon word had circulated that a deputy from Ranger had arrived to fill in for Brady during his absence.

She couldn't figure it out. He could have told her…but really, what business was it of hers?

Theirs was an odd relationship.

Who was she kidding? They had no relationship. Everyone was astonished that Brady had just left town without letting anyone know. It wasn't like him. He was more responsible than that. He would have at least told Clint where he was going, and if Clint knew what was going on he wasn't saying.

Not that Dottie was asking any questions.

It wasn't as if she had any hold on Brady. Really, the man was simply her landlord. And not much of that. What he was charging the shelter for the use of his home was ridiculously low. The man was sometimes too good for his own good. Of course, that was exactly why she loved him.

Then of course it hit her again. She had no hold on him. She had no reason to worry about him! None. He was a free man with no ties to anyone. Exactly the way
he wanted it. He could come and go as he liked. He had it all figured out.

He wouldn't have to worry about anyone missing him while he was alive. Or if he was dead.

Except he was wrong.

She worried.

But obviously it didn't matter.

“H
ey, Max, how's everything going?” Dottie forced a smile and a lilt into her voice as the teen came out onto the porch where she was rocking baby Bryce.

“It's going great. Did I tell you lately that I'm glad we're here?” He grinned big, showing a dimple on the left side of his smile.

Despite her sadness, the happiness on Max's face brought her joy. The spring in his step, compared to the kid who'd slunk off the van that first day, was priceless. “Let's see, I think this is your first time today. So I'd like to hear it again before the night is over.”

Max grinned and tweaked Bryce's toe. “Hey, little buddy,” he said. The young man was like a big brother to all the younger boys. Sinking into the chair beside her, he played a tune with his hands on the chair arms and looked at her intently.

“You know, Dottie, I'm not kidding about what I say.
My mom is happy now—back in California, I didn't care if she was or not. Do you know that Jake told me he didn't have a mom? He was raised by an aunt who coulda cared less if he came or went. He and Cassie, they got to talking about their lives the other night when we went to check on some cows. They were way off in the back pastures of Mr. Clint's ranch, it was cool. Anyway, listening to them talk, I got to thinking about how I didn't have a dad, but I had a mother who loves me a lot. That makes me lucky. So now I want my mom to get lucky and meet a nice cowboy. You know, maybe they could fall in love. Don't you think that'd be a real good thing?”

“Oh, no.” Rose came out of the house carrying a bowl of popcorn. “So now you're trying to fix me up and marry me off?”

Max turned red. “Well, Mom, I just thought it'd be cool. I was at Sam's the other day with Jake and Cassie and there were a couple of cowboys having lunch with two of the teachers who live at Miss Adela's. Jake said he thought they were getting serious. That everyone was thinking there was going to be wedding bells ringing again, and well, it got me to thinking.”

“Sugar, stop thinking about it, I don't know if I want to ever marry again. I'm certainly not going out of my way looking for love.”

“You don't have to, Mom. Tonight at Miss Adela's there's gonna be a roomful of cowboys. Just make sure
you put on some of that nasty lip gloss and comb your hair real good.”

Dottie listened quietly as she watched the sleepy expression on Bryce's sweet face. She wanted love. She wanted Brady and she wanted a baby so badly that there was a physical ache inside her heart. It was something she hadn't realized she longed for until she'd met Brady.

She'd been praying hard for the last three days. They had this party to go to at Adela's in just a few hours. It was the last place she wanted to go. She wanted to hide under the covers, but it was a party to introduce Rose, Nive, Lynn and Stacy to everyone. She had to go.

It was actually the first gathering of townspeople only. And despite what Rose was saying, there would be plenty of wonderful wranglers there just itching to talk to her.

Which was the plan.

Max was right. This party wasn't being thrown for everyone just to say hello. Oh,
no,
there was matchmaking in the air. Norma Sue, Esther Mae and Adela would be watching and comparing and looking for sparks. Those three women loved sparks. If there was even the slightest flicker between Rose and a fella, they'd zoom in and the games would begin.

She just hoped there wouldn't be heartache.

“Rose, Stacy is a nervous wreck,” Dottie said. “We're really going to have to stay close.” That was her mission tonight. This wasn't about her but her friends.

“You can count on me,” Rose said, smiling. Looking happy.

“Emmitt has a crush on her,” Max quipped, his dimples showing. “I saw him at church Sunday. He never took his eyes off her. He looked all dreamy eyed, and when she glanced over at him and caught him staring he turned about as red as ketchup.”

“That's the shy cowboy, right?”

“Yeah, he don't say much. He works for Mr. Clint. I helped him feed last Saturday. He whistles a bunch instead of talking. It's neat. He can whistle whole entire songs.”

Dottie remembered the way he'd looked picking up that diaper for Stacy that first day. It just might take a gentle quiet man to heal the wounds inflicted by violent men in Stacy's life.

Stacy came outside carrying a warmed bottle. Silently she took her seat in the swing beside Dottie and took Bryce. He immediately accepted the bottle. Stacy smiled down at him. If she never found love from anyone other than her baby, Stacy was okay. She seemed content. But Dottie felt as if God hadn't brought them here without reasons. She was looking forward to seeing His plans unfold.

She was just at a loss as to what was happening in her own life. God had her really confused. Then again, as Adela had said, that was God's prerogative. He could do what He wanted to do. What she could do was know that God had a plan for her life. She would trust Him. She would focus on her work, pray for
Brady, but let God work things out in His time. In His own way. Not hers.

At least that was her hope. Who knew what she would do next?

 

Brady pulled into the parking space and stared down the road at Adela's. Tonight was the welcome party for the No Place Like Home's ladies.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door of his truck and stepped to the pavement. This was it. He'd made a mess of things. That was for certain.

Straightening his tie, he rang the doorbell. Cassie opened the door, a scowl on her face when she saw him.

“Oh, it's you.”

The kid was mad at him. “Can I come in?”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself. But I ain't guaranteeing you're gonna be welcomed.”

She turned, and hair flouncing, stomped away, leaving him standing alone in the open doorway. Why was she mad at him?

He removed his hat and stepped inside, running a hesitant hand over his hair. The rooms at Adela's were filled to capacity and reeked of cologne and boot polish. He'd never seen so many spiffed-up cowboys in his life. He'd always felt as if he was stepping back in time when he entered Adela's huge home, but tonight, with all the slicked-down hair, scrubbed shiny faces, jeans and cowboy boots, it really looked like the clock had
turned back to the Wild West days and the cowhands had come a courtin'.

Mule Hollow was looking up.

She saw him first. As he scanned the room, he found her standing across the crowd still as a statue, watching him. Her hair, dark as night, was swept up in a soft bun thing on her head; wispy strands framed her delicate features. It made her look more elegant than ever. Looking at her, he couldn't help remembering the way she'd kissed him. Right there in the barn out of the blue.

He wondered if she knew what that kiss had done?

He took a deep breath. It had been a long three days. Three intense eye-opening days.

She was about to find out exactly what she'd done.

 

Dottie couldn't believe she was looking at Brady. He was back, standing there across the room taller than any man in the room and looking better than a man had any right to look. She'd sensed him before she saw him. As if her heart knew the moment he stepped into the room. But her heart faltered as she studied him. He looked different.

Something had changed.

And her heart told her it wasn't in her favor. It was the look in his eyes that told her. There was that same flare of awareness in them that she'd come to realize was only for her. And yet there was something else.

And that something scared her.

She knew before he started toward her that she'd lost
him. Maybe it was the way his shoulders slumped as he moved through the living room, as one after another person in the room stopped talking and parted to let him make his way to her. Maybe it was the way his beautiful dark eyes glittered hard, as if he was about to do something he didn't really want to do. But that was probably wishful thinking on her part.

She wasn't the only one who saw it. The room that had been awash in conversation had become as silent as the church during a funeral.

He wore a tie.
Like he was going to a funeral.
All eyes were on her. Suddenly she couldn't take it. He was almost to her and she looked around for escape. She couldn't have him breaking her heart right here in front of everyone. Whirling away, she slipped through the doorway and into the kitchen. She almost slammed into Norma Sue and a large bowl of red punch.

“Whoa there, Dottie! You look like you've got a pack of wild dogs chasing you.”

Dottie searched the room, not certain why she was running and not knowing where she was going. All she knew was Brady had been gone all this time, and now, here he was and she was nervous. Mad. Happy. All at the same time.

“Dottie,” Brady said, entering the kitchen, taking it over with his presence.

“Brady!” Norma exclaimed, saving Dottie from saying anything right away. “Well, boy, it's about time you showed your face again. When you going to get
right the Lord's plan and ask this wonderful woman to marry you?”

So much for beating around the bush. Dottie almost laughed at the way Norma was glaring at him. He glared right back at her, jerked his head in the direction of the party.

“Don't you have somewhere to be?”

Norma Sue frowned. “Who, me?”

“Norma,” Brady scowled.

She let out an exaggerated huff of air. “Well, I reckon I can take this punch in there to that thirsty mob, so long as you make good use of the privacy I'm affording you.”

Dottie watched her leave, then she turned and headed for the back door. She could see all the faces staring toward them from the other room. She didn't want an audience. Humiliation shouldn't be public.

“Dottie, would you wait?”

His voice was gentle behind her and that was all it took for the butterflies to start dancing. Closing her eyes, Dottie leaned her forehead against the doorjamb and prayed that the Lord would give her strength. She'd been praying for days.

“Where have you been, Brady?” she asked. Determined not to pry but so curious she couldn't help asking.

“I went to see Darlene and the boys.”

Dottie should have known he would go to see his partner's family. It would be in his character to keep in touch with them. Suddenly, she felt jealous.

And she hated herself for it.

Turning, she leaned against the door frame. Her hands tucked behind her back to keep them from trembling. “How are they?” She might be jealous, but she was interested in their well-being.

He nodded. “They're actually doing well. Darlene's happy. She just remarried.”

Dottie closed her eyes, relief sweeping through her. Relief and joy for Darlene. At least she was moving on.

“Dottie, I know life moves on. That life doesn't come to a standstill when someone dies. I realized, watching the twins with their new dad, that God's given them a fine man to raise them. Eddie would be pleased.”

Dottie watched the emotions on his face. The regret for Eddie not seeing his children grow, but the acceptance that they were in good hands. She took a shuddering breath and bit her lip to keep it from trembling. A tiny flame of hope began to build inside her heart.

He took a step toward her, his expression pensive, nervous. With his hair slicked down and his tie on, it struck her that maybe it wasn't a funeral he was going to—he looked like a cowboy going courting on a Saturday night!

Oh my goodness.

Could it be?

“Dottie, I know I've been saying some pretty strong things. And I know I haven't given us too much of a chance. And I know this may be coming out of left field all sudden like.” He dropped to his knee and Dottie jerked to attention.

“Brady!” she gasped as he took her hand.

“I love you, Dottie. I've loved you from the moment we were walking down Main Street that first night and you looked up toward heaven and winked at God. He knew you had a way of looking at life that I needed. I know I've been a goober, as you so eloquently put it. But I know now that you were right…and if you would be willing to take a chance on one hour with me or fifty years, whatever time God gives us, I would be honored if you would marry me.” His voice trembled with raw emotion.

“Oh, Brady.” Dottie cupped his face between her hands. “I—”

“Just say yes!” Esther Mae yelped.

Dottie glanced toward the doorway. She'd forgotten all about it! Now, it was crammed full, from top to bottom, with faces.

“Ow!” Esther Mae shrieked from about midway down the pileup, having been elbowed by Norma Sue, who was squeezed in just beneath her in the stack.

“Hush up, Esther Mae. You might break the moment.”

“The moment! Norma Sue, I swannee you'd think I didn't have a brain in my head. Look at them. They're perfect for each other and he's down on his knees for cryin' out loud!”

Dottie looked back at Brady and he winked.

“Yes.” It was all she could do to get past the lump of tears clogging her throat.

Brady swept her into his arms and kissed her before the word completely left her lips.

She heard the cheers. She heard the laughter, but all of it faded to the background as Brady's lips met hers.

“No regrets,” she whispered when he gave her room to catch her breath.

“Never.”

“So,” Cassie said, emerging from the crowd and flinging her arms around them. “Do I get to be the maid of honor? You know, I always did want to get to do that.”

Dottie laughed, looking from Brady's shining eyes to Cassie's. What a wonderful web God did weave when He put the kid in her pathway.

“The position was meant for you.”

Cassie's smile could have provided energy for Mule Hollow for the next ten years.

“Good, then you can be mine.”

“What!”
Dottie and Brady gasped at the same time and Cassie smirked.