On Lone Star Trail (32 page)

From the outside, the store looked like an ordinary barn, but once they were indoors, Gillian realized why both Marisa and Stacy had raved about it. For anyone who enjoyed woven or knitted goods, this was a shopper's paradise. Tables piled with a seemingly endless variety of merchandise, racks bearing sweaters in every size and style imaginable, and bins filled with skeins of yarn all competed for the customer's attention.

“What do you think?” Gillian asked Brianna.

“I think I need one of everything.”

Brianna helped Gillian select an open-weave sweater in light
blue for Sally, seeming to enjoy being included in the decision. And, though she oohed and aahed over most of the merchandise, she bought only one item, an afghan she declared perfect for her bedroom in the new apartment. Gillian smiled, as much at the fact that Brianna had abandoned the idea of running away as at the intricately patterned afghan.

Though they explored not only the dress shop Kate had recommended but also three other stores, Brianna found nothing that appealed to her in Blytheville. “It doesn't matter,” she told Gillian. “I don't need a new outfit for the party.” But it did matter. Gillian knew that.

“Maybe you can find something of mine that suits you,” she suggested. “I've got a closet full of clothes. Two, actually.” When she'd decided to extend her stay at Rainbow's End, Gillian had had the housekeeper ship the majority of her summer wardrobe to Texas. There might be something that appealed to Brianna.

“Really? You'd let me borrow your clothes?”

“Why not?”

Brianna grinned. “That would be cool.”

She also found the barbecue dinner and the movie followed by ice cream to be cool. By the time they arrived back at Rainbow's End, it was after ten.

“Thanks, Gillian,” Brianna said as she grabbed a pair of borrowed pajamas and headed for Gillian's second bedroom. “I had a good time.”

So did Gillian, although she was more exhausted than she'd been in months. This pseudo-parenthood business was harder than she'd imagined, but at least Brianna was still here.

W
here was she? She'd missed supper, the evening in Firefly Valley, and now breakfast, all without a word of explanation. That wasn't like Gillian. She normally made a point of saying something if she was going to miss the time with the teenagers.

TJ had told himself he wasn't being nosy, that he was simply checking on a friend's welfare when he'd walked by her cabin last night. No lights. No car. Gillian was definitely not there. The question was, where was she? The only answer that made sense was that she was spending the evening with Mike, but if that was so, why was her car gone? Mike normally picked her up.

The last time Gillian had been gone so long had been the day she'd spent at the hospital waiting for Baby Vange to arrive. Kate and Greg's presence at supper told TJ nothing was wrong with either the baby or Kate's grandmother. That left Mike as the most likely reason for Gillian's absence. Perhaps there had been a late-night event and she was staying at the ranch with his parents. But if that was the case, it didn't explain why she hadn't told TJ she'd miss their time in Firefly Valley.

Trying to shake off his disgruntlement, TJ climbed onto his
motorcycle. It was time to get to school. But though he told himself he shouldn't, TJ couldn't stop himself from detouring toward Gillian's cabin.

The car was there. Elation flowed through his veins at the proof of Gillian's return. It might be a whole day later than he'd expected, but he would be able to get her spin on the teaching contract this afternoon.

As TJ started to turn the bike, the cabin door opened and Brianna Carter emerged, wearing an outfit TJ recognized as belonging to Gillian and carrying a large shopping bag.

“Thanks for everything.” Brianna waved at Gillian, who stood behind her. “That was the best sleepover ever.”

Even from this distance, TJ could see Gillian's smile. “You're welcome,” she told the teen.

Relief that Gillian hadn't been with Mike flooded through TJ as he switched off the motorcycle and approached the cabin.

“Good morning, Gillian,” he said when Brianna was out of earshot. He hoped it was a good morning for her, because the dark circles under her eyes told TJ sleep had not been a major component of the sleepover. “I missed you last night.” And yesterday afternoon and this morning.

“I'm sorry. I should have left you a message, but things got a little crazy. I was trying to convince Brianna not to run away with Pete. She had a fight with her mom and decided the answer was to stow away in Pete's truck so he'd marry her.”

“I don't think Pete's interested in marriage.”

Gillian's expression left no doubt that she agreed. “I didn't tell her that. Instead I bribed her with a shopping trip and a girls' night out. It was the only thing I could think of to distract her.”

“It looks like you succeeded.”

Brushing a lock of hair from her face, she nodded. “Temporarily. I did learn one thing, though, and that's that this counseling business is tough.”

“True, but it's also rewarding.” TJ glanced at his watch and
frowned. “I'd like to talk to you about a couple things, but I've got to get to school. If you're free this afternoon, we could take a picnic to Paintbrush Island and still be back in time to go to Firefly Valley.”

Gillian was silent for a second or two, as if she was as surprised by the invitation as TJ was. He hadn't planned a picnic, though Greg had told him on several occasions that the small island on the other side of Bluebonnet Lake was an ideal spot for one. Somehow the words had popped out, seemingly on their own.

“Sure,” Gillian said. “That sounds like fun.”

Gillian was having a difficult time concentrating on work. Fortunately, there weren't too many customers, and the one she'd directed to cookbooks when she'd wanted a gardening guide was unlikely to tell the rest of Dupree that Gillian Hodge was having a bad day. She could blame her lack of concentration on being tired, but that was only a tiny part of the cause. The real reason was TJ's invitation.

It had been almost a month since they'd attended the rodeo. Since then, with the notable exception of that unforgettable kiss, they hadn't been on anything that resembled a date. Now he'd suggested a picnic for two. What had changed?

Gillian felt a frisson of excitement at the thought of Paintbrush Island. Kate had told her it was the most romantic spot in the whole area, and Marisa's eyes brightened whenever she spoke of the island, as if she too had found it a special place. Of course, Gillian reminded herself, nothing in TJ's expression had led her to believe he had anything romantic in mind. It was Mike who had proposed, Mike whom she'd refused.

Perhaps TJ was simply looking for some exercise or perhaps he wanted a change of pace from having supper with other
guests. He was probably one of those who believed in the buddy system when water was involved. That was it. Gillian was the designated buddy. She shouldn't read anything into the invitation other than a simple picnic supper and a chance to talk about whatever was on TJ's mind, but she couldn't help wishing he viewed her as more than a buddy. Though there were times when he looked at her as if she were more than a friend, he'd said nothing that could be construed as lover-like.

“You look like summer personified,” TJ said seven hours later when they met on the dock. By the time Gillian arrived, dressed in hunter green shorts, a floral print top, and a straw hat, he'd gotten the boat out of the boathouse and had already loaded a picnic basket into it.

“Thanks. You look pretty summery yourself.” TJ wore khaki shorts and a polo the same shade of green as her shorts. “It almost looks like we decided to color coordinate.”

“I wish I could claim mental telepathy, but the answer is a lot simpler. This was the only clean shirt in the drawer.” He extended his hand, helping her climb into the boat, then untied it and hopped in himself.

TJ rowed as if he'd done it before, his strokes seemingly effortless, although Gillian knew they weren't.

“Were you on the crew in college?” she asked, wondering where he'd gained such expertise.

“It's more recent than that. There was a small lake near our apartment and a fellow who rented boats. Deb and I used to row there occasionally.”

Though his sunglasses made it difficult to be certain, Gillian heard no pain in TJ's voice when he spoke of his wife. Perhaps his efforts to reestablish his relationship with God were healing his empty heart. If so, another of her prayers was being answered.

When they reached the island, although Gillian had expected TJ to dock the boat on the edge closest to Rainbow's End, he
continued to the opposite side, declaring the best spot was out of sight of the resort.

“This is it,” he said, slowing as they approached a part of the island where the trees came closer to the shore but still left enough room for beaching the boat.

Though the other side of the island had been lovely, this one surpassed it. The ground rose from the lake edge to a small hill covered with hickory and mesquite, and while the trees weren't as tall as the ones that surrounded the resort itself, they were large enough to provide shade. With no houses or other signs of civilization in sight, it was a scene of both beauty and peace.

“I can see why Kate raves about this place,” Gillian said as TJ pulled the boat onto the shore. “It's gorgeous.”

“We're too late for the namesake Indian paintbrush to be in bloom, but this still looks like a good spot for a picnic. Are you hungry?”

Gillian nodded. “You bet. I ate a light lunch, because I've heard about Carmen's picnics.” The tales of enough food to feed a small crowd were only slight exaggerations. As if she'd been unsure of what TJ and Gillian might like, Carmen had provided a variety. The basket contained large quantities of roast beef and tuna sandwiches, both potato salad and coleslaw, and thermoses of lemonade and sweet tea, along with a selection of enormous sugar, peanut butter, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

“This tastes even better than it looks,” Gillian said as she bit into a cookie. It had been a pleasant meal, filled with good food and casual conversation, but now that it was almost over, she felt TJ begin to tense, and that made her shoulders tighten.

“As I mentioned this morning, I had an ulterior motive for bringing you out here,” he said. “I need your opinion.”

There was nothing remotely romantic about either his words or the way he delivered them. Gillian knew she shouldn't be surprised or disappointed, and yet she was.

“Go ahead.” She broke off another piece of cookie, hoping the simple act of chewing would help her swallow her disappointment. Though she was tempted to cup her ears as TJ had, she did not. “As Sally used to say, I'm all ears.”

TJ snagged a chocolate chip cookie, then leaned against a tree trunk. “Jake Thomas offered me a full-time position.”

Whatever she'd been expecting, it wasn't that. Gillian tried to imagine what TJ wanted her to say. “That's good news, isn't it?” She knew he'd been reassessing his future. Although she had thought he was considering the ministry, this could be the answer he sought. Despite his own misgivings, Gillian knew he was a talented teacher. “Did you accept?”

“Yes and no. I wanted to see what you thought.”

Again, she searched his face, looking for a clue to the kind of response that would satisfy him. “I'd say that all depends on what you want to do. Dupree is a nice town. You could make a difference in the kids' lives here. In fact, you're already doing that. Staying would simply give you a chance to have more of an impact on them.”

He nodded slowly as he chewed the cookie. “That's what I thought. That's why I'm considering accepting for a year.”

“Why put a time limit on it?” When it came to jobs, most people sought permanence and the security it brought.

Though his posture remained relaxed, when TJ pushed his sunglasses on top of his head, Gillian could see the tension in his eyes. “That's the main thing I wanted to talk to you about. I know my limitations. I'm a good but not a great teacher. I never really felt the calling to teach.”

The admission didn't surprise Gillian. He'd told her teaching had been Deb's dream and passion, not his. Now that Deb was gone, it was logical that TJ would question whether it was the right future for him.

“But you do feel called to do something else.” She made it a statement, based on his inflection when he'd said he hadn't
felt called to teach. It had sounded as if he were about to say, “But I . . .”

“Yeah.” Brushing crumbs from his hands, he leaned forward. “I want to become an ordained minister, and another year of teaching would give me the money I need to attend seminary. What do you think? Am I crazy?”

TJ sounded almost as vulnerable as Brianna had a day earlier. Though on the surface the rebellious teenager and the still-grieving widower had little in common, they were both at a crossroads in their lives. A shopping trip wouldn't help TJ, but perhaps some words would.

“You're not crazy,” Gillian assured him. “If you believe ordination is what God wants you to do, you should do it.” For the man who'd been called the RV Reverend, it wouldn't be a change of direction but simply formalizing what he had already been doing.

TJ popped the last piece of cookie into his mouth, brushing the crumbs from his hands as he chewed.

“I do believe it's God's plan for me,” he said a minute later. “When I was in church on Sunday, I felt as if that was where I belonged, and not just as a member of the congregation. I could picture myself in Pastor Bill's shoes.”

Gillian was glad she could see TJ's eyes, because she saw more enthusiasm in them than ever before. “You should do it,” she said, infusing her words with every bit of certainty she possessed. “I think you'll be a great minister.”

“I hope so. Even though there were times when I felt called, I never really considered the possibility before. Deb and I had a comfortable life as teachers. We had the same interests, the same schedule. Everything would have changed if I'd become a full-time minister. I didn't want that to happen to us.”