Texas Stranger (20 page)

January called the club and Tonya answered the line. “Hi, how’s it going in Houston?” January said into the receiver.

“January!” Tonya’s surprised voice came on again. “How are you? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, of course. I just miss you all and thought I’d give you a call since I was in town picking up supplies.” January laughed. “How are things at the club? Any issues I need to know about?”

“No everything is fine here. When are you coming back home? We have all been worried about you.” Tonya said.

“Day after Christmas, I want to spend Christmas with my family, is every thing going okay?”

“Everything is wonderful here. Phillip is officially vice president of Weaver Oil Company, and we are now engaged.” Tonya sounded happy.

“That is wonderful Tonya! Congratulations! I’m sure you’ll be happy. Phillip is a really nice guy.”

“Yes, he is, anyway Mary want’s to talk to you, hold on.” Tonya said.

“Hi, January, we’ve been real worried about you, you could have at least called and let us know you made it OK.” Mary said.

“I’m sorry, this is the first time I’ve been able to get into the general store. Anyway it sure is beautiful up here I wish you were all here with me.”

“And I wish you were here, like I said before you left, I don’t like the idea of you being up there alone.” Mary sighed. “By the way, did you hear about Kevin getting married. He’s marring a girl by the name of Cheryl. I think he said it was his nurse. Anyway they announced their engagement last night at the small gathering at the Richards. By the way, Kathy’s also getting married, we’re all real glad to hear that. But will it last? That is the question everyone is asking.” She laughed.

“So Kathy and Carl finally announced their engagement?” January nearly lost her balance and leaned against the wall where the phone was placed.

“No! Not Carl. She’s marrying Steve Carson, you remember him. The one you met at my party. Anyway I told you she was after him. Well she got him. The other night we were all congratulating Kevin and Steve starting asking too many questions about you and where you were. Steve wanted to go find you and make sure you were okay, and Carl told Steve that he would take care of finding you. Kathy got mad at Carl and they had a big fight. Anyway a couple of nights ago Kathy announced she was marring Steve.

“What...what about Carl? How is he taking it?” January stuttered.

“It doesn’t seem to bother him at all, he’s more relaxed now it seems. Although he sure does drive us crazy asking if we’ve heard from you. I think he’s really worried about you. Like everyone else is.”

“I’m not sure I understand what is going on, but I can hear more when I get home some time after Christmas.” January said. “You take care of your selves and if there is a problem you can leave a message here. You know the number. I’ll keep in touch.”

The walk back was going to be long and cold. For the weather had turned from a sunny day to an overcast day, with the threat of another winter storm. January had thanked the older couple for the use of their phone and started for the door.

“You should let me take you in the old jeep, the weather is starting to look a little rough for a long walk back up that hill little lady.” The old gentleman said moving toward his coat hanging on the coat rack by the door.

“No, thank you. I would really much rather walk. I need the exercise anyway.”

January thanked him. She then opened the door to a gust of wind, that nearly blew the sack of groceries out of her hand.

The streets were slick with ice, and it was hard for her to walk up the long road without sliding a few feet back with each step. The wind and snow was blowing in her face and her eyes, making it hard to see where she was going. The sack of groceries seemed to get heavier with each step she took. She heard the sound of a jeep drawing near. She moved over to the side of the road out of the line of traffic, so as not to get ran over by the vehicle. The road was just wide enough to get a car down without touching the snow drifts on the side. But she moved over as best she could to accommodate the jeep that seemed to be moving at a high rate of speed. Starting to panic from the sound of the approaching vehicle, she turned her head to see how close it was coming to her and she lost her footing. The sack of groceries went flying in one direction and she herself went flying in the other, landing on her back. The jeep that was also trying to avoid the girl lost control and landed in the large snow drift on the other side of the road.

January was still spitting snow out of her mouth when the driver came running over to see if she’d been hurt. She was
trying to explain her panic when she looked up to see Carl standing there smiling down at her.

“You!” She spat. “I should have known it would be you. You always have a way of causing me embarrassment or causing me to land on my back side.” January spat.

Clinging to the driver of the jeep, she tried to stand up. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Looking for you, I was worried about you, but it looks like you aren’t having any trouble surviving. Or at least not health wise.” Carl smiled and shook his head in a manner January hated.

The driver of the jeep, was picking up the groceries, and was trying to stuff them back into the wet sack as January and Carl stood glaring at each other.

“How far do you have to go?” The driver asked. A little embarrassed at having to interrupt them.

“Just up the hill,” January said taking the groceries out of his hands and turning toward Carl.

“We can handle it from here.” Carl said, shaking the man’s hand and turning toward her and taking the groceries from her arms..

“What do you mean, we can handle it? I don’t need your help.” January stated, taking the sack back.

The look of hurt that suddenly surfaced in his eyes tore at her heart as he stood staring at her. She wanted him to kiss her and yet she didn’t want him around at all. Why did she ever have to meet him in the first place. Why did he have to come
up here and just confuse her more. January turned and headed up the steep incline to the cabin. Carl followed close behind.

The warmth of the small cabin stung her face as she removed her scarf and gloves and held onto the wall to remove her boots. Her feet were numb and if hadn’t been for the fur lining it would be hard to even walk on them at this point. Carl had entered behind her stomping his boots on the wooden porch and setting the wet sack down on the wooden table which was used as the dinning room table.

“Hum...this feels good.” He remarked as he also took off his gloves.

Unbuttoning her coat slowly she studied his face as he looked around the small cabin. Carl’s attention turned toward the large picture window, and the snow storm that was beginning to build outside.

“Looks like we’re in for another good storm, is there any more wood that I could bring in?” He looked around at her.

“Yes,” January said, quickly turning toward the kitchen, there is a shed full out in back.

“I’ll get some more, do you have anything hot to drink around her?” He smiled at her again.

“I’ll make some coffee.” January said not turning around but instead reaching for the kettle to full with water.

Chapter 27

A
few minutes later January was putting the brownie mix into the old oven to bake when she heard the knock on the door.

“Come in,” she shouted tensely, as she burned her finger on the hot rack. But the knock came again harder this time. January strolled over to the large wooden door and opened it. Carl was standing there with his arms loaded down with wood. He also had snow all over him and his hair was dripping with water as he stood there looking at her.

“What on earth happened to you?” She started to smile, but then noticed his irritation.

“The roof on the shed busted. I’m afraid the snow was too much for it.”

“Well come in I’m freezing to death standing here.” She urged him in. Carl came through the door and started across the room toward the fire place.

“Wait, you need to take your boots off you’ll track up the floor.” January stopped him.

He slowly turned toward her the look of disbelief on his face. “Then I suggest you take this wood because as you can see my hands are full.” He started toward her.

“No, that’s okay, I forgot, go ahead,” January said, backing away. “What did you do roll in the snow, you have it all over you?”

“No, like I said, the roof caved in. I’ll clean up this mess as soon as I can get this wood down. Do you have any dry clothes around here I could put on? I’m afraid I left mine at the general store.” Carl grunted as he put the wood in the bend.

“Oh, I don’t know if there are any clothes in the big chest or not.” January said turning toward the bed room. She opened up a chest pulling out several blankets and some fishing gear. Finally she found a pair of jeans. Although they looked a little worn at the knees, she thought they just might fit.

By the time she had gotten back to the living room and noticed Carl, he had removed his coat and the fire was going full force. “This is all I could find.” She handed him the pants. He held them up for inspection and started laughing.

“Surely you don’t expect me to get into these? They look like they belong to some little boy.” He laughed.

“Look, I’m sorry, but that’s all I could find. I have several blankets, you could wrap around you.”

“Well that probably would be better than these.” He smiled.

January returned to the bedroom, pulling out the blankets and turning toward the living room again. But Carl was standing behind her taking off his shirt.

“Hugh...Here are the blankets.” She said, laying them down on the bed and starting to leave the room. But Carl stopped her.

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Mad?” She repeated, “I don’t know what our talking about.” January was trying not to notice his almost naked state. Her breath caught at the sight of his chest. “I’m sorry I don’t have any dry clothes to offer you.” She apologized, trying to change the subject.

“That’s okay, these blankets are fine, I’ll need a towel.”

“Oh, there’s one in the bathroom.” January said, moving around him and going toward the bathroom to get the towel. When she returned he was taking down his pants and didn’t seem to be at all embarrassed at his naked state. January stood frozen to the spot watching him undress. His muscular body tormenting her unmercifully. He turned toward her holding out his hand for the towel, all the time realizing what he was doing. A soft smile across his face told her he was doing that on purpose.

“Here,” She slung the towel at him and stepped past him to the other room.

Pouring the coffee into the cups, January stood there waiting for the brownies to finish baking. Carl stepped through the door way and started for the table. The blankets wrapped around his shoulders, he seemed to be slightly shivering.

“Maybe you should go sit by the fire, I’ll bring you some coffee.” January turned to get a serving tray from under the cabinet.

Without a word he slowly turned toward the living room and sat down on the sofa, pulling his feet up under the blankets.

January finished putting the brownies on the tray and followed moments later. She could feel his eyes on her as she sat the tray on the coffee table and handed him a cup. For just a few seconds their eyes met and neither one spoke. Somehow January managed a “Here.” As she herself picked up a cup and sat down in the chair opposite him. Holding the cup with both hands, as not to let the liquid spill out of the cup, for her hands shaking so noticeably.

The warmth of the room was comforting as January tried to settle back and relax. Still after several minutes had gone by neither one spoke. And then suddenly a gust of wind howled outside and January jumped and shivered looking toward the large picture window. Even though the curtains had been shut earlier, she could still feel the cold air coming in around the edges.

“Are you cold?” Carl asked, his voice deep and sexy.

“No, I’m..huh, fine, thank you.” January stuttered, taking a drink of the coffee, looking at Carl over the rim of the cup.

“Are you scared of me.... January?”

For a moment, she stared blankly at him. “No..no,” She repeated more firmly. “Should I be?”

Chapter 28

C
arl uncovered his feet and put them down on the braided rug. Sitting his cup on the coffee table, he then stood up. January froze, not knowing what to do. She was afraid to move, afraid he would move to fast for her, and she wouldn’t be able to get away. But instead of coming toward her he moved over to put more logs on the fire.

She sighed a silent relief. Watching his long powerful frame move the logs around, making the fire more brilliant. He sat back down on the sofa and stared at the typewriter. The paper that laid next to it was blank. He looked up at her again and for a second didn’t say anything.

“What have you been doing up here all week? It doesn’t look like you been writing.”

“I...huh can’t seem to get started. I guess I have to many other things on my mind.” January said putting her coffee cup down.

“Do you have any cards? Or do you even play cards?” Carl grinned at her.

“I really don’t know if there are any around. I haven’t taken the time to find out what is in this old place, but I’m sure there are some in one of these draws.” She smiled back.

“What do you know how to play?”

“How about Gin everyone knows how to play that,” she smiled opening draws and fishing around in them to find the cards. She found several packs.

“It looks like they’ve done a lot of card playing during the summer months.” She giggled.

Carl took a bite of the brownies January had put in front of him earlier.

“These are really good, I didn’t know you knew how to cook.” He smiled.

“I never had a chance to show you. But actually I’m not bad.” She smiled at him.

“What do you have planned for dinner, surely not brownies?”

“Oh, I really don’t know. I haven’t really wanted anything much,” She said. “I picked up some T-bone steak’s, but they are frozen.” She sighed.