A Ready-Made Texas Family

by Angel Moore

  Charlotte dropped the corner of the curtain and bent to pick it up. Nathan’s hand was there at the same time as hers. He held her hand in his gentle grasp. Time seemed to stop. They were so close. He was helpful and kind. A man who loved God and honored Him with his life. A man of integrity.

  All that poured over her wounded soul in a healing goodness that confirmed her hope for brighter days. Days that no longer seemed so far away.

  Nathan caressed her fingers with his and looked up to meet her eyes. Gone was the man who’d come to Gran Colina to take over her hotel. In front of her stood a man who’d worked side by side with her to fulfill her parents’ dreams. He’d taken her siblings into his life and heart. And they had accepted him as part of their daily lives. She had promised herself that she’d learn the hotel business before she allowed herself to be distracted by any man.

  Did she know enough to relax her guard? If the man didn’t distract her—but he attracted her—she could keep her vow to care for Michael and Sarah and also have a life for herself that she’d given up on. Was it too much to hope for?

  “Nathan, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all you’ve done. All you are doing. Somewhere along the line I guess I started thinking of us as a team.”

  “Like a team of horses pulling a wagon?” He added a lopsided grin to his teasing words.

  “Like a team of mules if you consider how stubborn we both are.” She dropped her gaze to their hands. His grip swallowed her small hand. He was wise beyond his years and shared that wisdom with her every day.

  “Yes. Mules is accurate.” He tugged on her hand and took a step closer to her. The excitement of the day and the progress they’d made together in the room where they stood seeing it all come to life filled her head. She felt herself lean toward him ever so slightly. “We are a good team. Strong and determined.”

  “You’ve made a huge difference in everything here.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without you. You stepped up into roles you knew nothing about and pulled the load of a prize mule.” He winked at her. The same quick motion of closing one eye that he used to make Sarah smile, but it was different. It was slower and his gaze never left hers. It was as if he could see her with his eyes closed.

  She knew if she closed her eyes, she could see every line of his face, every expression, hear every inflection in his voice. Yes, somewhere in the last month, she’d accepted Nathan as a part of her life.

  Without a moment to consider the consequences, Charlotte followed her heart and raised up on her toes. She held his hand tighter and closed her eyes as she pressed her lips to his. The sweetness of the moment was more precious than any she’d ever imagined. No man had ever touched her heart like Nathan did. This, her first kiss, connected her to him with a power that startled and comforted her at the same time. She let her heels drop to the floor, and her eyes fluttered open. The look in his eyes matched the feelings in her heart.

  And it settled her soul.

  Charlotte dropped the curtain over the back of a nearby chair. “I’ll finish this in the morning.” She squeezed his hand and released it. “Good night, Nathan.”

  He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. “Good night, Charlotte.”

  Her feet carried her from the room as though she floated.

  When she closed her eyes to sleep that night, her mind confirmed her earlier thought that she’d see his image as clearly as if he stood before her. The peaceful slumber that overtook her was the best she’d ever known.

  * * *

  Nathan woke early on Tuesday. The shipment of furnishings should be on his mind. And it was. But Charlotte was in the forefront of his every waking thought. She’d been in his dreams. Her beauty and joy had filled the recesses of his mind for weeks. Longer if he dared to admit it to himself.

  But after she kissed him last night, all other thoughts had fled.

  Today would require his full attention. He and Charlotte would supervise every piece of furniture that was uncrated and placed in the hotel. He wasn’t sure how she’d react to him this morning. Yesterday had been full of good news and unexpected surprises. Would she regret sharing her feelings with him? Nathan hoped not, but he would be cautious in how he approached her.

  At the top of the landing, he checked his watch. There was just enough time for a quick breakfast. When he walked into the kitchen, Michael and Sarah were at the table with Charlotte.

  Sarah bounced in her chair. “Are you ready, Mr. Nathan? I’m excited. Charlotte says there’s lot of new things for all over the hotel. It’s gonna be all fancy and new.” She took a drink of her milk. “I like fancy.”

  “I am ready.” He smiled at her. “What about you, Michael? Are you ready to work with me? I’m going to need a lot of help.”

  Michael nodded and took a big bite of a biscuit at the same time.

  Nathan went to the stove and chatted with Mrs. Atkins while he loaded his plate from the bowls of fried potatoes, scrambled eggs and bacon. He added two biscuits to the top of the plate and returned to the table.

  He stood across from Charlotte. “May I join you?” He waited for her to look up. A lovely shade of pink stained her cheeks. He was thrilled to know it was there because of him, but he wouldn’t embarrass her. Mornings were his best time of day, but he took care to keep his tone and demeanor calm for her sake.

  Charlotte nodded, and he sat down. “I’m glad we organized the crates at the livery last night. It will be easy to arrange one room at a time.” He tore a biscuit into two pieces. “Three rooms of furnishings should fit on a wagon. Even with six men coming to help, the process could take the rest of the week.”

  “I’ve spoken to Nora and the other maid. They’ve stripped the linens from the first room and will be ready to make up the room as soon as the furnishings are in place. I thought it would be helpful if they worked quickly behind the men. They’ll clean the other rooms while they wait on each of the newly furnished rooms to be ready for them.”

  “That’s an excellent plan. I’ll only be a few minutes.” He picked up his coffee mug. “You’ll see real changes by the end of the day, Charlotte. I hope you’ll be pleased.”

  She met his gaze for a brief moment. “If the change of the curtains in the dining room is any indication, I’m sure I’ll love it.” Her mouth twitched as if fighting a smile before she looked away.

  He could resist no longer. They couldn’t speak openly because of the children, but he had to make some mention of the night before or he would never be able to concentrate on his work today. “So, you’re happy with the changes that took place in the restaurant last evening?”

  Charlotte darted her eyes in his direction, and the smile she’d been resisting made an appearance. “Very happy.”

  He nodded. “Good. I wanted you to be pleased.” Nathan said a silent prayer of thanks for Charlotte’s happiness.

  He finished his breakfast, and they all went to work. The day passed quickly. He managed the crew of men who broke open the crates in the back of the wagon and hoisted the heavy furnishings up the stairs.

  Charlotte handled the daily needs of the hotel. She made sure the maids were on task and took care of their departing and arriving guests. There was even time for her to step onto the porch and see almost every piece of furniture before it was carried into the hotel.

  By late afternoon, the September sun had risen to a scorching heat, and the men they’d hired were almost done in.

  Nathan called Charlotte and the children onto the porch when the men opened the final crate for the day.

  Charlotte stepped onto the porch. “I only have a minute. There are a couple of things I need to help Nora with.”

  He smiled up at her from the back of the wagon. “I wanted you all to see what’s in this last crate.” He leaned close to the porch rail and spoke to the children. “It was important to your parents that you each have someth
ing special from their trip to Dallas.”

  “It won’t make me sad?” Sarah backed up and clung to Charlotte’s skirts.

  “I promise it won’t. This is something your parents wanted you to have. It’s a gift from them to you. You’d never be sad about your momma and pa giving you a gift. It’s like a big surprise.” He hadn’t known what to say, but that must have been the right thing. Charlotte mouthed her thanks to him over Sarah’s head.

  “A surprise! I love surprises!” Sarah danced on the porch with her doll.

  “Good. The first surprise is for you.” Nathan slid the lid off one end of the crate. “I was standing in the store with your momma and pa when your pa saw this bed. He wanted you to have it.”

  Sarah leaned over the rail of the porch and squealed her delight. “It’s so pretty!” She jumped up and down and squealed again. “I love the flowers!”

  Nathan reached out and lifted Sarah over the railing and set her in the wagon. She rubbed her hand along the carved flowers on the corners of the headboard.

  She turned to look up at him. “Will you put it in my room so I can sleep on it tonight?”

  The joy in her eyes was contagious. It whisked away the fatigue of the long day. “I will.”

  He set her back on the porch. “Now it’s Michael’s turn.”

  Nathan pushed the wooden cover almost off the crate. Michael leaned forward and saw the corner of a writing desk. “Your pa told me you were a smart young man. He said he wanted you to have a desk so you could study in your room. He knew you’d work hard in school so you could be a fine hotelier when you’re a man.”

  Michael’s jaw dropped. “I don’t know another boy with his own desk. Only bankers and agents and such got a desk.” He squared his shoulders. “Mr. Nathan, I won’t be able to help you with the rest of the crates you’ll be bringing to the hotel. I’ve got to go to school tomorrow so the teacher can send me home some work to do on my new desk. I wanna make Pa proud.”

  Tears streamed down Charlotte’s face, and she hugged Michael. “What lovely gifts you both have.”

  Nathan made a clicking noise with his tongue. “We’ll have no tears, Miss Charlotte. Your momma picked out something nice for you.” He slid the lid off the crate, and it banged against the side of the wagon.

  In the far end of the large crate, he pointed to a cedar chest complete with carvings of grapes and vines on the corners.

  Charlotte pulled a handkerchief from her skirt pocket and wiped away her tears. “It’s lovely. I’ve never seen anything so fine.”

  “Let’s allow these gentlemen to carry these pieces into your rooms. Charlotte, will you please direct them?”

  Once the final pieces were in place, Nathan sent the men away with a reminder to be earlier the following morning. Perhaps the heat wouldn’t be as hard on them if they were able to do more work earlier in the day.

  Charlotte walked into the lobby as the men were leaving. “Nathan, the children are overjoyed with their gifts. How wonderful that you were able to tell us the story behind each choice.”

  Nathan opened his notebook. He wanted to mark off the rooms that had been completed, and he needed a moment to compose his thoughts before he looked at Charlotte. She was standing beside him as she often did. But now that she’d revealed a glimpse of her soul to him, he was keenly aware of her every move. It would be difficult to turn to her and not reach out to touch her hair or her face. Even to hold her hand.

  He put a pencil in the page of the notebook. He was able to turn to her and drink in the sight of her without closing the distance between them.

  “Your parents were so excited that day. They’d taken their time to pick pieces for every room of the hotel. They knew the renovations would take up most of their funds, but they didn’t want the three of you to feel as though the business was more important to them than you were. I am grateful that I could bring you those last few memories.”

  “The memories are as much of a treasure as the gifts.” She smiled. This time there were no tears. It was good to see her remembering them without the horrible grief that had weighed on them all when he’d first come to Gran Colina.

  He couldn’t help himself. He reached for her hand. The softness of her skin against his was like dew on rose petals. The dew clung to the petals, but was light and enhanced the beauty of the flower without harming it. She was softness and sweetness. And joy and fun. All in a stubborn skin that protected her from harm.

  “I’m glad.”

  She smiled at him and slid her hand from his. “I need to help the children. Michael is putting things in the drawer of his desk, and I promised Sarah I’d put her linens on her bed.”

  “What about you, Charlotte? Do you have anything to tuck into your cedar chest? Some treasure that only your heart knows perhaps.”

  “My treasure can’t be seen or captured, and it’s too big for a cedar chest.” She took a step back. “I hope we’ll see you at supper.”

  “You can count on it.” He watched her close the door to her parlor and turned back to the registration desk. No amount of effort helped him remember what he had been doing before Charlotte came to talk to him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Hurry up, kids. We don’t want to be late for church.” Charlotte checked the picnic basket on the kitchen table one final time. Nathan had suggested they all return to the hotel and change out of their Sunday best following the service. Then they could head to the river for a picnic and enjoy the afternoon together.

  Five minutes later Michael came into the parlor. “I’m ready. Can I go see if Mr. Nathan is ready to go?”

  “Yes. I’ll fetch Sarah, and we’ll meet you in the lobby.”

  Sarah had dropped her doll behind her new bed and slid underneath to retrieve it. The result was a dusty dress and a recovered doll. It took Charlotte several minutes to help her change into a clean dress that matched the ribbons on her braids.

  “Let’s go.” Charlotte took her by the hand and led her into the lobby.

  Nathan was there with Michael. Mrs. Atkins was at the reception desk this morning. One of the changes in the hotel staffing that Charlotte liked the best was that several people alternated the duties on Sundays, so no one missed more than one service per month.

  Charlotte let go of Sarah’s hand and reminded Mrs. Atkins that they’d return for their picnic things and be gone for the rest of the day.

  “Don’t you worry about a thing, Miss Charlotte. Mrs. Baxter is in the kitchen, and we planned a simple lunch. It’s simmering on the stove and will be tender and delicious by the time folks are back from church. I’m so grateful for the new bits and pieces your folks were kind enough to purchase. Preparing the meals is a lot easier than it was before.”

  “I’m glad Momma was there to choose things. Pa would never have known what to buy. I especially like the new pots and bowls. They’re so big. It will really help when we’re hosting the meetings like the one for Mr. Thornhill next month.”

  “You should have seen Mrs. Baxter when she was helping me this morning. She was making such a fuss over all the new things. It’s made coming to work a pleasure.” Mrs. Atkins laughed at her words. “Not that it wasn’t before, but it’s always nice to have new things.” She smiled at Charlotte. “You all go and enjoy yourself. You’ve worked so hard, and it’s past time you had some fun.” Mrs. Atkins smiled at Charlotte and raised her eyebrows in Nathan’s direction.

  Was the woman hinting that she had noticed a change in Charlotte’s relationship with Nathan? She hoped not. The feelings she had for him were new. She needed time to pray and ponder them before anyone else chimed in with their opinion.

  She shooed the children out the door of the hotel and stepped down to the street for the short walk to Gran Colina Church.

  Nathan spoke softly from close behind her. “May I join you?”

  She started and
gasped. “I’m sorry. Of course. I was so distracted by Sarah being late that I’m a bit scattered this morning.” Nathan walked in step beside her, and the kids walked ahead of them.

  He leaned in to speak. “You look lovely this morning.”

  “Thank you.” She lifted a gloved hand to adjust the bow that held her hat in place and peeked at him from under the brim. “I like that suit best of all the ones you wear.”

  Nathan smoothed the lapels of his coat. “Me, too.” They neared the churchyard. “Would you like me to sit on the other side of the church today?”

  “Do you want to?”

  “No, but you made yourself very clear the last time we were here that Sarah was the one who invited me and not you.”

  She smirked when he leaned forward to look into her eyes. “You know that was a long time ago.”

  “Not so very long.” He was going to force her to admit she wanted him near her. She understood. In his shoes, she’d do the same thing.

  “Well, if you can’t see that things have changed a bit since the last time we were in church together, I’ll have to say an extra prayer for you today.”

  “So you want me to sit with you?” His eyes danced with teasing laughter.

  “You may if you like.” Charlotte quickened her pace and arrived at the door of the church several steps ahead of him. She settled the children into their usual bench and took a seat near the end of the row. Nathan came to stand by her.

  “Miss Green, may I sit with you and the children this morning?” He spoke in a normal tone, and a hush fell on the room that had been filled with chatter.

  Charlotte could feel the heat fill her face. Before the last few days, she’d have thought Nathan’s words were meant to provoke her. Not anymore. She lifted her head and met his gaze. “You may, Mr. Taylor.”

  Cyrus and Ethel Busby occupied the bench in front of her. Cyrus glanced over his shoulder at Charlotte and leaned to whisper in his wife’s ear. Ethel shushed him and put a hand against his cheek to turn him toward the front of the room.