She backed into the shadows, and her heart melted. If she hadn’t already been falling for the man, this moment would have sealed the deal.
The frolicking stopped when Trey motioned for Pansie to move closer and put her feet on top of his boots. “Just hold on to my hands and don’t let go while we dance.” She complied, and they began a slow twirl, something between a waltz and a Texas two-step.
“Good job,” Trey told her. “See, that’s how princesses dance in the rain with cowboys.”
This. This was what she’d missed in Ross’s life. What she hadn’t been able to reach out and capture for him.
She tossed the washcloth on the table and leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and watched the cowboy and the princess dance.
“This is like at school,” she heard Pansie tell Trey. “We’re making a joyful noise.” Then Pansie spied her. “Gwammy, come dance!”
Trey aimed a grin at her, and her knees nearly buckled. “That’s right,” he said with an I-dare-you tone. “Come dance!”
She moved to the edge of the porch. “Oh, I don’t know. It looks like the cowboy already has a princess to dance with.”
Trey knelt down and whispered something in Pansie’s ear. A moment later, the little girl came running toward her, damp curls flying, her grin broad.
“Come on, Gwammy.” She tugged at Sessa’s hand and urged her out into the rain.
Sessa felt the first few drops of rain slither down her neck, and she shivered despite the warmth of the evening. Pansie pulled her closer to Trey as the downpour dampened her hair.
“Hey, cowboy.”
Pansie left her in front of Trey to chase the raindrops.
Trey grasped one of her hands and then took a step back to offer a courtly bow. “Hello, my queen.” He then closed the distance between them to wrap his arm around her waist. “Shall we dance?”
Unlike the dance he’d shared with Pansie, this dance was slow, deliberate, a conversation without words. His eyes never left hers, and she didn’t dare look away.
The warmth of his palm at the small of her back distracted her almost as much as the width of his chest and the breadth of his shoulders. Of the muscles she could feel as she held tight to his arm.
Don’t let go.
She held on tighter, and he smiled. “Doing all right, your majesty?”
“Oh yes, cowboy.”
“Then don’t let go.” He hauled her close, and the horizon slipped as he dipped her backward.
And then he kissed her.
She didn’t realize her eyes had closed, but a sudden giggle surprised her into opening them. Pansie appeared in her line of sight. “Hey there, princess,” Trey managed. “This cowboy’s kind of busy right now.”
“Blueberry kisses!” she shouted as she planted sloppy kiss on Sessa’s cheek. Then, being the diplomat, she did the same for Trey.
“Blueberry kisses,” he said as he swiped at his cheek and then stuck his finger in his mouth. “Tasty.” He paused. “And unforgettable.”
Then he kissed her again.
Chapter Seventeen
June meeting of the Pies, Books & Jesus Book Club
Location: Carly Chance’s home
Pies: one bubble gum, two caramel apple, and one bacon cheesecake
Book title: AT THE SOUND OF WATER by Jamie Livingston Turner
“She didn’t really kiss him in the parking lot of the Blue Plate, did she?”
“Of course she did,” Sessa said as she walked into the living room, catching Vonnette and Mama with their heads together. “And why not? Everyone in Sugar Pine was going to hear about it anyway.”
“Hear about what?” Mama said coyly. “Far as I know, there’s nothing going on. At least nothing that you’ve told your mama about. Of course there’s plenty going on, as the whole town knows.”
“I do believe you’ve rendered her speechless,” Vonnette said.
Sue Ellen shook her finger at Mama and Vonnette. “Oh, y’all leave her alone. If she’s got some kind of flame kindled with that handsome doctor, I’m sure she’d tell us.” She turned to face Sessa. “Wouldn’t you?”
Carly looked up from nursing her baby and added her agreement, which led to the rest of the woman chiming in. All Sessa could do was stand there like a deer in headlights.
Coco stood and clapped her hands to get their attention. “All right, ladies. As Sessa’s acknowledged best friend since as long as either of us can remember, I am going to settle this once and for all so we can get back to what we came here for.”
“Pie?” Vonnette quipped. The others giggled.
“Well, yes of course,” Coco said. “I know we’ve got several new types to try, thanks to Carly’s love of all things Epicurious.”
“I never did understand what Epicurious is,” Mama said. “Sounds like something the preacher wouldn’t approve of.”
Carly shook her head. “No ma’am. Epicurious is a magazine for cooks who like gourmet food. I have lots of other places I like to find recipes, but I get some of my best ideas from there.”
Sessa offered a smile of thanks that her best friend had steered these women onto another topic. Bless her heart.
Carly beamed. “Now I’m going to hand this little man off to his gran-gran so I can go get those pies cut.”
As soon as Carly was out of earshot, Robin leaned forward. “Okay, y’all. That pink bubblegum pie is delicious. I was suspicious, but it really does taste like Double Bubble. She listened to good sense and made two plain old caramel apple pies, so you probably can’t go wrong there. Or at least that’s what she told me they were. I didn’t actually see her make them. I’ve got to warn you, though. I’m just not sure what to make of that bacon cheesecake.”
“Bacon cheesecake?” Vonnette shook her head. “What is this world coming to?”
“I know.” Robin held her grandson against her shoulder and patted his back. “But you never know. Keep an open mind, that’s what I say. Well, an open mind and an open bottle of Pepto-Bismol.”
Carly returned with a tray filled with slices of pie. “All right, ladies. Those are the caramel apple. I’ll be right back with the other two, although I understand the surprise might have been ruined just a little by my dear mother-in-law.”
“Oh honey,” Robin said. “You know I love your cooking. I was just bragging on you.”
“Sessa,” Carly said. “Would you come help me?”
“Sure.” She rose to follow Carly into the kitchen. “What can I do?”
“Bragging indeed! That woman, for all I love about her, sometimes she just stomps all over my last nerve. Does she think I didn’t hear the Pepto-Bismol comment?” Carly shook her head. “Oh, don’t listen to me. I’m just exhausted. Much as I love my son, I would sure like him to learn the difference in night and day and spend more of the night asleep.”
“Babies are a full-time job. Maybe he’ll learn quickly.”
“I sure hope so.” She placed the slices of pie and cheesecake on another tray.
“Thank you for sending the pie over,” Sessa said.
“I heard what happened.” She giggled. “When Coco told me about Trey and Pansie finding the pie, well, I laughed until I cried.”
“It was funny, after I got over my embarrassment.” She paused. “Honestly, I don’t know how I could have looked Trey in the eyes and claimed to have baked anything as amazing as what comes out of your kitchen. And speaking of, is that the bacon cheesecake? It looks delicious.”
“It is.” Carly grinned and reached into the microwave, where a generous slice had been cut and was waiting on a paper plate. She must have hidden it there before setting out the pies.
She grabbed two forks and handed one to Sessa. “A good chef always saves a piece for tasting. Here. Try a bite.”
“Oh, Carly.” She swallowed the interesting concoction. “I’m going to need that recipe.”
“Yeah?”
Sessa nodded and snagged another bite. “Yeah.”
Relief flooded the younger woman’s face. “Oh, thank you. I’ll email you the recipe. But first I think we need just one more bite.”
“Just one more wouldn’t hurt,” she agreed. “Or two.”
“What’re y’all doing in there?” Vonnette called. “The caramel apple’s almost gone.”
“Go ahead and finish it off,” Carly called. “We’re bringing out the other in a minute.” She returned her attention to Sessa. “Before I go back in there, I need to tell you something.”
“All right.”
She pushed the tray aside and reached for Sessa’s hand. “I just want you to know that, no matter what happens with you and Dr. Brown, he saved my son’s life. I know he did. He was breach, and we live out in the middle of nowhere, and there wasn’t a midwife and poor Jared …”
Sessa patted her hand. “Honey, it’s okay.”
“Well, anyway, he barely knew Jared. So for him to come out there and do that for me … For us. Well, it speaks of what kind of man he is. So if anyone thinks to slight him because of what happened with Ross, they’re going to have to go through me and Jared to get to him.”
Sessa breathed in deeply, letting the mention of Ross and the pang of grief it carried slip away. And then Carly’s words really penetrated, bringing a rush of warmth and gratitude toward the younger woman. “Thank you for telling me that.”
And of course, at that very moment, Mama’s voice intruded.
“Go ahead and eat the rest of the pie, ladies. I bet they’re talking about Sessa’s cowboy. I told her that was the man God sent her, but no, would she listen to her mama? Might as well call my great granddaughter and say good-night. At least she listens to me.”
Sessa shook her head. “That woman. Much as I love her, she can truly be a pain. I cannot wait until she finally says yes to Dr. Easley and goes on a date. You can be certain I’ll be giving her every bit as much trouble as she’s giving me.”
Carly grinned. “You mean you didn’t know?”
She gave her friend a sideways look. “Talk to me, girl.”
“Well,” Carly said, “guess who has not only joined the choir but also the Quilt Guild?”
“No.”
Carly nodded. “Not only that, but I understand he and your mama have spent more than the last four Tuesday afternoons planning quilts over lunch at the Red Lobster in Sively and then going to the fabric store to pick out material.”
“No!”
“Or at least that’s the story I heard at the diner from one of Vonnette’s customers, and she heard it while she was getting her hair done.”
“Surely not.”
She paused as if trying to decide whether to say more. “I saw them holding hands in that same parking lot where you and that cute doctor were locking lips.”
Sessa chuckled. “Well, how about that? Thank you, Carly.” She moved toward the door. “Mama!”
“Hush. Do you really want to bust her right now?”
“In front of God and everybody she cares about? You bet I do. She surely doesn’t mind doing it to me.”
Carly shook her head. “Don’t waste it, girl. If your mama’s going to that much trouble to hide it from you, I say save it for when it counts.”
“Carly, I swear you and Sessa are going to have to arm wrestle Bonnie Sue over the last piece of caramel apple pie,” Vonnette called. “If something’s that interesting, come and tell all of us.”
“We all know she’s talking about that cowboy. What did I tell you?”
“Should I use it now?” Sessa said as she lifted her brows.
Carly shook her head. “Nope. Save it.” She grinned. “That caramel apple pie she’s so fond of?” A giggle. “There are no apples in it. Or caramel. Go in there and insist she get the recipe. I’ll handle the rest. Trust me.”
“You are devious, Carly Chance.”
She laughed. “And exhausted. Let’s get that book club meeting started. Bedtime can’t come soon enough for me.”
“Well, look who has decided to join us,” Mama exclaimed when they returned to the room. “I just called the babysitter to check on Pansie, and guess what your granddaughter told me.”
Sessa cleared a space on the table for the tray Carly was holding. “What’s that, Mama?”
“That she and Uncle Trey danced in the rain after they stole pie from the mailbox.”
Sessa froze, glad her back was to the room. “You must have misunderstood.”
“We all heard her,” Vonnette said. “Bonnie Sue had her on speaker phone.”
She turned around slowly and found every eye in the room on her. “Oh?”
Coco grimaced. “There’s more.”
She focused on her best friend. “I’m sure she was just making things up.”
“Like blueberry kisses?” Mama said. “I believe she said something about the princess and the cowboy.”
“We all figured you were the princess,” Vonnette said. “And it was obvious who the cowboy was. As to the blueberry kisses …”
Sessa sat across from her mother and let out a long breath. “Well, you’re half right. The princess, however, is Pansie. And yes, she did dance in the rain with Dr. Brown. And the blueberry kisses were because she was covered in blueberries after eating Carly’s pie.” She paused, still thrilled by the memories. “Well, anyway, you kind of had to be there.”
Mama’s perfectly plucked brows rose, and those lips that matched her pink ensemble pursed as she lifted her glass of tea. “I suppose so, Sessa, but none of us were invited.”
“It was just a cookout. And while we are on the subject of not being invited, I’m wondering why all of a sudden you’ve stopped trying to get me to go to Quilt Guild meetings with you.”
Her mother almost sloshed sweet tea all over her. “I’m sorry. What?”
Sessa gave her an I-know-all-about-it look. “Just thinking I might want to start going to the meetings. What say I pick you up for the next one? We could have some lunch at the Red Lobster over in Sively, and then maybe after we could head over to the fabric store to look at material.”
Carly grinned from her perch on the rocker behind Mama. Mama, however, wore a decidedly less mirthful expression.
“You know, honey. I’ve always felt bad that I put so much pressure on you to go to those meetings. Don’t feel like you have to.” Her hand shook as she set the tea glass down in front of her, completely missing the coaster.
“Oh, no pressure at all. In fact, I would love to, Mama. I know how lonely you get when you have to do things by yourself. Speaking of doing things, got anything you’d like to share with the group? Maybe I could make a call on speaker phone to a certain Doc Eas—”
“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but now that I’ve had my pie, I’m ready to talk about this month’s book.” Vonnette leaned over and placed the coaster under the glass. “Am I the only one who couldn’t figure out what water was supposed to smell like?”
Sessa continued to stare at her mother, refusing to be the one who looked away first. It was childish, but she didn’t care.
Finally her mother turned her attention elsewhere. Sessa called that a victory.
One thing she’d learned recently was to savor the victories.
And the memories.
And someday she would learn not to live for the somedays.
“I heard someone bought the old Landrum house.” Carly sidled up to her. “Wonder who that was.”
“I don’t know,” Sessa said quietly, letting the other ladies continue their discussion of the book. “It’s been vacant for years. I’m surprised anyone would want it.”
“It is next door to the Blue Plate.” Coco joined them. “Prime location for a business. Maybe Sugar Pine is finally going to get a cute little boutique or maybe a spa. Oh, wouldn’t a spa just be the best thing ever?”
“I’ve seen pictures. That old place used to be a real showplace,” Carly said. “I remember when it was the prettiest house in town. Whatever goes in there will be nice, I
guarantee you that.”
“Are you girls talking about Sessa and that man again?” Vonnette called. “Because we’re here to talk books, not men.”
She smiled. “Actually, we were talking about the Landrum house. Anyone know who bought it?”
The general consensus was that the purchaser was a mystery. Sessa smiled. Not for long.
Nothing in Sugar Pine remained hidden very long. She gave Mama a look. Nothing at all.
Chapter Eighteen
Two days after dancing in the rain with Sessa, Trey walked out of the Chief of Staff’s office with a weight lifted from his shoulders. Of course, the chief thought he’d lost his mind. Trey knew he’d only just begun to find it.
Charlie Dorne fell in beside him as he headed toward the elevator. “Just heard the news,” he said. “Good for you, cowboy.”
“That didn’t take long.” He shook Charlie’s hand.
“Apparently the chief’s secretary and Santini’s OR nurse are thick as thieves. I left Santini to close and came to find you.”
Trey punched the button for the elevator. “I’m glad you did. I was going to call you.” He paused as the elevator dinged. “When I got settled, that is.”
“Where will you go?”
He stepped into the empty elevator and grinned. “I’ve got some plans, but there’s a certain person in Sugar Pine, Texas, I need to run them by first.”
Charlie clasped his hand on Trey’s shoulder. “Glad to hear it. I guess your visit to the therapist really paid off.”
“Speaking of paying, I need to stop by his office and handle something.” Trey walked out into the ground floor atrium and then shook his friend’s hand once more. “I’ll see you soon, Charlie.” He pulled his hand away to wrap his arm around the surgeon. “Thank you, man. For everything.”
Charlie chuckled as they stepped apart. “Everything, huh? That’s a pretty broad category.”
Charlie’s phone rang and he reached for it. “Stay in touch. I mean it, Trey.”
He gave Charlie the thumbs up sign and then headed to his truck. Dialing the counselor’s number, Trey waited until he got the recording that indicated there was no one in the office. “Hey, it’s Trey Brown. I owe you a belated thanks. Your idea for me to go and make amends to Ross Chambers’ family changed my life. One of these days, I want to tell you about it, but not on the phone. If you’re ever in Sugar Pine, Texas, give me a call.” He then left his number and hung up.
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