The ache of loneliness inside Nell increased. Travis Grant was a city slicker, her first guest on the dude ranch, and she’d fallen head over heels in love with him. And he with her. Both had been married before. Nell was a widow, and Travis was divorced. Neither had any intention of falling in love again. But they’d been thrown together working to solve the mystery that surrounded Bitter End, the ghost town situated outside Promise. Eagerly on Travis’s part, reluctantly on hers. But after research and much conjecture, they had solved it. In the process they’d fallen in love.
At first a lasting relationship between them had seemed impossible. Travis had returned to New York, and she’d resumed the business of her life, starting a new venture and raising her two children. But she’d been miserable. Travis, too. It wasn’t long—less than two weeks—before they both realized they belonged together. They’d intended to get married right away. So much for best-laid plans. September had never seemed as far away as it did right that minute.
The music slowed and couples moved into each other’s arms. Nell missed Travis so much that watching the dancers was almost painful. She was about to turn away when someone tapped her shoulder.
“I believe this dance is mine.”
She instantly recognized the rich resonant voice. Travis. But that wasn’t possible. He was touring on the East Coast and not due back in New York until Sunday. Not due in Texas until right before their wedding.
Nell whirled around, convinced her heart was playing tricks on her. “Travis?” Her shocked afraid-to-believe gaze met his. After a second of stunned wonder, she hurled herself into his arms.
Travis clasped Nell around the waist and, in his joy, half lifted her from the ground. Without caring about an audience, she spread kisses all over his face. “Travis, oh, Travis.”
She didn’t know how he happened to arrive in Texas for this dance or how long he could stay. None of that was important just then. Being in his arms was.
“Let’s dance,” he whispered and reached for her hand.
Numb with happiness, she blindly followed him onto the floor.
Dancing was little more than a convenient excuse to continue holding each other. Nell closed her eyes as she moved into his embrace, listening to the slow mellow music. With her arms around his neck and her face against his shoulder, she clung to him and he to her. All too soon the dance ended, long before Nell was ready, and from the reluctant way he released her, she knew Travis wasn’t ready, either. With no other choice they broke apart and applauded politely.
“How…When?” she asked as they walked off the dance floor. In her shock, she had trouble getting the words out.
Travis took her hand and led her to a quiet corner, away from the festivities. They sat facing each other, so close their knees touched.
“I phoned late yesterday afternoon,” he began. “You weren’t there. I was feeling miserable without you and exhausted from the tour. I was scheduled to fly back to New York last night.”
Nell knew that much already.
“All at once I realized I didn’t give a tinker’s damn if I ever saw the New York skyline again. Everything that’s important to me is right here in Promise.”
“Why didn’t you let me know..?”
He grinned and touched her cheek as if he couldn’t believe, even now, that they were together. “Ruth answered the phone and we talked. She told me you’d been working too hard.”
“I haven’t, it’s just that—Oh, Travis, it’s so wonderful to see you.” If they’d been anyplace other than a crowded dance with half the town looking on, she would’ve kissed him senseless. She had so much to tell him, so much she wanted to ask in the little time they had before he left again. His promotional tour might be over, but he was scheduled to leave almost immediately on a research trip deep in the interior of Mexico.
Travis touched her face and his eyes brightened with intensity. “I’m not taking that trip.”
“But, Travis, you’ve been planning it for so long.”
“I’ll go someday, but when I do it’ll be with you. I didn’t know it was possible to feel this strongly about someone. As far as I’m concerned, the entire book tour was a waste. My publicist said that next time the publisher plans anything like this, they’ll gladly pay to have you fly with me. I wasn’t worth a damn. Look what you’ve done to me, Nell.”
She smiled. “How long can you stay?” she asked.
Travis glanced at his watch and Nell realized he’d probably need to be back on the road by morning.
“Does the next forty years suit you?”
“What?” His response completely unsettled her.
“I want us to get married.”
“Now?”
“As soon as we can set it up with Wade,” he said. “We’ll leave on our honeymoon right away. Somewhere wonderful, anywhere, I don’t care as long as we’re together.”
“But I can’t go now.” Nell’s heart sank. “I can’t leave the ranch.” Although her guests were due to depart the next morning, a fresh batch was scheduled to arrive first thing Monday.
“It’s all been arranged,” Travis insisted.
“Arranged? What do you mean?”
“Actually this was all Ruth’s idea. She asked me to remind you of a surprise birthday party you threw for her last year. Well, this little surprise is her doing.” Travis grinned. “Ruth’s got your bags packed and says she refuses to listen to any excuses.”
“What about—”
“It’s covered, sweetheart. Ruth got two of her retired friends to come in and ride roughshod over the next bunch of greenhorns. Everything’s under control, so don’t worry.”
“But—”
“We’re getting married, Nell, no ifs, ands or buts!”
“Yes, oh, Travis, yes.” Nell was overcome with gratitude—and with joy—that he was here and she was in his arms…and they were getting married!
“I knew you’d agree once you heard my plan.”
Smiling through her tears, Nell hugged the greenhorn who’d captured her heart. Ruth had said that one day she’d give her a surprise as big as the birthday party Nell had thrown for her. Nell had never dreamed it would be something this wonderful.
“I’m crazy about you,” Travis whispered.
Wonderful, indeed.
AFTER ACTING LIKE AN IDIOT at Amy’s front door, Wade had quickly recovered his composure by making some ridiculous comment about the sunlight blinding his eyes.
He’d been blinded all right, but it wasn’t by the sun. Just then he suspected it had been his own stupidity that had done him in.
The Lord had quite a sense of humor, Wade reflected. He considered what happened a sort of a divine-induced attitude adjustment. From the way he’d behaved, anyone might have thought that taking Amy to this dance was a burden. An unpleasant chore. He’d done everything but hide in an effort to avoid it. In reality, he was so calf-eyed over her it was all he could do to keep the drool off his chin. What he’d needed was a good swift kick in the rear. And Amy had provided it.
The minute they’d arrived, Amy had received more attention than a Smithsonian exhibit. Single ranchers had immediately flocked around her; two hours later, they still did. Wade had never seen anything like it.
No sooner had they stepped into the hall than Steve Ellis had asked for a dance. The guy had his nerve! Wade hadn’t seen any of the other men stopping and requesting a dance from someone else’s date. What really stuck in his craw was that the evening was half over and he had yet to dance with Amy.
He couldn’t get close enough to ask.
Okay, okay, so this was probably what he deserved. He was the first to admit his attitude had been all wrong. He’d made a mistake in not owning up to the way he felt about her. A big mistake—but it seemed he wasn’t going to get the opportunity to undo it.
This sudden interest was due to more than simply the fact that Amy was a beautiful woman. Anyone looking at her could see that. On the drive to the dance he’d struggled
to keep his eyes on the road and not on her. So, okay, he was attracted to her. He liked her, too. Really liked her, and had from the first.
But he’d been afraid of what people would say if he pursued a relationship with her. A romance. Fear had dominated his actions.
Sheriff Hennessey had tried to talk sense into him. Unfortunately Wade’s stubborn pride had prevented him from hearing the message. He resented being manipulated, and he’d focused on that, instead of his feelings for Amy.
From this point forward he refused to allow what others thought to dictate his decisions. He wanted to get to know Amy better. If she wasn’t ready to date, then he’d start by being her friend. She was a generous person and he hoped she’d be willing to give him a second chance. That was, if he could manage to break through the throng of men vying for her attention.
At social events such as this, Wade made a point of dancing with the older single women, widows and the like. Women his mother’s and grandmother’s ages. Tonight, however, he couldn’t make himself do it. The only person he wanted to hold in his arms was Amy Thornton—his date. So far, unfortunately, he’d only seen her from a distance.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Dovie sneaked in the question as she danced past him on Frank’s arm. The smile in her eyes told Wade she was well aware of how miserable he was.
Dovie Boyd Hennessey had a mean streak in her, he thought grimly. One that cut to the bone.
“Pretty as a picture, isn’t she?” Frank asked as they glided past him a second time.
Wade didn’t need to ask who they meant, either. But then he’d made it fairly obvious. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Amy all night. He was about to turn away and bury his sorrows in a plate from the buffet when the dance ended. Whether by luck or design, Amy stood next to him. She slid her arm through his and gave a deep sigh.
“I’ve got to sit down for a bit,” she said to him. “My feet are killing me.”
Here she was, the woman he’d been patiently waiting to dance with all night, and for the life of him, Wade couldn’t think of a sensible thing to say.
She gazed up at him as though she’d been anticipating this moment the entire evening. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, ah…sure.” His tongue refused to cooperate and work properly. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Grady and Caroline seated close by. Caroline’s feet rested in his lap and Grady was rubbing her nylon-covered toes. The scene was intimate, the husbandly gesture loving and thoughtful. The ache inside Wade caught him unawares. In the past year a number of his friends had married, and while he was happy for them, he didn’t feel the need for a wife and family himself. He’d always seen his life as complete, viewed his pastoral duties as too demanding for marriage. His satisfaction came from his work, and it was enough—or so he believed. In that moment, however—and other moments like it—he felt keenly alone.
“We can sit here,” he said, finally clearing his head. He escorted Amy to an empty section of seats and sat down next to her.
“Thank you,” she whispered and sent him a warm smile.
Wade nearly drowned in her beautiful eyes. He saw her slip out of her shoes and wiggle her toes a couple of times. Then, feeling remiss, he asked, “Would you like something to drink?”
She nodded, her eyes grateful. “That would be wonderful, but nothing alcoholic.”
Wade wanted to kick himself, convinced that the minute he left someone would take his seat. He’d been waiting for an opportunity like this and now he was going to lose it.
Sure enough, as soon as he reached the punch bowl, Lyle Whitehouse was standing beside her, leaning against a chair. He looked like he was about to sit down when he suddenly stared over at Wade. Then he nodded and after a couple of seconds walked away.
Wade made it back in record time, nearly stumbling over his own feet in his effort to get to her before some other rancher did.
“Here you go,” he said, handing her the plastic cup. “Uh, how do you like the dance so far?” he asked, trying to make small talk.
“I’m having a wonderful time.”
No doubt, Wade mused darkly, seeing as she’d danced every dance, and each one had been with a different partner. Not including him. But when Pete Hadley and the band started a favorite song of Wade’s from the movie Dirty Dancing, “She’s like the Wind,” it was impossible to hold still.
“I know your shoes are off,” he said, “but would you care to take a spin?”
Wade wasn’t sure what he expected, but not such a quick agreement. “I’d like that.”
She slipped her feet back into her shoes and he extended a hand to help her up. They walked onto the dance floor and he took her in his arms. She was tiny, eight or nine inches shorter than he was, which put the top of her head level with his shoulder. Yet they fit together nicely.
Wade wasn’t exactly light on his feet, but he could manage a simple slow dance. Amy followed his lead as though they’d been partners for years. He hummed along with the song and was surprised when her soft voice joined his, harmonizing. They smiled at each other, and he gathered her closer.
That was when it happened. The baby kicked. Wade’s eyes widened at the strength of the movement. “I didn’t realize I’d be able to feel the baby,” he said with awe. “That’s really something.”
“I think she likes the music.”
“She?”
“Or he, but since I don’t know, I decided to call the baby Sarah.”
“And what if she’s a he? Do you have a boy’s name picked out?”
“Joseph.”
That was appropriate, he thought, remembering that Frank had reminded him of the biblical story of Joseph and Mary. Appropriate and a little uncanny.
“A good solid name,” he murmured, trying not to let his reaction show.
The song ended far too soon to suit him. He hated to ask Amy to dance again, knowing how worn-out she was, but he couldn’t resist. “One more dance?”
She looked up and nodded. He might have been mistaken, but she seemed pleased that he’d asked.
AMY KNEW HOW CINDERELLA must have felt the night of the ball when she first danced with her prince, because that was exactly how she felt just then. All evening she’d waited for Wade to ask her; when it seemed he never would, she gave up. Then the minute she sat down he’d asked.
This was quite possibly the most wonderful night of her life, she mused as Wade held her close. The baby had decided to take up marching and was halfway to Pretoria when she did a swift about-face and kicked Wade. To Amy’s delight, he’d been fascinated.
Her fairy godmother, in the guise of Dovie Hennessey, caught sight of her on the dance floor with Wade and winked. Amy winked back and managed to stifle a laugh.
Never in all her life had Amy been this popular with men. From the moment she arrived, she’d been bombarded with requests to dance. When she was first approached, she’d hoped Wade would explain to the others that she was his date. He hadn’t done that. Amy knew he hadn’t been excited about taking her to the dance and so, rather than burden him with her company, she’d accepted. But truth be known, Wade McMillen was the man she wanted to dance with, more than anyone.
He’d stood by most of the evening, watching her with everyone else, and that had been a bitter disappointment. Only she wasn’t disappointed now.
Once they were on the dance floor, Wade didn’t seem eager to leave. Amy didn’t want to, either. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend that the man who held her was in love with her and wanted this baby. It was a silly fantasy, born of her need to create a secure happy world for her child.
She’d loved Alex with all her heart, but she’d been foolishly blind to his selfishness. For most of her life she’d been more parent than child to her own mother. It had come as no surprise that her mother cut herself off from her just at the time she’d needed her most. Disappointed though she was, Amy could handle the rejection because it was such a familiar experience. Even an expected one.
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But Alex had lied to her and hurt her. Deeply. That was one reason this attraction to Wade had surprised her. Now that she was in his arms, even if it was on a dance floor, she couldn’t make herself think of him as her pastor. He was a man. Vital, real and handsome.
The baby kicked again, harder this time, and Amy heard Wade chuckle.
“She’s got good taste in music,” he whispered close to her ear.
“Her mommy’s fond of Roy Orbison, too.”
“Would you mind if I…” Wade paused as though he wasn’t sure he should proceed.
“You’d like to feel the baby?” she asked, tilting her head up just enough to look into his eyes.
“If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t.” She took his hand and pressed his palm against her stomach, holding it there. Sarah cooperated beautifully and Amy watched as his face took on a look of reverence and surprise.
“My goodness,” he whispered. “That really is something,” he said again.
“You should feel her from my end,” Amy teased.
His expressive eyes brightened and he broke into a full smile.
“What took you so long?” she asked, feeling content. “The evening was half over before you even asked me to dance.”
“I’m a fool. But—” he grinned sheepishly “—I’m a fast learner.”
“Good.”
The rest of the evening passed far too quickly for Amy. She could have danced with him all night, especially those slow, languid dances. What pleased her the most, perhaps, was how comfortable she felt with Wade. For a few hours it was as though all the worries and problems she’d carried alone all this time had been lifted from her shoulders.
Reality would return soon enough, but for now it was easy to pretend, easy to push her troubles aside and concentrate, instead, on the handsome prince smiling down on her.
Then it was midnight and time to head home. Following the dance, Wade and Amy were invited to a party at Glen and Ellie’s place. Amy would have liked to go, but realized Wade had church services early the next morning. It didn’t seem fair to keep him up half the night simply because she was in a party mood.
Heart of Texas Vol. 3 Page 22
