Lone Star Romance Collection
Page 17
Patience was silent for a moment. “Have you tried to talk to him?”
This time Lee’s laughter contained no humor. “I’ve talked and talked till I’m blue in the face. It’s almost as if Bobby Joe’s life is so miserable, he wants to make everyone else feel that way, too.”
“That is such a sad story about his wife. I mean, first she runs away, leaving a daughter behind; then only a few weeks later, we hear that she died—from what, no one seems to know. I can’t imagine what that poor man is going through. Bobby Joe was so different back then, when he first got married. They’d both seemed so happy. How can a marriage just break up like that? What would make her leave?” Patience asked.
That question disturbed Lee a great deal. He had just arrived in town when the scandal of Bobby Joe’s wife leaving hit Springton. And since he’d decided that he would like to get married and have a family, he worried that the same thing could happen to him. He knew that it was important that, whomever he married, God be the center of the relationship. Since he’d made a new commitment to Christ several months ago, he was striving to get his life in order and be the kind of man God would like him to be. It wasn’t easy, but the rewards of living for Christ were so great.
He finally answered her. “I don’t know, Miss Patience. I do know that Bobby Joe has pulled away from the Lord. If a couple doesn’t pray together and trust God together, I believe that they won’t have a firm foundation for their marriage. I know that when I turned away from the Lord, my life didn’t have the meaning that it does now that I’m walking with Him.”
“I agree. Sometimes, God has been all I’ve had. If I didn’t have Him to turn to, I don’t know what I would do.”
That sentence struck Lee as odd. He turned and looked at her and was puzzled by the wistful expression on her face. “What do you mean, Miss Patience?” he had to ask.
Immediately, she stiffened as if realizing that she’d spoken aloud. “Nothing. I was just talking,” she quickly said with a shrug, dismissing it as nothing.
But Lee had a feeling that there was something more to her words. He assumed that since Patience had grown up in Springton, she had plenty of friends whom she could turn to. And then there was her mother. But as soon as Lee thought it, he mentally took two steps back. No, her mother wasn’t the kind of woman a daughter could confide in. In fact, Lee had never met such a harsh, judgmental person. What must it be like to live with her?
They finally reached the road that led to his house. Lee focused his attention on his surroundings.
It really felt good to be home.
When they had stopped in front of his house, Lee climbed down from the wagon and started to tell Patience good-bye. But when she looked at him and smiled sadly, he stopped.
“I hope that you will take care of yourself, Sheriff. It’s been nice getting to know you,” she told him sincerely.
He opened his mouth again to answer her, but what came out wasn’t what he’d intended. “Why don’t you come in while I fix us a cup of coffee? Maybe it’ll warm you up for your trip back.”
Her face lost its sad expression and brightened as she smiled. “That would be mighty nice, Sheriff,” she gushed enthusiastically.
He mentally gave himself a kick for the hopeful look that he’d just put on her face. He’d promised himself that he wouldn’t encourage her, and here he was inviting her into his house! What was wrong with him?
He smiled halfheartedly and then reached up to help her from the wagon. He put his hands at her waist, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how small she was. Deciding to concentrate on the task at hand, he lifted her to the ground. She braced her hands on his chest to get her balance.
The moment her hands touched him, he felt a stream of warmth run through his body. Shocked, he looked at her and into her bright eyes and unconsciously tightened his grip on her waist.
He felt strange, almost mesmerized, as they stared at each other. She seemed as taken aback as he.
Patience felt as though she couldn’t catch her breath. The moment Lee put his hands on her waist, she became more aware of him than she’d ever been before.
She flexed her fingers on his chest and could feel the warmth of his skin beneath his cotton shirt. His face was so close to her own, she could almost imagine him leaning closer and kissing her.
What would it feel like to be kissed by this wonderful man?
She saw that his eyes were growing wider; and much to her embarrassment, she realized that she was beginning to lean closer to him.
Quickly, he let her go and stepped several steps away from her.
“Uh … we’d better get on in before we freeze!” he muttered and clumsily turned and ran up the steps to his door.
Patience didn’t move at first. She took a deep breath and willed her cheeks to return to their natural color instead of the blaring red she knew they must be. What he must think of her! She’d practically leaned over and kissed him. Patience had never been more embarrassed in her life.
Taking a fortified breath, she straightened her shoulders, walked up the steps and through the door that he was holding open for her. She looked at him as she passed him, but Lee didn’t look up.
When she entered the house, she was surprised at how neat the house was. There weren’t any signs of frills or ruffles, but it was neatly decorated in a clean style a man would choose. The curtains on the windows were a pretty blue color that matched the pillows on the beige couch. Above the fireplace was a pretty landscape painting with several small pictures placed on the mantel. She guessed that they were of his family.
“You have a nice home,” she commented, hoping to break their awkward silence.
He came up behind her, but not too close. “Thanks. My brother and father came up to help me build it a couple of years ago.”
She turned and gave him what she hoped was a bright smile. “Where do your brother and father live?”
“Right outside of Houston on the Lazy C Ranch with my mama. My brother helps him run it, but I never was interested in the ranching business. From the time I knew what a sheriff was, I wanted to be one. I’m just glad that my parents understood,” he explained.
“Which is why you understand Billy’s situation,” she surmised.
His grin was sheepish. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He ran a hand through his hair and glanced about the room. “Well, let me go and get that coffee made.”
“No,” she said, stopping him. “I’ll go make it. You just sit down and relax. I can find everything.”
By the weary look on his face and the slump of his shoulders, she knew that she’d guessed correctly. He merely nodded and sat down on the couch.
She went into the kitchen and tried not to dream that this could be her kitchen.
Lee was clearly tired, so she didn’t stay long. He walked her to the door and on the way grabbed up his jacket that she’d draped over a chair.
“Here. Put this on. You can return it to me later,” he offered, holding the coat open for her.
She nervously turned her back to him so that he could drape it around her shoulders. Was it her imagination or did his hands linger on her shoulders longer than they should have?
But she dismissed that thought. Of course not. He only regarded her as a friend or … a sister! He practically ran off when he thought that she might kiss him, didn’t he?
She turned back to him and smiled. “I put the hamper of food I brought in your pantry. If you need anything, just let us know.”
He nodded. “I will. Thanks. You be careful riding home.”
She stared at him a minute more, then turned and walked out to her wagon. She noticed that he watched at the door while she climbed into the buggy and rode out of sight.
What was he thinking?
Lee was thinking about the fact that he’d almost kissed her! He couldn’t get over the feeling that had swept over him when they’d been standing close. For that moment, it had felt good to have his hands on her waist and her ha
nds on his chest. He’d wanted nothing more than to reach down and brush her lips with his own. It had seemed right somehow.
Lee shook his head as if trying to clear it. It was the close proximity to her that was making him confused. It had to be. Now that he was home, things could get back to normal. He could start concentrating his efforts on courting the woman that he really wanted—Susannah Butler.
She was the woman for him. Beautiful, gentle, and graceful. Just the kind of woman a man needed to come home to after a hard day at work. He would never get tired of looking at her. That was for sure.
And while it was true that he hadn’t had much time to talk to her, he was sure that they would have a lot in common.
Patience wasn’t the only woman that he could talk to!
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would go and pay her a visit. That surely would get his mind off of Patience Primrose and back on the right track of rational thinking!
Chapter 6
Getting motivated to get out of bed and go to work wasn’t an easy chore, as Lee found out the next morning. His mind was raring to go and get things done, but his body was moaning and groaning for him to stay put.
When his hungry animals started protesting, he finally got up. “All right, all right,” he grumbled as he slowly got dressed.
His livestock consisted of three horses and five head of cattle. Just enough to meet his needs and not be a bother to care for. There wasn’t a whole lot of crime to deal with in a small town like Springton, but what little there was kept him busy. He didn’t want to have to spend his extra time and money trying to run a large spread, too.
With the feeding done, he made his way into town and to the jailhouse, which also contained his office and two jail cells. It was empty when he arrived, so he got to sit and catch his breath for a few minutes.
He didn’t get to rest for long, although the man who walked through his door was a welcome interruption.
“Preacher!” Lee greeted the town’s minister with a grin. “How’s married life?”
The two men shook hands, and Caleb Stone sat in the chair in front of the desk.
“Married life is wonderful. You should try it some time,” Caleb answered, a satisfied gleam in his eye.
Lee laughed. “I don’t know. I might think about it one of these days. When did you get back?”
Caleb lifted his hat off his head and ran his fingers through his messy black tresses. “Last night. We were going to come in today, but Rachel was anxious about the kids. I was sorta missing the little boogers myself! I’m just glad that we got someone to run the orphanage for us so we didn’t have that worry.” He stopped and stared at Lee, his gaze, as always, keen. “You doing all right, Lee? You still don’t look that good.”
Lee gave his friend a wry grin. “Thanks, Preacher.”
Caleb didn’t smile. “Are you sure that you should be back at work so soon?”
Lee waved off his concern. “Doc says I’m fine. I just don’t have all my strength back, is all.”
Caleb studied him a minute more and seemed satisfied. He nodded and then a teasing smile lit his face. “So … did Patience Primrose get you all taken care of?”
Lee eyed him warily. “Yeah, she and her mother did all right,” he said.
Caleb nodded and pretended to have great interest in his hat. “Hmmm … And how was Patience? Did you two get along?”
“What do you mean?”
“I was just wondering if your feelings had changed any where Patience is concerned. I mean, living with someone for nearly a week can bring a whole new perspective to things. And she is sweet on ya….”
“No!” Lee immediately denied. Upon seeing Caleb’s eyebrows raised in question at his vehement denial, he cleared his throat and spoke more calmly. “Patience is a nice girl, but we’re just friends. I made that clear to her.”
“Ya did, did ya? So no more batting her eyelashes and giggling?” Caleb asked. “She got the point that you’re not interested?”
Lee glowered at the preacher. “You know good and well she ain’t easy to convince. You had to get engaged to someone else before she got the point!”
“So what are you going to do? Get yourself engaged?”
Lee smiled. “I’m working on it.”
That got his attention. Caleb popped forward in his chair. “You’re what?”
Lee leaned back. “I said I’m working on it. Been thinking ’bout courtin’ that new schoolteacher, Susannah Butler.”
Caleb thought for a moment. “Isn’t she Bobby Joe Aaron’s sister-in-law?”
“That’s what I heard,” Lee said with a shrug. “Anyway, I was supposed to go to the ice cream social with her before I got sick. Thought I’d ask her to a picnic this Saturday.”
“Sounds like you got this thing all figured out.”
Lee smiled smugly. “I’ve got a plan, if that’s what you’re asking.” He looked at Caleb more seriously and then told him what had been on his heart recently. “Lately, I’ve really been praying that God would send me the perfect mate, like He did for you. I really want to do God’s will.”
“Then I’ll be in prayer for you also,” Caleb told him, but then paused. “You know, Lee, what you may think is God’s will for you may not be right at all. And then, sometimes what we would never consider in our own minds may be what God wants for us.”
“What are you saying?” Lee asked, confused.
Caleb took a breath and shook his head. “I don’t know. I just felt God wanted me to tell you that.”
Lee groaned and ran his hand over his face. “Don’t do that to me, Preacher. You can’t just throw something out there and not explain it!”
“A little mystery in your life is good, Sheriff. I don’t make up these little insights; I just deliver them,” he said with a shrug. Then he laughed. “Maybe if you didn’t have all these women troubles, you’d be able to hear Him for yourself.”
At that moment, Patience breezed into the office. “Why hello, you all!” she said in a strange accent.
Caleb glanced at Lee and then turned in his chair to face Patience. “Been down South lately, Miss Patience?” he asked, as if quite amused.
“Why no, Brother Caleb,” she answered and quickly changed the subject. “You all are back from your honeymoon?”
Caleb nodded. “Yes, I was just telling Lee here that the married life was something he should experience for himself.”
Lee stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He was getting paid back for all the times that he teased the preacher when Patience had shown interest in him! He could practically see the marriage-minded wheels in Patience’s head spinning.
“You’re thinking of getting married, Sheriff?” Patience asked with great interest.
“No!” Lee practically shouted.
Patience’s eyebrows lifted, and Lee admonished himself for letting all this marriage talk get to him. “I mean, I hope to one day; but I’m not in a big hurry.”
Patience smiled at him. “That’s the way I feel, Sheriff!”
Lee could tell that Caleb was biting his lip in an attempt not to laugh. Lee gave him a withering glare.
“Seems like you two have something in common,” he casually mentioned.
Lee hopped up from his desk. “Didn’t you mention that you had something to do, Preacher?” he asked, looking pointedly at Caleb.
This time Caleb chuckled aloud. “Well, if I don’t, I’m sure I can find something to do.” He got up and donned his hat, tipping it in Patience’s direction. “Miss Patience, you have a good morning.”
Patience beamed at him. “You, too, Brother Caleb.”
They both watched the preacher close the door behind him, and then Patience turned to Lee with a smile. “He seems happy, doesn’t he? Marriage must agree with him.”
Lee had about all the marriage talk he could take this morning. He especially did not want to discuss it with Patience! “Yeah, uh … well. Did you need me for something this morning?” he asked briskly.
It was the first time he noticed that she had her hands full. It made him feel a little guilty for being so short with her. “I appreciate it, Miss Patience. I was getting a little hungry.”
“Well, we surely don’t want you to starve!” she exclaimed as she put the basket on his desk, then laid his jacket beside it. She was speaking with an accent once again.
He just had to ask.
“Uh … Patience, why do you keep doing that?”
She frowned, but kept laying out the contents of the basket. “Doing what?”
He put his hands on his hips, then let them fall at his side again. “That thing with your voice. You sound … funny!”
That got her attention. She looked at him with a strange expression on her face. “I don’t know what you mean.”
The accent was gone. He narrowed his eyes. “There you go again. Now it’s gone.”
She giggled nervously. “Really, Sheriff …,” she muttered, picking up the basket and hurrying toward the door. “Well, I’ll just leave you to your breakfast!”
“You’re not going to join me?” he called after her.
She opened the door and plastered a smile on her face as she looked back at him. “No, no. That’s okay. Good-bye!” With that she stepped out and shut the door behind her.
Lee chuckled, then laughed out loud. He had to admit, Patience was fun to tease. He never knew what that girl was up to or what she was going to do next!
He sighed happily and sat down, savoring the muffins and the sweet rolls that Patience left behind.
And there was one more thing he liked about Patience.
The woman could cook.
Patience walked over to the bench that sat outside the sheriff’s office and slumped down onto it.