Her Baby Dreams

by Debra Clopton

  “Where are we?” she asked, tearing her attention away.

  “That is a surprise,” he said.

  Ashby didn’t look at him, but could hear the smile in his voice, and even that did weird things to her insides. She hopped out of the truck before he made it around to open her door for her. Her mother’s frown would have been huge—which made Ashby smile.

  “Can I get in on the secret?” Dan said, taking the picnic basket from the back seat.

  Embarrassment scorched her cheeks and she kicked a stone, feeling foolish. And slightly mean. “I’m ashamed to say it was me behaving badly.”

  “Now, I thought we were over that?”

  She laughed. “My mother’s voice follows me around sometimes. She would really hate that I got out of the truck without allowing you to open the door for me.”

  “Ahh, and my mother would have had my ear for not moving faster to get it open.”

  Ashby bit her lip to hold back a goofy grin. “Mothers.”

  Now it was his turn to laugh. “Gotta love ’em. This way.” He started walking ahead of her. “Watch your step.”

  She followed him along a rocky path that wound past a large prickly pear cactus covered with huge yellow blooms. It was beautiful in its unique way. “So where are we going?” she asked, looking down, watching her footing.

  “Here, just over this hill.” He took her arm and helped her step around a large rock. His hand remained under her elbow as they topped the ridge, and she welcomed the protectiveness. And the feel of it, too.

  “Oh!” She gasped at the field of sunflowers spread out before her. They were amazing, their large faces lifted to the sun. “What a happy place,” she said, unable to take her eyes off the sea of yellow backed by the clear blue sky.

  “Exactly what I hoped you would think,” Dan said softly.

  “Did you plant these?”

  “Nope. Just happened upon them one day when I was riding.”

  Ashby needed to pinch herself. She really did. How in the world had she ended up on a sunny Sunday afternoon, standing in a sunflower patch with a drop-dead-gorgeous cowboy?

  “You’re doing that smile thing again, where your eyes seem filled with secrets of their own. Tell me you’re not thinking of your mother again. I gotta admit it doesn’t do a cowboy’s ego any favors when his date keeps thinking of her mother.” Dan pushed his hat back and gave her his Harry Connick Jr. smile.

  “No, I’m not thinking of my mother. Anybody ever tell you that you look like Harry Connick Jr.?”

  He handed her the basket, then pulled the blanket from his shoulder. “I was really hoping you’d love me for me. Not that I have anything against the guy. But I am better-looking. I was thinking more like that other guy, you know—People Magazine’s sexiest man alive.”

  Ashby laughed. “Oh, please, don’t let me hurt your ego.”

  “You’re not.” He winked at her, then spread the blanket on the ground. They sat down with the basket between them.

  “While I pull out this mighty fine feast that I’ve prepared for you, tell me about yourself. Consider it the tax.”

  Ashby folded her hands in her lap and watched him peek inside the basket with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I know you came here from somewhere in California,” he continued. “This town is growing with a ton of people from out there. What’s up with that?”

  It was true. “Isn’t that the oddest thing? I’d say it has to do with the original ad campaign that the local ladies started when they advertised for wives. I think they targeted the West Coast and a few Southern states. Dottie and the ladies from the shelter didn’t come here because of the ad, though.”

  “Nope, God led them here. Don’t you think?”

  Ashby studied Dan. For a man, he seemed so sure about that. Not that a guy couldn’t sound sincere about the mysteries of the way God worked, but Dan accepted it with such ease. “Yes, I do believe He did. I believe we each eventually end up where God wants us, but that He can use us wherever we are.”

  “Yup. That’s another way to look at it. Either way, I believe God’s in control.”

  As if Ashby was a student being rewarded for giving the right answer, Dan pulled out a plate of cheesecake, his grin widening when she wilted with happiness.

  Ashby watched Dan pull out the food—thick roast beef sandwiches, a couple of bottles of water and a bowl of strawberries. Her stomach growled in a very unladylike fashion as he set the food in front of her on the blanket.

  “Whoa, the lady is hungry,” he teased, handing her a sandwich. When she went to take it from him, he held on, grinning. “Let’s thank the good Lord for that cheesecake.”

  Ashby was embarrassed to realize she hadn’t bowed her head along with him. She was too stunned, too amazed by this day. What an unlikely turnaround just a few short hours could make. As he prayed, she found herself studying the way his dark hair fell across his forehead and how long his dark lashes were against his skin. She didn’t mean to be distracted, but she got caught up before she knew what hit her. This man was such a contradiction.

  When he finished his blessing, he lifted his eyes to hers. The look she saw there was as warm as the sunlight, and sent her heart skipping. Dangerous stuff. Glancing away, she hoped he couldn’t see the confusion she was feeling.

  “So tell me about your family,” he said.

  “My family?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, do you have a big family or a little one? I want to know the nitty-gritty on Ashby Templeton. Although, if you want, you can tell me to mind my own business.”

  Ashby hesitated. She was grateful to have something to focus on other than the way he made her feel, but talking about her family wasn’t her first choice. Dan was watching her closely, and she gave him a weak smile. “They live in Pacific Heights. I’m an only child.” Her words sounded jerky even to her own ears, and she realized talking about her parents wasn’t going to be easy. What had she been thinking? She took a bite of the sandwich and tried desperately to relax.

  People talked about family. It was normal conversation. Especially on first dates. It was supposed to be a safe topic.

  Dan watched Ashby with open interest. She looked like she was sitting in a five-star restaurant instead of on a blanket in the middle of a sunflower patch. He couldn’t stop the smile watching her evoked. “Were they supportive of your move?”

  She shook her head, swallowing before she elaborated. “No. Not at all. I can’t blame them, though. If I’m ever lucky enough to have children, I’ll hate to see them move away from me. I’ll want to cling to them and never let them go.” She sighed. “I only hope I have children who can tolerate me. I feel for them already.”

  Ashby’s gaze avoided him as she took another bite of her sandwich, a very small bite off the corner. Something was up between her and her parents. He heard it in her voice and saw it in her eyes when she spoke of them. She was trying hard to hide it, but it was there. He knew how to read between the lines when it came to what people said about their families.

  He changed the subject, not wanting to upset her, despite his burning curiosity. But he couldn’t help digging deeper into her other statement. Even though it might be a bit personal for a first date, for him it was of major importance. “So how badly do you want children?”

  Her eyes grew wistful. “With all my heart. I dream of them.”

  Dan swallowed hard, caught off guard by her sweetness. Ashby would be a gentle and caring mother.

  “Do you want children?”

  He blinked, her words slapping him out of his brain freeze. “I haven’t decided yet,” he blurted out, sounding like a bumbling idiot. He cleared his throat, hoping to clear the fog out of his brain. “I’ve got a lot to get done before I think about it, though. I do have long-term plans, despite what you may think.” That hadn’t come out right.

  She sat straighter, as if he’d just irritated her with his jibe.

  She put her sandwich down. “I never said you didn’t have lon
g-term plans.”

  “I heard differently. Besides, what were you to expect? It’s not like I act as if I do,” he said more gently, hoping to ease the moment, knowing it was the truth. He wanted her to see him in a better light, yet he kept saying things the wrong way.

  She shifted. “Well, like we already agreed, maybe we’ve both jumped to conclusions about each other that were incorrect.”

  She had him there. “We did say that, didn’t we?”

  The air crackled as she lifted an eyebrow, giving him her best “so there” look. At least that’s what he thought it was. He chuckled. He liked Ashby Templeton. And was more than a little curious about what secrets lay behind her beautiful eyes.

  “How about that cheesecake?” he asked, passing her the whole plate.

  Those mysterious eyes sparkled as she took it. “Do your peace offerings always work?”

  Feeling great, he gave her a teasing smirk, stretched out on the blanket, crossed his boots, then folded his hands behind his head and studied the clouds. “As long as I use cheesecake.”

  “Have I told you lately that you are incorrigible?”

  “Yup,” he said, still grinning. “But you can again. I really like the way you say it.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I noticed he always seeks Stacy out,” Ashby said on Thursday, as she and Rose were putting out new merchandise. She couldn’t help herself; she had a great need to have certain questions about Dan answered. Rose lived at the shelter and might be able to give her some insight into the man she’d begun to think about on a constant basis since their Sunday picnic. Not that she’d seen him since then. He might be her neighbor, but he worked such long hours, what with all the jobs he did, that she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him all week.

  Seriously, since he was a part-time farrier, she’d contemplated buying a horse that needed shoes just so she could hire him.

  Something had happened out there in his sunflower field, and her mind had returned over and over to the two-hour lunch spent there with Dan. Some would say it was a romantic experience…. She found herself having to push that picture out of her mind. It had been an eye-opening experience. She had very much enjoyed his company. They’d talked and laughed, and she’d been sad when he’d finally taken her home. If anything, it’d given her more food for thought. Particularly regarding the things that baffled and worried her about him.

  Rose met her questioning gaze with a smile. “He’s a dear that way. Do you know he’s one of the shelter’s biggest donors? I’m not supposed to know that, but I was in the office one day when Dottie was doing the books, and I saw the ledger. I should feel bad about snooping, but I don’t. It really made my respect for him escalate.”

  Ashby was stunned twice over. First, over the fact that Dan did this on a regular basis, and second, that Rose would tell her something that was surely supposed to be confidential. Rose was not a gossip.

  As if reading her thoughts, her friend blushed. “I know I shouldn’t have said that, but I thought you might need to know.”

  “Why would I need to know that?” Ashby asked, placing an aquamarine dress on a hanger. Walking to the far wall, she hung it on the end of a display. She fiddled and fluffed, feeling Rose’s scrutiny.

  “Ashby, I work with you. Plus, remember our talk at Max’s birthday party? Come on, it’s no secret that you’ve seriously got a problem with something about him. And I don’t know that there’s any real cause for that.”

  Ashby glanced over her shoulder and nodded. “I have to admit that I may have misjudged him a little.” Not that she knew all that much about him. Somehow, on Sunday he’d managed to keep the conversation away from himself. At least, away from anything personal. She wasn’t sure how it had happened, but she’d realized later that he’d skillfully avoided telling her much that she didn’t already know.

  All she’d learned about him was that he hadn’t decided if he wanted children. Since she wasn’t planning on marrying him, this information shouldn’t have bothered her. But it did. Personally, she couldn’t understand how anyone would consider not having children. And given how much fun he’d seemed to have with the boys at Max’s birthday party, it was a surprise that he felt that way. It made her curious about him, and as much as she hated admitting it, there was a spot in her heart that felt sorry.

  She would never marry a man who didn’t want children. But she would never marry Dan Dawson anyway, so what did that matter?

  Still, her defenses around him had crumbled despite her reservations, but nothing else had changed. “He flirts so much, though. With everyone, especially Stacy, and she is very fragile. Doesn’t that seem like he’s toying with her?” Ashby just couldn’t shake that thought.

  Rose looked thoughtful. “Like I told you, pay attention to the way he talks to Stacy, or any of the gals from the shelter. You’ll realize there’s a difference in the way he flirts with you.” She grinned when Ashby frowned. “It’s true. He teases us like he would sisters. That’s not what he does when he’s talking to you. And I’m telling you, his eyes light up when he looks at you.”

  “You had me there for a moment. But his eyes do not light up. Even if they did, the man has said he isn’t interested in a serious relationship. He doesn’t even know if he wants children.”

  “He’ll want children when he meets the right mother for them.” Rose propped her hands on her hips. “And if you polled a hundred married men, I bet most would say they felt the very same way up until the day they met their wives. Ashby, take a chance and see where things go. If there were any spark between me and Dan you can be sure I wouldn’t be twiddling my thumbs. That is a good man. And I love that playful side of him.”

  Ashby bit her lip, thinking about how much she’d enjoyed his company and how much she’d hoped to see him all week. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit she’d been disappointed that their paths hadn’t crossed. “I did enjoy our lunch together.” And there was the kiss, she thought, though she didn’t say anything about it to Rose. There had also been a moment as he’d left her at her door…She’d thought he might kiss her again, so she’d thanked him for a lovely time and hurried inside before he’d had a chance. “Still, I don’t think so,” she hedged, biting her lip.

  “What? Ashby, if he asks you out again, go. You can’t know if there is real chemistry there unless you spend time together. Right?”

  Right, Ashby thought. But that was the problem: she knew there was chemistry between them. And it scared her more than anything had in a very long time.

  Dan had a busy week. Between buying cattle for several clients, and his farrier business, he sometimes didn’t have time to tend to his own ranch. He would put his blacksmith hat on next week and shoe a few horses, but this week had been all about buying cattle. As he turned off the interstate and headed toward Mule Hollow on Friday afternoon, he was glad to be home.

  When he pulled into his driveway to drop off his cattle trailer, he had mixed emotions looking at the newly cleaned foundation slab. But he refused to let himself dwell on it, and was glad Will had the final draft of the plans for the new house ready for him to pick up.

  It was almost four o’clock as he drove over. Dan couldn’t help but admire Will’s yard. He and his wife, Haley, spent hours working there. It was nice the way they loved spending time together. Dan wondered if they knew how lucky they were to have each other. What it would mean to their children to grow up in the stable environment they were building for them.

  He rang the doorbell and within seconds the heavy, custom-made door was pulled open by Haley. Tall, with a mass of blond curls, Haley Sutton looked like one of those Barbie dolls. She was a knockout and as sweet as they came. She was also a smart businesswoman who’d recently opened a real estate office on Main Street.

  “Dan.” She laughed, and he could hear grumbling coming from down the hall behind her. “Hurry! Get in here and settle this debate we’re having.” She snagged his arm and tugged him into the house. Dan wa
s laughing, too, as she practically dragged him into the back den.

  Will was standing in the middle of the room. “Hey, buddy,” he called over his shoulder. “If I were you I’d grab the plans and run.” He nodded toward the table where a cylinder lay. Dan assumed his blueprints were inside it.

  “No,” Haley said, crossing to stand beside her husband and wrapping an arm around his waist when he draped his arm across her shoulders. “Dan, you have to tell us which you prefer—Dusty Tan or Hazy Hummus?”

  “Hazy Hummus?” Dan echoed. “What kind of a name is that?” He and Will looked at each other and laughed.

  “Don’t laugh, I didn’t name it that.” Haley scrunched up her nose.

  “Please tell her we can’t have a room painted Hazy Hummus,” Will pleaded, covering her mouth with his palm when she started to protest. “It’s just not right. Dusty Tan is a cowboy color, while Hazy Hummus sounds like something rolled over and died in the garden.” Haley was trying to speak past Will’s hand, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

  Dan grinned, watching them. “Sounds like some of the green stuff that grows in my refrigerator. Hazy Hummus is the paint sample on the left?”

  Will was nodding violently, but couldn’t speak, since Haley had twisted around and covered his mouth with her own hand, all the time giggling too hard to answer. They were acting like kids! And far too absorbed in their playful debate to really care what his opinion was. It was plenty obvious to Dan that he’d interrupted what promised to be an enjoyable argument.

  He stepped to the side table and picked up the cylinder. It was more than clear three was a crowd. “I think y’all can figure this out on your own. Although,” he said, pausing at the hallway, “I’d go with the tan. Guys have to draw the line somewhere, and penicillin on the wall—not good. Thanks for these. Talk to ya tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I’ll phone you,” Will called after him. But Dan noticed he didn’t try to stop him from leaving.

  Marriage. Some folks had a way of making it look mighty appealing.