Texas Roads (A Miller's Creek Novel)

by Bryant, Cathy

  “Well?” Her mother’s lips pinched together.

  She straightened her spine. “I’m moving to Miller’s Creek.”

  White-hot anger crawled into Mother’s eyes, and her face paled.

  “I’m sorry, but she has no one else.”

  “May I remind you that I don’t either? What about your job?” The venomous words erupted from her mouth.

  “I’ll make one last visit to my students, but I’m taking a leave of absence for the rest of the year.”

  “I see.” Her eyes diminished to pencil-thin lines. “Well, you’ve made your decision. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She pivoted and stormed away.

  Dani fisted her hands, her stomach churning. Why did this have to be so difficult? “Mother, let’s talk through this.” Her voice reverberated in the empty hallway. “Please don’t leave angry.”

  The only response was the furious click of her mother’s designer heels against the tile floor.

  ~~o~~

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Out on the Town

  Dani stared in the mirror at the bubblegum-popping hairdresser behind her and inhaled the combined odors of nail polish, hair spray, and permanent solution. Something told her this wasn’t going to be the pampering session she’d envisioned.

  “So tell me, hon, what kinda look ya goin’ for?” Jolene Briscoe, sporting a rhinestone-studded hair clamp and a pronounced country drawl, lifted curly strands of Dani’s blond hair and let them fall to her shoulders.

  “Um, look?”

  “Yeah, I could give ya some really swanky layers and put a streak-a black down one side. It’s the latest fad.” She blustered out the words as if Dani were across the room, blew a big bubble, and let it pop. Then she sucked in the pieces between her dark maroon lips and started smacking again.

  “A-actually, I just need the ends trimmed up a little.” She raised a trembling thumb and index finger to show how little.

  Jolene clicked her scissors by Dani’s left ear and looked disgruntled. “Well, what’s the fun in that?”

  Maybe she should have settled for a walk as a way to get out of the house. Had Mama Beth not commented on how long her hair was getting, she probably wouldn’t be here now.

  The hairdresser huffed out her disappointment. “Okay. Let’s move ya to the sink.”

  Not knowing what to say, she nodded and followed her to the back. Once in the vinyl recliner, Jolene slapped a towel around her neck and lowered the chair without warning, leaving Dani in a prone position staring at the longest, mascara-clumped eyelashes she’d ever seen. The woman launched into an incessant monologue while she shampooed her hair, the water scalding hot. Each time she came up for a breath, Dani attempted to speak, but Jolene barreled right back into her monologue again. All she could do was chomp down on her bottom lip and make a concentrated effort not to scream out in pain.

  Ten minutes later, she found herself once more in front of the mirror, this time with Jolene snipping away while she continued to chatter. “So, I hear you’re from Dallas?”

  “Yes.”

  “Married?”

  Why did everyone always want to know her marital status? “Not anymore.”

  The hairdresser patted her shoulder. “Me either, hon. My first husband was as lazy as the summer days are long. Husband number two was mighty fine to look at, but I don’t think that man had a brain in his head. Husbands three and four both had rovin’ eyes, if ya know what I mean.” She reloaded her lungs without missing a beat. “Now I got my eye on a rugged cowboy that knows how to treat a lady right.”

  Dani eyed the growing pile of hair on the floor with dismay. “Um, that’s nice.”

  “Can you guess who?” Jolene stopped snipping and rested her fist on Dani’s head, the scissors still open. The hairdresser’s eyes rounded with anticipation, and she hoisted her penciled-in eyebrows. “It’s someone ya know.”

  “I’ve been inside taking care of Mama Beth. I don’t get out much.”

  Jolene glowered when she didn’t wager a guess and gave her a stinging slap on the back. “Oh, ya silly goose, it’s the mayor.”

  “Steve?”

  The hairdresser let out a blustery laugh. “Yep. Don’t cha think he’s handsome? Now I know he’s always a-stoppin’ by Mama Beth’s, so ya put in a good word for me, hear? And let me know if someone tries to steal ‘im away.” She placed her heavily made-up face next to Dani’s, the scissors resting on the opposite shoulder, uncomfortably close to her left ear. “I don’t take kindly to ’nother woman hoofing it in my territory if ya know what I mean.”

  Her hair chopped way too short, Dani gulped and jotted a mental note to steer clear of Steve. And Jolene Briscoe’s scissors.

  ~~o~~

  “For goodness sake, why’d you let her cut your hair so short?” Mama Beth eyed her now shoulder-length hair.

  “’Cause I couldn’t get a word in with a pry bar. I’m just glad I still have my ears.” Dani grimaced remembering the scene, then turned her attention back to her aunt, who wore an amused smirk. “Are you sure you feel up to the town hall meeting?” She studied Mama Beth. Every day showed marked improvement, but she still tired easily as a result of the radiation treatments.

  “I’m going even if I have to drive myself!” Her aunt’s sharpened voice and bulldog jaw left no room for rebuttal.

  Dani skewed her lips to one side. They were both testy. Three weeks of constant contact in a confined space would have the same effect on Santa Claus and Mother Teresa. She released a slow breath and gathered the supper dishes from the table, the smell of burnt mac and cheese lingering. No wonder Mama Beth hadn’t eaten much and Steve had stopped showing up for meals.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound so cross.” Her aunt’s voice quivered and tears puddled in her eyes.

  After depositing the dishes in the sink, Dani returned to the table. “Hey, it’s okay.” She knelt beside her aunt and placed a hand on her shoulder to offer comfort. “I know you’re ready to get out of the house.”

  Mama Beth nodded and blinked back more tears. “I feel like I could scratch someone’s eyes out. Please don’t think I’m always like this.”

  She patted her aunt’s trembling hand. “I don’t. This is all because of what you’re going through, first the tumor and surgery, now the recovery and radiation. You’ve been through a lot, so take it easy on yourself.” Everything would be a lot less stressful if Steve weren’t so pigheaded. No amount of pleading could change his mind. He refused to budge from his insistence that Mama Beth stay home and rest.

  “This could’ve been so much worse.” Mama Beth choked back more tears. “But I didn’t expect it to be so hard emotionally. I think getting out of the house will do us both good, don’t you?” Her voice lowered to a mournful plea.

  Dani took in her aunt’s hopeful expression. Steve would be beyond livid if she went against his wishes, but if he could see Mama Beth on the verge of tears surely he’d soften and give in.

  “You’re such a sweetheart to put up with me.” Her aunt reached for a hug. “I want you to know how much I appreciate all you’ve done.”

  She returned her aunt’s embrace and offered a reassuring smile. “Let me take care of these supper dishes, and then we’ll see how you’re feeling.”

  As she rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher, her thoughts returned to Steve. How many times had they quarreled over what was best for Mama Beth? More than she could count. A tired sigh escaped. The week at the hospital had cemented their friendship, but he’d changed—and not for the better—once they’d come home to Miller’s Creek.

  Scenes and conversations from the last three weeks jumbled in her mind as she tried to decipher his behavior. She’d often glanced up to find him watching her, an unreadable expression on his face. Sometimes he was talkative and friendly; other times he seemed distant and withdrawn, almost as if he resented her presence. The queasy feeling in her stomach flared and launched a slow burn through her chest. Stop over-an
alyzing things, Dani. Let it go before you give yourself an ulcer.

  She turned her mind to the upcoming move. A few more weeks and Mama Beth would be allowed to drive. Then what? Mother had made her feelings about the matter perfectly clear. Could she handle it if Mama Beth and Steve disapproved as well?

  Dani slammed the door to the dishwasher and punched the button. The sound of spraying water joined the motor’s hum. She glanced at her aunt, whose desire to escape the confines of the house still flickered in her expression. It wouldn’t hurt to give the outing a try. If Mama Beth got tired they could always come home. Recuperation involved more than just physical rest, and her aunt needed time away. They both did.

  She pushed her lips into a firm set. No matter how much she treasured Steve’s friendship, she would no longer allow him to dictate her movements.

  ~~o~~

  Steve scanned the crowded gymnasium, tired but pleased at the turnout for the first town hall meeting. The rows of chairs he’d spent the afternoon setting up were almost full, and the crowd numbers provided further proof his strategy would work. He rubbed a hand across his face in an attempt to erase his fatigue. Once the townspeople approved his plan, he’d catch a few days’ rest. The four or five hours of sleep a night he’d allowed himself over the past few weeks had worn him to a frazzle. Between the proposal, town hall meeting, and wrestling with Dani over the best way to care for Mama Beth, he was beyond exhausted.

  Jolene Briscoe pranced in the side door in a sparkly outfit that demanded attention. Uh-oh, the hairdresser with hooks was headed his way. She proceeded toward him, hips in full swing, so he swerved to the other side of the room to greet folks and shake their hands, only stopping long enough to talk about the weather or ask about their kids. Once he’d made the rounds, he hustled to the podium to call the meeting to order.

  He opened his mouth to speak just as Mama Beth and Dani entered the back door. The blood in his veins frosted over, and his mouth clamped shut. Bringing Mama Beth out in this heat? Had Dani gone completely nuts? They’d butted heads on more than one occasion here of late, but this time she’d gone too far. And why had she cut her hair? He nailed her with a glare.

  She raised her chin and slung back a defiant look before helping Mama Beth to her seat. A ripple of movement and conversation erupted as people stood to allow them to pass. Dani chattered away like a mockingbird, like she’d known these people her entire life. Couldn’t she see it was time for the meeting to start? He harrumphed loudly to get her attention. Her smile vanished, and she slumped in her chair, drilling him with a black look.

  “We’re about to get started, so y’all find your seats please.” Most of the babble and moving around ceased. “Thank y’all for coming out for our town hall meeting. As you know, I’ve been working on a project to help Miller’s Creek. I’ve spent weeks researching ways to bring the town back to what it used to be. There’s no question it’s going to take money and lots of it. So after studying the options, I think our best choice is to find investors—”

  “What investors?” One of the Grannies rose to her feet.

  A rumble of displeasure surged through the room.

  “Big-city suits.” Otis Thacker’s eyeballs bulged as he groused the words, once more cementing his reputation as the town grouch and naysayer.

  Steve waited for the words that always followed, the words Otis was known for. The crotchety old man didn’t let him down. “We’ve never done it that way before, and I don’t think we need to start now.” He shook a crooked finger Steve’s direction. “We don’t want a bunch of outsiders calling the shots!”

  The rumble grew louder and people shifted in their folding chairs, setting off a cacophony of noise that echoed in the large room. They turned left and right to speak to those nearby. Some even pressed their lips together, shaking their heads and sending him dark looks, obviously questioning his ability as mayor.

  He pasted on a smile he didn’t feel and attempted to laugh off the comment, raising one hand in the air. “Now Otis, don’t get your dander up. They’re not going to call the shots.”

  A few snickers and comments filtered in from the crowd.

  Otis rotated in his chair in answer to those who laughed. “Well, I’d sure want to have a say in how things were run if it were my money.”

  Steve’s blood rolled into a slow simmer. He’d put too much work into this plan to let Otis rip it to shreds. “Then what do you suggest, Otis? All the downtown buildings need major work. Unless they’re repaired, we can’t expect to attract businesses. If anyone has a better idea I’d sure like to hear it.” He forced the words through an ever-tightening jaw.

  The crowd noise escalated to a roar, and several stood to congregate in the back, their arms crossed. Now what? His brain fished for ideas, but nothing took a bite. The ruckus died down and stares fixed on him.

  Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Dani lean toward Mama Beth and whisper something in her ear. The older woman nodded and rose to her feet. “Some of y’all have met my niece, Dani. She just mentioned something that I think bears repeating.”

  The people around them motioned for Dani to stand. She hesitated for a moment then gave in. What in the Sam Hill was she doing? He plastered on a scowl in warning, but he should’ve known better. Instead of conceding, her shoulders squared. “In my opinion, Miller’s Creek has everything it needs to rebuild.”

  He let out a derisive laugh that sounded through the microphone. First an expert on how to care for Mama Beth, and now a town improvement guru? The color rose in her face, but she didn’t back down. Steve sent her a look designed to put her in her place. “Well no offense, but you don’t live here. How could you possibly know what we need?”

  Dani’s expression cooled. “You’re not giving this town or its people the credit they deserve.” On each word her voice strengthened. Like the calm before a storm, the mob ceased to move, latching on to her every word.

  Steve cocked his head to one side, his frustration and fatigue giving way to mockery. “Well, this is quite a change from the opinion you expressed your first day here. Perhaps you’d like to expound on our inadequate schools and our antiquated way of life?”

  Her mouth hinged open momentarily, but then her voice rose above the sudden crowd noise. “Having never visited your schools, I’m sure I couldn’t offer an opinion other than to say the kids in this town are the best-behaved and most respectful children I’ve ever met. To me that speaks highly of your schools. As for the antiquated way of life you mentioned, I’m not sure I know what you mean, unless you’re referring to your conversational skills.”

  His blood exploded into a full-blown boil, sending heat up his neck and onto his face. The crowd “ooh”-ed then settled into silent anticipation.

  Dani’s face blanched. “As I already mentioned, Miller’s Creek has what it needs.” She gazed around the room, her words unfaltering. “Yourselves.”

  He considered her comment. Sure, manpower was important, but how could they manage without financial resources? J. C. shuffled to his feet amidst the murmuring. His old geezer buddy would set things straight. “J. C.?”

  “I’d like to hear more of what Miss Dani has to say.”

  Steve battled to keep his expression calm and tone even. “Mrs. Davis, we’d like to hear more. Preferably specifics.”

  “Thank you.” She lifted her nose and head as she answered him, then turned and beamed at J. C. “I’ve experienced firsthand how you all band together and help each other. If you combine your skills, I’m sure you can rebuild this town. It will require extra work and commitment, but I know you can do it.”

  “What about supplies?” hollered Otis.

  “Donations.” Her comeback was quick. “Ask building supply stores to donate materials or money in exchange for free advertising at town events and in the town newspaper.”

  Heads nodded in agreement, and Steve felt his jaw go slack. The people were actually buying into this harebrained idea. The plan might have some
merit, but it wouldn’t be enough without money to back it up.

  Dani continued. “Some of you have probably considered starting a business.”

  Otis sneered. “Yeah, but common sense kept us from it. What good is a business without customers?”

  A smattering of laughter trickled from the group, but they quieted and stilled to hear more. Dani spoke with resolve. “Why not host special events to attract potential customers? Advertise in other towns and nearby cities.”

  From the front row his sister Trish popped to her feet. “What kind of events?”

  Steve scowled. Her too? What about his plan?

  Dani’s eyes sparkled. “A tour of historic homes at Christmas, or—”

  “Or a country festival,” chimed someone from the left. A soft whir of discussion started, and people twisted and leaned this way and that, their faces animated.

  “We could advertise our annual rodeo and host a parade.” Clay Barnes, his best friend and ranch foreman, winked at Steve from the front row with a good-natured grin. Some friend. The crowd noise grew louder, and people stood to call out to others on the other side of the room.

  Like a bad case of poison ivy, chatter and movement escalated across the gymnasium and erupted in complete chaos. Dani and Mama Beth rose to their feet in the midst of the mayhem and moved toward the door. The sinking feeling in his stomach dumped a sour taste on his tongue. In a few short minutes, that woman had singlehandedly managed to destroy months of his hard work.

  ~~o~~

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  An Invitation Home

  Steve stared through the door window into the Sunday school classroom where Mama Beth perched in her rocking chair, reading to the kids. There was no stopping her since Dani had chosen to ignore his warning. Last night’s outing to the town hall meeting had given Mama Beth a taste of freedom that would refuse to be reined in. Now back at work in Sunday school, next the daycare. He shook his head in disgust.