“Steve.”
“Yeah.” He stuffed the sack into the saddle bag.
“There’s a rattlesnake by my foot.”
He jerked his head up, his heart pounding. She was frozen in place. “Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure.” Her voice sounded calm, calmer than he felt.
“Don’t move.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
With slow moves, Steve inched toward her, his heart pumping double-time. Not one, but two diamond backs slithered in the dirt at her feet. He glanced up at her. “You doing okay?”
“Yes.”
“Just wait them out.”
“Them?” Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move.
“There are two. Must be a nest nearby.”
A minute later the snakes were gone, and Steve hurried to her side, afraid she’d collapse. “Are you gonna be all right?”
Dani arched an eyebrow like he’d gone nuts. “Of course, what did you expect?”
He released a short laugh and scratched his cheek. “I guess I thought that since you were from the city—”
“—that I’d fall apart?” She snorted. “You don’t know me very well, do you? I’ve been through much more than having a couple of rattlesnakes at my feet. The human version is much worse.”
Dani moved toward Domino, a frown carving lines on her face. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“How can you be so certain about your belief in God?” Her troubled blue eyes focused on him.
He sucked in a deep breath, the scent of the rich dirt filling his nostrils. Lord, give me the words to bring her closer to You. “It’s more than something I believe—it’s something I know. I feel Him. I know He’s real.”
She nodded, but didn’t speak.
His heart fell to the ground. Why couldn’t he explain in a way she could comprehend? He transferred a hand to his neck to swipe away the moisture from the heat of the day. “They call it faith for a reason, you know.”
“Yeah.” She pointed to a road barely visible in the thick underbrush. “Where does that road lead?”
“Home.”
Without another word, she mounted Domino as if she’d done it all her life and prodded the horse in the direction of the road.
His head slumped forward. Her way of saying their time together was over.
~~o~~
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A Star-Spangled Rodeo
Man, it didn’t get any better than this! Steve eyed downtown Miller’s Creek, where red, white, and blue banners adorned every building and anything else that stood still long enough to be decorated. Every day revealed more of the town he remembered from childhood. Though scaffolding still spidered along the sides of many buildings, his heart swelled at glimpses of the town’s former glory.
“Hey, Mayor!” Coot’s voice boomed from across Main Street. “Looking good, ain’t it?”
“Hey, yourself, Coot. Sure is.” He waved to Coot and the other old geezers then scurried on down the street. Flags popped in the breeze and flew from the old-timey street lamps purchased with foundation money. There were people everywhere. They’d shown up for the Fourth of July parade and now swarmed the town like a bunch of bees to check out the progress. Did the anonymous donor know how much their generosity meant to the town and its people? How much it meant to him? And would any of it have happened without Dani’s ability to rally the town’s support?
He whistled as he made his way to the creek, his favorite part of the re-do. When he and Dad had agreed to sell the property, he’d never dreamed the new owner’s plans would line up so closely with his own. Miracle of miracles, Miller’s Creek now had a city park, providing further proof that God worked in amazing ways.
At the first sight of bulldozers and cranes, he’d feared for the large oak trees that lined the creek like ancient sentinels, but his fears were unfounded. The new owner knew exactly what to do, and not one of the trees had been removed. To make things even better, the new owner had turned over most of the creative control to the city, and he’d been able to oversee most of the construction himself. He breathed a quick prayer of thanks, with a reminder that he needed to fear less and trust more.
Pausing at the corner of Main Street and Creekside Road, he looked across the park and allowed the sight to sink in. Stone and cedar shelters with picnic tables and barbecue pits had been erected along the creek, and in the center of the park, a large, well-lit pavilion. Now the area would be used for everything from birthday parties to family reunions. Already the place was full of happy faces and the laughter of kids as they romped on the state-of-the-art playground.
His cell phone vibrated in its holster at his waist. While he reached for it, his gaze traveled to the nostalgic foot bridge which joined the park to the old train depot on the other side of the creek. The new owner was responsible for that addition. Whoever it was, they definitely had an eye for detail.
He punched the talk button. “Hello?”
“We sure could use your help at the ranch.” Trish sounded huffy.
Steve took in the depot’s new paint job and laughed at his sister. “Why? It couldn’t be too busy out there yet. Everyone’s still in town.” The annual Miller family barbecue usually meant extra work for everyone, but they’d hired an event planner this year to make things easier.
“We’ve had a crisis.” She launched into a panicked tirade. “The caterers got here late. We spent so much time getting them situated that we don’t have all the chairs set up.”
Well, so much for easier. He let out a weary breath and brought a hand to his neck. “Okay, I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
Several minutes later he pulled onto the ranch road. Cars lined both sides, and based on the amount of traffic, he was too late. The crowds had already arrived, and Trish would be ready to strangle him. He parked and climbed from the truck, the smell of mesquite-smoked barbecue provoking hunger pangs in his belly. Conversation and laughter rang through the summer heat, and Trish hurried toward him, her head lowered. He gulped and prepared himself for her ire.
“Sorry you rushed out here for nothing.” She smiled up at him and gave him a hug.
He lifted a brow. “What about the chairs?”
“While I was on the phone, Dani organized a crew and took care of it.”
Dani was here? “That’s good.” He scratched his cheek and feigned a look of nonchalance. “Did you, uh . . . happen to see where Dani went?”
“Last time I saw her she was headed inside.” A devilish grin came on his sister’s face. “Why do you ask?”
“No particular reason.”
She said nothing, but shot him an I-don’t-believe-you look before heading back to the crowd with a wave of her hand.
Steve hurried toward the house. Here lately, he could never catch Dani without Andy at her side. This might be his chance. Even if he couldn’t find her, he’d stop in for a quick visit with Dad. Animated voices caught his attention as he neared the living room. He stopped outside the entry. Dani perched next to Dad while he told a story Steve had heard a million times. Her face glowed with a smile, and her giggle mingled with his dad’s hearty guffaws. A lump of unexpected emotion rose in his throat. How long had it been since he’d heard his father laugh?
Dad motioned him into the room. “Come on in, Son. I was just telling Dani how you broke your arm jumping out of the swing at school.”
Her smiling face tipped toward him. “Afraid the teacher was going to catch you, weren’t you?”
“As a matter of fact, I was.” Now another teacher had caught him. Was she totally oblivious to the effect she had on him?
Dani rose to her feet and stooped to hug his dad. “Sorry, Bo, but I need to go. I left Mama Beth eating with the Thackers. She’s probably wondering where I went.”
Go? But he’d just found her.
She turned to face him. “Guess I’ll see you at the rodeo later?”
He’d better stick his fo
ot in this open door while he had the chance. “Sure, why don’t I pick you up and we can go together?”
Dani nodded, but her smile dissipated. “Okay. What time?”
“I’ll be there at 6:30. Ever been to a rodeo?”
“Nope, this will be another first.” An awkward silence ensued. Moving toward the doorway, she gave a whisper of a smile and dipped her head shyly. “See you later.” The sound of her retreating steps ricocheted off the marble floors.
When he turned to face Dad, his father’s eyes skewered him. “You’d better not let that sweet woman out of your sight. Some other feller will snatch her up before you can blink twice.”
He thought back to last Sunday when Andy had accompanied her to church. It could very well be too late.
~~o~~
Later that day Dani planted herself in front of the over-stuffed closet, hands on hips. What should she wear to the rodeo? Mama Beth would know. She scuttled down the stairs and into the kitchen, the air filled with the aroma of fresh peaches.
Her aunt hummed at the kitchen island while she diced the fruit into small slices for jelly. Dani sidled up to her and popped a juicy chunk of peach in her mouth, its tangy sweetness rushing onto her tongue. “Any idea what should I wear to the rodeo?”
The humming and dicing stopped, and Mama Beth faced her with raised eyebrows. “You going alone?”
Oh great. The last thing she needed was for her aunt to read something into this that wasn’t there. She took a deep breath and tried to sound disinterested. “No, Steve said he’d take me … as a friend.” It was best to add that last part to clarify.
Mama Beth dried her hands on her apron, her tone suddenly all business. “Let’s go upstairs and look through your closet.”
After a few minutes of digging, her aunt heaved an exasperated sigh. “Dani Davis, you’re never going to wear half of these clothes in Miller’s Creek!”
“Too fancy?”
“I’ll say. We’ve got to get to Morganville and buy you some regular people clothes.”
Well, that didn’t help her tonight. “Will my jeans and pink boots work?”
Her aunt let out a snort. “You talking about those raggedy things you bought at that consignment shop? No, you need something nicer.” Mama Beth nailed her with an indecipherable look then swiveled back to the closet. She selected a blue and white sundress. “Maybe if you wear this with sandals, it won’t seem too dressy.”
An hour later Dani stood in front of the mirror, one hand to her churning stomach. This was not the message she wanted to send. The pictures she’d seen of rodeos showed people in jeans, boots, and cowboy hats, not flowery dresses.
She descended the stairs to find Steve and Mama Beth at the table. Her aunt’s eyes misted over, and a smile curved her lips. “Oh, Dani, you look so pretty.”
Pretty? She flitted a hand to her burning face. “I’m overdressed. I’ll go put on my je—”
“Please don’t.” Dani froze at Steve’s soft words. “You look beautiful just like you are.”
Dressed in cream-colored jeans and a white shirt that set off his dark complexion, Steve rose and came toward her with a lanky-legged saunter. Her heart skidded to a stop. Cowboy clothes had never looked so good. She lowered her gaze at the encouraging smile he sent to bolster her confidence. Maybe the dress would be okay after all.
~~o~~
Senses overloaded, Dani had tried all night to take it in—the roar of the crowd and the blaring speakers, the ten-gallon hats and swaggers of bowlegged cowboys, their over-sized belt buckles a-glare in the bright lights.
The scent of Steve’s cologne floated past her nose, and she raised her gaze to look at him, his dimpled grin fluttering her heart. He gripped her hand as they pushed through the crowd on their way back to the bleachers, but only managed two steps when someone else stopped him to chat, like he was some kind of celebrity. He took it in stride, smiled, laughed, and shook their hands, completely in his element.
Dani glanced at the other women around her, dressed in dark and carefully starched jeans, and then took in her flowered dress, confirming her original suspicions. More than just a fish out of water, she was a circus pony in a barn full of thoroughbreds.
Once back in the stands, she overcame her initial reserve and joined in with the rest of the crowd in what they called hooting and hollering. Steve raised his voice against the crowd noise. “Having a good time?”
She nodded and wrinkled her nose. “Well, except for that.” Dani pinched her nose between her thumb and forefinger and pointed to the holding stall.
He leaned his head back and belted out a laugh. “Why darlin’, that’s Texas gold.” He leaned closer to make himself heard. “What’s your favorite thing so far?”
Dani thought about the question. “I can’t decide. I liked the barrel racers, but I absolutely love the clowns.”
Steve smiled, and with a light touch to her waist, turned her toward the arena. From their vantage point in the bleachers, she peered down into a stall, where a cowboy straddled the meanest looking bull she’d ever seen.
She tapped on his arm to get his attention. “What’s he doing?”
“That’s the bull rope. It gives the rider something to hang on to.”
Attaching yourself to something so enormous and ferocious seemed rather . . . well, unintelligent.
He must have sensed her apprehension, because he squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing.”
Her hands fisted into tight balls, and her stomach changed to pure acid. Why would anyone do something so idiotic? The cowboy astride the bull gave a single nod, and the chute opened. A whirling mass of muscle writhed into the arena, the roars of the crowd deafening. The bull’s hind legs shot into the air time after time, while the cowboy bounced like a ball on a string. Without warning, the bull and rider separated, and the cowboy landed in a crumpled heap at the bull’s stomping feet. Dani flinched and covered her eyes with both hands. Please God, don’t let him be trampled.
Steve spoke into her ear, his arm cinched firmly around her shoulders. “You okay?”
She peeked at him between fingers. “Did he get hurt?”
“Nope. He’s walking away. See?”
Dani forced her eyes toward the arena, released the breath she’d been holding, and pressed a hand to her churning stomach. Everything started to spin, but she didn’t want to make a fuss.
She looked up to see Steve’s concerned eyes focused on her face. “I think it’s time to take you home.”
“I’m okay.”
“Yeah right, that’s why your face is whiter than my shirt.”
He grabbed her hand as they descended the bleachers and didn’t release it when they reached the parking lot. “Feeling better?”
“Yes, thanks. I think I must have overheated. Well, that, and over-reacted. I’m sorry, if you want to watch the rest . . .”
Steve came to a standstill in the middle of the dusty field-turned-parking-lot, the crowd buzzing in the distance. He brought a hand to her face, and her heart galloped as his eyes probed hers. The light from the rodeo grounds captured the angles of his face and emphasized his pulsing jaw. Her heartbeat escalated to a rapid thud, leaving her powerless.
“Hi, you two.”
Blinking hard, she let out a shaky breath. It took her a second to pull her attention away from Steve’s brooding face. Andy. He’d come along at just the right time. “Hi, Andy.” She pulled her hand from Steve’s grasp.
Andy peered first at Steve, then her, his eyes full of questions. “Wasn’t the rodeo great?”
A nervous giggle sputtered from her mouth like some giddy schoolgirl. “Loved it.”
“You look particularly beautiful tonight, my lady.” Andy smiled at her funny—not funny ha-ha—but funny peculiar.
Heat crept up her neck. “Th-thanks.” Steve’s solemn expression rattled her. He looked ready to pound something. Or somebody.
Andy faced him. “Guess this rodeo stuff must not be a
big deal to an old-timer like you.”
“Work going okay?” Steve’s voice was tinged with ice.
“As a matter of fact it is.” Andy’s eyes narrowed, and his demeanor became all business. “I’ll bring more applications by your office first thing Monday.”
“Good.” Steve brusquely clipped the word.
She studied them both, locked in some kind of alpha male face-off. “I hate to break up good conversation, guys, but if I don’t get home soon, Mama Beth will worry.”
Andy took the cue. Only offering Steve a nod, he looked directly at her. “See you around, Dani.”
Steve’s eyes and mouth tightened. He didn’t speak, but latched onto her elbow and guided her to his pickup. Angry? Check. At her? The verdict was still out. Except for his music, the ride home was silent. Dani puzzled over the tense minutes of animosity between the two men. Something was amiss. Now she just needed to figure out why. They soon reached the house, and Steve came around to open her door.
Her mind went on overload as they made their way to the front porch. This was worse than a high school date. What should she say? I had a nice time? No, that sounded like she was fishing for more.
He broke the silence as they reached the front door. “Hope you had a good time.”
“I did.”
“Me, too.” He stepped toward her, his face shadowed in the darkness of the porch.
Her pulse ca-thumped in her throat. She wasn’t ready for this, but the last thing she wanted was to hurt his feelings.
He cleared his throat and shifted from one foot to the other. “There’s, uh . . . a theatre in Morganville that plays old movies.”
“There is?” She choked on the words. Good one, Dani. So original.
A muscle in his jaw flexed and echoed the tempo of her heartbeat. “Would you like to go tomorrow night?”
“Sure.” What was she thinking? She had to stop this, this whatever-it-was, before it went any further.
Texas Roads (A Miller's Creek Novel) Page 18
