Promise, Texas

by Debbie Macomber

  They talked for nearly an hour, and when they hung up, Nessa felt wonderful. Her heart was full, too full to keep such joy inside. Too full to stay home on a bright and beautiful August afternoon.

  When she arrived at Dovie’s house, Nessa was amused by her sister-in-law’s startled look.

  “Come in,” Dovie said, opening the screen door.

  Nessa shook her head. “I only came by for a minute,” she told her, and Dovie stepped onto the porch. “Just wanted to see if you’d like to go shopping with me,” Nessa explained.

  “Shopping?”

  Nessa’s grin stretched wide. “It seems I’m in need of a wedding dress.”

  Dovie gave a holler and threw her arms around Nessa, hugging her fiercely. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I phoned Gordon. Wonder of wonders, he loves me and still wants us to get married. He’s making his flight arrangements this very minute and he’s doing everything he can to get here this week.”

  “This week!”

  “He isn’t giving me a chance to change my mind.” As if she would. Nessa was a woman on a mission. She was determined to marry Gordon Pawling and spend the rest of her life loving him. Despite what her children thought. Despite Miles. Despite private investigators. Despite everything.

  “When’s the wedding?”

  “Soon,” Nessa replied. “Just as soon as we can find a preacher to marry us. Of course, I’m hoping Wade will agree…”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything so romantic. It’s like you’re eloping.”

  “That is kind of what we’re doing,” Nessa said and laughed with the sheer amazement of all that had happened in the past couple of hours. “Only we aren’t running away from our parents. We’re escaping the wrath and disapproval of our children.”

  “What’s all the noise out here?” Frank asked, walking out to the porch.

  “Nessa’s getting married,” Dovie explained, dabbing at her eyes.

  “And you’re crying?” her husband muttered. “I don’t know what it is about you women.” He shook his head as though this was beyond his comprehension. “How’s a man supposed to know what to do? You cry when you’re happy. You cry when you’re sad. Haven’t I told you before now that tears don’t solve a thing?”

  Laughing and weeping at the same time, Nessa and Dovie hugged each other again.

  “What’d I say to get this kind of reaction?” Frank asked of no one in particular. Then he turned and headed back into the house.

  Lucas had never intended to love Annie. He’d been careful to ensure that it wouldn’t happen. He’d done everything he could to make their marriage as advantageous to her as possible. That only seemed fair. All the while, he’d carefully guarded his heart because this relationship hadn’t been about love. It was supposed to be about meeting certain needs, providing certain kinds of satisfaction. Love had nothing to do with it.

  Refusing to love her had been a calculated decision. In fairness to Annie, he’d been honest with her, making sure she understood how he felt.

  It wasn’t that he couldn’t love her, but that he’d purposely chosen not to. He was afraid of what might happen if he did. Julia’s cancer had left him damaged. Emotionally damaged. In some ways, he knew he’d never get over her death. He couldn’t forget his own helplessness and anger in the face of her suffering. In the lonely years that had followed, while he’d struggled as a single father and a widower, he’d vowed he’d never allow himself to be that vulnerable again.

  So much for vows. He’d kept all the ones he’d ever made, except those he’d made to himself.

  With love came the incredible risk of loss. He’d buried one wife, and God help him, he didn’t have the strength to bury another. If anything happened to Annie, he’d be destroyed.

  Several days had passed since Lucas had learned that Annie was carrying his child. Still Annie said nothing. Everyone in town seemed to know. Glen Patterson and Frank Hennessey had both congratulated him. Still Annie kept this secret to herself while Lucas struggled to deal with emotions that confused and frustrated him.

  Lucas found himself watching Annie, waiting for her to enlighten him with the news. He didn’t know what prompted her silence, couldn’t begin to guess at her reasons. The longer she delayed, the more confused he became, and with his confusion came a slow-burning resentment.

  At night, when Annie turned off the light, he waited, wondered, only to be disappointed again, only to face the frustration of her silence. Perhaps she didn’t trust him, and with that lack of trust, his desire for her decreased. But if Annie noticed, she said nothing, which annoyed him even more.

  Monday night, following a meeting with the Cattlemen’s Association, Lucas got home late. He expected Annie to be asleep, wanted her to be. When he drove toward the house and saw light shining from the kitchen, he was grateful she’d left it on for him. Then Annie’s face appeared in the window; she must have heard the sound of his truck and come to check.

  Despite all his resolutions, he felt a surge of gladness that she’d waited up for him. He tried not to show any of his contradictory feelings when he walked into the house.

  “How’d the meeting go?” she asked, tilting her head back to smile at him. She touched her palm to his cheek so lovingly he was forced to look away.

  “Fine.”

  “Did you eat?”

  “No.” There hadn’t been time, so he’d grabbed a doughnut and a cup of coffee when he’d stopped for gas. Now the sugarcoated doughnut sat like a lump of lard in the pit of his stomach. “I was afraid of that,” Annie said. “There’s a plate for you in the oven.”

  A chill went through Lucas as the war continued to rage inside him. He couldn’t allow her thoughtfulness to influence him, couldn’t let her know his feelings, couldn’t let her know he’d been told about the baby.

  Humming softly to herself, Annie brought his dinner to the table, then fussed about the kitchen while he ate. Lucas watched her, wondering as always if she’d tell him.

  “How were the girls tonight?” he asked casually. School had started that week.

  “Wonderful.” She glanced up and smiled. “But they missed seeing you.”

  “They didn’t give you any trouble about going to bed, did they?”

  “None whatsoever. Heather wrote you a note and Hollie drew you a picture.” She retrieved both treasures and handed them to Lucas.

  He read the short note and studied Hollie’s picture of a horse, and despite his mood, couldn’t help grinning. He loved his daughters with everything in him, and he would love this new child growing inside Annie, too.

  “Heather’s note says she got an A on her spelling test.” He was proud of his oldest daughter, who’d had some trouble with reading and the rules of written English.

  “I went through the spelling list with her last night,” Annie said as she cut him a slice of Dovie’s apple pie. “She was really proud of that A.”

  Then it occurred to him—a reason for Annie’s secrecy. Perhaps she wanted out of the relationship. He shook his head, chasing the thought away. It made no sense; she loved Heather and Hollie, and she wasn’t the type of woman who’d abandon him and the girls. Especially after what her first husband had done to her.

  When he’d finished his dinner, Lucas carried his plates to the sink.

  “I’m tired,” she murmured. “Will you be up much longer?”

  “Go on to bed,” he said. “I’ll join you shortly.”

  She hesitated, as if she preferred they retire at the same time.

  “I’ll be there in half an hour or so.”

  Annie nodded.

  That didn’t sound like a woman planning to walk out of his life, Lucas reasoned, and the tightness in his chest began to ease.

  When Annie had disappeared into the bedroom, Lucas sorted through the mail and tried to read the evening paper.

  Dammit, what was he going to do? He was in love with her, and his confused emotions were tearing him apart. He was so frigh
tened—he couldn’t lose Annie, couldn’t let her go.

  Annie, who took his emotionally hungry daughters and loved them unconditionally. Loved them in a way that allowed them to remember their mother without trying to replace her. Annie, who’d walked straight into his stubborn heart, who’d effortlessly given him back his life.

  He should have been more careful. Should have realized what was happening and put an end to it while he still could. Should never have allowed himself to slip this far.

  Now that he was in love with her, he didn’t know what he was going to do.

  Lucas assumed Annie would be asleep by the time he slipped beneath the covers. As soon as he was in bed, she rolled over and tucked her head against his shoulder.

  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” she said. “It seems…I know it’s unexpected and all, but it…it looks like I’m pregnant.”

  Now that she’d actually told him, he no longer knew how to react.

  He opened his mouth to tell her how glad he was, but nothing came out. Nothing. Instead, he experienced a sense of panic, of dread and then of bitter resignation, as if he were going down for the third time and had no choice but to accept the inevitable.

  “I had an appointment at the health clinic this afternoon,” she was saying, “and it’s official. I suspected earlier, but wasn’t sure enough to say anything.”

  Lucas felt as though his jaw had locked, leaving him unable to respond.

  “Lucas, did you hear what I said?”

  His fears were multiple, and intensifying every minute. “I heard.”

  “Isn’t there anything you want to say?”

  He couldn’t think, couldn’t reason. “Jane knew. Cal, Glen and Frank, too. You might have told me sooner.”

  “But…I wasn’t sure.”

  “Sure enough to tell Jane, though—and not me.” Lucas drew apart from Annie and onto his side.

  He hadn’t intended to push her away, but that was what happened.

  Grady Weston had learned early in life that if he had a question, the best way to get an answer was to go right to the source. His wife and his sister could speculate all they wanted about Val Langley’s presence in Promise, but not Grady. He intended to ask Ms. Big City Attorney herself.

  He waited until after dinner, then headed for Nell and Travis’s ranch, ten miles east of his own spread. For some reason, this New Yorker was acting on Richard’s behalf. Of that Grady was convinced. His crafty manipulative brother was trying to sneak back into their lives.

  He’d suspected something was up when Richard wrote him a letter after three years of silence. Richard wanting his forgiveness—now that was a laugh. Grady was aware that Savannah had routinely sent Richard news of her family, and money for his birthday and Christmas. But as far as Grady was concerned, Richard could rot in that prison cell. It was what he deserved.

  Grady had phoned ahead of time, so Travis was waiting for him. The two men exchanged hearty handshakes. “Nell’s giving the twins a bath and getting them down for the night.”

  “Is Val around?” Grady asked as they walked across the yard toward the house.

  “Inside. I told her you were coming.”

  “Thanks.”

  Travis stopped just before entering the house. “Would you prefer to talk to Val alone?”

  Grady shook his head. “Not particularly.”

  Travis grinned. “Be careful, she’s a lawyer.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Travis looked as if he was about to explain, then changed his mind. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  Val sat on the living-room sofa with her long shapely legs crossed, drinking coffee out of a mug. She glanced up when Travis and Grady came into the room. “You must be Grady Weston. I understand you had a few questions you wanted to ask me,” she said.

  “I do.” Grady removed his hat and sat on the edge of a chair, leaning forward. “I’ll get straight to the point. I understand you’re working on an appeal for my brother.”

  “That’s correct.”

  “On what grounds?”

  “There are a number of factors I’ve considered but—”

  “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t use a lot of legal jargon.”

  Val took five minutes to explain that Richard had failed to receive the proper legal representation at the time of his arrest. According to police documents, Richard had been grouped with the other men involved, and she felt he’d been denied his rights.

  Grady listened politely and nodded a couple of times. “In other words, you’re going after technicalities because you have a weak case.”

  “There are valid grounds for an appeal, Mr. Weston.”

  But her body language told Grady he was right. She didn’t hold out much hope.

  “Why are you doing this?” Grady asked.

  Her spine stiffened. “I believe in justice.”

  Grady caught Travis’s look of amusement but pretended not to notice. “Is my brother paying you?”

  “No,” Val admitted with some reluctance.

  “Richard couldn’t afford your fees,” Travis inserted.

  Val shifted her weight and uncrossed her legs. “Actually, I’ve been working on his case without compensation.”

  “Why?” Grady suspected the reason. Somehow Richard had been able to charm and cajole this sophisticated attorney into accepting his innocence. He’d seen it happen before—had, in fact, fallen for Richard’s clever lies himself.

  “I believe in Richard,” she answered just as bluntly.

  “I wouldn’t if I were you,” Grady advised. “My brother isn’t a man to be trusted.”

  “I’m fairly confident I can handle your brother, Mr. Weston.” Val’s smug expression told him she wasn’t going to consider a word he said.

  Well, if that was the case, so be it. Travis’s ex-wife would learn the same way everyone else did exactly what kind of man his brother was.

  “Richard Weston’s the sole reason you decided to visit Promise, isn’t he?” Travis asked.

  “Did you think I came to Promise because of you?” Val widened her eyes, gazing at Travis with a look of pity.

  “No.” Travis’s tone was emotionless. “I knew better.”

  “Richard did ask me to do this,” she said, surprising Grady. “He loves his family and wanted me to do what I could to build a bridge between him and his brother and sister.”

  Unable to hold back his amusement, Grady snickered loudly. The only time Richard ever loved his family was when he needed something from them.

  “What does he want now?” he asked.

  “What I already told you.” Val sighed as if she regretted the path their conversation had taken. “And you must know, he asked me to find out how the community feels about him.”

  “Why should he care?” Grady shook his head. None of this made sense to him, but he knew Richard had a reason, a reason he wasn’t going to like.

  “I think I can answer that,” Travis said. “This has to do with the parole hearing, doesn’t it?” Travis’s question was directed at Val. “Because the crimes Richard committed were against illegal aliens who are no longer in this country and therefore can’t testify, you’re hoping to inundate the judge with testimonies of what a fine upstanding citizen Richard Weston is.”

  One glance at the attorney told Grady that was indeed the case. “You’re joking, right?”

  “It would be of considerable value if you were to write a letter on your brother’s behalf,” Val said, batting her baby blues in his direction.

  Grady was immune. He found it hard to believe Richard would dare to even ask. “You can forget that, and my guess is there isn’t a man or woman in this town who’d be willing to help him.”

  “Because of your own insecurities, Mr. Weston.” She heaved a deep sigh. “Richard told me how jealous you were of him while you were all growing up, how you resented his popularity and good looks. You stole his inheritance, didn’t you, for your
own selfish reasons? Yet Richard’s willing to overlook that, and in exchange all he wants is a helping hand.”

  “I’ll help him, all right,” Grady said from between clenched teeth. Richard could lie as much as he wanted; Grady knew the truth. And so did everyone else in Promise.

  “Richard wanted you to check out Bitter End, too,” Travis said, cutting in.

  “Yes…” Again Val revealed her reluctance to discuss the purpose of her visit. “He’s worried about what’s happened to the ghost town.”

  “I’ll just bet he is.” Grady made no effort to conceal his sarcasm.

  “You underestimate your brother, Mr. Weston,” Val said. “Richard wants to protect the town.”

  “Does he now.” It was difficult to keep a straight face, but Grady managed. This poor woman had lost all sense of the truth. Richard had completely taken her in. The word bamboozled came to mind.

  “I don’t think this conversation is going anywhere,” Val murmured, setting down her coffee cup. Without another word, she strode from the house.

  After she’d left, Travis walked Grady back outside. “What do you think?” he asked.

  “He’s using her.”

  Travis nodded. “That much is obvious.”

  “Do you understand this business about Bitter End?”

  “No,” Travis admitted. “Nell and I paid a visit there recently. We both feel there’s something we’re missing.”

  “I can tell you right now, if Richard’s interested in the ghost town, there’s a reason.”

  “But what could it be?”

  “I wonder if we’ll ever know,” Grady said with a shrug. “Do you think he might’ve left behind something of value?” That was all Grady could think of. “I know he didn’t have any money.”

  “Then what?”

  “Hell if I know.” Grady studied Travis. “You’re the one who unraveled the mystery. This should be child’s play for you.”

  Travis chuckled. “I’ll give it some thought.”

  “Do that.”

  “You know,” Travis said, shaking his head, “I find it hard to believe I was ever married to Val. I almost feel sorry for her now.”

  Grady did, too, knowing that Val Langley was in line for a rude awakening. Anyone who’d ever befriended Richard ended up regretting it sooner or later. Usually sooner…