City Girl (Yellow Rose Trilogy 3)

by Lori Wick

  had to turn in and even tried again before work the next

  morning, but it was no use.

  She wasn't in the best of moods to be heading to work,

  but she was liking her job more and more, having found

  the best method to do things and settling into her routine

  with Sally very nicely. And of course the dining room

  always made for a change. One could never anticipate

  exactly what would happen.

  City Girl 91

  For all Reagan's sarcasm and sometimes-sharp tongue,

  she knew she was genuinely liked by the men who ate

  breakfast at the hotel each morning. Some were rather persistent

  about her joining them for a cup of coffee. She

  always said no but never grew angry or irate as long as

  they kept their hands to themselves. Indeed, she took it all

  in so calmly that they found her all the more intriguing.

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  Reagan had learned early on never to tell a man that she

  had no plans to ever be married. Men could be counted on

  to respond in one of two ways. Some said they were fine

  with that plan since they were only looking for a little fun

  and not a ball and chain--something Reagan found highly

  insulting. She thought the term "ball and chain" fit a man

  much better. Others attempted to talk Reagan into agreeing

  with them on the spot that every woman needed a husband.

  The term "ball and chain" was the last thing on their

  minds. Reagan had learned that both conversations were

  futile.

  Nevertheless, some days she was flattered. A few men

  were so charming and persistent that Reagan had to stop

  herself from smiling for fear of encouraging them. One

  such man was Tyrone Arnold. He went by the name of Ty, and there was no getting around his good looks and fine manners. He looked at Reagan as though she were the last woman on earth, and never once had he intimated that he

  was just out for a few laughs. At the same time, he never

  once proposed or asked to take her out for the evening. He

  always made Reagan feel as though she'd made his day

  simply by waiting on his table.

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  Today was about to be different

  Reagan worked on pies until it was time to go out front

  As always, the door opening from the back brought the

  delicious smell of food along with Reagan's presence, and

  the men loved it

  "We thought you'd never come," one young cowboy

  complained. He would take Reagan out every night if she

  would only agree.

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  "I can see you've suffered greatly/' she said dryly, filling

  his cup without giving him any encouragement

  "When do I get a ride on that bicycle?" he asked, but

  Reagan didn't answer. She was getting coffee, talking to a

  little girl who was out for breakfast with her father, and

  taking an order from Ty, who had just sat down.

  "Whatever Sally has hot and ready," he said congenially.

  "Hungry this morning?" Reagan knew she could ask

  this man and not get a lewd comment.

  "Starving."

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  "I'll get her right at it*

  "Hey, Reagan/" someone else called in full voice as she

  moved back to the kitchen. "You still haven't answered the

  question I asked you yesterday."

  Reagan glanced over her shoulder to answer but kept

  moving.

  "I can't remember what you asked, but whatever it is,

  the answer's no."

  Reagan exited on a wave of laughter.

  "They sure like you/" Sally said as she entered the

  kitchen.

  "That's because they don't know me."

  With no time for chitchat, the women sped headlong

  into the morning. Reagan waited tables, finished the

  baking, and was scrubbing pots when the back door to the

  kitchen opened. Ty was standing there.

  "Hello, Ty," Reagan greeted him. "Are you looking for

  Sally? She's in her office."

  "Actually, I came to see you."

  Reagan's guard went up, but she tried to brush it off.

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  "Did I leave a strip of bacon off your plate?"

  "No," he said with a smile. "You never make mistakes

  with my breakfast."

  There was a warm tone in his voice that Reagan didn't

  like, but she only looked at him.

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  iy was swift to see that she wasn't smiling at him in

  return and knew it was time to get to the point. He did so,

  keeping his voice even and businesslike.

  "I didn't want to ask you in front of the others, Reagan, because I wanted you to take me seriously, but I was wondering

  if you'd have dinner with me some evening this

  week?" Reagan was already shaking her head when he

  added, "I want to talk to you about a job."

  Reagan was suddenly all ears.

  "Ajob?"

  "Yes."

  "What kind of job?"

  "I want to tell you about it over dinner."

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  Reagan shook her head. "You've got the wrong girl, Ty.

  Any job that has to be discussed over dinner..." She let the

  sentence hang.

  "If s not like that, I assure you, Reagan. I have tremendous

  respect for you and a job that would be perfect for

  you if you're interested. If s not a job I'm offering to anyone

  else, so you let me know if and when you want to hear

  about it"

  To Reagan's amazement, he turned for the door and

  exited. He was only a dozen feet down the alley when

  Reagan, whose curiosity had gotten the best of her, made it

  outside and stopped him with one question.

  "Can I meet you somewhere for dinner?"

  Ty turned.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I don't want to be picked up at my house. I'll come to

  dinner and hear about the job if I can meet you."

  "Thaf s fine," iy agreed, coming toward her a ways and

  gaining tremendous ground by agreeing to this term.

  "How about this Saturday night?"

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  "How about Tuesday next week?"

  iy grinned, knowing he was doing the right thing.

  "Tuesday, it is. Where do you want to meet?"

  "Right here in front of the hotel."

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  Ty tipped his hat. "Tuesday, seven o'clock. I'll be here."

  Reagan watched him walk away without a single

  romantic thought in her head, but she didn't think his

  handsome face would be hard to look at if she actually

  went to work for him.

  5"3r %r

  "Okay, Reagan," Russell said the next evening as he did

  odd jobs in the little rental house. "Try that."

  Reagan opened the cupboard door and found it working

  fine.

  "It's perfect, Russell. Thank you."

  "With all your independence/' he teased her, "I'm surprised

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  you didn't fix it yourself."

  Reagan grinned.

  "I left my tools in New York."

  Russell smiled in return.

  "Okay. What was next?"

  "This window. The lock is a little loose. I've been

  thinking about buying a gun, but I haven't done it yet."

  On his way toward the window, Russell stopped and

  turn
ed to look at her.

  "Are you saying that if you had a gun, you wouldn't

  need window locks?"

  Reagan looked thoughtful.

  "No, but I wouldn't be as concerned about them."

  "Have you ever handled a gun?"

  Reagan met the eyes that were trained on her and

  answered slowly.

  "No, but I didn't think it could be too hard."

  Russell's finger came up. "You do not make one move

  toward a gun without talking to me first. Do you hear me,

  Reagan?"

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  "Yes, Fattier."

  City Girl 95

  "You can Yes, father me all you please, but you do as I

  say."

  Reagan's head tipped as she looked at him.

  "What do you fear would happen?"

  Russell looked shocked enough to cause Reagan to

  laugh.

  "This is not funny, Reagan," he responded, trying to be

  stern. "You could shoot yourself or someone else."

  "I think that would be the point."

  Russell leveled her with a look.

  "I'm not fixing another thing in this house until you

  agree to consult with me about any and all weapons."

  Hands to his hips, the hammer held easily under one

  huge thumb, Russell waited.

  "All right," Reagan said with a tolerant shake of her

  head. "I'll be sure to tell you, but you don't need to be such

  a tyrant about it. I don't know how Holly stands it."

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  "Holly isn't wandering around with a naive view of

  guns," he muttered as he went to work on the window.

  "Sometimes you scare me."

  "I can take care of myself."

  "Thaf s what scares me."

  Any stinging retort Reagan might have had was interrupted

  by Jonah's arrival. He'd been helping his father by

  finding a needed tool.

  "Have you got it?"

  "I think so. Is this it?"

  "Thaf s the one," Russell congratulated the little guy as

  he took the tool from his open palm.

  "How are you, Reagan?"

  "Miss Sullivan," his father corrected, his back to them as

  he worked on the latch.

  Reagan only winked at Jonah and brought out a jar of

  candy she had bougjit at the general store.

  "Would you like a peppermint drop?"

  "Yes, please."

  "How was school today?"

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  96 lori wick

  "It was fun/' he answered around the ball of candy

  swelling his cheek. "I like school/ but sometimes I miss

  Alisa."

  "She probably misses you too."

  Jonah gave her his shy smile/ and, as always/ Reagan's

  heart melted a little.

  "Jonah," Russell called to him then/ "climb up here and

  hold this for me, will you?"

  The little boy was swift to help/ his eyes catching

  Reagan's one more time and with one glance telling her

  how proud he was to be asked to help his dad.

  The Bennett "men" finished up at Reagan's a short time

  later, and as nice as it was to have everything repaired/

  Reagan hated to see Jonah go. Quite suddenly she wanted

  to be with that little boy whenever she could.

  -5" 3r

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  "You're coming on Saturday/ aren't you, Reagan?" Jonah

  asked as Reagan walked him ^ome from school/ forgetting

  again to call her Miss Sullivan.*

  "What's on Saturday?"

  "The party at Cash's ranch!" Jonah looked up at her with

  huge eyes, as if her not knowing was some type of crime.

  Elly had ridden ahead on the bike, and Jonah and Reagan

  walked slowly along behind her.

  "I don't think I'm invited, Jonah," she said, feeling a

  need to be honest

  "Everyone is! Pastor Ellis said so."

  "Is it a church party?"

  Jonah nodded with great enthusiasm. "We have lots of

  fun. We get to swim in the pond/ play games, and even ride

  horses all by ourselves! And then we eat dinner under the

  big shade trees by the house."

  "That does sound fun. Are you sure everyone is

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  invited?"

  City Girl 97

  She was treated to another nod. Huge eyes punctuated

  his words. "Pastor said. He was about to tell everyone they

  could stand, and then he reminded us."

  "So this has been planned for a while?"

  "We always go. Every year. Mama says if s tramition or

  something like that."

  "Tradition?"

  "Yeah. Tradition."

  The house was in sight now/ as were Elly and the bike.

  The little girl was jumping off/ however, and running to

  hug her mother, who stood on the front porch.

  "I think Miss Sullivan spoils you," Holly said as she

  wrapped her arms around her oldest child.

  "She's so nice, Mama. Jonah and me like her so much."

  "Jonah and I. And your father and I like her too."

  "Mama," Holly heard Jonah calling as he ran, "Reagan

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  can come to the party, can't she? I asked her and told her

  about the pond."

  "Reagan," Holly asked as soon as she was within

  earshot, "did you not hear the announcements these past

  weeks?" $

  "I guess not. The whole church is invited?"

  "Yes. It's a wonderful time. We go every year. It starts at

  about two o'clock, and we often stay until dark."

  "This Saturday?"

  Holly nodded, trying to gauge by Reagan's face whether

  she would attend. Holly would have been doing well to

  figure it out as Reagan was not certain herself. She had a

  meal with the Bennetts almost every week and saw the

  children daily, but other than a brief exchange about how

  the Bible reading was going, neither Holly nor Russell

  could gain an idea of what Reagan thought of the church

  family.

  They shared little more conversation just then. Reagan

  gave Jonah a quick ride on the bike and then went home.

  Once in her house, Reagan sat at her little table trying to

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  figure out the yearning inside of her. She desperately

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  wanted to attend the party and be with these people as she

  had the first morning when she hadn't needed to rush off

  for work. At the same time the idea terrified her, and she

  had no idea why.

  Before walking back to the hotel, she sat for just a few

  minutes more, all the while telling herself she just wouldn't

  go. No one was forcing her, and she didn't have to!

  "But I'm sure not going to show up without a cake or

  something," she muttered as she hit the back door of the

  kitchen, knowing she would have to borrow a pan from

  Sally or go empty-handed. She was also sure that if anyone

  could have read her befuddled thoughts just then, they'd

  have committed her to an asylum.

  it hadn't been easy, but she had done it. Still vacillating

  right up to the end, Reagan ended up having to ride her

  bike to the Rawlings Cattle Company--not a long journey,

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  but made a good deal more challenging by the need to

  carry a frosted layer cake in one hand.

  Reagan rode under the arch of the gateway at the head<
br />
  of the driveway, not letting herself do more than glance at

  the sign, and in no time at all the house and many wagons

  came into view. To Reagan's surprise, Cash Rawlings himself

  came down the driveway to meet her.

  "Well, hello," he said, managing to take the cake and

  catch and steady the bike all in one smooth movement

  "Welcome to the ranch," he continued, as if people always

  arrived in just that manner.

  "Thank you," she said as she jumped down, still

  breathing hard. "I'm a little late."

  "Not at all. The games are just getting started. Thank

  you for bringing the cake, by the way."

  "Oh, you're welcome. I wasn't sure what to bring."

  "The cake is fine," he said, not willing to tell her that this

  was not a potluck.

  "Something sure smells good."

  "That's the beef we've got turning over the fire. It does

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  smell good, doesn't it?"

  "Spoken like a man who eats beef every day."

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  Cash laughed. "It kind of goes with the job."

  "Where should I put my bike?" Reagan suddenly

  wanted to have her hands free.

  "Why don't you put it there by the Bennetts' wagon?

  Then you can hop a ride home."

  Cash waited for Reagan to come back from propping it

  against the wheel. He kept the cake and escorted her up the

  drive.

  "How did you know which wagon belonged to the Bennetts?"

  she asked.

  Cash smiled. "I don't know."

  "How about the others?"

  Having never given a moment's thought to this, Cash

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  was nevertheless able to stop, look down the line, and

  name the owners of every wagon or buggy.

  "Is it that you're a rancher or that I'm a city girl?"

  "I don't know." Cash was again at a loss. "Can you pick

  a woman out by just the color of her dress?"

  "Of course. What does that prove?"

  "Maybe nothing, but maybe if s about interests and not

  just about living out of the city. I can't say that I would

  know a woman if I caught sight only of her dress."

  Reagan looked up at her tall, redheaded host. She saw a

  kindness and a humility in him that she hadn't encountered

  very often. She was still thinking on it when the

  hous , with many empty tables in front of it, came fully

  into view.

  "Where is all the food?"

  "Still in the kitchen."

  "How did you make it fit?"

  "Well, most of if s still in pots or in the oven. And don't

  forget, the beef is on the spit out back."

  Reagan was not long in putting two and two together.