by Lori Wick
Cash only stared back at her, crossed his booted ankles,
and settled in, looking for all the world as though he was
staying the night.
"You have a huge nerve, Cash Rawlings," Reagan told
him, clearly not happy with his actions.
"And you have more guts than good sense."
Reagan's gaze narrowed. Russell Bennett had said
something very similar to her, and she didn't like it. Who
did these men think they were?
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"I want you to leave."
Cash shrugged. "I'm just sitting on a public bench in
front of the hotel."
"We both know thaf s not true."
"We also both know that you're more worried about this
meeting than you're letting on."
Reagan's chin rose in the air, but she didn't deny it.
"If you're not," Cash pressed her, "move down the walk
a ways. I'm sure iy will still find you."
Reagan turned her back on him. She didn't know when
she'd been so angry. She did not, however, move down the
walk. She told herself she didn't have to. If anyone should
move, it should be Cash! But even in her anger she wasn't
quite convinced. It was on her mind to simply turn and walk
home. She didn't have to meet Ty. No one was forcing her,
and she certainly didn't have to answer to Cash Rawlings.
Reagan decided to make her move. She would give Cash
a few more words to put him in his place and then walk
home. In her mood, she'd be there in a matter of seconds.
But in truth, more time had passed than she figured.
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Before she could do anything, she looked up to see that Ty was nearly upon her.
M
ftw
"hello, reagan," ty said, a huge smile on his face.
"You look nice."
"Thank you," Reagan said, relaxing a little. Why hadn't
she just told Cash that she didn't fear Ty and let it go at
that? Indeed, looking into his handsome, smiling face, she
couldn't think why she hadn't told him to come for her at
the house.
"Are you ready to go?" iy asked; he hadn't even noticed
Cash's presence on the bench against the building.
"I am, yes, but I do have one question. What kind of
work do you want me to do?"
Ty licked his lips. "Can't we talk about it over dinner?"
"Well, in truth," Reagan improvised, trying to keep her
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voice normal, though she was suddenly nervous, "you
shouldn't have to spend money on a meal for me if I
wouldn't be suited for the job. Why waste your time and
efforts?"
"It's no waste of time, Reagan." His voice grew perceptibly
warmer. "I want to buy you dinner."
Reagan caught the tone and stiffened her resolve even as
she sensed the whole evening was about to fall into a heap
around her ankles.
"Please tell me."
Clearly he didn't want to, but there was no missing the
set line of her jaw.
Ill
112 lori wick
"Reagan, if only..." he began, but Reagan shook her
head. "All right," he conceded, his voice sounding weary
and cautious. "I want you to become my wife and take care
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of my children."
Reagan couldn't keep her mouth shut
"You have children?"
"They're my sister's kids. She died a year ago, and I
can't do it on my own anymore. Thaf s the job I'm talking
about--being my wife and mother to Sammy and Kara."
Reagan felt sick to her stomach thinking about all his
smiles, warm looks, and kind manner. He wasn't being
friendly. He wanted to marry her!
"I'm sorry, Ty. I have no interest in being married, not to
you or anyone else. If s nothing personal, and I can certainly
understand why you didn't want to discuss this
while I was on the job, but I'm not the woman you need."
Tyrone Arnold was a desperate man. He needed a wife
very badly. But he was also proud. With little more than a
brief nod of his head, he turned and went on his way. He
had thought the children would sway her. He'd worked for
hours on the meal they would eat, not willing to tell her
until the last moment that they wouldn't be going to a
restaurant, so sure that meeting his niece and nephew
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would help her to see his position.
As he walked on, he determined that she'd never know
how hurt he was. As tears of frustration and helplessness
filled his eyes, he determined to walk away and never look
back.
Still standing just where he'd left her, Reagan stood like
a statue, her heart a lump of iron in her chest. It wasn't supposed
to happen this way. He wasn't supposed to look so
hurt and vulnerable. She didn't want to marry. Had he
offered her a nanny's job, she would have heard him out,
but not wife--not now, not ever.
"Are you all right?" Cash asked from her side. Reagan
had all but forgotten him.
"I'm always all right," she answered without thought.
City Girl 113
Cash made a small sound in his throat and took her arm.
"Come on."
"I want to go home."
"You will, eventually."
203
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"We're going to see Holly and Russell."
"How do you know they're home?"
"Because I was already headed there."
Reagan didn't respond, but neither did she argue. At the
moment there wasn't any fight in her at all.
'Sr
"Reagan, why did you agree to go out with this man?"
Holly asked, trying to gain a dear picture with the little bit
that Cash had shared. The four adults were sitting in the
Bennetts' living room.
"He offered me a job."
"Ty Arnold?" Russell questioned. "He builds houses."
Reagan glanced at Cash.
"I found that out only this morning. The job he had for
me was to be his wife and take care of his children."
"I didn't know he had children."
"He said they're his sister's kids. He said she died a year
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ago and he couldn't do it on his own anymore."
The Bennetts were quietly shocked. They had been
expecting Cash, but not with Reagan in tow. And not just
any Reagan, but a subdued Reagan who had frowned at
Cash at least once and looked over at him often. That she
found him highhanded was obvious, but they both understood
why he'd brought her with him. Had he not been
coming for the evening, he probably would have dropped
Reagan off and left
"Why were you looking for another job, Reagan?" Holly
asked.
114 lori wick
"I'm trying to better myself, Holly. I don't want to bake
cakes and wash pots for the rest of my life--not unless I'm
running my own place."
Holly nodded in understanding.
"I mean," Reagan went on, warming a little to her subject
and hoping that Cash was listening, "the secret to this
life is knowing what you want and going after it. No one is
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/>
going to take better care of me than I am, so I've got to do
it to the best of my ability."
No one in the room commented on this, and Reagan
knew exactly what they were thinking. She stood, her
movements agitated.
"Yes, you can all stay very quiet, you who have this
knowledge about God, but not all of us share in thai"
"But you can, Reagan," Russell said. "It's yours for the
asking."
Reagan knew that now was the perfect time to admit to
them that the Bible had been as clear as mud to her, but
pride kept her mouth shut.
"May I ask you something, Reagan?" Holly put in when
Reagan remained silent
The other woman nodded and sat back down. She had
other friends in this town, but it wasn't her choice to be at
odds with anyone, and these people had been more than
kind to her; not to mention they were her landlords.
"I don't know what you have come to understand and
what you aren't getting," Holly began, "but I'll start by
206
asking if you realize that you have to make a step here? God
is waiting for you to humble yourself and believe. Does
that make sense to you, Reagan?"
"I think so."
"Why aren't you sure?"
Reagan looked at her lap. "The Bible hasn't been very
clear to me."
"That's no surprise," Holly said, and Reagan was
amazed at how often Holly took her off guard.
"What do you mean?"
City Girl 115
"I mean, the Bible is a love letter to believers. I can
understand if if s not clear to you. Prior to someone coming
to Christ, he doesn't have God's Spirit to help him. I'm not
saying that a person can't understand, but when he
doesn't, I'm reminded to whom the Bible is written. If s for
Christians."
"So how do I stand a chance?"
"You stand a chance because God says that anyone who
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asks may receive, and God never lies. You've told me that
you understand what's being taught on Sunday mornings,
but what I think you're missing is that you have to own
that belief yourself. You can't just spend time around Christians
and hope that what they have will rub off on you.
"You can admire us and be fascinated all you want, but
until you reach out in faith to God, you won't have the
eternal life we possess. We aren't going to love you less,
Reagan, if you don't believe, but I would be no friend to
you if I didn't tell you plainly what you need to do."
"Like God being everywhere, but not in my heart."
"Exactly, God doesn't force Himself on us. He'll only be
in your heart if you'll open it to Him."
Reagan was quiet for a moment, and the others let her
be.
"May I think about it?"
Sitting across from Reagan, Russell and Holly both
smiled. Naturally Reagan looked surprised.
"We're smiling," Holly explained, "because I used to feel
that a person must believe on the spot. Russell was the one
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to point out to me what a huge step believing is. God takes
it very seriously, and so should you. You should not jump
into this blindly. God requires no less than full commitment
from His children."
Reagan closed her eyes. She wasn't sure she wanted to
hear this. Fear about what God would require of her filled
her, and she wanted to escape.
"Would you care for anything to eat, Reagan?" Russell
suddenly asked. "You didn't get dinner, did you?"
116 * lori wick
I'm not very hungry, but thank you."
With that she stood, knowing she could do so without
offense. "I thank you for your hospitality, but I think I, want
to go home."
"Thaf s fine," Russell said, his deep voice calm.
"Reagan," Cash spoke. The small woman turned to him.
"I'm very sorry if you're upset with the way I handled
things. I just didn't want to see you hurt."
"Ifs all right, Cash. I was upset, but I do understand,
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and I thank you for caring."
Reagan moved to the door, thanking her hosts again, but
Russell caught up with her on the front porch.
"Reagan, if you do decide to read the Bible again, work
on the third chapter of John."
"The third chapter of John? Is that the same as St. John?"
"Yes. The New Testament starts with Matthew, then
Mark, Luke, and John. John 3. If s all there."
Reagan sighed a little.
"Don't be discouraged, Reagan. Holly is a good friend to
lay it on the line to you. Trust us when we tell you, God
never hides from those who seek Him."
Reagan looked into his smiling race and smiled in return
as her heart reminded hex that this man had been different
from others she'd known. His life did not contradict his
words. She could say the same for his wife and his friends.
Not willing to tell him that at present, she went on her
way, thinking she might actually do as he suggested.
-%r
210
Katy Sims headed into the general store a day earlier
than usual. Saturday was her usual day to stock the pantry
and get supplies, but the big party always depleted her
stores, and she thought Friday afternoon was as good as
Saturday morning when she was low on sugar.
"Hey, Katy," Lavinia called when she entered.
City Girl 117
"How are you for raisins right now, Lavinia?"
"Justin."
And with that they were off. Katy was one of the proprietress's
favorites. She was picky to a fault and would
brook no nonsense, but that she patronized her store spoke
volumes to the other establishments in town.
More than an hour later, Katy finished and was ready to
leave. She left instructions about the way she wanted
things loaded into the wagon, telling Lavinia she had business
down the street and she would return.
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"You keep an eye on things, Luke," she said as she did
most weeks, addressing the new ranch hand who had been
chosen to drive her. "I won't be long, so you wait for me
right here."
"Yes, ma'am," Luke responded with the utmost respect,
having taken his cue from a certain ranch owner, who,
although he teased his housekeeper, still treated her like a
cherished family member.
As usual Katy was in a hurry. The day was warm but not
hot, and she was due for an outing, but having come into
town in the afternoon put a damper on any kind of
window shopping. She needed some molasses candy, the
kind Cash liked, and only Reynolds carried it
Katy was almost to the other store when Reagan sailed
by on her bicycle. The older woman stopped in surprise.
Reagan caught the movement out of the corner of her eye,
and when she glanced back, she saw it was Katy Reagan
quickly turned and rode up parallel to the boardwalk.
"It's you!"
Reagan smiled, glad to see Katy. She had liked the outspoken
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older woman. Not sure why, she was nevertheless
very drawn to her.
"How are you, Katy?"
"You're going to kill yourself!"
Reagan laughed. "No, if s fun. You should try it"
Katy's eyes grew huge, but in truth she was fascinated.
118 lori wick
"No," she said, having regained her good sense. "I'd fall
and break my neck."
"No, you wouldn't. I'd help you." Reagan glanced
around. "No one's watching."
"Oh, go on with you! I can't do that in town."
Reagan smiled again.
"I'll have to come out to the ranch."
Katy only waved her off, but Reagan thought she had
seen a sign of genuine interest. Not even bothering to
return Reagan's goodbye, Katy went into the store, found
the candy for Cash, and went on her way. It didn't take
long before she was back at the wagon, and after Luke
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helped her aboard, they started home.
In less than a minute, town and all she had seen were
forgotten. Dinner had to be made and supplies put away.
Anyone listening to Katy's thoughts would have said that
she took her job too seriously. Katy would have scoffed at
such a notion. There was nothing serious about it. It was
her job, and it had to get done!
"You can help me unload, Luke," Katy announced when
they returned to the ranch house, the hand having taken
the wagon around back so they were closer to the kitchen.
His reply was a simple "Yes, ma'am." He'd been told by
the ranch's foreman, Brad Johns, to expect anything and to
stay until he was dismissed.
The ranch house at the Rawlings Cattle Company was as
modem as any home in the area, and the kitchen was no
exception. It was a cook's dream for meals and baking. Spacious,
with work area and floor space and a pantry you
could walk into, the kitchen area allowed Katy to put out a
meal for 30 without even breaking a sweat.
"How about these sacks of sugar?" Luke asked, both
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shoulders laden.
"Bottom shelf on the right. You'll see the space."
"Do you need some help?" a male voice asked from the
doorway. Katy turned to see Max, the ranch hands' cook.
City Girl 119
"I think there's still some in the wagon," Katy told him.
"Wipe your feet."
"Yes, ma'am," he drawled, having known just what she
was going to say.
Katy had washed her hands and was getting ready to
mix biscuit dough when Max returned.
"Why'd you go today?"
"I'm out of things," she said, as if it was the most logical
