“You don’t sound quite as excited as I’d expected. No girly squealing or anything.”
She laughed and rolled down the van window for some air. “I did a little dance in the elevator.”
He chuckled.
And she got goose bumps down her arms.
“Wish I’d seen that.”
“Probably just as well that you didn’t. I’ve been wearing tennis shoes so much, I’m not up to dancing in two-inch heels.”
“I am. Well, maybe not quite. I don’t think my boots have that high a heel.”
“I didn’t know you were a dancer.”
“I’m not much of one. But I don’t mess up a Texas two-step too bad. Are you headed off to see your folks?”
“I’m going back to my grandparents’. Mom flew to New York this morning.”
“I thought y’all were going out to lunch.”
“We’d planned to. But her secretary called this morning and said she had a model who was clashing with the photographer. It’s a major shoot, the cover of Glamour, so Mom took off to try and smooth things over. I don’t know what Dad is doing. I didn’t call him. I don’t particularly want to see him.” Not until she got this job. Then she could face him in triumph. “So I’m going to spend the evening with Grandpa and Grandma. Have a nice quiet visit.”
“Are you coming home tomorrow?”
Home. Funny how right that sounded. When had she started thinking of Callahan Crossing as home and not San Antonio?
“I promised my grandparents I’d stay until Sunday and go to church with them. I’ll leave for Callahan Crossing after lunch.” Another reminder that she was away from the ranch and back in the city – where dinner was lunch and supper was dinner. “How are things there?”
“Pretty good. We started the second house. I think it will go up fast.” He paused, then cleared his throat. “I miss you, Emily Rose. Zach gives good hugs, but they aren’t the same as yours.”
She got all teary eyed. “I miss you too.” She was surprised by how much. “A lot.” Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw a car go slowly past for the third time. “I’d better go and let somebody have my parking space. The lot is full.”
“Call me tonight after you visit with your grandparents.”
“It might be late.”
“That’s all right. I’ll probably be up. If I’m not, I won’t mind you waking me up. Be careful in that big bad city.”
“Don’t worry. I’m a city girl, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember.” He sounded depressed. “But I keep hoping to convert you.”
“You may be rubbing off on me. The traffic is annoying the life out of me.”
“Good. Hope you get stuck in an hour-long traffic jam.”
“Chance!”
“Not really.”
“Oh, dear, that poor woman is coming around for the fourth time. I have to go.”
“Bye, darlin’. Be safe.”
“You too.” She ended the call quickly, blinked back a few tears as she fastened her seat belt, and started the car. The woman spotted her pulling out and waited to take the parking spot.
Emily left the lot and glanced at the clock on the dash. It was only 2:00. Although her grandparents were in their mid-seventies, they still led busy lives. Neither of them would be home until around 5:00, but the housekeeper would let her in if she returned before then.
She was too keyed up to sit around Preston Hollow and wait for them. The traffic might be a pain, but Dallas offered something dear little Callahan Crossing didn’t. Shopping!
“Neiman Marcus, here I come.”
After dinner that evening, Emily showed Grandma Iris the sleeveless floor-length formal gown she’d found at Neiman’s. She needed something fancy to wear to the charity auction and gala. She held the hanger high enough to keep the hem of the dress off the floor and waited for her grandmother’s comment. Iris had never been a model, but she had a great sense of style.
Her grandmother relaxed on the comfortable white and gold brocade love seat in the guest room and nodded her approval. “Violet is a wonderful color for you. The bateau neckline is nice. Elegant but modest and sedate. It just skims your figure.”
“Yes, ma’am. It fits great. Not too tight or too loose. The little flare from the knee down makes it easy to walk.” She particularly liked the high neckline in the front. It went right across her collarbones, so she wouldn’t spend the evening worrying whether or not it was too revealing. The cutout back was another story. She turned the dress around. “Do you think the back will show too much skin?”
Grandma Iris laughed and propped her white-slipper-covered feet up on a small needlepoint footstool in front of the chair. “Not quite as sedate as I first thought. How low does it go?”
“About the middle of my back.”
Iris waved her hand and shook her head. “That’s nothing to worry about. It’s fine, dear.”
“Oh, good!” Emily relaxed and held the gown out to admire it again. “I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.” She hadn’t liked the price but decided to splurge. She hadn’t bought anything fancy or expensive in years. “It was the only one I tried on. I couldn’t believe it when it fit perfectly.”
“That, dear girl, is an amazing feat.”
“It’s never happened before. Usually, the dressing room is full of rejects.” Emily hung the gown back in the closet. “I think this is one of God’s little blessings.” She smiled at her grandmother, knowing she would understand.
“Yes, indeed. Don’t you just love it when he does that for us? I believe even your mother will be impressed.”
“I hope so. I’d hate to disappoint her at her own event.”
“Have you told her that you’re coming?”
“No. I haven’t had a chance to really talk to her. You know Mom, always on the run.” Emily held up a bright yellow sweater with tiny white flowers embroidered along the crew neckline. “Isn’t this cute?”
“Yes, it is. Did you find that at Neiman’s too?”
“No. I only got the evening gown there. This was at a little shop in the mall. Macy’s had some shoes that look nice with the dress. I have some similar ones in San Antonio, but I don’t have time to go get them. There were good sales all over the place. I picked up a new purse, a blouse, and some more jeans.”
“A fashion necessity for living on a ranch,” her grandmother said dryly.
“They also come in handy when I’m digging through dusty storerooms or barns looking for treasures.”
Emily could afford eleven hundred dollars for an evening gown, but she felt guilty spending so much when so many folks in Callahan Crossing were thankful to get secondhand clothes. So she’d spent most of the afternoon buying brand-new things for the Mission. Her van was stuffed full.
“Do you have a picture of the young man you’ve been dating?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Emily rummaged through her purse for her cell phone. The new bag would work so much better. It had an outside pocket for the phone. Chance could quit teasing her about digging through her saddlebag whenever her phone rang.
She sat down on the love seat and clicked on the phone’s picture gallery. “Here he is.” She held the phone so her grandmother could see it easily.
“He’s gorgeous.” Iris studied Emily’s face. “Are you two serious?”
Emily shook her head. “Just friends.” Then why had her heart ached when she heard his voice that afternoon? Why had she cried and longed to be with him?
Her grandfather strolled into the room. “I wondered where my ladies had gotten off to. Sorry about being tied up on that overseas call. Can’t always take care of things when it’s daytime here.” He sat down on the foot of the guest bed, stretched out his long legs, and winked at his wife. “Now, what man is my wife calling gorgeous?”
“Chance Callahan.”
“Ah.” Grandpa Doyle nodded. “One of Dub’s boys.”
“Yes, sir. So you know Dub?”
“We’ve be
en acquainted for over twenty years. He’s a good man. Met his boys a few years back at an oil meeting, but I can’t remember the other one’s name.”
“Will. He’s the oldest and helps Dub run the ranch.”
“Is he married yet?”
“No, sir. But Dub and Sue’s daughter, Jenna, got married on January 30.”
“She was hitched to Jimmy Don Colby for a while, wasn’t she?” Her grandfather glanced toward the open closet door. When he spotted her evening gown, his eyes lit up.
“Yes.” Emily hadn’t had an opportunity to tell him about her plans to attend the gala. But she figured he was putting two and two together.
“There was a lot of nasty gossip about him showing up at parties with another woman even before they split up.” Her grandmother wrinkled her face in distaste.
“Do you know Jimmy Don?” Emily hoped he didn’t run in the same circles as her mom. It would be a disaster if he showed up at the auction.
“No. Just know of him. As you’re well aware, people in this town gossip.”
“People gossip no matter the size of the town.” Emily chuckled and scrolled through the photos until she found Zach’s picture. “This is her little boy, Zach.”
“Oh, isn’t he sweet! What a beautiful child. Show your grandfather that adorable little boy.”
When Emily hopped up and walked over to her show him the picture, Grandma Iris murmured, “You’ll have beautiful children too, you know. And I’m not getting any younger.”
Both of her grandmothers had been saying the same thing for five years. Emily sat down beside her grandfather and showed him the picture.
“Fine lookin’ boy. I bet he’s full of it.”
“He goes nonstop and has a sweet disposition. Jenna says for the most part, his terrible twos haven’t been too terrible. He’s also smart as can be and adores his new daddy, Nate. Nate is a cowboy on the ranch and Chance’s best friend. They’re so happy it makes you smile just to look at them.”
“She deserves it. If even half of what I heard is true, she went through a rough time with Jimmy Don. Show me the picture of Chance, so I can make sure I’m remembering the right son.”
She clicked on Chance’s picture.
“Yep, I was remembering the right man. They both resemble Dub.” Her grandfather put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her lightly. “Let’s go down to the family room where we can all be comfortable.”
“All right.” Emily laid the phone on the bedside table and accompanied them downstairs.
She fixed them all glasses of iced tea to see them through the evening. When they were situated comfortably, Grandpa Doyle rested his hands on the well-padded, tan leather recliner arms and smiled. “I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to in Callahan Crossing, and how the town is faring.”
She started off relating how the townspeople had banded together, how they were helping each other. She mentioned the assistance that had come from all over the country and told them that the town was being cleaned up and rebuilding had begun.
Her grandparents kept asking gentle questions, and before she knew it she was telling them about the fire and confessed that she’d been in danger.
“I’m not sure I’d have gotten out in time if Chance hadn’t stopped at the museum and helped. You know how obsessive I can be about historical documents.” Her eyes misted over, taking her by surprise.
“So that’s when you met him?” asked her grandmother quietly.
“Yes, ma’am. The fire was already roaring through the southwest side of town. It was afternoon, but the smoke was so thick I could barely see to drive. Every time I took a load out to the van, the flames were higher, closer. Chance came charging in there to tell me to get out of town. The Callahan men and some others were going up and down every street possible to make sure everyone got out.” Sudden tears clogged her throat. “They risked their lives then and later when the winds died down enough to fight the fire.”
Her grandmother took a box of tissues from beneath the table by her chair and came over to sit beside her on the sofa. She didn’t say anything; she simply handed her the box.
Emily wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “Sorry. I haven’t really talked about it to anybody.” She shrugged and laughed self-consciously. “I spent a lot of time at the shelter listening to other people’s stories. Guess I didn’t realize I had some things bottled up inside too.” If she did, what about Chance and all the others who had been right in the middle of the battle?
She cleared her throat and blew her nose one more time. “They weren’t the only ones, of course. There were a lot of heroes that day. Callahan Crossing only has a volunteer fire department, and they made a valiant effort to stop the fire before it reached town. But even with dozens of other volunteer firefighters from around the county helping, they couldn’t get ahead of it.”
“Because of the wind.” Grandpa Doyle took a drink of tea and set it back on a wooden coaster on the walnut end table. His expression was solemn, his eyes filled with compassion. Emily knew he’d fought some grass fires as well as some oil well fires in years past.
“That’s right. Chance helped me get the rest of the boxes out to the van.” She glanced up at her grandmother, who still sat beside her. “He carried two at a time with little effort. I’d been staggering with one.”
“One look at his picture told me he was strong. He’s a brave one too.”
“Wouldn’t expect any less from a Callahan,” her grandfather said, but he didn’t elaborate.
Emily thought the same thing could be said of a Denny, at least down to her grandfather’s generation. Her father didn’t fit the mold.
She shared how Chance and the others fought the fire and were leading in the recovery efforts. When the topic shifted to the museum and the Bradley-Tucker House, her tension eased. Her grandmother sensed it and moved back over to her recliner so she could look directly at Emily.
It was strange how she’d always been able to discuss almost anything with her grandparents on both sides of the family, yet she’d rarely had a relaxed conversation, much less a heart-to-heart talk, with her mom. And never with her father.
She didn’t realize how often she mentioned Chance until she noticed them exchanging an amused, knowing glance.
“So Chance is a builder. I’d expect he’s going to be busy as a coyote chasin’ four rabbits.”
Emily chuckled at the image her grandfather’s comment brought to mind. “He is. He also works on the ranch, but he hasn’t since I’ve been there. Still, when we went on a picnic on Valentine’s Day, he seemed to know every cow in that pasture.”
“You went on a picnic in the pasture.” Her grandfather grinned at her grandmother. “Reminds me of some of the outings we used to have.”
“Only there was usually an oil rig nearby.” The sweet, nostalgic smile Iris sent her husband warmed Emily’s heart.
I want memories like that. She already had some tucked away. But would they carry the same meaning forty years from now if those were the only ones she treasured in her heart? Her grandparents shared almost a lifetime of memories, good and bad. And they were still deeply in love, maybe more now than ever.
“Emily, dear, do you realize how your face lights up when you talk about Chance?” Grandma Iris had the expression of someone imagining dozens of great-grandchildren running through her stately home, wreaking delightful havoc. “I believe y’all are more than just friends.”
“Maybe. I think we could get serious, but I don’t want to.” Liar. Emily froze. Where had that thought come from?
“Why not?” Grandpa Doyle straightened in his chair, lowering his feet to the floor. “He’s a good Christian man, from a fine family.”
“He’s thoughtful, considerate, caring, and successful. He sounds perfect,” her grandmother added.
“I don’t know what I want. I’ve worked so hard on my career. I had a great interview today, and this job looks like a real possibility. Better than any I’ve ever
had. It would be an amazing position for now and an excellent way to work my way up.”
“Why is it so important for you to go to the top, Emily?” Grandpa Doyle asked quietly.
“I guess it’s ingrained. I’ve always wanted to be the best at whatever I’ve done.” She hesitated, trying to better formulate the answer. “And because I have to prove to Mom and Dad that I can. On the one hand, they expect – demand – that I succeed. Yet on the other, they believe I’ll fail. I have to prove them wrong. Everyone in this family is a success.” Even Grandma Iris. She’d been a full working partner in Denny Oil since the very beginning and was still active in the company. “I have to be too.”
“There are all kinds of successes. In my book, a happy marriage rates above money and prestige.” Her grandfather smiled and stood, winking at his wife. “Neither of those will keep you warm on a cold night.”
Emily noticed that he was moving a little slower than he had the last time she saw him. When had that been? Six months ago? Far too long.
He walked over and held out his hand to her grandmother, helping her out of the chair. She, too, had a little difficulty getting up. When Iris stood, she tucked her arm through his.
“Don’t worry about pleasing your parents, sugar,” he said. “They’re driven to succeed because they don’t have anything else to keep them going or make them happy.”
Arm in arm and heart in heart, they moved slowly across the Oriental rug until they were standing in front of her. “As for using all your education and training, you’re doing that in Callahan Crossing. You’re giving them a little light of hope, and that’s important.”
Her grandmother reached out and caressed her cheek. “Does Chance make you happy?”
“Yes, except for today when he said he hoped I got stuck in an hour-long traffic jam.”
“Why on earth would he wish that on you?” Frowning, her grandmother lowered her hand.
“He wants the traffic to irritate me so much that I’ll convert to a country girl.” She would freely admit that when it came to traffic, Callahan Crossing won hands down.
Emily's Chance (v5) Page 18
