by Delia Latham
James’ reaction was exactly what she expected.
“You’re where?” His deep voice upped at least an octave. “Norah, honey, what are you doing in Ruidoso?”
“I live here now. Chandler and me…we…” She blew out a harsh breath. “It didn’t work out, that’s all.”
“So…what then? You ran away? That’s not like you, sis.” Silence filled the line for a moment. Then came the question she’d hoped he wouldn’t ask. Trouble between her brother and Chandler was the last thing she wanted, but she’d never been a liar and didn’t intend to start now. “What did he do to you, Norah? Did he hurt you…physically, I mean? Did Chandler raise his hand to you?”
James would see through anything other than stark truth.
“He…” She hesitated. “Chandler has a drinking problem. He got a little carried away a couple of times, but I’m o—”
An expletive burst from her brother’s lips and Norah gasped. She’d never heard James swear.
“I’ll kill him!” First fire, and then ice, coated James’ normally pleasant tones. “I warned that bozo about hurting you. I told him—”
“James!” Norah managed a soft, watery laugh, despite the violent thundering of her heart. “I’m fine. I’m happy. Ruidoso is beautiful, and the people here are wonderful. I already have a job and a place to live—a place all to myself. It’s tiny, but I love it. It belongs to a lady I work with, and it’s hidden away in her backyard. No one can see it from the road, but it’s within sight of Shay’s back door. She and her husband keep a close eye out for me. You don’t need to worry.” She heaved in a breath, forcing it past the tightness in her chest. “And forget Chandler. He’s…a troubled soul, James. Let it go.”
He grunted but made no promises. “I don’t like you being that far away, without any family close by. Look, I understand if you don’t want to come back here. I really do, sis. But maybe you should go to California. Addie would be happy to have you.”
Norah set her glass of iced tea on the miniscule table in her miniscule kitchen and laughed out loud. “That’s really reaching, and you know it. Yes, Addie would welcome me with open arms. But she’s got three kids and a husband who doesn’t even like to have guests for dinner. You really think Steve would be okay with me moving in with them?”
“You’re probably right.” James’ grudging admission almost set Norah into another peal of laughter. “But what about Brian or Callan? Either of them would—.”
“James.” Norah inserted as much steel as her voice could accommodate. “Please listen to me. I don’t want to go anywhere. Not California, and certainly not to Brian’s or Callan’s. I’m staying in Ruidoso.”
Silence.
She picked at her napkin and then used it to mop up the condensation from her glass. Had she convinced him not to show up here and drag her back to Echo City?
At last, he huffed a breath. “Can you have the marriage annulled, sis?”
“I’ve already filled out the papers and sent them to Chandler for his signature. He promised he’d sign and get them back to me for filing. I guess we’ll see.”
“There’s no ‘we’ll see’ about it. If you don’t have those papers in hand within a week, you let me know. I’ll see that he signs them if I have to stand over him with a hammer to get it done. And I really hope the dude pushes me a little too far.” He chuckled, but Norah got the distinct feeling he meant every word.
“I’ll let you know…if I have to. I love you, James. Kiss the boys for me and tell Quinn hello.” She gnawed at her lip, blinking back tears. “Don’t forget to give Franky his Grubby Bear at bedtime. He won’t sleep well without it.”
Her brother’s low chuckle warmed her heart. “Will do. And Norah…if you decide this move wasn’t the right thing, after all, I’m a phone call away. I’ll get you home, one way or another.”
“Thank you, big brother.” She smiled, even as she tamped down an onslaught of unexpected emotion. “I promise I’ll stay in touch.”
“You’d better, or you’ll find me on your doorstep. And trust me, sis, I’m perfectly capable of tossing you over my shoulder and bringing you home, whether you like it or not.”
She laughed. “I don’t doubt it for a minute. Bye, Jimmy James. I love you.”
~ Chapter 3 ~
D
AYS AND WEEKS AND MONTHS passed in a blur, as if someone had pushed a great big fast-forward button. Norah settled into Ruidoso as if she’d always lived in the little tourist village. She coasted along, living a quickly established daily routine, until Hoss discovered she hadn’t finished school. He called her into the kitchen and insisted she get herself enrolled in Ruidoso High.
“We’ll work around your schedule. You’ve only got a year to go, and if you get on a fast-track program, it’ll be even less than that. You won’t have much time to dilly-dally, but not much worth having comes easy. That diploma will be worth the effort.”
“I can’t afford to work less than full time, Hoss. School’s gonna have to wait.”
“No, it will not wait. Your pay will remain the same, and believe me, I’ll expect you to work as close to full-time as you can manage. But first, you go to school. You do your homework. You get a diploma.”
Norah stiffened her spine. She hadn’t come to Ruidoso to be a charity case.
“I’m sorry, Hoss. I can’t do that.”
For the first time since she’d met him, her big, gentle boss’s eyes took on a layer of flint.
“Yes, you can, young lady. And yes, you will.” He flipped a hamburger patty and slapped his spatula on top of it so hard the meat broke in half. “You’re the closest thing I’ve got to a daughter, and I’m not taking no for an answer. Now get back to work.”
She enrolled in Ruidoso High the next day. Despite her arguments, she appreciated her boss’s concern. As she rode the bus home after her first day back in a classroom, she gave herself rare permission to think about the past.
Only her brother’s uncharacteristic resistance to his wife’s demands had kept Norah in school after Daddy died. She’d been devastated when Quinn tried to prevent her from returning to Echo City High.
“It’s a hardship situation. I need her here, James. These boys…” She’d wilted dramatically into the nearest chair, throwing herself against the back, and held the top of her hand against her forehead. “They’re too much for me. I need help with them—to say nothing of this…” Her lips twisted into a snide smirk as her gaze traveled the kitchen. “House…if that’s what you want to call it.”
James paled and a muscle worked in his jaw, but he held his tongue.
Norah’s heart so ached for her brother that she almost spoke up in his defense, but she instinctively knew he wouldn’t want her to interfere. She hated that he worked so hard to make a living for his family, and it was never enough. Quinn didn’t value anything her husband provided, including the man himself, and often referred to the modest, but charming little house he’d bought her as “less than a hovel.” The woman showed no interest in making the place a home.
How James won that argument on Norah’s behalf would forever remain a secret. She didn’t even want to know. All that mattered was that she could attend school, as long as she continued to keep the house clean and took over care of the children when she came home each afternoon.
“Yes! I will, I promise.” She had agreed without hesitation. Education mattered—and so did the opportunity to get away for a few hours each day. She welcomed the classes, even though they meant she’d have homework after all the chores, childcare and everything else at home. They gave her a change of scenery and at least minimal contact with other people her age.
When she left Echo City, she’d assumed losing that hard-won education was the price she must pay for her rash decision in getting married too fast, too young, and to the wrong man. Her safety and happiness held more weight than getting a diploma, no matter how desperately she wanted one. She’d put a lid on her hopes and dreams and climbed on tha
t bus out of town—only to find herself back in high school, at the insistence of a kind and caring employer. How had she gotten so fortunate?
At the thought, something niggled in the back of her mind. Her dad never believed in fortune or luck. He believed in blessings. Was he right? Hoss and Shay thought a lot like Daddy and Mama where all things biblical were concerned. Were they all wrong…or was she? Maybe she’d give in and go with Shay to church next Sunday. The Tilestons and Hoss possessed something real in their spirits, as had her parents. Was it God? Could it be her own stubbornness had cheated her out of something she needed in her life…something beautiful and good?
Hoss’s prediction of “no time to dilly-dally” proved true to the point of exhaustion at times. Between her job, classes and homework, socializing or even forming friendships was out of the question. Still, she’d been handed a second chance, and graduating was worth every sacrifice. She’d make friends once she held that crucial piece of paper in her hand.
With her schedule so full, time flew on invisible wings. Before it even seemed possible, she walked across the stage in the high school auditorium to claim the certificate of graduation for which she’d sacrifice so much. In the audience, Hoss grinned like a proud papa. On either side of him, Shay and her friend Penny smiled ear-to-ear even as they wiped tears. Both women treated Norah like a younger sister, and she loved them both with all her heart.
James couldn’t get away from work, but he sent her a little something in the mail, along with a short note.
Get yourself a car, Norah Lee. You can’t buy a new one with this amount, but you should be able to pick up a serviceable vehicle—until you can do better. I’m so proud of you, sis!
Norah hugged the check to her heart and grinned despite the moisture dripping off her chin.
Worth it? What an understatement!
* * * *
“Surprise! Happy Birthday!”
Norah gasped at the boisterous greeting, shouted out by numerous voices inside the Ponderosa.
Hoss had called her, after hours, his voice clipped and oddly cold. “I need you back down here, Norah. Now.”
Her heart thundered all the way to the restaurant. What had she done to put her easy-going boss in such a mood? Was money missing? Had a customer complained about her service? God, please don’t let me lose my job.
Despite the panic hammering at her mind, she managed a slight smile. Praying felt good. Shay had been such an incredible influence and mentor. Leading Norah to Christ truly made the woman more than a friend. She was a sister in all ways except blood. And when the blood of Christ came into the equation, she was family…through the most important bloodline in the history of mankind.
Two years had gone by since she graduated…three since she stepped off the bus onto a drab-looking street in Ruidoso.
Norah considered the area one of the best-kept secrets in the country. Nearby, Ruidoso Downs racetrack brought an increasing number of summer visitors. A ski resort in Mescalero lured lovers of the winter sport, and the casino on the Mescalero Indian Reservation was always a draw.
Yet Ruidoso Village remained mostly peaceful and quiet—much to Norah’s delight.
And here she stood, three years after landing in town, gaping at a crowd of friends and acquaintances who’d pulled a fast one on her. They’d all come to celebrate her nineteenth birthday.
Hoss pulled her into a hug. “Sorry I was so gruff on the phone, little one. I couldn’t think of any other way to get you back down here.”
“It’s okay, Hoss. I’m glad you weren’t really upset. My overactive imagination came up with at least a dozen possibilities on the way over. I was scared to death you were going to fire me for something, although I couldn’t quite imagine what I’d done.”
The big man chuckled. “I wouldn’t let you leave this place if you tried, Miss Norah. What in the world would we do without you?”
“We’d be in trouble, that’s what.” Shay slid between the two and kissed her cheek. “This girl carries twice her share of the load around here. I’d be lost if she left.”
Customers and friends from church gathered around to wish her a happy birthday, and then urged her toward a table piled high with gifts. Laughing and teasing, they seated her in a chair someone had cleverly turned into a makeshift throne. A cardboard sign labeled the seat “Reserved for the Ponderosa Princess.”
Shay grabbed the closest gift and placed it in Norah’s hands. “Better get started, princess. You’ve got lots of paper to tear off.”
By the time she unwrapped everything, emotion tightened her chest and rendered her barely able to speak.
“I don’t even know what to say.” Her voice broke as she laid aside the last present and let her gaze travel the little cluster of smiling faces. “When I arrived in Ruidoso, I didn’t know a soul. It was late—already getting dark outside, and I didn’t have a place to stay or enough money to rent a room. But God was watching out for me, even though I didn’t know Him at the time and, to be honest, I wasn’t even sure He existed. Yet He led me straight to Shay and Hoss. Without them, I’d have been on the streets, and who knows what kind of life I’d have now, or if I’d even be alive?”
Tears overflowed her eyes and streamed down her face. She didn’t care.
“Then Hoss and the Tilestons—Shay and Gary—led me to the Lord. I so appreciate these wonderful, thoughtful, sweet gifts you all brought. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you cared enough to be here! These…” She waved an arm at the table laden with unwrapped presents. “They’re an extra blessing, and I love them. But the greatest gift I’ve ever received is salvation. Between the church and this diner, I’ve met some of the finest, most caring people I’ve ever known. Thank you all for taking me in, for making me a part of your lives and this community.”
She laughed softly and dashed away tears. “I’m overwhelmed. Thank you so, so much!”
Shay stepped up, rescuing Norah from a self-conscious moment. “Let us eat cake!” she intoned dramatically. The paraphrased reference to Marie Antoinette’s alleged historical remark brought a ripple of laughter from the guests. Norah loved that her friend managed to turn the original callous statement on its head.
For the first moment since she’d arrived at the diner, fearing for her job, Norah wasn’t the center of attention. Everyone followed Shay to the serving table, where a huge, crown-shaped cake awaited. Norah huffed out a slow breath, grateful for the reprieve. Closing her eyes, she drew the breath back in and prepared to repeat the process. Deep breathing had become her go-to calming technique over the past few years.
“Happy Birthday!” An unfamiliar male voice interrupted her moment of recuperation. “Do you have to be back in Heaven right away, or can you stay a while?”
The smooth, deep voice didn’t jar her back from her little mental escape so much as it wrapped itself around her senses and eased her back with the soft firmness of a velvet rope. A smile tugged at her lips as she slowly lifted her lashes and stared into gorgeous cobalt blue eyes.
She sat up straighter. Who was this man with a voice that made all her senses tingle? She hadn’t experienced this kind of electricity since her school-girl crush on Chandler Dunn.
“Don’t be alarmed.” He smiled, and Norah couldn’t help smiling back. “I’m Dylan. Bob Bradley is my brother.”
“Oh…well, it’s nice to meet you, Dylan. Bob and Penny are good friends with Gary and Shay. I’m surprised we haven’t met already.” She indicated the chair across from her.
Dylan seated himself with a chuckle. “I’m sure we would have, except I’ve only been home a little over a week, on leave from Afghanistan. My father—Bob’s and mine—was in hospice. He…passed away two days after I got home.”
“I heard. I’m so sorry. Mr. Bradley was such a kind, sweet man. I liked him a lot.”
A muscle worked in the young man’s jaw, and he nodded. “Thank you. He was the best man I’ve ever known, and not only because he was my dad. I’m
honored to have called him father.”
Norah wanted to touch his hand, but it seemed inappropriate. They’d met mere moments ago. “I felt the same way about my dad.”
Coal-black hair shone under the overhead lights as he tilted his head, narrowed those incredible eyes. “Felt? Does that mean…?”
She drew a deep breath and nodded. “He died six years ago. I still miss him so much, some days worse than others. Time does make it better, Dylan—never good, but better.”
“Thank you. That’s nice to know because right now…well, ‘better’ sounds good.”
“I know the feeling very well.” She stood, and this time she did reach out and touch his arm. “Come on. I should have a piece of my birthday cake, I suppose. Join me?”
Penny intercepted them halfway to the serving table. “The two of you found each other—that’s great! I meant to introduce you. Sorry, I got distracted and forgot.”
Norah laughed and shook her head. “It’s fine. Your brother-in-law took care of that with a sweet line about something angelic…I think. Now we’re going to get some cake, and then I’ll rope this guy into sitting with me while we eat it.”
“Great idea!” Penny gave them one of her trademark sunshine-kissed smiles and swung away. “Gotta go help Shay. Have fun, you two.”
Over slices of luscious double chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, and hot coffee, Dylan and Norah talked.
And talked.
One after another, guests stopped by to say good night, and Norah stood to dispense hugs and thank yous, but nothing seriously interrupted the flow of their conversation. Within an hour, she came to know him as well or better than anyone she’d met in Ruidoso.
And she liked what she knew. Dylan Bradley was the kind of man she could really get into. Not that she was looking for a man, but then…she certainly wasn’t opposed to a relationship, especially with a guy like this one.
