by Delia Latham
By the time Shay stopped at their table, Norah was startled to find the room almost empty. Only Shay and Gary, Hoss and the Bradleys remained.
“Oh, my…I’ve been terribly rude, haven’t I?” Norah clamped her lip between her teeth and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Shay.”
“Do not apologize! You were perfectly fine, and everyone was thrilled to see you making a friend. That’s a good thing. You don’t socialize enough.”
Dylan stood. “Well, I wish I could say I feel bad for monopolizing the birthday girl, but it wouldn’t be true. Thank you for allowing me to steal her away from the crowd.”
“You didn’t steal me away.” Norah laughed softly. “If I remember right, I kind of commandeered you into cake and conversation.”
“Either way, it was a pleasure. I hope I’ll see you again while I’m here.”
“I hope so too.”
Her handsome new friend nodded and took his leave with Bob and Penny.
She peered out the window as the trio trekked across the parking lot to Bob’s truck. Shay stepped close, slipped an arm around Norah’s waist and pointed her chin toward the object of her rapt attention. “He’s handsome.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And really nice.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I think he likes you, Norah Perlman.”
“You really think so? I sure do like him.”
Shay’s soft laughter wrapped around Norah’s heart like a hug. “Uh-huh. I can see that.”
~ Chapter 4 ~
D
YLAN PICKED UP THE PHONE at least a half dozen times before he found the courage to make the call.
Because…what if?
What if the overwhelming attraction he’d felt the night they met was completely one-sided? What if Norah Perlman considered him nothing more than a new friend? Maybe she had no interest in furthering their relationship. Could he handle that?
No. No, he could not. In the short time they’d spent together on her birthday, he’d lost his heart as surely as if it had been snatched out of his chest. Fallen head over heart over heels in love. The thought of going back into the fray in Afghanistan without knowing the violet-eyed beauty would be waiting when he returned home made him crazy as a feisty feline in a field of fragrant catnip.
This call could make or break his future. Because he had no intention of playing games. He didn’t have time. A bare six weeks from now, he’d be back in action, a world away from Ruidoso. He had to make every moment count…no, more than that. Every single second.
When at last he dialed her number, the silence between every unanswered ring seemed to last forever. One ring. A hundred years. Two rings. Another century. Three rings.
“Hello?”
Lord, did You make her voice so intoxicating on purpose?
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
He cleared his throat. “Norah.”
“Dylan.” The smile in her voice issued another jolt of emotional alcohol. “You really called.”
“Didn’t have a choice.”
Her throaty laughter made him smile, even as his heart thundered like a hopped-up race car. “There’s always a choice.”
“Not this time.”
A sharp intake of breath said she understood his meaning.
“Let me take you out, Norah. I have to see you again.”
Her hesitation was so minimal he couldn’t be sure it even happened.
“I’ll be ready in an hour.”
* * * *
Why hadn’t she asked where they were going? Having hung up the phone, Norah stared at her closet in consternation. Should she keep it casual, or dress for a fancy dinner?
God, I don’t know how to do this…I’ve never dated—not really. Where do I go from here? She bit down on one side of her bottom lip and smiled a little. And what do I wear to get there?
Well, she didn’t have long to think about it. She enjoyed a record-quick shower, and an even quicker sweep of mascara and peachy lip gloss while her hair aired enough to make the blow-drying process easy. Then she strode to the closet and pulled out a full, maxi-length white skirt and a multi-colored top.
She dressed in a hurry and stood frowning into the mirror. Frumpy. Ugh. How did I get so out of touch with fashion? This looks like I’m headed off to teach a Bible class, not to have a fun, relaxing date with a handsome guy.
After a squint-eyed perusal of her options, she stepped out of the white skirt and into a shorter one with bright flowers against a Persian blue background. The hem hit an inch or two above her knees. A silky-soft, long-sleeved tee replaced the top, and dark blue leggings partnered perfectly with a wide, navy-blue belt. Comfortable ballet shoes completed the look.
Now Norah’s reflection brought a smile. That’s more like it. This outfit made ‘frumpy’ a non-word, and it would work for barbecue or banquet.
Or picnic…which was good, since it turned out that’s what Dylan had planned. He arrived, escorted her to his car and into the front seat. She immediately noticed the telltale basket on the backseat.
On the road, she gave him a teasing smile. “I take it we’re picnicking.”
He nodded. “Yes. Penny was kind enough to pack a lunch for us, since I didn’t have a clue where to start. All I knew was I wanted you all to myself. No restaurant. No crowds. No distractions.”
“Wow. I’m flattered to merit all this effort.”
She expected something funny or flirtatious in return. Instead, Dylan turned those cobalt blues on her without a hint of humor. “You merit a heck of a lot more than a picnic. If I could take out this worthless heart and put it in your hands, I’d do it. Right here, right now.”
Before Norah could catch her breath or think of an appropriate response, he pulled off the highway onto a rough, dirt road that ended without warning. Not that it mattered, since Dylan apparently knew exactly where they were. He’d lived in Ruidoso his entire life. There might not be a road within fifty miles that he hadn’t been on before.
He had the basket out of the back seat and Norah’s door open within a minute.
“Better take my arm,” he advised. “The walk’s not long, but it’s a little uneven.”
He was right about the former. The latter was a gross understatement. By the time they arrived at a beautiful little clearing in the middle of a lush green, wooded area, Norah was winded—not from the distance, but from the constant fear of landing on her backside. She’d clung hard to Dylan’s arm, poor guy. He must’ve had a hard time handling both her and the large basket. Good thing she’d chosen to wear flats. With all the potholes—hidden beneath grasses that had overgrown the almost non-existent walking path—she’d have been in serious trouble in heels.
Still, one look at the spot he’d chosen for their picnic, and wide-eyed enchantment overcame any trace of irritation that she’d been provided no warning about the trek into this haven. Even if she had taken an embarrassing fall in front of the handsome soldier, it would’ve been worth it.
“Oh, my! This is…why, it’s perfect. And…” Her hands flew to her face. “Look! There’s a creek. Right there!”
Not a dozen feet from the tree under which Dylan was spreading one of Penny’s quilts, a narrow brook meandered along, trilling a soft melody in passing. Sunshine danced on its surface like a million tiny diamonds. In the branches of the surrounding trees, birds sang in harmony with the water’s symphony.
“You like it?” Dylan set the basket atop the quilt and ambled over to stand next to her.
“Are you kidding? This must be what Heaven will be like…so beautiful and peaceful. I could set up a tent here and be absolutely happy. Who needs walls to block a view like this?”
Dylan laughed. “I agree, but I think you’d find it a little less peaceful around dusk when the mosquitos came calling in your home, sweet tent.”
“Ugh. Okay, I guess walls do serve a purpose.”
“That they do. But today, I’m glad there aren’t any. Not to block the view…an
d not between us.” He offered his arm. “Are you hungry right now, or would you like to walk a ways along the creek?”
She narrowed her eyes and made a wry face. “Well, that depends. Is the creek-walk as rough as the one on the journey to this little hideaway?”
Another rumble of laughter tugged at her heart. When Dylan laughed, his gorgeous eyes crinkled at the corners, and a dimple played hide-and-seek on his left cheek.
“Not at all. The creek path is popular with walkers. I came out earlier today and took a little stroll to check it out. Lots of feet have worn the water trail nice and smooth.”
She took his arm, almost alarmed at the strength of her attraction. Broad shoulders curved down to rock-hard biceps that flexed beneath her hand every time he moved. She’d never really noticed such things before. Why now?
They walked awhile in comfortable, cozy silence before Dylan stopped and turned to face her.
“Norah, you’re going to think I’ve lost my mind, but I promise I haven’t. I’ve lost my heart, and I don’t have the luxury of giving this the kind of time these things most often entail. When you walked into the Little Ponderosa the other night and everyone hollered ‘surprise,’ I wasn’t one of the folks eagerly waiting for you to arrive—and I certainly didn’t anticipate an epic, unforgettable life-moment. Penny and Bob dragged me down there to get me out of the house. After Dad passed, I couldn’t seem to shake the sorrow. Yeah, I know, he’d only been gone a few days, but it wasn’t like we weren’t expecting it. That’s why I’m home, after all…because my father was dying. I should’ve been prepared, but I wasn’t. When you came in that night, I was sitting in a corner alone, trying to drown my sorrow in the strongest beverage Hoss serves—a tall glass of sweet, sweet iced tea.”
Norah laughed softly, and Dylan’s single dimple peeked out along with a crooked smile.
“It wasn’t working. Then everyone yelled out that surprise greeting. I looked up, and there you stood…glowing…beautiful, like an angel straight out of Heaven. Everything I’d never known I wanted. But in that moment, without a shadow of a doubt, I knew.” He traced a finger down her cheek, studying her face as if it were a priceless, unmatchable work of art. “Norah Perlman, you are and always will be the only woman for me. I’ll love you until death rips me from your arms, and if there’s a life after this one——as God’s Word states unequivocally—I’ll love you all over again.”
Norah’s breath caught. Good, because even if she could speak, what on earth would she say? Never mind the strength of her attraction to Dylan Bradley. Despite the heart-stopping beauty of his words. No matter that she already knew him better than she knew anyone else…the fact remained, she’d only met the man a couple of days ago. He was vulnerable, aching from the loss of his father. This was beyond crazy!
He laid a hand on each of her shoulders, and something awful lurked in the deep, deep blue of his gaze. Norah recognized the stark terror. This gorgeous guy was terrified of her answer. How could she let him know it was too soon without crushing him?
She cupped his face in both hands and finally captured her elusive breath. Her lips parted and she found the words that had to be said.
“I love you too, Dylan Bradley.”
What? But the words were out. Her heart had allowed nothing but the simple truth. “I’ve never believed in love at first sight—it seemed like a silly notion cooked up by romantics and held onto by kindred spirits all through the ages. Then, you spoke to me.” She chuckled, a little self-conscious. “Just ‘Happy Birthday.’ I looked up and into your beautiful blue eyes, and my silly heart simply threw itself at your feet. By the time you left with Bob and Penny, I was in too deep to be saved by anything other than your love.”
Dylan shook his head. “You…love me?”
“So much my very soul aches.” She inserted all the love in her heart into those words.
“How did I ever get so lucky?” He breathed the question on an exhale and then shook his head. “No, that’s not what I mean at all. How did I ever get so blessed?”
Then he pulled her into his arms and covered her lips with his own.
She forgot everything else. Everything except Dylan…and this bone-melting, heart-stopping, soul-stirring kiss that marked another new beginning in her life.
* * * *
Despite—or maybe as a result of—the unexpected joy and the surprise of finding herself absolutely dewy-eyed about a man she’d met only days ago, Norah found herself bombarded by a steady stream of memories that evening.
The last time she’d said, “I do,” she’d simply followed instructions given by the judge. The words meant nothing to her…she’d given no thought to what they truly entailed. She had cared about Chandler, but she wasn’t in love and had no illusions to the contrary. In recollection, shame washed over her in waves. Chandler hadn’t been the only “bad guy” in that relationship. Fully aware that she did not love him, she’d nevertheless used his proposal as an opportunity to get out of James’ house, away from his wife and kids.
Even now, she couldn’t believe how quickly things happened between the two of them. If she’d never gone to work at the Time-Out Hangout, how different might her life have been?
Enough! She grabbed her Bible and settled into the easy chair in her little living room. Maybe the Word of God would bring some measure of peace.
It worked, as always. Before long, she’d rested her head against the chair and drifted into a near-doze—and a blast of memory that took her back to the beginning of the end in Echo City.
Echo City
Norah closed the children’s book she’d been reading aloud and held her breath. Her gaze slid from one mop of soft, little-boy curls to the next…and the next…and the next. Four of them. How precious they looked in sleep! All the rambunctiousness of ages two, three, four and five well spent, only sweet dreams remained.
With one hand, she applied light pressure to her squeaky chair until she was on her feet. Only then did she release the wood seat—one finger at a time—and heave a grateful sigh. Not even a whisper of a squeal betrayed her. Gliding like a ghost to the door, she opened it wide enough to slip through and into the hallway, and then turned to ease it shut. She’d become a pro at making less than zero noise when she needed the boys to sleep so she could find a little rest herself.
In her back-porch bedroom, the sixteen-year-old pulled mismatched curtains together and tossed her robe over a chair. Then she flopped backward onto the hard, narrow cot where she’d slept since her father’s death three years earlier. Huffing out an indelicate breath, she closed her eyes and whispered into the darkness.
“How in the world did I wind up with four little boys? And there’s another baby on the way. I love my brother’s kids, but why do I have to be their mother?”
After all, they already have one of their own.
Norah didn’t speak the words, but they hovered in the gloomy darkness of her makeshift room. Ashamed of herself, she reached for the worn quilt folded neatly at the foot of the bed and drew it up under her nose. She despised the Cinderella-complex that had haunted her since she’d moved in with James and his wife.
When her mother died, Daddy’d said she’d be watching out for them both.
Miserable and with no way out of her situation, Norah closed her eyes, drew a deep breath and whispered into the darkness. “Mama? Are you still watching out for me?”
Despite her determination to be strong, a little sob exploded from between trembling lips. She clamped them shut, unwilling to let another cry pass through. Instead, she straightened her curled body as much as she could, opened her eyes and directed them heavenward. Her voice shook, but she refused to shed a single tear.
What did I do to make You so mad at me, God? First You took my mother, and then Daddy, too. If they’re looking down here, watching over me like Daddy said, then I hope they see what You’ve done. I’ve got no one who really loves me—no one close by, anyway. Maybe James, but he’s not here much, and whatev
er Quinn feels for me, it’s a far cry from love.
She rolled onto her side and huffed out a breath. Why was she talking to God? Even if He heard, which she doubted, He didn’t much care about Norah Perlman. Despite all the prayers Mama and Daddy had sent up for her, here she was. Alone, overworked, and mostly unappreciated.
Stiff and rigid, she stared into the darkness for a long time. She missed her parents so much her heart seemed to have shriveled into a rock-hard mass of bone-deep, unrelenting pain.
And anger…at God, Taker of parents and Maker of orphans.
* * * *
Caring for four small children almost entirely on her own became increasingly harder to handle. What would she do when the baby arrived? The boys no longer approached their mother about anything. They came to Norah when they were hungry, hurt, angry, or sick. At first, they’d tried to keep reaching out to Quinn, but she inevitably rebuffed their concerns, their tears…even complaints of pain or illness.
“Go see your aunt.” She’d frown and wave her beautiful children away, often without glancing up from whichever novel or soap opera held her in its sway. Eventually, the boys understood—if they needed attention, they’d get it from Auntie Norah, not Mommy.
But today…oh, joy! Today Norah wasn’t headed straight home. She and a couple of friends were off to have some fun. Nothing dramatic, simply hanging out at the local soda fountain and burger dive. Still, to a teen girl who’d been without real social contact for so long, it seemed like a trip to Disneyland.
After sitting abandoned for many years, the old Woolworth’s building had been purchased by a local couple. The Worthy family opened an antiques-and-collectibles mall in the long-empty department store and filled the ground floor and basement with booths. Vendors flocked to rent the spaces and pack them with sundry items, old and new.
The cafeteria portion remained cordoned off, unused until a couple moved into town and leased the space. Having noted the lack of anything specifically geared to teens in Echo City, Matt and Cheryl Richie grabbed onto that wide-open entrepreneurial playing field and didn’t let go. They turned the old café into a combination diner and soda shop. Local teens loved the vintage atmosphere, made surprisingly authentic by a jukebox filled with current hits and oldies. The Richies even allowed space in the back corner for a small dance floor. Business hadn’t slowed since the initial grand opening. Echo City youth flocked to the place every day after school and on weekends.
