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Every Little Thing About You

Page 12

by Lori Wick


  "You might even feel like telling me whaf s bothering you."

  It was said so smoothly that for a moment Liberty

  missed it. When they stopped and she looked up at him,

  his raised brows told her she had heard him right.

  Every Little Thing About You 111

  "I'm sorry I was so distracted. Slater. Did it ruin the

  dance for you?"

  "Not at all, but you could have told me no; I would

  have understood that Tess needed you."

  193

  Liberty was horrified to feel tears fill her eyes.

  "Did you see the size of this gopher mound?" Slater

  quickly asked, his hand to Liberty's arm now as he moved

  her a few feet away. "They sure make a mess of things."

  Liberty worked to catch her breath as he turned her

  away from the gathering and chattered inanely.

  "Thank you, Slater," Liberty said when she had herself

  under control.

  "My pleasure."

  Liberty smiled a little. "Do you have a sister, Slater?"

  "No, why?"

  Liberty shrugged, almost sorry she'd said anything.

  "You just seem to know what to say. It makes me think

  some older sister influenced you."

  Slater laughed. "My mother would be pleased to know

  mat all of her work paid off."

  "Did she keep on you?"

  "On all three of us, yes. She had very definite ideas, and

  woe to the son who forgot to hold the door or let a lady go

  first."

  194

  "What would she do if you forgot?"

  Slater shuddered a little. "She'd give us the eye."

  Liberty found this highly amusing.

  "You wouldn't laugh if you could see it," her told her,

  his eyes filled with dramatic fear. "She was tough."

  "You poor baby." Liberty was teasing him when she

  saw that Tess and Griffin were approaching. She was

  relieved to see that Tess was looking more like herself, but

  her heart still speculated on what the other woman had

  said to her-The

  four of them talked for a few minutes, but

  the two walls that were built were ready to go into place,

  and the walls remaining to be built needed crews of men.

  Hank Hathaway was giving orders as though the barn

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  were his, and Slater and Griffin went over to put their

  hands to the task. Some of the women started to lay out the

  tablecloths and set out the food, plates, and flatware. less

  and Liberty joined them.

  195

  "Is it my imagination, or is Mr. Rawlings rather interested

  in you, Libby?"

  "I don't know," Liberty told her honestly, although she wished it was true. "Have you seen something that makes you think that?"

  Tess smiled. "You mean, other than the way he stares at

  you and then asks you to dance?"

  "Oh," Liberty said quietly, suddenly at a loss.

  Tess put a hand on her arm. "Oh, Lib, sometimes I think

  you don't have a due."

  Liberty laughed a little. "Why is that?"

  "You're so busy looking for lawbreakers, you never

  notice how cute any of them are or how much they watch

  you."

  'Tess Locken!" Liberty had a good laugh over this.

  "Where do you come up with this stuff?"

  Tess' jaw dropped. "Libby, it's true. I swear to you."

  "Swearing, Tess? I'm ashamed of you."

  Both women turned to see a smiling Dr. Duffy Peterson

  behind them.

  "She's been coming up with all sorts of wild notions,

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  Duff," Liberty told him. "You might hear anything out of

  her."

  "Yes, Dr. Peterson," Tess chimed right in, hands on her

  hips, a smile in her voice and eyes. "I was telling Libby

  how men notice her, and she thinks I don't know what I'm

  talking about."

  Duffy turned such a surprised face to Liberty that that

  woman shook her head.

  "No, Duff," she began. "Don't join Tess and tease me

  about this."

  Duffy looked a little more stunned, his brows rising

  slightly, as he saw that his stepdaughter was quite serious.

  Every Little Thing About You 113

  "Duffy?" Liberty began, her face now showing that she

  was very confused. Duffy put a hand on her arm.

  "We'll have to get back to this, Lib. All right? Don't give

  it any more thought right now."

  Liberty's eyes went back and forth between the two of

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  them, their faces reminding her how much they cared. This

  was a subject she would need to know more about, but

  Duffy was right. This was not the time or place.

  "Hi, Tess. Hi, Libby," Laura greeted them as she

  arrived. "Did you dance yet?"

  "I did/' Liberty said, glad to have the subject changed.

  Her mother was coming, Zach in tow, and all hands fell to

  food preparation as Duffy went to help the men. In no time

  at all dozens of people would be gathering to eat. Time for

  small talk had ended.

  fy *3r

  "My brother is in town," Slater told Griffin when he

  had the chance.

  "He is? That's great."

  Slater nodded, his face thoughtful.

  "Is it great, Slater?" the lawman asked sensitively.

  "It is," Slater agreed, "but he came looking for some

  answers, and I know he won't like everything he hears."

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  "Well, let me know if I can help."

  "Thanks, Griffin."

  "Oh, and don't hesitate to have him stay at the house

  for as long as he needs."

  "Okay."

  "Where is he, by the way?"

  Slater nodded his head toward a large, dark man some

  30 feet away who was driving nails into the wood with one

  blow. Griffin, surprised that he was even there, stared at

  Dakota for a moment and then turned his attention back to

  Slater.

  "Was your brother in the saloon earlier today?"

  l .-

  '

  $

  - *

  ;

  '

  114 lori wick

  199

  Slater smiled. "Yep. Libby was ready to put him away,

  but he gave up the gun."

  "She said it was some big guy with dark hair. Does she

  know he's your brother?"

  "No. I'm not sure how long hell stick around or how

  much hell want to become known. He moved away from

  me the moment we arrived. Actually, I was surprised that

  he even came here today. I'm going to invite him to everything

  but let him make the choice/' Slater chuckled, "not

  that I could do much else."

  "Is he older than you?" Griffin thought Slater might

  have said but couldn't remember.

  "Yes, but not by as much as it looks. Do you want to

  meet him now or later?"

  "Later is fine. Be sure and tell him that Mam and Duffy

  are expecting us after church tomorrow."

  "I'll do that. I'll be very satisfied if he joins me for either

  one." This said, Slater went back to work, his heart asking

  God to let Dakota stay long enough to have contact with

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  folks who could make such a difference in his life.

  *gr

  "When did you meet her?" Dakota
asked the minute

  they were in the door that evening.

  "Who?"

  "The woman you're going to marry."

  Slater blinked. "You spent too much time bending over

  a hammer today, Dak. Get some rest."

  "Not until you tell me."

  "How can I tell you when I don't know what you're

  talking about?"

  "I'll tell you what I'm talking about. You arrive and

  every female under 25 comes crowding around. They look

  at you as if you've just dropped from heaven, but do you

  ask one of them to dance? No. You leave them all for the

  Every Little Thing About You 115

  small, dark-haired beauty who wanted to put me in jail this

  201

  morning."

  Slater was speechless. Dakota had perfectly described

  the scene. So why had the younger Rawlings thought mat

  no one would notice his special interest in Liberty Drake?

  "I haven't asked Ubby to marry me, not even close,"

  was all Slater could think to say.

  "What's her name?" Dakota pressed him.

  Slater closed his mouth. If Dakota wasn't going to stay

  in town long, he wasn't sure how much he wanted to share

  with him.

  "You can meet her tomorrow," Slater finally said, "if

  you're sticking around that long."

  Dakota's eyes narrowed. Slater had always held

  Dakota in high regard, and Dakota respected Slater in

  return, but if Dakota ever wanted the upper hand, he knew

  just how to get it. Having his younger brother refuse him

  anything or not answer a question took some getting used

  to.

  "I take it she goes to your church."

  "Yes, she does, but thaf s not where you would meet

  202

  her. Griffin and I go to lunch at her parents' home on Sundays."

  "And Griffin is the one who owns this house?" Dakota

  asked as he gestured to the room in general.

  "Yes."

  "How is he tied into this Libby woman?" ^

  Slater opened his mouth but shut it again. Finally he

  said, "Why don't you come tomorrow and find out?"

  Those dark eyes narrowed in his direction again but

  nothing more was said. Griffin came in a short time later,

  met Dakota Rawlings, and then took himself downtown to

  check on the Saturday night activity. Both Slater and

  Dakota turned in without another word on the subject

  w~ " S'*

  116 lori wick

  Slater didn't know when he'd been so distracted. Never

  in his wildest dreams did he think that Dakota would be

  203

  sitting next to him in church. His presence caused Slater to

  listen with new ears. Things that made complete sense to

  him caused him to wonder if Dakota had a due. His

  brother had not seemed overly intrigued or even resigned,

  but fairly early that morning he had come to Slater's room

  and asked when he needed to be ready for church. Slater

  was glad that he had some time alone after telling him. He

  spent that time praying, thanking God for His work, and

  asking Him to soften Dakota's heart.

  "I want you to pay close attention to Nehemiah's

  prayer life," Pastor Caron instructed now. "Almost a dozen

  times the verses tell us that Nehemiah engaged in prayer.

  I'm just going to point out a few. He goes to God in prayer

  starting in chapter 1:4, and then while he's talking to the

  king in 2:4. Chapter 4 has several verses on the subject; 6:9

  is a prayer, and the book ends with a plea to God from

  Nehemiah." Pastor Caron went back and read those verses

  before pausing and meeting the eyes of his congregation.

  "As I've been saying for weeks now, this man teaches

  me so much. Is he teaching you? Are you trying to serve

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  God without talking to Him? Are you forgetting that after

  we believe, He is with us always? How many of you can

  spend hours in someone's presence and not utter a word to

  him?"

  Slater had to stop himself from smiling. Thinking that

  if Hank Hathaway were present he could raise his hand, he

  forced himself to concentrate on the sermon.

  "If your goal is to grow and to serve the Lord, you've

  got to be praying. I don't know that any of us will be called

  to do something as huge as Nehemiah did, but no matter

  what your task, God is standing by to help you. He doesn't

  want to just observe; He delights in the prayers of His children

  and wants to give you the power and strength to succeed."

  Every little Thing About You 117

  Slater felt Dakota shift beside him, and for a moment he

  thought he might rise and leave. In an effort to accept

  God's will in his brother's life, no matter what it was. Slater

  prayed and steeled himself for the worst, but nothing came

  of it. The service ended and Dakota headed right for the

  205

  door, but not a mention was made of the service. Slater

  found him by the horses, asked him if he wanted to go to

  the Petersons', and took his quiet nod as a yes. Tempted as

  he was to question the older man's look, Slater held his

  tongue, praying all the way down the street.

  fy

  "Zach can read," Laura told Dakota, leaning from her

  chair to make sure he could hear. "He goes to school."

  "Does he?" Dakota's words were soft, his tone warm.

  The change had come over him as soon as he met Laura

  Peterson. "Do you go to school?"

  "Next year. I'll be big then."

  Dakota smiled, learning swiftly what many already

  knew: Laura was a heartwarmer.

  "Is your horse the big black one?"

  "Yes, it is."

  "He looks like you," she announced.

  "Laura!" Zach's shocked voice could be heard as he

  206

  entered the room.

  "Oh," Laura's eyes widened. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

  She had learned what Zach's looks meant. She

  wasn't sure what she had said, but her brother was looking

  horrified.

  "That's all right," Dakota reassured her. "I guess Eli

  and I do look alike."

  "His name is EH?" Her face showed her disillusionment.

  "I was hoping it was a girl."

  Dakota smiled before exchanging looks with Slater,

  who was glad to sit back and take this all in.

  118 * lori wick

  "I'm glad you don't have handcuffs on/' Laura proclaimed.

  Dakota blinked at her. "What?"

  "Slater did when he first came."

  This got another shocked tone out of Zach, even as

  Dakota turned compelling eyes onto his brother. Laura

  simply sat back and shut her mouth. The last time she had

  said too much she experienced a visit to the pantry with the

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  wooden spoon. Laura had only just made her wise decision

  when Liberty came through the door.

  "I think we're ready to eat," she announced.

  The children scooted from the parlor on this note, but

  both men stood on her entrance, Slater ready to do the

  honors.

  "Libby, this is my brother, Dakota. Dakota, this is Liberty

  Drake."

  Liberty's eyes told the men that s
he was thinking fast,

  even while she heard Dakota say, "I've been wondering

  what you would look like for a long time."

  "Dakota," his brother warned, but Liberty only looked

  confused. A moment later, still not having heard what

  Dakota said, she made the connection she'd been working

  through her mind.

  "Oh, my," she said softly. "I didn't know." Indeed, Liberty

  was shocked. With his hat off, a freshly shaved face,

  and warm eyes, Dakota took some moments to place.

  "It's all right." Dakota came to her rescue. "You were

  just doing your job."

  208

  Liberty suddenly bit her lip. "I did the same thing to

  Slater," she admitted on a laugh, relieved when the men

  joined her.

  "Did Slater say the name was Liberty?" Dakota asked

  after she invited them to follow her to the dining room.

  "Yes."

  "Born on the Fourth of July?" Dakota asked, his eyes

  not missing a thing.

  Every Little Thing About You 119

  Liberty laughed again. "As a matter of fact, I was," she

  told him, all the time causing Slater to wonder why he had

  never asked.

  "Here you are," Duffy said as they entered. "I'm sorry

  we didn't get to do more than meet you, Dakota. Did Laura

  do a good job as hostess?"

  "Yes." Dakota told the truth, but Laura's eyes darted to

  their guest and swiftly away.

  "Do we need to talk, Laura?" her father asked quietly.

  "I shocked Zach two times," she admitted.

  209

  Duffy's hand came to his mouth, but he managed,

  "Well, did you say you were sorry?"

  "I think so." She looked on the verge of tears, and

  Slater, feeling free to do so, stepped in.

  "She handled it very well, as did Zach."

  "Thank you, Slater," Duffy said with a nod. "Good job,

  children." He smiled at both of them before bowing his

  head. "What a privilege it is, Father, to gather around this

  table to eat, and also to have Slater's brother join us this

  day. We thank You for all Your blessings, from the food to

  the warm shelter You have lovingly placed over us. In Your

  will and timing, we ask that Griffin's business downtown

  will go smoothly, so that he may join us for dinner. In Your

  Son's holy name I pray. Amen."

  The bowls were passed, and in an instant, Dakota was

  experiencing what Slater had experienced the first time he

  sat at this table. He hadn't heard anything too disagreeable

  from the preacher that morning, but he didn't think he

  wanted to go to church all the time. He was, however,

 

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