Every Little Thing About You
Page 16
longest time and then his children. The Frank family went
to church with them, but it was more than that: As a doctor,
Duffy had to check on that little girl.
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150 LORlWlCK
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3r *3r
"Why have you never asked me to be your deputy?"
Slater asked later that afternoon. It had been an emotional
day for all of them, but Slater could not keep his thoughts
to himself any longer. He had even asked Dakota to take off
for a while to give him and Griffin privacy.
Griffin, who was headed to Tess' for dinner, looked at
him from across the room and was suddenly all ears. He
took in Slater's intense eyes and had sudden hope.
"Tell me something, Slate," Griffin requested right
back. "Why have you never told me why you left the
Rangers?"
Slater looked confused. "I thought I did."
This was not what Griffin expected at all. "Tell me
again" was all the sheriff said.
"I couldn't keep on the trail for the Rangers, constantly
moving around and never having a home church. It was
wreaking havoc with my walk with Christ. I knew I had to
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settle somewhere; most Rangers can't do that. I don't
understand why knowing that is so important."
"I wasn't sure it would be, but for all I knew, you'd
accidentally killed an innocent man or a child and never
wanted to be in law enforcement again. You had opportunity
at one point to tell Liberty you were a Ranger, but you
didn't do it. Other than me, I've never heard you tell
anyone what you were. I didn't know what to think about
that. Much as I need a new deputy, I have to be pretty selective
about who I have at my back. I think you can probably
understand."
Slater nodded. He had no idea Griffin's thoughts had
run along that line. No wonder he'd not said a word. But
there was more, and Slater thought it was time to come out
with it.
"I would like to serve as your deputy, Griffin; I think I
would do well. But there's more to it than that I don't want
Every little Thing About You 151
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Libby working as your deputy. I've had a hard time with
that from day one. I don't think she should be in such a
dangerous position."
"Liberty takes care of herself very well." Griffin
defended his sister with calm self-assurance. "And she has
a natural ability. Not to mention I use her only when I have
to."
Slater still shook his head. "I can't tell you what to do,
Griffin, and I won't leave in a huff, but I don't like it. No/
thaf s not true, I hate it. I want to marry your sister, Griffin.
If s not fair of me to tell you before I've spoken to her, but
thaf s the fact I don't want her packing a gun and putting
her life in danger, no matter how good she is. I'm glad she
saved your life today and possibly the lives of others, but I
don't like Libby being an option when you don't have
help."
Griffin nodded very slowly. Liberty had never let him
down--he would be the first to say that--but had he done
the right thing by her? Sheriff Drake questioned this for the
first time. He knew this was going to take some thinking.
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"Can you use me?" Slater asked, naturally wanting an
answer.
Griffin looked him in the eye. "Yes, and with you on as
deputy, Liberty can go back to her own life."
Slater nodded but didn't let his satisfaction go too far.
That Griffin Would use Liberty at all told him his bias was
altogether different But he would have to be content with
that for now. Thanking him, Slater stood.
"Are you headed out too?" Griffin asked. "I could give
you a rundown on a few things before I have to go."
"Is there any way it can wait for morning, or even later
this evening?"
"That's fine."
Slater put his hat on his head. "I've got to find Hank
Hathaway and tell him I've got another job. I'll ask him if
he needs me to put some time in until he finds someone
else. Then I need to see your sister."
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Griffin looked at the grim line around the other man's
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mouth and said, "Something tells me you're not going to
propose."
"You're right. I'm not even sure she'll speak to me, but
I've got some explaining to do."
"I'll give you one word of advice," Griffin offered.
"What's that?"
"They don't think like we do." Griffin's voice was dry.
"Don't expect Liberty to be the exception."
Serious as Slater's business was, he found himself
laughing on the way to the door.
%r $-
"Mrs.
Peterson," Slater began as he stood at her door
some time later, hat in hand. "May I see Libby?"
Kate hesitated. Liberty had said something about
seeing Slater and Dakota at the bank, and even though she
had not explained, her mother could see that it had upset
her even more.
"Please," Slater tried again.
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"She's sleeping, Slater," Kate said honestly. "I'm not
sure what Libby would want, but I can't ask you to wait because she's asleep in the living room."
Slater was nodding and trying to fight his discouragement
when a disheveled Liberty appeared behind her
mother.
"Did I hear the door, Mam?" she asked in a small,
croaky voice. A moment later, she spotted Slater, stiffened,
and turned away.
"You misunderstood my look," Slater promptly said,
looking past Kate to see her. "I'd like to explain."
When Liberty stopped and looked back at him, Kate
slipped away. Slater took this as consent, stepped inside,
and shut the door. Dim as the light was, Slater could see
Liberty's eyes as he walked forward and stopped in front
Every Littk Thing About You 153
of her. His hand came up, and with just the tips of his fingers,
he touched the hair at her temple,
"How are you doing?"
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"I just woke up."
"You might feel drained for a few days," he offered.
Liberty nodded. "I always have in the past."
Slater had all he could do not to close his eyes and sigh
with pain. How could she do this? How could this be so
normal for all of them? He had to force his mind back to
why he was here.
"I'm sorry you misunderstood my look," he repeated,
his eyes looking directly into hers. "I was sick inside that
you had to go through that. I was sick inside over that poor
woman lying in her own blood. And all I was thinking was
that I wish I'd been there to spare you. I would have done
exactly as you did," he told her softly, "but I'm sorry you had to do it."
Liberty bit her lip and admitted/ "I thought you
despised me."
"Not even close. I just wish I had been on the scene
faster."
Liberty shook her head. "I think I should tell you.
&nb
sp; Slater, that thaf s not really anything I've ever expected."
"I can understand how you would feel that way, and
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it's time I told you that I was a Texas Ranger, Libby. I gave
up that job right before I came here."
Liberty blinked, taking a moment to let it sink in.
Finally, "Why, Slater? Why did you give it up?"
"I want to tell you--if s not even that complicated--but
right now I need to let you know that I asked Griffin
whether he could use me as deputy, and he hired me. I
hope you're pleased. If not, I hope you'll talk to me. It may
not have been my place to tell you, but I wanted you to
know."
"Oh, Slater, that's wonderful. I'm very pleased," Liberty
said sincerely even as she took in the full import of his
news. She didn't have to back up her brother or stay on
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edge any longer. She didn't have to worry about someone
being there to protect her brother's back. A former Texas
Ranger would be on the job to do it. Liberty was slightly
amazed, so much so that it took a moment for her to hear
her mother calling.
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"Yes?" she answered after the second call.
"Can you come here a moment, Ub?"
"Excuse me," Liberty said to Slater and slipped around
into the dining room where she followed her mother into
the kitchen.
"Are you all right? Did you need me to rescue you?"
"No, thank you, Mam. He was just explaining what his
expression meant earlier, I had completely misunderstood."
Kate smiled at the daughter she adored. "Would you
like to invite Slater for dinner? We have plenty."
"I'll ask him."
Intent on doing that, Liberty went back to the hallway
but found Slater leaning against the wall, his eyes closed.
She hesitated, and almost instantly he opened his eyes.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered right away, "I was just praying. I--"
Liberty waited, but it took a moment for him to continue.
Slater had just told Griffin that he wanted to marry
Liberty, but he suddenly realized that he wasn't ready to
ask her on the spot He suspected that she might need some
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time as well.
"There's so much in my heart, Libby. Sometimes I think
I could burst with all the things I'm keeping inside. Does
that make sense?"
Liberty nodded.
"I guess I just wanted you to know that. I want to have
a chance to figure out what I'm feeling toward you. I don't
want us to rush, but I want you to know I'm feeling things
and to ask if you might be feeling some things too."
Every Little Thing About You 155
"I am, Slater. I have been for a time now," Liberty said,
not able to keep the breathlessness and fear from her voice.
"It's all so new."
Slater nodded. The light caught her face for a moment,
and he thought she looked so pale. He chastised himself for
his timing.
"I should have waited to talk to you, Libby. It's been a
rough day. I am glad to learn, however, that I'm not in this
alone."
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Liberty felt a wonderful warm feeling spiral through
her. He was so honest and open. Her mother had told her
that women seemed to deal better with their thoughts and
feelings than men did, but she wondered if Slater might be
an exception.
"My mother said you could stay for dinner," Liberty
suddenly said, wishing she'd come up with something a
little more profound.
"I'd like that," Slater replied, not wishing for any other
words from her. For right now it was enough just to stand
with her, knowing she was not upset with him anymore
and that the subject of the future--their future--was an
open one.
S-
"How are you?" Tess asked Griffin the moment she
saw him. For more than two weeks they had been planning
to celebrate their Christinas the day after, but neither one
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had expected the evening to follow a bank robbery and
shooting.
"I'm all right."
"How about Libby?"
"I stopped for a moment before I came over here. She's
pale, but they were just sitting down to dinner, and she
seemed to be doing fairly well."
"Who was the man, Griff? Was he from around here?"
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"Not that I'm aware of. I did find a poster that looked
like him, but I'll have to write some letters and check it
out." Griffin shook his head. "He didn't seem to be in his
right mind."
They fell silent for a moment. They were the only ones
in the living room--Tess' mother had said she would finish
preparing dinner, and her father and brothers were not yet
home. They never waited dinner for the men--they would
starve if they tried--so Tess wondered what the evening
would be like.
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"I'm sorry I couldn't get over here sooner," Griffin said.
"Slater needed to talk with me."
"Was he upset?"
"Yes, but mostly because of Libby," Griffin told her
before explaining Slater's past work experience, their conversation,
and Slater's new position as deputy.
"I hope Lib will be pleased."
Griffin gave her a shrewd look. "Do you have some
doubt about that?"
Tess looked surprised. "Don't you, Griff?"
"I didn't, no."
Tess bit her lip.
"Talk to me, Tess," he said in that tone she could never
argue with.
Tess hesitated but still said, "I don't want to be too
harsh on Libby, but I wouldn't have said she could give it
up that easily. But then you know her better than I do, Griff.
If you say she'll be fine, I'm sure you're right."
Griffin felt the air leave his lungs. What was Tess saying that made him feel so breathless? He wasn't exactly sure, but doubts about Liberty handling this change began to
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assail him. She had honestly looked very calm that night at
the dinner table, but would that be the end of it?
"Have I upset you?" Tess asked after studying his
thoughtful face.
"Yes, but that's good. I'm going to have to keep my
eyes open."
Even/ Little Thing About You 157
Not really knowing what he was referring to, Tess innocently
said, "Maybe Slater isn't the man for Libby after all."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, you've told me when you were explaining about
the change that Slater didn't want Libby in that job and was
glad to become your deputy." She suddenly smiled. "Maybe
I've misunderstood all these years, but I've always thought
that when a woman loved a man enough to marry him, she
would be willing to do anything he wants."
Griffin smiled a little but couldn't speak. Was Tess
right? Would Liberty still want to work for him even if it
mean losing Slater?
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Tess missed all of this turmoil. She heard a bang in the
kitchen and
told Griffin she was headed to check on her
mother. By the time she returned, Griffin calmed his
thoughts. He knew that time and prayer were needed here,
but right now it was more important that he celebrate
Christmas with the family he would be joining.
"Dinner's not ready yet," Tess said as she returned to
her place across from Griffin. "Did I tell you that my father
came home and told me you were all right?"
"No, you didn't. How did he know?" Griffin asked,
working hard to get back into Tess' life.
"He saw you downtown and came home and told me."
Tess gave a small, incredulous laugh. "You could have
pushed me over with a small breeze. My father left the
office and came all the way home to tell me you were all
right. He went back as soon as he'd let me know. My
mother and I could only stare at each other after he left."
"Maybe with your getting married and leaving, he has
realized how much he's missed."
Tess smiled hugely. "I love it when you talk about our
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getting married."
Griffin smiled back at her. "Then you should get downtown
more--that's all I hear from people. And they all
want a date set right now."
"Well, maybe we'd better do that," Tess said softly.
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"We don't have to..." Griffin's tone was just as hushed.
It was not logical to people who knew of their plans,
but Tess Locken did not want to set a wedding date too
soon. She hadn't thought she would ever be engaged to the
man of her dreams, and she wasn't about to rush things. It
wasn't that she didn't look forward to being married--she
looked forward to it all the time--but this was special. This
was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her, and she wanted
to savor it
"Maybe we could at least pick a season," Tess capitulated.
"Would people be pleased about that?"
Griffin shook his head. "We don't have to do anything.
I was just teasing."
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"I suppose everyone would be crushed if we just up
and married one of these days."
Griffin could only stare at her. A moment later Tess
caught his expression.
"What is it, Griff?"
"You're so easy to love, Tess."
"Why is that?"
"You're never the same, but everything I discover is
wonderful."
"Oh, Griffin," was all Tess could say; she was so much
in love with this man. She couldn't be having intimate
thoughts about him, not yet anyway, but the desire to crawl
into his lap was so very strong.