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Every Little Thing About You

Page 25

by Lori Wick


  had seen had been part of a large job.

  "Griffin told me that dozens of cases go unsolved every

  year," Mrs. Mills said. "I fear this might be one we'll have

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  to live with."

  "Will it make things awkward for you when you see your husband's family?" Liberty asked.

  "No. We're so spread out these days, and in truth, my

  brother-in-law and I are not on good terms. He doesn't like

  the way I've never settled down. As if every woman must

  be dominated and ruled by a husband. Well, some of us

  just won't be!" These last words were said with an indignant

  sniff, and Liberty had all she could do not to ask Mrs.

  Mills how she'd become a Mrs. when she felt that way. Or

  maybe that was it: She had been ruled and dominated in

  her marriage and was glad to have the man gone. Liberty

  wondered if the older woman might explain, but someone

  knocked on the door just then. Liberty was sitting with a

  perfect view of that portal and couldn't stop the thundering

  of her heart when she saw that it was Slater.

  "Why, Mr. Rawlings," Mrs. Mills nearly gushed.

  "Come in."

  "Thank you, Mrs. Mills. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

  "Not at all. Libby is here visiting me. Come right in."

  Slater's hat had come off, and he gave Liberty a smile

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  as he took the chair his hostess indicated.

  "What can we do for you, Mr. Rawlings?" Mrs. Mills

  asked.

  "Actually, I just came by to ask Libby if I could see her

  home."

  240 * lori wick

  For all her seemingly negative ideas about marriage

  and men, Mrs. Mills beamed at them.

  "Of course, what a wonderful idea. Libby and I were

  just visiting--something we can do anytime."

  Liberty didn't remember too much more as she found

  herself embarrassed, not only by Mrs. Mills' obvious efforts

  to put them together, but by her own thoughts about Slater

  and Miss Winters. But she did suddenly find herself outside

  with Slater, that man taking the reins of both horses in

  one hand and leading the way.

  "I hope that was all right, Libby. I hope I didn't interrupt."

  "Not at all. How did you know I was there?"

  "I have the rest of the day off, so I went to your house

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  and your mother told me where to find you."

  "Were you looking for me for a reason?"

  "Do I need a reason?" he asked softly, and Liberty gave

  him a sideways glance but didn't answer.

  "How was your day?" he now tried. They had seen

  each other so briefly that morning, and he had known she

  was upset over Griffin's treatment of Bernice. Slater wondered

  if Griffin had told Liberty how Bernice had taken it.

  That woman had curled up on the bunk and gone sound

  asleep for the next four hours.

  "Enlightening," she said cryptically.

  "Oh!" was all Slater could think to say.

  They walked in silence for a time.

  "Are you going to enlighten me?" Slater finally ventured.

  Liberty laughed. "Not exactly. Let's just say I learned

  some things about myself that were very helpful"

  Slater studied her profile and waited for her to look at

  him. When she did, she couldn't look away from his eyes.

  She even stumbled in the road a little, but that only caused

  Slater to take her hand. He held it all the way to title small

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  barn at the back of the Petersons' house.

  Every Little Thing About You 241

  Without a word of conversation, Slater tied Arrow to

  the hitching post outside the barn and went inside to stable

  Morton. Liberty followed, pulling hay from the rack so the

  horse could reach it, applying the water bucket, and then

  standing back against the wall, out of the way, until Slater

  was done. Slater eventually turned to see where she'd disappeared

  to and found her in the shadows. Like a powerful

  magnet, he went to her, his hands going to the wall around

  her, as he leaned close.

  "I thought about you all day," he admitted.

  "Oh, Slater."

  "Tell me that means you thought of me too."

  "It does."

  Slater sighed and didn't even try to fight the temptation.

  Not rushing or hesitating, his head lowered. His lips

  caught Liberty's in a kiss that sent both their senses staggering.

  Not content to keep his arms free of her, with hands

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  to her waist, he pulled her close. Liberty needed no other

  prompting. Her own arms went around his neck, and she

  kissed him back.

  They were both gasping when Slater broke away, only

  to study Liberty's face and kiss her again. She was a wonderful

  fit in his arms, and for long moments she was his

  only thought.

  "I have to go inside!" Zach's young voice suddenly

  shouted. He was up by the house but must have been

  calling to the boys who'd walked with him from school.

  The sound was just enough to bring Slater back to earth. He

  began to move away, but Liberty caught his arm; she was

  still in a fog of sensation.

  "Slater?"

  "Yes?"

  "Will you come to dinner tonight? Are you free?"

  He nodded, his eyes still on her face and then her

  mouth. "The usual time?"

  "Yes," Liberty said softly. She had never been kissed

  before, and now she'd been kissed by the man she loved.

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  242 Low wick

  The thought of being separated from him made her anxious.

  "Ill see you then."

  "Okay."

  Liberty wasn't sure why she didn't invite him inside

  right then, but with a final look into his eyes, she made her

  way across the backyard and to the house. Slater watched

  her go, his arms still aching to hold her, but his heart telling

  him how wrong he'd been.

  "What a mess," he said softly, causing Morton's ears to

  twitch. It was a good thing that he had some time before

  dinner; he had a good deal of thinking to do and a fair

  measure of confessing. He wasn't playing games where

  Liberty Drake was concerned, but she was not his to hold

  and kiss as he'd just done.

  "And it's time you remember that," he said, pulling

  himself into Arrow's saddle and going for a long ride.

  3-*3r

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  -Jr

  "Maybe I shouldn't have invited Slater," Liberty said to

  her mother as she checked on her in her room.

  "Not at all, Libby," Kate said genuinely, but she was too

  tired to rise. "I'm glad you did, but I'm not feeling the best,

  so I think I'll stay right here."

  "All right. I'll bring something up for you. Do you want

  it before we eat or later?"

  Liberty felt alarmed when her mother didn't answer

  but then realized she'd fallen asleep that fast. She was glad,

  however, that as she was leaving the room, Duffy was

  coming down the halL

  "Zach told me she's not feeling well."

  "That's what she told me. She fell asleep almost in mid-sentence."

  "I'll check on her and be d
own soon."

  "We'll wait for you."

  Every Little Thing About You 243

  426

  Duffy thanked her, and Liberty continued on downstairs,

  only to find Slater in the kitchen with her brother

  and sister.

  "May I see you a moment, Libby?" he asked without

  preamble.

  "Certainly."

  Liberty was on the verge of asking where, when Slater

  turned toward the door. Liberty followed him.

  "I had no right to kiss you," Slater began as soon as the

  door was shut. They stood facing each other on the step.

  "I've confessed to the Lord, and now I'm repenting to you.

  I'm sorry I did that."

  "I started feeling pretty awful about 30 minutes after

  you left. I'm sorry too, Slater."

  "Liberty," Slater said, moving so close and bending

  over her that had Liberty not known better, she might have

  thought she would be kissed again. "I'm not playing games

  here. I want you to understand that. With whom do I talk?

  Do I go to Griffin or Duffy and tell him I want to court you?

  Just tell me, and I'll take care of it as soon as I can."

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  "Duffy," Liberty barely managed/ wanting to kiss him

  all over again.

  Slater nodded and worked to study her face in the

  dusky light.

  "You do things to my heart, Liberty Kathleen. I want

  you to know that."

  Liberty thought that if he could feel her own heart, he'd

  know he wasn't alone, but no words would come.

  "Libby?" Laura called through the door. "Are you out

  there?"

  Slater reached to squeeze Liberty's hand and then

  opened the back door for her to go in. He didn't know how

  he would manage the waiting. He wanted to be married

  right now. He wanted to move fast, but the only way they

  would be sure not to make a mistake was to go slowly.

  Slater joined the family for dinner that night, his heart

  light with the knowledge that Liberty was open to his suit

  244 lori wick

  It would be some days before he remembered the issue that

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  was not settled between them, and hoping it would go

  away was not going to make it happen.

  "WELL, hello, slater," Duffy said the following day.

  He'd only just arrived at his office and was not expecting

  anyone for almost an hour.

  "Is this bad timing, Duffy?"

  "Not at all."

  This was normally the time Duffy read his Bible, but he

  could see that Slater had something on his mind.

  "How is Kate?" the younger man asked. His eyes

  showed that he cared, but his stance carried a good deal of

  tension.

  "Much better. We think she was just tired. She was up

  early this morning and ready to go."

  "Good," Slater said and then fell quiet. This was so

  much easier when it was just he and Liberty. With Duffy

  looking at him, kind as he was, Slater felt oddly tongue-tied.

  When he didn't say anything, Duffy caught on and

  also saw a way to have a little fun at Slater's expense.

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  "Are you not feeling well, Slater?"

  "No, I'm fine," Slater assured him.

  "There are colds going around. You're sure you haven't

  caught something?"

  "I'm sure not."

  "Old Mrs. Featherpenny--" Duffy went on expansively,

  making up a name, "she was in recently with a horrible

  rash. Itched and itched. Thought she would go mad.

  I gave her some ointment, but sometimes these things take

  a while. You don't have a rash, do you?"

  245

  246 lori wick

  Slater shook his head, now looking at Duffy as though

  the man had lost his senses.

  "This is only mid-February, but you know we do have

  our fair share of fevers in the spring, people fancying themselves

  in love and mooning about with their heads in the

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  clouds."

  Catching the glint in the doctor's eyes, Slater finally

  smiled.

  "And can a doctor help with that?"

  "Well, it depends on the doctor, I might be a bit of help

  in Ubby or Laura's case, but I wasn't much help to Tess."

  "Now that you've mentioned Libby..." Slater, seeing his

  opportunity, eased in. "She said I should talk to you."

  "About a rash?" Duffy teased one more time.

  Slater laughed.

  "Sometimes I think that would be easier."

  "What's hard about Libby?"

  "Going slow."

  Duffy nodded wisely. He well-remembered that he was

  ready to marry Kate long before the date arrived.

  "Are you here today to tell me you love my girl,

  Slater?"

  "That just about sums it up. You can see how little I

  have. I don't even have my own place. But I'd like to visit

  with Libby with the intent of finding out what we have

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  here."

  "My blessing doesn't hinge on the answer to this question,

  but do you plan to stay in Shotgun?"

  "I do, yes. I love the church here, and I can easily see

  myself settled down in this town."

  "Liberty would be glad to know that. She loves

  Shotgun."

  "It's a fine town. People care."

  "Indeed, they do. Well, Slater, I think I can speak for

  both Kate and myself. You're free in our eyes to see Libby

  and to court her. You did say that she told you to talk to

  me?"

  Every Little Thing About You 247

  "Yes."

  "Then I assume you have her consent"

  "It certainly looks that way."

  "How long have you been living here?" Duffy could

  not remember.

  "A little over four months. It seems longer, maybe

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  because Libby and I have seen each other a lot during that

  time."

  "That'll do it."

  Both men were thankful that Dr. Peterson's first patient

  waited until that moment to come through the door.

  Entering any sooner might have made it awkward all

  around. Slater was able to leave knowing he'd done what

  he set out to do. The only problem that remained the rest of

  the day was keeping his mind on the job. Liberty seemed

  to be crowding in more than she ever had before.

  5-

  "He asked whom he should talk to, Griffin or Duffy,"

  Liberty told Tess that same morning. "He told me he's not

  playing games."

  Tess gave Liberty a squeeze, wanting to holler with

  delight.

  "What did you say?" Tess asked as she dragged Liberty

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  into the living room.

  "That he should go to Duffy. I don't know when he

  will, but he said he'd take care of it soon."

  Tess sighed. "He's wonderful, Libby. Griff thinks so

  much of him."

  "He is wonderful. Even the way his family has come

  into town and liked us all so much seems like more evidence

  that we're to be together."

  "And how do you feel, Lib? Would you say you're in

  love, or are you still thinking on it?"

  "I think I'm in love. I feel something for Slater that I've

  never
felt for anyone. I know we have to be careful not to

  248 lori wick

  just follow our hearts, but feelings do play a part, don't

  they, Tess?"

  "Yes, they do, but you're right, we can only go on emotions

  when every thought and action is biblical."

  Liberty blinked. "I think I want you to explain that to

  me."

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  "Well, when I met Griff, I was instantly attracted. Had

  my family not liked him, or had he proven to be a nonbeiever

  or someone who said he believed but didn't live it,

  then I would have to have taken a step back, no matter

  what my heart said.

  "If at any point I had started to feel that I couldn't live

  without him, then I would have had to examine my own

  heart and see that as sin. The only Person I can't live

  without is Christ."

  "That's why you felt such a peace about marrying Griff,

  even in his line of work?"

  "Yes. Don't misunderstand me, Libby. I want Griffin

  with me forever, but if God has a better plan, I have to be

  open to that."

  Liberty nodded, and for a moment Tess hesitated in

  indecision. It was on her heart to ask Liberty if she and

  Slater had ever worked out the issue of Liberty's acting as

  deputy. Tess didn't know why, but she was afraid to open

  the subject.

  "I told Mam I would help her with the laundry," Liberty

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  said, rising slowly. She wanted to sit and dream with

  Tess all day.

  "I'd better get to work too," Tess said, feeling guilty.

  "My mother asked us to dinner, and I said I would make

  dessert."

  "Thanks for letting me come over and share."

  "Anytime," Tess said lightly, her heart telling her that

  she was letting an opportunity slip away.

  Liberty waved and went on her way, completely unsuspecting.

  Her heart still in a quandary, Tess stood for a time

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  after she left, planning to ask Griffin about it as soon as he

  got home.

  *

  Slater wondered how many times Liberty had done

  this. Moving slowly on his way to the Brass Spittoon, he

  thought this had to be much like her first encounter with

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  him. Having seen Griffin's way of handling these situations,

  Slater went right to the bar and spoke with Gordie.

  That man nodded in the direction of a corner table. Slater

  turned. Even with his back to the main room, there was no

  missing Dakota Rawlings.

  Slater went toward him, his sense of danger draining

  away. He walked until he stood beside him, but Dakota

  didn't look up.

 

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