by Lori Wick
help her down, but Reagan told them she could manage.
When she caught sight of one trying to get a glimpse of her
ankles, she became all businesslike. In a matter of minutes
the job was done, and the men were thanked and sent on
their way.
"Did you give them cookies?" Katy asked when Reagan
told her of the episode.
356
"They weren't looking for cookies," Reagan stated in no
uncertain terms, and Katy chuckled.
"You can laugh all you want, Katy, but I could have done
without them."
Cash, who had just entered the room, exchanged a look
with Katy, both sets of eyes holding laughter.
"So how was Lavinia?"
"She misses you and sent you some powder."
"Now wasn't that nice! What scent?"
"Wildflower,Ithink."
City Girl 195
"Mmmm..." Katy showed her appreciation after
Reagan had handed her the tin and she had opened it
enough to get a whiff. "Who else did you see in town?"
"Before Reagan fills you in," Cash inserted, "I saw
Pastor at the livery, and he wanted to know if the three of
357
us are planning to have a Bible study together. I told him
we hadn't gotten that far."
"I want to," Reagan said without hesitation. While
reading her Bible that morning, she'd had several questions.
"I do too," Katy added.
"All right. We'll start this week. How's Thursday
night--in here after dinner?"
"What will we study?" Katy wished to know.
"I'm not sure just yet. Do you have an interest?"
Katy looked thoughtful. "I missed some of the work
Pastor Ellis did on God's promises. Can we go over that?"
"Sure. Is that going to work for you, Reagan?"
"Anything," she told him. "I feel completely lost in the
Bible."
"Okay. Thursday night it is."
Cash went on his way, and Reagan turned to Katy.
"Did you talk to him about your doubts?"
"No, because I remembered what he would say."
"What would he say?"
"That all feelings have to follow the truth of Scripture. If
358
I don't feel saved, but I know in my heart that I took care
of things between God the Father and me, then I'm saved
forever."
"You know so much, Katy," Reagan said in amazement. "How do you know so much?"
Katy did not look pleased. "I sat in that church just
trying to be good enough to get God's notice without
admitting that His way was the only way He would accept.
I did my level best not to listen, but a few things got in!"
Reagan bit her lip in an effort not to laugh, but it didn't
work. A giggle slipped out and then another.
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Just realizing what she'd said, Katy began to laugh as
well. Before many moments passed, the two of them were
having a loud session of laughter and giggles.
Across the way, Cash sat in his office and listened. He
was in the midst of trying to catch up on his correspondence,
but for a time he couldn't lift the pen. This miracle
that had happened in his own household was just too big
359
to take in.
-S"3r
One week and six days after Katy was hurt, Dakota and
Slater Rawlings rode up the drive to the ranch. They hadn't
planned on arriving together but had met up on the road
and come in at the same time. It had been a good time to
catch up as Dakota had taken a new job, but both men were
preoccupied with the news about Katy. She was not a
young woman anymore, as they knew all too well.
Dakota and Slater quickened their pace when the ranch
house came into view, but a scene in front of the house--
Cash and a young woman arguing--caused them to finish
the ride very slowly. When they got close enough, they saw
that a contraption stood between the warring couple--one
they'd both seen in St Louis but never in Texas.
"Why have you brought me out here?" Reagan asked
loudly enough for the visiting Rawlingses to hear. "And
why do you have my bike out?"
360
"I want you to go for a ride."
"To town?"
"No. Just for pleasure."
"Why?"
"You need a break."
Reagan's hands came up.
"I have work to do, Cash."
"It can wait. Get on the bike."
"What if Katy needs me?"
City Girl 197
"I'll keep an eye on her. Get on the bike."
"This is ridiculous."
"No, it's not. Whaf s ridiculous is that you haven't had
a moment to yourself since Katy fell, and I know you love
to ride. Now get on the bike."
"Stop saying that"
"As soon as you get on the bike, I will."
With eyes that told him she thought him demented,
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Reagan took the bicycle handles and, with the ease of
breathing, hopped on and began to ride. Planning to keep
it short, she started around the house, fully intending to
stay in the barnyard.
"Make it a long one," Cash called after her, "or I'll send
you out again."
Not until that was settled and Reagan was riding out of
sight did Cash look up to see his brothers. They were both
smiling hugely, and Cash shook his head, not looking forward
to explaining the situation to the two men with the
Cheshire cat smiles.
"Well, now," Dakota began. "Who was that?"
"You can get that gleam out of your eye, Dak. If s not
what you think."
"What do we think?" Slater asked, smile still in place as
he dismounted, went forward, and hugged his oldest
brother.
Dakota was next, and the middle brother's mouth was
opening to say more when he spotted Reagan again on the
bike. His gaze drew the others, and for a moment all three
362
watched as she made a wide circle by the barn and headed
once again toward the back of the house, looking for all the
world as though she was having the time of her life. Dakota
finally spoke when she disappeared.
"Is that the woman from town? The one in the letter?"
"Yes. Her name is Reagan Sullivan."
"A woman who owns her own bicycle, Cash," Dakota
said, eyes hopeful. "Just the kind of girl you need. Any
chance she's a believer?"
198 lori wick
Cash had all he could do not to shake his head. Since
their marriages, his brothers had one thing on their minds:
to see him married as well.
"Well?" Slater put in now. "Is she?"
"As of about nine days ago, yes."
"She's not taken, is she?"
"You two take the cake, you know that? I strongly suspect
you're here for Katy, but all you want to know is
whether or not I've found someone to marry."
363
The younger brothers' faces became very sober, and
Cash saw in an instant that he should not have teased
them.
"Come on in," he said. "Katy will be surprised speechless."
"How is she, Cash
?" Slater said seriously. "I mean,
really?"
Cash smiled, absolutely delighted to be able to say, "I'll
let her tell you herself."
"that was just what I needed!" Reagan announced as
she spotted Cash in Kat/s room, rushing in before seeing
that they had guests. "At first I thought you needed your
head checked, but then I just--" Reagan came to an abrupt
and awkward halt. Two men were in the room, both cowboys,
and Reagan had interrupted.
'I'm sorry," she said as she began backing toward the
door. "I'm sorry," she said even more softly before anyone
could speak.
364
"Come in, Reagan." Katy's voice stopped her; she had
never heard her so excited. "These are my other two boys!"
Reagan looked to Cash.
"My brothers," he supplied. "Dakota and Slater, I'd like
to introduce you to Reagan Sullivan."
"Hello," Reagan greeted them, still embarrassed. The
men were perfect gentlemen, however, and came forward
to shake her hand, neither one seeming the least bit put out
"If s a pleasure," Dakota said, his smile genuine.
"Cash and Katy have been telling us about all you do.
We can't thank you enough." ,
This had come from Slater, and Reagan blinked in surprise.
She had known that Cash was a gentleman, but three
in the same family was almost too hard to believe. And
they were all so different in appearance!
199
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365
"You're not from Texas, are you?" Dakota now asked,
his voice a deep dra wL
Reagan smiled. "How could you tell?"
"No one else here rides a bicycle."
Reagan couldn't help but laugh at that; she knew it was
probably true. But as much as the men genuinely seemed
to enjoy her company, Reagan wanted to leave them on
their own. If the light in Katy's eyes was any indication, she
was near to bursting with pleasure over having them there.
"I've got some things to do in the kitchen," she said,
backing toward the door. "I'll see you at dinner."
"Thank you, Reagan/' Cash said, even as he hoped she
wasn't leaving for another reason. He had caught a
glimpse of vulnerability in her face, something he was not
accustomed to seeing in Reagan. It left him uncertain about
how to respond.
Reagan was feeling very much the way Cash had
guessed. She knew that she was still needed, but interfering
with this family reunion was the last thing she
wanted. Katy needed to see "her boys" on her own. And
366
too, she just hadn't spent much time with families. She
thought that Russell and Holly's family was unusually
dose, but now she was seeing it again in Cash and his
brothers.
To get her mind off the feelings she didn't understand
and didn't know how to handle, Reagan threw herself into
a wonderful meal, one that would celebrate the return of
the brothers. Glad she'd baked a cake earlier that day, she
frosted it and then worked hard on the potatoes and vegetables
to go with the meat
"We're going to eat in Katy's room tonight," Cash
announced about 15 minutes after Reagan got down to
work, Slater right behind him.
"That's a wonderful idea. Katy will love that."
While Reagan remained over the stove and oven, the
men took a small table and four chairs to Katy's room.
Reagan did not understand the complete plan, however,
City Girl 201
367
until after they came and took all the bowls of food as well.
Reagan was getting ready to serve herself from the pot
when she heard a voice.
"Ill get her," Slater called over his shoulder as he came
back to the kitchen. "Come on, Reagan. We're waiting for
you."
Reagan shook her head.
"I'll be fine in the kitchen, Dakota. I see Katy all the
time."
"I'm Slater, and Katy wants you to come,"
Reagan looked suspicious. "Did she say that?"
He nodded like a schoolboy, and Reagan had to laugh.
Nevertheless he was very persuasive, and before long
Reagan found herself in Katy's room. A prayer was said
and dishes were passed. The men bantered constantly,
teasing Katy almost nonstop and still managing to compliment
Reagan on the food.
"I made cake," she said at one point, and the men were
appreciative to the point of making Reagan think they had
never had it
368
"We have molasses candy too, don't we, Reagan?" Katy
put in.
"Yes, ma'am. I just filled the jar."
"I may never go home," Dakota said outrageously.
"Ill go home," Slater added, "but I might have to take
that candy dish with me."
Cash snorted in disbelief. "If I know you, Slate, there
won't be any candy left in the jar when you leave
tomorrow night"
Slater looked innocent at this remark, and even Katy
laughed.
"Do you have to leave so soon?" Reagan asked. These
three had a way of making everyone feel right at home.
"Yes. My wife is having a baby soon, and I don't want to
miss anything."
"You shouldn't have come," Katy worried from the bed.
202 * lori wick
"If s all right, Kate. You're too important to me not to be
here, and Duffy says that Libby probably has another week
369
at least, maybe two."
"Libby is Slater's wife, and Duffy is her stepfather and
doctor," Cash supplied for Reagan.
"Do you hope for a boy or a girl?" Reagan asked the
blond brother.
Slater smiled. "My wife has three younger siblings, a
brother and two sisters. They are the sweetest kids in the
world, which makes it impossible for me to choose among
them. For some reason I feel the same way about the baby.
I know if if s a little Laura or Jeanette, I'll love her, and if the
baby's a little Zach, that would be just as great."
"You should have brought them with you," Dakota said.
"I could go for a conversation with Laura or Zach at just
about any time."
"Then you're going to love the latest, Dak," Slater rilled
them in. "Just before Libby and I moved into our own
370
place, Laura would come into our room in the mornings
and look around. At first she wouldn't tell Libby why, but
then Ubby got her to admit that she was looking for a
nest."
"A nest?" Cash asked. "What was that about?"
"We think it was about Duffy teasing Liberty and her
mother one night, saying that he always knew when Katie
was going to give birth because she'd start nesting up a
storm."
All the occupants of the room had a good laugh over
this. Slater went on to tell of some other conversations with
Laura and Zach and how fast Jeanette was growing, and
Reagan could only sit in quiet amazement. It was with
nothing short of relief to be able to serve the cake, have a
; small piece herself, and then escape to the cleanup needed
in the kitchen.
She was almost halfway done when Cash joined her. He
371
picked up the dish towel--something he did for her
often--and began to dry the heavy pots she'd used.
City Girl 203
Tonight, however, instead of talking to her about general
topics or answering her questions on Scripture, he came
right to what was on his mind.
"What happened in there, Reagan?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, head still bent and
hoping it wasn't what she feared.
"You looked about ready to cry when Slater was talking
about his wife's siblings,"
"I never cry," she told him, as though that were the end
of the subject
"Why is that, do you think?"
"It doesn't do any good."
"I don't know about that."
Reagan looked at him but then went right back to
washing.
372
"So answer my other question. Why was it upsetting to
you when Slater was talking?"
More than anything in the world, Reagan wanted to lie
and say she wasn't upset at all, but she couldn't do it. She
knew it was wrong, and this was Cash. She would never lie
to him.
"I don't want to talk about it," she opted, her voice tight.
"All right," Cash said easily, his voice as calm as ever.
"Are you always so nice?" Reagan demanded, turning
to him, her face red with emotion. "Aren't you ever
grouchy or mean?"
Cash looked at her for a moment and then spoke, his
voice filled with wonder.
"What possible reason would I have for being mean to
you, Reagan? You're my sister in Christ You're a part of my
household. You take care of Katy and me as though you've
been doing it all your life. You give of your time and energy
all day long. What possible reason could I have to reward
all your kindness and hard work with meanness?"
Feeling very shamed, Reagan went back to the dishes.
373
She thought Cash would walk away and leave her to finish
on her own, but even though she'd acted like a shrew, he
204 lori wick
stayed. They were almost done when Reagan began to quietly
admit what was on her mind.
"I've never had a family like yours, Cash. I've always
wanted one, but just the thought of it scares me to no end."
"Why does it, Reagan?"
"Because families take something from you."
"What do you mean?"
Reagan turned to face him.
"Your brothers and Katy are here now, but they're not