City Girl
Page 28
Reagan's face was wreathed with softness as she
thought about this question.
"He's so patient, Holly. I didn't know anyone like him
existed."
Holly Bennett knew she was going to burst into tears at
any moment, and she had to get out of the room.
"I'm going to check on the children," she announced,
raising her voice some to be heard by Russell.
He nodded and thanked her.
Reagan only let her get to her feet before saying she was
going to join her. She followed Holly onto the front porch
where the older woman stood with her hand over her
481
mouth.
"Holly?"
"I'm sorry, Reagan." She was just barely holding tears.
"I've just wanted this for you for so long. I've wanted you
to know how loved you are, and if Cash can do that, I
just--" She couldn't go on, but Reagan didn't really need
her to.
"Thank you, Holly," she said when she hugged her.
"Hi, Reagan," Jonah called as he ran by, and that gave
Holly the push she needed to dry her tears. She looked
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down at Reagan for a moment and then smiled and
hugged her again.
"I just want you to know/' Holly ended up saying, "that
whatever you do, I'll love you like a sister forever."
Reagan had never had anyone say such a thing to her.
For a moment she was speechless.
"Thank you, Holly. If s a wonderful thing to know."
Wanting to rejoin the group, Holly made a swift check
482
on the children, but as soon as she was finished, she and
Reagan went back inside.
%r -
"What
are you up to?" Cash asked Reagan after he'd
taken her to the general store for supplies.
"Nothing," she said innocently, but Cash saw what she
was trying to hide.
A thumb went up to push the brim of his hat back as he
asked, "Wrinkle cream, Reagan?"
She frowned at him. "I'm not exactly a teen any longer.
Cash."
The cowboy had all he could do not to shout with
laughter.
"Let me see this stuff," he said as he took it from the
hand she held behind her back.
Reagan looked innocently around as he read, but there
was no escaping when he leaned dose to her face.
"Now, show me these wrinkles you're trying to get rid
483
of."
"You don't see any?" She looked up at him in that
trusting way he was coining to know.
"No."
"What about those little lines next to my eyes?"
"Where?"
Reagan squinted, and this time Cash had to laugh.
"Shh..." she got after him, fighting laughter of her own.
CityGirl 265
"You don't need this," he said, plunking it decisively on
the shelf.
"This dry heat is hard on the skin."
"I agree with you, but some regular lotion will do." Cash
grabbed a jar from the shelf and handed it to her. It was a
brand that he'd seen Katy use in the kitchen.
"This stuff?"
"I think Katy uses it."
Reagan read the description on the bottle before looking
up to ask Cash if Katy needed any. The question was never
484
voiced. Cash's eyes were on something further down the
shelf, and as Reagan followed his gaze, she smiled. Never
before had she noticed the full line of feminine apparel that
covered half of those shelves. Clearly Cash had never
noticed either. Reagan just stood and watched him.
"Reagan?" he asked before making eye contact with her.
"Yes?"
Cash turned to see that she'd been staring at him. His
smile was full blown in an instant, and Reagan wanted to
laugh.
"Do all women wear those pretty things?" he asked
when they were finally back in the wagon and headed to
the ranch.
"Well, maybe not as lacy and pretty as some of those, but
something like them."
Cash nodded, still looking thoughtfully out over the
horses' heads.
"Honestly, Cash, you do have a mother. Certainly you
have seen some of those things before."
"Honestly, Reagan," he copied her, "a man doesn't give
485
much thought to what his mother wears. The woman he's
in love with is a different matter."
"I guess that makes sense, but don't you ever go down
that aisle?"
'Tor what?"
"I don't know. Where do they keep the men's under-things?"
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"In a different spot, and you can trust me when I tell you
that they don't have the same effect. By the way/' he asked,
"do certain things come in certain colors?"
"No. That was all a mixture. There were blue bloomers,
but also blue shifts and camisoles. All those things come in
a variety of colors."
"Whaf s a camisole? I've never heard of that."
Reagan cleared her throat, wondering how they had
come to talk of this.
"You wear it under your blouse."
"Do you have a blue one?" Cash asked before he
thought.
486
"Am I allowed to tell you that?"
Cash turned to look at her, his eyes straying a bit before
he caught himself.
"Maybe you shouldn't," he said, fixing his gaze over the
horses again.
In truth Reagan had a pink one, but she wisely kept this
to herself.
"Don't decide to marry me too soon, Reagan," Cash said
suddenly.
"Why is that?"
"Courting you is an education."
As she'd wanted to in the store, Reagan allowed herself
a nice loud laugh.
- 3r
"Have I ever missed you," Sally said on the first
morning Reagan went back to work at the hotel. Katy was
back on her feet and going strong; Reagan had even stayed
on for an extra week just to enjoy working with Katy in her
487
element. It had been hard to leave the ranch, but everyone
knew it was for the best.
Reagan smiled.
"Did your cousin ever show up?"
City Girl 267
"No, and I've got bunions the size of eggs to prove it"
"Well, I'm here now."
'True, but I suspect it won't be for long."
"What do you mean?"
Sally looked innocent. "Rumor around town has it that
you and Cash Rawlings are getting mighty friendly."
"Is that right?" Reagan asked, already tying on an apron
and setting to work.
"Yes, thafs right."
Reagan didn't respond.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Is it true?"
Reagan smiled. "I happen to think he's very special"
488
"And does he share that same opinion of you?"
Reagan looked at her. "He has said something along mat
line."
Sally grinned. "He's been a sought-after catch in this
town for a long time, Reagan. A few hearts are going to
break when word gets out on this."
"According to you, word is alr
eady out."
"I mean official word, the church bells ringing and all
that."
Reagan only laughed and went to work in earnest. She
was slightly out of practice after eight weeks off the job, but
things were coming back fast. ,And indeed the morning
flew. Long before she was ready, it was time to head to the
dining room.
Reagan had to laugh. The men acted as if she'd been
gone for ages, and their pleas for dinner or an evening out
with her were more ardent than ever. Reagan was wondering
how many more days of this she could take when
she looked up to see Cash Rawlings come in the door.
He took a seat at an empty table, his eyes trained on
489
Reagan, and when she was done with the order she was
working on, she went to him.
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"Well, now," she said softly, eyes oh his face. "What
brings you out this morning?"
"A man's got to eat," he said, his own eyes smiling right
back.
"But you've got someone to cook for you/' Reagan said,
even being so bold as to sit down for a moment
Cash leaned dose, aware that every eye in the room was
on them.
"I thought maybe these gentlemen needed a little notice
that you're not up for grabs any longer."
"I never was."
"But they didn't know that."
Reagan smiled. "True. I think they believed if they just
asked long enough/1 would eventually succumb."
"That's what I'm hoping," he said as he reached up and
brushed a finger down her cheek.
490
Reagan bit her lip to keep from laugjiing and stood, not
bothering to take his order before exiting to the kitchen and
returning with just the breakfast she knew he liked.
%r%r bout
ten days later, Reagan and Cash walked along the
pond, their hands linked. It was dreadfully hot, but dusk
was beginning to fall, and they were happy just to be
together. It was a Sunday, and Reagan had come after work
for a late lunch that Katy had prepared and to spend the
day at the ranch.
"I miss you," she said suddenly.
"The feeling is more than shared, Reagan."
"Mine's different."
"How's that?"
"It just is."
Cash's hand brought her gently to a halt. He looked down
into her face, and in just a matter of seconds understood
CftyGtr* 269
491
that she was there to stay. He studied her eyes, and with
complete openness found her eyes staring right back.
"If I wanted to talk about the future, Reagan, would you
run away?"
"Nope," she said, giving the word her best Texas drawl
"How about children? Would you be afraid to discuss
having a family?"
"Nope."
Cash's smile was tender beyond belief.
"And marriage, Reagan," he whispered. "How scary is
marriage these days?"
"Not at all."
Moving ever so carefully, his hands coming up to cup
her face, Cash leaned forward until their lips touched tot
the first time.
"Oh, my," Reagan breathed when he broke the contact
"I was afraid of that," Cash said, his forehead laid
against hers.
"Whafsthat?"
"Of liking this no small amount"
492
Reagan laughed and went on tiptoe to kiss him again.
"I hope you know what this means," he warned her.
"What?"
"I'll be asking very soon, and I'll expect a yes answer."
Reagan stepped back, her hands going to her hips in that
familiar way.
"You mean you're not going to ask this minute?"
Cash could only snatch her into his arms and hold on
tight, his laughter coming in great waves that echoed over
the pond. But they couldn't keep this event to themselves.
In just a few moments, like children let outside to play, they
ran for the house to see Katy.
"How did you know?" Katy asked after Cash shared
their conversation. The three sat in the living room. "What
changed for you, Reagan?" the older woman asked. "Why
aren't you afraid any longer?"
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"Ifs been coming for a long time, Katy," Reagan
answered, her eyes on Cash. "I watched Cash deal with
493
you and everyone in and around this ranch. Even people
he didn't know very well were treated with such care and
kindness, and then he said he loved me and wanted me to
be his wife. If folks just passing through could be treated
with kindness, what wotjld he be like to a wife he loved? I
realized I was a fool not to have seen it sooner."
Cash looked into her eyes, and for a moment the young
couple forgot anyone else was in the room.
Katy sighed as if she herself had just fallen in love, and
Reagan looked at her.
"Will you stand up with me, Katy?"
"Me?" her voice squeaked, giving Reagan the giggles.
"Yes. I want a big wedding. I'm planning on asking
Holly and Sally too."
"You're going to have me bawling," she said.
"Do you want to know what else?" Reagan said, her
eyes alight with mischief.
"What?"
"He hasn't even asked me yet."
Katy looked at her employer in shock and then came to
494
her feet.
"Well, I'm getting out of here. You, Cash Rawlings, have
work to do."
The couple had a good laugh as Katy took herself from
the room. Reagan was about to say something to Cash, but
he was coming to his feet as well. She watched as he
slipped into his office and returned with a box in his hands.
"Whafsthis?" ,
"A little gift for you."
Reagan loved gifts and swiftly opened it. Her mouth
opening in surprise, she took out a small silver-colored
bell.
"For my bike?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Where did you find it?"
City Girl 271
"Laviniahadit"
Reagan gave the bell a little ring and then looked at him.
"What would I do without you, Cash?"
495
"Marry me and you won't have to find out."
Reagan smiled, her eyes thoughtful.
"Reagan Rawlings. It sounds kind of funny, doesn't it?"
"Not to me."
"Oh, Cash, just name the day."
"I'll take that as a yes," he said, just before pulling her
close and sealing her agreement with a kiss.
-3T %r
"It's a boy!" Virginia said as she burst in the front door
of the ranch house and found the spacious living room
empty. "Is anyone here?"
Katy came from the kitchen, not moving as spryly as she
once did, but on her own two feet.
"Whafsthat?"
"Libby had a boy! We were only going to stay a short
time, but then she was so close, so we just waited. I held
him, Katy," she said, her voice taking on a note of wonder.
"I held my own little grandson, Reese Rawlings."
496
"A boy." Katy shook her he
ad in surprise. She had been
praying for Liberty just that morning. "How is Libby? How
is Slater?"
"Everyone's doing great. Where's Cash?"
"In the barn, last I knew."
Virginia took off in the direction of the kitchen to use the
back door, and only then did Katy look up to see that
Charles had come in the front door behind his wife. He was
standing just inside, a smile on his face.
"A boy," Katy said. "Now isn't that good news?"
"Yes, it is," Charles agreed, albeit a good deal calmer
than his wife. He came forward, his eyes on the housekeeper.
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"Sit down, Katy/' he invited. "I want to talk to you."
Katy sat in complete comfort. They'd known each other
too many years for anything else.
"You've changed, Katy.f
"I have," Katy admitted without hesitation. She had
been asking God for open doors with people and boldness
497
when they came. "Do you want to hear about it?"
"Yes, I do."
"I believe the way Gretchen, Cash, Slater, and Dak do. I
know I'm a sinner, but I'm saved from punishment"
Charles nodded, his face serene. He bent forward, his
voice low as he admitted, "I am too, Katy."
Katy's mouth opened.
"But you've not said anything. Cash can't know. He'd
have told me."
"No one knows."
"Why,Mr.Rawlings?w
"Virginia. She still doesn't know what to do with it all."
He paused, his face so troubled. "Do you know all the
places I've dragged her, Katy? She's been everywhere with
me because I told her when we got married that I wasn't
going to do things on my own. She agreed with me, and
thaf s the way it's always been. But now I've done this
without her, and I don't know how to tell her."
Katy's heart broke over this news. "When did it
happen?"
498
"When I was ill. I honestly thought mat was the end for
me. I knew I was lost if it was, so I took care of things, and
just like Dakota, God gave me another chance."
"He's good that way," Katy said. "I know all about
second chances, Mr. Rawlings. I'll pray for you," she said
suddenly. "I have been, but now 111 pray that youll find a
way to tell Mrs. Rawlings. Maybe just hearing from you
will turn her heart."
"Thank you, Katy. I don't know if I've ever told you
what you mean to us, and I don't think I could find the
words now, but I do thank you."
City Girl 273
Katy smiled at him, and Charles wanted to shake his
head in amazement. The old Katy would have hushed him
and left the room. The peace and serenity that surrounded