A Ready-Made Texas Family

by Angel Moore

  Nathan could wait no longer for any news of Charlotte’s state of mind. “Can you tell me what you told Charlotte when she asked about the banker trying to sell the hotel before the end of the six weeks he promised her?”

  “There’s a good-faith expectancy among folk around here. Thomas Freeman gave his word.” Scott took a long drink of his tea.

  “She hoped for something like that to be a law. I heard him tell her how long he’d wait. She and I have been working as hard as two people can to get things in order.”

  “Mr. Freeman will likely say he’s got the right to do as he pleases. It would be different if Charlotte had borrowed the money. Since it was her pa, and he put the hotel up for collateral, Mr. Freeman could make a good case for having the right to sell. He could argue that the bank could be exposed to financial risk if Charlotte doesn’t make the payments in a timely manner.”

  Nathan pushed his plate to one side. The more the sheriff said, the less appetite Nathan had. “How do I deal with her?” He needed advice. “I know how to handle the hotel business. And I know how to deal with the people who want to buy the hotel. They’re not the kind to accept her refusal. What I don’t know is how to help her see that I’m on her side.”

  Scott studied him for a minute. “Are you? Really?”

  “Of course I am. Why else would I stay here after she made it so plain she didn’t need anyone’s help? It’s not easy to work with a woman who thinks your only goal is to take advantage of her and her family.” He smiled at his memory of their first few days together. “Believe me, it took a fair amount of convincing for her to realize that wasn’t true. My concern is that the men from this morning may have set her back to her previous opinions.”

  “She is a stubborn one.” Scott chuckled. “I think that’s why she and my Rena are such good friends. Those two are more determined than most people. Man or woman.”

  “So you know what I mean.” Nathan pulled his plate back and decided he had best eat. He’d need all his strength to face Charlotte and the Turners’ attempt to take over her property. Either obstacle would be a challenge. Both would require his utmost ability and the help of God. “I’ll admit I thought I would be given full charge of the hotel when I arrived. In truth, Mr. Freeman made it out to me that he owned the place and had all authority to make the decision about my position here.”

  “You didn’t count on a spunky young lady, did you?”

  Nathan smiled at the thought of Charlotte. “With fire in her eyes.” He nodded. “I knew Charlotte years ago. She intrigued me then.”

  “And now.”

  He shrugged. “I’d say the only thing that’s different about her now is the fact that she’s become more beautiful. I’m starting to understand that she is the most intriguing woman I’ll ever know.”

  “But now she counts you as one of her enemies. That won’t be easy to overcome. I don’t envy you.” Scott drained the last of the tea from his glass. “I will pray for you though. It’ll likely take the help of the Almighty to find your way through this mess.”

  The sheriff left him with his thoughts. Thoughts that swirled around a beautiful lady and two young kids on their own in a world that threatened to swallow them up.

  Nathan would help them. If it cost him his position at Green’s Grand Hotel, so be it. If it kept him from a future with Turner Hotels, he didn’t care. He’d do everything in his power, by the help of God, to erase the worry from Charlotte’s brow. All he had to do was find a solution.

  The peace that washed over him at the thought of helping Charlotte was followed by a jolt of surprise.

  Why would he be willing to give up an unprecedented offer to return to the employ of Turner Hotels if it meant his future would be settled?

  When had the security of Charlotte and her family become more important than his own?

  The answers were no longer buried deep in his soul. They’d risen to the surface when the love he held for her filled his empty heart and spilled over like a flooded river.

  Finding a way for Charlotte to keep the hotel was the right thing to do. The Bible was clear on matters concerning widows and orphans. These three orphans needed him.

  The fact that he needed them wasn’t something he would focus on today. Or maybe ever. Not if he didn’t succeed.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Charlotte fastened the top button on her green dress. It was a glorious summer morning. She refused to let the challenges that lay ahead of her today keep her from appreciating the good things in her life. It boosted her spirits to wear her favorite dress. Memories of the day she and her mother had chosen the fabric pushed themselves into the front of her mind. They made her smile.

  She could hear Sarah and Michael laughing in the parlor. It brought her great comfort that the children had healed to the point of laughter. Their days had settled to a somewhat normal routine.

  Lord, please don’t let them lose that childlike resilience. It was unimaginable to lose our folks. If we lose our home, too, I don’t know what I’ll do.

  The reflection that stared back at her from the full-length mirror in the corner of her room wore every appearance of confidence. Only in her eyes did she see the doubt that warred in her gut.

  Michael called to her through her bedroom door. “Charlotte, Mr. Nathan is at the door. He wants to talk to you.”

  “I’ll be out in a minute. Ask him to wait for me in the parlor.” She smoothed her skirts and took a deep breath. She’d done her best to avoid Nathan after their encounter with Mr. Freeman, Mr. Eaton and the land agent yesterday. When their paths had crossed, they’d barely spoken or acknowledged each other. He’d probably come to tell her he would be accepting the offer to return to Turner Hotels. It was time to face him.

  Knowing the day would be full, she’d asked Mrs. Atkins’s daughter, Bertha, to see that the children had breakfast and made it to school on time. They were on their way to the restaurant kitchen when Charlotte entered the parlor.

  Charlotte gestured to a chair near the fireplace. “Please have a seat, Nathan.”

  He looked as uncomfortable as she felt. The camaraderie they’d come to enjoy was gone. Awkward movements and avoided glances had taken its place.

  Charlotte stood with her hands clasped in front of her to keep from wringing them together. She didn’t want him to see how vulnerable she was at the moment. Maybe one day she’d be as strong as she’d been before her parents died, but today she longed for them to be here, guarding her from life’s harsh realities.

  “Charlotte, I’m so sorry—”

  She held up one hand. “There’s no need for you to apologize. You must do what you think is best for you.” She lowered her hand. “Just as I must.”

  He seemed to be at a loss for words. Good.

  Charlotte bristled at the effort it took to have this conversation. “I’m very busy, so if you have anything you need to say, please say it now. I don’t have time to waste.”

  “Really? And exactly what are you going to be so busy doing?” A scowl replaced the lost look he’d worn a moment earlier.

  “Saving my hotel from you and Turner Hotels. And Mr. Freeman and Mr. Conrad. And anyone else who thinks they can slither into Green’s Grand Hotel and take it from me and my family.”

  “Slither in? Is that what you think I did?” He was on his feet now and stepped close to her. His chiseled features looked as if they were set in stone.

  She jerked her chin up in a firm nod. “I do. All of you. I may be young, Nathan Taylor, but I’m not stupid. I’m fully prepared to run this place without you. You may go at your earliest convenience—and only return if the Turner’s win. I warn you. I’ll do everything in my power to keep that from happening. I’ve made an appointment with an attorney to insist that Mr. Freeman honor his word to me. You may expect to be summoned to his office any day. I pray you don’t allow your eagerness to run th
is hotel to cloud your memory when he asks you to recall that discussion.” She backed up a step, but he advanced as she did.

  “You think I would lie?” He leaned in, and her breath caught in her throat. His blue eyes searched hers with a fierceness that warned her of his bridled emotions. She got no sense that he was trying to intimidate her, but that she’d wounded his pride.

  “I don’t know what to think anymore.” She didn’t. Two days ago, if he’d stood this close to her, the memory of their kiss would have flooded her mind. Even now, it pressed against the restraints of her determination to keep herself aloof from him.

  “Well, think on this.” He drew closer still, and the warmth of his gaze intensified. “I have never, in all the years I’ve known you, misled you. Not even as a young lad who didn’t know how to share his new and mysterious feelings for a girl he thought he might fancy. My integrity is more important to me than an easy lie to gain control of a business. For some reason you’ve decided that I’m part of the group of men who were here yesterday and threatened your ownership of this establishment. Perhaps when all is said and done, you’ll realize that I wasn’t one of them. They caught me unawares, just as they did you.” He gave the slightest shake of his head. “I’m going. I’ll have my things out of the hotel within the hour.”

  He put a finger under her chin, and his eyes softened to the color of glowing blue embers. His touch was gentle. The fire that ran along her skin at the contact came in a rush. She leaned in without wanting to. It was as if her heart was in control of her reaction to him. The heart she knew she couldn’t trust when it concerned men. Hadn’t her mother warned her often enough that her choices lacked wisdom? There was a directness in his gaze that argued for her to see that he wasn’t the man she’d all but accused him of being.

  He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Oh, Charlotte, you don’t know what you’re facing or how much you need my help. I wish I’d never caused you to doubt me when we were young. Maybe you’d trust me now. I pray God helps you. For your sake and for the children. If you decide you want my help, I’ll be at my uncle’s place.” He dropped his hand. “Don’t wait too long to make up your mind.” He left her there, and the door to the lobby closed behind him.

  After a long moment she drew in a deep breath and reached up to touch her face. The memory of his touch lingered on her skin. She dropped onto the settee and wondered if she’d just sent away the solution to her problems.

  How could that be? He held the offer from Turner Hotels.

  She twisted her hands together in her lap, hands that held nothing that could save her. She had nothing but her force of will.

  Charlotte stood and headed into the lobby. By God’s grace and help, she’d figure out a solution. Without a man. Of late, any contact she’d had with a man served only to confirm her mother’s concerns.

  An hour later, she watched Nathan walk out the front door of lobby. He turned and touched the brim of his hat before he disappeared from view.

  A cold wind wrapped around her heart. The heat of the day did nothing to warm it.

  * * *

  On Sunday, Charlotte followed the children into the church for service. She was more fatigued than she’d been in the days and weeks after her parents’ deaths when she’d had to bake and run the hotel alone. It wasn’t a physical fatigue, but an emotional exhaustion that threatened to rend her heart in two.

  The lawyer she’d engaged had made no promises of being able to solve her situation in a way that favored her. Mr. Freeman had returned to the hotel on Saturday and tried to convince her to stop struggling against her inevitable end.

  If there was to be hope for her life, she knew it would come from God and the peace she always found in His house.

  “Miss Charlotte, I heard about the dreadful mess with Mr. Freeman and Mr. Conrad.” Cyrus Busby, the owner of the mercantile, made a clicking sound with his tongue. “What will you do when they take your hotel?”

  The peace she’d longed for escaped her. “Mr. Busby, I have no intention of sitting idly by while anyone steals my hotel. As a local business owner, I’m sure you can understand the fervor I feel about this matter. Mr. Freeman cannot be allowed to violate his word to the good people of Gran Colina.” Mrs. Gillis began to play the piano. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get the children settled for service.” She nodded at Mr. Busby and guided the children to their customary bench.

  More than once she caught the sympathetic glances of her fellow churchgoers. News of her dilemma must have reached everyone in town.

  Reverend Gillis ended his sermon with a verse from the book of Romans. “‘If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.’” He closed his Bible. “I know sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is live in peace. It may feel impossible, but God wants us to do it if we can. Even if we have to stretch ourselves to make it happen.”

  Charlotte almost laughed aloud. “...with all men.” God knew it would be difficult, and sometimes impossible to live at peace with men. She caught herself as the first sound of imminent laughter escaped her and turned the response into a cough. Nathan turned and met her gaze. His look told her he knew what caused her reaction.

  The preacher dismissed the service a few minutes later, and Charlotte tried to make a hasty exit. She was on the bottom step outside the church when Sarah tripped and fell.

  “Oh, baby, did you hurt yourself?” Charlotte helped her up and scanned her hands and elbows for scrapes.

  “My doll’s dress is dirty.” Sarah’s familiar pout appeared, and she held up the doll. “And her skirt is torn.” Tears followed the pout, and so did the attention of everyone leaving the church.

  Charlotte wrapped Sarah in a hug and tried to soothe her.

  Someone came to stand beside them and cast a welcome shadow over them. Welcome—until she realized it was Nathan. She fumbled to stand and held Sarah’s hand.

  “Please, Charlotte, don’t rush off on my account.” He went down on one knee and reached out to Sarah. “I’m sorry about your doll. Will you show me?”

  Charlotte marveled at how Sarah dropped the hand she was holding and went into the circle of Nathan’s arm to let him inspect the damage.

  “I think your sister can repair this.” He fingered the torn hem of the doll’s dress.

  Sarah nodded. “She’s good at fixing things.”

  Nathan looked up at Charlotte. “I want to be good at fixing things.”

  “You fixed up the hotel all pretty like Momma and Pa wanted.” Sarah put her hand on his shoulder. It had become her method of keeping his attention when she talked to him. Charlotte still marveled that Nathan had forged such a strong bond with Michael and Sarah.

  “Charlotte helped a lot with that.” Nathan didn’t take the credit he deserved for all he’d done.

  Sarah looked up at Charlotte and then back to Nathan. “Charlotte was sad before, and you fixed her. I think you need to do that again ’cause she’s all sad again. I can hear when she cries at night in her room.”

  “Sarah.” Charlotte reached for her hand. “We need to go. I’ll repair your doll after lunch.”

  “Thank you for showing me your doll.” Nathan hugged Sarah. He stood and said, “Can we talk, Charlotte?”

  A pang of fear hit her middle. “There is nothing to say, Nathan.”

  “Please—”

  “Miss Green, I need to speak to you.” Charlotte’s lawyer, Garth Renfroe, interrupted them. “It’s important that we speak as soon as possible.”

  Charlotte tried to calm herself. Mr. Renfroe would not have approached her on a matter of business on a Sunday unless it was serious.

  “Will you meet me at the hotel in twenty minutes? That will give me time to take care of the children so we can speak in private.”

  While she spoke, Nathan backed away from her and headed in the direction of his uncle’s home. Par
t of her wanted to go with him, and part of her never wanted to face him again. Not if it hurt this much to watch him leave.

  Mr. Renfroe agreed to meet her, and she took the kids to Mrs. Atkins.

  “I’m so sorry to intrude on you again. I had no idea I’d be handling all the business of the hotel on my own.” Michael and Sarah went to sit at the table.

  “They’ll be fine here with me and Bertha. You go tend to your meeting.” Mrs. Atkins followed Charlotte to the door that led into the restaurant and lowered her voice. “I’ve heard rumors in town, Miss Charlotte. I want you to know that I’m praying for God to let you and those sweet children keep your home and this hotel.”

  “That’s a great comfort to me.”

  Mrs. Atkins leaned in and whispered, “I do miss how much easier your life was when you had Mr. Taylor here to help.”

  Charlotte rested her hand on Mrs. Atkins’s arm. “He’s a hard worker.”

  “And such a nice young man.” Mrs. Atkins grinned at her.

  “He seemed to be, didn’t he?” Charlotte left before Mrs. Atkins said anything else that could distract her from her determination to keep the hotel.

  Mr. Renfroe arrived five minutes later, and Charlotte led him into her parlor. She left the door ajar and offered him a seat on the settee. She sat on a chair that afforded her a full view of the lobby.

  “Miss Green, I want you to know that I’ve done everything I can within the confines of the law. I’ve interviewed everyone from the mayor to the sheriff and others who had contact or business with Mr. Freeman or Mr. Eaton.”

  “I thank you for your efforts.”

  “You won’t thank me when you’ve heard my news.”

  Charlotte’s heart began to weep. The words she dreaded filled her ears.

  “The deadline that Mr. Freeman gave you is tomorrow. There is no law or evidence that can prevent him from taking possession of the hotel. You’ve told me how much money your father borrowed from the bank. When I spoke with Mr. Freeman, he confirmed to me that’s the amount of the loan. Standard banking procedure gives the property to the bank in the event a mortgage goes unpaid.”