by Marta Perry
“Probably won’t know much until they get him to the hospital.”
“I was praying all the way here. I told Wes and Laurel. They’re praying, too, and they activated the church’s prayer chain.”
Hands on his hips, Mick couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, I reckon everyone in town ought to know by the time we get to the hospital then.” A sound had him turning to see the EMTs wheeling Bum out on a gurney. Mick moved toward them.
An oxygen mask covered his friend’s nose and mouth, but his color was still ashen.
Mick reached for the man’s hand. “You know, if you were trying to get out of doing the dishes, you could have just asked.”
Bum managed a weak smile.
Mick eyed one of the EMTs. “I’ll follow you to the hospital.”
While they loaded Bum into the ambulance, Mick rejoined Christa and Sadie. “I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
Christa held up a hand. “Doesn’t matter. Sadie is fine with me. You just take care of Bum.”
“Can we take Sassy?” Sadie eyed a confused Christa.
“Bum’s shih tzu,” Mick added.
“Sure. Dixie would love having another playmate.” She hugged Sadie.
Mick caught Christa’s attention, hating that he still hadn’t been able to tell her about the Gebhardt building. “I’m sorry I interrupted your time with Laurel.” He shrugged. “I didn’t know who else to call.”
“Mick, there’s no need to apologize. You look after Bum, and we’ll see you when you get back.”
Mick spent the following hours contacting Bum’s daughters, Sandy and Carrie, and fielding incoming calls from well-meaning church members and townsfolk asking what they could do. He told them all to pray, knowing that was all they could do right now and what Bum needed most.
When the doctor informed Mick they were transferring Bum to a hospital in Houston, Mick notified the man’s daughters of the change, encouraging them to go straight there. Then Mick waited with his friend, praying with him before he was loaded into another ambulance.
Piling into his truck at almost seven thirty, Mick felt completely drained. Emotionally, physically. And he still had to talk with Christa.
He knocked on her door a short time later, feeling as weary as he would if he’d been working fence all day. Instead, he’d done nothing but sit around, worrying and praying.
Christa opened the door, looking like a breath of fresh air. “How is he?”
Mick relayed everything as he followed her into the kitchen.
“You look exhausted. Can I get you something to eat?”
“No, I’m good.” Except he wasn’t good. He still had to come clean with her. But if he thought his mind had been muddled last night—“Where’s Sadie?”
“On the couch, watching—”
“Let me guess. Frozen.”
“Of course.”
He moved to the opening between the kitchen and dining room to check on his niece. She was sitting on the sofa with a snoozing Sassy at her side. Yet while Sadie sat upright, her head kept bobbing, and she was barely able to keep her eyes open.
“I think she’s ready for bed,” Christa whispered over his shoulder.
“Yeah.” He faced her now, longing to take her into his arms. “Sassy, too.”
“I know you wanted to talk about something, but I can tell you’re spent.” She rubbed his upper arm, her warmth seeping into him. “Why don’t we wait until tomorrow?”
Waiting would only prolong the agony. But right now he wasn’t sure he could string the words together in a way that wouldn’t be misunderstood. “Tomorrow it is, then.”
* * *
After the early-morning rush on Monday, Christa worked alongside Patsy on the store’s spring window display. They’d started with some faux grass, added a bench and a small wheelbarrow. Now it was time to add all those little things people would need for springtime planting. Shovels and spades, watering cans, gardening gloves, colorful pots and a multitude of other things.
Christa positioned an old soda crate atop a small outdoor table. “Patsy, what do you know about the Gebhardt building?”
“You mean the one next door?” The woman pointed, as if there was more than one Gebhardt building in Bliss.
“Yes.”
Patsy filled a bright green metal bucket with a selection of seed packets. “Used to be one of them old mercantile places. You know, a general store. I went in there once or twice when I was real little. About all I remember, though, are the wooden shelves and the jars of penny candy on the counter by the old cash register.”
“Sounds like a cool place.” Christa took the now-full bucket from Patsy and set it atop the crate. Just the pop of color she wanted.
“Yeah, there’s been a lot of stuff in there since it closed in the midseventies, but nothing near as interesting.”
Straightening, Christa stretched her back. “Why’d it close?”
Patsy shrugged. “Louise Ashford’s parents had taken it over when her grandparents retired, but Louise had no interest in running the place, so when her folks retired they just put it up for rent.”
“Ashford?” A sick feeling began to stir in Christa’s gut.
“Louise was Mick’s mama.”
Christa’s gaze narrowed. “Who owns the building now?”
“I reckon Mick and his sister.” Patsy adjusted her ponytail. “Well, make that Mick, now that Jen is gone.” She shook her head. “So sad.”
The sick feeling Christa had threatened to turn into a full revolt. Mick owned the Gebhardt building, yet he never said a word the other night when she’d gone on and on about her desire for the space. Instead, Mick had lied to her, just like Brody. She didn’t care if it was a lie by omission. A lie was still a lie.
Anger propelled her from the window into the store. “Patsy, would you mind finishing this up for me? I have someplace I have to be.”
Without waiting for her assistant manager to respond, she retrieved her purse from her office and went outside to her SUV. She would not let Mick get away with this.
Gray clouds raced across the sky as she drove toward the ranch. Just like Brody, Mick had been using her. He didn’t care about her feelings or her dreams. He only wanted someone to help him with Sadie. And she’d allowed herself to be played. Again. How foolish could she be?
As she pulled into the main drive, Mick’s truck was coming out. Ignoring him, she continued into her driveway and got out, hoping he would follow.
He did.
The wind whipped her hair into her face as she crossed her arms over her chest and waited.
Finally, he pulled alongside her, smiling as he stepped out and moved toward her. “Hey, I was just on my way to see you.” Hands dangling from the pockets of his faded jeans, he stopped in front of her.
“How could you?” She shoved a hand against his chest. “You lied to me.” Tears threatened but she willed them away, refusing to give him the satisfaction.
Rubbing his chest as though she’d hurt him, he said, “Huh?”
“I know that you own the Gebhardt building.”
He heaved a sigh, appearing suddenly crestfallen. “That’s what I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
“Oh, sure. Now that you’ve been outed.” Scraping her hair behind her ears, she glared at him. “Yet you let me sit beside that fire and pour my heart out to you without ever saying a word. You even encouraged me to rent.” And she’d actually been pondering some of his recommendations! “Who does that?”
“Christa, I’m sorry. I promise you, I never meant to deceive or hurt you in any way. I was confused. I’d made the decision to hold on to the building for Sadie, but when you said—”
“Save it.” She threw up a hand as the breeze whipped between them. “I don’t want to hear your excuses.”
“Please. I wa
s confused, all right?”
“Oh, and you couldn’t have told me that?” Fists balled at her sides, she continued. “I would have understood. Instead, you allowed me to keep talking like some fool.”
“No.” He took a step closer, gravel crunching beneath his boots. “I’d never think of you as a fool, Christa. You’re the smartest person I’ve ever known.”
“Yeah, well, right about now, I’m feeling pretty stupid for allowing you into my life.” Not to mention her heart. Twice, she’d fallen in love. And twice, she’d been duped. “You didn’t trust me with the truth, Mick.”
Hands slung low on his hips, he hung his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He looked her in the eye. “I should have told you right from the start.”
“But you didn’t. So how can I ever trust you again?”
“Aw, come on, Christa. You know that’s not true. Of course you can trust me.”
She shook her head. “No, I can’t.” Turning, she started toward the house, her heart feeling as though it had been turned inside out.
“I love you, Christa.”
Her steps halted, her eyes closing. How long had she wanted to hear those words from him? Now they meant nothing.
“I know you think I’m just saying that, but I mean it. I’ve never cared about any woman the way I care for you.”
Thanks to the gravel, she could hear him drawing closer, yet she couldn’t seem to make her feet move. So she stared at the sky.
“From the moment I wake up until the time I fall asleep, you’re on my mind. You consume me in a way I’ve never experienced before. It’s as frightening as it is exciting.” He was right behind her now. “I love you. And I know you’re mad, but I think you might love me, too.”
With a deep breath, she turned to face him. “Love and trust go hand in hand, Mick. You can’t have one without the other. You betrayed my trust by withholding the truth.” This time, she ran toward the house, unable to risk being stopped again. Because if he told her he loved her one more time, she just might believe him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Mick pulled up to Bum’s house just after one on Thursday afternoon, feeling like his insides had tangled with a shredder. He’d been miserable ever since Christa came at him Monday. Throw in the fact that he was due in court a week from today, and he wasn’t sure he could feel much worse.
Hard to believe it was only a few days ago that Mick sat in Bum’s kitchen, telling God that he couldn’t bear to lose someone else he loved. Yet that’s exactly what had happened. Only it had been Christa who Mick had lost. All because he hadn’t been man enough to tell her the truth.
He opened the door of his truck, eager to see how his friend was feeling. And perhaps get some fatherly advice. A wiggly Sassy flew across his lap.
“Guess you’re ready to be back home, huh, Sassy.” Sadie sure was going to miss having a dog in the house. He had a feeling she’d wear him down at some point, and they’d end up with a furry friend of their own.
After retrieving the two sudoku puzzle books he’d picked up at the store, he climbed out and closed the door. Bum loved his sudokus, and with him having to take things easy for a while, Mick figured they’d be a good way for him to pass the time.
Sassy waited at his feet, whining, as he knocked on the door. “Hang in there, Sass. We’re almost there.”
A moment later, Sandy swung it wide and the dog bounded inside.
“Sassy, girl. You’re home.” She stooped to pet the fur ball. “Go get Daddy.”
The dog took off as Sandy stood. “Thank you for keeping her, Mick.” She motioned for him to come in, then greeted him with a hug. He and the woman with long blond hair had practically grown up together. Their fathers were best friends and she’d been a year ahead of Mick in high school, while her sister had been two years behind him.
“Where’s Carrie?”
“She had to head on back to Dallas yesterday.” She closed the door. “Dad’s been hoping you’d stop by.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded. “Right now, I’m pretty sure he thinks of me as the enemy.”
“Now why would that be?”
“Because I’m the one telling him what to do, making sure he eats right and all that other stuff he hates.”
“I ain’t deaf you know.” Bum’s voice came from around the corner in the living room. “I can hear everything y’all are saying.”
Mick couldn’t help laughing. “Sounds like he’s back to normal.”
“He’s gettin’ there.” She led Mick into the living room where Bum sat in his leather recliner, wearing a scowl. “I have some laundry to tend to, so I’ll leave the two of you alone.”
“’Bout time,” Bum sputtered. Petting the dog who was now in his lap, he continued. “She’s been hoverin’ ever since she and her sister got to the hospital. Now that the nurses aren’t around, Miss High-and-Mighty thinks she’s in charge.”
Mick eased onto the leather sofa. “Nah, she just wants to see you up and about again. Like the rest of us.”
“I ain’t made for all this sittin’.”
“Sassy doesn’t seem to mind.” Mick nodded toward the dog.
“Of course she doesn’t. She’d sit here all day if I’d let her.” He scrubbed the dog’s neck. “Me? I got things to do.”
“Oh, settle down, Bum. It’s only for a little while. I’ve got your cattle covered.”
The man glowered. “Whose side are you on anyway?”
“And here I thought you went to the hospital, but judging by the way you’re acting, it must have been elementary school.”
His friend harrumphed. “Aren’t you the funny one?”
“Here.” Mick stood long enough to hand the man the puzzle books. “Maybe these will keep you busy.”
Sassy hopped down as Bum grabbed his readers from the side table to peer at the books. “Yeah, they might help for a little while. Thanks.” Removing the glasses, he looked at Mick. “Did you ever talk with Christa?”
Resting one ankle on the opposite knee, Mick swiped at the dust on his boot. “Oh, I talked to her all right. Though she did most of the talking.”
“And?” Bum sounded so hopeful.
Meanwhile, Mick didn’t have a shred of hope left. “She hates me, Bum.”
The older man leaned closer. “She said that?”
“No, I inferred it. Somehow she found out that I owned the building before I got the chance to tell her. She called me a liar and said she could never trust me again.”
“Did you explain why you hadn’t said anything?”
“I tried, but she wasn’t willing to listen.” He glanced down at the carpet where Sassy was chewing on one of her toys. “I hurt her, Bum. Hurt her real bad. And I miss her something fierce.”
“I’m sorry, son. I know you really cared about her.”
“I still do.”
“Yeah, love ain’t somethin’ you can just turn off, is it?”
Mick cut a look in his friend’s direction. “Did I tell you I was in love with Christa?”
Smiling, Bum said, “You didn’t have to, Mick. It’s written all over your face whenever you so much as think about her.”
“So how come Christa didn’t see that?”
“I expect she did.” The man paused for a moment, his hands splayed over the arms of the recliner. “How’s Sadie taking it? She and Christa spent a lot of time together.”
“She misses her. But how do you explain to a five-year-old that the person they love doesn’t want to be there because of your stupidity?”
“Maybe Christa will come around after a while. After the hurt dissipates and she can think about what you said with a clear head.”
Nervous energy had Mick standing. “That’d be great, but I’m not going to hold my breath.” He moved to the window beside the fireplace and eye
d the lone longhorn grazing among the Black Angus in the pasture.
“Don’t tell me you’re just going to give up?” Bum’s voice held a hint of disbelief.
Turning to face him, Mick said, “What else am I supposed to do? She doesn’t want to see or talk to me.”
“Well, God’s word says that love is patient.”
“You ought to know better than anyone that patience isn’t my strong suit.”
Bum looked at him through his shaggy eyebrows. “Mick, you’ve waited forty-five years to find love. Surely you’re not going to just let it go without a fight.”
The man had a good point. “But how do I fight? What should I do?”
“Just keep on loving her however you feel led. She may have given up on love, so it’s up to you to show her that it’s worth a second chance.”
Was Bum right? Could Mick really win back Christa’s heart?
Maybe not. But just because she stopped caring for him didn’t mean he had to stop caring for her. And he cared, all right. More than he realized.
He thought about the hearing next week. Christa was supposed to testify on his behalf, and he was pretty sure she’d still do that. But going in there without her by his side? That was going to be tough.
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The words played across Mick’s heart, reminding him there was one person he could count on. The One who’d been with him since he prayed that prayer in vacation Bible school when he was ten years old. God was his strength and his defender. His help in times of trouble.
Mick needed to cling to that now more than ever. And trust that if Christa was the woman for him, then God would work things out.
* * *
Christa brushed the snickerdoodle crumbs from her shirt as she stepped out of her SUV in front of Bum’s house after work Friday. She still hadn’t figured out who’d left the trio of cookies and a caramel macchiato on her desk this afternoon, but they’d been a bright spot in an otherwise dreary day.
Armed with a loaf of low-fat banana bread, she glanced up at the gray clouds that had brought them rain for much of the day, her heart heavy. She missed Mick. And Sadie. What she wouldn’t give for one of Sadie’s hugs right about now. Still, she knew she had to learn to move forward without them, because she wasn’t willing to risk her heart to someone who would lie to her.