“What was that like?”
“You really do like the details, huh?”
“Yeah.” He smiled.
Cora cleared her throat. “It was stinky and dark. I was tied to a cot and gagged. I don’t even like to think about it.”
“I’m sorry for bringing it up.”
“No, that’s okay. I wish the police knew who it was. It’s driving me crazy.” Then she stopped talking. “Listen, Rex, it’s the meadowlark. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Of course. But not as beautiful as you are.” He ran his finger down her cheek.
Cora felt herself blush. She was beginning to like this man, but he still had so far to go. She couldn’t fall for him until he was more emotionally stable. “Thank you.” The words tumbled out of her mouth.
“I mean it.” Rex forced her to look at him by following her eyes with his own. He cleared his throat. “By the way, I really do appreciate you saying what you said to me yesterday. I was mad at the time, but after I thought about it, I knew you were right. It took me awhile to admit it, though.”
“I wasn’t trying to be right. I never should have pried into your personal life. I just thought Susie needed you.”
“It’s good feeling needed. I’m gonna try harder from now on to spend more time with her. I didn’t realize I’d pulled away from her. Guess I didn’t think it mattered at her age.” Rex studied Cora’s eyes.
“I’m glad to help.” Cora dusted imaginary dirt off her jeans. That tingly feeling crawled up her back again. She should get up off this blanket.
Rex leaned toward Cora cautiously. She stared into his eyes but didn’t move. Rex placed his fingers on her chin and moved toward her. “Your eyes are like a forest of evergreens. I want to stare into them nonstop.”
“You do?” Cora drifted away, like a raft down a mountain stream toward a waterfall.
“Mmm-hmm.” Rex closed his eyes and then kissed her cheek.
Cora’s eyes involuntarily shut. She didn’t resist as Rex pressed his lips to her cheek. She hadn’t felt a man’s touch in a year. She groaned.
After only a few moments, Rex pulled away and regarded her with tenderness. She smiled weakly at him.
“Cora?”
“Yes?” She could hardly breathe, like slipping over the top of the waterfall.
Rex moved toward her again, a little less cautiously. He kissed her again, but this time on the lips. Cora responded, heat rising up to the back of her neck and shooting through her legs. Susie was close by, but she placed her hand on his chest just in case. She couldn’t assume she was safe from her feelings. His touch felt so good. Finally, he released her.
Cora collapsed back onto the blanket. She grasped her head with her hands. Had she just crossed a line? Being this close to this impressive man, her vow to stay away from him seemed absurd. He was such a wonderful kisser, like she’d thought he’d be. His beard had been soft against her velvety skin. What would his kiss feel like without the beard? His full lips, outlined by the beard, had been soft too. She touched her lips with her finger and then looked up to see his eyes pinned on hers. She sighed. Rex grinned. Her heart pounded. “You said that about my eyes to get me to kiss you, didn’t you?” She laughed.
“No, never.” Rex laughed in unison.
Cora nudged him. Rex lay on the blanket beside her, his arm lightly touching hers. They both looked up at the Georgia sky, brilliantly blue with columns of white, fluffy clouds.
Rex yanked a dandelion out of the ground and handed it to Cora. “This is the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time.”
“I’m glad you’re relaxed. Have you had a lot of things on your mind?”
“Yes. Running the ranch has become so much like a business that it’s not much fun anymore. Times are tough. It’s getting harder and harder to survive as a cattle rancher.”
Cora listened, not wanting to stop his flow of openness. When he quieted, she spoke. “I’ve noticed more and more that farming and ranching is becoming…”
“A thing of the past? Exactly. I’m struggling with that. Dad and Matt run the office in Columbus. They deal with trade, contracts, and the whole business end of things. We sell meat, milk, purses, boots, and belts. About anything that can come from a cow, we sell. We also sell sperm from our prize bulls to breeders for bull riding. I just want to be a rancher. I don’t want to deal with the business world. I like being on the ranch, not having to deal with too many folks.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“Dad and Matt wanna open a dude ranch and a bed-and-breakfast. They say that’s the only way we’re gonna be able to stay alive. I wanna be a rancher. The dude ranch would seem to be a better fit for me than a sissy bed-and-breakfast inn, but I don’t want a bunch of city folk comin’ here playin’ cowboy and cowgirl for a weekend, you know?”
“Sure. That’s got to be hard.”
“It is. And I guess that’s why I’ve been so grouchy lately. And why I haven’t had time for Susie. I’ve been wracking my brain to find a solution.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help, I’d be glad to.”
Susie tossed around on her blanket. Her nap was ending.
“Thanks. Hey, did I overstep my boundaries by kissing you?” Rex pulled another daffodil from the ground and twirled it with his fingers.
“I’m not sure what your boundaries are.” Cora glanced in his direction and winked.
Rex turned toward her and studied her face then laughed. “What are you trying to say? It was okay with you, as long as it was okay with me?”
“I guess so.” Cora sat up. “It was just a kiss after all, right? I’m only surprised that it...I didn’t expect this to happen.”
“I have enjoyed being with you here. I think you’re a great person. So, I wanted to kiss you.”
“I see.” So it meant nothing to him. He had no way of knowing that she wasn’t a casual kisser.
“Did I answer correctly? Do I get the prize?” Rex teasingly poked her waist.
“You idiot.” She giggled. “I wasn’t sure what you were trying to do or say or whatever.” The meadowlarks sang in the distance.
“I wanted to kiss you. You’re lovely. I’m really growing to like you.”
“Me too.” Cora accepted that Rex had only kissed her as a gesture of friendship. He must want to be good friends.
* * *
When they arrived home, Cora took Susie into the house as Rex unloaded the truck, whistling a tune. Susie told Pearl all about their trip to the park and offered her a handful of yellow and white daisies. Pearl glistened with pleasure as she heard her stories. Cora went to her room to freshen up while Pearl entertained Susie.
In the hallway outside her room, Cora ran into Clarice, sporting her designer blouse and new tight jeans. Her high-heels added six inches to her height and made her calves look like she worked out every day. “Hello.”
“Hey, you’re just the person I was looking for.” Long earrings dangled from Clarice’s ears. Her thin arched eyebrows looked freshly waxed.
“Me? Why me?” Cora rubbed the back of her neck with her hand.
“You want to go with me tonight to Wild Bill’s?” Clarice tossed her hair, making pendulums out of her earrings.
“Thanks, but I’m really tired. We’ve been out all day with Susie.” Cora shifted her weight to one foot.
“Yeah, Mom told me you and Rex were together. I couldn’t believe it.”
“We weren’t together in that way. We thought it’d do Susie some good to be with both of us at the same time.”
“Rex’s idea?” Clarice smacked her gum.
“Yes.”
“I knew it. He’s sly, isn’t he?” Clarice popped her hip out.
“What do you mean?” Cora walked into her room.
Clarice followed her. “Rex likes you. I can tell.”
“He’s dating Veronica, in case you haven’t noticed. He obviously likes her more.” Cora pulled off her sneakers, shuddering at the thought.
>
“No, he only thinks he does. You’re more his type.” Clarice put her manicured hand on her hip.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. It won’t go that far. I work for him, and that’s all.” Cora sighed.
“Okay, sure, whatever. Anyway, do you want to go with me?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t usually go to bars. But thanks for asking.” Cora peered into the mirror on her dresser at Clarice behind her.
“Come on. I hate to go alone. It’s a lot of fun. There’s dancing and music. There’s always a game of pool goin’ on.”
“Maybe another night. It is Monday, after all.”
“Okay, then Friday night. We’ll go to Wild Bill’s then.” Clarice turned to leave Cora’s room like a tornado shifting direction.
“Clarice.”
“I won’t take no for an answer. Friday night after dinner.” Clarice disappeared down the stairs and out the front door.
Cora frowned at her reflection. “Ugh, I don’t want to go. I don’t drink. I don’t dance. I don’t play pool. I’m not comfortable in places like that.”
Chapter 8
The third Friday in August marked Cora’s sixth week at the ranch. The humidity was higher than in South Carolina, and the mosquitoes pestered her ferociously, but not enough to make her want to leave. Georgia fit her the same way the bark fit the oak tree outside her bedroom window. The rolling hills covered with green grass and the flat land of crops restored peace to her soul. And the fresh country air…although quite different from the salty sea breezes of home, it was cleaner than the city air in South Carolina. Could she stay in this place forever?
After spending Monday with Rex, Cora’s thoughts drifted continuously to her plans for her future. She watched the clock on the wall more than ever before and flipped through the same magazines until she had the pages memorized. She took Susie to get a haircut and got her hair trimmed as well. The stylist introduced herself as Mindy, Clarice’s best friend, and without hesitation filled Cora in on all the happenings of life in Southern Hope and Lewistown. The ladies Cora met buzzed about life around the area, making it easier for Cora to fall in love with her temporary hometown.
When Cora and Susie left the salon, they stopped by the library. Cora got a library card, although she didn’t need one if she wasn’t staying.
* * *
“Hey, Anne.” Cora hadn’t called her best friend since the day of Clark’s funeral. She certainly didn’t qualify for Friend-of-the-Year.
“Hey, girl. When you coming home?”
Cora grabbed her glass of lemonade off the kitchen counter and went out onto the back patio. “I don’t know.”
“You’re planning to come, though, aren’t you?”
“I am. I just don’t know when yet. I love being here. It’s renewing. Maybe you should come for a visit.” Cora settled on to the lounge chair by the pool.
“Maybe I should. So what are you doing besides taking care of the granddaughter?”
“Taking care of Susie keeps me pretty busy. But I’m also taking time to find myself.”
“I didn’t know you were lost.” Anne snickered. “I thought you got that worked out in church years ago.”
“You’re really funny. Seriously, though, I love this place, and the family is so precious. I could stay forever. I love being on the ranch.”
“But what’s there for you?”
“Maybe whatever I want there to be.”
“You’ll never meet someone new if you stay there.”
“Maybe I don’t want to meet anyone new. Maybe I want to be single for the rest of my life. I am pretty content right now just letting God be my only man.” Cora said this more to convince herself than to convince Anne.
Anne’s laugh blared through the phone. “You’ve lost it, Cora! You single for the rest of your life? Preposterous!”
“Okay, maybe I don’t want to stay single. But I don’t want to find a man just so I’ll have one. I need to be content alone.”
“Okay, whatever. You’ll definitely stay alone there.”
“Why? Are there no men here? You’re silly. There are men everywhere.”
“Yeah, cowboys.”
Cora stiffened her neck. “Nothing wrong with cowboys.”
“I can’t see you with a sweaty, dirty farmer. You like businessmen in suits.”
Sometimes Anne could be ridiculous. “First of all, the O’Reillys are ranchers, not farmers, and Mr. O’Reilly runs a business in Columbus with one of his sons. Second, there are tons of businessmen in Columbus. But, if you recall, my luck with men in suits hasn’t been too good. Besides, some of these men look pretty good in their cowboy boots and tight jeans.” Cora’s mind drifted to Rex. She cleared her throat.
“So you are noticing men. Finally!”
“Finally? My husband just died.”
“But he’s been gone a year.”
“I know, Anne, but I had to stay faithful to him until I knew what had happened to him.”
“So now you’re noticing there are men out there. Anyone in particular?”
“No. No one I’m willing to mention yet anyway.”
“You’re killing me, Cora. Maybe I should come for a visit.”
“You’d love it here. This town has a few iffy characters but for the most part it’s full of great people.”
“Panama City is full of great people too, Cora. We miss you.”
“I miss y’all too, but I need more time.”
* * *
“Clarice, is the invitation to go to Wild Bill’s still open?” Cora met Clarice in the upstairs hallway before dinner.
“Why, sure it is. Do you want to go?”
“I need something to get me recharged after the long week.”
“Goodie!” Clarice grabbed Cora in an embrace, engulfing her in her designer perfume.
Cora laughed. “Wild Bill’s isn’t exactly my type of place, but I think it’d be fun.”
“Okay. We’re gonna have so much fun. We’ll go after supper.”
Later, Cora put on her blue jeans, a black silk blouse, and the Western vest with silver buttons she’d purchased earlier in the week. She squeezed on her black suede ankle boots. Hopefully, they were right for the outfit. She pulled her hair back into a smooth ponytail, inserted into her earlobes dangly silver earrings in the shape of cowboy boots—another find in town—and added a bangle on her right wrist. She rubbed the scar from her ordeal. Would she ever forget the trauma?
After darkening her makeup a bit, she gave herself an approving nod in the mirror. The dark circles had finally faded from underneath her eyes. Just as she placed her money and identification in her pocket, Susie came into her room, dressed in her pink plastic stilettos with a matching feather boa wrapped around her neck.
“Cora, are you coming back home?” Susie held her teddy bear close to her chest.
“Of course I am, Sweetie. What would make you think I wouldn’t be back?” Cora bent to Susie’s level and stroked her cheek.
“My mommy didn’t come back when she left.” A frown settled across Susie’s freckled face.
“Come here. I promise you I’ll be back. You’ll already be in bed when I get home, but I’ll see you in the morning. In fact, if I’m not too tired, I’ll even come in and kiss you good night when I get back.” She brushed Susie’s golden hair out of her face.
“You will?”
“I promise. Now, come on. Walk me out.” Cora took Susie’s hand in hers. She gazed intently at the little tot. What had happened on the day Patricia died? Susie must have felt secure that her mother would return, and it scarred her when she didn’t.
When Cora and Susie got downstairs, Clarice stood in the foyer with Matt and another young man. Matt was dressed in his jeans and dress shirt with a skinny tie and dress cowboy boots. Casual, yet still dressed to impress the ladies. His hair was perfect, and his skin glowed like he’d gone for a facial. Surely not. She gave a quick glance in his friend’s direction. He could have been Matt�
��s twin.
“Good, Cora, you’re ready. Gosh, you look great. I mean it.” Clarice came over to Cora, grabbing her right hand with both of hers.
“Thanks.”
“This is Matt’s friend, Justin.” Clarice pointed with long fake nails the color of a red apple.
“Hey. Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Justin smirked.
“We’re going to ride with them, if you don’t mind. Mom feels better about us goin’ if we have escorts.” Clarice rolled her eyes, sweeping her lids with her long, fake lashes. “We can ditch them once we get there.” Clarice flashed all of her teeth.
“That’s fine with me if we ride with them. Or, we could follow them in my car. That way, if we want to leave early, we can.”
“Leave early? Are you crazy? No one leaves early, Cora.” Matt took her by the arm, and Clarice burst into laughter. “Let’s go paint the town.” He winked at her with his crystal blue eyes, shrugging his brows that she was sure he’d waxed. Quite the contrast from his rugged brother.
Cora smiled at Susie and kissed her good-bye, hiding her apprehension. If only she hadn’t decided to accompany them, but too late, she had. Matt whisked her into his Jeep, and off they went.
All the way to Wild Bill’s, Cora listened to Clarice flirt with Justin in the back seat. Were they dating? If so, why would Clarice want to separate from him at Wild Bill’s? Cora had a lot to learn about Clarice.
When they arrived at Wild Bill’s, Cora waited a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the place. Laughter floated like sawdust in the air while people danced. The band played country music, and she couldn’t help but tap her toes. The bells and whistles of a pinball machine and the clacking of pool balls hitting each other as someone played a game rang out from the loft area. Giant ceiling fans blew air all around and cigarette smoke filled the bar. Boiled peanut shells covered the floor. The energy of the place put Cora in the mood for some adult time, but she could have done without the smoke and the alcohol. The bartender stirred a mixed drink and offered it to a customer. Cora looked away. Her past experience with alcohol churned her stomach. They found a table and sat down.
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