by Janice Hanna
TEXAS
TEXAS
BY JANICE HANNA
Summerside Press™
Minneapolis 55438
www.summersidepress.com
Love Finds You in Groom, Texas
© 2011 by Janice Hanna
ISBN 978-1-60936-006-1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.
The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
The town depicted in this book is a real place, but all characters are fictional. Any resemblances to actual people or events are purely coincidental.
Cover Design by Koechel Peterson & Associates | www.kpadesign.com
Interior design by Müllerhaus Publishing Group | www.mullerhaus.net
Cover and interior photos of Groom, Texas, by Dale Shawgo, www.wix.com/awesomephotography/awesomephotography.
Used by permission.
Summerside Press™ is an inspirational publisher offering fresh, irresistible books to uplift the heart and engage the mind.
Printed in USA.
Dedication
To my 2010 Johnny Be Good codirector, Kathy Deitz.
As the cowardly lion would say:
“If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have found my courage.”
Your help as codirector freed me up
to write this quirky tale. I’m eternally grateful.
Anyone who does not take his cross and
follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and
whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
MATTHEW 10:38–39 NIV
GROOM, TEXAS, IS LOCATED IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, JUST EAST of Amarillo. There, against the backdrop of ranch lands and canyons, you can find tumbleweeds, open plains, and some of the finest cattle in the country.
Groom was once known for its ranches. In fact, Colonel B. B. Groom owned one of the largest ranches in the area. These days, Groom is known for something else—the tallest cross in the world. The cross, which is nineteen stories high, can be seen from twenty miles away. Of course, it was built long after the action in this book takes place. Because I couldn’t use the cross in my story, I opted to allude to it. You will notice that Anne wears a cross necklace at all times. The Lord uses it to bring healing to her heart and draw her to Him. In the same way, the cross in modern-day Groom offers hope and healing to all who pass by.
Groom, Texas, is not a fairy-tale place. It is very real. And while it may not be known for its single fellas, it is known as a place where people can find healing and hope for their lives. I pray this story reflects the spirit of the people in that fine town.
Janice Hanna
Chapter One
Amarillo, Texas, 1914
Looking for some of the best ranch land in the country? Look no farther than the plains of the Texas Panhandle. The pioneers of yesterday saw the possibilities and arrived in record numbers. Famed cattlemen settled the area, building some of the most impressive ranches the state has ever known. Why not join them? If you have a hankerin’ to rustle cattle or build fences, c’mon out to the Texas Panhandle. Join hundreds of other cattlemen in their quest to make Texas the beef capital of the world. —“Tex” Morgan, reporting for the Panhandle Primer
“How does it feel, being the last single fella in town?”
“S’cuse me?” Jake turned to face his best friend. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.” Cody laughed, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. “When I get married a week from now, you’ll be the only fella in Groom who isn’t hitched. Don’t tell me it hasn’t occurred to you. Everyone’s talking about it.”
“Ugh.” Jake raked his fingers through his hair. Of course it had occurred to him. He just hadn’t planned on taking it up with anyone other than the Lord. And as for everyone in town gabbing about it, that only made the situation more uncomfortable. Why did folks always have to go nosing in where they didn’t belong? He’d already had his fill of family members prodding into his nonexistent love life. Take Mama, for instance. And his older brothers—and their wives. Why couldn’t everyone just leave him alone? What was the problem with being single, anyway?
Jake continued walking down the railroad track toward home, hoping his friend would take his silence as a hint to change the direction of the conversation.
Unfortunately, Cody had other ideas. He slapped Jake on the back and chuckled. “I guess being single and male makes you something of an oddity in these parts. You can’t blame folks for talking, now, can you?”
“Actually, I can.” Jake felt his jaw tighten as he spoke. “Gossip is gossip. So let’s just call it what it is.” He drew in a deep breath to calm himself and focused on the train track under his feet. Just keep walking. Don’t let ’em get to you.
“Ah.” Cody’s eyebrows elevated. “Taking this pretty seriously, are you?”
“You betcha.” Jake stopped walking and turned to look at his friend, willing his temper not to flare. “I’m the laughingstock of the town, according to all my brothers. And you know how they are.”
“I do know how they are.” Cody laughed. “The O’Farrell brothers are a force to be reckoned with, especially once they get their minds made up about something. Present company excluded, of course.”
“They’re having a field day with this.” Jake paused and shook his head. “And as for being an oddity, it’s always been that way. I’m the only one in the family who thinks that working for the railroad holds more interest than branding cattle or building fences. That alone makes me strange in their eyes.” He paused to think about how true those words were. Nothing like being the odd man out, especially in your own family. Then again, he’d always been fodder for jokes for his older brothers. In that respect, nothing much had changed—only the type of jokes.
“Your brothers are competitive, that’s all.” Cody shrugged and gave him a thoughtful look. “They want to prove that your family’s ranch is the finest in Carson County. No shame in that. Just a hefty dose of family pride.”
“I don’t care anything about having the largest herd or the finest piece of land.” Jake paused to think about what he’d just said. “Well, let me restate that I do care, because my father cared. It meant a lot to him, and anything that was important to my father is important to me. But I see my work with the railroad as a way to help my brothers accomplish their goals on the ranch. To carry on my father’s legacy. So I guess you could say we’re working hand in hand to achieve the same things. They just don’t see it that way. Or if they do, they’re not sayin’.”
Cody’s expression grew more serious. “They’ll catch on before long, Jake. With the railroad so accessible, a lot of things will be changing. For the better, I mean.”
He shook his head. “Maybe. I just have different ideas from most around here, even my own brothers. Can’t help that. Ma says I was cut from a different piece of cloth.”
“Well, if we could find you a bride who liked to sew, that would be just the ticket, now, wouldn’t it?” Cody bent over and slapped his knee, his laughter reverberating through the air.
Jake did his best not to groan aloud. “I really don’t think you need to be trying to find me a bride. Honestly, I—” Off in the distance a train whistle pierced the air. He paused and stepped off the track, knowing the 5:35 train to Amarillo would be through momentarily.
“Don’t give up just yet.” Cody stood aright and gave him a pensive stare. “I’m going to find you a bride if it’s th
e last thing I do. Consider it my life’s mission.”
“I really wish you would stop this ridiculous—”
“The Widow Baker is lookin’ for a husband.” Cody gave him a knowing look. “She told my mama just last Sunday after church that she’s itchin’ to be hitched.”
Jake kept walking. “She’s in her fifties. And do we really have to talk about this? I’m very happy being single.”
“Of course you are.” The look on Cody’s face shifted to one of sympathy. “What about Cassie Martin? She’s always taken a shine to you. Remember how she used to tease you back in school? And if I remember right, you played along. ’Course, she’s not as easy on the eyes as my Virginia, but if a fella squinted, I’m sure she’d be near to tolerable. I hear she’s a great cook. That has to work in her favor. Just focus on the circumference of her flapjacks, not her waistline.”
Jake groaned and continued walking away from the tracks. This was getting worse by the moment. “You and I both know that Cassie’s mama has been trying to marry her off to any fella who would look her way. And I’m not saying she’s not pretty, that’s not it. She’s just not…”
“Your type?” Cody hollered over the clacking of the approaching train. “Well maybe that’s the problem. Maybe you’re too picky. To hear your sisters-in-law tell it, they’ve brought dozens of girls around over the past couple years and you’ve turned up your nose at every one.”
“I’d like to change the subject now,” Jake called out.
Thankfully, the locomotive came barreling through, making so much racket that Cody’s response couldn’t be heard. Only when the caboose finally slipped off in the distance could Jake make out his words.
“No doubt you’re content to stay single. Still livin’ at home with Mama doin’ all the cookin’ and cleanin’. Sounds mighty tempting, I’ll admit.”
Ugh. Those were fighting words.
Only one problem—Jake didn’t have it in him right now to fight. What could he say in his own defense, anyway? His mother did cook and clean for him. She wouldn’t have it any other way. And sure, he’d talked about moving out of the main house for years, but every time he’d brought it up, her tears convinced him to stay. He didn’t blame her. Not really. Ever since Papa’s death two years ago, she’d been more dependent on Jake than ever. Much as he wanted to, if he started working on his own place, she would surely crumble. No, he’d stay put for now to make sure she was all right.
“Nothing wrong with being a mama’s boy.” Cody grinned. “You’re the youngest of five brothers and the last to leave the nest. Can’t blame her for doting on you.” Off he went on a tangent, talking about the pros and cons of a grown man living at home with his mother.
Jake bit his tongue and willed himself not to respond. If his best friend saw him as being tied to his mother’s apron strings, no doubt everyone else in town did too. Once again, he wished everyone in Groom would keep their thoughts and opinions to themselves.
“One of these days, a pretty gal’s gonna come along and convince you there’s a whole new world out there just waiting for you.” Cody paused and appeared to be thinking. “I speak from experience. Until I met Virginia, I had no plans to marry and settle down. You of all people should remember how much I loved playing the rowdy bachelor.”
Jake remembered, all right. And the fact that Cody had been won over by the love of a well-bred girl from the East was nothing short of miraculous. The older ladies in town had pretty much written him off as husband material because of his wild and woolly ways. Virginia Harrison had calmed him down and then some. Cody hadn’t missed a Sunday service in nearly four months now. Talk about a changed man.
“Speaking of my bride-to-be, I hear she stopped by your place this morning with her maid of honor in tow.” Cody grinned. “What did you think of Amaryllis, anyway? She’s a pretty girl, isn’t she? And she came all the way from New York to be in the wedding. What do you make of that highfalutin way she talks? I can’t make heads ’ner tails of it, but I hear tell it’s citified.”
“Very.” Jake shrugged. “And to answer your question, she seemed nice enough. Didn’t really pay much attention to her, to be honest.”
“So I heard. Virginia said you slipped out the back door just minutes after they arrived. What was so important down at the station that you couldn’t wait five minutes to meet a pretty lady who came all that way?”
Jake shook his head. Looked like this conversation wouldn’t be ending anytime soon. And what could he say to turn things around, really? That he wasn’t interested in any of the girls he’d met thus far, or that matchmaking was a primeval form of entertainment for the town’s married women? That God was going to have to split the heavens open and add the backdrop of a heavenly choir when the right gal happened by?
It sounded ludicrous, but Jake couldn’t help how he felt about the matter. Besides, what would be the point of marrying some woman who didn’t suit him just because folks talked him into it? Likely he’d get fifty-plus years of agony out of the deal. Or worse, a pretense of a relationship. No thank you. He’d seen that happen with his uncle Leo and aunt Bets. He’d wait for the real deal, thank you very much.
And if the real deal never came along…well, that would be all right too.
Chapter Two
Searching for the perfect place to settle down and raise a family? Look no further than the scenic Texas Panhandle. In this breathtaking slice of heaven on earth, night skies are so clear and bright you can practically reach out and snatch the stars with your hand. Majestic canyons run so deep they’ll draw the breath right out of you as you gaze down at the rivers running through them. And those wide-open plains! Why, there’s no greater spot in the modern-day Wild West for an adventurer to settle down and kick off his boots. Folks from Dalhart to Amarillo to Wichita Falls will welcome you with open arms and a genuine “Howdy.” So, what’s keepin’ you away, friends? Head to the far northwestern tip of Texas today for the adventure of a lifetime. Tell ’em Tex sent you. —“Tex” Morgan, reporting for the Panhandle Primer
Anne smoothed her gloves between her fingers, agonizing over how stained they’d gotten between Denver and Amarillo. So much for propriety. A proper Denver socialite would never be seen in public with soiled gloves.
“Denver socialite, indeed,” she whispered as she gave the once white gloves a final glance. Those days were long gone, and she’d better get used to it.
Looking out the grimy train window at the miles and miles of barren plains did little to lift her mood. “Thank goodness we’ll be in Dallas by tomorrow afternoon. I’m going a little stir-crazy.” Anne flashed what she hoped would look like a comforting smile in the direction of her two younger sisters. “I feel like I’ve eaten nothing but soot for the past forty-eight hours. It’s going to be the death of me.”
Little Kate looked up from the book she’d been reading, her precious blue eyes brimming as she appeared to be pondering that last phrase. “W–what did you say, Annie?” the youngster whispered, a lone tear trickling over the edge of her lashes. “Something about dying?”
At once Anne wished she could take back her words. How careless they’d been. “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just a silly expression.”
“I see.” The seven-year-old rubbed the back of her hand across her cheek and turned her attention to the train window, whispering, “It’s just a silly expression.”
Anne released a slow breath, wishing she knew a way to make this right. Her younger sisters had been through enough pain already. Why did she add to it with such thoughtless words? Anne turned her attention to ten-year-old Emily. “Still reading that tourist paper you picked up at the train station in Amarillo?”
“Yes, and it’s wonderful!” Emily’s eyes widened as she clutched the paper to her chest. “Oh, Annie, do we have to go to Dallas? Can’t we stay in the Panhandle forever?”
“Whyever would we want to do that?” Anne pointed through the dirty glass. “As you can see,
there is not much to recommend this area to those of us accustomed to Denver’s beautiful snowcapped mountains. Best I can tell, no one settles here anyway. I’ve never seen such barrenness.”
“Oh, but you’re not seeing all of it.” Emily rose and handed Anne the newspaper then wriggled her way into the spot next to her. “At least, not the way Tex Morgan describes it in this tourist paper.”
“Tex Morgan?” Anne stifled a laugh. What sort of fellow called himself Tex?
“He’s a reporter, and a really good one too. Read this and then you’ll know what you’re missing. It sounds…breathtaking!”
“Breathtaking, eh?” Anne took the paper and began to read. Several lines into the over-the-top description of the Texas Panhandle, she looked up and sighed. “Wild West, indeed. How do folks come up with such nonsense?”
“It’s not nonsense,” Emily said. “And I would give my left arm to write for the paper like Tex Morgan does. To be a reporter for a Texas newspaper would be…splendiferous.”
“Splendiferous?” Anne chuckled. “Have you taken to memorizing the dictionary now?”
“Yes.” Emily sighed, and a dreamy-eyed expression took over. “I need to learn all the words I can if I’m going to be a famous writer. My vocabulary needs to grow expo…exponen…”
“Exponentially?”
“Yes.” Emily grinned. “Exponentially.”
“Well, I must say, your stories are much better written than this….” Anne wanted to add “piece of drivel” but didn’t. Instead, she continued reading until she finished the article then folded the paper and handed it back to her sister. “These Texans are mighty proud of their state, aren’t they? And it’s clear they love a tall tale.”
“I love them too.” Emily sighed and a faraway look came over her. “Papa used to tell the best stories, didn’t he, Annie? I miss him so much.” The youngster’s eyes filled with tears and she turned her face to the window.