In spite of his vow to remain uninvolved, Ryan found himself thinking of the future and wondering how serious his feelings for Julie might grow by the time he finally bid her goodbye. That notion was already bothering him some. If it kept deepening he was liable to have a lot of trouble leaving her behind.
He would do it, of course. There was no way he’d consider giving up a lucrative career for the sake of one attractive woman. Still, keeping in touch with her did have a gut-level appeal that he could not deny.
Watching her return bearing a platter with the uncooked steaks, Ryan felt an unexpected jolt of awareness. Every nerve from head to toe was tingling. His heart was racing. And when he reached out to relieve her of the platter he noticed a slight tremor in his fingers.
I’m just tired and hungry, he told himself. Sure. That was the problem. After all, it had been hours since Faith had brought over leftovers for their lunch and he was also used to eating his dinner a tad earlier.
He flopped the meat on the hot grill and heard it start to sizzle. “Is your sister going to come back and join us?” he asked.
“I don’t think so.” Julie gave him a smile that practically curled his toes. “She said she’d keep an eye on you from the main house but figured since we were eating in the yard, it would be safe enough for her to go home.”
“Does she have binoculars trained on me right now?”
“Probably our brother Austin’s telescope,” Julie quipped.
He couldn’t tell from her expression if she was kidding. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t planning to do anything that would warrant a visit from any of the Shaws. Actually, it was kind of nice to see how much they all cared about one another and that Julie was so willing to accept their surveillance. It spoke well of her character, although by this time he had no doubt she was a fine, upstanding lady. In contrast to most rodeo groupies, she was as innocent as one of her newborn lambs.
That thought made him grin.
Julie touched his arm lightly. “What’s so funny? They do have a telescope, although they usually use it for stargazing instead of spying on somebody.”
“I wasn’t thinking of that anymore,” Ryan admitted. He gave the steaks a poke with a long-handled fork to satisfy himself they were properly positioned, then concentrated on her. “I was thinking about you.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. Since you don’t like to be called Bo Peep, I think I have the perfect substitute nickname for you.”
She arched an eyebrow as she said, “I’m afraid to ask what it is.”
“Well…” He purposely drew it out to get the most reaction out of her. “I thought about how much you remind me of one of your little lambs, so I thought I’d start calling you Lambchop. Kind of endearing, don’t you think?”
The initial shock on her face was followed almost immediately by laughter that was so contagious he had to join in. Pretty soon they both had tears in their eyes and Julie was swishing hers away with her hands.
“Oh, brother,” she finally managed to gasp out. “I will never live that one down if anybody else hears it.”
“Too personal?”
“Too something, all right.” She sniffled and sniggered, finally grabbing a paper napkin and turning away to blow her nose. “I don’t think I’ve laughed this much or this often in years.”
To Ryan’s surprise he realized the same was true of him. Being with this woman was making him happier than he’d been in longer than he could remember. Maybe ever.
And that insight troubled him deeply.
* * *
As far as Julie was concerned, the only thing wrong with their meal was that it ended too soon. She supposed the steaks were delicious, particularly since Ryan seemed to have enjoyed his, but she had trouble swallowing more than a few bites. Thankfully, her dinner companion didn’t seem to notice.
“So tell me more about this centennial celebration you’re involved in,” Ryan said as he leaned back from the table, clearly sated.
Julie was delighted to have something to talk and think about beyond her burgeoning feelings for this itinerant cowboy.
She blotted her lips again and began. “Fourth of July and the rodeo you already know about. We’re changing focus each month until December, when we’ll celebrate the actual founding of Jasper Gulch.”
“Go on.”
Since he seemed truly interested, she warmed to her subject. “In August there’s going to be an old-timers’ baseball game. You’d be amazed at the famous ballplayers who’ve come from right around here. Some of them have agreed to come back and play for us.”
“Oh? Like who?”
“Hutch Garrison, for one. He’s been drafted by the Colorado Rockies.”
“Impressive. Anybody else?”
“Maybe Jack McGuire.”
“Who’s he? I’ve never heard that name before.”
“You wouldn’t have. Poor Jack was going to turn pro after college, but an injury killed his dreams. After his mother got sick, he came home and stayed to help run the ranch.”
“Too bad. What’s going on in September?”
“A country fair and picnic-basket auction.”
“Will you have a basket entered?”
“Considering my reputation in the kitchen, probably not,” Julie said with a shy smile. “I’d probably have to pay somebody to bid on mine.”
“Hey, I like PB and Js.”
She giggled. “Good to know, particularly if you intend to spend much more time here. I’m running out of ideas about what to feed you.”
“I’ll pack myself a lunch if it gets too bad,” Ryan replied, mirroring her smile. “What about October?”
“You really want to know?”
“Sure. If I happen to be in the neighborhood later in the year, I may swing by.”
That was the best news she’d heard in ages. “Well, let’s see. You may want to keep your distance in October because we’re planning the world’s largest Old Tyme Wedding, with a hundred people tying the knot at the same time.”
Ryan’s eyebrows shot up. “A hundred couples? That’s quite a challenge.”
“It’s just fifty brides and fifty grooms, but you’re right. It is pretty far-fetched to think we can pull it off. The biggest problem will be housing everybody who’s answered the ads we posted in newspapers and on the internet. I was actually surprised at all the positive response.” She paused and huffed. “Of course, we are offering a lot of free services, including a big combined reception.”
“Okay, I know to keep my distance in October,” Ryan teased. “How about November. Is it safe then?”
“If you like parades and banquets. That will be our homecoming month. I just hope the weather doesn’t interfere. It can get pretty cold here in the winter.”
“Agreed. What about Christmas?”
“Actually, it’s New Year’s Eve when we’ll end the party with commemoration of the town’s founding and the burial of a new time capsule.”
“Even if you don’t find the old one?”
Julie shrugged. “I can’t see why not. The vault is still usable and can be moved, if necessary. All we’ll need is another wooden box that fits inside the concrete one and we’ll be good to go. Dad plans to include a DVD of all six months’ worth of celebration. It should be fascinating in another hundred years.”
Lacing his fingers behind his head and leaning farther back, Ryan said, “Then you’d better include a player for it. Chances are, the whole system will be ancient history by the time somebody digs it up.”
“I’d never thought of that. Thanks. I’ll suggest it to the committee.”
“What about the old bridge? Are you planning to rededicate that sometime before Christmas?”
She sobered and slowly, thoughtfully, shook her head. “I
doubt it. We’ve managed to get the promise of a grant, but we have to match it to apply it and so far that’s not looking very promising. It would help if some of the old-timers weren’t so dead set against it.”
“Like Rusty, you mean?”
“More like my father. The whole project has divided the town into two camps, those who want the bridge and those who would just as soon let it rust away.” She sighed. “Personally, I wish it had never been built in the first place.”
“It was probably necessary in the old days. What do your historical records say?”
“If they were properly organized I might be able to tell you. Unfortunately, they aren’t. What we need is a pro to sort them. I’ve talked to a newcomer who’s here doing research for her master’s thesis.”
“You mean that museum historian you said was coming back to town soon? The one who used to live here?”
“Olivia Franklin? No. A different expert. Robin Frazier is here poking through our archives for her thesis. She told me she’d try to sort out a few things for us while she’s working on her own project, but I’m not holding my breath.”
“Does this Robin have ties to Jasper Gulch, too?”
“Not that I know of. We don’t have any Fraziers in the town’s past.”
“Well, maybe she’ll be of help anyway. It gives you two people with research expertise.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for, at least until the museum project gets off the ground. The committee has settled on a location on River Road, this side of the old bridge. That’s a start.”
Julie pushed back from the table. “Enough about Jasper Gulch. I bought ice cream for dessert. Would you like some now?”
“Only if it’s cherry vanilla,” Ryan said, rising and starting to stack their plates and bowls.
Julie gaped. “I don’t believe this.”
“What? That I’m clearing the table for you?”
“No. The flavor of ice cream you like. I bought three other kinds, hoping to please you, but all I usually have on hand for myself is cherry vanilla.”
“Great minds think alike,” he quipped, but she could tell her confession was bothering him. Truth to tell, it unsettled her, too. For two people who hardly knew each other, they were turning out to be awfully in tune.
“Next thing you know, we’ll be agreeing on music,” she told him. “What’s your favorite song?”
His grin broadened. He stood very still, balancing the plates and looking totally serious as he said, “Hmm. That would have to be ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep.’”
If he hadn’t had his hands full, Julie might have slapped his shoulder playfully. Since he was holding her best dishes, she made a silly face and rolled her eyes instead.
One thing was patently clear. She and this cowboy were alike in many ways, including their desire to remain independent and their shared sense of humor. She could not recall one previous conversation in which they had remained solemn. Not one. There was always joking and laughter involved. No matter how their discussions began, they always seemed to end on a high note.
It did occur to her to wonder about Ryan’s choice to avoid getting too serious. She was of like mind. Whenever life delivered problems, she looked for the good in them. That reaction was scriptural, but since Ryan wasn’t a believer, it didn’t explain why he did the same.
Chances were his joking was a means of covering his emotions and diverting attention from his real, tender feelings. She understood his desire to do so, particularly since he’d revealed the loss of his only brother at such an impressionable age. Nevertheless, if he was holding on to that grief instead of dealing with it, as she suspected, it was not healthy.
Why should she care what was in his heart? she asked herself. The answer was plain. Because anyone who was hurting needed to be helped, soothed, to experience the kind of unconditional love God bestowed upon His children.
Letting Ryan lead the way into the kitchen and waiting until he’d put the plates down, Julie carried the leftover salad to the refrigerator and stood with her back to him when she said, “There’s a service at my church, Mountainview Church of the Savior, every Wednesday night at six. Let’s plan on eating out afterward, okay?”
Dead silence behind her caused her to wonder if Ryan was still there. He was. And his expression reflected wariness.
Julie forced a smile. “What? You know I go to church all the time.”
“I don’t.”
“Would it kill you?”
“It might.”
To her relief, a lopsided smile was tugging at one corner of his mouth.
“Are you brave enough to chance it?” she pressed. “I understand they’ve reinforced the roof supports at Mountainview so the place probably won’t collapse just because you’re there.”
“Is that so?”
“Not really,” Julie replied. “However, as I told you, the new pastor is a younger man and not quite so traditional, although he does wear a clerical collar for Sunday services and some other duties.”
Ryan shrugged and began scraping the plates. “Okay. I guess it won’t be too bad. But I don’t guarantee I’ll know what’s going on.”
“I’ll guide you through if you get lost,” she said, beginning to picture her Australian shepherd corralling sheep. “Save what’s left of my steak for Dan, will you?”
“Are you trying to change the subject?”
Although that had not been her aim, she chose to agree. “Hey, you already said you’d go with me, so there’s no need to keep talking about church. I don’t want you to change your mind, and Dan really does get all my good table scraps.”
“There’s enough steak left on your plate to feed a grown man,” Ryan commented. “Are you sure you want to give it all to the one dog? What about the others?”
“They stay with the sheep 24/7 and I feed them quite well, even if they do miss a few treats.” Julie glanced from the sink to the wiggling gray-and-white dog at her feet. Dan had been watching the plates until Ryan had set them on the kitchen counter, then he’d switched his attention back to her.
She laughed lightly. “Look at him, Ryan. If we’re not going to at least give him some trimmings, you’re going to have to be the one to break the bad news.”
“He is about to jump out of his skin, isn’t he? Don’t tell me he’s that spoiled.”
“Oh, no. Not my dog. I’m always the boss in this house.”
As she watched Ryan trim the remaining edges off the piece of delectable meat and toss them to Dan, it warmed her heart. The wise dog had temporarily transferred his allegiance to the cowboy and was getting exactly what he wanted as a reward.
So what am I supposed to learn from that? If God intended for her to kowtow to Ryan, or any man, that was so not going to happen. She didn’t care how fond she was of her new friend, there was no way she’d defer to him. Not in a million years.
Never mind a million years, how about later this month? her thoughts countered. Will you be ready to let him just ride off into the sunset without speaking up?
Julie’s mind said yes. Her heart was not nearly so sure.
Chapter Twelve
If someone had told Ryan he’d end up attending the biggest church in town soon after arriving in Jasper Gulch, he’d have insisted it was impossible. Now that he was about to, he still could hardly believe it—and he’d almost missed his chance due to a small fire at the fairgrounds. By the time firefighters had put out a smoldering toolshed and had declared the incident nothing but simple vandalism, he’d had little time to shower, shave and change before heading for church.
He and Julie had not spent this particular day together, as in the past and he actually missed her. A lot. Whether or not she had planned it that way, he was so eager to see her again there was no way he was going to skip meeting her, even if
he had to go to church.
When he pulled up in front and saw the place, he realized how well the building fit the country atmosphere of Jasper Gulch. The rectangular center section was built of wide planks, stacked like a log cabin, with a weathered, dark patina that complemented the rock vestibule at the very front. The steeple was white, as was the front door, which stood open at the moment.
Ryan eased his pickup into the dry-dirt lot, taking care to stir up as little dust as possible. There was Julie’s truck! And there she was, too, standing on the plank walkway and shading her eyes, hopefully looking for him. For the first time since they’d met she wasn’t wearing jeans, and although her skirt was long he could see her feet and ankles. She was wearing dressy sandals and a lacy knit vest over a short-sleeved top that really set off her auburn hair and fair complexion.
His heart instantly responded the way it did when the chutes opened and he was catapulted into the rodeo arena. It sped so fast he could feel his galloping pulse without trying.
There were no close spaces open, so Ryan chose one farther out, parked and jogged to Julie.
“Hi! Am I late? There was a fire at the fairgrounds and I got delayed.”
“A fire? Is everybody okay?”
“Fine. No livestock was in danger, either. It looked as if kids might have been hiding in a toolshed to smoke or maybe just wanted to cause trouble. The fire department put the fire out fast.”
“That’s a relief. I hadn’t heard a thing yet, and by the time the rumors reach me they’ll probably say it was a lot worse.”
She eyed his Stetson. “It would probably be easier to leave your hat outside instead of holding it during the service. My truck is closer. Just toss it in there.”
“Okay. Sorry. I told you I wasn’t used to going to church.”
“No problem. Every cowboy needs a hat like that. Just not in church. You’d have remembered. You always took it off in the house.”
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