Every Little Thing About You (Yellow Rose Trilogy 1)

by Lori Wick

  Griffin had to leave right after dinner to go on duty.

  At the moment, Slater was never more glad that he had

  saved himself for marriage. His parents, although not

  believers, were very moral people and had strong convictions

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  on the subject. Respect for women and future mates

  was instilled from a young age. Slater had been unbelievably

  tempted over the years to throw it all away, but he had

  not. Even though his faith was new, he did not regret his

  actions in that area of his life.

  Sometime after midnight, Slater woke to find the

  lantern still burning. He blew it out, realizing he must have

  fallen asleep while praying. It took a moment to remember

  what had been on his mind. Liberty floated back into his

  consciousness just before sleep, and right after he told the

  Lord he would talk to Him in the morning.

  5--3r

  Every little Thing About You 101

  Liberty knew that being called to the saloon on a Saturday

  before noon was nothing to worry about. Saturdays

  didn't heat up until evening, and mornings were especially

  quiet, stemming from Friday late-nighters. For these reasons,

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  Liberty walked into the Brass Spittoon with confidence,

  a confidence that died as soon as she spotted him.

  Like the last time, the room was sprinkled with regulars.

  The gun-toting stranger stood out like a sore thumb. And he

  was big--big and dark--making him look all the more

  menacing. Liberty approached, praying for calm and for her

  own safety, and stood next to the table until he looked up.

  "Excuse me, sir," she began politely, I'll need you to

  surrender your firearm to me. Shotgun has outlawed

  firearms in the saloons and after dark."

  Liberty steeled herself when his hand instantly went

  down to his side. All he did, however, was set his side arm

  on the table and keep his hand on top of it. It seemed to be

  going fine until he didn't move his hand. Black eyes

  weighed Liberty, and with more calm than she felt, Liberty

  stared right back. This was the reason she knew the exact

  minute his gaze shifted behind her.

  "You're going to get yourself shot," she said in a voice

  that was measured and in control, "as well as whoever

  you're looking at behind me, if you don't gently push the

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  gun across the table."

  The dark man did just that, his touch light, his eyes

  back on Liberty.

  "Thank you," she said simply. "Do you have any

  more?"

  "No, ma'am/' he replied softly.

  "You're welcome to pick this up at the jailhouse later

  today. It's a block and a half down, on this side."

  The black-haired, black-eyed man nodded, and Liberty

  glanced at the man at the table with him, his crooked-tooth

  smile in place.

  "Well, at least ya didn't haul this one away."

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  Liberty shook her head. "As always, you're a big help,

  Lance."

  The man only cackled, and Liberty turned to go. She

  glanced around but didn't see anyone who appeared to

  know the stranger. Realizing there was still a chance that

  he could be ornery enough to pull a hidden gun or a knife

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  and get her from the back, she made herself walk away. He

  had certainly looked big, without even standing up. She

  spoke with Gordie before going back to the jailhouse, all

  the time hoping Griffin would be back before the man at

  the table came looking for his gun.

  "Did that really just happen," Dakota Rawlings asked

  his brother the moment he exited the saloon, "or did I

  imagine the whole thing?"

  Slater smiled. "At least you didn't get thrown in jail."

  Dakota's look was shrewd. "Meaning you did?"

  Slater nodded, and Dakota's gaze narrowed a bit more.

  "Why didn't you come inside?"

  Slater shrugged. "You didn't seem to need me."

  Again, this response was carefully weighed as Dakota's

  eyes narrowed. "Where can we talk?" he asked bluntly.

  "You mean, where can we go so you can give me the

  third degree and then lecture me?"

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  "That about sums it up," the older Rawlings said

  without apology.

  Slater had all he could do not to laugh, but he didn't

  think Dakota, his senior by just one year, was in the mood

  for levity. Slater turned and started down the boardwalk.

  Dakota moved to untie a huge black horse at the hitching

  post and then followed slowly behind his brother.

  Dakota missed little. His experience with the Texas

  Rangers had made his senses as honed as the knife in his

  boot. He noticed the way Slater walked with ease and even

  greeted by name some of the folks he passed, and how they

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  passed the sheriff's office on the way out of the downtown

  and into a residential neighborhood. The last thing he

  noticed was the way Slater walked right in the back door

  of the house he approached.

  Dakota saw the barn out back but opted to tie Eli's reins

  to a tree before following his brother inside. Slater was

  waiting in what Dakota found to be the kitchen, but the

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  younger man turned and led the way the moment Dakota

  shut the door. When he walked into a nicely furnished

  living room and sat down like he owned the building,

  Dakota was more intrigued than ever.

  "Start talking," Dakota, recovering swiftly, ordered, his

  seat having just hit the chair opposite Slater's.

  "About what?"

  "Don't play games with me, Slate. I've seen Brace, and

  I've been tracking you for days. Now I want to know why

  you left the Rangers."

  "You won't like the answer."

  Slater's voice and expression calmed Dakota immediately.

  He loved his brother; he was devoted to him. The last

  thing he wanted to do was make him feel attacked over his

  beliefs. He was, however, desperate to understand.

  "Can you tell me this?" Dakota began again. "Why

  don't you think God wants us to keep law and order in

  Texas?"

  "I do think that God wants that, Dak. I know He does.

  But I can't keep roaming around the country. I can't keep

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  on the move like I have been. I want to be settled in one

  place and regularly attending church. I need consistent

  teaching and fellowship, not grabbing what I can, when I

  can."

  "And Shotgun gives you that? How did you even hear

  of this place?"

  "I didn't. I was just traveling at an easy pace and found

  myself in jail. When the sheriff asked me to church, I went

  I haven't wanted to leave. It's not any more complicated

  than that."

  '"*

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  Dakota didn't agree, but for the moment he kept silent.

  In his opinion, this whole thing was miserably complicated.

  He was still getting used to the first change in Slater;

  now he'd gone and made another one.


  "Just so I have it straight/' Dakota began. "You now

  believe the way Grandma and Cash do--that the only way

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  to heaven and happiness on this earth is through the

  Christ?"

  "Yes."

  Dakota nodded before asking, "What was wrong with

  your life, Slate, that you needed that?"

  Slater had to think about that one. The question didn't

  stump him, but wording the answer for his brother did.

  "If you've never experienced a gnawing ache, Dak,

  then this won't make any sense," Slater began, his voice

  soft and serious as he remembered the pain. "But gnawing

  ache is the best way I can describe how I felt. Texas is a big

  land. It's easy to look at the sky and landscape and feel

  completely insignificant. I felt that way often. I found

  myself asking more and more what the point was. I

  believed in my work, and I was glad when I did a good job,

  but the fulfillment I once had was gone. I knew I had to

  find something that gave my life more meaning.

  "Thaf s why I talked with Desmond Curtis. I know

  there are men who can both walk the path God has laid out

  for His children and travel. Des is a good example of that

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  But I couldn't, Dakota. That's all the more I can tell you."

  Dakota worked to calm the frustration rising inside of

  him. Slater was a good Ranger. He needed to be on the job.

  Dakota had just figured out what to say to him concerning

  that very subject when Slater stood.

  "I've got to get cleaned up."

  "We're not done talking." In the blink of an eye, Dakota

  became authoritative again.

  "I'm afraid we are," Slater said calmly. "I'm going to a

  barn-raising party. Now, you're welcome to join me--in

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  fact, I hope you do--but for right now the discussion is

  over."

  "Slater," Dakota began, but the blond man was already

  headed toward the stairs. Dakota rose, went to the bottom

  step, and called his name again.

  "We have to leave here in about 30 minutes, Dak/ was

  all Slater would say. He didn't even turn around. "You

  won't want to smell like a horse."

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  For the first time in days, a smile threatened at Dakota's

  mouth. His brother knew just where to hit. With a shake of

  his head, he went for his saddlebags, seeing no help for it but to get cleaned up so he could accompany his little brother and keep an eye on the whole situation.

  '**.

  No one knew exactly how the fire started, but the

  Coppersmiths' barn had burned down three weeks back.

  The stock was rescued, but the building was lost The

  townsfolk, many of them from the church, now gathered

  on the third Saturday of November to build a new structure.

  A level wooden floor had been laid on a stone foundation,

  and the plan for the day was to raise the walls and

  the" roof before dark--all of this after the square dance.

  Wagons arrived bearing families, baskets of food, and

  tools for the workers. Stacks of lumber, boxes of nails, and

  work supplies were set in place for the main event. Quilts

  were laid out, but many tables were set up too. The children

  chased each other, the adults visited, and in one

  corner of the barn, a small trio was tuning up--two fiddles

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  and a strum bucket. In no time at all, the floor was being

  used.

  By the time Slater and Dakota arrived, the square dance

  was in full swing. From her place under a tree, liberty happened

  to look up and see Slater joining a group of men as

  they were talking. She noticed the dark-haired man with

  him but didn't make the connection. She was telling herself

  not to stare when Tess joined her.

  "Hi,Tess."

  "Hi, Libby." Tess smiled in her direction, but Liberty

  could see that she was not her bubbly self.

  "How are you?"

  "I'm okay. How are you?"

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  *

  ,"#

  v?

  187

  108 lori wick

  "Fine," Liberty said honestly but kept an eye on less.

  "Are you sure you're all right?"

  "How's your mom, Ubby?" Tess asked, ignoring the

  question.

  "She's feeling pretty good. Duffy had to work until

  2:00, so she'll come with him then."

  The women were silent for a moment. The floor was

  quite full now, and the music was wonderful. Both women

  enjoyed a good square dance, but each wanted to be asked

  only by certain men. Liberty suddenly caught sight of

  Slater again. This time many women had joined the group,

  and as Liberty watched, one put her hand on his arm. Liberty

  glanced at Tess in an effort to shift her gaze and knew she had to forget herself and ask the question again.

  "Tess?" Liberty's voice was soft. "Are you sure you're

  all right?"

  Tess sighed and admitted, "I will be, but Papa said he

  would come today, and then he backed out. Mama didn't

  want to come either, so I rode with the Millers. I was okay

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  until I got here and saw all the families grouped off. It

  makes me feel a little lonely."

  Liberty's heart ached for her, and wishing to be a comfort,

  she said, "Maybe you'll have a family of your own one

  day, Tess."

  "I suppose it could happen," Tess said. "I guess I have

  to keep trusting."

  "Is that your way of saying that you haven't been?"

  Tess' blue eyes met Liberty's gaze. "I will admit to you.

  Lib, that it's been pretty hard lately." Tess gave a little shake

  of her head. "It's so awful, Libby--all this hurt. I really am

  glad for your family that Griffin is still alive, but it occurred

  to me just as I was turning in last night, that for me, he

  might as well be dead."

  Liberty's breath caught in her throat. The pain on Tess'

  face was unlike any she'd ever seen. Her words only confirmed

  the fact that this was miserable for her.

  Every Little Thing About You 109

  "I'm wicked, aren't I?" Tess whispered, tears coming to

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  her eyes.

  "No, Tess," Liberty whispered right back, a hand going

  to the other woman's arm. "I would never think that. And

  do you know what? You're right. I wish it wasn't so, but

  you're completely right about Griff. There's nothing

  anyone can do. There's certainly nothing I can say. I wish

  there were."

  Tess nodded, her eyes going to her hands, which were

  fiddling with the pleats in her dress. Liberty dropped her

  own hand, thinking she would have both of them sobbing

  if she didn't let the subject go. For a time the women sat in

  silence. Liberty was slowly growing more stunned over

  what Tess had revealed, and Tess felt guilty for having the

  thought and admitting it.

  "Hello, ladies." Slater was suddenly in front of them,

  his eyes smiling and kind. Liberty thought him adorable in

  a crisp plaid shirt and dark denim pants. His light-colored

  hat was in place, and Liberty th
ought as she had before that

  the hat always worked to accentuate his eyes.

  "How are you, Mr. Rawlings?" Tess asked.

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  "I'm fine. Are you enjoying yourself?"

  Tess smiled, not wanting to lie, and said, "It's certainly

  a nice day for a barn raising."

  "Indeed. Is your family around?" Slater asked now, this

  time of Liberty.

  "They're coming in a little while," she explained. For a

  moment she had been rather lost in the sight of him, but

  her gaze had drifted as she wondered whether Griffin

  knew of Tess' thoughts.

  "Would you care to join me in the next set?"

  Probably not. Tess said that it had just occurred to her last

  night.

  "Would you like to dance, Libby?"

  Then again, they may have seen each other earlier today, I'd

  like to think that this news would affect Griffin like it has me, so

  maybe he doesn't know after...

  110 lori wick

  "Lflbby!" less' voice came through to the daydreaming

  deputy at the same time she shook her arm. "Mr. Rawlings

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  is trying to ask you something."

  "Oh, I'm sorry." Liberty looked to Slater to find him

  smiling in great amusement

  "Would you care to dance?"

  Liberty blinked. "You want me to dance?"

  Slater's smile grew. "Well, we could start to work with

  the hammer and nails, but I thought dancing might be a bit

  more fun."

  Liberty laughed and stood. Slater offered her his arm,

  and just a minute later they had joined a group. There was

  no time for talking, something that suited Liberty fine. She

  smiled and laughed as they spun around, changed partners,

  stood opposite each other, and promenaded from one

  end of the floor to another. They were breathless when the

  set was through and only too glad to turn the floor over to

  the next group.

  "Hiank you," Slater said as they stepped off the floor.

  "How about some water?"

  "That sounds good, thank you."

  They stood in line with the other couples for a chance

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  at the clipper, and it was there that Slater caught Liberty

  looking back at Tess. He looked as well and saw that Griffin

  had joined her. Liberty's eyes took on a look he hadn't seen

  before.

  "Here you go, Libby," Slater said as he offered her the

  ladle. Liberty drank and handed it back. She watched

  Slater drink, realizing only then that she'd been distracted.

  Even so, she took one more peek at Tess and her brother.

  "Why don't we come over here out of the way," Slater