by Carol Cox
The rest of the service went smoothly. Kate knew she could relax when she heard Sam Gorman play the final notes of the closing hymn. As he segued into the postlude, she gathered up her coat and purse.
Livvy circled around the knot of people who crowded the platform to speak to Paul and headed straight for Kate.
“I’m so sorry. I would have been over to help out yesterday, but I had to make up for the time I took off work when I was sick last week.”
She clasped Kate’s hands. “I feel like a bad friend.”
Kate pulled her hands free so she could wrap her arms around Livvy and give her a warm hug. “You’d have to do a lot worse than that to call yourself a bad friend, Livvy Jenner.”
Livvy glanced over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “Any more ideas on the Mustang caper? Or have you had any time to think about it with all that’s been going on?”
“I’ve hardly had a moment to call my own since I got the news about Paul being hurt.” Kate peered between the well-wishers to check on him.
“I remember when Justin broke his arm playing football.” Livvy patted her on the shoulder. “It’s a full-time job, isn’t it?”
“And then some.” Kate forced a laugh. She hesitated before continuing but knew Livvy wouldn’t make light of her feelings.
“To be honest, I’m frustrated. And that makes me feel incredibly guilty, but it’s hard for me to adjust when my regular routine is thrown for a loop like this.
“On top of all the usual things, there’s taking care of Paul, plus trying to solve the Mustang caper”—she grinned at Livvy’s term for the diner mystery—“plus needing to work on that special order. I did tell you about that, didn’t I?”
At Livvy’s look of surprise, she quickly brought her friend up to date.
Livvy’s eyes shone. “That’s wonderful, Kate! I’m so pleased for you. It’s time your work started getting the recognition it deserves.”
Kate felt her cheeks grow warm from Livvy’s praise. “Thanks. I have to admit it was a morale boost to get that order just when everything else in my life seems to be going crazy.”
She checked again to see how Paul was getting along. He had returned to his seat in the chair, but he still looked like his energy level was high.
Livvy wore her practical-librarian look. “There has to be a way to manage things so you can get it all done. What’s on for tomorrow? More on the car mystery?”
“I’m afraid that’s going to have to go on the back burner for the moment. I really ought to get to work on that fanlight. No, make that I really need to. I’ve got to focus on it before the time gets away from me.”
She shot another look toward the platform. Paul’s smile looked a bit strained. Maybe the pain medication was wearing off.
“I’d better get Paul home now, Livvy. Thanks for the sympathy. It’ll all work out somehow.”
Livvy gave Kate’s arm an affectionate squeeze. “Of course it will. What you need is to get some time in your studio and lose yourself in the creative process. Just step back from all the other stuff for a bit. You’ll be able to look at things from a clearer perspective.”
Kate saw Eli moving forward to help Paul retrieve his crutches. Apparently he had the same idea she did.
“Thanks, Livvy. You always make me feel better. God really blessed me by giving me a friend like you.”
Kate slipped out of the church to retrieve her car and pull it around to the front entrance, then she waited for Eli to help Paul get settled in the passenger seat. The two men talked basketball on the drive home, leaving her free to mull over her conversation with Livvy.
I really do need to relax more and not get stressed over things I can’t change.
She glanced over, noting that Paul looked tired but still wore a smile. He’s taking all this much better than I am. As he keeps reminding me, it’s only a broken ankle.
She pulled into the garage, determined to get her mind off the things that were weighing her down and focus on counting her blessings instead.
For one thing, Paul wasn’t totally incapacitated; he was up and around, even if he was moving more slowly than usual.
For another, he had a wonderful attitude. Some men would be griping and complaining from sunup to sunset.
They also had a great friend in Eli, who stood ready to help out any way he could. She stepped out of the Honda and watched him help Paul out of the car.
And then there was Livvy. God truly had bestowed a special blessing with their friendship.
Kate bumped the driver’s door shut with her hip and let herself into the house with a lighter heart, leaving Paul in Eli’s capable hands.
She set the Bibles on the arm of the couch and stepped into the kitchen while Paul and Eli followed more slowly.
“Thanks for your help,” Paul said to Eli. “I appreciate being able to call on you.”
The younger man patted him on the shoulder. “I’m glad everything went smoothly. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do. Right now, it looks like you’re ready for a nap.”
“How about having lunch first?” Kate asked. “You don’t need to be skipping any more meals, Paul. Eli, would you like to stay and eat with us?”
Eli’s eyes lit up. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”
“I’d say we’re the ones who imposed on you,” Paul told him. “Why don’t you let us turn the tables and do something for you in return?”
“We’re having pot roast.” Kate opened the oven to check its progress, releasing a tantalizing aroma into the air. “I had it on time bake. It should be ready in about twenty minutes. I’m fixing potatoes and gravy too,” she added.
Eli closed his eyes and sniffed appreciatively. “I’ll stay. You don’t have to twist my arm one bit more. Your cooking isn’t something I would ever turn down without a good reason.”
Kate bustled around the kitchen finishing the last-minute preparations while the men retired to the living room and continued their conversation.
She set three places at the table then pulled the roast from the oven and poured the drippings into a pan. She added flour, milk, and a dash of salt, stirring the mixture carefully to keep any lumps from forming.
The men’s voices formed a pleasant hum in the background. Kate transferred the thickened sauce to a gravy boat and pulled her favorite platter from the cupboard.
Taking out a sharp knife, she began slicing the pot roast, only half listening while the topic of conversation moved from basketball to the previous month’s Chamber of Commerce meeting to the latest news around town.
But Eli’s next comment caught her full attention.
“I hear the fellow who owns the Mustang that hit the diner got a pleasant surprise in yesterday’s mail. His insurance company sent him a settlement check, and it sounds like he came out quite well on the deal.”
“I don’t follow you,” Paul said. “Why would that surprise him?”
Kate set the knife down and listened.
“For one thing, the insurance company gave him a hard time at first. Out of all the cars he has cluttering up his property, it seems the Mustang was the only one he had insured besides that ’56 Chevy he drives.”
“I’ve seen that Chevy. He did a nice job on the restoration.”
“The insurance company also had a problem with him not reporting the Mustang as stolen right away. But since Sheriff Roberts wrote it up as a theft, and the car was totaled, they didn’t have much choice but to cover the loss. And from what I hear around town, they shelled out a pretty fair amount for it.”
“That seems odd,” Paul said. “Why have full coverage on a car he didn’t drive?”
Kate peered through the doorway and saw Eli shrug. “That’s a good question. Myers is kind of a character, though. There’s no telling what makes him do some of the things he does.”
Paul chuckled. “I suspect the same thing could be said for a good many of us.”
Kate heard Eli laugh as she returned to arrange the roast on
the platter and carry the serving dishes to the table. Then he cleared his throat, and his voice took on a more solemn tone.
“As tired as you must be today, Paul, it probably isn’t a good time to bring this up. But I’m not sure there ever will be a good time.”
“You know you can talk to me anytime, Eli. You’re my friend as well as a church member, and I’m always glad to hear from you, whether it’s good news or not.”
What now? Kate set the gravy boat next to the bowl of potatoes and strained to listen.
“Thanks, I appreciate that. I’ve been sitting on this for a few days, trying to decide what to do, or whether I needed to do anything. I still haven’t made up my mind yet, but I think it’s something you should be aware of at any rate.”
“Go on.” Paul’s tone carried the same curiosity Kate felt.
“I stopped by the church the other day to pick up some tools I’d left in the storage shed, and I noticed the lawn mower was missing.”
“That’s odd. Did you ask Avery about it?”
“I would have, but he wasn’t around that morning. I caught Millie just as she was leaving her office, and she told me she’d seen Avery loading it onto his truck and driving away with it.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t say anything to me about it. Do you think the mower needed some repair?”
“That’s just it,” Eli said. “I checked it over before we put it away last fall. It was running fine then.”
“Well, whatever his reason for taking it, maybe he’s brought it back by now.”
Kate stepped to the door to call the men to the table and saw Eli’s pained look.
“I went by yesterday and checked. It’s still missing, Paul. I don’t know what’s going on, but I thought you should know, especially in light of the comments some of the church members are making about Avery.”
Paul noticed Kate and clapped Eli on the shoulder. “It looks like it’s time to eat. Thanks for telling me. I’m sure everything is fine, but it’s good to be aware of what’s going on.”
KATE RINSED OUT THE SINK and squeezed the water out of the dishrag. After one last glance around the kitchen to make sure she hadn’t missed any dirty dishes, she wandered into the living room and stretched out on the couch.
She settled her head into the cushion with a grateful sigh. Despite her misgivings about Paul returning to the pulpit so soon after being injured, the day had gone without mishap.
Once Eli left, Paul headed to the bedroom for his much-needed nap, leaving her with an afternoon to herself.
Kate stirred on the couch. She ought to take advantage of this time, do something to sort out the tangled maze her life had become of late. But she didn’t have the least idea what that “something” would be.
Her eyelids drifted shut, and she let herself sink into the soft cushion. Maybe a nap of her own wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Livvy was right, she needed time to let the cares of the world fade away and get back to feeling like herself again. Things would start coming together again the following day. She just knew it.
Chapter Sixteen
Kate closed her Bible and leaned back in her rocking chair, luxuriating in the peace of the early morning hour. The faint creak of the rocker was the only sound intruding on the stillness in the living room.
It was sheer bliss after the chaos of the previous week.
She closed her eyes and reflected on the verse she had just read in James: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
She couldn’t count having to care for Paul as a trial. Far from it! But her recent feelings of being overwhelmed would qualify—no doubt about it.
The golden beams of the sun’s first rays slipped in through the cloudy sliding-glass doors. Kate watched them creep across the moss green shag carpet, feeling a fresh surge of optimism.
A new day meant new beginnings, and today she felt more than ready to get into her studio and dive into her new project with abandon.
The distinctive clicking sound of Paul’s crutches told her that he was up and about even before he appeared in the doorway to their bedroom.
Kate looked up at him and smiled. They had so much to be grateful for, this “inconvenience” notwithstanding.
Paul lowered himself onto the couch like Old Man Parsons when his rheumatism was acting up. “Could you help me get my foot up here on the cushion? This boot feels like it weighs a ton this morning.”
“Of course.” Kate lifted his foot, being careful not to jar it when she swung his leg around and set it gently on the couch cushion.
Paul slid a couple of throw pillows behind his back and scrunched them into place. “Perfect.”
He closed his eyes, then opened them again. “I meant to bring along a bedroom pillow to prop up my foot. Would you mind getting it for me? And maybe bring an afghan to throw over my lap?”
Kate looked down at him and tilted her head. “Is it just my imagination, or do you think you might have overdone it a bit yesterday?”
“I guess I must have. I didn’t think so at the time, but I really feel wiped out this morning. Maybe part of it’s due to staying awake thinking about what Eli said.”
“You mean about Avery taking the lawn mower?” Kate called as she padded down the hall to the bedroom to get the pillow and afghan. When she returned, she plumped the pillow under his foot, then spread the throw across his legs.
Paul nodded. “I don’t want to think badly of him, but I can’t think of any reason for him to be driving off with a piece of equipment like that.” His lips tightened. “Especially a piece of equipment no one would be likely to miss until spring.”
A knot formed in Kate’s stomach. “You don’t think Renee and Old Man Parsons were right about him stealing from the church, do you?”
“I don’t even want to consider that as a possibility, but I honestly don’t know. There may be some simple explanation for what he did, but I haven’t been able to come up with one yet. And I don’t know whether to confront him about it or wait and see what happens.”
“You’ll know what to do when the time comes. You always do.” Kate leaned over and dropped a light kiss on his forehead. “Now, how about a steaming mug of coffee? Then I’ll make you some breakfast.”
Paul’s eyelids closed. “The coffee sounds good for starters. But just a slice of toast for breakfast. I don’t feel like trying anything heavy this morning.”
Kate brought him a mug of coffee, then returned to the kitchen to fix him some toast with a thick layer of apple butter spread over it.
“Why don’t you just sit still and take it easy? You’ve been pushing pretty hard for a man who just found out he isn’t Superman. You need some downtime.”
Paul took the plate from her and gave her a weak grin. “That’s the best advice I’ve heard all day.”
Kate aimed a playful swat at his shoulder. “Don’t try to win me over with flattery. It’s only seven thirty in the morning.”
“Still...”
Kate laughed and shook her head. “I’m going to get dressed and head for my studio. If you need anything, just sing out.”
The doorbell stopped her in her tracks. “Who could that be at this hour? Renee’s the only one who shows up this early.”
She tightened the belt of her robe and smoothed her hair before opening the door.
Pete MacKenzie, pastor of Copper Mill Presbyterian Church, smiled at her from the doorstep. “Hi, Kate. I just wanted to stop by and check on Paul.”
He glanced down, taking in her attire, then gave her a sheepish grin. “I guess it’s still a little early for a visit.”
Kate stepped back to let him in. “No, it’s fine. Paul is already up, and I’m going to be working in my studio, so I’m sure he’ll be glad for the company.”
She paused in the entryway. “Would you like some coffee?”
Pete’s eyes lit up. “I’d love some.”
> “Paul’s in the living room on the couch. I’ll bring it to you in a minute.”
Kate returned to the kitchen, filled an oversized mug with the steaming brew, and carried it into the living room. Paul already looked happier for having someone to talk to, she noted.
Good. That would give him something to take his mind off his discomfort. She left the two men talking about how soon they could get to one of Pete’s favorite fishing holes and went to the bedroom to dress.
Since she planned to work in her studio all day, she donned a pair of comfortable slacks and a light blue sweatshirt with Texas wildflowers on the front.
She brushed her strawberry-blonde hair and pulled it back from her face with a pair of silver clips. After applying a dash of makeup, she felt ready to start a productive day.
As she passed through the living room, she noticed that Pete had pulled her rocking chair over to the couch, apparently ready to settle in for an extended visit. Kate freshened up both men’s coffees and cleared away Paul’s breakfast plate, then carried out a tray laden with sugar, cream, and a plate of oatmeal cookies. After wiping down the kitchen counter, she set off for her studio.
When she was halfway down the hall, the doorbell caught her in midstride. She retraced her steps to the entryway and opened the door.
“Good morning, Kate. Is this too early to stop by?”
“Not at all.” Kate smiled up at Lucas Gregory, the rector of St. Lucy’s Episcopal Church. “In fact, Pete MacKenzie beat you to it.”
She waved him toward the living room and went to fetch another mug. She poured the last of the coffee into it and started a new pot.
Returning to the living room, Kate handed the mug to Lucas, who thanked her with a smile.
“Would you mind bringing me a pill and a glass of water, hon?” Paul used both hands to shift his right leg higher on the pillow. “The pain’s starting to kick in with a vengeance.”
She brought him the medication and water and noticed the lines etched around the corners of his eyes. “What else can I do for you?”