If he had to describe her to anyone, that would be it.
And when she looked at him with wariness in her dark eyes, he felt gut stomped. Flattened.
He didn’t know what to say to her.
“You’re back” were the words that slipped out.
“Yes. I brought Maria home. She was getting on my nerves.” A hint of amusement twinkled in her eyes, replacing the wary look of moments ago.
“I can’t imagine,” he said. “I came to see how the bulls are settling in.”
“Like bulls. They want food and water.” Her hand still held her hair as she glanced back to the bulls, the tractor. “Issy’s pony seems to be missing her.”
“Does he?”
She nodded. “You should bring her by. I miss her, too.”
“I’d like for us to talk, Lucy.”
Her nod was barely perceptible but it was an agreement so he took it as such.
“Tomorrow,” he continued.
“Pushy.”
For the first time in weeks he felt a hint of hope. “Yes, very. I need to talk to you before the real estate agent and the buyers come to my house.”
“You have buyers?”
“Yes. I have buyers.”
Alex joined them. He looked at each of them and shook his head.
“Well, sis, what do you think?” Alex leaned against the corral, careful to avoid the electric fence strung around the top.
“They’re bulls. And I think you’ll do great with them.”
“Thanks.” He knocked his shoulder against hers. “How’d it go with Pastor Matthews.”
She shot him a warning look, but it was too late. Dane waited to see what she would say. When she didn’t, Alex offered up the information.
“She’s going to start lessons for the women at the shelter. She thinks they need more than self-defense. Empowerment. Right, Luce. It wasn’t a secret, was it?” He hit his hand to his heart. “My bad. I mean, everyone is going to know. Stuff like that gets out in a small town like Bluebonnet.”
A noise came out of her mouth that sounded a bit like a growl. “No, it isn’t a secret. But it is my business and not yours.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Not that it matters what I think,” Dane chimed in.
She cocked her head to one side and studied him. Alex took the hint and walked away.
“It matters.” She said it softly, simply. “It matters to me what you think.”
He stroked a hand down her cheek. “Can we talk? Not right now. We both need time. But we left a lot of things unsaid.”
“Plenty was said.”
“Yes, but more needs to be said.”
“We can talk,” she agreed. “We do need to talk.”
He wanted to kiss her. But he didn’t. He said goodbye and walked away.
Chapter Eighteen
“Do you want to go to town for lunch?” Lucy asked Maria the next day. They had watered the garden, although it didn’t look like much more than a weed patch. Alex was working with his bulls. A neighbor was helping him. The boy had graduated a year ahead of Maria.
It seemed to Lucy that Maria had spent more time watching the neighbor than watering the garden. “That sounds good. I think Aunt Essie has open-faced roast beef sandwiches on the menu today.” Maria was already slipping on her shoes.
“Let’s go before she runs out.”
They jumped into the truck and drove to town. “Did you know that Dane is looking at a school in Dallas for Issy. Because there isn’t much around here for her.”
“I did know.”
Maria rolled down the window and leaned her head back. “Lucy, I’m still praying you’ll decide to take the baby.”
Her sister was like a dog with a bone on that topic.
“I’m praying about it, too,” she said as she pulled into a parking space in front of the feed store. Silence descended in the truck.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” She got out before Maria could pull her into a hug and make it awkward.
Some people were bothered by PDA, public displays of affection. Lucy was more bothered by RDA. Random Displays of Affection. She was working on that.
“Lucy! Hey, Lucy!” Bea Maxwell hurried down the sidewalk, a big grin on her round face. Her hairnet hung to one side. She wore two different socks.
“Bea, it’s good to see you.”
Bea hugged her, not caring that Lucy disliked it. And then she turned on Maria and pulled her close for a long hug.
“Maria, Essie says you’re having a baby.” Bea hugged her tight. “I hope you get to keep it. I didn’t get to keep my baby. My mama said she just couldn’t raise us both.”
Maria looked wide-eyed at Lucy, who shrugged. She gave her attention back to Bea, who didn’t seem fazed by the information. It must have been quite some time back. Bea had to be close to sixty.
“Apparently—” Bea slipped back to her favorite word “—I wasn’t an easy baby. My mama said all the time she could barely keep track of me. Maria, I hope you were an easy baby and that you have an easy baby.”
“Thank you, Bea.” Maria hugged the older woman. “Do you want to walk with us to the café?”
“I should do that. Essie doesn’t like when I’m late. I set an alarm to keep me on track because timeliness is next to godliness.”
Bea kept on with the questions. “Are you staying in Bluebonnet, Lucy? You’ve been gone a long time. Some folks said you ran away in the night. I tried that once but my mama dragged me home.”
Lucy smiled. “I joined the Army, Bea.”
“Did you really? Do you shoot a gun?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Will you stay and take care of Maria and the baby?” Bea couldn’t be sidetracked.
“Yes, Bea, but don’t tell anyone.”
They walked through the doors of the restaurant and Bea nearly came apart at the seams. “Hey, you all, did you know that Lucy Palermo is staying in Bluebonnet to raise Maria and her baby?”
Maria groaned and buried her face in her hands. Lucy ignored the curious stares and just smiled. But her gaze connected with a pair of curious blue eyes. Dane sat at a table with Chet Andrews and Pastor Matthews.
Well, wasn’t that just wonderful.
Essie rounded up her cook and gave Lucy a parting look that said they would talk later. Lucy waved her aunt off and headed for the coffeepot. She picked it up to fill her cup and Chet called out to her.
“Hey, Lucy, if you’re going to be around awhile, could you fill a guy’s coffee cup.”
Lucy filled his cup. “Why not, Chet. I live to serve. Anyone else?”
Pastor Matthews lifted his half-empty cup. “Well, since you ask. And would you mind getting me a piece of that apple pie?”
“Apple pie, coming up.” She cast her eyes at Dane but moved on.
“Hey, what about me?” he asked, reaching for her hand.
His touch nearly undid her. “I guess you can have pie.”
“I meant, what about me?” He winked at her, and Chet laughed.
“I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll get you a piece of pie and some coffee.” She escaped, breathless and a little bit giddy.
When she returned to the table Dane was paying. “Never mind that pie. I have to go.”
Was he mad? She couldn’t tell from the look on his face. She looked from him to Chet and then to Pastor Matthews. They shrugged and went back to eating pie and gossiping. Why did men always accuse women of talking too much?
She ran after Dane, ignoring the curious looks of people in the café. She’d spent her entire life avoiding stares, trying to be invisible. Today she didn’t care.
As Dane went out the door she caught up with him and foll
owed him down the sidewalk.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, reaching for his arm.
He hesitated and looked back at her. “I have a meeting today, remember?”
“Yes, with me.”
He glanced at his watch. “And the real estate agent. Lucy, I have to go.”
“Fine. Then go.”
She stood on the sidewalk watching him leave. She waited until his truck pulled out from the parking lot before going back inside.
“What was that all about?” Essie asked when she returned.
“I don’t know.”
Her aunt gave her a questioning look. “You’re a mess, Lucy Palermo.”
“I know, but I’m working on it.”
Her aunt patted her shoulder. “Yes, you are. I think it is a real accomplishment that you kids are as whole as you are.”
“Thanks, Aunt Essie.” Lucy accepted the plate the waitress put in front of her. “And thank you for making the best open-faced roast beef sandwich in the state.”
“Now you’re just buttering me up.” Essie hurried off to tend to customers.
Lucy took the salt shaker from Maria. This was their new normal. And she found she liked it. She loved the relationships she was building with her family and even her community.
What she didn’t like was not knowing where she stood with Dane.
* * *
Dane pulled up to the Palermo ranch. In the backseat, Issy asked if they were there yet.
“We’re here.” Dane got out and unbuckled his daughter. They were there, but they weren’t expected.
“Does Lucy know I got cowboy boots?”
“No, she doesn’t know. But you can tell her when we get inside.”
He set her down and she reached for his hand.
“I won’t get them muddy?”
“No, you won’t. It hasn’t rained.” He led her up the steps to the front door. As he raised his hand to knock, the door opened.
“Dane.” Maria just about glared at him.
“I have new boots,” Issy said, breaking the ice by holding up a foot. “See? Are they flower colors?”
Maria lost her hard edge as she knelt to look at the purple boots.
“They are most definitely flower colors.”
“I’m going to have Cobalt. Lucy told Daddy.”
“Did she really? That’s pretty amazing. Do you want to walk out and see the pony so we don’t have to be stuck in here with the grown-ups?”
Issy leaned close to Maria. “Yes, because Daddy has a secret.”
“Does he?” Maria stood and eyed him speculatively.
“Issy, you aren’t supposed to tell.”
Issy bit down on her lip. “I didn’t tell the secret. I said you had one.”
“That is true,” Maria told him. “Come on, Issy, we’ll go see Cobalt. Dane, you have fifteen minutes. Make the most of it.”
“Thanks, Maria. I knew I could count on you.”
He watched the two of them walk across the lawn, and then he walked through the open front door. He heard pots and pans clanging in the kitchen and someone singing to the radio. At the door he stopped and watched as Lucy put away dishes and sang. When she turned and spotted him, she jumped.
“I come in peace,” he said with his hands up.
“You could have announced yourself.”
“I like watching you.”
“Spying, you mean.”
He shrugged.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Issy?”
“She’s with Maria. They went to see Cobalt.”
“That didn’t really answer my first question.” She tossed the dish towel on the counter and waited.
He was there because it felt right. Because nothing else would be right until he talked to her.
“I love you,” he said, without preamble. “But you already know that.”
“You’ve mentioned it before.”
“You’re going to be difficult, aren’t you?”
She smiled, finally. “I’m always difficult and you’re making me nervous.”
“Good, that makes two of us. Nervous, that is.”
“Oh no.” She started backing away. “No.”
“I thought I’d at least ask you a question before you started objecting.”
She shook her head.
He reached for her. Strangely, she didn’t object. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back.
And that kiss didn’t feel like a no.
* * *
“I’ve missed you,” Lucy whispered as he lifted his head for a brief moment, right before he kissed her again.
“I’ve missed you, too. I’ve missed us. Our friendship, the laughter, everything about you. Even your objections. But I have a plan to conquer your objections.”
“Do you?” She wondered what his plan was, because if it had to do with his kisses, being held by him, she might not object.
“I do,” he said.
“I need to tell you something first.”
“Let’s go outside.” He led her out the back door. The sun was going down and the air had cooled off.
He didn’t let go of her hand. As if she’d try to get away from him.
“What did you need to tell me?” he asked as they walked along the fencerow.
“Maria asked me to adopt her baby.”
“I knew that.”
“I said yes.”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m glad. That wasn’t an easy decision for her. Or you.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
He pulled her close to his side and led her to a tree near the edge of the lawn.
“There’s more.”
“Okay.” He leaned against the tree and drew her to his side, wrapping his arm around her so that she was held close.
In the distance they heard laughter. She looked across the lawn to the barn where Alex was leading Issy on the pony.
“I love this life,” she said. “I love my job, too. I don’t want to give up, either.” She turned in his arms and put a hand on his cheek. “I also don’t want to give you up. I’m the worst kind of selfish. I want it all.”
“I want you to have it all.”
His words settled in her heart like a promise.
“What about the buyers for your ranch?”
“I turned them down and told my agent to tear up the contract. I’m not selling.” He leaned, touching his forehead to hers. “I want you to have everything you’ve ever wanted. I don’t want you to give up something you have worked hard for. I don’t want you to give up your ranch and your family. I want to help you have it all.”
His words tore a sob loose from deep inside. She didn’t cry because it wasn’t a moment for tears. But no one had ever given her a gift greater than his words, his support, his understanding.
“I’m tearing down your objections, Lucy. One by one I’m tearing them down. Because you can be whoever you want to be, as long as we’re together and we have faith.”
Together. The word stunned her. She’d never seen herself living in this place, with a man at her side, someone she could depend on.
She’d had Boone and Daron but they were more like brothers. They had their own lives, their own families.
Dane wanted to be the man that she leaned on.
And she wanted him to lean on her.
She stared up at him, at the reflection of what she felt for him shining in his blue eyes.
“I’m afraid to be a mom.” She admitted her biggest fear.
“You are already a mom at heart. You’re a mom to Issy, to your brothers and sister.”
“I might sometimes have to go out of town
.”
He kissed her again. “We’ll go with you. And we might also have to stay in Austin because that’s where the best school is for Issy. But we have Alex here to help with the ranch. I have good people who work for me. There’s nothing we can’t overcome.”
“You might not realize this but you’ve been tearing down my walls without even trying.” She leaned against his shoulder. “I love you, Dane.”
“I love you, too. You can be a bodyguard. But I’m going to be your protector. I want you in my life and in Issy’s life. I don’t take that lightly, Lucy.”
“I know you don’t. And when I say that I want to be in your life, I mean it more than anything I’ve ever meant in my entire life.”
“I love you, Lucy Palermo, and I want you to marry me.”
“Yes.” She looked into his eyes as she said it. “I’ll marry you.”
Epilogue
Lucy stood at the back of the church, Daron McKay at her side. She’d stood in this vestibule many times in her life but she’d never expected to stand there in a wedding dress. She’d never expected this kind of happiness or the man at the front of the church to be waiting there for her.
Standing at her side was the prettiest flower girl ever. Issy with her spiral blond curls, a basket of flowers hooked over one arm. Issy had taken to calling her Lulu and that was just fine. As long as no one else tried to call her that. She’d had to warn everyone, especially Boone Wilder, that she was Lulu to no one but Issy.
“Are you actually in a dress and not packing?” Daron teased as they waited for the bridesmaids to walk down the aisle ahead of them.
“I’m not packing. If I was, you’d be in trouble.”
He chuckled softly and patted her hand on his arm. “You make a beautiful bride and I’m really happy for you, Lucy. Dane’s a good guy and I know he’ll treat you right.”
“Of course he will. I’m trained in hand-to-hand combat.”
“And there’s the part where he loves you.”
She smiled softly at that. “Yes, he does.”
Her bridesmaids had started the march down the aisle to the front of the church. Daron’s and Boone’s wives and Maria wore dresses in autumn red. Lucy looked to the front of the church, where Dane waited. He saw her and his smile grew, making her want to run down the aisle to him.
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