Esther blushed prettily. “They might have tried, but that’s not saying anyone would have been as quick as you. You must have moved like lightning!”
“It was beautiful,” Norma Sue said, barreling up to them. She was red, too, but from hustling all the way across the parking lot. “Woo-wee! That was some fancy footwork, Dan Dawson. Esther Mae, all you needed was a pair of horns and y’all would have looked like the steer-wrestling event.”
Uncomfortable with all the praise, Dan extracted himself as quickly as was polite and headed to class.
Sunday school was crowded, and he was disappointed when he realized Ashby wasn’t in the room. He took a seat in the front row, where there were three vacant chairs together, and laid his Bible on the second one to hold it for her. Emmett James came in and sat down beside Dan. He and Emmett had been talking outside when Esther Mae had almost fallen. They’d been having a few conversations lately. Emmett was a quiet cowboy who wore his heart on his sleeve. Everyone knew he was in love with Stacy. Not that he’d ever told anyone that, but it was obvious. From the first moment she’d stepped off the van that had transferred her and the other residents of the women’s shelter to Mule Hollow, he’d been drawn to her.
He was a shy fella, Dan’s total opposite, but he had a gentle heart and a calm way about him that Dan knew Stacy had taken notice of. Emmett had worked for Clint for several years, and he was a good, godly man. Dan was rooting for him, not that Emmett had talked to Stacy much. But he hovered when she was near, and if she looked as if she needed anything, he was quick to anticipate it and get it for her. If she dropped a diaper, he’d swoop in and pick it up for her at receptions or church gatherings. If she looked thirsty, Emmett was Johnny-on-the-spot with a cup of punch or a soda. And Dan knew Stacy was not unaffected by his quiet, respectful approach.
After the mild-mannered man had confronted Dan about his intentions toward Stacy, Dan’s regard for Emmett had skyrocketed. He’d eased Emmett’s mind by explaining his past, something he hadn’t told anyone, but felt Emmett should know. Once he learned that he and Dan had Stacy’s well-being in mind, but in different ways, they’d quietly joined forces. Dan’s objective was to help her learn not to be wary of men in general, which was going to benefit Emmett in the end. Emmett’s objective was to win her heart, and he seemed to be a patient man. Dan knew from experience with his mom and the other women who had lived in the shelter with them when he was young that patience was exactly what Emmett was going to need.
And even that might not be enough.
Some scars ran too deep. But nothing was too large for the Lord to handle, and Dan prayed that God’s healing power would touch Stacy’s heart.
As he waited for Ashby to show, he and Emmett talked about the weather. When class finally got started, still without Ashby, he realized she must have nursery duty.
At least he hoped that was where she was. As angry as she was with him, she could have chosen to skip class rather than encounter him. He couldn’t concentrate on what Brady was teaching for worrying over it.
She was quickly becoming an obsession with him. He couldn’t get her off his mind. And that was a new experience for him.
Ashby was leaving the nursery, heading toward her car, when Dottie Cannon called to her. Lance Yates waved as she hurried across the parking lot toward where Dottie was waiting. Ashby was aware of his gaze as she reached Dottie and wondered if he’d wanted to speak with her.
“I just wanted to make sure we’re still on for Friday night.”
“Yes. I’m looking forward to it.” The ladies from the shelter were going to a seminar in another county, and Ashby had been more than happy to agree to babysit. Max would be spending the night with a friend, so it was going to be Ashby and three darling little boys for the evening.
“I can’t thank you enough. This is going to be such a good seminar.”
“Are you sure five-thirty is okay?” she asked. In her peripheral vision she saw Lance climb in his truck to leave. Relief filled her as she focused on Dottie’s answer.
“Yes, if we leave then, we’ll have plenty of time to get there.”
Ashby studied Dottie. She’d always been beautiful, with her black hair, translucent skin and navy eyes, but Ashby thought that she’d blossomed since announcing she was three months pregnant. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked. “You look amazing.”
Dottie’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. “I feel amazing. I’m eating everything within reach, though.”
Brady pulled up beside them and came around to open the door for Dottie. “I thought I’d save you a few steps.” He was beaming as he placed an arm around her waist and hugged her to him. “Missed you in Sunday school, Ashby. You must have had ragamuffin duty this morning.”
She laughed. “I did. Did I miss anything?”
He looked offended. “One of my excellent lessons.”
Dottie leaned her head against his shoulder. “That’s what I love about my man. Not a vain bone in his body.”
“He’s right, though, Dottie. He is a great teacher.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“You know,” Ashby said, suddenly realizing that because Dottie taught the children’s Sunday school class, she had never sat in on her husband’s class, “I would love to teach in your place one morning, so that you could find out exactly what he’s up to.”
Dottie looked thoughtful. “I may take you up on that. When I’m further along, I might need a break.”
“I’ll remind you of that later on, then. Take care.” She got into her car, then watched Brady help Dottie up into the seat. When he gave her a gentle kiss before closing her door and jogging around to his side, a sharp longing cut through Ashby. As she drove back toward town, she prayed that she would be so blessed, even as she hoped the best for them.
Dan had beaten her back, she saw when she pulled into the parking lot. Everyone thought she was crazy for not going out with the maddening man. And maybe she was, she admitted as she ducked into her apartment, relieved that she hadn’t run into him. Yet it was the only thing she knew to do. He was dangerous to her.
Yet despite everything that had happened, she was drawn to Dan, despite his occasional bad manners.
She knew what it was. Like Steven had, Dan represented something she lacked—a carefree spirit, a missed childhood…. She halted that train of thought, refusing to let herself spiral into that shadow. Her parents couldn’t help being who they were. They loved her in their own fashion. She’d been telling herself that for years, and coming to terms with it was the only way she could leave it behind. Not that she always did that. Some days were better than others. There were far worse things in this world than her silly problems. Really, sometimes she felt so petty and spoiled. Surely God thought very little of her on days like today.
Disgruntled, she changed into a white shirt and her favorite jeans. Soft and worn, they were as comfortable as a baby’s jumper. Her mother would hate them, stating that they weren’t fit for a lady to wear…and that was exactly why Ashby wore them.
There she went again. What was wrong with her?
She was ashamed of the idea that she wore them for spite, but the fact was she really did love them. They didn’t have any holes in them yet, but the knees were going and a couple of other places were getting threadbare, so she hand-washed them, knowing that while holes were fashionable, they also meant the end was near for her dear jeans. For a girl who’d worn frilly, fancy dresses from the moment she was born, she couldn’t help that she loved dressing down. Behind closed doors only, though. Some things were too ingrained in her to completely alter. Her mother could take pride in that, at least.
She found comfort in odd places, and these jeans, worn in the comfort of her own home, were part of that.
She studied her neat, precise home. Dan had studied it, too. She’d seen the look in his eyes, but he hadn’t said anything. His former home had probably been well lived-in. She’d been surprised when he hadn’t said anything when s
he’d opened her cupboard and pulled out the canister of coffee. He probably never even thought to line his dry goods up in alphabetical order. She had no doubt that obsessing over whether each can and package faced straight ahead never entered his mind.
But then, he’d probably not lived under the microscope held up by an insecure mother…. And there Ashby went again, sliding back into places she wanted not to go.
All because of him.
She was pulling a bag of mixed vegetables from the freezer when a knock sounded on her door. She paused, her fingers tightening on the cold plastic. Despite every smart brain cell she possessed, she knew that the reckless part of her that had opted to pull her favorite jeans out of the drawer had also been hoping Dan would come knocking on her door.
Not that she knew it was him. But that was the disturbing part; she hoped it was him. The sane person she always tried to be, the one who focused on her dream of having children, that part of her knew this was a bad idea. But as she set the bag down and headed toward the door, she wasn’t listening to that person. Not right now.
Her nerves were doing cartwheels as she ran a hand over her hair and stared at the doorknob. The knock came again. She took a deep breath and pulled the door open.
Chapter Thirteen
“Don’t throw anything. I come in peace,” Dan said the minute the door swung open. He almost dropped the picnic basket when he saw Ashby standing there.
Sure, he’d seen her dressed casually, but there was always a perfection to her that held people at bay. Not so in this outfit…. He let out a soft whistle, staring at her casual girl-next-door clothes and her bare feet.
This was much better than finding her with that green stuff caked on her face.
“You really know how to take a man’s breath away,” he said, meeting her astounding green eyes.
“You’ll say anything to make up for rude behavior,” she retorted, but her tone wasn’t belligerent, which gave him hope.
“That’s true. But the truth is you look amazing.”
Her gaze wavered and she looked almost vulnerable when she lifted her chin in that cute way she had. “In these old things…”
His insides tumbled at the uncertainty he heard in those words. Pretty as she always looked, she never seemed to believe him when he complimented her. That was part of the attraction.
But what was it about this woman that kept him coming back? It was more than that she looked amazing, he knew. Clint had told him earlier that he’d had a few of the cowboys asking if Dan and Ashby were an item. Clint hadn’t known exactly what to reply, so he had said nothing. But clearly the guys were thinking about making a move for Ashby’s affections.
One part of Dan wanted to say it was about time they stopped being stupid. It was the other part that wanted to tell them to stay away from her, that she was his. That they were an item.
Problem was, she thought he was an obnoxious flirt. The perception had never bothered him before, because he understood who he was. But he wanted Ashby to see him as more. He wanted—no, he needed her to see him. The real him. But he needed her to look deeper.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m here?”
“Why are you here?”
He lifted the basket. “I’m trying a new tactic. I came home from church inspired to prepare this in the hopes that if you saw all the hard work and effort I went to, you wouldn’t be able to turn me down.”
“Turn you down?”
“That’s right. I was hoping that once you saw how I slaved over this picnic lunch, you would feel compelled to forgive me for all my bad behavior and say yes when I asked you to go on a picnic with me.”
Her gaze darted to the basket and back to him. He wiggled it for extra incentive.
She dropped her chin and leveled serious eyes at him. “What’s in the hamper?”
He held it behind him. “Not telling. You only learn what’s in here if you come with me.”
He saw interest spark like fireflies in her emerald gaze, and could sense he had an opening. “Please don’t say no.” Sincerity rang in his words and he hoped she heard it. “I promise not to say anything about your alphabetized canned goods.” So much for the sincerity. He hadn’t meant to mention that.
Her lips twitched. “I was wondering when you were going to get around to that.”
“Hey, I line my socks up in my drawers according to colors.”
She chuckled. “What—white, white and more white?”
He grinned. “How did you know?”
“Good guess,” she said, and he saw the tension ease out of her. “Let me get my shoes.”
“Get your shoes—” he began to say, his brow creasing.
“Yes, so I can come with you.”
He watched her walk down the hall, then looked up at the ceiling and mouthed a thank-you to the good Lord. He finally had a date with Ashby Templeton. Yee-haw!
Ashby wasn’t sure what she was doing. She didn’t even ask where he wanted to picnic as they climbed into his truck. He was once more the perfect gentleman, like he’d been the night he’d given her a ride after the pig scramble. He held the door for her, took her elbow as she climbed into the seat. It was a really nice feeling, and one she tried to keep in perspective. But she had to be fair, and if she was making comparisons between Dan and Steven, well, she must acknowledge that Steven had rarely held a chair for her or opened her car door for her, and on the occasions that he did, it felt like it was done as an afterthought. Not so with Dan. He made her feel special each time he gently cupped her elbow with one hand and swept the door open for her with the other. The man got points for that.
“You aren’t going to ask where I’m taking you?” he asked when they were on the road.
“I thought I’d let you keep me in suspense.”
He chuckled and a thrill of electricity raced through her. Ashby inhaled at the shock and tried to tell herself she wasn’t a fool.
“I like you, Ash. You’re one cool cucumber.”
“I’m not so certain a girl wants to be called a cool cucumber. Especially from a guy who insists she needs to loosen up.”
Dan’s eyes were serious when they met hers. “Sorry about that. I was way out of line.”
“No big deal. I know it better than anyone.”
“I don’t think so. I’ve been known to be wrong.” He glanced again at her. “Honestly.”
“Say it isn’t so,” she gasped, slapping a hand over her heart the way she’d seen him do so many times.
He grinned. “Look, I still don’t know what happened the day of that bike race.” The expression on his face made it clear he wondered whether the disgruntled woman he’d met that day could reemerge. “But I’m thinking we have both misjudged each other in a lot of ways.”
“You might be right,” she said, her voice soft.
He held out a hand toward her. “Hi, I’m Dan Dawson, and I’d like to start over.”
He wanted things to change between them. And if he had his way, things were changing starting today.
She didn’t immediately take his hand, and he was forced to glance back at the road. But he stubbornly kept his hand extended, fingers stretching toward her. When she firmly slipped her slender hand into his he had the sudden urge to slam on the brakes so he could jump out and run a few victory laps around the truck.
Instead he squeezed her hand and smiled. “You have just made my day.”
“Somehow I can’t bring myself to believe that. Though we may have misjudged each other a little.”
“A little?” he teased. “You think all I do is flirt, and I—” He stopped abruptly, thinking maybe he’d better not go there.
She laughed again. “You do flirt a lot.” She removed her hand when he looked at her with a frown. “And you kissed me out of the blue. I still don’t get that.”
He looked at her lips. He got it. And now he was about to shoot himself in the foot, so he hoped honesty would pay off. “What can I say? You just looked so kissable.�
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She rolled her eyes. “Does that line actually work for you?”
Her question dug deep. “It wasn’t a line.” It had been the absolute truth. She looked at him with eyes that said she wasn’t sure if she trusted his words. “Ashby, contrary to what you think, I don’t normally kiss women out of the blue, as you put it.” His driveway came into view and he focused on his place instead of the bale of hay that was suddenly lodged in his throat.
Someone had delivered the dozer since he’d left yesterday. It sat waiting for the crew to continue working tomorrow.
“So they level it tomorrow,” Ashby said, all humor gone as she effectively changed the subject.
“Looks that way. I’ll be glad when they finish. I’m thinking positively about it, but the ruins aren’t the most pleasant thing to see every day.” He hadn’t said that to anyone.
“You really have a great outlook on the whole situation. You inspired me…and surprised me.”
Ashby’s soft words startled him and bolstered him at the same time. Maybe she didn’t think he was a complete loss. “Thank you,” he said, meeting her smile with one of his own.
“I just thought since we were turning over a new leaf, so to speak, that I should be honest with you.”
As he drove on past the house, following the gravel road that weaved through his pastures, Dan suddenly felt much better. He and Ashby were turning over a new leaf—sounded good to him. Real good.
“So you think there is some hope for the incorrigible Mr. Dawson?”
She laughed. “Maybe. But don’t get a big head.”
“Who, me? Never.” He pulled the truck to a stop beneath a giant oak. “Besides, I know the only reason you’re being so nice to me is because you think I have the other half of that cheesecake in the basket.”
“And you would be absolutely right.”
An irresistible pull of attraction connected them as their eyes met and held.
Ashby’s defenses were crumbling around her when it came to Dan and she knew it.
Her Baby Dreams Page 10