Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 2: 5 Romantic Sporting Novellas

by Cynthia Hickey

  At supper, Daddy brought him up. “I think Joseph Thompson is quite a man. Although he isn’t as much of a city man as I’d hoped you’d find, I still think he would make a fine husband.”

  “Daddy, please don’t.” Rose put down her fork and placed both hands in her lap as she looked down at her food. She’d already done way too much thinking about Joseph. The last thing she needed was someone planting him even deeper in her brain.

  “Why not? You’re not exactly getting any younger, Rose.” Daddy lifted both hands. “And look at him. He’s perfect for you. He’s refined, does quite well for himself, and even though he spends quite a bit of time out in the country, he still lives in the city.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Rose finally challenged, something she rarely did with Daddy.

  Her father narrowed his eyes, making her think he was about to let out an explosive tirade. But he didn’t. Instead, he lowered his voice. “I have been getting to know him when he comes for the fish. He is a very shrewd businessman, yet he remains true to his faith. That is a difficult line to walk, but he does it quite well.”

  “That’s nice …” Rose picked her fork up and shoved some peas around her plate. “But there’s more to being a good husband than that.”

  “I can tell he likes you,” Daddy said before casting a smile toward Mama who quickly looked away.

  “Shouldn’t I like him as well?” she countered.

  “Oh, trust me, I’ve seen the way you look at him.” Daddy blotted his lips with his napkin. “You like him just fine.”

  Rose thought about some of the things Daddy didn’t know about Joseph—one of them being the fact that he knew nothing about fishing. Daddy had always said that a real man should know how to take care of himself, which included fishing, hunting, and growing things. He added that even city boys should at least know how to do it, even if he was in banking or some other “refined” profession.

  “How many of these fish did he catch?” Daddy asked.

  “Three …” Rose locked gazes with him. “But so did I.”

  “You need to be careful about that, Rose. Most men can’t handle a woman being better at fishing or—”

  Mama cleared her throat. “Rose made a lemon meringue pie for dessert. Would you like some?”

  Rose cast a curious glance at Mama who stood and intentionally avoided looking directly at her. She stood and motioned for Mama to sit back down. “Why don’t you stay here and chat with Daddy? I’ll get the dessert.”

  She’d barely made it to the kitchen when she overheard Daddy say, “I’m concerned about our daughter. She keeps running men off with her independent ways. Why, I’d be willing to bet she didn’t listen to a word from Joseph when he tried to give her fishing advice.”

  “What makes you think he was giving her fishing advice?” Mama’s question made Rose smile.

  “That’s what any man worth his salt would do.” The tone of Daddy’s voice left no room for argument.

  Rose went about the business of removing the pie from the icebox, cutting slices, and getting forks. When she went back out to the dining room, Daddy eyed the pie appreciatively.

  “That looks delicious, Rose … even better than the ones Violet made before she married Peter.”

  “Don’t compare our daughters,” Mama said as she cut a bite with her fork. After she tasted it, she closed her eyes and sighed. “It is absolutely heavenly. You certainly have a knack for making pie.”

  “And everything else,” Daddy reminded her. “There isn’t a single thing Rose can’t do, which just might be the thing that keeps her from finding a proper husband.”

  “Please stop,” Mama warned. “Why don’t we just enjoy each other’s company over dessert? You two can discuss this later if you must, but for now I’d like a little bit of peace.”

  Daddy glared at her before giving a clipped nod. “You’re right. We can talk later, but for now, Rose, I want to tell you that you’ve outdone yourself.”

  “Thank you, Daddy.” Rose took a bite and sighed. It was every bit as good as her parents had said. Her little secret was using an extra teaspoon of vanilla, which she did when making all desserts.

  She took her time eating her dessert because she expected Daddy to pounce on the topic of Joseph as soon as they finished. But he didn’t. Instead, he said he needed to finish something outside before it got dark. That left Rose and Mama in the house together, just the two of them.

  Mama watched and waited for Daddy to get to the edge of the row of sugarcane before she turned to Rose and spoke. “You do realize your father wanted a son that the Lord chose not to bless him with, right?” She paused. “He was hoping Violet’s husband would be that son he never had. It was difficult when he chose to move to Louisiana and become a rice farmer.”

  Rose nodded. “I’m sure that’s why he taught me how to do so many things he would have taught a son.”

  “And now it has backfired … or so he believes. He feels guilty about your knowing more about farming, hunting, and fishing than most men.”

  “He should be happy about that.”

  Mama shook her head. “Many men will feel inadequate around you.”

  Rose picked up a dish and started drying it. “I wouldn’t want one of those men. The strength of a man in my eyes has nothing to do with what he knows but how he handles himself when he doesn’t know something.”

  A contemplative look came over Mama’s face as she slowly smiled and nodded. “That is very wise, Rose. Unfortunately, a man who doesn’t let pride get in the way of good sense is difficult to find.”

  “Maybe so, and perhaps I won’t find such a man.” Rose put the dish away and picked up another one. “If that’s the case, then I’ll just take care of myself.”

  “There is no doubt in my mind that you can take very good care of yourself, but we don’t want you to be lonely.”

  “If I get lonely, I can just go to town and talk to people there.”

  Mama laughed. “Yes, you’ll do just fine, regardless of what happens, but please appease your father and let him think you’d like to find a nice man to spend your life with … and take care of you.”

  Rose suspected it wasn’t just Daddy she needed to appease. Mama had always talked about the kind of men she and her older sister Violet should marry. Only Mama’s criteria were different from Daddy’s. While Daddy wanted her to find a city man who hunted and fished for sport, Mama spoke more about his manners, compassion, and faith. She said she didn’t much care if the man hailed from the city or country, as long as he was a good man.

  The next couple of days seemed to drag by, but the night before Joseph was due to come for the fish haul, Daddy called her into his small library. “If he asks you to ride into Laurel with him, accept his invitation.”

  “But what if I don’t want to go?” Rose truly did want to go, but she couldn’t let Daddy tell her what to do without resistance.

  Daddy gave her a long, appraising look. “You want to go. I can tell.”

  “Okay, so I want to go. But he might not ask me.”

  “If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. However, I suspect he will.”

  Rose backed toward the door. “Is that all?”

  “One more thing.” He lifted his index finger. “Your mother tells me you look lovely in your new dress. Since I haven’t seen you wearing it, I have to take her word for it. I want you to put that on before he arrives.”

  “I planned to already. G’night, Daddy.” She turned and headed straight for her room before he came up with anything else she needed to do.

  It took her forever to fall asleep. All she could think about was Joseph and the way he kissed her. But she finally did get some sleep, and when she awoke, the sun streamed in through her east-facing window. She quickly sat up in bed as she remembered what was about to take place.

  Before leaving her room, she laid out the dress and all of the accessories she wanted to wear with it. Mama appeared in the doorway.

  “Are you
ready to see Joseph?”

  Rose nodded. “I thought I’d see if Daddy needed any help with the trotlines before I got cleaned up and dressed.”

  “No need for that. Your father is already out there getting the fish off the lines.” Mama glanced over at the dress and then at the dressing table. “Are you planning to wear all of this?”

  “Yes. It goes with the dress, don’t you think?”

  “It does, but don’t overdo it. I think you’ll look lovely in the earrings and bracelet. You don’t want to look gaudy.”

  “Oh, okay.” Rose walked over to the table and put everything but the earrings and bracelet away.

  “Take your time getting ready.”

  After Mama left her room, Rose did as she was told. By the time she went out to the front room and glanced out the window, she spotted Joseph’s car in front of the house. Daddy was outside chatting with him.

  Mama came up from behind. “Give them a chance to talk. I don’t want you to appear over eager.”

  Rose wasn’t one for game playing, but she decided to let Mama have her way. She went to the kitchen to have a piece of toast. She’d barely sat down when Daddy arrived. Alone.

  “Where’s Joseph?” she asked.

  “I sold him the fish and sent him on his way.” The scowl on Daddy’s face left no doubt that he wasn’t in the mood for questions.

  Chapter 6

  Joseph felt like kicking his own backside. He’d barely gotten to the Magee farm when Mr. Magee rushed out to greet him, a big old whopping grin on his face, going on and on about how delicious the fish dinner was.

  He’d even apologized for Rose not taking fishing advice from someone who obviously knew more about fishing than she did. That was when Joseph had informed him that he knew nothing about fishing and that Rose taught him how to pull the fish up on the bank and pull it off the hook. Joseph even tried to put a humorous spin on it. In his nervousness, he added that maybe Rose could teach him how to hunt as well. But while he was laughing, Mr. Magee’s face turned red, and he stopped talking.

  Next thing he knew, Mr. Magee’s smile had faded to a thin, angry line, and he said Rose would be busy for the remainder of the day. He helped put the fish in the back of the automobile and said, “Goodbye.”

  As Joseph drove toward Laurel, he thought about what he could have said to upset Mr. Magee. He’d seemed perfectly fine when Joseph first arrived. In fact, he was even more jovial than normal, and he’d chatted about how especially lovely Rose was this morning, adding that Joseph would appreciate her going to so much trouble for him. “That always makes a man feel special,” he’d said.

  ~

  “But I thought—” Rose glanced at Mama, who looked concerned.

  “It’s best to stop thinking so much. Why don’t you help your mother in the kitchen? I have some things to do in the cane fields.”

  Before she had a chance to say a word, he turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Rose blinked a few times before turning to Mama.

  “Did I miss something?”

  Mama shook her head. “I don’t think so, or I missed it too. Something Joseph said must have gotten your father in a dither, and we won’t know what it is until your father is ready to tell us.”

  The worried look on Mama’s face bothered Rose but not nearly as much as her disappointment in not getting to see Joseph. She’d even taken extra time with her hair.

  “You might as well do what your father said.” Mama started for the kitchen. “I could use some help getting the canning jars ready.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes. Let me get out of this dress and put on something more appropriate.”

  Mama pursed her lips, gave Rose a sympathetic nod, and left for the kitchen. Rose slowly walked to her room, as the disappointment grew even deeper. She knew she liked Joseph, but apparently her feelings were even stronger than she realized.

  As she carefully stepped out of her new dress, she thought about the giddy feeling she experienced as she put it on earlier. The anticipation and hope had her feeling as though she were floating a few inches off the floor. But now she wanted to fall into bed and curl into a ball.

  A tear slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it with the back of her hand. She snorted. Rose had never been someone to cry, and she didn’t intend to start now. She lifted her chin, decided to push her feelings aside, and plow forward with life as it was before she ever had hope for a relationship with Joseph Thompson. He was but one man, and he shouldn’t have the kind of power over her that she’d given him.

  Mama glanced over her shoulder as she entered the kitchen, and then she did a double take. “You look different.”

  Rose forced a smile, knowing it would take a while before she actually felt it. “I am still the same person.” She shoved her sleeves up to her elbows. “What do you want me to do first?”

  Mama nodded toward a row of jars on the counter. “Those need to be sterilized. Why don’t you get the pot ready?”

  For the remainder of the morning, Rose and her mother sterilized jars, mixed berries with sugar, and filled the jars. By 11:00, they finished most of the canning.

  “We need to start dinner so it’s ready when your father comes in.” Mama washed her hands and dried them on a towel. “We’re having ham and potato salad.”

  When Daddy arrived at precisely noon, Rose noticed that his mood hadn’t changed. He still sported an angry scowl, and he didn’t say more than a few words throughout the meal.

  After he went back out to the cane field, Rose cleaned the kitchen while Mama went out to her tiny garden in the backyard to pick some tomatoes. Her head ached from holding back the tears and suppressing her frustration, but she continued to will herself not to cry. But every few minutes, a tear would escape.

  Finally, she closed her eyes and said a prayer for God to help her get through this. I don’t know what is happening to me, Lord, but it doesn’t feel good. Please make this feeling go away.

  The sound of an automobile approaching caught her attention. She opened her eyes and thought she was seeing an illusion. But it wasn’t. Joseph had driven up and was now getting out of the automobile. Daddy had apparently heard his approach as well, and now he was storming toward Joseph, a look on his face that Rose couldn’t remember ever seeing before.

  She could hear the voices but not precisely what they were saying. Every now and then she caught a word or phrase, like “a real man” and “not suitable,” but that was all. She had no idea of the context.

  Finally, Joseph nodded his acquiescence and walked to his car appearing dejected. She wanted to rush out there and find out what had happened, but Daddy’s stony expression let her know he wasn’t in the mood to talk.

  ~

  At least now Joseph knew what had Mr. Magee so upset, but never in a million years would he have figured that out on his own. Joseph had decided to admit his lack of fishing knowledge to Mr. Magee, hoping the older man would find it amusing that his daughter was the teacher.

  Joseph flinched at the memory of some of the things Mr. Magee had said. Apparently, he didn’t think a real man would turn to a woman to learn something he should have already known. He’d added that Joseph was not suitable for Rose, who needed someone stronger … someone more manly. He wished he’d gone with his first instinct to keep the little secret between himself and Rose.

  He was halfway home to his cottage on the edge of Bay Springs when he realized what he’d done was even worse than what Mr. Magee had accused him of. He’d left without talking to the woman he couldn’t get off his mind since the first day they’d been together.

  Now he was more determined than ever to go back and see Rose, but since he’d allowed Mr. Magee to intimidate him, he knew he needed to arm himself with something new. He needed a lesson in fishing.

  One of the men who attended his church had given him advice in the past. Perhaps he’d be open to teaching Joseph how to cast a line and use his new rod and reel the way it was inte
nded.

  It was mid-afternoon, a time when most farmers were in the fields and businessmen were in their offices. Albert Sherman grew up on a farm but became a banker after his family lost their farm in a drought. His humility was matched by his kindness and willingness to help wherever he could.

  Joseph pulled his automobile up in front of the bank and went in to see if Albert had a few minutes. “I hope I’m not intruding, but I need some help.”

  “I’ll do what I can. Come on in.” Albert gestured toward his office. “What can I do for you?”

  It took Joseph about ten minutes to explain what had happened. Albert listened attentively, periodically nodding and smiling.

  “Let me make sure I understand what you’re asking. You want me to teach you how to fish so Percy Magee will allow you to see his daughter.”

  “Something like that.”

  “You do realize there’s more to being a man than fishing, right?”

  “Yes, of course.” Joseph squirmed in his seat as he felt the intense scrutiny from the slightly older man. “There’s hunting and building things—”

  Albert laughed. “That’s not what I’m talking about.” He stood up, came from behind his desk, and walked over to the window. “See that shed over there?”

  Joseph joined him. “Yes. That’s where we pray on Wednesday nights.”

  “About seven years ago, after one of our prayer meetings, some of us stuck around to finish a conversation. Several of us were there for a while when a man came up with his wife and baby, asking if we knew of a place where they could stay the night.”

  Joseph thought for a few seconds before shaking his head. “I didn’t know about that.”

  “I didn’t think so. A couple of the men I was talking to made some rude comments and left. I could tell the man who asked for a place to stay was embarrassed, but he was willing to do whatever it took to protect his family.”

  Joseph nodded. “I can certainly understand that.”

  Albert grinned. “But it wouldn’t have been right to just give him a place to stay or the money to rent a room. So George—the only other person who didn’t leave—and I came up with a plan to hire him to do some odd jobs. George had a small building behind his house, so he offered to let them stay there until they got on their feet.” He paused. “Do you know who this man is?”