The Mistaken Heiress

by Shelba Shelton Nivens

  She looked at him over her shoulder. “Of course I’m coming. I can’t have you cutting every tree on the place, trying to find just the right one.” She reached for the doorknob.

  “Wait!” His hand covered hers. “I have something for you.”

  He hurried to the desk and took a small object from a drawer. He came back, pressed it against her palm and closed her fingers around it.

  She opened her hand and stared. A key.

  “You might want to come by sometime while I’m gone. I go into Birmingham a couple of days a week to—work in an office. Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

  Stunned by the key, Kate was halfway home before she thought to wonder what kind of office he worked in. And what did he mean when he said he tried to help women overcome being weak and helpless?

  Chapter 10

  Kate held her breath as Paul Jr. walked to the free-throw line.

  Placing the toes of his sneakers at the line, he glanced over his shoulder at the bleachers.

  Kate held up a thumb and forefinger, forming the letter O. She mouthed, Okay.

  Paul Jr. nodded. A smile spread across his face. He turned and aimed.

  Kate held her breath again as the ball ran around the rim. Then she jumped to her feet. “It went in! It went in! Way to go, Pauley.”

  She clapped and cheered with the crowd as they gave Paul Jr.’s winning shot a standing ovation.

  Boys in gym shorts swarmed the court. The crowd roared as two players hoisted Paul Jr. onto their shoulders. Smiling, he waved proudly while his teammates carried him around the court.

  Afterward, he insisted Kate go with him, his coach, team members and team parents to celebrate with burgers and cokes. He introduced her as “my good friend Kate.”

  She sat crammed into a booth with several of the boys while they ate burgers.

  “You oughta taste the chocolate cakes Kate bakes.” Pauley’s cheeks puffed out full of burger as he spoke.

  The boy called Skeeter rubbed his stomach. “Yum, my favorite.”

  “Maybe she’ll make one and let me bring a piece to school to share sometime.” Pauley slanted a look at Kate. “Reckon you could, Kate?”

  Kate smiled. “I’ll sure try.” She would love adding a little more joy to the boy’s life. Of course, she would have to get his father’s okay first.

  Kate left the group in the McDonald’s parking lot with boys and parents calling goodbye and inviting her back for their next game. She hummed a peppy little tune as she drove toward the old house, sun shining through her windshield.

  Then her cell phone rang.

  * * *

  Steve hurried to stay in step with Kate as she kicked her way through fallen leaves.

  “I don’t know what made Mother decide to come take me shopping. She knows we never agree on what I wear. She always picks something skimpy or slinky that would never look good on someone as big as me.”

  Steve stopped walking, cocked his head to one side, grinning at her.

  She stopped, too. “What?”

  “You’re not so big.”

  “Next to you, I’m not. But beside my sister and cousins, even my mother, I am.” She started walking again.

  He switched the ax from his right shoulder to his left and grabbed her arm. “Slow down, Kate. We have plenty of time. If your mom was just leaving Huntsville when she called, we don’t have to be in a rush to get the tree. We can trim it later.”

  She stopped walking and looked at him. Their warm breath came out like little puffs of smoke in the frigid air.

  “Look around you. What do you see?”

  She glanced around them and shrugged. “Trees.”

  “Remember how you love trees? Remember how you love listening to the birds? And watching squirrels play?” He dropped her arm to gesture around them. “And look at this glorious sunshine. It came out today just for us. So we could go searching for a Christmas tree.”

  She gave him a weak smile. “You’re right. I don’t know why I let her get me so worked up. But now I’ll have to leave early to wash my hair so I can go shopping with her. I guess you’ll have to trim the tree without me.”

  “We can do it later.”

  She pulled a hank of hair around to examine it. “I’m thinking about cutting it. It takes too long to wash and dry it.”

  Cut? She would cut off that beautiful red-and-gold mane?

  She lifted a handful of hair and let it fall a few strands at a time. It sparkled like flames in the sunlight. “And it’s dead on the ends.”

  “Looks alive to me.” He slipped off a glove and reached out playfully to touch it.

  She caught her breath and looked at him.

  And before he realized what he was doing, he had slid his hand beneath that glorious mop of curls to caress her cheek.

  She didn’t resist, just waited. The little puffs of warm air passing between her parted lips came out more quickly as green-and-gold-specked eyes searched his face.

  He wanted to answer her silent question with a kiss.

  But too many other questions needed to be answered first.

  He took his hand away and pulled on his glove. “Let’s go get that tree. I know where to find just the right one.”

  * * *

  Kate followed him on wobbly legs. She had thought for a moment he was about to kiss her. Touching gloved hands to her warm cheeks, she pushed aside her disappointment. Her skin tingled where his hand had touched it. Why had he caressed her cheek, then withdrew his hand when he saw she was expecting a kiss?

  She stumbled on a tree root, and he looked back at her. “You okay?”

  Did he mean because she’d stumbled or because he’d started to kiss her and stopped?

  “I’m fine.” The words came out sharper than she intended. Because she was embarrassed or because she was angry with him?

  Steve stopped, and she bumped into him.

  “Sorry.” He reached out as though to touch her, paused and pointed instead. “There it is. What do you think?”

  Her gaze followed the path of his pointing finger. “Ohhh!” The involuntary exclamation puffed between her lips in a small white cloud.

  A perfectly shaped cedar stood majestically alone atop a hillock. A clear blue winter sky spread above it. Its green boughs sparkled in the sun.

  She stared in awe. “It’s perfect! If we could take the sunlight home with us, we wouldn’t need artificial lights.”

  * * *

  Steve took another whack at the tree trunk. It was larger than he’d first thought.

  “Maybe you should’ve brought the chainsaw,” Kate called.

  “Nah. Need to chop down an old-fashioned Christmas tree the old-fashioned way.” He raised his arms, took a deep breath and let the ax fall. “Especially when it’s going to stand in an old-fashioned parlor.”

  As soon as he said it, he knew he’d said the wrong thing. He glanced at Kate and saw the closed look on her face. Memories had come between them again. She resented his being here in her family place.

  But when the tree came down, she cheered and ran to help him drag it to the house. He smiled at her as they rested it against the edge of the front porch. “I’ll stir up the fire if you’ll put on the kettle for hot chocolate. Then I’ll trim off some bottom limbs and find something for a holder.”

  “Thanks, but I’d better not wait for hot chocolate. I have to get ready to go shopping with Mother. A wasted afternoon.”

  “Cheer up, Katie. Try to have a good time with her today. And try to use a little tact with her.” He grinned at her. “Don’t be quite as blunt as you are with me.”

  She wrinkled her nose at him. “When are we going to decorate the tree?” She looked at him with a wistful expression. “You won’t do it while I
’m gone?”

  “I told you it wouldn’t be fun by myself. I’ll be patiently waiting.” For more than your help with the tree. He was surprised at the errant thought, and wondered at the questioning look she gave him. Had he said it aloud?

  And what did the thought mean?

  He thought of his failure to kiss her when she’d looked at him so expectantly in the woods. He’d told himself it was because he needed to go easy for her sake. He now admitted he needed to back off some for his own.

  I meant I’ll be waiting patiently for her to accept that the place now belongs to me, not to her. Nothing more. Maybe if he kept telling himself this he would come to believe it.

  But it was hard for him to keep his resolve when those big green-gold eyes gave him such an imploring look.

  “How about if we decorate tonight?” he said. “If you get through visiting with your mother in time. Afterwards, we can grab a bite to eat at a drive-through and ride around and look at the Christmas lights. How long has it been since you saw the nighttime view from Red Mountain?”

  * * *

  When her mother’s white Mercedes turned into the driveway, Kate slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder and grabbed her tan jacket from a chair. She met her mother halfway to the car.

  “My, my, to what do I owe this jubilant welcome? It’s good to see you, too, Kate.” Her mother reached out to hug her.

  Kate returned the embrace, feeling guilty about her attitude toward her mother’s visit. She really did seem glad to see her. Maybe the afternoon wouldn’t be so bad after all. She hugged her a little tighter.

  Her mother broke the embrace, stepped back and scrutinized her. “Surely you’re not planning to wear that. I expected you to be ready when I got here.”

  “I am ready.” Her shirt was new, her jeans clean. Steve’s words came back to her. Try to use a little tact with her. She forced a smile. “I thought you might want to get through shopping so you can be back home before it gets so late.”

  “You’re already trying to rush me off home? And I thought you ran out because you were happy to see me.”

  And just how happy were you to see me, Mother, when you saw how I’m dressed?

  Her mother headed for the house. “You can change while I freshen up.”

  Kate sighed and followed her. Sounds like we’re in for a fun day.

  * * *

  Neither spoke as they climbed into the Mercedes and fastened their seat belts. They were passing the road leading to the old farmhouse when Kate ventured to ask, “What do you suppose will happen to the farmhouse, now that Grandpa’s gone?”

  Her mother stared straight ahead. “That’s not your concern.”

  You may not be concerned about it, Mother, but I care what happens to all our old family stuff. “Don’t you care about the personal things?”

  “Father didn’t have all that much to care about. You knew your grandfather. Nice things didn’t mean anything to him.”

  “Yes, but...”

  “Don’t try to start something and cause trouble in the family, Kate. Your uncles and I will take care of Father’s affairs. It’s not your place.”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  Kate crossed her arms over her midsection and stared out the window. So, she didn’t intend to tell Kate about Grandpa’s will and the sale of his land. She guessed that left things in her hands.

  Her mother’s voice broke into her thoughts. “I think we should start by getting your hair cut. There’s a good salon at the Galleria.”

  Kate looked at her. “I think I’m old enough to decide when I want to cut my hair, Mother. Besides, I thought we were going to one of the shops here in town.”

  “You know there are no decent dress shops here. It doesn’t take long to drive in to Hoover.”

  “All right, Mother. The Galleria. But no haircut today. I have other things to do this evening.”

  “This evening? Kate, there’ll come a day when you’ll wish you could spend time with your mother.”

  Alarm shot through Kate. “Mother! Are you sick?”

  “Do I look sick?”

  “No. But you sounded so...” Kate hushed. She’d do better keeping her mouth closed. Everything she said only made things worse.

  Her mother slid a music CD into the player. The voice of a contemporary Christian singer filled the car.

  Kate closed her eyes while praise music flowed about her. Maybe she really should work on her attitude toward her mother. Lord, help me to be kind and more patient with my mother today. Help me be the woman Steve thinks I can be.

  Chapter 11

  Kate hurried through the crowd moving toward Penny’s at one end of the mall.

  Her mother grabbed her arm. “Kate, wait. Slow down. You’re running my legs off. I want to go in the men’s shop over there. Your father needs a new white dress shirt.”

  Kate dodged between a woman pushing a stroller and a group of teenagers goofing off and entered the men’s store. She headed toward stacks of white shirts near the back.

  But she stopped short beside a rack of ties. Her eyes were drawn to one exactly the same shade of blue as Steve’s eyes.

  She fingered the rich fabric of the tie, wondering what he would look like in dress clothes. He had asked her out to eat fast food tonight. But with all the Christmas events coming up, maybe...

  “If you’re looking for a tie for your father, that won’t work with his new suit.”

  “Just looking, Mother. But I think I will buy one as a Christmas gift for him. Maybe this brown-and-beige one. It would match his brown suit.”

  “No. Move over and let me see.” Her mother nudged her.

  Kate sighed, stepped back and watched her mother finger the ties.

  “This yellow one. The brown-and-beige one is too dull.” She pulled the tie from the rack and handed it to Kate. “Now come help me find a shirt. Then we’ll go find you a dress.”

  * * *

  Kate stared in disbelief at the dress her mother pulled from a rack of dresses. It was way too sleazy, and it would cling.

  “With a girdle to hold your stomach in, I think this might work.” Her mother held the clothes hanger out to her.

  “Girdle?”

  “Keep your voice down, Kate.” She shook the garment at Kate. Bright green silk shimmered in the overhead lights.

  Be tactful with your mother.

  Forget that, Steve, if it means wearing a girdle. “Women don’t wear girdles nowadays, Mother.”

  “Of course they do, Kate. If they want to look nice in their clothing. Especially hefty ones.”

  Hefty?

  Kate shook her head in exasperation and reached for the rack. She would try on the dress, but she would not wear a girdle. She refused to even look at the undergarment her mother extended toward her. It would take forever for her to wiggle into that thing, and they were already wasting a lot of valuable time messing around with clothes she didn’t intend to wear.

  She stepped into the dressing room and turned her back to the mirror. She peeled off her slacks and blouse and slid the green silk over her head. A hook in the back hung in her hair.

  “Kate, how does it look?”

  “Don’t know yet, Mother.” Kate fidgeted with the hook.

  “Do you need help?”

  “No, Mother. I’m... Ouch!” A couple of hairs came out with the hook.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, Mother. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  She pulled up the zipper in the back of the dress and turned toward the mirror.

  And gaped. Was that her?

  She closed her mouth and turned for a side view. She didn’t need a girdle.

  She turned to view her backside. Yes, she’d definitely lost
a few pounds.

  She turned for a front view again. “Just look at that.”

  “What did you say, Kate?”

  “Nothing, Mother. I’ll be right out.”

  She smoothed the silk over her hips. What would Steve think if he saw her in this dress?

  “Kate. Let me see how it looks.”

  “Okay.” Kate stepped from the dressing room. She wanted to throw her hands out to each side of herself and sing out, Ta-dah. But she was silent, waiting for her mother’s reaction.

  Her mother stood with a finger to her chin. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, I think that will do. I believe you’ve lost a little weight, Kate.”

  Why, thank you, Mother. You almost gave me a compliment. Kate turned back toward the dressing room door. Now she could grab a pair of shoes someplace and they’d go.

  “Try this sweater and slacks.” Her mother held two hangers.

  “I don’t need—”

  “Try them.” She shoved the hangers at Kate.

  “Yes, Mother.” She didn’t bother to try to hide her irritation, but took the outfit inside the dressing room and closed the door.

  She pulled on the pants and slid the sweater over her head, then glanced in the mirror. Yes, they would do. So she would take them, too. Anything to pacify her mother.

  When Kate saw the total cost of the dress, pants and sweater on the charge slip her mother signed, she almost choked. Entering the shoe department, she whispered, “I’ll pay for the shoes. You’ve spent so much already.”

  “Nonsense. This is your Christmas present. It will come out of your father’s bonus. He made a bundle for the company this year with that new computer program.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Kate picked up a dressy flat on the display table.

  Her mother took the shoe from her hand and set it back in place. “We want something more elegant.”

  Before today, Kate might have said, “Nothing elegant for this elephant.” But, envisioning herself in the green dress, she nodded and followed her mother to a display of high-heeled dress shoes.

  As they walked from the store a short while later, she felt like singing with the carolers she heard in the distance. She had lost noticeable weight. A bag containing a lovely silk dress hung across her arm, and a bag in her hand held elegant black pumps, along with a light foundation makeup that a salesclerk had shown her how to apply. The clerk had bolstered her spirits even more when she’d said, “You don’t want anything heavy enough to cover those lovely freckles across your nose and cheeks.”