No response.
Steve took a shaky breath and let it out in an equally shaky voice. “Seems like every time we meet I need to apologize.”
“You noticed.” Her sideways look pinned him down. Then in an almost imperceptible move, her lips twitched.
A chuckle bubbled inside, impossible to hold back. “That’s okay. Be smart-mouthed. It’s what I deserve.”
Her face blossomed into a wide grin. “You noticed that, too.”
He leaned back his head and gave a belly laugh, glad to finally share a lighthearted moment with her. She joined in with a musical giggle that reminded him of tiny bells.
After the laughter abated, Dani sent him a kind smile. “Don’t worry about it. I forgive you.”
Her words impacted him with a force he didn’t expect. She forgave so readily, unaware of the depths of his suspicion. Again he had the strange sensation her steady blue-eyed gaze sized him up accurately.
Dani tucked a stray curl hair behind her ear. “I know you have doubts about my reasons for being here, and I’m sorry for whatever I’ve done to give you a bad impression. You asked about my plans—”
“You don’t have to explain.”
She released a sigh and raised one hand. “I want to clarify things. I appreciate your concern for this town and for Mama Beth. You have every right to be protective. Please believe me when I say I have no plans to take advantage of my aunt or this town.” Neither her eyes nor her words faltered.
Steve searched her face. No signs of dishonesty. “I believe you.” The words were out of his mouth before he realized it.
The silence between them grew awkward, and she fidgeted. “Well, I think I’ll take a walk. See you later.”
He longed to tag along, but gut instinct told him no. His gaze followed her a moment, then he glanced toward the picnic table. J. C., Wanda, and Mama Beth leaned in close, their faces animated. Must be a serious discussion.
They continued to chatter as he neared the table, oblivious to his presence. Wanda’s nasal voice grew excited. “Well if you ask me…” Her gaze came to rest on him. She sat ramrod straight and clamped her lips shut. When he crossed his arms and sent her a questioning look, she crammed a bite of peach pie in her mouth. The other two turned toward him, slack-jawed, then fumbled with their lunches. Their faces ranged from pale to pink.
Steve shook his head in mock disgust as they avoided his glare. The nosy old busybodies.
~~o~~
CHAPTER EIGHT
Tough Decisions
Shoving the rest of the clothes in her suitcase, Dani squished them down to tug on the zipper. That suitcase was going to have a blowout if she didn’t learn to pack lighter.
“I’m not sure you moving here is a good idea.” Mama Beth sat on the bed next to the suitcase, her face kind but sincere.
Dani jerked her head upward. “Why not?”
Her aunt leaned to one side, bringing a hand up to rub her forehead. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d love for you to live closer. But all you’ve ever known is city life. Living in a small town is totally different.”
“It can’t be that different.” She gave the zipper another tug, but it only budged a fraction of an inch.
“Don’t be so sure.” Mama Beth’s face took on a dogged look. “You’re used to having everything you want at your fingertips. Entertainment, shopping, even things you buy at a grocery store.”
Dani tucked in a piece of stray clothing and inched the suitcase zipper along. “All that has lost its appeal. I want a simpler, slower-paced life.”
Her aunt let out a hoot. “It’s a simpler way of life all right. Probably too simple for you. And as for being slower-paced, I’m not sure you have the right idea. Life here is busy, but in a different way. It’s just the world we live in.”
A frustrated sigh puffed out her cheeks. Well, this conversation wasn’t turning out the way she’d expected. Moving to Miller’s Creek would give her the life she wanted, and in a round-about way would even help the town. Why couldn’t her aunt understand? Her shoulders drooped. Maybe Mama Beth didn’t want her either.
“This is just a place, like Dallas is a place. Neither one of them is really home. They’re temporary dwellings.” The older woman’s eyes twinkled with life. “One of these days, when the right time comes, I plan on leaving this all behind.” She panned a hand around the room.
Dani puckered her forehead. “I thought you liked it here.”
“I do. In fact, I love it. There’s no place on the planet I’d rather be.”
All this talking in circles made her head hurt. She pressed a hand to her temple. “I still don’t understand.”
Mama Beth mashed down on the final corner of the suitcase and zipped it closed. “As much as I love this place, it doesn’t compare to my final home. I’m talking about heaven.”
Not that again. She sent her aunt a pointed stare. “I’m glad you have that kind of faith, but don’t expect it from me.”
“Just keep yourself open to the possibilities.” Mama Beth grabbed her hand. “Now back to you moving to Miller’s Creek. I’d love to have you, but make sure it’s what you’re supposed to do. Pray about it first.”
Dani pulled her hand away, lugged the bulging suitcase to the floor, and plopped down on the bed beside her aunt, the ancient bed springs whining their complaint. “But I love Miller’s Creek. The people here are wonderful.”
Mama Beth nodded. “They are wonderful. Some of the best people I know. But they’re still just people. They tend to be nosy and suspicious when it comes to outsiders.”
“I haven’t noticed that at all.” Steve’s suspicious eyes rose to the front of her memory, but she pushed the image down.
“No, because you’re here on a visit. Are you sure you can handle people knowing every move you make?”
“It can’t be that bad.” She ran her fingers across the bumpy chenille bedspread then looked up at her aunt.
Mama Beth cocked an eyebrow. “Take my word for it. Small town news travels fast, and it’s seldom accurate.” She rested a hand on Dani’s shoulder. “I love you, and I’m glad you came this week. You know you’re welcome here anytime, but this isn’t something to rush into. Talk it over with Cecille.”
Dani’s mouth turned down at the corners. Discuss it with her mother?
Only if it snowed in July.
~~o~~
Dani held her skirt down with both hands and glanced at the stormy sky while she accompanied her students to P. E. class. Only a few weeks since she’d left Miller’s Creek, the frigid April wind now zipped through the sleeves of her blouse, causing chill bumps to pop up on her flesh. The indecisive Texas weather was a perfect match to her torn thoughts about Miller’s Creek.
With a reminder to her class that good behavior during gym would earn them popcorn on Friday, she pivoted and scurried back to the main building. The cold steel handle produced a shiver in her as she yanked on the heavy door to enter the warmth of the red-brick school building. The door closed behind her with a hydraulic hiss and a thump.
Usually she rushed to her classroom, the few minutes of silence and solitude a welcome respite, but today she dawdled. Since Spring Break, everything reeked of loneliness. Even during the busiest times of the day, she found her thoughts turning to Miller’s Creek. Was Mama Beth feeling better? Had Steve found a workable solution for the town?
She reluctantly entered the classroom, grabbed a can of air freshener to rid the room of sweaty body smells, and then plodded to the paper-strewn desk to search for her calendar. Four more weeks until the end of school, then she could return to the place that captured her heart. Dani lowered her body to the desk chair, dreaming of long summer days. A country song soundtrack began to play in her mind, and she envisioned herself dressed in her favorite jeans, picking wildflowers from the side of a country road. Friendly banter with her new friends echoed in her thoughts, their smiling faces bright with cheer as they worked together to rebuild the town.
T
he door opened and Jen poked in her head, her mousy brown hair swinging at her shoulders. “Hey, you avoiding me?”
Her friend’s words grated today, but Dani mustered a half-smile. “Sorry. I’ve been swamped with papers to grade. I can’t seem to make my brain focus.”
Jen’s tawny eyes took on understanding, and she strode toward the desk, one hand on her hip. “You’re not still thinking about moving to Miller’s Creek, are you?”
Irritation built inside, and her eyes burned. Why couldn’t at least one person be on her side? “Yeah.” Dani turned her head away, chewing the inside of her cheek, and busied her hands with a stack of papers.
Jen plopped onto a nearby table, her legs swinging. “You just need a break. It happens to me every year at this same time.”
She pondered her friend’s words. No. One brief two-month break wouldn’t mend this brokenness. She needed more. “This is different.”
“You’re just working too hard.” Jen hopped down from the table and approached the desk. “Why don’t we catch a movie tonight? Might make you feel better.”
“I can’t. I promised Mother I’d go to her house for dinner.” She twisted her mouth into a cynical grin. “Maybe that’s why I’m in such a foul mood today. I dread Mother’s reaction when I tell her I’m thinking about moving to Miller’s Creek.”
“That bad, huh?”
Dani shot her friend a look beneath raised eyebrows. “You know what she’s like. That woman can turn a hangnail into an international crisis of epic proportions.”
Her friend giggled. “True. I’m glad it’s you and not me.”
“Sure you don’t want to join us?” She shuffled the papers then tapped them against the desk before looking at her friend.
Jen laid one finger against her cheek as if deep in thought. “Gee, I think I have papers to grade. Or was it a root canal?”
She managed a short laugh. “Very funny. I wouldn’t want to go with me either.”
Her friend checked her watch and hurried to the door. “I expect a full report tomorrow.”
The harsh buzz of the school bell sounded, and Dani wandered to the window to watch her students as they lined up. A few minutes more and they’d be inside, clamoring for her attention. She released her exasperation in a soft sigh. Even the job she loved no longer brought joy or satisfaction.
~~o~~
Dani’s jaw hinged open as she drove into the circular drive of her mother’s large estate in North Dallas later that evening. Something was wrong. The once-sculpted lawn was shaggy and unkempt, and the lush flower beds contained more grass than flowers. What was going on? Mother prided herself on having the best of everything, the best lawn, the best house, the best life.
The best daughter.
She sucked in a deep breath to prepare for the guilt and anger her mother wielded like weapons, weapons that were probably about to be unleashed. Dani forced herself from the car, and trudged to the front door, her legs weighted with lead. She punched the doorbell.
A few seconds later the massive door opened, and her mother, clad in a blue silk pantsuit, placed her perfectly made-up cheek beside Dani’s and kissed the air. “Hello, dear, how are you?”
“Fine.” Her mother answering the door? Since when? “Where’s Bridget?” The house smelled musty and unused.
“She asked for some time off to visit her grandchildren.”
Fingers of unease tickled her spine. “And you didn’t get a replacement?”
“It just didn’t make sense.” Her mother’s heels tapped along the marble floor and echoed in the expansive foyer. Dani followed, her mind still trying to solve the puzzle.
As they traveled down the corridor, a foul odor wafted from the kitchen. “What died? And the yard’s a mess.”
“I hired another landscaper, but he quit on me. I haven’t had time to hire a new one yet. Let’s eat in the kitchen, shall we?”
“In the kitchen?” Cecille Hampton, queen of social graces, wanted to eat in the kitchen?
With dark cherry cabinets, top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, and recessed lighting, the kitchen reminded her of a photo in a home decor magazine. It stood in sharp contrast to the cozy hominess of Mama Beth’s country kitchen. Dani took in the Chinese take-out boxes resting on the chocolate-colored granite countertop. Well, that explained the smell.
“I’ve been so hungry for Chinese lately.” Mother’s voice reverberated in the spacious room, and she moved to fill a plate with food from the boxes. “I found this wonderful little place with the best food. You’re absolutely going to adore it.”
Her stomach lurched. Chinese food? Why couldn’t Mother remember she hated Chinese food? She pinched her mouth closed, and following her mother’s lead, fixed a plate. Intentionally keeping the helpings small, she seated herself at the island, but one nibble of the rubbery, over-salted noodles brought a grimace she couldn’t conceal. With her chopsticks, she rearranged the food on her plate, entertaining thoughts of stopping for a burger and fries on the way home.
The clock on the facing wall ticked down the time while her mother rattled off her social schedule. Fifteen minutes. Thirty. Forty-five. Okay, time’s up. Dani cleared her throat. “Guess what? I’m thinking about moving to Miller’s Creek when the school year’s over.” She exhaled the words at a rapid pace then glanced tentatively at her mother.
Mother laid down the chopsticks with unnerving calm, an icy coldness creeping into her cat-like slit eyes. “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth, Danielle. Why would you want to live in a backwoods place like Miller’s Creek? You don’t belong there.”
The words knifed into her. Belong? Had she ever belonged? She swallowed against the hurt stuck in her throat, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and crossed her legs. “I think it’s time for a change. It’ll be good for me.” She nibbled the edge of her thumbnail, her dangling foot a-dance.
“Stop biting your nails. I used to live there, remember? There’s nothing for you there.” Mother waved a manicured hand through the air like a television game show model. “This is the life you’re used to.”
Dani shifted, her breath stuck in her throat. How could she explain her desire to find a place that felt like home? “Mother, you and Father were wonderful to me. You’ve provided me with so much. More than anyone could ask for . . .” She cringed under her mother’s eagle-eyed stare.
“But?” A hard edge lined Mother’s tone, and Dani’s free ankle danced faster.
“I’ve never felt like I really belong in this family.”
Mother’s face paled, her eyes freezing into blue ice.
“I’m sorry, but it’s the truth.” Dani closed her eyes to shut out her mother’s angry face. “I’m thirty-five years old. I want a place that feels like home before it’s too late.”
“And you think you’ll find that in Miller’s Creek? What do you suppose are the chances of meeting an available man your age in a small town?”
Steve’s face popped into her mind unbidden. “I’m not in the market for a man, Mother. I’m looking for a home. There’s a huge difference. Besides, Aunt Beth—”
“You know nothing about your aunt. She’s not the angel you think she is.” Her mother’s eyes morphed from ice to fire. “Richard’s been dead a year, and it’s time to get over it. Howard Huff would propose in a heartbeat if you’d give him even the slightest bit of encouragement.” Her mother’s plate scraped against the counter as she yanked it up and stalked to the sink.
So Howard could marry her for her father’s company the way Richard had? No thanks. She’d been down that road and had no plans for a return trip. Besides, he was twenty years older and had already been through three other wives. A shaky breath steadied her nerves. No more backing down. Mother needed to know the truth, no matter how painful. She momentarily nourished the anger and bitterness exploding inside her. Then she thought of Mama Beth and her goodness, her way of speaking hard truth with tenderness. “Mother, I love you.�
��
“Then why are you doing this to me?” Mother faced her, her expression tortured. “You know I need you now more than ever.”
“I’m not doing this to you. I’m doing it for me. I need to make a new life for myself, to be away from the memories.”
“You can’t leave Dallas. You’re my only child.” Tears formed in her eyes. “I can’t believe you’d choose an aunt you barely know over your own mother.”
The guilt-slivered words pierced her heart like always. She shook her head as a weary sigh escaped. “I’m not trying to end our relationship. I want us to work things out.”
A relieved smile cascaded over her mother’s face. She hurried over and wrapped her arms around Dani. “You had me so scared, darling. I couldn’t bear it if you moved away.”
Cold crept through her veins. Why didn’t she get it? Dani pressed her lips together and extricated herself from her mother’s grasp. “I’m still considering a move to Miller’s Creek.”
Mother’s face turned livid except for a white ring around her perfectly applied lipstick. Then she launched into an angry tirade.
Clutching her purse, Dani outdistanced the angry words spewing from her mother’s lips, her heart hammering against her ribs as she slammed the front door behind her. How was she supposed to choose between her mother and her dream?
~~o~~
CHAPTER NINE
Prompted to Pray
Steve planted his fists on his hips and viewed Mama Beth’s garden. A nerve pulsated in his clenched jaw. When had she done the weeding? Would that woman never learn to listen to him? The aroma of homemade cookies floated to his nostrils as he stomped up the steps to the front door. “Mama Beth?”
“In here.”
The screen door screeched out a welcome, and his boots clomped on the hardwood floors. He found her at the kitchen table, head propped on one hand. “I thought I told you I’d take care of the weeding.”
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