She wondered if she was putting more into his kindness than he intended. Was she so lonely that she only imagined his interest? She stepped beside him and reached up in the cabinet for a vase. When her shoulder brushed against his arm, she felt a jolt clear through her—and it had nothing to do with static electricity. The laughter faded from his eyes, and she knew he felt it, too. “Thanks for being so thoughtful.”
“Anytime. I just hope these don’t make you sneeze.”
“I don’t have a problem with carnations.”
He gazed at her so intently that Andi’s legs grew weak. “Are you a makeup artist, or are you really feeling better?”
“Both. I still get tired too quickly and sleep a lot, but I haven’t had a dizzy spell or headache since Sunday. I feel a little bit stronger every day.” She eased away, moving to the sink and filling the vase with water. “Of course, I’m taking a ton of vitamins and iron supplements, so I should have the fastest recovery on record.” She unwrapped the carnations and put them in the vase, inhaling their spicy-sweet fragrance with a smile. Looking up, she met his tender gaze. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He straightened and quickly began removing waxed cardboard containers from the grocery bag. “Dawn, do you want me to put this in something?”
“That shallow casserole dish on the counter is for the barbecue. There’s a bowl up in the cabinet to your right for the potato salad.” Dawn came out of the walk-in pantry with a handful of paper napkins. “Do you want iced tea?”
“Sure, that would be fine.”
After placing the flowers in the living room, Andi took the fruit salad from the refrigerator and put it on the table as Wade carefully poured the long, thin slices of barbecue brisket and sauce into the casserole dish. He dumped the potato salad in a bowl while Andi set the rolls he had brought on a plate. Dawn poured them each a glass of tea. When they sat down at the table, Dawn asked Wade to say the blessing. Andi had expected it, since her cousin said grace before each meal, but she hadn’t expected Wade to take her hand in his.
“An old family tradition,” he said, reaching across the table to hold hands with Dawn, too. “Aunt Della says it’s a way of showing everyone at the table that they are welcome, both in the circle of fellowship and in lifting their hearts to God.” He smiled as Andi reached for Dawn’s free hand. “When I visited them as a kid, I thought they only did it to keep me from fidgeting.”
Andi almost laughed out loud. She’d never felt more like fidgeting in her life. She bowed her head and closed her eyes, trying to have a prayerful attitude, but it was difficult when she was so aware of Wade’s firm hand enclosing hers. Seconds later, she felt as if she were hovering at the threshold of heaven, carried there by the love and respect resonating in Wade’s deep voice as he talked to God.
“Heavenly Father, thank you for this food, and thank you for bringing Andi home to us for a while. Please be with her, Lord, help her to recover and meet her every need. In Jesus’ name, amen.” He released Andi’s hand slowly, as if he didn’t want to let go.
She wanted to cling to him forever.
“So how are the plans coming along for the church picnic?” Dawn took several pieces of brisket and a spoonful of sauce, then passed the dish to Wade.
He shook his head. “I’m in charge of cooking the burgers and clean up, which is no big deal, but somehow I wound up saying I’d buy all the food, too.” He filled half his plate with barbecue and handed the still heaping casserole dish to Andi. He looked at Dawn, his expression hopeful. “Could I talk you into helping me? I don’t know the first thing about buying for a crowd.”
“Sure, I’ll help. I’ve done it plenty of times. It’s not so hard when hamburgers are the main course. Gets a little more complicated when we’re putting on something fancy.”
They finished filling their plates and began to eat. Before long, the discussion turned to Dawn’s idea of establishing a city museum.
“I thought we already had a museum. Isn’t it in that old building on Fourth Street?” With a slight movement of her wrist, Andi waved her fork in the general direction of downtown. She laughed when Wade playfully ducked.
“There’s a pile of stuff there, but it quit functioning as a museum about four years ago. We have plenty of old things to put on display, but we need a bigger and better place to do it.”
Wade took the last of the fruit salad and looked at Andi. “This is too good to throw out to the hogs.” He met her smile with one of his own, then turned his attention back to Dawn. “You got a place in mind?”
“Knox’s Department Store would be perfect. It’s big, in pretty good shape, and has a long history in itself. I’m not sure, but I think it may have been one of the first buildings in town. Mr. Knox took good care of it.”
“You think his heirs might donate it to the city?”
“Maybe. I’m going to try and round up some other interested people and see if we can get something started. We’ll probably need some kind of committee or museum board set up before we approach the city council and county commissioners.”
“It’ll be a lot of work.”
Dawn grinned. “So isn’t everything? Want to be my first board volunteer?”
Wade held up his hands and shook his head. “No thanks. I’m on more than enough committees right now. But when you get down to hammering and painting, let me know. I’ll be glad to lend a hand.”
“A museum next door to your antiques store is a good idea,” said Andi.
“Store? Are you opening up a place here in Buckley?” asked Wade.
“I hope to. I’ve purchased that little building next to Knox’s. One reason I bought it is because I’ve been dreaming of having the museum on Main Street for a long time. Besides, it was cheap and has a beautiful plaster ceiling.”
A short while later, they were nibbling on brownies in the living room when Wade’s aunt called. He talked to her briefly and hung up the phone, his brow wrinkled in a frown. “I have to go. One of our mares is ready to foal, and she’s having problems. The vet is on his way out, but I need to be there, too.”
“Won’t you take some barbecue? There’s plenty left,” said Dawn.
“No, you keep it. That way you won’t have to cook for a few days. I wouldn’t mind another brownie though.”
Andi handed him one and walked out to the Blazer with him. Her gaze skimmed over the vehicle. “Nice. Is it new?”
“About a year old.” Wade wished he had a dimmer switch for the street light. “I drive it when I want to impress the ladies.”
“Are you trying to impress me, Wade?”
He stepped closer and shrugged. “Maybe a little. I’m doing pretty well financially, but it probably doesn’t hold a candle to what you make in a year.”
“Does that bother you?”
“No, and I hope it doesn’t bother you. It doesn’t matter to me whether you’re rich or poor, I’d still care for you. You’re my friend, Andrea. You were there when I needed you ten years ago, and I’m here for you now.”
A strand of hair blew across her face. He brushed it aside, tucking it behind her ear, and let his fingertips trail along her cheek as he withdrew his hand. “I’ll always be here for you.”
Her eyes widened slightly. Even in the shadows, he could see the longing there, a yearning for love fervently echoed in his heart.
He stepped back and climbed into the Blazer, then rolled down the window and closed the door. “Sorry I have to leave so soon.”
She leaned against the SUV, her expression wistful. “I’m sorry, too.”
Impulsively, he picked up the teddy bear and held it in front of him. “Cute, huh?”
Her face lit up. “He’s adorable.” Pursing her lips, she playfully pinched his cheek. “Does duh big cowboy like to snuggle wiff his teddy?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Not in the last twenty years or so.” Testing it at the store didn’t count. He handed the stuffed animal to her, and she immediately hugged it. He grinned.
She held it up to the light. “He has the cutest face, and he’s so soft and cuddly.”
“Guess that’s why I thought of you when I saw it.” He almost groaned out loud. How had he let that slip out?
“Anybody ever tell you that you’re sweet, cowboy?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah, at least a dozen times a day.” He started the Blazer. “Go on in the house, songbird, so I’ll know you’re safe.”
She attempted a smile, but as she turned away, clutching the teddy bear as if she were a lost little girl, he caught the shimmer of tears in her eyes. He ached to gather her in his arms and hold her tight. He knew she must miss her friends and busy lifestyle. She was sick, lonely, and separated from everything important to her. She’d probably be attracted to any man who showed her tenderness. Easy pickin’s.
When she was inside the house, he gunned the engine and sped down the street, barely slowing at the stop sign three blocks away. He was halfway to the ranch before he realized he was going twenty miles an hour over the speed limit. He shook his head and lifted his foot off the gas pedal. “Lord, I’m gettin’ in deep here. I feel like a teenager in love, and now I’m driving like one. I’m blowing it, Lord. I don’t know how to handle this situation. How can I ease her loneliness without hurting her? Or myself?”
Wade drove the rest of the way in silence, waiting for God’s direction. A single thought kept running through his mind, but he didn’t know if God was speaking to him, or if he only heard the anguished cry of his own heart.
Just love her.
CHAPTER 4
By Saturday, Andi could tell a definite improvement in her strength. Although she still grew tired quicker than normal, she wasn’t worn out all the time. Yet, she couldn’t seem to shake the blues. When she had seen the doctor in Sidell the day before, he told her not to worry, that feeling down was common with anemia. He assured her that once she completely regained her health, she’d be the lively, enthusiastic performer she’d always been.
She wasn’t so sure. Sitting alone in Dawn’s living room, she gazed at her great-grandmother’s 1906 Lester Upright Grand piano. Andi was well acquainted with its deep, rich tone. At one time, she would have gone to it the minute she got up, perhaps playing for an hour before hunger forced her into the kitchen. She looked over at her acoustic guitar in the corner, untouched since she had arrived. No song ran through her mind or sprang from her heart. Her once fervent desire to sing had disappeared. Music no longer filled her soul.
“Snap out of it, Carson.” She jumped to her feet. “It’s a beautiful day. Perk up.” Dawn was at an estate sale in the next county and had invited Andi to go along. Although it sounded like fun, Andi was afraid she would get too tired and had declined. She didn’t want her cousin to feel obligated to leave the sale until she was ready.
She walked out onto the back porch and stretched in the warm morning sunshine, continuing her self-directed pep talk. “You just need some fresh air and to do something besides sitting around, turning into a sofa squash.”
Spotting a flower bed in need of weeding, she strolled down the steps and plopped on the grass beside it. The weeds were small and the ground soft from the rain two nights before. As she plucked the little villains from around the partially blooming red geraniums, some of her tension and frustration eased. A red cardinal landed in the elm tree nearby. Andi leaned back on her elbows and watched the bird watch her. “Good morning, pretty thing,” she said softly. “Isn’t spring nice?”
The bird flew away, but seconds later a gray and white mockingbird landed almost in the same place. He ran through a series of melodies, mimicking the calls and songs of other birds, repeating each one half a dozen times before going onto the next. Andi listened, smiling in pleasure.
For about the twentieth time that morning, her thoughts drifted to Wade. She hadn’t heard from him since he left on Tuesday night. She went back to weeding the small flower bed, knowing he would come if she called him, wishing he would drop by on his own. Looking up at the now silent mockingbird, she asked, “Reckon he’s waiting for me to call?” The bird tipped his head as if considering her question. “Maybe he thinks I don’t want to see him.” The bird serenaded her again.
She considered the possibility for a few minutes, then went inside, washed the dirt and green weed stains off her hands, and looked up his number in Buckley’s tiny phone book. Dialing the cordless phone, she glanced at the clock and wondered if he’d be home at eleven o’clock on a Saturday morning. He was, but he sounded sleepy when he answered on the fourth ring.
“Hi, Wade. This is Andi. I’m sorry if I woke you.”
“I was awake. Just being lazy. Waitin’ on the coffee.”
His voice was deeper than usual, his speech slow and relaxed. Hearing the television in the background, she pictured him sitting on a couch, wearing old, faded jeans and a white T-shirt, with his hair still rumpled from sleep and his bare feet propped up on a coffee table. It was an image bound to make any woman’s heart beat faster.
She heard a faint, but distinct, “beep, beep,” in the background and grinned. “Are you watching cartoons?”
He chuckled. “Caught me. I still get a kick out of the Roadrunner and that dumb Wile E. Coyote. How are you feeling?”
“Better, although I still run out of steam too fast.”
“I was sitting here thinking about you.”
The last traces of her gloomy mood evaporated as she walked into her bedroom and flopped down on the bed. “I’m not sure that’s good, considering what you’re watching.” He laughed, and Andi felt a rush of pure happiness.
“I wasn’t making any comparisons. I’ve been meaning to call you all week but haven’t had the chance. Been getting home too late. We’ve had baby critters hatchin’ out all over the place.”
“How are the mare and foal?”
“Fine. Thanks to a good vet and plenty of prayer, they both made it. It was scary for a while, though. That little guy wanted to stay right where he was. We thought we might lose them both. A little filly arrived about three this morning. That’s why I’m moving so slow. You doin’ anything today?”
“Nope. Dawn is at an estate sale, and I’m down to talking to the birds.”
“Are they talking back?”
“Well, Mr. Mockingbird had a comment, but I’m a little fuzzy on the translation.”
“He was telling you to come out to the ranch and spend the day with me.”
“Special air mail message, huh? I’d love to, but I’ll need a ride. The doctor doesn’t want me to drive for another week. I considered ignoring him and picking up a rental car anyway, but decided I’d better follow orders.”
“I’ll come get you, but don’t dress up. I’d like to take you around the ranch, but we’ll need to go in the pickup. It’s a bit dusty inside.”
Andi laughed. “I’d like to see a work pickup in this part of Texas that isn’t. I don’t mind a little dirt.”
He made a funny noise, a cross between a yawn and a groan. Andi smiled, picturing him stretching the kinks out of his back. “Sounds like you need some more sleep.”
“It just takes me a while to get my motor revved up.”
She wondered why she found that so endearing.
“I can be there about a quarter after twelve, if that’s all right.”
“I’ll be ready.” She switched off the phone and dropped it on the bed, humming a happy little tune. She picked up the teddy bear from beside her and set him on her stomach, leaning him back against her bent legs. “Well, Sweet Thing, looks like I was right to name you after that handsome cowboy.”
She rested a while, ate a quick lunch, then primped a bit. She changed into a short sleeved, blue print cotton dress made in a basic a-line style that was loose and comfortable. She slipped on a pair of canvas flats before doing her makeup—a touch of mascara, blush, and lipstick. While brushing her hair, she heard the rumble of a car with a loud muffler coming down the street. When it stopped in front of t
he house, she hurried to the living room window. Wade was climbing out of a pristine, bright red roadster. She couldn’t tell a Ford from a Chevy, but it was obvious that the old car had been lovingly restored.
Grabbing her purse and a light sweater, she raced out the door, barely remembering to close it. “Wade, it’s beautiful! Is it yours?” His twinkling eyes and smug smile gave her his answer before he nodded. Andi walked around the car, admiring the spotless paint, sparkling chrome, and big round headlights perched atop the sweeping front fenders. Inside, the wooden steering wheel and dash were smooth and shiny; the red leather upholstery, soft and inviting. “What kind is it?”
“A ’33 Chevy Coupe.”
“Did you restore it yourself?”
“Yep. Spent about a zillion hours on it.”
“And a ton of money.”
He laughed. “Nearly. Haven’t you heard? Men don’t grow up; they just get bigger toys.” He opened the passenger door and bowed slightly as she sat down. “It’s not stock. I changed a few things, like adding a bigger engine and some other stuff to make it run better. And of course, I had to have a stereo, air conditioner, and seat belts.”
After he closed the door, she watched him walk around the front of the car and admired the way he looked in his buckskin colored Western shirt and jeans. Like most cowboys, he had a long, easy stride, with a hint of a swagger. The boots contributed to that walk, but they couldn’t account for all of it. He was a man comfortable with himself; one who knew who he was and accepted it.
He met her gaze as he sat down. “What?” he asked softly.
“I was thinking how much you’ve changed since high school,” she said, buckling her seat belt as he fastened his.
“I was pretty miserable back then. It took several years for Uncle Ray and Aunt Della to love away the hurt.” He pulled onto the street and headed out of town. “Even then, they didn’t do it alone. Finding Jesus was a big part of it, and finally sitting down and talking to my dad, man to man, helped, too.” As soon as they were on the open road, he stomped on the gas pedal. With a roar of the engine and a surge of power, they reached the speed limit in seconds.
Love Song Page 3