Offering his hand, Clay pulled her to her feet. Four tiles clung to the back of her jeans. He wiped the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry, but your expression was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
She looked over her shoulder. “I feel like a flattened armadillo.”
He brushed back a lock of her hair. “At least you won’t need the peanut butter.”
His fingers lingered on her face. The humor in his eyes slowly changed to something deeper. With feather softness, he drew his fingertips along the curve of her jaw. He stared at her with an intensity that brought heat rushing to her cheeks.
She licked her suddenly dry lips. The movement drew his gaze there and he bent toward her.
Nicki turned her face aside to forestall his kiss and broke the tension between them.
As much as she longed to feel the touch of his lips on hers, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t go down that road again. She wouldn’t lay her heart bare and risk him breaking it again into a million pieces. It had taken her months to get over his leaving the first time.
Clay lowered his hand to his side, but didn’t move away.
A rustling of the plastic drape announced the arrival of someone else. Nicki looked past Clay to see her mother enter the room with a plate of sandwiches.
Glenis stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Clay and Nicki standing close together. “What’s going on here?”
Nicki couldn’t think of a thing to say.
Clay didn’t bat an eye as he grabbed Nicki’s shoulders and turned her around so her mother could see. Prying the vinyl square from the center of her back, he held it up and smiled at Glenis. “Someone’s gonna need to order more tiles. Looks like we’ll be short a few.”
Chapter Ten
“Are you coming to church with us this morning?” Tommy asked from the doorway of Maya’s family room.
“I guess so.” Clay pulled on his second boot. A coat of polish had improved the worn, brown leather only slightly. Rising, he tucked his shirttail into his one and only pair of dress slacks. He rarely got dressed up, but today was an exception to the rule.
He still wasn’t sure how he actually felt about attending formal church services. When he was outside under the open sky by himself it was easy to talk to God. Clay was just beginning to feel comfortable with those conversations. Would it feel the same when he was surrounded by a crowd of people?
Tommy ran his hand up and down the doorjamb. “Could you do me a favor while we’re at church?”
The boy’s overly casual tone caused Clay to look at him sharply. “Sure, if I can.”
“Would you—ask God to bring Charlie back. God hasn’t been listening to me.”
The boy’s sadness twisted Clay heart. He crossed the room to where Tommy stood. Dropping to his heels to place himself eye level with the boy, Clay struggled to find the right words. “God hears everyone, Tommy.”
“I know, but I don’t think I’ve been good enough. I was doing something I shouldn’t have the day of the tornado and I think that’s why God took Charlie away.”
“The tornado wasn’t your fault, Tommy, and neither was Charlie’s disappearance.”
“It might have been,” Tommy insisted.
Clay clearly recalled the way he’d felt after his parents died. What could he say or do to change the Tommy’s perception? He was a cowboy, not a counselor. Tommy, at his young age, had already seen more sorrow than any child should.
Clay prayed Maya and Greg would be able to give Tommy the love and stable home he deserved.
Laying a hand on Tommy’s shoulder, Clay said, “When my parents were killed, I believed it was my fault. I thought God didn’t care about me but I was wrong. He always cares about us, even when terrible things happen.”
“That’s what Maya says.”
“My sister’s a lot smarter than I gave her credit for.” Clay leaned closer. “But don’t tell her I said that.”
A slight smile curved Tommy’s lips. “I won’t. Can we go fishing later today?”
“I’m afraid not. I’ve got a new job starting tomorrow and I’ve got to move out there today. We’ll go fishing one of these days. I promise.”
Tommy’s smile faded. He nodded slightly. “I knew you’d be leaving.”
The boy’s fatalistic tone made Clay realize just how little Tommy expected from life. “I’m not going far.”
“It’s okay if you do.”
Tommy turned away, but looked back over his shoulder. “Don’t forget to ask God about Charlie.”
Nicki made her way into the church sanctuary after leaving Kasey at the nursery. Sunday morning worship at the High Plains Community Church was normally crowded, but since the tornado, there was hardly an empty seat in the place. People in the town had turned to God in their time of trouble.
In spite of the packed assembly, she had no trouble locating her mother. Glenis always occupied the aisle seat in the third pew from the front.
“You’re late,” Glenis whispered as she scooted over to allow Nicki to joined her.
She could hardly be late if the service hadn’t started yet. Keeping her comment to herself, Nicki sat down and picked up a hymnal. “Kasey poured her milk over her head at breakfast. I had to stop and give her a second bath this morning.”
Soft organ music and the hushed atmosphere began to soothe the tension of her harried morning. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and let the rest of her stress slide away.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the usher standing at the pew in front of her holding up two fingers and motioning someone his way. Maya shepherded her children in. Clay followed but there wasn’t enough room to seat him with his sister’s family. The usher then looked expectantly at Nicki. She in turn looked to her mother.
Glenis made room, but it was also clear to Nicki that she wasn’t happy when she saw Clay standing in the aisle waiting to take a seat next to her daughter. She gave an audible huff.
Embarrassed, Nicki scooted over and Clay sat down. There wasn’t much room. His shoulder and leg brushed against hers sending her pulse skittering into overdrive as currents of electricity darted along her nerve endings.
Clay leaned forward and nodded to her mother. “Morning, Mrs. Appleton.”
Glenis inclined her head slightly but didn’t reply. He sat back, but after a few seconds he leaned toward Nicki and whispered, “Kinda chilly this morning, isn’t it?”
She chose to misunderstand that he was referring to her mother’s attitude. “It’s not bad for the first week of November.”
The organ music swelling to full volume signaled the start of the service. Nicki opened her hymnal to the page number listed on the music board. From the corner of her eye she saw Clay searching for a book but not finding one. What could she do but extend her copy in an unspoken offer to share?
His smile of thanks warmed her heart. It was a song they both knew well. Soon, the sound of his rich baritone blended perfectly with her alto and she relaxed.
All Clay’s hesitation about returning to church faded away. It felt natural to be in God’s house and singing the old familiar songs he remembered from his childhood.
Very little had changed inside the church in the years he’d been gone. The rich warm tones of the oak pews were complimented by the maroon carpet underfoot. The tall stained-glass windows glowed with shades of blue, red, yellow and royal purple. Overhead, heavy support beams arching upward to a wood-clad ceiling that always made him think of a boat.
The building hadn’t changed. He’d changed. His faith had been tested by the death of his parents. To his shame, he’d failed that test, but God wasn’t done with him.
As the service progressed, Clay listened intently to Michael Garrison’s sermon, soaking in the words of scripture and finding an inner peace that had been missing in his life for a long time.
He glanced at the woman seated beside him. The light from the windows haloed her pale hair. She was wearing
a turquoise sweater that brought out the blue in her eyes. Her face reflected a serenity he could only envy. Perhaps one day he would find the same tranquility in his relationship with God, but for now, it was enough to share this day with her at his side.
At the end of the service, they joined the throng moving toward the wide double doors at the front of the building. Keeping pace with Nicki, he hoped to spend a few more minutes with her outside, but she turned down a side hallway and entered the nursery. He was debating the merits of waiting for her when Glenis Appleton stopped beside him.
Primly attired in a navy dress with a wide black-leather belt, she studied him intently for a few seconds, then asked, “What has brought you back to High Plains after so many years, Mr. Logan?”
“God and a pickup truck.” He grinned but she didn’t smile in return. He should have remembered that Mrs. Appleton wasn’t known for her sense of humor.
He wiped the grin from his face and cleared his throat. “My job in Canada had ended for the season. I heard about the town’s rebuilding efforts and I decided I wanted to do something to help.”
“Every spare set of hands is appreciated. I only wish things were progressing faster. I’m afraid we may not have the building completed in time for the Founders’ Day celebration.”
“Will it really matter if it doesn’t get done by Christmas Day?”
“Of course it does. It’s essential to the moral of the entire community. If we fail, we’ll be handing this town one more defeat. That’s something I won’t allow to happen.”
“Then I’m sure it will get done on time.”
Crossing her arms, Glenis leaned back slightly. “I was surprised you didn’t come home when Jesse’s wife died. I’m sure your family could have used your support at such a sad time.”
Clay realized a lot of people were probably wondering why he hadn’t come home then. “I didn’t learn of Marie’s death until several weeks after the fact.”
Glenis looked as if she didn’t believe him. “Your brother is an extraordinary man. We all admire the way he managed to keep the ranch going after your parents died and took care of Maya. Now, taking care of those babies with his wife gone, it’s simply remarkable.”
Mrs. Appleton clearly saw Clay as the irresponsible Logan brother. It was hard to argue with the truth. “Jesse was always the one with a level head on his shoulders.”
Just then, Nicki came out of the nursery holding Kasey’s hand. Glenis looked from her daughter to Clay, then asked, “How long are you planning to be in town, Mr. Logan?”
The question for which he had no answer. Even if he wanted to stay, he wasn’t sure there was a place for him here.
“I guess that depends,” Clay said without taking his eyes off Nicki. If he stayed, could he become the kind of man she needed in her life? Was there a chance she could ever see him as more than a friend?
“I’m trying to convince him to stick around for good,” Maya said as she came up behind them. Layla, giggling as she chatted with another little girl, headed outside.
Clay smiled at his sister. “Maya’s mighty persuasive when she sets her mind to something.”
“Yes, I am. Clay has hired on at Bill Porter’s ranch, so you can see my influence is working.”
Nicki’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve taken a job locally?”
Did he dare read happiness into her look? “Bill needs a ranch hand for the rest of the fall calving season and I need to get off Maya’s couch. He has a little house on the place that’s furnished, so it worked out for both of us. At least, I’m hoping it will.”
Glenis’s eyebrows arched sharply. “You’re not working with your brother?”
“No, ma’am.”
Maya quickly interjected, “These days Jesse leases his pastures through the spring and summer months. He only has a small herd on the place and he can manage them by himself.”
The fact that Jesse had sold off the herd their family had cultivated for generations and now rented out their acreage still rankled with Clay. It might have been a purely financial decision on Jesse’s part, but it was one Clay didn’t understand and would never have agreed to.
Nicki lifted Kasey to her hip. “I think it’s great that you’re thinking about staying in High Plains. The town needs more people in order to thrive.”
The flow of worshipers filing past had dropped to a trickle. Clay motioned for the women to precede him out the doors.
The morning had warmed up beneath the onslaught of plentiful sunshine. The azure sky held only a few high wispy white clouds. True to form, the prairie wind tugged at clothing and carefully styled hairdos and sent the bare branches of the nearby trees waving softly.
On the church steps, Michael Garrison was busy greeting his flock. Around him stood several men and a woman with long, light brown hair and stunning green eyes. The warm glances that passed between the minister and the lady told Clay she was someone the minister held dear.
Glenis shook hands briefly with Michael and moved on to speak to several older women waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. Maya realized she was missing a child and returned to the church in search of Tommy. Nicki stayed by Clay’s side.
Catching sight of Clay, Michael’s smile grew bright. “I’m happy to see you accepted my invitation, Mr. Logan.”
Clay settled his cowboy hat on his head. “Roping in a new sheep once isn’t enough, Reverend. The hard part is getting that sheep to come back for more.”
Michael laughed. “Are you saying my sermon wasn’t good enough to coax you in a second time?”
“No, sir. I’m saying it was a fine sermon. You have a rare gift for speaking to the heart.”
“Then you’ll be back?”
“I will.”
“Good. Let me introduce you to a few members of our congregation. This is my fiancée, Heather Waters.” Michael grasped her hand and she smiled sweetly at him before greeting Clay.
The two men, Clay discovered, were Colt Ridgeway, the police chief of High Plains and Silas Marstow, a local rancher. Clay recognized Silas as one of the men he’d seen working at the Old Town Hall and vaguely remembered him as being a couple of years ahead of him in school. Maya came out of the church, this time with Tommy in tow.
Silas said, “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll see if Josie needs any help getting the nursery straightened up.”
As Silas reentered the church, Clay glanced at Nicki. “Is that the same Josie I met in your classroom?”
“Yes. She and Silas are engaged.”
“Another happy couple?” Clay asked.
Heather said, “The tornado did a tremendous amount of damage, but it also revealed the caring nature of the people who live here. I’m not surprised a few romances have bloomed, or rebloomed as the case may be.”
She fastened her knowing gaze on Colt. The police chief smiled in acknowledgment. The young woman standing next to him blushed a becoming shade of pink.
Clay glanced to Nicki for an explanation. Leaning close, she whispered, “Colt and Lexi were divorced but they’re getting remarried in the Old Town Hall when it’s done.”
Quickly recovering his poise, Colt’s steady blue eyes assessed Clay carefully. “Are you in town for long?”
That question again. Maybe he should print the answer on a sticky note and plaster it to his forehead. “I’m thinking about staying put, but I don’t know for sure what I’m going to do.”
Maya slipped her arm through Clay’s. “This Thanksgiving will be the first time in seven years my family has been together for a holiday. Clay is hanging around until then if I have to hog-tie him to a chair.”
“I’m only staying because your cooking has improved.” Clay might poke fun at Maya’s holiday plans, but a family get together was important to him, too. He needed another chance to mend things with Jesse.
Turning to Reverend Garrison, Maya said, “Speaking of Thanksgiving, I’d be thrilled if you could join us, Michael. As Greg’s cousin, you are a part of
the family.”
Michael smiled at his fiancée. “Thanks for the offer, Maya, but Heather and I are taking my niece, Avery, home to visit my sister. Colt, what are you and Lexi doing for the holiday?”
A boyish grin appeared on the police chief’s face. “Lexi wants to have a big Thanksgiving with my family in the new house.”
Lexi met his gaze with a look overflowing with love. “I had a solitary childhood. My parents were busy career people, so hosting a big family gathering is something I’ve always wanted.”
Nicki smiled softly at Kasey. “Family is an important thing to us all. Perhaps that’s the lesson God wanted the people of High Plains to remember.”
Chapter Eleven
Nicki was disappointed not to see Clay at the Old Town Hall on Monday evening. Far more disappointed than she should have been, she finally admitted to herself later.
Later, alone in her bedroom in the small hours of the night, she faced the fact that her feelings for Clay were rapidly sweeping her into deep water.
Although she’d been delighted to learn he’d taken a job nearby, she also knew being a ranch hand was often seasonal work. It was no guarantee that Clay intended to settle down in High Plains. Even if she wished that he would.
“Which I’m not,” she insisted aloud in the darkness. Rolling to her side, she plumped her pillow.
Pale moonlight filtered through the new curtains covering the window the storm had broken. The glass had been replaced, but her dresser top still bore a pair of deep scratches from that night. Even after all these months it looked bare without the collection of cherished mementos that had been destroyed by the fallen tree.
Her eyes went to the spot once occupied by her senior prom photo. A framed picture of Kasey sat there now. Kasey was the one she needed to concentrate on, not an old high school flame. Kasey needed stability. Clay had proven he wasn’t about stability in the past.
A number of his daredevil pranks trickled through Nicki’s mind. Had he really changed? How could she know?
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