“I will.” She folded the worn birth certificate into her pocket as she muttered a quick goodbye and breezed past a concerned-looking Ethan to walk down the porch steps.
Lawson stood from his spot at the base of the tree when she neared. She stopped a few feet away and they just looked at each other. She wasn’t sure what to say or do. He was obviously torn up inside over the conversation with his father. If she’d ask how he was he’d probably give her the same answer she’d gotten all week. “Fine...I think.” That didn’t say much. “You talked to Clive.”
His eyes seemed slightly reddened. That broke her heart since she’d never seen him anywhere close to tears before. He glanced away, shoving his hands in his pockets. “It went about as I expected. The facts didn’t change. I guess I’m just angry.”
“At Clive?” She eased closer.
He nodded staunchly as if the words he said didn’t really affect him. She knew better. “And Gloria, and the hand I’ve been dealt, and pretty much everything else.”
“That’s understandable.”
Something in her voice must have caught his attention because he looked at her and caught her blinking away tears. He frowned. “Are you crying—for me?”
The incredulous tone in his voice made a tear slip free. “So what if I am?”
“That is not necessary.” He pulled her toward him.
“Yes, it is.” She resisted slightly so that she could look up at him. “Don’t you dare comfort me at a time like this, Lawson Williams.”
A smile played at the corner of his lips. “What’s wrong with a time like this?”
“Nothing, except that I should be comforting you!”
He actually chuckled as he pulled her into his arms. She rested her cheek on his chest. He didn’t bother to respond, which was just fine with her. She closed her eyes and prayed he wouldn’t let go...ever.
His low voice rumbled against her ear. “You know something, Ellie?”
“What?” she whispered.
“You’re getting to be like a bad penny,” he murmured. Her eyes flew open. She pushed against his chest but he didn’t let her go. “Now, hold on. I didn’t mean that the way you took it.”
“Oh?” she asked, tilting her head to stare at him in hurt disbelief. “How exactly did you mean it?”
“I meant it as a thank-you.”
Her eyes dropped to the top button of his shirt. “You did?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’re welcome,” she said, trying to ignore the fact that it hadn’t sounded like much of a thanks. Surely he didn’t think she was only throwing herself at him again. She wasn’t. She was just concerned about him and a little bit in love with him. That was all.
“Hey,” he protested as he lifted her chin to make her look at him. “That’s what I really meant. I promise. To be honest, I don’t mind you staying close. It’s kind of nice.”
Her eyebrows lifted incredulously. “Really?”
He nodded. “It’s been the best part of this trip. That’s for sure.”
“Well, now,” she drawled, allowing a slow smile to blossom on her lips. “That isn’t really saying much, is it?”
“I guess not.” She watched his gaze trail down her lips before he stepped away. “I don’t know about you but I’m ready to go home.”
What was she going to do when she got home? Would the guilt be as strong as it had been before? Her relationship with Lawson had taken a turn for the better. That should ease the burden, shouldn’t it? She nodded. “So am I.”
Maybe it won’t be that bad. I can’t stay away from home forever. I wouldn’t want to, anyway. I can be brave like Lawson. Lord willing, I can go home and face this, then try to move past it.
* * *
The rhythm of the train wheels flying over the track slowed considerably when it reached the outskirts of town. Ellie tapped Ruth to awaken the woman who had succumbed to the lulling beat nearly an hour ago. The housekeeper was kind enough to accompany them all the way to Peppin, though the two-hour train ride hardly required it. Lawson was too busy peering out the window for his first sight of town to notice their chaperone’s critical eye. Apparently, they passed inspection because the woman smiled and settled in for the last few minutes of their journey.
Their goodbyes at the ranch had been short and to the point. Lawson didn’t have much to say to Clive but he made sure that Ethan knew what to do to keep Midnight progressing. The greetings at the Peppin train station promised to be something else entirely. A small crowd of their friends and family milled about. Lawson led the way as they filed out of the train with the other passengers. He paused and pointed to a droopy banner visible through the last window of the rail car. “Why does that say congratulations?”
“Maybe it’s for someone else.” That was all she managed to say because as soon as he helped her down from the train, their families rushed to greet them. Once she finished hugging everyone, Nathan pulled her forward so that she stood before the droopy-banner group. “Ellie, these folks won’t believe me. Will you tell them once and for all that you did not elope with Lawson?”
Before she could answer, Maddie stepped forward. “It’s been all over town since you left. Of course, we knew you wouldn’t have told your families.”
She knew that with her answer, she could easily trap Lawson into an engagement and maybe even into a wedding, but she didn’t want him that way. “We didn’t elope. We aren’t engaged. We don’t need to be because we had a chaperone the entire trip. Her name is Ruth Gordon and she’s standing right there by Lawson. Did that cover everything?”
“Goodness,” Sophia Johansen exclaimed. “I don’t understand. Don’t you like Lawson?”
“Of course I do.”
Rhett frowned at her but kept sneaking looks at Amy, who didn’t appear to notice. “Doesn’t he like you?”
Ellie would have glanced over her shoulder for Lawson’s response but her attention snagged on a rather familiar figure leaning against the wall near the ticket booth. Donovan Turner observed the unfolding scene intently. When he saw her watching, he didn’t smile. He just kept chewing at the piece of hay in his mouth. Suddenly uncomfortable, she pulled her gaze back to Maddie, who took over the line of questioning again. “Then why are y’all fighting this matchmaking so hard? Don’t you know this town is just trying to help?”
“I appreciate that, but some things a man and a woman just have to figure out on their own.” She held up a hand to stall their comments. “I know that’s ironic coming from me after all the matchmaking I’ve tried to do over the years, but it’s true.”
Jeff slipped an arm around Maddie. “Well, I think if Lawson had a lick of sense he’d propose to Ellie right here and now.”
Ellie exchanged an exasperated look with her family. “I give up.”
“Now, hold on folks,” Lawson said in an authoritative voice as he stepped up beside her. “I’m not sure you’re taking Ellie seriously here. She’s right. While we appreciate and originally encouraged the thought behind the matchmaking, we’ve had enough. Jeff, you went so far on the matchmaking scheme that you put Ellie on that train out of town. That was uncalled for. Something bad could have happened to her. The rest of you have been spreading rumors and listening to gossip. That isn’t right, either. I’m saying it’s got to stop. I proposed to Ellie once in jest and she turned me down flat. If I ever proposed to her again, it wouldn’t be at the town’s command. Now, I think it would be best if we all minded our own business.”
The crowd dispersed rather reluctantly. Some of them looked offended. Others looked smugly satisfied. After all, Lawson hadn’t said that he would never propose again—just that if he did it would be on his terms not the town’s. It left room for hope.
Ellie smiled. Yes, it certainly did.
* * *
Cr
isp autumn wind swept across Lawson’s skin as the buggy meandered down a country road toward town. It was good to be back in Peppin. It had been just over a week since their return from his father’s ranch and with each day, he gained more distance from the dark past and painful memories he’d visited there. They were still a part of him. He suspected they always would be. But at least now the pain he’d felt so deeply had lessened to the old familiar throb.
Somehow he’d expected to feel some sort of peace or relief at finally facing his memories and his father. It never came. That just didn’t seem fair. The experience had been unpleasant at best but now—thankfully—it was over, so where was he supposed to go from here? Forward, maybe? Where would that lead?
His gaze slid to the woman sitting next to him. Ellie had been edging deeper and deeper into his heart since he’d left the Rangers and moved back to Peppin. After the trip to his father’s ranch, his attempts to stop her had become dangerously close to halfhearted. She’d stayed by his side despite his at times prickly behavior. She’d always been faithful in her friendship even when he rejected her, and it was obvious that she was open to something more.
It was foolish of him to even consider a relationship with her. Somehow that didn’t stop him from thinking about it. The O’Briens, along with his adoptive parents, had always been the family of his heart. He knew for certain they loved him even if no one else did. That meant that Ellie, as one of them, might be the one woman who could possibly see past his faults to truly love him for a lifetime.
She was reading, so she didn’t seem to notice that he slowed down to extend their trip into town. He glanced at the book, wondering what was interesting enough about it to keep her from talking to him. It took him a minute to realize it was upside down and probably had been the entire time. A slow grin spread across his face. “Ellie O’Brien, what are you up to?”
“What makes you think I’m up to something?” she asked innocently, not looking up from her book.
“What was the last sentence you read?”
She stilled. The book snapped shut and she tucked it away. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”
He shook his head in amusement but agreed. “It certainly is.”
She played with the strings of her reticule for a moment. She was nervous, he realized, nervous to be alone with him on the short trip to town. He dared to shift slightly closer. “You look especially nice today.”
“Do I?”
He nodded. Her hair had been swept into a loose chignon instead of simply being pulled back with a ribbon like usual. She was wearing a light green dress instead of the usual blouse and riding skirt, which made her eyes look even greener while the cool wind painted her cheeks with a bright hue of pink. “Is today a special occasion or something?”
Her eyes widened in what seemed to be alarm before he realized it was just confusion. “Why? Do I only look nice on special occasions? It’s hard to work with the horses in a dress.”
“No.” He laughed. “I guess I was wondering if you might have done it on my account.”
She watched him blankly for a moment, then turned toward him with interest. “You mean you’re wondering if I stand by my declaration of intent.”
He nodded as they reached the outskirts of town. “Pretty much.”
“I stand by it.”
“You’re not going to give up?” He turned onto his parents’ street.
“No! And if you think you can wait me out you have another think coming.”
He hopped from the buggy to help her down. “How long are you planning to visit my mother?”
“All afternoon if I can,” she said as they walked toward the door. “Doc will take me home. Don’t forget that we’re having dinner with Sean and Lorelei.”
“I won’t.”
Ellie didn’t bother to knock. She just opened the door and hallooed the house. Lettie told her to come in. He would have gone in as well but Ellie turned to face him, effectively blocking his entry. “I want to talk to your mother privately.”
“Why?”
“It’s just woman talk. You wouldn’t be interested.”
“Something tells me I would be.” He shifted to the right to try to get around her, but she wouldn’t let him pass.
“I think you’d be more interested in hearing what I have to say to you.” She waited for him to look her in the eye before she continued. “Lawson, I’m not going to force my attentions on you if you don’t want them. If you can look me in the eye and tell me honestly that there isn’t even the tiniest sliver of hope for us then I won’t keep bothering you. Otherwise, I’m going to keep right on doing what I’ve been doing.”
“Good.”
A slow smile blossomed on Ellie’s lips. “You mean it?”
“I mean it.”
Love was the last thing his mother had spoken of before she’d abandoned him. Love didn’t still a bottle of whiskey on trek to an eager mouth. It didn’t still a hand before a painful slap. To him, that word hadn’t meant much for a number of years. Yet, he was beginning to realize that to Ellie, that word meant something else entirely. She came from a family where love meant everything. Taking that into consideration, perhaps Ellie’s love was something that truly would last—and that was more than worth capturing. He just needed to figure out some way to do it.
Chapter Seventeen
Ellie waited patiently for Lettie to turn away and check the icing recipe before she stole another taste of the chocolate fluff. It was delicious but she managed to school her ecstasy into an innocent expression before the woman turned around. When Lettie looked at her she was dutifully stirring the cake batter. “Are you sure Lawson doesn’t suspect anything?”
Ellie shrugged. “Even if he realizes something is going on, he can’t possibly know it’s his birthday.”
By this point he was probably the only person in town who didn’t know. She’d invited half the town to his party tonight. She’d urged them all to be especially nice to him if they saw him in town but not to let the secret slip, no matter what. She prayed everyone would hold their tongue until then.
“He still thinks the two of you are the only ones invited to dinner at Sean and Lorelei’s, then?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Perfect.” Lettie deftly handed her a napkin. “Everything is going according to plan.”
Ellie lifted the napkin questioningly. “What is this for?”
Lettie tapped her own lips to indicate the chocolate clinging to Ellie’s. She ignored Ellie’s guilty grimace to continue. “Maddie insisted on bringing enough fried chicken for everyone. Lorelei and her mother are working on side dishes. We have the desserts and Kate is at home trying not to look suspicious.”
“She cooked his favorite foods for breakfast and lunch. He noticed but she pretended it was just a coincidence.” Ellie carefully poured the batter into the baking pans. “Do you think the cake, pies and cookies will be enough?”
“Amelia said she’d bring apple turnovers so we’ll have plenty. I don’t think Peppin has ever seen a party like the one we’re throwing. I hope he likes it.”
“I’m sure he will.” She slid the cake into the oven then froze. “Amelia is bringing turnovers? You don’t mean Amelia Greene, do you?”
“Certainly.”
Ellie closed the oven and turned to face Lettie. “I did not invite her.”
“We invited the whole town,” Lettie said absently as she measured out more cocoa.
“Not Mrs. Greene.”
She glanced up to frown. “But she already said she was coming.”
The last thing Ellie wanted was to spend what was supposed to be an enjoyable evening dodging disapproving looks from Mrs. Greene. Hardness entered into her voice as she insisted, “I don’t want her there.”
“Why, Ellie,”
Lettie said after a startled pause. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that tone from you before. Has something happened between you and Amelia? Other than the usual annoyances, I mean.”
Ellie didn’t want to lie but she didn’t want to tell the truth, either, so she just remained silent.
Lettie narrowed her eyes. “The only time you are ever that quiet is when something is really bothering you. Why don’t you tell me what it is?”
“I can’t.” Emotion nearly choked her voice.
“Sure you can. Keeping it a secret won’t make it any easier to deal with.”
The tears she’d been holding in for weeks suddenly tumbled down her cheeks. Lettie embraced her but allowed her to cry it out before handing her the napkin to dry her tears. She finally gathered her courage enough to reveal what was bothering her. “Mrs. Greene told me the truth about what I did—and how it led to my parents’ deaths. Oh, she didn’t tell me it was my fault in so many words but she told me about the rumor I spread, and that triggered the memory of my parents leaving that day because of me, because they had to go apologize to Mrs. Greene. It’s my fault they braved the storm that took their lives.”
Lettie’s eyes began to flash. “Amelia had no business telling you that.”
“Why not? It’s true. I know it is.”
“It’s not true that you’re in any way responsible for your parents’ deaths. They did come to town to apologize to Amelia but they didn’t have the accident on the way into town. They had it when they left.”
“What difference does it make?”
Lettie sighed and brushed the hair away from Ellie’s brow. “I was the last one to see them alive. Did you know that?”
“No.” Ellie frowned. “I thought it must have been Mrs. Greene.”
She shook her head. “Your parents stopped by my house on the way out of town. They told me how they’d apologized to Mrs. Greene for what happened and how she refused to accept the apology. They spoke to me of you, Ellie.”
Ellie pulled in a deep breath. “They were disappointed in me, weren’t they?”
A Texas-Made Match Page 18