Town Social

by Simmons, Trana Mae

  But Teddy already appeared to have a lot better grasp of the meaning of the word love than she had herself.

  Gathering up the lesson supplies, she carried them into Teddy's room and shelved them until the next day. At loose ends with all the work on the building construction now complete, she decided to go over early and help Ruth. Although Teddy hadn't mentioned where she was headed, their usual routine was for Sunny to catch up to the little girl at the general store, where she always found Teddy and her dolly having a mid-morning snack with Ruth.

  She stopped by the parlor on her way out of the house. Cassie sat on the settee, her head bent over a catalog she had borrowed from the general store in her lap. "Aunt, I'm going over to see Ruth. Do you want me to take the catalog back with me?"

  "No, no." Cassie waved a hand at her. "I'm not done with it, and Duckie's coming in this afternoon. I can't decide if these white curtains would work, or if I should use colored ones."

  "Which room are you working on decorating now?"

  Cassie flushed bright red. "Ah...one of the upstairs rooms."

  "The bedroom, Aunt?" Sunny teased.

  Cassie sniffed, turning a page in the catalog, then glancing back at the previous page. "Go on with you, child," she ordered. "I'm busy."

  Shaking her head tolerantly, Sunny left her aunt to her perusing. On her way to Ruth's, she resolved to cut her day short at the store in order to catch Charlie Duckworth at the house. He'd agreed to talk to her, and since he and Cassie were making secret wedding plans, she wanted her questions answered. Honesty was always best between people, and she was determined to make him tell her whether their only relationship would be as future uncle and niece.

  An empty chair sat in front of the jailhouse, and she quelled the desire to ask Ruth if she knew of the Texas Ranger's whereabouts. She could probably coach her inquiry in the guise of friendship, but Teddy's sharp ears and prattling tongue might undermine the ploy. Besides, his whereabouts were none of her concern. None at all.

  Since Fred had received another shipment of stock the previous day, the next few hours flew by. She, Ruth and Teddy finally made enough of a dent in the order to take a short break for a late lunch at Ginny's.

  "My treat today," Ruth said as they strolled down the walkway. "Doc said this morning that Fred can start doing more around the store in a couple days, so I won't need your help after that, Sunny. But I do hope you'll let Teddy keep coming."

  "Perhaps until school starts in two weeks," Sunny agreed. "Then she'll be in school most of the day and need time for her lessons in the evenings."

  "That will be fine," Ruth said.

  At Ginny's, they peeped in the door to find all three of the ladies' tables full, and Cathy Percival and her husband waiting for the first empty table.

  "Oh," Teddy said with a pout. "I'm hungry. My belly's a rubbin' my backbone."

  "Teddy!" Sunny censured. "Where did you hear an expression like that?"

  "Mr. Fred said it the other day," Teddy said with an innocent smile. "When Miz Ruth was late gettin' his lunch."

  The two women laughed, and Ginny spoke from behind them. "Well, we can't have a hungry child in here, now can we? Why don't the three of you come on back to my office and we'll have lunch there."

  As she led them to her office, Ginny said, "You won't have to stand in line much longer. Have you heard the news?" When she received a negative response, Ginny explained, "Marg's sister Rosalyn is coming from New Orleans. She and Marg and Perry are going to open a restaurant. Perry's already bought some land over behind our main street, and I'd be willing to bet some other businesses spring up on that street."

  She waved Sunny and Ruth to the couch, then pulled another chair up to her desk for Teddy. Sticking her head out her office door, she called for Marg to bring four lunch plates to her office. After settling behind her desk, Ginny said, "I heard some complaints about there not being a hotel in town from the people who travelled all the way in from their ranches for our grand opening, and Cathy Percival's already written to her brother in Oklahoma City, telling him of the opportunity. Evaline's thinking of expanding her shop, too, with the new business she's getting from women wanting nice dresses to wear to the Center performances. Oh, and is Fred going to the meeting this evening, Ruth?"

  "He's planning on it," Ruth said. "As are most of the women in town. It's about time we got some organization around here."

  "Organization?" Sunny asked as Marg carried in their plates and set them on Ginny's desk. "And what meeting?"

  "Oh, dear," Ruth said as Marg left the room and she and Sunny rose to get their plates. "We were so busy stocking at the store that I forgot to mention it to you. And I was supposed to tell you to be sure and invite Cassie and Mr. Duckworth. Some of the other ranchers are coming in, too, and they'll all be expected to approve this, since it means they'll have to bear their share of the expense."

  "What?" Sunny asked again, returning to the couch. "You still haven't told me what this is all about."

  "Why, we're having a town meeting tonight," Ruth explained, "and we've decided to use the Cultural Center building, since it's not in use during the week. We want Liberty Flats to have a town council and our own sheriff. Jake's been telling us all along that's what we need done, and the men have finally started listening to him this week when he's gone around to talk to them. If the Rangers call Jake in for another assignment, we'll be left without law enforcement in town, and our new growth will come to a halt. No one will want to set up a business in a town without law enforcement."

  The formerly appetizing food on Sunny's plate lost its appeal, the chunks of chicken and drop dumplings suddenly looking as though they'd already been eaten once. The odor wafted upward, curdling her stomach rather than whetting her hunger, and she laid her fork on the napkin in her lap.

  "Why don't Ranger Jake just be our sheriff?" Teddy asked logically.

  "The job was offered to him, honey," Ginny said, and Sunny held her breath. "Unofficially, anyway, until we have our first town council meeting tonight. But Jake's not interested."

  Sunny's hope crashed.

  "Why not?" Teddy asked.

  "He didn't really say." Ginny shrugged. "But he did offer to wire the Rangers and see if any of their men were thinking of leaving that service and might be interested in taking a job here. John Dougherty's offered to be a deputy, but he doesn't want the full responsibility of the sheriff's position."

  Ruth turned a beaming smile on Sunny. "See what you've done, Sunny? Why, with only getting the Cultural Center underway, you've started a roll in this town. My son Brad's always thought about building furniture. He does beautiful work in his spare time, but there's never been enough business here for him to make a living at it, what with the cost of him getting his lumber from over in East Texas. Now, with the hotel coming and the restaurant needing tables, he's thinking seriously about it. And who knows? If things go well, he could hire a few men and expand."

  Sunny managed a tight smile in return to Ruth. "Yes, that would be wonderful for him. Brad should talk to Aunt Cassie, also. She's agreed to help Mr. Duckworth redecorate his house, and she's been rather disappointed in the stuff in the catalogs."

  "I'll do that," Ruth replied, turning back to Ginny to comment on the delicious food.

  Sunny shoved a chunk of chicken to the other side of the plate. No, Jake wouldn't be interested in taking the sheriff's job in Liberty Flats. Everyone in town knew Jake was only biding his time until he could get out of here. He could ride over new horizons now, meet new people, new women. Maybe he'd find that special one, who had more power than she did to break through the barricades around his heart.

  No, there wasn't a chance for her heart at all with Jake.

  So. She should wish him happiness, shouldn't she? She should want him to be satisfied, content with his life, to find someone to share the years ahead with him. Or, if that's what he wanted, to have his freedom to live his life alone.

  Her decision made, she stood, s
etting her plate on Ginny's desk behind a stack of papers. "Teddy, are you ready to go? I'll need to catch Mr. Duckworth before he leaves Aunt Cassie's, to let him know about the meeting."

  "But Miss Ginny said there's chocolate cake for desert!" Teddy exclaimed.

  "Go on," Ginny said with a laugh. "I'll bring her home in a while."

  Wanting out of there before either Ruth or Ginny noticed her still full plate, Sunny nodded and rushed from the saloon, barely acknowledging the greeting from Cathy Percival when she passed her table. Determinedly, she crossed the street and headed up the walkway on the opposite side. The chair still sat empty, but perhaps he was inside the jailhouse.

  John Dougherty looked up when Sunny entered the jailhouse. "Howdy, Miss Fannin. Can I help you with something?"

  "Ah...no, Mr. Dougherty. I...was looking for Ranger Cameron. I understand there's a meeting tonight, but I forgot to find out what time it would be held." Proud of her quick thinking, Sunny stood waiting for John's response.

  "It's at 8:00," he said. "But you might think about gettin' there early to get a good seat. By the way, when are you ladies having another hoop-la over there? I sure don't want to miss it."

  "A week from Saturday," Sunny informed him. "We should be getting the flyers back on the afternoon stage, so we can put them up around town and get the word out. We hope soon to start having weekly performances. John, where's...."

  "You know," John mused. "This town keeps on growing, it could use a newspaper and printing press. My cousin Wink's working for a paper in Dallas, but he's been saving his money for his own press and business. I oughta send him a letter and have him come here for a visit."

  See what you've done, Sunny? Ruth's voice echoed in her head, and the emptiness inside her grew. Yes, the town would flourish, but without Jake Cameron in it. She'd given the townspeople the incentive to set up their own officials and free Jake to move on.

  "I need to get home," she said, her heart feeling as though it were shattering and her thoughts mocking her. See what you've done, Sunny? "Thanks, John. I'll see you at the meeting."

  "If you see Jake on your way, tell him there's no hurry for him to get back here, 'cause I got that old loafer Pete watching the stable for me. Jake went over to the telegraph office a while ago, and then he was going on to the stable. You might pass him on your way home."

  "I'll do that, John." She hurried out the door and across the street again. As she climbed the steps to the opposite walkway once again, her pace faltered. Why was she in such a hurry to find Jake Cameron and tell him that she wished him well in his quest to find a happy life somewhere besides Liberty Flats? Somewhere without her?

  But she'd decided that was just what she was going to do, and she marched on to the telegraph office. Her good wishes would put the final stamp on their friendship, and free her, also. Free her from any persistent hope Jake might fall in love with her in return. Free her mind to tell her heart to firmly shut away the hope of any chance for a future with Jake Cameron and look for someone else to build her own dreams with.

  Her mind needed to tell her heart the chance of Jake ever loving her was now a completely impossible, dead dream. She'd rather be totally without dreams in the night from now on than have those whiskey eyes and rugged face shadowing her nighttime rhapsodies.

  Someone cleared a throat, and she realized she'd heard the sound twice already. Giving herself a mental shake, which she expected her mind to pass on to her heart, she glanced up at Mr. Turley behind the telegraph office counter. "I have a message for Ranger Cameron," she said, wondering how long she had been standing in his office without speaking. Fortunately for her, Turley appeared to be too polite to mention her absentmindedness.

  "He's already left," the man informed her. "Said something about taking his horse out for some exercise."

  "Thank you," Sunny said in defeat, turning to leave.

  "Wait, Miss Fannin," Turley called. "I ain't had the chance to tell you how much I enjoyed that there Miss Adams the other night. And my wife did, too. First time we've really had somewhere to go, the two of us together. I...uh...she...uh... we...."

  Sunny lifted an inquiring brow, and Turley blushed an even deeper shade of red. "We...uh...found out we could have fun together again."

  Sunny smiled to herself, recognizing the man didn't want to embarrass her by admitting he and his wife's fun had extended past the time spent at the performance and to when they had arrived home.

  "I'm glad you enjoyed the evening," she said.

  "And the ni...." Turley dropped his head, shaking it. "I mean, well, if Jake stops back by here?" He managed to lift his head, but stared over her shoulder. "Anything you need me to tell him?"

  "No, it's not that important."

  "Well, there's ever anythin' I can do for you, Miss Fannin, you just let me know. My Wanda's been sorta lonesome out here without any of her family, but this is where my job was, so this is where we had to stay. But her brother's one of them fancy pants attorneys in Galveston, and he's been thinking about comin' to a smaller town to set up shop. Wanda, she really likes her sister-in-law, and she's real excited about maybe havin' them live near us."

  "That would be very nice for Wanda," Sunny agreed. "Tell her I'm looking forward to meeting her sister-in-law. Good afternoon, Mr. Turley."

  "Afternoon, Miss Fannin."

  She made it out the door this time and turned toward home. Ahead of her, she spotted Teddy with Ginny. They must have passed while she was talking to Mr. Turley.

  Recalling the conversation she'd had with Teddy that morning, she slowed her steps. Could the child be right? Could Jake have some feelings for her in return? Feelings that would wither and die once Jake left? Feelings that might be love he was denying, because they'd both been listening to their heads instead of their hearts?

  She glanced over to the stable to see Jake dismount from his dun and lead the horse into the barn. Was seeing him now a sign she should take her heart in her hands this one time and offer it to him? Tell him she hadn't been honest with him — that he intruded on her dreams and that she loved him? Make at least one attempt to see if he could ever return her feelings?

  She remembered how she felt in his arms, an easy memory to recall since she'd experienced those times over and over again at night and even in her daydreams. Would she miss out on the one true love of her life, as her aunt almost had, if she let this chance pass her by?

  He could only say no, he didn't love her in return. His whiskey eyes could fill with derision — or worse, sympathy for her as to her unrequited love. Could her pride stand that? But could her heart stand wondering down through the long years ahead what would have happened if she'd taken a chance?

  "Sunny! Are you waiting here at the bank to see me?" Sunny turned to see Cathy Percival and her husband approaching. "You could have waited inside, instead of out in this heat," Cathy said.

  Sunny forced a smile. "It sounds silly, Cathy, but I was standing here woolgathering. But you're right, I better get out of the heat. I'll see you this evening."

  She walked away from the bank, but as soon as she figured Cathy and her husband had gone through the door of the bank, she changed her path and headed across the street for the stable.

  ***

  Chapter 19

  As she reached the stable, Jake led his unsaddled horse back out and over to the corral gate. He tied the dun's lead rope to the railing, then reached for the curry comb sticking handle down in his back pocket. For once Sunny didn't trip and fall flat on her face when she let her eyes linger on that well-formed backside in those tight denims. Instead she studied his entire body, burning the memory of each hardened plane into her mind.

  But, she reminded herself, she hadn't gazed into those whiskey depths yet today. She'd have to be wary of losing her coordination when she did — as well as forgetting the purpose for seeking him out.

  "Afternoon, Sunny," Jake said.

  "How did you know it was me?" she asked as she stepped up beside the
horse.

  "I knew," he said quietly.

  He smoothed the curry comb across the dun's back, and the horse's muscles quivered in pleasure at the caresses. It tossed its head, blowing through its nostrils, and Sunny reached out to pet its face. "He's a beautiful animal."

  "Yeah, he's a good horse. One of the best Charlie's ever bred."

  He brushed the back flank, then across the ribs and worked on the front withers. Sweat darkened the withers, drying somewhat in the heat as Jake stroked that area. He ducked under the horse's neck, starting on the other side.

  "Did you need something, Sunny?" he asked, looking across the stallion's neck.

  "Oh." She smoothed a hand down the dun-colored neck, and the coarse black mane hairs brushed the backs of her hand. She caught a hank of mane between her fingers, comparing its texture to some other black hair. "I...John Dougherty asked me to tell you, if I saw you, that you needn't hurry back to the office."

  "That's nice of John, but I've got some paperwork to do. Soon as I get Dusty groomed, I'll have to get on it."

  "I heard about the meeting tonight. I suppose you're glad the town has decided to hire a sheriff. You'll be able to le...leave now."

  "Yeah," Jake said abruptly. He picked up Dusty's foreleg and examined the hoof, then moved to the rear hoof. As he made his way around the horse, Sunny stepped back to give him room to inspect the last hoof, on the foreleg she stood beside. Dropping the horse's leg back to the ground, he opened the gate and led the stallion into the corral, unsnapping the lead rope and setting him free.

  After he closed the gate, he tipped his forefinger against his hat brim, nodding at Sunny. "Nice talking to you, Sunny. Guess I'll see you at the meeting tonight."

  He started to move away, and Sunny grabbed his arm. "Jake. Jake, wait. I want to tell you something."

  He froze beneath her touch, his upper arm bunching and knotting. She scanned his face, which he kept averted to stare down the street rather that at her, wishing desperately she could see into those whiskey eyes. A dark beard shadow had formed over his tightly-clenched, granite jaw, and the muscles on this throat worked as he swallowed.