“When did Tory tell you?” he asked, deciding he and Tory needed to work on their communications better.
“To-day.” Mindy struggled to her feet. “Can—I—go?”
“Sure.” He watched his daughter slowly make her way to the back door, her left foot still dragging behind her. The sight, as always, wrenched his heart. If only he had been able to avoid the accident. If nothing else, he should be the one recovering, not Mindy.
After taking the dishes to the sink and rinsing them off, he headed for the barn to start that communicating he and Tory needed to do. He found her finishing up with the blacksmith. Tory, even in hot weather, wore long jeans and riding boots with a short-sleeve plaid shirt and a beautifully designed leather belt her father had given her at Christmas. Her hair was pulled back in its usual ponytail with auburn wisps framing her face, void of any makeup but with a healthy glow to her cheeks and a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. The way she looked amplified the woman he was getting to know—honest, caring, down-to-earth.
He waited to approach her until after the man left. When she saw him, her face lit with a smile that warmed him. He liked that she was glad to see him.
“Did you and Mindy have a nice lunch?”
“Yes, and it was informative.”
“How so?”
“My daughter informs me that you hog the bed.”
“Oh, that.” The color in her cheeks deepened to a nice scarlet shade. “I know we talked about discussing it together, but we could never seem to find the right time. So when Mindy and I got to talking and I realized you hadn’t said anything, I did. Was that why you came home in the middle of the day?”
“Yep.” He stepped a little closer and lowered his voice so Gus and Mindy who were down at the other end of the barn didn’t hear, “Well, do you?”
“What?”
“Hog the bed?”
Her brown eyes grew round before she veiled them and turned away to pick up a wooden box at her feet. “I guess so.”
“You don’t know.”
She cradled the box to her chest and stabbed him with an exasperated look. “It’s not like I watch myself sleep. I do sometimes find myself waking up at odd angles across the middle of the bed. Why?”
“Just curious. I want to know the little and big things about my wife.”
Wife. The word seemed to jolt Tory if the widening of her eyes meant anything. She still wasn’t used to it or the fact that she was married to him. If truth be known, neither was he.
She started walking toward the tack room. He followed. At the door she twisted around and eyed him.
“I thought with the expansion, you’d need to get back to work.”
He leaned one shoulder against the wall by the tack room and crossed his ankles. “Tired of me already?” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve only been married three days, one hour and fifteen minutes.”
“You want to spend time with me?”
Beneath the question Slade noted the hint of vulnerability that crept into Tory’s voice. He wanted her to trust him enough to tell him what had happened in her past that made her unsure, especially of men. Several things came to mind, but until she confided in him, it was only speculation on his part.
“You’re my wife. Isn’t that what husbands and wives do?”
“You tell me. I’ve never been married.” The corners of her mouth began to twitch as she took up his playful mood.
He folded his arms across his chest as though he would be hanging around for a long time. “Well, I don’t have a vast knowledge, but I think so.”
“You can always help me muck out a stall.”
“I’m thinking more along the lines of a date.”
“Don’t you have it all backward? You’re supposed to date a woman, then marry her.” Laughter tinged her voice.
He liked seeing her smile and laugh. “What can I say? I’m an unconventional kind of guy.”
“So you want me to go out on a date with you.”
He nodded. “Without Mindy. Just you and me.” The second he made the suggestion, a wariness entered her expression, which she quickly covered. But he’d seen it. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my daughter and like spending time with her, but I want our marriage to work. That means we need to get to know each other well, keep the communication lines open.”
“Who’d stay with Mindy?”
“Gus.”
“Gus?” She said the name loud enough that the older man at the back of the barn with Mindy perked up and called out to Tory.
“Do you need something?” Gus stepped toward them.
“Uh—” She shot Slade a “help me” look.
Slade pivoted toward the older man. “We were just discussing your offer to baby-sit Mindy one evening so Tory and I could go out.”
“When?” Mindy came out of Belle’s stall.
“We’re not sure yet, sweetheart. Would you be okay with that?”
“Yes!” His daughter pumped her arm in the air.
Slade turned back to Tory who stood slightly to the side and behind him. “So?”
“When did you and Gus make this arrangement? He’s gone when you arrive home.”
Home. The word had come so naturally from her that its implication made Slade pause for a few seconds. The farm was becoming his home and it was definitely Mindy’s. “At the wedding. It was another one of his gifts to us. Perfect if you ask me. Mindy adores him, thinks of him as a grandfather.”
“But—” Her protest died on her lips.
Slade wanted to take her into his arms and smooth away the tiny frown lines on her forehead. Remembering the kiss they had shared only reinforced his desire to embrace her. But he didn’t. He resumed lounging against the wall, waiting for her to say something.
“I guess we could go out to dinner sometime this week. I’ll have to ask Gus when he’s available.”
“Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.”
“You know already?”
“Yep. He told me those were the nights he’s usually free. Monday night is his book club and Tuesday he goes bowling.”
“My gosh, you know more about Gus than I do, and I work with him every day.”
“See. That’s what I want to avoid with us. I want to know what your favorite color is. What movies you like to see. Do you read?”
“Yellow. What is your favorite color?”
“Green.”
“I like comedies and I love to read when I can find the time.”
He pushed away from the wall. “This is good. It’s a start. But there is so much more, and since we’re sharing living space, I figure we should get to know each other.”
“Okay. How about Thursday night? My riding lessons are over with by five that evening.”
“Then it’s a date. I’ll tell Gus to stay late on Thursday. Where would you like to go?”
“To tell you the truth I haven’t been to too many places in Cimarron City. I’ll let you pick.”
“Surprise you?”
“So long as I know what to wear. I’ll let Gus know for you.”
“Great. I need to get back to work before my secretary files a missing-person report.” As he strode away, he whistled some tune he’d heard earlier on the radio, a lightness in his heart.
* * *
Humming a song she’d heard at church last Sunday, Tory appraised her outfit in the full-length mirror on her closet door. The soft pastel-blue rayon dress emphasized her narrow waist with a wide belt of the same material adorned in sequins and beadwork in flower designs. Along the scooped neckline and hem were the same flower decorations. She drew the white shawl about her shoulders and turned one final time to make sure she looked all right, the full skirt billowing out, then falling to below her knees when she stopped and faced the mirror again. Fortifying herself with a deep gulp of oxygen, she checked her hair, styled in a French braid that hung down her back. A few wisps framed her face, devoid of most makeup except pink lipstick and dark mascara.
A knock sounded at her door. She jumped. “Yes?”
“Are you ready?” Slade asked without opening the door.
“Yes, I’ll be out in a sec.” Tory glanced back at herself. Was she ready to go out on her first date in over four years? Even though Slade was her husband, she felt as though this was their first date. Her nerves were jittery, her mouth dry—just as if she’d never shared a house with the man.
When she entered the living room, Gus whistled and Mindy clapped, bouncing up and down on the couch.
Tory scanned the room. “Where’s Slade?”
“Right here.”
She whirled toward the sound of his deep voice. He stood in the doorway into the kitchen, his gaze traveling slowly up the length of her.
He let out his own whistle. “You look great. Ready?”
The male appreciation she saw in his eyes robbed her of the ability to speak. She swallowed several times and finally managed, “Yes.”
“I left the information of where we’re going, by the phone, Gus.”
“You two go out and have fun. Miss Mindy and I are going to have our own fun. I’ve got some movies we’re gonna watch, and some popcorn.”
“Bedtime is nine, Mindy. Don’t give Gus any trouble about going to bed.”
Mindy beamed, her hands folded in her lap. “I won’t.”
Slade gave Mindy a kiss, then Tory did.
As she and Slade walked toward the front door, she heard Mindy ask Gus, “Can—I have—a soda?”
Slade paused, said, “Just a minute,” and went back to the living room. “No caffeine, Mindy, or you’ll never get to sleep.”
“But—Dad-dy—”
Slade held up his hand. “Fruit juice, young lady.”
“Oo-kay.”
Tory could imagine the pout on Mindy’s mouth as she agreed. If they let the little girl, Mindy would drink sodas all day long. She definitely had a sweet tooth. The thought of Mindy settled her nerves. When Slade returned to her side, Tory sent him a smile, grateful for his laid-back ways and his innate understanding.
When she slid into the passenger’s side of Slade’s car, she followed his progress around to the driver’s side, admiring his self-confidence conveyed in how he carried himself, the pride he took in his appearance. He looked dynamite tonight, dressed in a charcoal-gray suit with a white shirt and a red tie.
“I’m guessing from the way we’re dressed that we’re going to a nice restaurant tonight,” Tory said as Slade pulled out onto the main highway into town.
“It’s the new one out on Old Baker’s Road.”
“The restaurant they made out of the Whitney’s Flour Mill?”
He nodded. “I hear the food is delicious. I thought we could check it out before your parents and sister’s family come back to town during the Fourth of July weekend.”
“You don’t have to take them out to dinner. They don’t expect that.”
“I want to get to know them, too. Gus has already agreed to baby-sit one of those evenings so just the adults can go out.”
“I know my sister will be thrilled.”
“It’s good for a couple to go out by themselves every once in a while. I want us to at least once a month.”
A couple! Once a month! Oh, my. She knew that what Slade thought was right. Each day she was married to him made it seem more real than the day before. Sometimes she found herself wanting to pinch herself to see if she would wake up from a dream. Just a month ago she wouldn’t have thought of herself as someone’s wife or mother and certainly not half of a couple.
At the new restaurant the sound of the stream behind the old mill lent a tranquil quality to the evening. The sun dipped behind the tall maples and oaks along the west side, creating shadows as night grew closer. The fresh scent of earth and forest saturated the warm air and the coolness of the surrounding towering trees chased away some of the heat of a June day.
The atmosphere was romantic and further enhanced by the quaintness of the restaurant, its decor rustic.
It was as though they had stepped back into the 1800s. Inside, Tory took in the candlelit tables with white tablecloths covered with crystal, china and silver. Each place setting gleamed with the flames from the candles.
Slade assisted Tory into her chair at a table for two in a corner alcove. The picture window afforded her a view of the small stream rippling over rocks. Perfect. She could tell Slade had taken care in selecting the place to eat for their first date. The idea pleased her.
After placing their orders, Tory relaxed in her chair. “I have to admit I don’t eat filets too often. Too expensive on my budget.”
“That’s all changed now, Tory. We’re married. What is mine is yours.”
Half of a couple, she reminded herself, still not used to that concept. After the incident four years ago she hadn’t thought that would ever happen. Of course, her marriage wasn’t the normal kind.
Next to her he leaned forward. “What kind of expansion plans do you have for the Bright Star Stables?”
“Expansion? None. All I’ve ever wanted to do was pay my bills. I’ve never thought beyond that.”
“What if you could dream? What would you like to do with the stables?”
Tory blew out a breath of air, all the possibilities she’d pushed to the back of her mind flooding her now. “I’d like to have an indoor riding ring so I could have lessons all year long.”
“Done.”
“Done? What do you mean?”
“I want you to start making plans to build one. I think that’s an excellent way for me to invest my money.”
“But—” Stunned, Tory couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Don’t forget, Mindy will benefit more than anyone if you have an indoor riding ring.”
Her shock still firmly gripped her. “You have that kind of money?” Again she realized she really didn’t know that much about Slade—except that he was a kind, loving father and a good friend.
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet, but my company was just awarded a big contract I’ve been pushing for this past year. An international food company has contracted us to make all their plastic containers.”
“Then this is a celebration tonight.”
He raised his water glass. “To both of our dreams.”
What were his dreams? she wondered, taking a sip of her ice water, her gaze bound to Slade’s. Thankfully the liquid was cold to chase away the heat that permeated her.
“I do mean it, Tory, about making plans for the indoor ring. I’d like it built by next winter. That way, Mindy can continue with her riding therapy.”
“I’m not even sure where to begin.”
“How about with contacting some contractors about bidding on the indoor ring? The company that did my expansion work was excellent and reasonable.” He covered her hand on the table. “It’s about time your dreams come true.”
The feel of his hand over hers riveted her senses to the roughness of his fingertips and the warmth of his flesh. “What are your dreams?” she murmured, her shock slowly wearing off to be replaced with a reality, a reality that centered around Slade and his daughter. They were an intricate part of her life now. Her family. If only she could take the next step. Time was running out on her dream to have a child of her own, if she was ever able to.
“I want Mindy to be whole again.”
Before he withdrew his hand, Tory felt the tension in his touch. “Is that all?”
“That’s the only one I can afford right now.”
Puzzled, she tilted her head to the side. “Why?”
“My life is on hold until Mindy is well.”
“She is well. She’s no longer having seizures.”
He gritted his teeth, the line of his jaw hard. “She struggles every day. I don’t call that well.”
“She doesn’t see it as struggling.”
His eyes became pinpoints, his lips pressing together. He remained silent, the atmosphere at the table sudden
ly frosty. Tory fought the strong urge to touch his arm, instinctively knowing he would pull away. He didn’t see his daughter in the same light as she did.
Tory unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap, needing to do something with her hands. “Mindy wanted me to ask you to come to church with us this Sunday. Will you?” She hoped the topic change would ease the strain that sprang up between them.
He cloaked his expression, releasing a deep sigh. “I don’t know. I may have to work on Sunday.”
“Work?”
“Yes, with that new contract I’ll have some things I’ll need to iron out.”
“You have an open invitation to come with us any Sunday you can. Mindy has made some friends she wants you to meet.”
The tense set to his shoulders relaxed. He lifted his gaze to hers. “To be truthful, I don’t know if church is for me.”
“Because of the accident?”
He nodded, taking a deep swallow of his water.
“God hasn’t let you down. He just may have a different plan for you.”
“Don’t you understand? It’s never been about me. It’s about Mindy and—” He clamped his mouth shut and looked away.
About his deceased wife. He’d walked away from the accident. She hadn’t. Mindy hadn’t. Tory reached out and laid her hand on his arm, praying he wouldn’t pull away. He stiffened for a few seconds. When the tension melted from his expression, his posture, Tory felt a connection to him that went straight to her heart and bound them together for several beats.
Maybe she had been brought into his life not only to help Mindy but to help him. Slade’s hurt went deeper than she suspected he realized. Lord, show me the way to help Slade heal, to forgive himself for surviving.
Shaking his head, he stared at her hand on his arm. “This was supposed to be a celebration, a beginning for us. How did everything get so turned around?”
Tory smiled. “I think we were talking about our dreams.”
Placing his hand over hers, he linked gazes. “I want to help make yours come true.”
And I want to help make yours come true. But Tory wouldn’t voice her wish out loud.
“So I want you to start right away on the indoor riding ring.”
A Family for Tory Page 10