She gazed up at him. He towered over her even when he slumped to cut the vegetable that seemed so small in his grip. She loved his height, the mass of his shoulders and arms. His blond, reddish hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck. She wanted to touch the curl.
“All done. What now? The pepper?” He pushed the cucumbers to the side of the cutting board and grabbed the bell pepper beside the sink.
“Sure.” She watched as he focused on his new task. No man who had ever been in her daddy’s acquaintance would have stood beside her at the kitchen counter cutting vegetables for a salad.
She opened the oven to take out the potatoes. As she reached for the oven mitt, Chris grabbed it first. She contemplated him, and he smiled. “I’ll get that for you.” She watched as he lifted them out of the oven.
Remembering him standing before the church with his guitar in hand, flutters filled her heart. His love for the Lord proved undeniable. His kindness for her and his sister also attracted her in ways that every woman wanted. An inner excitement filled her as she admitted if she got to spend every day for the rest of her life in this kitchen with this man, she’d savor every one of them.
sixteen
Chris lifted his guitar from its case and stood before the church to lead the congregation in praise songs. Looking out into the crowd, he saw Victoria seated in the second row beside Abby and one of her friends. He had already experienced enough pain in life to know how to praise God in the valleys. A smile tugged at his lips. Now he was learning to praise God on the mountaintops.
He raised his hands. “Stand up and praise the Lord with me.” The people stood, and he started to pluck his guitar and lead them in worship.
His heart filled with awe for the Lord as words of love and adoration spilled from the lips of his brothers and sisters in Christ. He looked out and saw Grace and Eric Nickols who had married less than a year before and were now taking care of Lizzie and Jake. Unknown to their congregation for several years, Eric had struggled with his past, but God had overcome all their trials.
He glanced at Sondra and Dylan, holding hands as they sang. God had given Sondra a second chance at love and Dylan a wonderful wife. He almost chuckled aloud at the thought of the many Wards he presumed he’d see running around the church building in a few years’ time. He saw Mr. and Mrs. Neilson who still attended church every Sunday despite Mr. Neilson’s battle with cancer and Mrs. Neilson’s arthritis. Even when they had to prematurely turn the furniture business they loved over to their young son, the couple still remained faithful to the Lord.
His gaze traveled to Victoria. With her eyes closed and her face uplifted, he could tell she sang the praises from the depths of her spirit. His heart tightened. A few months ago, he had begged God to rid him of women. I praise You, Lord, for answering that prayer with a NO.
“Victoria.”
Victoria turned at the sound of Zack’s call from behind her. He motioned for her to wait, so she moved away from the exiting congregation and toward a wall. Once he reached her, she smiled. “Hey, Zack.”
“Hi. How have you been?”
“Good. And you?”
“Good. We’re still missing you at the bank.”
Victoria stared at her feet. “Yeah, I miss it, too. I hope my dad’s case is settled soon. I’d really like to come back.”
“Do you think it will be much longer?”
Victoria shrugged. “As far as I know, no one has even heard from my parents. I don’t even know where they are.”
“I’m sorry about that.” Zack shoved one hand in his pants pocket and adjusted his tie with the other. “Victoria, we are friends, right?”
Victoria gazed at him. “Yes. I think so. What’s wrong?”
“Well, I have a favor to ask you.” He pulled at his collar. Victoria noticed a spot of perspiration on his forehead.
“Zack, what is it?”
He leaned closer to her. “I really don’t want anyone to know.”
Her curiosity piqued and a giggle formed in her throat at the secretive expression on his face. “Okay.”
“I’m trying out for Lawton’s community play.”
“I didn’t know you liked to act.” Victoria studied Zack, feeling perplexed at the crush she’d had on him when she’d really known nothing about him.
“Well, it’s kind of a closet passion. I’ve always been interested, but too shy to try out.”
“Why now?”
Zack stared past her, and Victoria turned to see what he was looking at. A young redhead came out of the ladies restroom. Her short, springy curls bounced when she walked. She gazed at Zack with ice-blue eyes and then smiled for the briefest of moments.
Victoria chuckled. “Rosa?”
“Shh.” Zack put his fingers to her lips. “She’s trying out, as well. Look, I’ve got the script, and I just don’t want to fall on my face. I hoped you might rehearse with me.”
“You know it’s a musical.”
“Yes. It’s a production of Oklahoma.”
“That means singing.”
“I know.”
Victoria lightly punched his arm. “Zack, I didn’t know you sang.”
“Well, I can’t sing as well as Chris, if that’s what you’re getting at, but hopefully, I’ll be able to carry a tune well enough. So will you help me or not?”
Victoria covered her mouth to squelch her laughter. “Of course I will. I’m so happy for you.” She gave Zack a quick hug. “So when do you want to meet?”
Chris felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. He had been sure Victoria felt the connection he did. Preparing dinner with her the week before had only confirmed his feelings. Now she was hugging Zack and promising to meet him. What a fool you are, Ratliff.
He grabbed the keys from his pocket. Clutching his Bible tighter in his hand, he determined to walk past them without their noticing. Abby came up beside him and touched his arm. “So did you ask her?”
“No.” He walked toward the door, willing Abby to take his lead.
“Don’t be nervous, Chris. I know she’ll say yes.”
“I don’t intend to ask …”
“Victoria!” Abby yelled as she grabbed Chris’s arm tighter. With her free hand, she motioned for Victoria to come to them.
Great. Now what do I do? Victoria’s whole face lit up with a smile as she walked toward them. “No, Abby. Don’t say anything.”
Abby grabbed her hands when Victoria reached them. “Guess what? I’m going to the chorus dinner with Tyler.”
Victoria’s eyes widened, and Chris couldn’t help but smile at Victoria’s genuine interest in his sister. “You didn’t tell me before church.”
“I thought Chris was going to tell you.”
“Chris?” Victoria frowned and peered over at him.
“Yeah. The school needs chaperones for the dinner and they asked Chris, and he was going to ask you to go with him.” Abby jumped up and down and clapped her hands. “It’ll be so much fun.”
Victoria gazed up at him. The intensity in her eyes nearly took his breath away. “You were going to ask me to her dinner?”
“Well …”
“I think he thought you’d say no, but I told him you wouldn’t. I don’t know what these guys worry about.”
Chris wanted the floor to open up and suck him down into the center of the earth. Humiliation washed over him until he felt sure his entire body had turned the deepest crimson possible.
He exhaled and watched Victoria. She bit her bottom lip, and he could see she was about to laugh. She nodded. “I’d love to go.”
seventeen
Chris knocked on the Wards’ front door. Sondra opened it and smiled. “Hey, Chris.”
“Hey. Here’s your milk.” He handed her two quarts. “I came by to pick up the eggs for By His Hand.”
“They were beside the barn, weren’t they?”
“Yeah.” Chris shoved his hands in his pockets. “I wanted to remind Vic about the dinner tonight, also.�
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Sondra smiled. “I think she remembers. She had the most beautiful dress dry-cleaned.”
Heat warmed his cheeks. He felt like a young high school kid standing on his girl’s porch waiting for approval from her parents to come inside. “Well, I was going to make sure she knew I’d be by at six.”
Sondra bit her bottom lip, but not before a little giggle escaped. She placed her hand on her hip. “You want to talk to her yourself?”
Chris wanted to growl. He didn’t know why Sondra seemed bent on making this so hard. Yes, he wanted to talk with Victoria. The last time he’d spoken with her, she’d been talking about meeting up with Zack.
He wanted to mention the dinner and then gauge her response to see if she just felt sorry for him on behalf of Abby. He could have put his little sister over his knee for the way she practically shamed Victoria into going to the dinner with him, like he was some kind of pity case. Well, he had news for the both of them; he could get a date if he wanted one. He wasn’t sure whom he’d get a date with, but he knew he could find one.
“She’s around back.” Sondra chuckled and then bit her bottom lip a second time. “I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
Chris mumbled a thanks under his breath and then strode around the house. He didn’t know what Sondra found so funny. Maybe it was the thought of Victoria and him as a couple. Who was he kidding? Sondra was right. They were opposite as night and day, as oil and water, as Ford and Chevy.
He rounded the corner and saw Victoria leaning all the way over in a patio chair painting her toenails. A blue robe swallowed her and numerous small curlers stuck out all over her head. She sat up, and her eyes bulged, surrounded by a green goopy mess of gunk that covered her face and neck. “Chris!”
“Hey.” A slow smile lifted his lips.
“What are you doing here?” She dropped the nail polish, tightened the robe around her chest, and turned away from him all in one swift movement.
He laughed then. “I came by to pick up eggs and thought I’d remind you that I’d be here at six tonight for Abby’s dinner.”
She didn’t look at him. “I remembered.”
“Good.” He eyed her toes and realized the nail polish had fallen and spilled on the patio. “Oops. The nail polish fell.” He bent down to pick it up.
Victoria turned and leaned over, as well. His head met hers, and some of the goopy green stuff smashed into his forehead. “Sorry,” she squealed and sat up and away from him.
“What is this stuff anyway?” He wiped some off his forehead and smelled it. It had a clean, yet medicinal kind of odor.
“Chris, you’re not supposed to see a lady like this.”
“Like what?”
Victoria huffed and turned back toward him. She waved her hands up and down. “Like this. I’m getting ready for the dinner.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You’re not supposed to know it takes”—she crossed her legs—“it takes this much effort to get fixed up.”
She turned away from him again. Chris held back his chuckle at her exaggerated dramatics. He didn’t want her to be embarrassed. “Okay. I’ll leave, but I’ll be back at six.”
“Okay.” She didn’t look at him. Chris could hear the uncertainty in her tone.
“Victoria.”
“Yes?”
“Look at me.”
He waited as she sighed and then slowly turned toward him. Taking her hand in his, he rubbed his coarse thumb against its softness. “You could go in a potato sack, and you’d still be the most beautiful person there.”
She contemplated him for a brief moment, and then she smiled. “Thank you, Chris. I’ll see you tonight.”
Victoria clasped the strand of pearls around her wrist. Her grandmother’s ring would have been a beautiful accent to the matching necklace and bracelet set that Sondra had loaned her. She looked at her naked finger. But she’d never have the opportunity to wear the ring again. When she’d called the pawnshop owner a little over a month after the due date, he’d told her someone else had bought it.
Sighing, she peered into her makeup mirror. Grandma would have loved Chris. Picking up her coral lipstick, she applied a fresh coat to her lips. She fluffed the curls at the nape of her neck and then lightly sprayed them once more.
The doorbell rang. Glancing at the clock, she knew it was Chris. Allowing Dylan or Sondra to answer it so that she didn’t seem too anxious, she stood and walked in front of the full-length mirror. Her gaze scanned the knee-length, simple, aqua dress that rested perfectly against her shape. The spiked heels that she’d never before had the courage to wear made her legs look long and sleek, and she had to admit she’d never felt so appealing.
A rush of heat flushed her cheeks. I wish Chris hadn’t seen me in a face mask and curlers earlier. She remembered his sweet words just before he left. Looking in the mirror, she whispered, “Well, I’m definitely not wearing a potato sack.” She twirled, allowing the hem of the dress to dance in the air. “I think he’ll prefer this.”
A soft knock sounded. “Chris is here,” said Sondra. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah.”
Sondra opened the door. She gasped. “Victoria, you look amazing!”
“Thank you.”
“You better get out here before Chris paces a hole into my floor.” She hooked her arm with Victoria’s. “I’ve never seen him so nervous.”
“That makes two of us.”
Victoria walked down the hall and into the living room. Chris looked like the perfect gentleman in a navy blue suit and red silk tie. He looked up. Victoria sucked in her breath as his gaze scanned her briefly. “Hi, Chris. You look nice.”
He nodded, and she watched his Adam’s apple bop up and down. He stepped toward her. His height and breadth seemed to wrap around her. Touching her chin, he lifted her face until their gazes met. “You look amazing. You’re absolutely beautiful, Vic.”
She felt her cheeks warm at his sincere compliment and looked away to find Sondra and Dylan watching them. Sondra touched Dylan’s arm and then dabbed her eyes as if she were Victoria’s mother sending her daughter on her first date. Though much too close to Victoria’s age, in a way, Sondra had been a maternal figure for Victoria. She’d taught Victoria to cook, to clean, to care for herself. She glanced at Peewee who had toddled into the room holding his sippy cup in one hand and a toy horse in the other. Sondra had also taught her how to care for others.
“We’d better get going. I’d say the chorus director would like for his chaperones to be on time.” Chris touched her arm in a way that made her feel as though she belonged to him, as if he would protect her from anything that could ever happen. She loved the feeling.
“Okay.” Allowing Chris to help her wrap her shawl around her shoulders, she then waved good-bye to her family and followed Chris to the front door.
“Close your eyes.”
“What?” Victoria turned to find Chris mere inches from her cheek. His gaze seemed to grip hers, and she couldn’t help noticing how easy it would be to lightly kiss his lips.
“I have a surprise.” His breath raced against her ear, sending a shiver down her back. “Trust me. Just close your eyes.”
Trust him. Trust him? She couldn’t believe how much she trusted him. If he asked to drive her to an altar this night, she felt confident she would pledge her life to him. She closed her eyes, and he took her hand. The cool October air kissed her face and whipped through her hair. She gripped her shawl tighter with her free hand. Feeling the porch steps beneath her, she held tight to Chris’s hand. Once the ground was beneath her feet, she asked, “Can I open them now?”
“Not yet.” He stepped beside her, still holding her hand, only now his free hand touched the crook of her back. If only he would take her in his arms and declare his love for her. Surely Prince Charming would have claimed his princess by now, and she wanted so much to live happily ever after with Chris.
She listened as a car door opened. “Okay. You can look.”
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br /> She opened her eyes. “Oh, Chris.” Victoria covered her mouth with her hands. She gazed up at him and touched his arm. “It’s Mary Ann.”
“Yep.” He smiled and his eyes danced with merriment. “She’s fixed. You don’t have to worry about her anymore.”
She slid inside the Corvette, inhaling the scent of newly cleaned leather. Chris walked around and hopped inside. His frame barely fit inside the small car, but he beamed with excitement as he started the ignition. Buckling her seat belt, Victoria grinned. “I guess I didn’t ruin her for ever.”
Chris gazed at her, his expression honest as a hard day’s work. “You didn’t ruin anything, my Mary Ann Mangler.” He touched her hand and a wave of pleasure wrapped around her. “You helped me restore a ruined relationship with my sister. That was worth every moment, every cent that went into repairing this old girl’s bumper. If anything, I’d say I owe you.”
“I’d say we’re even. All those rides back and forth from town to the ranch. Getting to spend time with your sister. Feeling a part of a family.” She felt her cheeks warm with the slip of the last statement. She looked at Chris, who simply smiled.
Once seated in the auditorium, Chris tapped the inside of his coat. Victoria’s grandmother’s ring was still nestled safe inside his pocket. He’d decided to follow his heart and ask Victoria to be his wife. Sure, he wanted to date her, but they’d spent so much time together over the last several months that he wanted to date her and plan their wedding at the same time.
He stared at her sitting beside him. The strands of curls that fell softly over her shoulders beckoned him. With every ounce of strength, he gripped the program and willed his fingers to keep to themselves. His gaze followed the slight curve of her jaw, tempting him to kiss his way to her lips.
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