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eral other temporary jobs. She had an interview in a few days. She was nervous, but happy. Of course, it was only a temporary job, part-time at the health department, but they said they understood about her adjusting to MS.
She hoped she got the job.
She had to take shots three times a week, and she was on her second week now. Boy, was that something.
Thank goodness Carolyne had been there to help her learn to give herself injections. They wouldn’t interfere with a new job as she took them at night.
Meghan took up so much of the Ryders’ time at the house lately that she was afraid she was taking Dakota away from his job, but she had to admit, he’d slowed down. He was home every evening before the sun set, and at least three times, even four times, a week he made supper.
Carolyne was happy to see him at home, but she herself wasn’t at home as much.
They’d contacted Timothy Letterbed, the new Realtor, and within a week, he had struck an excellent deal for the downtown property that Carolyne wanted to use to open up the shelter. Their grant had come through and they had the money to start the shelter. It was all falling into place so quickly.
Carolyne had been working like mad, getting things going, organizing help and refurbishing the basics to bring the place up to code. And Chase had been there every step of the way. He spent all of his time off working on the building.
Which worried Meghan.
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withdrawn. Meghan was worried about her. The young girl had found a place in her heart.
Tonight, they were having a party to benefit the shelter. As Carolyne said, you had to do things like this constantly to keep people involved, or when it came crunch time, they wouldn’t have the money. As it looked right now, they’d have enough to pay five steady employees for the next year, plus enough to benefit thirty people, but Carolyne wanted to make sure they had extra money in case of emergencies.
Their party had nearly been stopped by the Bennetts and the Hamptons. Meghan couldn’t understand the desire of those people to control everything, but she was quickly learning you didn’t cross them.
They didn’t like her. That much was obvious from when they’d called to talk with the pastor and she’d answered the phone.
Dakota certainly hadn’t appreciated their interroga-tion of her and had apologized afterward. But it had blown over. And now they were at the benefit—Chase and Sarah, Carolyne, Dakota, Meghan and over half the town, including Mary and Margaret who were running the cakewalk.
A Christian band was currently playing music and booths were set up, selling different crafts, with all the proceeds going to the shelter.
Meghan pulled her sweater closer around her and once again asked herself, just what did she feel for Dakota Ryder?
“And what has you so entrenched in thought tonight, sweet Meghan?”
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came up to her. She smiled and debated on what to tell him, finally deciding to tell him the truth. “You.”
People jostled Dakota, bumping him into her. He reached out and caught her arms, nodding his acceptance to the person who called out an apology.
Holding on to one arm, he escorted Meghan out of the line of traffic. “That sounds intriguing.”
She shook her head and decided to change the subject. “Your mom is excited that you’ve been home so much more.”
They strolled along past the booths, watching as some of the residents looked over the crafts while others played games and still others bought food. “How do you feel about my being home more?”
Meghan blushed. But she had to admit the truth. “I like it, too.” But at the same time she didn’t. It was wonderful having him there for dinner. They had caught up on years of being separated and learned so many things about each other.
And every night they sat out on the porch, Dakota always by her on the swing, rocking as they chatted. Or, if Carolyne wasn’t there, sometimes they simply sat in silence. And that was the problem. They were getting to know each other and becoming too comfortable in each other’s presence. Meghan found she loved talking with Dakota, and her mind couldn’t seem to forget the kiss they’d shared. The memory was there constantly when he was around and when he was absent. She longed for another such embrace. Unfortunately—why she admitted she didn’t like him being around—she was afraid.
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to give up their time, but she wasn’t willing to face her fear, either. A dilemma.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Dakota slipped his hand to the small of her back. That was the first time he’d done something so public—except for the kiss.
Through Carolyne she’d found out that Dakota had heard from someone on the board about his public dis-play of affection and they were angry.
Dakota never mentioned it to her.
“The fund-raiser is going well,” Meghan observed.
“In no small part thanks to Chase and Jerry and the others who helped set it up.”
“Speaking of Chase,” Meghan began.
Dakota glanced down at her and with a twinkle in his eyes, he asked, “Do I have competition?”
Her cheeks turned bright red and Dakota laughed.
He pulled her to him and hugged her.
“Will you stop it,” she whispered. “Be serious.”
His smile still in place, he said, not the least bit seriously, “Okay. This is me being serious.”
She shook her head. “I am worried about Sarah.”
Dakota’s smile faded and he did turn solemn then.
“She’s going through a hard time after losing her mom.
They’ve been coming in for counseling. I can’t say anything more than that. But I fear things are going to come to a head soon. She won’t tell us what else is bothering her. But there’s something else.”
Meghan nodded. “She mentioned to me that her daddy let her put some of her mom’s things out the other day.”
“Good,” Dakota said. “I suggested to Chase that might help Sarah with the adjustment. He’d packed everything up and it was killing him to unpack it. Maybe Cheryl Wolverton
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the two of them unpacking those things will help Chase heal as well.”
“I noticed they’re coming to church.”
Dakota nodded. “Chase is searching for healing. No one expects to have their life turned upside down like that. All I can do is pray for him and be there.”
“You think that’s why he’s thrown himself into this project so much? Because he’s still hurting?”
They sidestepped a small child who ran past and then Dakota continued, “I think that’s part of it. And of course, my mom can be a healing balm to those who are hurting.”
“She’s changed my life,” Meghan agreed. “You know, I’ve fallen in love with her and don’t think I could move away,” Meghan whispered.
They came to the cakewalk and Dakota paused.
Turning to her, he asked, “And what about me? Do you think you could leave me?”
“Oh, look, sister! Two more people. That will complete the cakewalk.” Mary clapped her hands in delight, her blue hair specially styled tonight for the event.
“Well, come on,” Margaret ordered. “Pay up and get in. We’re getting ready to start the music, Pastor Cody.”
Dakota grinned at Meghan. “Saved by the sisters, but I’ll want that answer later.”
Meghan swallowed.
Dakota pulled out his wallet and paid the small entrance fee.
“Now, dear, do you think you can walk? I notice you didn’t bring your cane.” Mary tsked.
“She doesn’t always need it, she says, sister,” Margaret argued. “She can do it. Pastor Cody will take care of her if she can’t.”
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Mary smiled. “Oh. Yes, of course.”
Meghan groaned because everyone was watching with interest as the two sisters talked. “Are we ready to start?” Meghan tried to distract the sisters from her personal life.
They were wonderful women, but they had decided the two were a couple and didn’t care who knew it.
“We’re just waiting on you to take a place.” Margaret moved over toward the CD player. “Now, what we’ll do is a lot like musical chairs.”
Mary smiled. “Like when you were children. Oh, those were fun days.”
“I’m telling them, sister.” She frowned at Mary who looked highly offended. “Go around the chairs. When the music stops, grab a chair. The last one with a chair wins a cake. And we have some good cakes here.”
“I even baked one,” Mary added proudly to Dakota.
“Your favorite. Mississippi Mud.”
Meghan grinned. Each week they came up with a new favorite that Dakota just loved. They were so happy to have him coming home that they were constantly baking surprises for him.
“Nonsense. His favorite will be my Red Velvet.”
“I might not win,” Dakota cautioned sagely.
Mary giggled like a schoolgirl. Margaret har-rumphed and put the music on.
Meghan and Dakota, along with six other people, started marching around the chairs.
“Are you okay doing this?” Dakota asked as they marched.
She opened her mouth to answer, when the music stopped. She gasped and after a hesitation dived into a Cheryl Wolverton
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chair. Her eyes widened. “Oh boy.” She covered her heart. “I’d forgotten how silly this game is.”
Everyone was laughing. The person left out threw up his hands. “I want that Red Velvet. Don’t no one else claim it!” And he stepped out of the way.
Meghan laughed. She and Dakota both stood and watched as Mary took out one of the chairs and metic-ulously rearranged the two nearest ones. “It looks like I’m going to be okay. My legs are tired, but I think that’s just going to be a fact of life.”
He nodded. The music started again. And they started marching.
People stood around laughing and pointing, calling out to family members. It was a fun time. “So, are you ready to answer my question?” he asked when the music stopped.
Everyone dashed for a chair. Meghan overbalanced and fell into one, but managed to keep from falling out.
His question didn’t help her. She glared at him. “You did that on purpose.”
Eyes wide, he lifted his hands. “Would I do that?”
“You want that cake, don’t you?”
He burst out laughing.
A teenager was left out and wandered over to the side to watch and wait and see who would win. They all stood back up, the six of them. Jerry was one of them.
He pulled at his pants and adjusted his belt. “Get ready, folks,” the sheriff said and they laughed.
The music started back up. Twice more they went around, watching people get disqualified before Dakota was near enough to talk again.
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cused as they marched once again around the ever-shrinking circle.
She glanced back over her shoulder. “That’s right.
And I may not, either, if you win.”
He stumbled in surprise. “Hey, that’s blackmail!”
The music stopped.
They dived for chairs and Dakota and Jerry hit the chair at the same time. Jerry went flying and landed on the concrete ground of the parking lot.
The crowd roared with laughter.
“See if I show up Sunday morning, son,” Jerry called out as he climbed to his feet.
Hoots of encouragement came from the crowd watching. Dakota grinned. “I have eyewitnesses. That was a win, fair and square.”
They stood while the chairs were rearranged.
Meghan laughed. She was having the time of her life.
“I haven’t felt this young in years,” she confided to Dakota as the music started again.
“It’s good to stay young. Just look over at the sisters,”
he said, and pointed.
Mary was clapping in time to the music, dancing as she did, and Margaret was intent on the CD, even though a ghost of a smile kept turning her lips up occasionally.
The music stopped and Meghan found herself in a chair next to Dakota.
The other person stepped out. They both stood and Dakota smiled. “Just down to you and me it seems.”
The crowd chuckled. “Take him out, sister,” someone called to Meghan.
“Come on, Pastor, you can do it!” another person shouted.
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“Competitive, aren’t they?” Meghan observed nervously.
“You guys should get in here and try it,” Dakota called back, eliciting a fresh wave of laughter.
Mary took them by the arms and led them out to a white line that the original chairs had sat on. “You two have to stay on this line. Away from the chair. We always do this with the last ones. It gives both of you a fair chance.”
Meghan groaned. They were a good five feet from the chair.
Dakota laughed. “Looks like I’m going to get to pick a cake.”
“No chance,” Meghan argued, though she wasn’t sure.
The music started and they marched and marched and marched. It was funny to watch the two of them hugging the line, their eyes intent on the chair.
And just as Meghan was certain the music would never stop, she suddenly realized it had.
With a mad dash, she rushed headlong for the chair.
Dakota was on the opposite side and sprinted as well.
Two bodies slammed into each other.
She went flying until two arms caught her and pulled her back—right on top of his lap.
Meghan realized Dakota had rescued her from falling. She looked up into his laughing eyes. “Who won?”
Quietly, so the roaring crowd wouldn’t hear, he answered, “We both win, if you answer me yes.”
Meghan swallowed. What did he mean? Looking into those eyes full of emotion, she realized she no longer had any questions about how she felt. Why hadn’t she real-212
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ized it before? Why hadn’t she seen it? Maybe because she’d been so worried about her MS. But with the freedom of realizing she wasn’t going to be like her grandmother came another freedom—the freedom to love.
And she did. She loved this man. Very much.
But did she have the right to love him?
“Hey, who won?” someone in the crowd called out, breaking the spell.
Meghan pushed back and stood awkwardly, her cheeks once again red as people called out suggestions to the pastor of what to do with her—all clean suggestions but centering on her just the same.
Margaret waved her hand. “This is very difficult, but I just can’t decide who was in that chair first—”
“So they both win.” Mary clapped.
The crowd roared.
Meghan blushed.
“Now, which of those cakes are you going to choose, Pastor Cody?” Margaret demanded.
There were about twenty cakes left, but as far as Margaret was concerned, there were only two, the two she and Mary had made.
Meghan realized the two women were in contest for Dakota’s affection over their baking, so to distract the people from her and Dakota and stop a feud from erupt-ing, she stepped forward. “I just have to have the Mississippi Mud, if you don’t mind. Of all the cakes here, that looks like the best one—and I can attest that it tastes great.”
Mary beamed. “Why, dear. I didn’t know that was your favorite cake.”
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Dakota leaned in. “You’d make a good pastor’s wife, sweet Meghan.”
Meghan nearly fell over.
Marriage?
Had he meant that? Or had he been joking. Surely he’d been joking.
She, of course, knew he enjoyed dating her and wanted to spend time with her—but he didn’t have time for a wife—not one who took up as much time as she did, did he?
“Meghan?”
She realized Mary had spoken to her. “I don’t think you can cook anything that doesn’t taste great,” Meghan told the old woman.
On impulse she leaned down and hugged the woman.
When she released her, she saw tears in Mary’s eyes.
And love.
Meghan stepped back.
“Go have fun,” Mary said. “We’ll put the cake under the table for you until later, okay, dear?”
Meghan nodded and left, realizing she had many many things to consider over the next few days.
Chapter Eighteen
Sarah didn’t want to be here. She hated these after-school meetings that her father had started. Why couldn’t he just spend time with her instead of making her air her feelings in front of someone else?
She didn’t want to tell someone else how she felt.
She wanted her dad to know.
Pastor Ryder walked in and held out his hand to her dad. “Heya, Chase.”
He smiled and her father smiled back. His father wore his uniform right now, but that’d change soon.
He’d soon be in his jeans and flannel shirt and leave to work on the shelter—the shelter that was going to open in just a few weeks.
And then she’d probably never see her dad again.
Pastor Ryder offered his hand to Sarah. She took it. It was warm and dry and he shook her hand as if he really cared.
But he was a friend of her dad’s.
“Hello, Sarah.”
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“’Lo,” she mumbled. Seeing the look her dad shot her, she sat up straighter. “Pastor Ryder,” she added politely.
Her dad nodded.
“So, how have you been this week?” Pastor Ryder asked as he seated himself behind his desk. He leaned back and crossed one leg up over his other, resting his ankle on his knee. Both hands went behind his head and he stretched out as if relaxing. He was dressed in nice slacks and a shirt, much like some of her teachers wore.
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