Kate rejoined him near the bar, which was doing a brisk business. “I’d like you to meet my dad. He just arrived. I’ll introduce you to Mother a little later, after she makes her rounds.”
“I don’t mind if you want to put it off.”
She chuckled. “If only I could. She’s saving the best for last. That’s always her method.”
“The best? Thanks, I think.”
“I probably should have said the juiciest. She likes people to squirm while they wait. She’s good at that.”
“Let’s meet your dad. I might offer him my condolences.”
“He wouldn’t understand. He and Mother are still deeply in love after thirty-two years of marriage. It amazes me at times. My father is the only man my mother has eyes for. I wish I knew how she did it.”
Wyatt thought of his deceased wife. Rebecca and he’d had that kind of relationship. He figured a man only got one in a lifetime. He just wished the Lord had allowed him to be with Rebecca longer. Five years wasn’t long enough.
“Have you had any success with getting funding?”
“There are a few who said they would come to the open house but nothing concrete. I did connect with some media people who are interested in the program.” She tugged on his hand. “Come on. The mayor just left Dad.”
Wyatt had seen the distinguished looking older man in newspaper photos on several occasions. His smile as his daughter neared him made him instantly like her father. He gave her a bear hug before turning to Wyatt.
“I understand from Kate you’re a Texas Ranger.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Please call me Bennett. Any friend of Kate’s is welcome in my home.” He turned his attention back to his daughter. “Your mother told me she isn’t going to support your program after this month. Frankly I’m surprised she has for this long. I never thought it was a good idea from the beginning. I don’t want my daughter exposed to the unsavory side of life. It’s too dangerous.”
“Beacon of Hope is in a safe part of town.”
“Barely. After what has happened, don’t you see what could happen to you?”
“Nothing has. I’ve been perfectly safe.”
Bennett frowned. “Aren’t you talking to a low-income-area middle school in Dallas next week? I’ve heard of shootings occurring in broad daylight there. One just a couple of weeks ago.”
“So you aren’t going to help me convince Mother otherwise?”
“No. Find another way to help the less fortunate. Work for the Winslow Foundation. I’ve always wanted you to. Then when your mother wants to retire from the foundation, you can take over running it. That’s what both your mother and I want.”
“I’m not going to stop helping these girls. I’ll find another way if I have to.”
The tension spiked between Kate and her father. Wyatt took hold of her hand, hoping to convey support for her. But he could understand where Kate’s dad was coming from. The most important thing in his life was to keep his daughter safe. The more Maddie was pulling away from him, the more he wanted to hold her tight.
“Kate, finally I get a chance to talk to you.” Laura Winslow stepped up to the group and gave her husband a quick kiss. “I’m glad your meeting was over early. I can always use your help in raising money for the hospital.”
Bennett smiled, his look only for his wife. “I cut the meeting short. I know how important this is to you. Let me see what I can do. I see Kenneth Foster has arrived with his wife.” Kate’s dad shifted toward Wyatt and offered his hand. “It was nice meeting you.”
He shook the man’s hand. “Likewise.”
As Bennett headed for a group of men to the left, Laura looked Wyatt up and down. He was catalogued and assessed in a few seconds. And he’d come up short in Kate’s mother’s mind. The slight twist to her mouth indicated her disapproval although she had managed to cover it quite fast.
“I hope you’re enjoying yourself, Mr. Sheridan.”
“Yes, you have a beautiful home.”
Laura dismissed him and focused on Kate. “I only have a little time. Let’s go talk in the library.”
King found Caroline Sheridan sitting at a table in a café at the mall. Her photo didn’t do her justice. She was beautiful, almost innocent looking, even though he knew she’d been married three times. She took a sip of her drink without taking her eyes off the page in the big, thick book she was reading.
He moved closer to her, but stopped short when two young girls converged on her. Caroline smiled at the teens and exchanged some words with them. Her granddaughter hugged her then hurried away with her friend.
King resumed his approach to the café, ordered a latte, and sat at a table next to Caroline Sheridan. He opened his newspaper and glanced at the articles while drinking his coffee. He watched his target out of the corner of his eye. She scanned the restaurant. He looked up as though pondering something he’d read.
His gaze intersected with hers, and he smiled. “Indoors is the only place to be with this extreme heat. Even then, sitting under the ceiling fan makes it barely tolerable.”
She glanced down his length, then back up. “From what I heard on the radio this morning, there’s no end in sight. All next week they said sunny and the highs in the low hundreds.”
“I’d love to pick up and leave for the month of August, but I have obligations.”
“I know what you mean. Me, too.” She closed her book—a volume on the history of the Alamo.
“I see you are a history buff. Or at least Texas history. Have you read the account of Sam Houston’s life by Haley?”
“No.” She sent him a grin that made her eyes sparkle. “I have to confess this is the first book on Texas history I’ve read. I’m planning to take my granddaughter to San Antonio this fall. I want to go see the Alamo and regale her with tales of bravery and heroism.”
“There are a lot of accounts of the Battle of the Alamo.”
“Yeah, I just got through reading about Davy Crockett.”
“Have you read about Colonel William Travis yet?’
“No, not yet. I’d actually heard of Davy Crockett, so I read that section first. Who was Travis?”
“May I join you? I love talking about history, especially with such a charming woman.”
Blushing, Caroline nodded.
King picked up his latte and moved to her table, sitting across from her. “He was the commander of the Alamo and had his hands full fighting a Mexican army with overwhelming odds against him.” He infused enthusiasm into his voice as if he spoke on a subject he cared about. He hated history, but to get close to this woman, he would say anything.
The second Kate entered the library behind her mother she pounced on Kate. “How dare you use my luncheon to recruit money for your lost cause?”
“You’ve left me no choice, Mother. I’m not giving up on my girls. They’re counting on me.”
“Let them count on some other bleeding heart.” She marched over to the Queen Anne desk and opened the drawer. After withdrawing a pack of cigarettes, she shook one out and lit it. “See what you’re doing to me. I haven’t had one of these in days.”
“I’m not doing anything to you. You’re one of the strongest women I know. If you really wanted to quit, you would.”
Her mother inhaled the smoke, then blew it out. “It’s obvious you don’t know what you’re talking about.” She took another puff on the cigarette then crushed it in a lead crystal ashtray. “I won’t let your behavior govern what I do.”
Kate nearly laughed out loud but instead bit down hard to keep from saying or doing anything to further rile her mother.
“I thought when you started your little venture that you would grow bored and stop or at the very least let someone else run Beacon of Hope. But no, you became more and more involved to the point that this year you moved in so you could be there 24/7. This cavorting with prostitutes has got to stop now. Your program has been mentioned in the newspaper several times in the past week.”
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Must have been a slow news week. Wait until she sees the articles and publicity about the open house.
“This subject can’t be taken lightly. One of your girls stole your van and has disappeared. Another has tried to kill herself and now you’ve got one who ran away and ended up getting shot. A Winslow cannot be associated with that kind of behavior.” Her hand clutched the desk conveying the intensity of her anger.
“Nothing is being taken lightly, especially the girls’ welfare. I’m working with the police—”
“That’s just it. You’re involved with the police. You even brought a Texas Ranger to this luncheon. Imagine what people are saying.”
Kate stared at the cold expression on her mother’s face, her rigid stance. “You don’t have a say in the program anymore. Remember you pulled the funding.” She spun on her heel and marched toward the door.
“Come back here. You don’t walk out on me.”
In the entrance, Kate glanced back. “You do a lot of good in this world so long as it involves things like hospitals and medical research. But I’ve discovered there are parts of life that can’t be wrapped up in a neat little package with a pretty bow on it. These girls have no one but me. I won’t walk away from a commitment I made to myself to make their lives better.”
Kate took a few steps out into the hallway. The trembling in her hands went through her whole body. She couldn’t go back to the party, at least not until she’d pulled herself together. She hastened toward the downstairs bathroom designated for the women to use. Inside, after locking the door, she eased down on the pink settee and hugged her arms to still their shaking. She would not let her mother get to her. But the scene in the library kept intruding.
I’ve never been able to please Mother. That isn’t going to change.
At least her older brother wasn’t such a disappointment to their mother. Gerald was right on track to take over the family manufacturing company when their dad retired. He did everything a Winslow was supposed to do, even married a nice young woman from an old Texan family with lots of money. If she’d stayed in the library much longer, the topic of why she wasn’t married and pregnant would have come up. Her mother didn’t have time for her while she’d been growing up, but Kate had to admit she was a good grandmother to her brother’s three children.
You can’t please everyone. Stop trying. Her grandmother’s advice popped into her thoughts. Of course, Grams was right, but all she’d ever wanted was to please her mother some of the time.
Rising, Kate took a towel and wet it, then dabbed her face. She couldn’t hide in the bathroom for long. She didn’t want to leave Wyatt alone too long. No telling what her mother would say to him.
When Kate exited the restroom, she collided with State Senator Charlene Foster, one of the few women who wasn’t intimidated by her mother. “I’m sorry. I should be watching where I’m going.”
“No problem. I’m glad we ran into each other.”
“Literally,” Kate said with a chuckle.
“Yes, well, I’m sure you have a lot on your mind. I’ve heard about your troubles at Beacon of Hope.”
“It has been a busy week.”
“I imagine so, with your mother removing her support. I’d like us to have lunch at the first of next week and discuss me helping with your funding needs. Judge Adams and I are good friends, and he believes in Beacon of Hope. Would Tuesday noon at the Oaks Country Club be good for you?”
For a few seconds Kate thought she heard the woman wrong. Afraid her voice wouldn’t work, Kate nodded.
“Good. I’ve been looking for a worthy cause to support. I’m on a committee in Austin that deals with children’s issues. Your program could be just what I need. We’ll talk Tuesday about the particulars.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Foster.”
“Please call me Charlene. I think we’ll be spending a lot of time together in the future. I see such possibilities with what you’re trying to do.” The tall woman with silver white hair smiled then proceeded to go into the restroom behind Kate.
Excitement bubbled up in her. She could hardly contain it. She hurried toward the solarium to tell Wyatt. The program had a chance. Lord, you are awesome!
She paused in the entrance into the glassed-in room and scoured the crowd to find Wyatt. He was in a group of men that included the mayor, the owner of a Dallas professional sports team, and Charlene Foster’s husband. Wyatt caught her looking at him, said something to the others, then threaded his way through the tables toward her.
“Your mother changed her mind?” he asked when he stopped in front of her.
“Does it show on my face?” She probably had on a big, goofy smile, but she didn’t care. God came through for her and the girls.
“You look beautiful.”
His compliment took her by surprise and robbed her of her next words. The warmth in his eyes as they met hers heightened her awareness of him. All she wanted to do was escape the luncheon and go somewhere to celebrate. “My mother didn’t change her mind, but Charlene Foster, one of the senators from Dallas, wants to help. You were talking to her husband a few minutes ago. I know that Charlene and Kenneth Foster can be quite generous. If I can get them to supply enough money to keep me going while I search for more contributors, I can start thinking about some of the expansions I want to do. So many girls that need a place to go. I serve this whole region. One day I would love to open more of these programs in different parts of the country.”
Wyatt leaned close and whispered into her ear, “So can we leave?”
Kate scanned the faces of the people around her. Her gaze landed on her mother’s. Their looks locked together. Kate pulled her attention away and smiled even more at Wyatt. “I think that’s the second best thing I heard today.”
“Why is Ashley always so late?” Maddie leaned against the store window in the mall with Kelly next to her.
“It’s not her. Her mom always arrives late. It drives Ashley crazy.” Kelly popped a piece of gum into her mouth. “She’ll be here soon.”
Glancing at her watch, Maddie pushed off the window and turned toward Kelly. “Nana can’t stay all day, and I want to get my tattoo.” She backed away a few steps.
“You have the coolest grandma.”
“Shh. Never use that word around her. She goes ballistic if I ever say it. She doesn’t even want me using the word Nana anymore. It is Carrie. Not even Mrs. Sheridan.” Restless, Maddie swung around to pace and smacked right into a guy—a hot one with blond hair and dark brown eyes like rich, mouth-watering chocolate.
His hands clasped her arms briefly before falling away. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, no, it was my fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” Maddie reluctantly stepped back but not before she got a good whiff of the musky scent he wore.
He grinned, his gaze skimming down her length. “Not a bad way to start the day. I’m Tyler Collins,” he glanced at his companion, “and this dude is Chad Wilson.”
Maddie tore her attention from Tyler, who was several inches taller than her with his cowboy boots and hat, and looked at Chad. “I’m Maddie and,” she peered over her shoulder and waved to Kelly by the window, “that’s Kelly. We’re here shopping for school.”
“So are we. Can’t believe school is starting so soon.” Tyler’s dark eyes twinkled, his look trained on her.
“Where do you go to school?”
“Southwest Academy. You?”
Maddie swallowed and said, “Bluebonnet Creek High School. I’ll be a freshman.” Okay, she was only lying by a year, but Tyler must be a junior, maybe a senior.
“Junior. Only two more years and I’m a free guy.”
While Kelly approached them, Maddie relaxed and gave both boys a smile. “I know what you mean. I can’t wait until I can be on my own. No one to tell me what to do.”
“Hey, we’re going into Worthington to get some clothes. I could always use a pretty gal’s opinion.”
“Me?” Maddie squeaked out,
her cheeks getting warm.
“Of course.”
“Maddie, we have to wait for Ashley.” Kelly eyed Chad and raised one eyebrow.
“Yeah, we have a friend meeting us here.” Maddie angled toward the multiple sets of double doors. “And it doesn’t look like she has arrived yet.”
“That’s a shame. Well, maybe we’ll see you around later.” Tyler tipped his cowboy hat and sauntered toward the store around the corner.
Maddie watched him swagger, his tight jeans fitting just right, his muscular arms indicating he was into body building or working on a ranch lifting bales of hay. “Did ya see those eyes of his? They are to die for.” Her heartbeat increased the more she thought about the guy. “There’s certainly no one like him at Bluebonnet Creek Middle or High School. And he goes to Southwest Academy. He must be rich.”
“His friend wasn’t bad either.”
“I’m texting Ashley again. Hopefully, she’ll answer this time. Doesn’t the girl realize the point of having a cell is to leave it on?” A few minutes later, she got a response from Ashley. “They’re just leaving her house. Let’s go see what Tyler and Chad are doing. Ashley will be another twenty minutes.”
“Are you sure we should leave? What if Ashley comes early?”
“I’ll text her we’re in Worthington and to come find us. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that earlier.” Maddie’s fingers flew over the small keyboard. “There. Let’s go.”
“Remember we have to check in with your gran—Carrie.”
“I’ll text her, too. She’ll be okay with that even though my dad isn’t. The only time I need her is when I go to get my tattoo. I wish my dad trusted me more. Yours doesn’t fret over every place you go.”
“My dad isn’t a Texas Ranger.”
“Yeah, lucky me.”
“Here we’ve been talking about the Alamo and other things to see in San Antonio and I haven’t even told you my name.” King held out his hand. “I’m Jack Reagan.”
Saving Hope: Men of the Texas Rangers Book 1 Page 12