Love's Emerging Faith (Love's Texas Homecoming Book 3; First Street Church #20)

by Sharon Hughson

  When he inched back, he rested his forehead on hers. “I’m an idiot. You already knew that.”

  Her palms trailed across his broad shoulders and down his back. He sucked in a breath and stiffened. Ticklish?

  She rested her hands on the waist of his jeans. “I know Lonie is upsetting you. I wish I could kick him off the ranch.”

  Bailey shook his head. “Not this time, beautiful. This time I’ll rescue myself.”

  She smirked at him. “But I’m the big, strong, soldierly type.”

  He nodded. “And I’m the man who adores you.”

  He nibbled at her lower lip. After another breathless kiss, she stepped back.

  “Are we really going to do this long-distance thing again?” The misery sucked away the joy she found in his arms.

  “Unless you’re staying here. Or I’m refusing this promotion to Rosewood.”

  She shook her head. “You’re not refusing that job, Bailey.” But I would stay here if I could.

  And that shocked her.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Bailey threaded his fingers through hers.

  A shiver of longing shot through the connection.

  With matched steps, they walked back to her parents’ house. In the quiet evening, Jaz prayed, Please, Lord, work this out.

  6

  Saturday devolved into a nightmare worse than those that had plagued Bailey the first few months after Lonie had gone to prison. The man clung to him like a leech, trailing him to the barn and insisting on a ride around the property.

  After the guest checked out, Tess arrived in the barn in jeans and boots, happy to take a ride with Lonie. Bailey had been putting the man off by grooming each horse from head to hoof. Now he’d have to give in to the man’s request.

  Lonie charmed Tess with stories of his childhood and unbelievable plans for working in Rosewood or Harrison so he’d finally get to know his “two great kids.” His sister lapped it up like the barn cats did the occasional pan of milk.

  Back at the house, Tess made lunch for the three of them, but Bailey couldn’t stand the hooded looks from his father whenever his sister’s back was turned. He paced into the parlor, gripping the second sandwich Tess had made, to try and get away from the falseness ringing in the man’s tone.

  As he scanned the room, his gaze landed on one of the antique side tables. A brass urn used to sit there, he was sure. It was from Germany and came with MaryAnn’s great-grandparents when they’d emigrated years before.

  It had the designer’s name engraved on the bottom, and Bailey wasn’t sure if it was worth much cash, but he knew it had been there the last time he’d been home. Why would Tess move it?

  The bread he’d swallowed seemed to expand. He pounded his chest to move it along, forcing himself not to breathe or choke.

  Had Lonie lifted it? The man would steal his sister blind while she bought into every falsehood he weaved in that fake Southern accent.

  Bailey paced through the rest of the house. The crystal decanter and goblets sat askew on the silver tray in the study. Those items might have more monetary value than the urn, but to Bailey their intrinsic value was immeasurable. He could still see Fritz pouring out the Texas whiskey and cuddling on the love seat with MaryAnn. That had been their nightly routine for his entire life.

  They’d handled those glasses forever, and even though the silver tray was a newer addition, it had an engraving on the bottom. Without thinking, Bailey moved the crystal onto the wooden surface of the console table and flipped the tray over.

  Silver. It was real silver that his mother had polished every few months and Tess had polished in the wake of Fritz’s death.

  To my beloved MaryAnn who is a saint to put up with me for twenty-five years. My heart is yours, Fritz.

  He gulped again. No matter if they were parted by a hundred miles or a thousand, he felt love like this for Jaz.

  Reading the inscription firmed his resolve to keep Lonie away from Tess and get him out of the house before he could rob them blind.

  But he couldn’t do it alone. Not while opening the new office. That had been the plan all along—work to keep his loneliness for Jaz at bay because she’d be returning to Austin. Would they ever live in the same town again?

  He shook away those thoughts. His mind went through the catalog of people who he’d trust to look after Tess. It wasn’t a long list, and Bailey hated the idea of telling anyone in town about Lonie Dyer. Especially since he hadn’t even explained everything to his sister.

  He jerked his shoulder forward, imagining the movement would scratch his back. The scars were painless now, but the burns had itched horribly as they’d healed. Those were old wounds, and Lonie couldn’t push him around anymore. But Tess was another story.

  His gaze fell on the closed laptop. A corner of a business card peeked out. It felt soft and cool between his fingers. Javier Wynn, Domestic Property Manager, Wynn Investment Properties International.

  The man had spent most of the summer at the ranch helping renovate the rooms and setting up the manager’s quarters in the barn. He’d even moved in there.

  And he could again.

  After ducking away from Tess and Lonie, Bailey headed to the barn. He dialed the number from the business card. After several rings, the man answered.

  Or did rich men answer their own phones? He asked, “Mr. Javier Wynn?”

  The answer seemed hesitant. “This is Javier.”

  “Bailey Travers.” He paced in front of the barn, watching to see if Lonie would follow him again.

  The man on the other end sucked in a breath and something desperate entered his cultured voice. “Is Tessa okay?”

  Bailey grunted. “For now. But I need your help to keep it that way.” Admitting he needed help to protect his sister made him grit his teeth.

  “What do you mean?”

  How did he explain to this stranger? He was a business associate of Tess, so he probably didn’t know anything about their family. “Can you come to the ranch for a few weeks?”

  After a pause, a stilted question: “What’s going on?”

  Bailey sighed and shut himself into the manager’s quarters. “Our biological father showed up, and Tess gave him a guest room. He’s a convicted felon and he’s trying to blackmail me.” He paced the small space, clenching and unclenching his fist.

  “Will he hurt her?”

  “Yes. Probably.” Bailey pushed the phone away and growled, “He hurt me often enough.” But Javier surely didn’t need to know about that.

  Bailey shook his head to chase away the ghosts. So many memories wanted to haunt him. “Look, he’s an abusive jerk and he won’t leave us alone until I pay him off.”

  But the Traverses had no money. That’s the only reason Tess had contacted Javier in the spring. The only reason he’d been able to finagle a not-quite-silent partnership with her. She needed his money to get the guest ranch up and running.

  “Do you want me to pay him off?”

  “Heck no.” What kind of person did he think he was talking to? Bailey pushed down the indignation as Lonie’s voice whispered, Apple don’t fall far from the tree, boy.

  “What do you want from me, then?”

  Bailey was nothing like his father, and maybe rich people always thought payoffs were the solution. Bailey wouldn’t know because he’d never had excess cash. He swallowed the welling frustration and steadied his voice. “Look, Wynn, it’s obvious you care about my sister.” That’s why he’d called the man. Not because he had money.

  “She’s my business partner.”

  Bailey snorted. “I’m not blind or stupid. You care about Tess and...” Are you really doing this? Once you bring him here, there’s no going back. “I want you to be her bodyguard.”

  He’d rather protect her himself, but with his new job, that wasn’t a possibility.

  “Bodyguard?”

  Bailey pictured the lean man. He wasn’t buff or intimidating, but surely he could protect Tess from Lonie.

&
nbsp; “Yeah. Someone to stick like glue to Tess’s side so she’s never alone with Lonie.”

  Javier’s voice lowered, as if he’d pulled back from the phone. “Did he threaten her?”

  “He is a threat. The man’s a bully. Always has been.”

  The scars on his back itched. The memories pressed hard against him. Please, Lord. Not now.

  Javier’s voice pulled him from the edge of the nightmare. “I’ve got to redirect my team to another project. It will be a few days before I can get there.”

  Bailey locked the door to the room and slumped beside the barn door. Javier would come. There would be someone else to depend on so he could keep Tess safe.

  “Get here as soon as you can. I’m back in Sweet Grove, but my job takes me away from the ranch every day.” Bailey pushed the door open. “But Lonie’s always here with Tess.”

  “I’ll try to be there mid-week.”

  Bailey closed the barn door and jogged toward his truck. “Thanks. I’ll owe you.”

  “Bailey.”

  Something in the man’s tone prickled Bailey’s skin. He froze beside his truck and steeled himself for a bombshell.

  “You can count on me.”

  I told you I wouldn’t leave you alone. Peace whispered through his chest as a breeze whipped the pecan branches against the roof of the porch. He should have trimmed those trees back.

  Bailey slammed his truck door and gulped. “I hope so.”

  After he ended the call, he tossed the phone on the seat and prayed all the way to Rosewood.

  7

  On Sunday after morning services, Jaz snagged a donut from the table in the fellowship hall and headed to Harrison City Park. KaroLynn hadn’t let her down, and she was heading to keep her promise to a little boy who probably expected it to be broken.

  Not on my watch.

  The saying had passed her brother Drew’s lips often, even before he’d decided to become a soldier. She had time to park, polish off the donut, and guzzle her ever-present bottle of water before the social worker pulled up in a late model Toyota Camry.

  Kenton’s face bloomed at the sight of her. He raced toward her but stopped short of a hug. Jaz glanced at the social worker watching them with raised eyebrows, arms crossed over her chest.

  “Thanks.” Jaz raised her hand to the woman before turning her attention to Kenton.

  “Is she really going to come?”

  A minivan rattled around the corner and pulled into a space near the restrooms. Kenton stared at it, eyes wide. When a girl with a mop of red curls bounced out of the back seat, he sprinted toward the vehicle.

  They embraced like long-parted lovers—if such a reunion involved girlish giggles. Kenton twirled the girl around, and her short hair rustled in the wind.

  The girl’s head barely reached her brother’s chest, and her legs and arms were nearly as spindly as his. His freckles were darker, and her eyes were browner, but the resemblance between them was clear.

  The wiry middle-aged woman beside the van peered at the kids and then joined KaroLynn. The women perched on a bench.

  “How is it?” Kenton’s voice filtered to Jaz as he and his sister strolled hand-in-hand toward her.

  “The bwuthers ignoe me.” The girl’s lisp was more pronounced because she was missing two of her front teeth, but Jaz noticed her tongue was a little tied.

  “Good. I’ll punch them if they hurt you.” Kenton fisted the hand that wasn’t holding his sister’s.

  His sister’s brown eyes scanned him, and he puffed out his chest. “They twice your size.”

  Jaz bit her lip.

  “So? I’ll protect you from giants.”

  Her heart soared. The granite set of his jaw reminded her so much of Drew’s determination. And even more recently, she’d seen that stubborn set on Bailey’s face when Tess argued with him about allowing Lonie Dyer to stay there.

  Kenton introduced Jaz to the girl—Flo—and they shook hands. Clear, brown eyes squinted at her. “Jaz is the one who found you for me.”

  Warmth rushed through Jaz’s chest. She wanted so much more for them, but this reunion was a good start.

  “I’ll push you on the swing.” Kenton clenched his sister’s hand.

  Jaz followed them to the swing set. Hair on the back of her neck bristled, and she turned to see the two women glaring at her. They didn’t understand why she wanted to be at the visit. One smile from Kenton melted Jaz’s heart and made missing an hour with Bailey worth every minute.

  After Kenton settled Flo and launched her higher than Jaz’s head she asked, “You want me to push you?”

  “I can do it—” but he bit off the retort. “Sure.”

  “Betcha can’t catch me!” Flo chortled, throwing her upper body back as she pumped her legs.

  “Betcha I can.”

  Jaz smiled, alternately pushing each of them, thrilling at Flo’s squeal every time she went a smidgen higher than her brother. His weight helped him soar, and Jaz spent most of her energy on Flo.

  “Jump!” Flo begged.

  “Don’t.” Jaz knew the watchers would disapprove. “They think you’ll get hurt.” She jerked her head toward the bench.

  “I’ve done it a million times.”

  Sure. A million times in his nine short years.

  Jaz’s lips twitched. “I know you can do it, but let’s keep the ladies happy so you can see Flo again real soon.”

  Once the kids had been loaded up, Jaz reminded KaroLynn that she was still waiting for information and statistics about children who would benefit from the halfway house.

  The woman’s sober eyes studied Jaz for a long time. “Why are you really doing this? Planning to run for office?”

  Jaz almost choked. Politics? Not in a thousand lifetimes. “You know Tess and Bailey’s background, right? I hate for siblings to get separated during a time when they need each other so much.”

  “This is outside your experience. How can it possibly succeed?”

  “Because I care about it.” Jaz swallowed. As for the other question? “God placed the passion in my heart the moment I saw Kenton.”

  The social worker’s dark hair scuffed across the wool coat collar as she shook her head. “You have no idea how difficult this will be.”

  Jaz straightened. “I like a challenge.”

  “And when you can’t scrape the funds together? What then? You’ve given that little boy so much hope.”

  Jaz blinked. She’d thought about this, too. “I’ve already signed up for the foster parenting courses. I’ll take them in myself.”

  KaroLynn gasped. “The state doesn’t want single foster parents.”

  Lead pinged in Jaz’s stomach. She knew it was true. “I have an excellent job in Austin and great character references.”

  The women stared at each other for a few moments until the social worker shrugged. If Jaz couldn’t win KaroLynn over, how could she find support for the halfway house?

  “Thanks for letting me hang out with those two.” Jaz stepped toward her parked car. “Same time next week?”

  The frown creased her chin and forehead, but KaroLynn nodded tersely before gathering up her satchel. Jaz backed out before the woman reached her car.

  Her smart phone showed enough time for the rest of her Sunday plans—plans that included a long kiss from a certain cowboy after he took her on a horseback ride.

  Her heart raced as she steered back to her parents’ house to change, pack her car, and start the first of many goodbyes.

  * * *

  Monday started early. An autumn haze hung over the city while Jaz completed her three-mile run through the UT campus. Traffic buzzed in her ears and the sulfuric scent of exhaust choked her.

  She entered Boldt & Associates before the receptionist and hurried to her desk. The setup of her monitor looked foreign, and the scent of disinfectant spray stung her nose as she pulled open the bottom drawer of her desk.

  Everything was the same, so why did her heart race with firs
t-day nerves?

  By Tuesday evening, her eyes sagged. Staying up late with her eyes glued to a computer screen was taking a toll. Maybe she’d sleep in the next morning, but no. If she didn’t get her physical exercise, her energy would deplete all the faster.

  Emails from Jed Gowan and Anna Ring encouraged her. Both of them were sold on her idea and using all their contacts to help her. Fortunately, Anna had worked with nonprofit startups in Dallas before her marriage fell apart and she’d needed a fresh start.

  Sweet Grove was a perfect place for fresh starts, she said. Although Jaz only knew her in passing, Tabitha Olsen had mentioned Jaz’s project — the Bryant County Pit Stop, she’d decided to call it— to her working women’s Bible study group, and that was all it took for Anna to throw her weight behind it.

  Unfortunately, the woman expected Jaz to spend Saturday with her making follow-up calls to the businesses in Sweet Grove and Harrison that Anna had emailed about the group home.

  Her phone buzzed with a Facetime request. Jaz rubbed her eyes and answered the call. Bailey’s face filled her phone’s screen. Thick stubble lined his square jaw and the indentation in his light brown hair testified that he’d probably worn his hat most of the day.

  “Hey, cowboy.” A yawn cut off her greeting.

  “You look tired, beautiful.”

  “Is it Friday yet?” Not that the weekend would offer much respite.

  Bailey chuckled, and the sexy grin she loved quirked his mouth. “Tess has a surprise for you. Do you think you can answer your phone to a strange number around 5 p.m. tomorrow?”

  “If Tess is calling, it won’t be a strange number.”

  “It will be a strange number.” He glanced away from the screen and frowned. “That was the barn door. Probably Lonie.”

  “No change there?”

  “Oh, he’s rude to Javier and sweet to Tess, but I’m sure he wants to threaten me again.” Anger flooded his dark eyes.

  “If you can catch him stealing, that will violate his parole.”