Dream Chaser (15 page)

She went back upstairs with the books and papers Emma wanted.
“Here they are.”

The old woman
began sorting the newspaper articles.
“I don’t think we’ll use that one.” She pulled
one
from the stack. “
We’ll
stick to the cattle business and the dude ranch stuff. Want to help me put these in order?”

“
I’d love
to.” For the rest of the morning, Suzanna worked with Emma, selecting articles, finding illustrations, and arranging the books so that particular pages showed in the display case highlighting the county’s history.
“Is there anything else you
’d
like me to do?”

“That’s enough for today.”

“Is
your hip
still hurting you?
Do you have more books I could shelve for you?
”

“It’s better now. When I sit, I’m fine. It’s just the walking and moving books around that gets to me.”

“Have you
asked
the doctor
for
something to make you more comfortable?” Suzanna
pulled the
books from the return bin and placed them on the table next to Emma’s desk.

“No need. He’ll just say I gotta have surgery, and goin
’ under the knife isn’t for me,
” Emma replied
before welcoming
a
mother
with two young children in tow.

Suzanna watched as the children moved around the library, looking for different titles.
They found two books, and their mother another three
. They
checked out, and petted Sam as they left
. Suzanna
wandered
through the cramped aisles before returning
to sit next to
the librarian. “Emma, do you have a special place for children’s books?”

“What do you mean?”

“I was noticing that those kids looked in several spots before finding their books, which were mostly about the same age level.
Maybe if we put the books for preschoolers, for example, all together in the same area—more th
an what the Dewey system does?
I have time, and I would love to
take it on, now that the cabin’s all cleaned up …” S
he pulled the chair closer to Emma, and took her hands in hers.

“When I was in college,
before I got married,
I was studying Library Science.
I’d love to do this for you
. It would be
my special thanks for helping me when I first came into town.”

“Well, isn’t that sweet.” Emma patted Suzanna
’s cheek. “I
have an idea. We
could mention we’re building a children’s c
orner at the fund-raiser we’re having. Might bring in more money. What do you think?”

“What fund-raiser?”

“We’re doing an old-fashioned covered dish supper
,
weekend after next. What the men bid on the suppers is the money for new books. We need to repair the roof, too.” Emma rubbed her feet against Sam’s warm fur. “My, that feels good.”

Sam groaned and leaned against Emma’s feet.

“You ought to come and bring a supper, too. Think of it as a picnic, with some meat, and fruit or some sort of dessert, something to drink, that sort of thing.
” She smiled at Suzanna. “Y
ou cover it all up so
no one can tell what’s in there, except by their nose, of course.
The young women usually put a ribbon on theirs so their particular honey knows which one to bid on. When the bid is announced, the girl sits with the winning bidder and they get to eat the supper together. Haven’t you read any Western history, girl? That was one way folks got together in the old days.”

Suzanna was silent for a bit. “
But
I’m not here looking to meet anyone.” An image of Jonathan flashed in her mind.

“No need. You c
an
still
come and meet the people who’
ll be here
,
mostly ranchers and townspeople, and such.
If
you decide to
come
, that would be great.” She paused. “I need to call Bob at the paper and ask him to add an announcement about the Children’s Corner in what he’s writing about the library.” She pulled herself up to a standing position and limped to the back of the big room.
I’ll see you later.”

Suzanna drove up the highway, the hand-printed map from Emma on the passenger seat and Sam behind her, his head out the half-open window snuffling in the odors carried on the wind. She slowed the car as she rounded a bend in the road, crossed the bridge north of the turnoff into town and pulled off to the side of the road. Opposite her was an abandoned farmhouse. It looked forlorn and sad.
Reminds me of how I used to
be
.

Getting away from the trappings of her old life had been good. No need to tell the housekeeper what to clean or what to leave alone. Now she could clean as she wished, when she wished. She laughed out loud.
But there is so little to clean in the cabin, it hardly takes me
any time
.
And it was so quiet—just the rustling of the leaves in the trees and the hooting of an owl the other night. The stars filled the sky here, stars almost impossible to see against the nighttime lights of Minneapolis. Best of all, there was nothing to remind her of Brad and how he treated her.

She sighed.
Why did I let him do that to me? Why didn’t I make him stop?
She climbed out of the car and stood along the side of the road, looking back at the curve of the river and the nearby sandbar.

The river sparkled in the sun and moved in sinuous swirls as it curved into deeper pools. Overhanging trees on the far shore provided shade. Although the shady spots looked inviting, Suzanna preferred the sunny slope with its level grassy area that extended almost to the edge of the water. “Perfect for a picnic, Sam.”

While Sam chased off a pair of geese that came too close to the shore, Suzanna stripped off her shirt and jeans and spread a blanket to sit on, glad she had worn her bathing suit under her clothes. What was it Emma said about the river? That the kids swam in it, or in one of the old gravel pits. But to use them she would have to dive off a nearby rocky shelf. The river with a gradual slope to the sandy beach was more to her liking. All that filled her ears was the birdsong in the nearby trees.
She slathered on sunscreen, not caring that some of it rubbed onto her suit. After a quick lunch, the remains of which Sam quickly dispatched,
she ventured into the stream.

“It’s warmer than I thought, Sam
mie
.” She dove
into the deeper water
and turned on
to
her back,
enjoy
ing the
warmth
of the sun
on her face
while her back
was cooled by the water.

The dog jumped in, paddling around her,
before
returning
to
the
shore, and sh
aking
twice, sending sheets of water in all directions.
Suzanna laughed and swam upstream again.
She put
her face in the water
and
watched tiny fish
dart
ing
ben
eath her fingers. After coming up for air, she turned over to float, her eyes closed against the bright sun. She allowed the current to carry her slowly
back
toward their impromptu picnic area. The water felt so good
, so clean, so cool
.

“That looks like fun!” A deep voice startled Suzanna.
She opened her eyes
and stood up as she neared the shore.

“Oh, hello, Sheriff.” She smiled at the burly man in uniform.
“The water
feels so good.
I decided it was too hot not to take a swim.” She clambered out and grabbed a towel to wrap around her swimsuit.

“Just thought I’d let you know that, technically, you’re trespassing.” He pointed to the
old farm house nearby. “Though
I guess no
one’s going to file a complaint.
”
He chuckled.

“I didn’t realize.
Is it ok
ay
if I stay here a bit longer?”

“No problem.
But it might be better if you move your Jeep off the road
more than it is
. That’s why I
stopped. No sense in being side
swiped
by a semi not paying attention,
especially around that curve.”

“Of course. I’ll do that right away.”

“Just give me the keys and I’ll move it for you.” He
did so, and tossed the keys
back to her as he ambled closer to where she stood. “
I’ve seen you around town a time or two. You must be Suzanna. I recognized that Wrangler of yours. I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. I’m Charlie Raines.”

She grinned at the man. “Everyone seems to know me from my car’s paint job.”

“Emma tells me you’ve been
helping her at the library.” He leaned against the Jeep
and wiped beads of sweat off his forehead
.

“She said we might put a children’s c
orner together with some of the money from th
e
fund-raiser
coming up
.” She pushed her wet hair off one cheek.
“I do hope
we raise enough money for that—
more than what’s needed for the roof.”

Sheriff Raines chuckled. “That all depends on how many people
have
suppers to sell. You
’re
coming, aren’t you?”

“It so
unds like fun, but I wasn’t sure, since I’m
new around here.” She donned her sun glasses to avoid squinting at him.

“I’m sure whatever you bring will be fine. Just tell Curly, Jonathan’s foreman, or
Rachel
, his wife, about it and they’ll fill you in
on the particulars
. We never lack for people eager to eat good food.” He tipped his hat as he turned to leave.

H
m
m.
Ask
Curly or
Rachel
.
I never would have thought of that
.
Jonathan’s foreman had helped Nate bring
her
the second l
oad of furniture. She
could ask his wife
what
kind of food to include.
“
Sam, one more dip and
then
we go home,” she announced, before dropping the soggy towel and heading into the stream for a final swim.

Later that day, after washing her hair and plaiting it in a single braid to keep it off her neck, she opted to walk to the ranch house. En route, two of the hands, Caleb and Randy, rode up and asked her if she needed a lift. “You can sit up here behind me, if you like.” Randy held out a hand
as he lifted one foot out of the near stirrup
.

“I want to walk this time. But thanks for the offer.” She watched the
ir horses
trot ahead of her and disappear around a
ben
d.

Curly met her near the barn as she walked up.
“Randy said you were headed this way. Any problem?”

“No. I was wondering if your wife was around.”

He looked at his watch.
“She’s still at work, but I expect she’ll be
headed home soon.
Want me to ask her to stop by your place on her way home?”

“Perhaps you could answer
a
question
for me.
I was wondering about the kind of food people pack in those covered
dish suppers. Sheriff Raines—and Emma, too—
said I should come
,
to help r
aise money for the library. I want
to make sure I d
o
the right thing.”

“Let’s talk in here, out of the sun
,
while I finish this.” He motioned
for
her to follow him into the barn. While he repaired the reins on a bridle, he filled her in on the usual sorts of fixings.
“Where’s that white dog of yours?”

“I left him home. I didn’t want him to bark at the horses.”

“Good idea.”

As she got up to leave, he handed her an old Stetson. “Ma’am, if you don’t mind my saying so, you’re kinda sunburned
, especially your neck
.
Let’s see if this old hat fits.” He placed it on her head and it slipped down to just above her ears. “
Well, that one won’t do.
Wait here.”