Every Little Thing About You (Yellow Rose Trilogy 1) (7 page)

second smile.

"And why" she asked now, a smile still in her voice,

"did Mrs. Tobler think I needed help with the needle?"

"Well, I didn't understand it at the time, but I realize

now that she said, 'You might as well help Lib find the

needle. I've got to set this old man straight.'"

Hand to her mouth, Liberty dissolved into laughter,

and without thinking, she collapsed into the chair, a position

that lasted for only a second before she was on her feet

again.

"I found it!" she gasped, just stopping short of

81

clutching her stinging backside.

Slater's eyes flew to the seat and there it was, protruding

point-side up. It wasn't hard to imagine why Liberty

had not stayed in the chair. Slater bent to retrieve it just

as Mrs. Tobler came in the door.

"You've found it," she said matter-of-factly. "I knew

Liberty could do it with some help." With that the old

woman plucked the needle from Slater's fingers. "Now get back out there and keep an eye on him. He knows what he's supposed to do, but you'd better watch him.

"Libby! You come with me. I want you to see that new

quilt I put on my bed."

Liberty nodded and even smiled. She followed Mrs.

Tobler with a wave at Slater. Slater waved back before

moving to exit the room. Before he left, however, he looked

back to see Liberty following their hostess, her hand now

reaching back to rub the pin hole. Slater stopped for a

moment, his heart wrung with tenderness. Even as he proceeded

back out to work, the scene remained on his mind

along with another emotion, one he couldn't quite define.

5^

82

v/

"thank you, mrs. locken," Griffin said kindly on

Monday evening. "Everything was great."

"You're welcome, Griffin. Would you like some coffee

on the porch?"

Griffin looked at Tess, and she nodded.

"I'll help you, Mama," Tess offered.

"I'm fine, dear. If I need help, I'll ask your father. You

go ahead."

Tess led the way but wished she didn't have to. She

never wanted it to look as if she'd conspired to get Griffin

alone. For this reason she took a chair that sat off on its own

when she reached the front porch.

Griffin noticed and even understood why. Tess had

never pushed herself at him. Hus, along with dozens of

other facts about this woman, made his feelings even

harder to accept. He hadn't planned to love anyone. And

he certainly hadn't planned on a sweet, godly woman

loving him.

83

"Was it busy today?" Tess asked, always interested in

his work.

"Pretty quiet. Lib was in this morning, but she said it

was quiet too."

Tess smiled. "I like Libby so much. She's so fun and

smart."

"You're smart too, Tess," Griffin said. He knew she

struggled with her self-image. She was a very beautiful

woman, with pale blonde hair, skin like cream, and huge

blue eyes. And since most people thought that was all there

51

52 lori wick

was to her, she had begun to believe it. It didn't help that

her father and older brothers were men who had little time

for family. Making money was their main concern.

"That's what Libby always says, but when you're with

someone as capable as Libby, it's hard to believe."

84

Griffin didn't answer. Tess hadn't been looking directly

at him, so when it got quiet she looked up to find his eyes

on her. His face looked boyish, as it often did. It made Tess

smile.

"You don't look tough enough to be the sheriff."

"And you're too wonderful to be in love with an old

hound dog like me."

"Oh, Griff," Tess said softly.

Griffin watched her look away, her eyes filling. He had

talked with Duffy and Pastor Caron, and they had asked

him if he was trusting God. He thought that he was, but

did trust mean being blind to the facts? When a man had

his type of job--the type of job that had killed his father-- did he go into marriage without a backward glance? And what if they had children? He would not only leave Tess

alone, but his kids too.

Griffin looked out over the quiet street the Lockens

lived on. He had been happy to be single, but then Tess

moved into town a year ago and came to church with her

mother. At first he thought there wasn't much under those

pale blonde curls or behind that ready smile, but then she'd

85

visited Mam and Duffy's house at Liberty's invitation, and

Griffin learned otherwise. She was a woman whose faith in

God was genuine and whose courage was deep.

"Here's coffee," Mrs. Locken said as she used her hip

to push open the screen door, the tray in her hands. Griffin

rose to take it from her.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll go in and have mine with

Albert. Call if you need something."

"Thank you, Mrs. Locken."

Tess rose to pour the coffee and offered him a cup. She

fixed it just the way he liked. The light was fading, but

Every LittfyThingAbout You 53

when she sat with her own cup. Griffin could see that Tess'

eyes were still moist.

"Maybe I shouldn't stay, Tess," Griffin forced himself to

say.

"You don't have to if you don't want to/' she said to

him, and Griffin had to close his eyes. She was so special

86

"What do you want me to do?" he finally asked.

Tess took a big breath. "I want you to play me in

checkers. You beat me the last two times, and I want a

rematch."

For a long moment the sheriff could only look at her.

Not able to help himself and not willing to try. Griffin

reached over and let one finger slide down her soft cheek.

"I'll get the board."

Tess' eyes closed the moment he stood, her heart wondering

how she would make it. Every moment with him

was sweet torture. She wanted to sob her eyes out but

heard him coming back through the house.

If he isn't for me, Lord, please work a miracle in my heart so

it doesn't break in two.

^-

"A shave and a haircut," Griffin said when he got home

that night and found Slater in the living room. "Did you go

87

for a job or courtin'?"

Slater laughed. "I didn't think it would hurt to look my

best."

"Where'd you go--the bank?"

Slater's look was smug. "You happen to be looking at

Shotgun's newest contractor."

Griffin was not long in catching on. "I'd heard that

Price Hathaway headed to Austin. You must have taken his

job. How do you like working for Hank?"

Slater's eyes grew comically. "He knows what he's

doing, and he knows what he wants me to do; it's just a

matter of getting him to remember that he thought about

54 lori wick

the order but didn't tell me. I think I know why Price left

town."

"Hank's a case, but you're right, he does know how to

build. Are you by any chance at Mrs. Tobler's right now?"

"That's the place. She wants a covered porch on the

back side of her house. It's only going to shade two windows,

88

but she wants it"

"She's got a big heart but also a mind of her own. Libby

went there as a little girl for sewing lessons."

"She was there today."

"For sewing lessons?"

"No. Mrs. Tobler lost her needle and expected your

sister to find it."

"Did she?"

"Not until after she sat on it,"

Griffin's brow lowered. "Is she all right?"

"That's not a question I could really ask her. I think it

smarted, but she might have been more surprised than

anything."

"How did you learn about the needle?"

Slater gave Griffin a rundown and that man's face

became very thoughtful.

"Did I say something wrong?" Slater had been

watching him closely.

"No, not at all," Griffin told him honestly but knew that

the rest of his thoughts would have to stay inside. Slater

89

wouldn't thank him and neither would Liberty. Not to mention

the fact that you can't figure out what you're doing in your

own relationship, Griffin, let alone getting involved in someone

else's.

"How do you think you'll like a hammer and nails after

law enforcement?" Griffin asked in an effort to shift his

thoughts.

Slater thought for a moment, his head leaning back

against the softly padded chair; it was a question he'd been

asking himself all day.

Every Little Thing About You 55

"It's going to take some getting used to," Slater finally

admitted.

Griffin nodded but still didn't ask the question that had

come to his mind the moment he'd learned this man was a

Texas Ranger. That question might take some time or turn

out to be one he could never ask.

"There's a church picnic this Sunday afternoon,"

Griffin told him instead. His mother had let him know that

90

day. "We must have come in after it was announced."

"Right after church?"

"Yes, at the Millers', on the creek."

"Do we bring something?"

"My mother and Libby usually take pity on me and

bring enough for a threshing crew. Unless you're in the

mood to cook, don't worry about it."

"My skills in the kitchen can't compare to your

mother's. I wouldn't starve, but a home-cooked meal

always tastes like a feast"

Griffin laughed, but such words made him think of

Tess. She was a great cook. With sudden clarity he realized

something that had never been evident to him. In the last

two months, when Tess' feelings and his own had become

dear, he'd talked to Pastor Caron and Duffy. They had been

very helpful, but he'd never spoken to his mother--the

woman who had been widowed because she'd been married

to the town's sheriff.

Sitting across the room, Slater watched the emotions

chase across Griffin's face but kept silent Clearly the man

91

had much on his mind. If memory served him correctly,

this was the night the blonde woman had wanted him to

come for dinner. Had Liberty called her Tess? Is that where

he'd been when Slater found the house empty? Much as

Slater wondered, he knew he would never ask.

"I'm for bed," Slater said instead, wanting to give this

man who had offered him a home even more privacy.

"I'll bet you are. Waking up to have a gun pointed at

you takes it out of a man."

56 lori wick

Slater laughed. "When I saw your sister today, I asked

her why she didn't draw."

"Did she blush or laugh?"

"A little of both, I guess." Slater stood. "Good night,