Home to You (12 page)

It had no effect. She glanced past him, still worrying her purse. “It’s just not going to look good. Oh dear.”

Mr. Bennett patted her hand and she glanced back at him and fell quiet. “We’ll just make sure there aren’t any, honey.”

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Dakota thought that not possible.

“About that real estate property.” Zach changed the subject back to what they’d originally been discussing.

“Wilson doesn’t want us in there, I’m certain. He’s asking too much anyhow. So before you do anything, I think we need to have a meeting of the elders.”

Dakota nodded. “That sounds good.” He would talk to the elders and see what he could get done beforehand.

Zach Bennett smiled. “Well then, that’s good.” He stood. “We’ll see you tomorrow night then. I’m looking forward to hearing a good message.”

“And tell your mother I look forward to seeing her tomorrow,” Georgia added, standing up next to her husband.

“I sure will.” Dakota smiled and watched them leave his office.

Well, he’d learned quite a bit at the meeting.

Rumors were already abounding about Meghan.

He’d have to tread carefully there, if Zach Bennett was to be believed. Zach had also blocked the real estate deal by calling in some favors. There would be no new out-reach through the church—at least not now.

This town needed to reach out and give, but then people like Zach blocked it, afraid it would bring
those
types
into the church.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if the Bennetts realized that they all were
that type
and it was only the blood of Jesus that made them clean before God.

Nope. And they never would.

The Bennetts liked to make a lot of noise. Sure, they tried to make it hard for him when they didn’t agree,
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which was most of the time he tried to spend money on anyone but the church body or time away from the church. They were a thorn in his flesh that he had to deal with on a regular basis.

Something else would soon come along, however, that would snag their attention and then he’d be able to find a building for the youth center and handle anything else that the Bennetts were currently arguing with him about.

That was the nice thing about having someone who meddled in everything. They were so busy trying to direct all of the areas of the church and his life that no area was ever concentrated on for very long.

So, he thought, sitting forward in his chair, Margaret and Mary still got underneath Zach’s skin.

He smiled.

Remembering what those two had said, he decided he’d better hurry on to his next appointment so he could wrap up everything early today and find out just what all they’d bought for Meghan and the garage apartment.

If he didn’t get home, they might have the entire place remodeled and turned into a hotel, he thought, grinning as he pressed the button to have his assistant send in his next appointment.

Chapter Nine

Meghan was exhausted.

It wasn’t that she’d done that much—okay, a trip with the sisters was too much—for anyone. Still, however, she had taken a nap.

And now she was going to dinner, with company.

Tapping on the back door, she called out, “Carolyne?”

“Oh honey, don’t knock on that door! Feel free to come right in.” Carolyne pushed open the door and smiled at Meghan. “Oh my, don’t you look nice.”

Meghan smiled shyly. She was wearing one of the dresses the sisters’ had bought her. Dark blue, it nipped in at the waist and dropped to just below the knees. Her new shoes were comfortable and relaxed and she carried her clear Lucite cane. The sisters had been adamant about getting just this cane because it was a hollow clear tube that came with “fillings.” Blue for wearing blue, black for black, roses for special occasions and jelly beans for the party look.

She’d laughed at the time, but she’d filled the cane
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with the blue tissue paper and admitted it felt good that it matched what she wore.

“Thank you, Mrs.—Carolyne,” she amended.

“I told you, didn’t I, sister, that she’d look grand with that cane?” Margaret asked, coming forward. Her hands were covered with cooking mitts and she held a cake between them. “Should I ever need a cane, which I haven’t yet, of course, that is the one I would like.”

“Now, sister, I think it was I who said that was just the cane she should have,” Mary corrected.

“Hmmph,” Margaret muttered and turned to set the cake on the counter, grumbling something about Mary and knocking her with a cane.

Mary was whipping up icing as they spoke and simply ignored her sister.

“Our dinner guests,” Carolyne informed Meghan.

The doorbell rang. “And more guests, if I’m not mis-taken,” Carolyne added, her eyes twinkling. “Why don’t you get into that top drawer there and set out the silverware, Meghan.”

Relieved to have something to do, Meghan nodded.

She felt the burning still in her leg from walking down the long flight of stairs and was actually glad she had the cane to balance her. Focussing on the silverware would help take her mind off her leg, she hoped.

The two sisters were currently engaged in an argument over how exactly to ice the cake, so Meghan quietly slipped out the forks, knives and spoons and took them into the dining room.

Chase and a young girl stood just inside the front door.

Meghan paused to study them. They were across the
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room so she didn’t hear all that was said. But she didn’t need to. Their faces told the story. Chase was glad to be here though he kept casting anxious glances toward the girl who Meghan surmised was his daughter.

She shook Carolyne’s hand politely but looked as if she’d much rather be anywhere else but there. Her gaze met Meghan’s and she stared at the cane and then averted her gaze.

Self-consciously, Meghan shifted slightly to hide the cane and began laying out the silverware.

“Well now…” Carolyne walked into the dining room with Chase. “I know you’ve met Meghan, Chase. Meghan, this is Chase’s daughter, Sarah.” She indicated the young girl. “Sarah, this is Meghan.”

Meghan smiled warmly at the child, thinking how hard it must be on her being the only young one here.

Sarah stuck her chin up and said stiffly, “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“And you,” Meghan replied. She herself was ill at ease too and wished Dakota was here. Though she was quickly falling in love with Carolyne for the sweet graceful woman she was, she felt closer to Dakota, more at ease with him, as if he could protect her from the others she didn’t know or who might expose her as a fraud.

It was silly, but true. Though she hadn’t been back in years, she still felt an instant connection with her childhood friend. She wondered if he was even going to make it tonight.

“Hello, everyone,” Dakota called, striding in the door on cue and dropping an armful of papers and books on a small table.

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Meghan wilted with relief. All attention turned from her to the handsome, composed, smiling man who had just entered the house.

“Hey, man.” Chase walked up to Dakota and shook his hand.

Dakota gripped Chase’s hand in return and shook it.

“I made it on time tonight, I hope, though it looks like everyone is already here.”

Mary and Margaret walked into the dining room, pot roast and carrots nestled in white decorated dishes.

“We wondered if you’d make it this evening at all,”

Margaret hmmphed.

“Of course he would, sister,” Mary added.

His mom returned to the room with another bowl of potatoes and a smaller one of gravy. “You’re just in time. Can you get the pitcher and glasses for me?”

Dakota nodded. “Of course.”

He passed Sarah, ruffled her hair, and winked at Meghan. Though he’d put her out of his mind, he found with that dress she was wearing tonight, she was now back in the forefront. He was right, she really did clean up nice. In the kitchen he quickly washed up and then returned, carrying a tray filled with iced glasses and a pitcher of tea.

“So, how is everyone tonight?” he asked as they all took their seats.

They paused while he said grace and then Margaret replied, “We’d be a lot better if you would let us replace that bed Meghan is sleeping on. It’s disgraceful, I tell you. Absolutely scandalous.”

“I must agree with Margaret, Cody, dear,” Mary said.

“That bed has seen better days.”

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“Oh no—” Meghan began, her cheeks turning pink.

“I didn’t know,” Dakota interrupted smoothly and cut his roast. “I’ll have to check it out.”

“No, really,” Meghan interrupted.

“Yes, really,” Margaret argued.

“A bed is a bed, isn’t it?” Sarah said into the argument, not looking up but cutting on her roast.

All turned to look at her. The room fell quiet.

Carolyne chuckled. “You are quite right. Except in some cases beds break down and become lumpy.”

“I had a bed like that once,” Mary added, as if obliv-ious to the simmering anger of the young child. “You’ve heard the story of the princess and the pea? Well, my bed had several peas the size of boulders. I was never so happy as when Papa bought me a new mattress. It was sheer heaven.”

“They probably were boulders, sister. You used to get so dirty when you were a child.”

Dakota shook his head. “I’ve slept on a few boulders—in sleeping bags.”

Everyone laughed and Dakota smiled, until Sarah added, “I might as well sleep on boulders in this hick town.”

“Sarah!” Chase warned shortly.

“Well, it’s true. This town is small and has nothing at all.” She glared at her father, her mouth trembling with anger as if she was trying not to burst into tears.

“You won’t talk like that when we’re guests in someone’s house,” Chase warned.

“Actually, it is a small town.” Dakota worked to smooth over the tension. Both Mary and Margaret had that offended look on their faces and he knew if he
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didn’t take charge of the conversation, there was no telling what they’d say. Meghan looked shocked and his mom had simply fallen quiet. Chase looked furious.

“Many people leave because they don’t like small towns. Meghan, on the other hand, has come back to visit.”

No one could argue with that, so the problem was, hopefully, solved. “What did you do today?” he added.

Dakota noted the apologetic look Chase sent him. He nodded slightly in acceptance.

“Mary and Margaret took me shopping,” Meghan’s cheeks colored.

Ah, a faux pas, he thought, seeing Meghan’s embarrassment. But the sisters weren’t the least bit shy.

“Yes, we did,” Mary said, her knife pausing over her roast. “And we had a grand time. We even stopped for ice cream.”

“And you had a soda float,” Margaret added, looking at Meghan. “Of course, I don’t think you would have, had we not insisted.”

Meghan turned redder. “You’d done so much for me already, ma’am,” she said softly.

Margaret beamed, as did her blue-haired sister. “And we were so happy to for someone as sweet as you. We’ll have to do it again.”

“Oh, my, yes,” Mary added. “I love going out for ice cream.”

A strange look crossed Meghan’s face. “I’ll be glad to drive next time.”

Dakota nearly guffawed but managed to turn it into a cough instead as he realized Meghan had experienced the sisters’ driving skills.

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“Are you okay, Pastor Cody?” Mary asked, concerned.

He nodded from behind his napkin and noted his mother’s admonishing look. “Yes, ma’am. Fine, thank you. So, sounds like you had a fun trip.”

Meghan nodded. “They bought me this dress. And thank you again,” she said, her attention turning toward the sisters.

“Bah.” Margaret waved a hand in dismissal. And so the conversation went, with the sisters filling in details of the day and Meghan being grateful.

Sarah ate in silence and Dakota wondered at it. Very few young girls were that quiet.

“Shall we retire to the living room for coffee and dessert?” Carolyne asked, and Dakota realized all were done with their food.

“Sounds great,” Dakota stood.

He watched with surprise as Meghan stood and lifted a cane to her side. He had noticed her trouble with her hand as she ate and wondered if that too was from her MS. Her walking seemed more balanced, if a bit slower and awkward as she worked to use the cane.

He forced his gaze away and led the way into the living room.

“How was your day?” Meghan asked softly and he realized she’d come up beside him.

He moved and motioned her to sit and then took a seat at a right angle to her. As the others came in and seated themselves, he launched into a detailed descrip-tion. “I met with the Bennetts today, as well as two other families, and then my youth pastor presented an interesting program he has planned for the youth.”

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“I like that young man,” Margaret told him. “He’s full of fire.”

“And nice,” Mary added.

Dakota chuckled. “He is that. He’s a good guy.” He accepted the dessert his mother handed him. “Thanks, Mom.” Returning his attention to the people sitting around, he added, “Chase, Sarah might enjoy the youth group. They have several outings and are planning a winter one as we speak. You ought to stop by tomorrow night.”

“I just might do that.”

Dakota took a bite of the cake and smiled. “This is delicious. Who made this?”

Mary blushed like a young girl. “I did.”

“It was my recipe,” Margaret reminded her.

“But it was my frosting recipe,” Mary added.

“Indeed it was.”

“Well,” Dakota said, beaming, “it was worth the effort, for this is one of the best cakes I’ve tasted in a long while.”

Both women glowed. “You’re such a good child,”

Margaret added.

Dakota watched Chase cover his smile and nearly laughed, until he suddenly noticed that Meghan was asleep. Cake plate in her hands, her head was leaning to the side and her eyes were closed.