Keeper of the Stars (17 page)

“Mr. Cartwright. Penny. I'd like you to meet my mom, Dorothy Reynolds.”

“Call me Rodney,” her dad said as he held out a hand in welcome.

“And I'm Dot. It's so gracious of you to open your home to me.”

“Not at all. Not at all. We are glad to do it. Aren't we, Pen?”

“Yes. Of course.” As she spoke, she realized the words held some truth. Had her prayer been answered so quickly? “Let's go inside out of the cold before we all freeze to death.”

Dot laughed as she clasped the collar of her coat. “It is a bit colder here than at home.”

The woman had a lovely laugh and a beautiful smile. It was easy to see where Trevor got both his good looks and his charm.

“Go on in, Mom. I'll get your bags.”

Once inside, Penny took Dot Reynolds upstairs to show her the guest room and adjoining bathroom. Before Dot was through saying how lovely everything was, Trevor arrived with her luggage.

Penny stepped toward the door. “Take as long as you like to settle in, Dot. Then come downstairs and I'll give you a tour of the rest of the house.”

“See you downstairs, Mom.” Trevor followed Penny out of the bedroom. Halfway down the stairs, he said, “I was hoping we'd get back before the midday feeding.”

“You did.”

“Good.”

Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, she faced him. He'd been generous with his time from the start. Except for the hours he worked and slept, he was at the ranch more than anywhere. And because of it, she thought her dad was less tired and in less pain than she'd seen him in months. She was grateful for that.

Why didn't she also admit that Trevor Reynolds wasn't the bad, reckless, horrid, selfish so-and-so she'd made of him in her mind, both before and after her brother's death? Why didn't she admit that he was kind and thoughtful around her,
even when she was thoroughly disagreeable? Why didn't she admit that she was beginning to like him?

Like him?

“I'll go feed the cows now,” he said. “Care to come along?”

She didn't answer.
Do I like him?

“Penny?” His eyes seemed to look beyond her expression and right into her heart.

She turned away, lest he see her feelings. Feelings that she couldn't yet reconcile. “Okay. That's a good idea. Let's get them fed.” She went to the entrance of the living room. “Dad, Trevor and I are going to feed the stock. I told Mrs. Reynolds to take her time settling in. Not sure how long it will be until she comes down.”

Her dad nodded in response. “No worries. I'll just wait here until she does.”

A short while later, bundled against the cold, Penny and Trevor headed for the far side of the barn, where they loaded bales of hay onto the flatbed truck. They worked in silence, but it was a comfortable one. She expected to be surprised by that realization, but was surprised instead because she
wasn't
surprised. She smiled at the silliness of that thought.

After completing the feeding, Penny drove the truck back to its covered parking area beside the barn. When she got out of the cab, she heard Harmony's nicker and looked toward the pasture where they kept their horses. The mare bobbed her head and nickered again.

“I haven't got anything for you,” Penny called to the horse as she walked in that direction.

Two more horses strode through the packed snow toward the fence and an anticipated treat of some kind.

“I should have brought carrots.” Penny stroked Harmony's head. “Sorry about that. Next time.”

“I could go get some if you want me to,” Trevor offered from a few feet behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder. “No. It's okay. They'll survive.”

“Every time I come out here, I think how nice it would be to own a horse again. I may have to give in to it when the snow starts to melt.”

Her heart fluttered, an oddly disturbing sensation. “You're planning to stay that long?”

He closed the distance to stand at the fence, not far from her. “Would you mind so much if I did stay?”

He'd misunderstood her question. She hadn't meant she would mind if he stayed long enough to buy a horse, to still be here when the snow was gone. But was it any wonder he'd misunderstood, after the way she'd treated him so much of the time? But trying to explain, even trying to understand her own feelings, seemed beyond her ability at the moment. Finally, she shrugged, then turned and, holding the mare's muzzle between her hands, pressed her forehead to Harmony's forehead.

Trevor stood there, watching Penny and her horse. He'd love to be an artist or a photographer. He'd love to capture with
paint or with film what he saw in Penny's expression right now—her vulnerability, her huge capacity to love.

When Trevor had first arrived in Kings Meadow, his feelings for Penny had been heavily influenced by the stories Brad had told about his sister. But over the past three weeks he'd learned to see her with his own eyes. And he realized now how very much he'd like her to be able to see him the same way, to know and understand him. Could that ever happen? Or would Brad's death always be a barrier between them?

Penny patted the mare's neck again before drawing back. “We'd better go inside. We don't want your mother to feel like you've abandoned her.”

“Your dad would never let that happen.”

“You're right.” She smiled tenderly. “He wouldn't.”

They turned in unison and started toward the house.

Sticking his fingertips into the back pockets of his jeans, Trevor cleared his throat. “You know, it might help to know what the plans are while Mom's here. I never have gotten much of an answer from your dad.”

“It's simple, Trevor. Dad expects you both—you and your mom—to be part of our Christmas.
All
of our Christmas. That doesn't mean just Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. It means everything. Going caroling. Enjoying the annual sleigh ride. Taking communion at church on Christmas Eve, followed by classic Christmas movies at home. Opening gifts on Christmas morning and then dinner with family and friends. Everything.”

“Wow. I should have realized. I never meant to impose. I thought—”

Penny stopped walking, at the same time touching his arm so that he stopped too. “Don't misunderstand me, Trevor. Dad is happier than I've seen him since . . . since Brad died. He's loved preparing for your mom's visit. Thinking of ways to entertain her. And you. We weren't going to have Christmas dinner at our house this year, but now we are. And you two aren't our only guests. Dad's invited others to join us. I can see how much pleasure that's brought him, too, planning it all.” She tipped her head to one side as she looked up at him. Her expression was sad and yet not sad. “I've been trying so hard to protect him from any more pain. Both physical and emotional. Perhaps I went overboard.”

He refrained from shaking his head, sensing that she was working things through in her mind and didn't need his agreement or argument.

A slight smile curved the corners of her mouth. “No. Not
perhaps
. I
have
gone overboard. Dad's told me so more than once. I just haven't wanted to believe him.” Her smile broadened a little. “I'm really glad you and your mom will be celebrating Christmas with us.”

Her last words could have been little more than politeness, if not for the smile that included him. Something had changed between them today. Without fanfare. Without a lengthy conversation. Without any effort. They had turned a corner for the better. For real this time. What that meant
for tomorrow, he couldn't be sure, but he was learning to trust God to take care of the future.

Penny tipped her head toward the house. “Come on. Let's go find out what's next on the agenda.”

Caroling . . . sleigh ride . . . communion . . . Trevor had never looked forward to Christmas until now. Mostly because Penny Cartwright would be a part of it all.

Chapter 12

E
VERY YEAR, IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO
C
HRISTMAS
, Rodney looked forward to caroling with other members of the Kings Meadow Methodist Church. And although he never would have pressured their houseguest to participate, he was delighted when Dot Reynolds agreed to join him and the others for this year's Monday evening event.

As the carolers congregated in the fellowship hall of the Methodist church, Rodney escorted Dot from one small cluster of people to another, making introductions. More than one person made a point of saying how much they liked her son, and each time it happened her face glowed with a mother's pride. In his opinion, she had cause to be proud of Trevor, if for no other reason than his generous spirit.

Glancing across the fellowship hall to where Trevor stood talking with a few others, Rodney said a quick prayer of thanks for the young man. He hadn't realized what a difference it
would make in how he felt, having the extra help that Trevor now provided daily. Help that Penny couldn't always give. Or maybe he'd realized it and simply refused to accept it. Even he had to admit that stubbornness was one of his less admirable qualities. His orthopedist had suggested it might be time to give up ranching altogether. Either that or hire full-time help so that Rodney didn't have to do any of the heavy manual labor that a cow-calf operation required. But he couldn't bear the thought of the first and couldn't afford the second. Not as things were right now.

As he looked in Trevor's direction, Rodney saw Penny enter through a nearby doorway. This was one of two nights a week that she worked until the library closed. He was glad she'd been able to get away in time to join in the fun.

The thought of Penny having fun this Christmas season was another reason to be thankful. Only a few short weeks ago, he wouldn't have thought that possible, despite her efforts to hide the truth from him. But he'd witnessed something ease inside of her in recent days. An answer to prayer.

Penny found him with her gaze, smiled, and waved. Then she started across the room in Rodney's direction.

At the same moment, the choir director, Hillary Mitchell—a statuesque woman in her early fifties with a no-nonsense attitude and, as everyone knew, perfect pitch—appeared on the small stage at the far end of the hall. “All right, everyone. Settle down. Settle down.” She motioned downward with the palms of both hands. When conversations finally ceased, she said, “We'll be under way in about
fifteen minutes. When the time comes, you will receive a flyer on your way out with all of the songs we will be singing tonight and the order in which they will be sung. Our route will be unchanged from the last few years. If you are new to us, don't worry. Just stick with the crowd. There will be coffee and hot chocolate awaiting us when we return.”

Penny reached Rodney's side and slipped her arm through his. “I made it just in time. This is going to be fun.”

Her comment confirmed his earlier thoughts, and that caused more thanksgiving to well up in his heart.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
he quoted silently,
“the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.” Amen.

“Didn't Trevor come?” she asked, her gaze shifting from him to Dot and back again.

Perhaps that question revealed the biggest change of all, Rodney thought as he held back a smile.

Dot answered, “He's here somewhere. Talking to friends.”

Tess's gaze swept around the small group standing in a corner of the fellowship hall. “Why don't you all plan to come back to my parents' house when the caroling is over?” Her eyes settled on Trevor and seemed to hold a special invitation just for him.

It wasn't as if he hadn't known from the day they first met that she was interested in him. He'd even enjoyed her
company when they'd been together. It had been easy to go along whenever she'd invited him. But this time? It felt all wrong.