Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (28 page)

“Well, I’m not altogether sure this is the best time to be talking about Paris,” Uncle Bertrand said. “Not with so many rumors of war going on.”

“Oh, but how can I not talk about it?” She released an exaggerated sigh. “It was there, at the top of the Eiffel Tower, that I discovered my love for writing.”

“Oh?” Jake responded, still playing along.

“Yes, I wrote my first book overlooking the Seine River, while wearing a beret.”

“Which story was that?” Ruth asked.

“Oh, I should let you read it sometime. It’s about a Frenchman who is jilted in love, so he plots his revenge by sinking a ship that’s carrying the woman who broke his heart.”

“Good gracious.” Maggie began to fan herself.

“She sounds a lot like Jake did as a boy, doesn’t she, Mama?” John grinned. “Always ready with a big tale.”

Oh no. Let’s don’t do this. Not with Anne at the table.
Jake flashed John a warning look.

“Jake’s such a dreamer,” Joseph added. “You should’ve heard the things he came up with when we were boys.”

“Like what?” Anne asked.

“Oh, once he told me that he was going to build an Indian village on the west end of the property. He constructed this crude setup and then dressed in war paint and feathers.”

“And then there was the time he told us he was going to travel to Europe someday.” Jeremiah laughed. “That would be something. Yep, sure was a dreamer.”

“Jake’s always been the one with the crazy ideas, that’s for certain.” Jedediah laughed.

Across the table, Anne cleared her throat. “What you’re saying is, he’s creative. He does things that other people don’t think to do.”

A hush fell over the room. “Well, when you put it like that…” John shrugged.

“I like creative thinkers,” his mother added. “They keep us on our toes.”

“Yes, they certainly do.” Anne quirked a brow then went back to eating.

He would have to thank the beautiful woman seated across from him for creatively redirecting the conversation. For now, however, he would simply enjoy gazing upon that exquisite face.

As soon as the supper dishes were done, Anne summoned Emily to the porch.

“What’s wrong, Annie?” Emily asked.

“Honey, I know you love a good story. We all do.” Anne paused, thinking through her next words as she took a seat on the swing. “But somewhere along the way you crossed a line. Those fanciful stories are fine on paper, but lately you’ve been stretching the truth regarding your own story.”

Emily’s gaze shifted to the yard.

“You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

“I like to pretend.”

“Pretending is fun, but if you speak something as fact, it has to be true. That’s where I believe you’ve run into trouble. Writing stories about made-up people is one thing. Taking the liberty of changing your own life story is something altogether different.”

“But the stories I make up about my life are so much…”

“Better?” Anne asked.

Emily’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes. Do you think I want to tell people the real story of my life? It stinks like rotten eggs.” At this point she began to sniffle. “Don’t you get it, Anne? Our life might be truth, but it’s awful truth. So I’ll trade it for a pretty lie if I want to. And you can’t stop me. I like my stories. They make me feel better.”

With that announcement, Emily rose and took off running across the field. Instead of calling out to her, Anne let her run. Maybe her little sister would shake off some of the pain as she ran. In the meantime, Anne sat in silence and prayed. Only when she felt someone take the spot next to her did she open her eyes.

“Jake.” She whispered his name, and he wrapped his arm over her shoulders. “I’m so worried about Emily.”

“I know.”

He drew her close, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. She thought about engaging him in conversation about her sister but decided against it. For whatever reason, when Jake took her in his arms, the world was right again. And she wouldn’t do anything to spoil this perfect moment. After all, they had so few of them left.

Chapter Twenty-One

It’s June in the Panhandle, and you know what that means… weddings. I married off my youngest daughter last June. I’d never seen a more radiant bride. The Texas bride has a variety of local flowers to choose from for her bouquet, and our churches are among the finest in the state. If she’s settled on a groom from the Panhandle region, likely he’s already set up on a nice piece of property where they can start their new life together, ranching or farming. And because she’s marrying in June, she can expect blue skies overhead. Yes, the Texas Panhandle is the perfect place to offer up your “I do’s” and an even better place to grow old with the one you love. —
“Tex” Morgan, reporting for the
Panhandle Primer

Saturday dawned bright and sunny. Anne sprang from the bed, ready to get to work. She dressed in a simple everyday dress, knowing the risk was too great to be able to put on her blue formal one just yet.

“What time does this shindig begin?” her uncle asked when he joined them for breakfast. “And are you sure I would be welcomed?”

“Very sure.”

Jake loaded up the garlands and tablecloths into the family truck along with several other items, leaving no room for the cake. Maggie had to ride to the church with Uncle Bertrand, who offered to take the cake—and Anne’s blue dress—in his Cadillac. She didn’t look terribly disappointed by that proposition…until Emily and Kate announced that they wanted to ride with them.

Yes, things were certainly quite odd with Maggie these days. Anne had seen her happy and playful before, of course, but there was a new sparkle in her eyes. And the dress she’d chosen for the wedding was something to behold. The green satin made her green eyes and red hair look even more pronounced, more magnificent. Anne found herself distracted by the woman’s simple beauty. Then again, Maggie was beautiful from the inside out. It was no wonder so many people were drawn to her.

Still deep in thought, Anne heard Jake’s voice. “Hope you’re riding with me.”

“I would love that.” In fact, she wanted to spend every available minute with him. He opened the passenger door to the truck and she climbed in, feeling as if a host of butterflies had been set free in her stomach. Part of the feeling, she knew, was nerves. She had experienced this feeling in the past just before a big event. But these butterflies were up to something more. They seemed to come every time Jake drew near.

Not that she had time to be thinking about romance today. Well, not her own, anyway. No, this day was all about the bride. And Anne could hardly wait to see her.

They arrived at the church in short order and Jake went right to work at setting up tables on the lawn. Within minutes his brothers and their wives arrived, and before long, the whole family was at work, setting up and decorating. The time passed too quickly for Anne. By ten fifteen, all the garlands had been hung and the tables were decorated in full, and the beautiful wedding cake had been given a place of honor.

She entered the church, double-checking the work Maggie had done inside with the garlands. They looked perfect. So colorful, adding just the right touch. And the candles and flower arrangements at the front of the sanctuary were perfect as well.

It was time to see about the bride.

Anne knocked on the door of the little Sunday school classroom where Virginia was getting ready.

“Who is it?” Amaryllis’s voice rang out.

“It’s me, Anne.” She peeked her head inside the door and gasped when she saw Virginia in her wedding gown.

“Oh my goodness! You’re the prettiest thing I ever saw. Truly, of all the weddings I’ve been to, this is going to be the finest.”

“She is a sight to behold, isn’t she?” Virginia’s mother dabbed her eyes. “I’ve dreamed of this day for years, and now it’s here. My baby girl is getting married.”

“Thanks to Anne.” Virginia reached over and squeezed her hands.

“Yes, how can we ever thank you?” Mrs. Harrison drew near and slipped her arm over Anne’s shoulders. “With your help, it’s all come together.”

“Oh, posh. It’s nothing. I just tossed out a few ideas and she jumped on them. Nothing more.”

“Nothing more!” Virginia shook her head. “You orchestrated everything.”

“Hardly everything.” Anne chuckled. “I didn’t orchestrate that break in the train track.”

“No, but we know who did.” Virginia chuckled. “And I will always thank Him for that, by the way. Because that broken track brought you to us.”

As Anne changed into her beautiful blue gown a few moments later, she pondered Virginia’s words. A broken track had very well led her to Groom, Texas, hadn’t it? She couldn’t help but consider the analogies. Her life—her sense of direction—had been completely broken that day on the train. Sure, she knew her destination—her physical destination, anyway. But as for a sense of spiritual and emotional direction, she’d been as lost as a goose. And now… now she felt as right as rain.

She checked her appearance in the mirror, tidying up her hair and pinching her cheeks to give them a rosy glow. Finally she could join the others dressed in her wedding-party attire.

She’d no sooner entered the sanctuary than she heard a familiar voice.

“How’s the prettiest girl at the wedding?”

Anne turned to find Jake standing behind her. She felt her cheeks grow warm. “Oh, I just checked on Virginia. She’s doing really well. Her parents made it just in time.”

“I’m sure Virginia is lovely, but I was referring to someone else. Someone who looks like she dropped out of heaven in a blue dress.”

Anne’s heart fluttered and she felt her cheeks go hot as she whispered a grateful “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s true, you know. You look radiant.” He placed his hand on her arm. “How are you holding up, Annie?”

A rush of emotions swept over her as she thought about her mother, who had always called her by that name. These days, the only ones who called her Annie were Emily and Kate. Still, it felt right, coming from Jake. He could call her Annie. Heavens, he could call her anything he liked, as long as he kept looking at her with such tenderness pouring from those gorgeous eyes.

“I’m doing well,” she finally managed. “Holding up just fine. The sanctuary is decorated, and the sandwiches are prepared and ready to be set up on the tables outside after the ceremony.”

“Mama said to tell you that the punch bowl has arrived and your uncle is making coffee.”

Anne shook her head. “I still can’t quite believe the transformation in him.”

“Yes, well, I have my suspicions about that.” Jake waggled his brows. “Methinks he’s been captivated by a woman.”

“Methinks you’re right.” She giggled.

“Seems to be a lot of that going around.” He paused to gaze into her eyes then reached for her hand. “You’re a marvel. You do know that, don’t you?”

“How do you mean?”

“You swept in here and saved the day. You somehow managed to calm a frenzied bride, decorate a church, corral a group of local women, talk your uncle into staying, and pull off the event of the season.”

“Ah.” She giggled. “Well, when you put it like that…”

“When I put it like that, I see what a talent you are. Denver is going to miss you. But it’s their loss and our gain.”

As he gripped her hand, that same gripping sensation took hold of her heart. “Only for two more days,” she whispered. “We leave for Dallas on Monday.”

He shook his head, his eyes growing misty. “Let’s not talk about that, okay?”

She gave his fingers a little squeeze and then released her hold on Jake’s hand as the reverend approached them.

He gave Anne a pat on the shoulder. “I’ve been pastoring this church for fourteen years, Anne, and I’ve never seen it look this wonderful. You’ve given my wife a hundred ideas for our homecoming service in the fall. I do wish you were going to be here to help her with that.”

“Me too, Reverend.” Anne did her best not to sigh aloud. She would love to do this and so much more, of course, but she knew this wasn’t the time or place to think about it. Right now she had a wedding to coordinate.

She excused herself and walked outside to give everything a final look before the wedding began. She sighed as she took in the whole picture—the tables with their beautiful lace cloths. Those breathtaking garlands. Jake had done a magnificent job of hanging them. They made the entire area look festive and bright. That cake—oh, how pretty! And to think there was more to come! Yes, everything was as it should be.