No Place Like Home (14 page)

“B
rady, can I see you outside?” Dottie snapped, shooting out of her chair. The man was not giving up his house! How crazy was that?

Without complaint he followed her onto the front step of Sam's. “What do you think you're doing?”

He dipped his chin. “I'm trying to help. I only said that Adela was right. My house is big enough. The good Lord knows I don't use it. It's a good idea.”

“No. It's not.”

“Why? They need a place to go. Didn't someone say they had very few days to get out? Did you know this was coming?”

“Yes, they have only nine days left, and no, I didn't know. Well, not technically. I knew the lease was coming up at the end of the month and I knew there was a chance that the owner might not renew. But…” Dottie leaned against the wall with a sigh. “Honestly, Brady, I
never expected that God would allow that door to close. That He would put them out in the street like this. I think I was in denial. I mean, why would He let this happen? They were doing so well.”

Brady's hand on her cheek surprised her.

“Dottie, take a breath and relax. I'll be the first to tell you that I don't understand or always like what God does. But the bottom line is that He can do what He wants. I'm thinking that maybe this could be a good move for them, based on what you've told me.”

“That's basically what Miss Adela told me.” She was trying to ignore the effect his touch was having on her. He pushed her hair behind her ear, then let his hand rest on the wall behind her head. His closeness was distracting, her stomach was flipping again. “I'm not denying that it could be a good move. But I haven't even suggested it to them yet.”

“Why?” He lifted an eyebrow, his eyes searching hers.

“I…” She couldn't very well tell him that
he
was her problem. “Well, I think that if this is God's plan, He'll provide the house. So you don't have to sacrifice your home. Todd is so excited to see what God is going to provide. He doesn't act like he's worried in the least. So I'm thinking positive like he is. I mean, it's not like I haven't seen God work in miraculous ways. I'm a walking testament to His power. Still, I don't want to suggest Mule Hollow unless He gives me the perfect place. That way I'll know for certain He's in on the plan. I wouldn't want to offer a solution that wasn't
right. Do you see?” She'd been talking ninety miles an hour. Brady started nodding his head halfway through her spiel.

He studied her face, his expression intense. “God
has
provided. My house is the right one. You know it is. I have my parents' original home down by the river. I've been thinking about it recently—it's perfect for me. I'm never going to need that rambling house. With me out of the way, it has the chance to actually become what it was intended for when it was built. Do you get what I'm saying?”

Dottie pushed away from him and walked to stare across the street, through tear-filled eyes. She got exactly what he was saying. He would continue his solitary march.

He came to stand behind her. She could feel his breath on her hair.

“I won't ever change my mind.”

She breathed in a calming breath and willed her heart to settle down as she closed her eyes and let everything sink in.

Doors closed and windows opened.

If everyone was right, God was in on this. He'd taken the ball and handed her His solution. As much as she wanted to deny it, Brady was right. There was no place like his home and it would be the perfect location for her friends. Still, she had to give it one more shot. “It's not right.”

“Yes, it is. And you know it.”

Despite everything, she spun toward him and planted her hand squarely on his chest. “You need children. A wife. You need to—” He took her hand from his chest.

“I've made my mind up. I'm moving out of the main house. With or without the shelter moving into it. Dottie, I hate going home to that giant. I've needed to do this for a long time.”

Looking at his hand holding hers, she hurt for what he was giving up. But she felt as if she was being swept downstream by too strong a current.

“Then I guess all that's left to do is to make a call.”

 

Within the hour it had been decided. They were coming. Dottie hadn't expected the wholehearted enthusiasm the suggestion elicited from all four women. They all jumped at the chance to give their children a fresh start in what sounded to them like the perfect town. There was hope in their response.

And with that response Dottie realized she was doing the right thing. Her coming to Mule Hollow had not been an accident. And yet no matter how she tried she couldn't summon up the joy she knew she should be feeling, knowing that her friends would now have a place to call theirs again.

It was decided Todd would have his church load the moving van, then he would drive them out. There were formalities that needed to be handled, and paperwork that needed to be signed, but Todd didn't anticipate any problems. He wouldn't be making the move himself, as
he felt his place was still in L.A. Therefore, Pastor Allen of Mule Hollow's Church of Faith stepped up as spiritual adviser. The town of Mule Hollow would also establish an advisory board and take on some of the funding for the ministry.

And, just like that, it had been settled.

They would be arriving in six days. It wasn't much time to prepare for them, but it would have to do.

Brady's house was attacked that very afternoon by the Mule Hollow Clean Team! Every available female converged on Brady's home to give it a going-over and to decide what needed to be done to make it work for its soon-to-be residents.

Poor Brady, he'd made the offer and then Dottie was forced to watch him basically be kicked out of his home. He acted as if it didn't matter to him. But it had to. Dottie refused to believe he was walking away without some smidgen of regret.

Yet as the day ended and he moved out for good, it was quite obvious that no one else thought the same thing.

 

Brady tossed his duffel bag on the floor next to the front door and surveyed his new home. It had been six months since he'd been inside. Dust everywhere hung like a dark cloud over everything, not unlike the one hanging over his head. Dottie and the other ladies had wanted to come clean for him, but he'd told them no. They needed to focus on getting everything else ready for the shelter.

He was okay with moving into the cabin. With its wooden floors and plank walls and the rustic furnishings, it was the ultimate guy habitat. He'd spent the first six years of his life here before the big house had been built. In his later years it had been a favorite retreat for him and his buddies. No, glancing around the familiar room, his dark mood had nothing to do with the surroundings and everything to do with wondering how to handle the issue of his heart.

Grabbing a rag from the drawer in the kitchen and a bottle of spray wax, he attacked the coffee table. Frankly, he was glad to have the busywork, trying to rid his mind of everything as he rubbed this way and that way. Wax on. Wax off…

…and what if God has different plans?
Clint's words played through his mind, overriding his wax job. Had it really only been that morning that Clint had asked him that question?

He won't.
What a pompous answer he'd thrown out there. God could do whatever He wanted to do. Which led him to the real reason for his bad mood—
Lord, what's going on?

He'd admitted that he loved Dottie.

He'd admitted it straight out to himself and to Clint.

He'd also said God was going to have to change things in order for him to see his responsibilities differently.

Well, He'd changed things all right!

Never in his wildest dreams had he entertained the idea that things could change this drastically this fast.

It was as if God had heard him snap his smart-aleck “He won't” retort to Clint, took it as a challenge and said, “Let me show you exactly who I am and what I can do.”

What he'd thought was a pretty cut-and-dried life path had now turned into the ultimate quandary.

 

“Who knew how much dust could accumulate in four years?” Esther Mae coughed.

Dottie glanced her way and fought not to laugh. Esther was crouched on all fours peering under the bed. Well, she wasn't exactly peering; she'd crammed herself beneath the bed frame as far as she could get, leaving her lower half sticking up in the air, as she struggled to reach something. As Dottie watched, she plopped flat down on the carpet on her belly and scooted as far as she could go under the bed, attempting to reach her target.

“Gotcha!” she exclaimed at last. Then, maneuvering out, she sat up holding a dusty shoe. How long it had been under the bed was anyone's guess.

Dottie couldn't help smiling. Brady was a bachelor. He lived mostly in his room on the first floor. It was obvious from all the dust that he seldom ventured upstairs.

To see these rooms utilized would be good. To see life in the home that his parents had built for just that reason would be a fulfillment to a dream…of sorts. That was what kept her going. Kept her from feeling sick over Brady's seemingly concrete decision to never have a family.

The task of cleaning and clearing was a good-size job, but everyone had shown up to help.

And everyone had one goal: to help their new friends from California.

“This could be it,” Esther Mae said, slapping at the cobweb hanging from her flaming-red hair. “These poor battered souls could be just what Mule Hollow has been waiting for. Just think about it, they need husbands and we have cowboys. And I would dearly love to hear the laughter of kids on our streets again.”

“That would be nice,” Norma Sue added, coming into the room. “Years ago, when the oil-field workers lived here and we were a thriving little town, it was wonderful. Kids playing in front of their homes or riding bicycles along the streets was natural.”

Esther sighed. “I miss that. When the oil drilling stopped and all our friends and families who'd been supported by that work moved away, it was terrible.” She blinked and met Dottie's gaze. “We knew we were in trouble. And look where we ended up, a dried-up old dust bowl out in the middle of nowhere. But things are perking up every time someone new moves to town. This is so exciting! To think that in one moment this house could be…well, it could be like a holding tank. You know, before we marry them off!” She snapped the shoe, sending up a plume of dust.

“Esther. Woman! Get a hold of yourself,” Norma Sue yelped. “They don't need you marrying them off first thing. They haven't even arrived and you're marrying
them off already. What they need most right now is a home to call their own, a place to feel safe. And who knows, they may take one look at this one-horse town and run back to the city.”

Lacy reached out and hugged Esther Mae, sneezing as she did. “I'm excited, too, Esther, but this is all part of God's plan, so just let it happen naturally. Also, ladies, lunch is about ready, so we need to move 'um out. Adela and Sam have the spread all laid out downstairs. They have fixed enough to feed an army. One thing's for certain, we won't fizzle out on this job from lack of fuel.”

They were following Lacy out the bedroom door when suddenly she spun around, slammed her hands to the door frame and glared at them, all wild-eyed and grinning. “By George I think I've got it!” she exclaimed. “Dottie, I can see it. We've been trying to figure out for months now a business that Mule Hollow could invest in. A business that could employ women. Remember the first day we met you and I mentioned us needing a restaurant? Duh! We've been praying about it all this time…and it's been here under our noses for days and I'm just now getting it! You are the answer to our prayers!”

“Hey, Lacy, you're right.” Esther Mae agreed.

Norma Sue grinned. “Not just one business but two—”

“Right, Norma,” Lacy said. “Dottie, your candy is wonderful. Everyone was talking about it at the Trade Days. We could start a line of candies, distribute them
all over the place. A restaurant wouldn't work because we have Sam's, but maybe a bakery. It could work. Molly's articles have paved the way. Do you know how many people are reading those articles she's writing? Oh my goodness, I see it. If we put it out there, they're going to buy it.”

Sheri entered the room from where she'd been cleaning across the hall. Her trademark smirk was on her face, a sure sign she'd heard everything. “All I have to say to you, Dottie Hart, is you'd better get ready to run.”

Dottie swallowed. “Why?” It came out as a squeak.

She gave Dottie a “duh” look, similar to the one Cassie had given her on their first meeting.

“Girlfriend! Don't tell me you haven't realized that you just lost control of your life.”

“No, she hasn't,” Norma Sue objected with a huff. “All we're saying is this is the perfect solution to our problem. If we start a candy business we could employ women. With its success we can offer employment, enabling more women to settle here. There's something to be said for being able to pay your bills.”

Lacy plopped her hand on her jutting hip, her eyes bright as headlights. “Dottie, with you at the helm, directing our endeavor, we could go all the way. Food is the way to any man's heart. We get a bunch of women cooking, and
bingo!
” She snapped her fingers. “Those cowboys will be dropping like flies.”

Sheri lowered her chin and raised her eyebrows as she mouthed, “Told ya.”

Dottie gave a weak smile. What else could she do? “You girls move fast. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster and can't get off.”

“Tell me about it,” Sheri said. “I'm telling you, these ol' gals can put the moves on you before you can blink an eyeball. Weren't we supposed to be eating?”