TEXAS ROADS (A Miller's Creek Novel Book 1) (24 page)

“I’ve called in an arson investigator. I’m sure he’ll have more questions for you.”

Numb, Dani shook her head. “I’ll help in whatever way I can, and I’m sure Andy will do the same.”

“Thanks for your time.” He stood, placed his hat on his head, and clomped down the steps, his notepad tucked under his arm.

She watched him drive away, her mind in upheaval. Ernie suspected her. Did everyone else in town feel the same way? Lowering her head to her hands, she rested her elbows on the arms of the rocker, attempting once more to understand. It was no use. The fatigue was too strong. Maybe a shower would help.

After showering, she sank onto the feather mattress in her room, every muscle in her body rebelling, the fog around her brain as thick as a fall morning. All she’d wanted was to help these people. The dam of tears she’d held back all morning burst open, and she covered her face with a pillow to mute her sobs. What had possessed her to think she could pull this off? The distant and distrusting faces of the townspeople replayed in her mind. Had she already outstayed her welcome in this place she’d grown to love?

She flopped onto her back and pleaded for her brain to stop its relentless pursuit of unanswerable questions, swiping tears from her cheeks. The simple and ugly truth was that Steve belonged here, and she didn’t. It was only natural the townspeople would see things from his perspective. Dani let out a choked breath. Right back where she started, on the outside looking in, wanting to belong, but knowing she never would.

When she finally dozed, her sleep was restless. The acrid smell of smoke, Mama Beth’s angry face, and the sadness in Steve’s eyes all melded into a nightmare. A tall fence stretched skyward. Between the pickets she could see the people of Miller’s Creek. They needed her help, but there was no way in. From out of nowhere, an urgent voice ripped her from the hands of sleep, jolting her into an upright position.

“Dani, wake up. Evelyn Miller passed away.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

A
nother funeral.

Dani slumped in the pew next to Mama Beth and stared bleakly ahead, her eyes dry and gravelly. In front of the wooden pulpit, and adorned with an arrangement of white roses, sat Evelyn’s casket. On both ends, several large flower sprays spewed their hot house fragrance into the air. Was this all there was to life? Hurt upon hurt, sorrow upon sorrow, and then you died?

The pallbearers passed, attired in an odd mixture of dark suits and carefully pressed blue jeans. From behind her, the family members entered and were ushered to their seats. The sight of Trish and Doc, followed by Bo and Steve, caused her throat to clog with tears. Though their sorrow was evident, their faces were enshrouded with an indescribable peace.

She concentrated on her breathing to hold the threatening tears at bay.

As the last gentle tones of the piano prelude ended, Steve made his way to the podium. He shuffled his notes, swallowed hard, and raised puffy eyes to the crowd. “My family and I want to thank you for being here today. Even though Mom wasn’t originally from Miller’s Creek, y’all made her feel welcome, and she considered you her friends.” Light radiated from his face. Hope?

Dani’s compassion swelled. How did he have the strength to speak? Especially after losing someone he loved.

“Words can’t express how much we appreciate the visits, phone calls, cards, and food. The outpouring of love we’ve experienced over the past few days has been overwhelming, and we thank you.”

She thought back to last night’s visitation. Never had she seen a community rally around a family with so much love. She’d give almost anything to belong to that kind of community. Anything, that is, except her privacy. But would the cost of that privacy be more than she could bear?

Steve cleared his throat and shared memories of his mother, eliciting intermittent bouts of laughter and teary sniffles, and yanking at her heart until it felt ready to burst. He paused, choking back emotion, his eyes watering. Dani ducked her head against the sight, but not soon enough. Tears spilled down her face, leaving a salty residue on her lips.

“We want this service for Mom to be a time of rejoicing. She’s at home now, resting in the arms of the One who loves her completely.” His voice cracked then leveled out. “We’ll miss her, but she’s finally experiencing total peace and joy, and that’s cause for celebration.” He made his way to the front pew, responding to the loving hugs and touches from his family.

Why was she the one crying while the Millers held up like soldiers? Dani scrounged through her purse for a tissue, dabbed her cheeks, and studied the people in the congregation, their belief in heaven evident and strong. She fought the same old thoughts and feelings, afraid to give in. What did God expect from her? Brother Mac said salvation and heaven were a free gift of grace—something she could never earn—but if they were free, why was it such a struggle to accept them?

Mother’s words hammered in her head.
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

* * *

Three days later Dani gulped in the hot dry air and settled, bone-weary, against a boulder near the creek, the gurgling water a blur. She’d made up her mind. Quitting wasn’t an option. From the beginning, she’d determined to see the renovation through to completion no matter what. Anything beyond that was unknown, especially now.

The locusts’ song rattled from the trees, sometimes soft, but more often a climactic crescendo, echoing her rising anguish. She had to find a way to repair her relationships with the people of Miller’s Creek and Mama Beth. It might not get her anywhere, but it was worth the effort. These people mattered too much not to try, and so did her dream.

She lifted her gaze to the old oaks overhanging the banks of the creek then followed the drooping branches to the stony surface. The once-crystal-clear water now consisted of nothing more than a few murky puddles amidst water-worn rocks. For the past three days thoughts of Steve had bombarded her brain. She’d attempted to banish them from her mind, but to no avail. Puzzling over her contradictory feelings, Dani squeezed her eyes shut, her forehead tight and furrowed. The scared-little-girl part of her wanted to hang on for dear life to her self-inflicted ban of allowing her heart to fall in love. A different part—the last molecules of hope left buried inside—dared to believe that Steve was better than any man she’d ever known. But what if she was wrong? And worse yet, what if he didn’t want her anymore?

Dani hugged her knees to her chest. No matter what happened, she had to find a way to make him understand how she treasured his friendship. The problem lay in getting close enough to express those feelings without sending mixed signals or endangering her resolve.

The hairs on the back of her neck tingled, though the air was breezeless. She glanced up. On horseback Steve stared back from the other side of the creek, causing her breath to rattle in her throat. How long had he been there? The distance between them shrunk as if their souls somehow intertwined.

After a moment both eternal and far too short, he broke the gaze and eased Biscuit into the creek, the horse’s hooves slosh-clopping along the rocky creek bed. Head down, Steve’s body shifted in rhythm with the gait of the horse, until he came to a stop nearby. He dismounted and tied Biscuit’s reins to a low-hanging branch, and ambled to her, the area around his eyes swollen. “Hi.”

“How are you?” Even as she asked the question, she realized its absurdity.

His shoulder-sagging sigh carried the weight of his burden in one swish of sound, and he squatted beside her, his pained expression sending stabs of hurt to her heart.

Dani scooted over to make room, and he joined her on the craggy sandstone. “I’m so sorry about your mom.” She tried to look away, but couldn’t drag her eyes from his face.

A weary smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Thanks. She’s better off where she is. I’m glad her suffering is finally over.”

“I am too, but that doesn’t take away the hurt.”

He moved his gaze to the creek. “No, it...” A shudder claimed his voice.

“I know how it feels.”

“I know you do.” Agony drenched his eyes. “I have so many regrets. I feel guilty—”

“Why? You were a wonderful son.”

“Not at the end. I didn’t spend time with her like I should have.”

“But you were busy.”

“That’s no excuse.” His face twisted in grief. “I ran myself ragged under the guise of working for Miller’s Creek, when in all truth I was running from her illness and using it as an excuse to stay away. You spent more time with her than I did.” He picked up a stone near his foot and hurled it into the deepest part of the creek, where it landed with a
kerplunk
. “The sad truth is that none of us are guaranteed another breath. We should take advantage of the time we have instead of shying away from people and situations because of our fears.”

Her pulse thundered in her ears. He had no way of knowing how closely his words mirrored her thoughts. In a move she didn’t fully understand, she wrapped him in an embrace and laid her head against his chest, the beat of his heart solid and steady.

He sat unresponsive and silent, the scent of his cologne wafting to her nose with each breath. What was she doing? She needed to move away, but found it impossible to let go. Instead Steve released a weighted sigh, and averting his gaze, gently pushed her away. He hauled himself to his feet and trudged to where Biscuit stood. “By the way, I never got the chance to say thanks for saving the train depot.”

Why wouldn’t he look at her? Dani swallowed tears and willed him to turn her way. “And I never got to say thanks for saving me.”

He hoisted his lanky frame onto Biscuit and clopped past her to the cloudy water. With no further comment he rode away, her heart shattering in a million tiny pieces.

* * *

Dani’s legs reduced to jelly. She lifted a hand to her face, collapsing into a chair at the daycare as the kids lined up for time outdoors. Their cheerful chatter made it difficult to hear, so she pushed the door closed. Surely she’d heard Andy wrong. “Say that again.”

“Steve just called. He came back to work today and found the construction crew loading their equipment on the truc—”

“But why?” Even as she voiced the question, she knew the answer. Howard had to be behind this, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. With Steve out the past two weeks, she’d logged triple overtime taking care of funding requests, and trying to keep the work moving ahead. The finish line was in sight, but not if they didn’t have a crew.

“That’s why I called. I thought you might know.” Andy’s frustration flowed through the phone.

“No, I don’t. Let me give Howard a call. I’ll meet you at Mama Beth’s in fifteen minutes.”

Her hands trembled as she punched speed dial, the queasiness in her stomach shoving its way to her mouth. After the last conversation with Howard she should’ve seen this coming.

“Hampton Enterprises.”

She nibbled her thumbnail. “This is Dani. I need to speak to Howard, please.”

“He’s in a meeting, Mrs. Davis. Can I have him return your call?”

Her temper rose, and she struggled to keep her voice calm. “No, I need to speak with him now.”

“Yes ma’am.”

A minute later Howard picked up. “I’m busy, Dani. Can I call you back later?” The edge to his voice revealed his agitation.

She took a deep breath to slow her racing pulse. “I need answers and I need them now.” Muted voices sounded on the other end. What meeting was he in?

“I’m transferring your call to my private line.” A few seconds later he came back on the phone, his tone now loud and belligerent. “I know what you want, Dani. This is about the crew I pulled, isn’t it?”

“Why are you deliberately going against my orders?” She tugged on her ponytail with her free hand.

“Because your pet project has run up thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenses. As CEO, I have to act in the best interest of this company. Giving away our services hurts the bottom line. Didn’t you learn that in Business 101?” His tone held a swagger.

“Careful, Howard, would you like to lose your job?”

He laughed. Not a joyful laugh, but one of sarcasm and ridicule. “Go ahead and try. We’ll see who the executive board endorses—you or me.”

Her brain raced. He was right. The only way to get rid of him was to go through the board, and based on the current membership, she’d lose. She tried to feign an advantage she knew she didn’t have. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Don’t be so sure.” The phone clicked in her ear.

After checking out at the daycare, she sped toward home, knowing she had no time to waste. The sooner they got a new crew on the job the better. Five minutes later she steered into the driveway, Andy right behind her. She bolted from the car and hurried to him.

“Well?” His green eyes held worry.

“Howard yanked the crew. I’d fire him, but I can’t make that decision without board approval. I’m certain they’ll support him, not me.”

Andy’s forehead wrinkled. “What about getting rid of the board?”

“That will entail a meeting with the shareholders. I don’t own enough of the company to make that call on my own.”

He groaned and raked a hand through his sandy curls. “Now what?”

“I’m going to give him a fight.” Dani shook her head at the thought. “I don’t know how I’ll be able to handle it and take care of business here, but I don’t see that I have much choice.”

“And the next step?”

“Call a board meeting. But in the meantime, we need to find a construction crew for the park. We’ll just have to pay them out of the foundation funds.”

“Do you have any idea how costly this little battle could be?” He grimaced, his mouth taut. “Just for the record, I think you’re making a huge mistake.”

The exasperation and fatigue lining his face tugged at her heart. How would she have made it this far without him? She grabbed his hands and peered into his eyes. “Thanks for hanging in there with me and being such a good friend. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Andy glowered, leaving no doubt about how he felt.

A diesel engine roared behind her, and Steve pulled into the driveway. She stepped away from Andy as Steve climbed from the truck and approached them. His eyes, dark and brooding, skipped past her to Andy. “What did you find out?”

“We’ll have a new crew before the week is up.” Andy’s tone and stance expressed disapproval.

Steve let out a puff of air between pursed lips. “Well, that’s a big relief.” He pointed over her shoulder. “Whose car is that?”

Dani turned to see the little red sports car and her stomach rose to her throat.
Oh no, it couldn’t be.