Tumbleweed Weddings (54 page)

As Sara left, Cheyenne glanced around the busy restaurant. “I haven’t been to the Cattlemen’s Diner for years, but not much has changed.” In the corner, the jukebox crooned an oldie, and the sounds of clashing silverware and loud conversation filled the room.

Rex’s brown eyes met hers. “I’m starting to recognize a few faces. Seems like the same people eat in here every night.”

Cheyenne raised her eyebrows. “You eat here every evening?”

He nodded. “So far.”

Opening her mouth, she was about to issue him an invitation to eat at her house tomorrow night. But the way his eyes stared at her clamped her lips shut. For more than a week, he had talked to her every day at the post office, and now he had asked her out.

Most likely, Rex Pierson’s end goal was matrimony.

Cheyenne’s stomach clenched. She studied his tan, weathered face with new eyes, remembering that she had asked the Lord to send her a man. If she was going to inherit Grandmother’s fortune, she needed to get married—and soon.

Was Rex the one?

Obviously Derek was not interested in a relationship with her, especially with Kandi MacKinnon hanging around.

But did Cheyenne want to marry this old rancher?

I don’t have to decide that tonight
. She would be a good friend to Rex—and see where their relationship led.

She took a deep breath. “Why did you move to Wyoming, Rex?”

“Always wanted to own a ranch.” He steepled his work-worn, knobby fingers in front of his face. “For years I worked for my brother on his ranch ’cause my wife wanted to live in town.” His eyes darted around the restaurant before reconnecting with hers. “When she passed on a couple years ago, I thought I’d see what ranches were for sale.” He shrugged. “Looked at ranches in four different states, finally settlin’ on the one here.”

With a smile, she nodded. “The old Dudley place. My mom and I visited Mr. and Mrs. Dudley several times when I was a girl. The house is quite small, as I remember.”

Folding his arms on the table, he leaned forward. “Just a little one-floor bungalow. I’d like to expand it after I get married. Might even have some kids someday. That’s why I’m looking to marry a younger woman. A good Christian woman.”

His eyes held hers, and his left eyebrow hiked up slightly, as if asking what she thought about that.

Cheyenne drew in a quick breath. Forget the local gossip! In Rex’s mind, they were already destined for the altar.

“This is our house right here.” Cheyenne pointed to the right, and Rex pulled his rattling truck into the driveway.

He glanced at the house. “Looks dark, except for the porch light.”

“Dad left that on for me. He’s probably in bed.”

It was Saturday night, and Rex had taken her to a movie in Lusk. Now it was after midnight, and Cheyenne felt a twinge of nerves clench her stomach. Would Rex kiss her good night?

Did she want him to?

On Thursday evening, after they’d eaten at the Cattlemen’s Diner, he had walked her back across the street to the post office parking lot, opened her car door for her, and wished her a pleasant evening. She thanked him for the dinner and drove away. But now …

Rex shifted the gears into P
ARK
and switched off the key. With a shudder, the engine gave up the ghost. “I’ll get your door.” He exited the truck and walked around it.

As she waited, her mind replayed the evening. She could barely recall what the movie was about after Rex put his arm around her in the darkened theater. With slight pressure from his fingers, she moved closer to him until her head rested on his shoulder. After the movie, they got ice cream at the local Dairy Queen, sitting across from each other at a tiny two-person table. Rex leaned in as they ate, his eyes gazing into hers, his attention never waning. She gazed back, but nothing stirred inside her.

The truck door creaked open. “Let me help you down, Cheyenne.”

“Thanks.” She took his rough hand to climb out of the cab, and a soft breeze lifted her hair. “It’s a warm night.”

“Sure thing.” Rex didn’t let go, and they walked hand in hand toward the house.

Cheyenne felt the need to keep talking. “This is late for you, isn’t it? I’m sure you get up early every morning to take care of your animals.”

“Yeah.” His calloused fingers squeezed hers. “But I don’t need much sleep. Four or five hours will do me.”

“Really?” They crossed the porch to the front door. “I need at least seven.”

Rex dropped her hand and faced her. “Guess I’d better let you go then.” He smiled, and his eyes gleamed in the porch light.

Cheyenne’s stomach clenched a little tighter, and she took a small step back. “Thanks so much for taking me out, Rex. I had a nice time.”

“Me, too.” He opened his arms. “Let me hug you ‘fore I go.”

A hug
. Okay, she could handle that.

Stepping into his embrace, she draped her arms around his thin frame. It wasn’t like hugging her dad, who was hefty, but Rex was closer to her dad’s age than he was to hers. Dad had just turned fifty-two. How old was Rex? Was he old enough to be her father?

After a prolonged squeeze, he stepped back. “ ‘Night, Cheyenne.”

“Good night.”

Opening the door of the house, she stepped inside and softly closed the door behind her. In the dark she waited until she heard Rex’s truck wheeze to life. He revved the engine a couple times, and she could just imagine how those fumes permeated the air. Then the gears shifted, and the vehicle rattled down the road, the sound becoming fainter until it was gone.

Cheyenne closed her eyes and leaned against the door.
Lord, is Rex really the man You sent me?

With a sigh, she walked through the darkened living room and sank down to the sofa, not bothering to turn on the light. Her attraction to Rex Pierson was just as dark as the room. When he gazed into her eyes, there was no electric spark, no tingle, no jolt of awareness.

Nothing like the chemistry she had with Derek.

Why don’t I have any passion for Rex, Lord?
Certainly the God who made her could change her desires so she would swoon in Rex Pierson’s presence.

But maybe this would be a different kind of romantic relationship—the kind where love sneaks in silently, after years of marriage, and one day she would wake up to discover that she loved her husband.

With a groan, she laid her head back on the sofa. “I don’t want that kind of marriage, Lord!” She had felt more passion for some of the boys she dated in college, even the ones she knew she would never marry.

Enough of this!
Standing, she walked to her bedroom. She passed Dad’s bedroom and heard soft snoring. At least she hadn’t awoken him.

Closing her bedroom door, she flipped on the light switch, blinking in the brightness. Then she dropped to her knees beside her bed.

“Heavenly Father, all I can do is put this relationship in Your hands. I don’t know if Rex is the one for me or not, but he’s a good Christian man, and I’m willing to give him a chance.”

She still wanted Grandmother’s millions, but money was a poor substitute for love. The important thing was to marry the right man.

As soon as possible.

O
n Sunday morning, Derek walked into the church auditorium after his Sunday school class. He couldn’t believe it was the third week of July already. It seemed the summer had just started, and now it was half-finished.

Time flies when you’re getting old
.

As he ambled down the center aisle toward his usual spot, he glanced ahead and saw Cheyenne sitting with Rex Pierson in the third row. Rex had his arm draped on the pew behind her.

Derek stopped.
What in the world?

Kandi MacKinnon stepped in front of him. “Hi, Derek.” She smiled.

It took him a moment to focus on her. “Oh hi, Kandi. We missed you in the Single Servings this morning. I’m glad you made it to church.”

She moved closer. “Grandpa wasn’t feeling well this morning so he decided to skip Sunday school. But after a while he felt better, and we decided to come. Can you sit with us?”

Amazing—three sentences!
“Uh …” He hesitated as musical laughter reached his ears, and he glanced toward Cheyenne. She was looking at Rex, an angelic smile on her pretty face. If he sat in his usual spot, he would be sitting right behind them. He turned to Kandi. “Sure, I’ll sit with you.” He followed her to a pew down front on the right—the opposite side from where Cheyenne and Rex were sitting.

Bruce MacKinnon stood to let them slide into the pew. He shook hands with Derek then sat down beside him.

Kandi smiled up at him. “I haven’t seen you since last Sunday. What have you been doing all week?”

“Just working on the ranch.” He leaned back in the pew. “Dad and I had to fix the fence. It took us two days to find the spot where wolves broke in. They killed fourteen sheep last Monday.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh?”

“It was just senseless killing.” He grit his teeth. “It still wrenches my heart out to think about those wolves killing poor defenseless ewes and lambs.”

Frowning, she looked down. “Oh.”

She must be all talked out
. Derek turned to Bruce. “I hear you’re not feeling well.”

“It’s just my arthritis. Some days are—”

“Why, Bruce MacKinnon!”

The female voice caused both men to look up. A tall woman in a light-blue suit, whom Derek recognized as Janet Oliver, stood beside the pew and beamed down at Bruce.

“Well, my goodness!” Bruce jumped up and pumped her hand. He didn’t seem to have any trouble with his arthritis now. “So good to see you, Janet. Welcome back to Fort Lob.”

She laughed. “Thank you, Bruce. I feel like I’ve come home.”

Kandi leaned toward Derek. “Who’s that?”

“Janet Oliver—my sister’s piano teacher. She and her husband moved away a few years ago.”

“Oh.” Kandi gazed at her grandfather and Janet as they continued their animated conversation.

Derek lowered his voice. “She has an outgoing personality, as you can see, and she was always quite a showman on the piano.”

He turned back to watch, and Janet caught his eye. She leaned into the pew. “Now you look familiar.”

He stood and held out his hand. “Derek Brandt, Mrs. Oliver.”

“Derek!” Her mouth dropped as she squeezed his hand. “I can’t believe how tall you are! And how old are you now? Twenty-three? Twenty-four?”

“Twenty-six.” He didn’t glance around, but the auditorium was quiet. He figured the entire congregation must be witnessing this exchange.

“No!” Janet gave his hand a shake before she dropped it. “Why Derek, you make me feel so old!”

He grinned, not sure how to answer that declaration. Fortunately he was saved by Aggie, who made a sudden appearance. The two women gabbed a minute before Aggie invited Janet to sit with them. They got settled in the pew as Wayne Holland, the song director, announced the first hymn. The congregation stood.

Sharing a hymnbook with Kandi, Derek sang out on “Amazing Grace.” Beside him Janet belted out the words, almost covering Aggie’s southern twang. Derek couldn’t hear Kandi’s voice at all, although she seemed to be singing. Must be because he was way up here in the stratosphere and she was a foot lower. He glanced down on her red hair. It shone in the overhead lights, looking soft. But it didn’t make his heart beat any faster.

He glanced across the auditorium at Cheyenne. Singing, she smiled as she stood next to Rex.
What does she see in him?
Rex Pierson was nothing but an old wizened cowhand. He looked about fifty.

Derek sat down with the rest of the congregation as Pastor Reilly stepped to the pulpit.

“We have an unusual announcement this morning.” The pastor’s aged gray eyes squinted as he gazed over the auditorium. “A Christian organization is hosting a trip to Yellowstone National Park. They have asked several churches, including ours, for volunteer counselors to accompany elementary-age children.”

Derek raised his eyebrows.
I would love to do that!

“The dates are Friday, August 7, through Sunday, August 9.” The pastor motioned toward the left side of the auditorium. “Ralph Little is taking down the names of the volunteers, so please see him after the service if you’re interested.”

Derek made a mental note to talk to Ralph. This was exactly the way he wanted to spend his life—serving the Lord through mission trips. He still had his eye on that trip to Honduras, where a missionary needed help building his church. So how could Derek get married? His wife would want him to stay home all the time.

Unless she had a servant’s heart and accompanied him.

He glanced at Cheyenne. Rex had his arm around her, and a prick of jealousy hit Derek. Why had he always thought of her as nothing more than a good friend—the girl his sisters hung out with? She was a beautiful woman, but it looked like she had found someone else.

Cheyenne is out
. He glanced down at the girl beside him.
Kandi is definitely out
.

But why was he even thinking about a relationship? His original idea to get married after he turned forty was looking better all the time.