Yuletide Cowboy (11 page)

“N
o, Wes, you carry it this way. Hold it up.”

Chance stood to the side of the little troupe of children lined up at the front of the church. He was totally engaged in watching Gavin show the smaller boy, Wes McKennon, how to hold his staff in his pudgy hand. The dark-haired little boy was trying very hard to do what he was supposed to do.

“Gavin, you're doing a great job helping Wes.” Chance bent on one knee, deciding he could help the tot hold the staff the correct way. “And you're doing a good job holding this staff, Wes.” Chance knew the boy could hold the staff upside down or sideways and the audience was going to think he was fantastic no matter what he did. As for Gavin, rattling off instructions—the kid was born to be an organizer and leader. The boy was full of instructions for everyone and the other kids were listening when he spoke.

And not just kids. Chance still couldn't believe he him self was here. Gavin also had the gift of persuasion where adults were concerned—or at least where Chance was. Gavin had asked him to help with the program
and Chance had come. And he was enjoying himself. He'd also had fun cutting down the Christmas tree and helping the boys with the lights and the tree house.

“Okay, boys and girls, let's stand up straight and sing so the people on the back pew will hear you. You are doing a great job.”

Jack was standing beside a toddler who was sucking his thumb and taking everything in with gigantic eyes. This was Stacy's baby. She was with the other mothers decorating the annex for lunch after the sermon and the program. The Mule Hollow Church of Faith was a busy church. He watched Lynn working with the kids. She'd said she wanted roots for her boys. As a cowboy preacher he hadn't really set any roots down for himself. He stayed on the road much of the time. When he wasn't at a rodeo he was at an auction barn or a roping or any manner of other places where he was called or invited. But that was where his heart was. That was where God had put him.

One lost soul. Randy. Why hadn't he been able to lead Randy to the Lord? Why hadn't he seen that Randy had a problem…. If he considered Randy his flock then why hadn't he recognized that he was in trouble? That torment had a grip on him that he couldn't ease. Why hadn't God given him the time to help Randy physically and spiritually?

“Mr. Turner, could I speak to you?”

The soft voice drew him from the fog of his internal debate and he turned around. Stacy was sitting on the pew behind him looking pensive.

“Sure,” he said, wanting instantly to ease her discomfort.

“Outside?”

He nodded, glanced at the group of kids and Lynn as she led them in a song, then got up and followed Stacy. Lynn had told her that Stacy had a hard time trusting men. That she'd come a long way, thanks to some very special men in Mule Hollow who'd been kind and set good, godly examples for her of how real men should behave. On the porch she faced him. Her pale blond hair was pulled back in a clasp, totally exposing her fine, dainty features. She was beautiful in an almost angelic sense—the perfect choice for a Christmas angel. Sky-blue eyes, kind with a wariness that still could not be hidden, despite the kindness she'd been shown here in Mule Hollow. Just looking at her and knowing some of her story, he wanted only the best for her.

“What can I do for you?” he asked, trying to put her at ease, pretty certain he knew what she wanted.

“Lynn, I'm sure, asked you to perform my and Emmett's wedding ceremony. I know you aren't preaching right now, if I understand that correctly, but I was just hoping that I could ask you to please consider it once more.” Tears welled in her eyes but she blinked and they disappeared in an instant. He got the feeling she didn't usually speak a whole lot. “I—I've decided I want to get married next Saturday.” She glanced at the ground then, almost as if forcing herself, she met his gaze again.

“I've been dragging my feet, coming up with all kinds of excuses for why now isn't the time to marry Emmett—there isn't a preacher I want, I'm afraid, I could be hurt again.” She breathed in hard. “But I know it's wrong. I love Emmett and he loves me….” She softly cleared her throat. Probably for courage to push onward—it was clear in her eyes how hard this was for her. “So, I
had to ask you personally if you might marry us next Saturday.”

Chance's heart cracked, remembering everything Lynn had told him about Stacy. God help him, there was no way he could tell her no. What kind of man would he be to do that? Meeting her sincere gaze with one of assurance he said, “I would be honored.”

 

“Chance, are you out here?”

Chance was repairing a broken slat on one of the old stalls in the stagecoach house's barn. He straightened and called, “I'm here,” stepping out where Lynn could see him.

“You left without a word,” she said as she saw him and strode toward him. “And then Stacy told me that you'd agreed to marry them next week and I couldn't believe it. I'm so excited! But, are you all right with that?”

He had been asking himself the same question for the last hour. “I guess I have to be. After she pushed her self to get the courage up to ask me to do it, how could I say no? Who could say no to someone as gentle and kind-looking as Stacy?”

“Oh, so you're saying I'm not sweet enough? That's why you so easily told me no?” Lynn crossed her arms and gave him an assessing look.

“No…I mean…” He stumbled over his words, realizing how that had sounded to her. “I'm sorry. That's not what I meant.”

“Relax, I'm just teasing. I know what you mean.”

She was laughing but he shook his head. “No. You're
just as sweet, Lynn. I just didn't get it until you'd told me her story and then I met her.”

A pale tinge of pink touched her cheeks and her eyes softened. “No. I'm not—”

“Yes, you are.” He touched her arm then, realizing Lynn's background might mean she wasn't used to compliments.

She studied his hand on her arm then raised her gaze to his. “It seems that God isn't playing fair with you.”

He scowled. “You probably think I'm not worth much, pulling back like I have.”

“No. I think you are a man grief-stricken for a lost soul. Maybe a little angry at God about it, and that has wiped you out inside. I've been thinking about that dry well you were talking about, and I think God's real busy trying to fill it up for you.”

His scowl dug in deeper and he went back to the stall. Grabbing another nail, he bent to retrieve his hammer and sank the nail into the hardwood with two strikes.

“Impressive,” Lynn said, leaning against the top plank and looking down at him. She'd been happy about Stacy, but deep inside it was costing him. His soul did ache. It was easy to tell. “Nothing like a hammer and nails to vent with,” she said, feeling led to see if he needed to talk. It didn't go unnoticed that he wasn't using his cord less drill and wood screws.

“You are enjoying this.”

“No. I'm sorry. I really think taking your frustrations out with hard work is very constructive. You get to vent, think about it, pray about it, accomplish something constructive at the same time. Believe you me, I can do some heavy-duty housecleaning when I'm mad as a
hornet. I buzz around, hotter than fire, and my house sparkles like Mr. Clean himself has been to visit. I just recognized the tendency.”

He stood up and hooked the hammer on the wooden slat. “So you probably thought me running out on you like that was pretty pathetic.”

“So, you did run out on me. I looked around and you weren't there. It wasn't until Stacy came and told me the news that I thought—well, I wondered if you were okay.”

He nodded. “I'm okay. God's working with me.”

She really liked that about him. He was angry at God for not giving him the opportunity to lead Randy to the Lord. Angry at God for taking Randy before he had time to get straightened out. And yet he was waiting and letting God work on him.

“Thanks for coming to check on me.”

His quiet words washed over her like the touch of a whispery breeze. “You're welcome.” He smiled and she felt almost faint, her heart was pounding so fast.

“I'm just so pleased you agreed to do this for Stacy and Emmett.” She needed to get to a subject that wasn't attached to her emotions. Maybe that was what was wrong with her suddenly. She looked around the interior of the barn, trying not to think about how his gaze had seemed to touch something deep in the dark corner of her heart…. “This place is really old, isn't it? Am I wrong, or would this have been the same barn they used all those years ago to stable the stagecoach horses?”

“It is. We try to keep it in as good condition as possible. For over a hundred and fifty years old it still looks pretty good, don't you think?” The stable was a low-
slung building but the ceiling was steep in the center and high enough to house the stagecoaches if needed. Then the roofline sloped low on both sides where the horse stables were. It wasn't used much anymore but Chance liked it. He enjoyed the relics left from days gone by, like the old horseshoes that were nailed along the top stable board running the length of the barn.

“Are these horseshoes from back then?”

“Yes,” he said, pleased. “I wonder where those shoes have been?”

“It is a really neat thing, this history your family has here. Melody talks about it all the time.”

Melody had met Seth because she was researching Sam Bass, the famous Texas outlaw. As a history teacher she was intrigued by the ranch and its past, and Wyatt had hired her to research their whole family. She'd done a great job and in the process married Seth.

“I love the stability of your family.”

He placed his boot against the stall rung and leaned his back against the stall. “Oh, we have our share of dysfunction. No family doesn't.”

“Yes, I know. But you have to remember all that I've seen. I really cannot express to you what this means to Stacy for you to marry them. It is like a blessing from God. And being able to take her children and grandchildren to the church one day and show them where it all started—that means so much to someone like Stacy. I know I sound like a broken record. But it is true. I pray that God will give you peace about it.”

“Where are your kids?”

“They went with Lilly Wells to play with Joshua.
They just love going out there as much as they love going over to Susan's.”

“So you have the evening free?” What was he doing?

“Well, I hadn't really thought about it but, yes, I guess I do. I—”

“Would you like to ride into Ranger and have dinner with me?”

“Like a date?”

Her startled question flew back at him almost before he could register that he'd actually asked her out. Sure, he asked ladies out but not when he knew they weren't interested. But he enjoyed her company and he needed to eat.

“Um, if you want to call it that. I just need to eat.” It was a lame attempt to make it no big deal. She was looking at him with shining eyes, almost black in the filtered light of the barn. And it hit him looking at her that he really wanted her to say yes.

She stepped away from him and shook her head. “No. Thank you though. But I, I don't d—I mean, I ought to go home and catch up on my washing. And tomorrow is the play and, well, I just came out here to thank you for consenting to do Stacy's ceremony—”

“Okay, halt.” He gave the time-out sign with his hands and pushed away from the fence. “You are choosing washing over dinner?”

She shook her head. “I told you I don't date.”

He knew it so why did it suddenly irritate him? “This is to celebrate me doing the ceremony. How about that?”

“That's not really fair, you know.”

He held up his hands. “Hey, no strings attached and besides, you yourself said that God wasn't really playing fair with me and you're right. So I'd say if He can do it then I can do it.”

“That's pretty arrogant, if you ask me.”

“Yup.” What was he doing?
Enjoying her company, that's what.
“So what will it be?”

W
hat was she doing? Sure, she'd not technically agreed to make it a date. She needed to run by one of the large superstores that were open late and pick up some gold pipe-cleaners to make the angel a halo. She'd decided just last week not to put a halo on the angel, but an angel needs a halo and that was that.

In the process she did need to eat. A quick call to Lilly confirmed that she could keep the boys later than they'd planned originally. The fact that Lilly sounded too excited when she'd learned that Chance was giving Lynn a ride to the store in Ranger was to be expected. After all, everyone else would believe from appearance that it was in fact a date. When it wasn't.

Lynn stared into her closet of clothes. She'd stopped thinking about dressing up a long time ago—not that she was considering it now. But really, if there was a dressy occasion, she had nothing appropriate.

She bit her lip and tugged a red sweater from a hanger. And a pair of black pants…she'd gotten both pieces of clothing three years ago when she'd arrived at the shelter. There was a large room there with all
kinds of donated clothes. She took a deep breath to still the queasy feeling attacking her, and changed with no second-guessing. She would just have to do.

She was applying a touch of mascara when she heard the rumble of Chance's truck. He was early! Her nerves kicked up in panic and she jabbed herself in the eye with the mascara wand when she heard his truck door slam. Wet mascara smeared below her eyes in a sudden blinking fit and she stared at herself in the mirror. Grabbing a tissue, she scrubbed at her eyes.

She was in a mess. Rushing to the window she peeked through the curtain and saw him as he strode toward the front door. The man had dressed up. He was starched and ironed and spiffed up from one end of his shined-up boots to the top of his cream-colored Stetson!

And he looked good.

“Who are you trying to kid, the man looks great,” she growled as she struggled to get the black mascara off. The doorbell chimed brightly and she felt like she was going to be sick! This was a date.

She didn't date.

It had been almost eight years since she'd gone on her last date, and look how that had turned out.

“Calm down. Deep breaths,” she told herself. “Your last date wasn't so hot but you got Gavin and Jack out of the deal.” Some semblance of calm came over her. At least she wasn't going to throw up and her knees weren't about to give out on her. “You aren't marrying the man. You are going to the superstore and to dinner. Period.”

The fact that he looked gorgeous was merely a benefit of the evening.

Still, there was no denying as she went to answer the door that something about Chance Turner told her she needed to be careful. It might have been the fact that the sick feeling in her stomach had somehow turned to anticipation…. Tugging the door open she tried to appear calm. Cool. Collected.

What a joke.

All it took was that totally mischievous, slow smile and his gaze sweeping down her and back up to let her understand exactly how ridiculous it was—she was not collected, cool or calm. More like nervous, insecure, scared.

“Might I say you are looking lovely tonight,” he drawled, tilting his head slightly, his eyes teasing.

And that was all it took. She laughed, so taken by surprise. “You may say it,” she said, smiling like a fool. “I have to say I've never had that line used on me before.”

“But it's not a line.”

She pulled the door closed, feeling relaxed somewhat by his teasing. She couldn't tell him that he'd come up with the perfect way of putting a woman at ease.

 

Chance had almost panicked, he was so nervous about this date.
It's not a date,
he reminded himself. He'd repeated the phrase the entire time he was getting ready.

She agreed, too. Lynn had made every effort to convince him it was not a date.

He wasn't so sure now. It felt like a date as he'd walked up to her door. His nerves were rattled as he'd pressed the doorbell. Those nerves hadn't gone away
when she'd come to the door, and they hadn't calmed down as they drove toward Ranger.

He was taking Lynn Perry to dinner. He was extremely thankful for gold pipe-cleaners and angel halos. “You're great with the kids,” he said, after they'd exhausted all other small talk and driven a couple of miles in silence. “They seem ready for tomorrow.”

“Thank you. But I didn't do all the work. They've been practicing those songs and the Bible verses in Sunday school for weeks now. Adela and Esther Mae made the costumes while Norma Sue gave them moral sup port.”

He laughed, concentrating on keeping his eyes on the road. “I gather Norma Sue isn't a seamstress.”

“You know, she can fix a host of things—tractors, toasters, the projector if it messed up—but put a needle in her hands and she becomes all thumbs.”

“So why weren't any of them there today?”

“I think they were matchmaking. They realized you were going to be there,” she said, with a shrug. “What can I say?”

“You know, now that I think about it, I saw Norma Sue's truck pass by while I was waiting on you.” He went back to watching the road. “The sneak.”

He laughed. “Wouldn't they have a field day if they knew I was taking you to pick up supplies?”

When Chance came home for some solitude to deal with Randy's death, he hadn't anticipated being set up by the matchmakers…not that they'd been set up. Lynn being in his truck had nothing to do with anyone else but them.

Marriage and settling down wasn't something he re ally thought about. He'd assumed that one day he probably would, but he'd loved his life, loved his calling. He'd been happy.

“So what would you like to eat?” he asked, refocusing his thoughts. “Steak, Mexican, Italian?”

“Oh, I'm fine with anything.”

“Hey, it's the lady's choice tonight. What would you like?” He winked. “I know you have to have an opinion.”

She was silent and when he looked her way she was frowning.

“Lynn, it's not hard. I'd just like to take you somewhere you'd like to eat.”

“Sorry. I, well, I'd really like Italian, if that's ok ay?”

That sounded really odd to him. “Sure, if the lady likes Italian then the lady gets Italian.”

She smiled then, a sweet, somewhat sad smile that had him wondering what he'd said to cause that look.

 

Lynn's heart was doing odd things and all because Chance had genuinely wanted to take her somewhere she wanted to eat. It was nice. Touching, actually, and it made her momentarily sad to remember how her ex-husband had chosen everything. Chance acted like he knew Ranger well, drove straight to a building with an aged-looking sign and whipped into the parking lot.

“I haven't been here in a long time but if my memory serves me well—which is debatable—they have great food.” He hopped from the truck and by the time she had her seat belt off he was opening her door!

“What's wrong?” he asked as he held out his hand.

She was staring, she knew, and making all kinds of a fool out of herself, but this was too much. She'd seen several of the cowboys around town open a truck door for their girlfriends and wives and it always sent a shiver of envy through her. She'd never had that…until tonight. Chance Turner was not only generous in spirit and with his time, his smiles and his talents, he was also a gentleman. “Nothing's wrong,” she said, taking the hand he offered her. “I'm just not used to the cowboy way.”

She'd spoken as she stepped down from the truck and instead of him stepping back as she'd expected, he planted his feet and stayed put so she practically bumped into him. The man was going to cause her to pass out if he kept surprising her with this kind of behavior. Her pulse rate rocketed out of control as she looked up at him.

He was looking down at her with a quizzical expression. “I think you have been misled. This is the cowboy way but it's also a man's way. And you deserve it.”

Breathe, Lynn. Just breathe.

Her head was spinning with the crazy commotion rioting inside of her. Her pulse was out of control, her head dizzy, her stomach sick—the odd combination shouldn't feel so beautifully wonderful but it did. If her boys complained of the same symptoms she'd have said they had the flu but this was not the flu. This was thrilling.

Chance tilted his head and she knew he was about to kiss her. And she hadn't wanted anything as much, ever.

Almost involuntarily her chin lifted and her eyes closed in anticipation…even as somewhere in the back
of her mind she was reminding herself that she didn't trust any man with her heart. She didn't.

Tugging her toward him, Chance wrapped his arms around her. But instead of kissing her he placed his lips against her ear. “I'm so glad God kept you safe and brought you here. You deserve all the good things in life. I hope you truly realize that. You never deserved not to be treated like the lady you are.”

Sucking in a sharp breath, Lynn breathed in the masculine, earthy scent of Chance's cologne. Unexpected tears welled in her eyes at the sweetness of his words. All she could do was nod against his neck for fear the dam would open and she would cry. And how horrible would that be, to burst into tears!

He stepped back and gave her a cocky grin and a wink, which pulled an even more unexpected laugh of relief from her.

“Are you ready to eat?” Chance drawled, holding out his arm for her.

“That sounds lovely.” Butterflies going nuts, emotions running crazy inside of her, Lynn slipped her hand into the crook of Chance's arm. He immediately covered her hand with his and escorted her into the restaurant. She had never felt so special in all her life.

She knew he was simply being kind but still he was going out of his way to make her feel good about the evening…and she did.

He pulled her chair out for her and helped her take off her coat. He waited while she ordered first, making certain she ordered exactly what she wanted, her favorite, Chicken Alfredo. And this restaurant made the best she'd ever eaten. Of course, with all the attention Chance
was paying her it could have been scorched and five days old and she'd have thought it was the best ever.

Chance Turner seemed like the best man ever. He seemed almost too good to be true. Was he as special as he seemed? Children were good judges of character and Gavin and Jack had adored him from the first…but was it real?

She'd tried and tried not to feel drawn to Chance, but tonight she couldn't deny that she was.

The knowledge scared her to death.