A Family For Tory And A Mother For Cindy

Chapter Five

“Yes, married,” Slade said, moving toward her. He came to sit across from her, pulling his chair closer so that his knees were only inches from hers, the shock replaced with enthusiasm. “I could help you with this ranch. You could hire someone to assist you. You’ve been worried about money. With my expansion nearly completed, my company’s going to be doing well. Money won’t be a problem. We could help each other.”

Still stunned, Tory listened to his words as though she were a bystander observing the scene from above. She had a hard time getting past the word married. “But—” Nothing else came to mind.

“Don’t answer me right now. Think about it. We’re friends. We both care for Mindy. You would be a terrific mother for her. In fact, I can’t think of anyone better for that role. Mindy needs someone like you in her life on a permanent basis. This could be a good partnership.” The eagerness in his voice made his words rush together.

Marriage? Partnership? Was that a possibility? She’d given up hope of ever getting married, even though she wasn’t quite thirty. She’d given up hope of ever trusting enough to have a real marriage. Desperate, Tory grasped on to a sane rational reason not to go through with his proposal. “Marriage is a serious step. There’re so many things involved.”

Leaning forward, he clasped her hands. “I know. That’s why I don’t want you to give me an answer right away. Think about it.”

“You should, too.” The intensity in his gaze burned heat into her cheeks. “I mean we aren’t in l—” She couldn’t seem to say the word. It lumped together in her throat and refused to come out.

“We aren’t in love?” One brow quirked. “No, but we are good friends. I can tell you things I haven’t told another. I trust you one hundred percent with my daughter.”

The last sentence produced a surge of pride. For a moment she relished that feeling, but then reality took over, bringing her back to the problem at hand. “But what if you find someone later who you fall in love with and want to marry? To me, marriage is forever.”

A shadow crossed over his face, darkening his eyes as if a storm gathered in them. He pulled away and stood. “I won’t. I had that once in my life.” He paused, angled his head and asked, “But have you?”

Tension constricted her muscles until she had to force herself to relax. The drill of his gaze prodded her to answer by shaking her head. She didn’t think she could ever trust someone that completely that she could let down her guard and fall in love. To be in love was to give more of herself than she thought possible.

“Then perhaps you’ll fall in love one day and want to marry?”

She came to her feet, face-to-face with him, only a yard separating them. “No, I won’t.”

“Why not? You have so much to offer any man.”

But not you, came unbidden into her mind, and she wondered why her heart contracted with that thought. She knew she needed to say something, but what? Silence stretched between them; the only sound drifting to her was from the people talking on the television show Mindy was watching.

Slade took one step closer. “Why not, Tory? You’re a warm, generous person. You would be a perfect mother. I’ve seen you with Mindy and the other children you work with.”

She wanted to back away, but the chair was behind her. For a few seconds she felt trapped, her heart quickening its pace, her breathing becoming shallow. No, this is Slade. A friend. Mindy’s father. Someone she’d been alone with many times. She forced deep breaths into her lungs and said, “I was badly hurt once.”

“What happened?”

The question, spoken low, the words laced with compassion, focused all of Tory’s attention on the man before her. Painful memories, buried deep, threatened to swamp her. She shoved them back into the dark recesses of her mind, where she was determined they would remain. “Not important now.”

He covered the small space between them and took her hands. “I’m a good listener.”

The warm, comforting wrap of his fingers about hers attested to the man she had come to know, a man who loved his daughter so much he would marry Tory to give Mindy a mother. “I know.”

“When you’re ready, I’ll be here for you.”

His quiet statement mesmerized her. She found herself leaning closer, the scent of his lime aftershave enveloping her in a protective cocoon. He released one hand and cupped her face. She stared into the blue depths of his eyes, no longer stormy but gleaming like diamonds on water. She felt herself become lost, drawn toward his kindness. Was it possible to be more than friends? The honking sound of a flock of geese flying overhead broke Tory’s trance.

She pulled back and to the side, forcing a smile to her dry lips. “I appreciate your offer, but to me what has happened in the past is best left in the past.” When several feet separated them, Tory turned toward him.

Slade picked up the boxes of pizza. “I’d better get Mindy home. I need to call Mrs. Davies and tell her I no longer need her services.”

“Bring Mindy out here tomorrow morning. I’d love to watch her until—”

“Until you decide about my proposal?”

She nodded. “Or, you find someone to take care of Mindy.”

His gaze linked with hers. “I’ve already found someone.”

Moonlight streamed through the window in the living room and pooled on the floor near Tory’s feet. Darkness cloaking her, she stared at the circle of light as though there was an answer to Slade’s question written in it. But for hours she had fought the demons of her past and still she was no closer to an answer now than she was when she had tried to go to sleep at midnight.

Silence surrounded her. Usually she liked the quiet that reminded her she was alone. But not this evening. She wanted the silence to be filled with the laughter of children, with the voices of daughters and sons. Slade had dangled a dream in front of her—to be a mother. And she couldn’t think of a more beautiful child to be her daughter than Mindy.

Pushing herself to her feet, Tory navigated around the coffee table and headed for the kitchen. She flipped on the overhead light and brightness flooded the room, causing her to blink. She put a pot of water on to boil, then sat at the table and waited.

Should she risk marriage to Slade to fulfill her dream? She folded her hands together and bowed her head. Dear Heavenly Father, please help me make the right decision. There’s a part of me that thinks this is the right thing to do. But then my fear takes over and I don’t know what to do anymore. I care for Slade. He’s a good man. And I love Mindy like she is my own child. Please give me a sign showing me the way.

A high-pitch whistle disturbed the quiet, startling Tory. She leaped to her feet and hurried to the stove to remove the kettle. After fixing herself a cup of herbal tea, she sat again at the table, her elbows resting on its wooden top.

What to do? The second hand on the wall clock sounded—tick, tick, tick. Seconds merged into minutes and still no answer.

Nibbling at the back of her mind was the one thing that was stopping her. Being a true wife in every sense for Slade. Could she do that? They hadn’t discussed that part of a marriage, but she wasn’t naive. She knew he was a man in every sense of the word and would want more from her than she might ever be able to give.

With her eyes closed, she sipped at her tea and tried to imagine life as Slade’s wife, as Mindy’s mother. The child’s laughter, her smile, filled Tory’s mind. Mindy’s need for a mother sliced through her defenses, urging her to take the risk and deal with the consequences later. If only she could—

Slade prowled his dimly lit den, too restless even to sit. Beyond the picture window he saw that night had lightened to a dark gray. Soon dawn would color the eastern sky with oranges and pinks. Soon his daughter would be up and ready to go to Tory’s for the day, eager to spend time with the woman she had grown to love like a mother over the past few months. Soon he would see Tory again.

What would she tell him today?

That question had plagued him all night to the point he hadn’t been able to sleep. One part of him was so stunned he had asked Tory to marry him, but the other felt as though it was the answer to all his problems and the best thing for his daughter. And he would do anything for his daughter. The most important was righting what his child had gone through these past couple of years, giving her back as normal a life as possible.

He could still see the flash of red out of the corner of his eye as the truck ran the light. He could still hear the crunch of metal as the pickup plowed into the passenger’s side of his car where his wife sat. And he could still hear his daughter’s screams and his wife’s moans—the last sounds she made before slipping away. There were times when he imagined the scent of blood and gasoline still hung in the air and the wail of sirens shrieked closer.

If only—He buried his face in his hands and tried to block the images from his mind. He wanted to leave the past in the past as Tory had. But every time he looked at Mindy he was reminded that he had survived with only a few bruises and cuts while his family had suffered.

What had Mindy done to deserve this kind of punishment? What had he done? All he had ever wanted was to love and protect his family. He had failed his daughter once. He wasn’t going to again. Tory was the best thing for Mindy, and he was determined to persuade her to marry him and give his daughter the family she deserved.

Standing at the fence watching a mother and colt frolicking in the pasture left of the barn, Tory heard the sound of a car approaching on the gravel road that led to her house. She didn’t have to glance over her shoulder to know it was Mindy and Slade. She cradled the cup of tea and brought it to her lips, taking several sips of the now-lukewarm brew. Coldness cloaked her even though the temperature was quickly rising into the mid-seventies. Her eyes stung from lack of sleep, but her jittery nerves kept her moving.

A car door slammed shut, then another one. Mindy called out to her. Tory turned and leaned back against the wooden fence, waving at the little girl as she headed into the barn to see Mirabelle. Dressed in dark blue dress slacks, Slade strode toward her, tired lines marking his features. He hadn’t slept much the night before, either. Good, she thought, since his surprise proposal certainly had robbed her of any rest.

Finishing her tea, she placed the mug on the post, more brown than the white it was supposed to be. “When will you be picking Mindy up?”

“I have a late-afternoon meeting with a contractor about the additions to the plant. When I’m through with him, I’ll come straight here. It should be by six.”

“Mindy and I can have dinner ready for you.”

A smile curved his mouth. “I’d like that.” He started to say something else but stopped before the first word was out.

“I don’t have an answer, if that’s what you want to know.”

“I figured as much. Did you get any sleep last night?”

She gestured toward her face, sure the circles under her eyes were still evident. “What do you think?”

“No. Neither did I.”

“So, I should probably have an answer soon if either one of us wants to get any sleep?”

“Yep, that about sums it up.”

His crooked grin melted any defenses she had automatically erected. She pushed away from the post and rolled her shoulders. “I’m not as young as I used to be. There was a time I could stay up all night and keep going strong the next day. That’s not the case anymore. I’m hoping Mindy will want to take a nap later this afternoon.”

“Since she was up bright and early this morning, I’d say she probably will. She was so excited to be coming out here and not having to stay with Mrs. Davies.”

“I’m glad.” She started past Slade, making her way toward the barn. “Why don’t you let her spend the night? Bring some clothes for her this evening, and when she goes to sleep, you and I can have a talk.” She hadn’t realized until the words were out of her mouth that she would give Slade an answer that evening. But she would. Now she just had to figure out what that answer would be.

“Then I’ll swing by the house and pick up some of Mindy’s clothes.” Slade stopped at his car and opened the door, throwing Tory a heart-stopping look.

From the entrance into the barn Tory watched Mindy’s father drive away, her time running out. Twelve hours to go.

“Tor-ee, can—I ride?”

She turned toward the little girl standing in the middle of the barn. “Sure, just as soon as I finish mucking out two stalls.”

“I’ll—help.”

“I was counting on that.” Tory approached Mindy and clasped her on the shoulder.

The little girl threw her arms around Tory’s waist. “I’m—so glad—no—Mrs. Davies. Thank—you.”

“You’re welcome.” Tory leaned back, staring down at Mindy. This child was the reason the answer wasn’t a simple no.

“I’m—a good—uh—helper.” Mindy puffed out her chest. “You—need—help.”

“I tell you what. I need to feed the cat and her kittens. Can you do that for me while I take care of the last two stalls?”

“Sure.” Mindy’s blue eyes gleamed, big and round.

“You know where their food is?”

The girl nodded.

“I’ll come get you then when I’m through.”

Mindy started for the tack room while Tory hurried toward the last stall on the left. Twenty minutes later, her muscles shaking with fatigue, Tory went in search of Mindy. She heard the child before she saw her. Mindy was outside the back entrance, talking to the kittens.

She held one in her lap, stroking it and saying, “Maybe—I’ll—get to—stay—here. I see—you—every—day. Wouldn’t—that be—nice?” The child buried her face in the kitten’s fur, rubbing it back and forth across her cheek. “Tor-ee—needs—me.”

Tory’s throat jammed with emotions of love. She did need Mindy. More than she realized. Tory closed her eyes for a few seconds. Thank you, Lord, for showing me the answer.

Swallowing several times, Tory stepped from the shadows into the light. “Are you ready to ride, Mindy?”

Dusk blanketed the farm, cooling the air slightly. The dark clouds to the south hinted at a chance of rain. Crickets trilled and frogs croaked. Tory brushed a stray strand of hair, fallen from her ponytail, behind her ear. Taking a deep breath, she relished the scents of grass and earth that mingled with the fragrance of the honeysuckle she’d planted along the fence to the west.

She needed to paint the fences, the barn and the house. Each year more of the white flaked off and yet she neither had the time nor the money to do that. There weren’t enough hours in the day.

The screen door banged closed behind her. The sound of even footsteps approached her. She remained by the porch railing, her fingers grasping it a little tighter.

“I finally got Mindy to go to sleep. All she wanted to talk about was the kittens and Belle. She told me when she grows up she wants to work with animals like you, Tory.” Next to her Slade settled himself back against the railing, his arms folded over his chest, and faced her. “See what kind of influence you have on Mindy?”

She looked away from the intensity in his gaze, warmed by his compliment and a bit afraid she could never live up to what Mindy needed. “It’s going to rain tonight. How is Mindy in a thunderstorm?”

“Fine. Unless the thunder gets too loud.”

“I love rain. A good storm cleanses the earth.”

“So long as it doesn’t set in for days at a time.”

Tory turned away from the yard and half sat, half leaned on the railing next to Slade, their arms almost touching. “Rain is important to a farmer.”

“How long are we going to discuss the weather before we talk about what I asked you last night?”

She slanted a look toward him, her head cocked. “Impatient?”

“Yes, I was patient all the way through that delicious dinner. How did you know I love pot roast?”

“Mindy mentioned it to me.”

“I guess I’m a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy.”

She suspected he was as nervous as she was about their impending discussion. “Also, according to your daughter, a dessert kind of guy, too.”

“Is that why we had blackberry cobbler?”

“Yes.”

“Did you and Mindy make that today?”

“Yes, but the ice cream was store-bought. I only have so much time to cook.”

“But you enjoy cooking?”

“Yes. I wish I had more time to do that.”

“Which brings me to why I am here. I can give you more time to do those kinds of things. Will you marry me, Tory Alexander?”

The question hovered between them, its implication vibrating the air as though a hundred hummingbird wings beat against each other. She took a deep, fortifying breath and opened her mouth to reply. No words would come out. They lodged in her throat. Swallowing several times, she tried again. “First, we should talk about—” Still she couldn’t say what she needed to.

“About what?”

The mere thought flamed her cheeks. She palmed them, feeling the searing heat. “What kind of marriage will we have?”

A dawning light shone in his eyes. “Do you mean, will we have a real marriage in every sense of the word?”

Her heart paused in its frantic beating, then resumed its crash against her chest. Its thundering roar in her ears drowned out all other sounds. Perspiration beaded on her forehead. “Yes,” she finally said in a voice stronger than she thought possible.

He shifted so he fully faced her. “I hope so, but, Tory, you will call the shots. It will be up to you.”

She veiled her expression. She could accept those terms, but could he? What if she couldn’t ever take that step? What if—

No, she would deal with it one day at a time. The Lord would show her the way. She lifted her gaze to his. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Tory stood back from the one-story farmhouse and surveyed the freshly painted wood. White with hunter-green trim gleamed in the sunlight, rejuvenating the old structure. Even the swing and wicker furniture on the porch had been painted to match the trim. Turning toward the horse barn, she watched the three painters putting the finishing touches to its hunter-green trim. Then the fences would be painted white. Satisfaction and pride welled up in her.

Eight days ago she had accepted Slade’s proposal and the next day he’d had painters out here to discuss painting whatever needed to be done. The following day they’d started and had been working nonstop since then. Slade wanted the work done by the time of their wedding in four days. It would be close.

A blue Honda, at least ten years old, pulled into the drive leading to the house. She waited by the gravel road while the man parked and climbed from his vehicle. Approaching him, she extended her hand. “You must be Gus Morris.”

The older man with a full head of white hair pumped her arm. “Yes, ma’am. I sure am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Let’s talk while I show you the operation.” Tory started for the barn.

Gus, who was no more than two inches taller than Tory, fell into step next to her. “It looks like you’re sprucing up the place.”

“Yes.” Tory gestured for Gus to enter the barn first. “I have fifteen horses—five of them mine and one pony. I offer classes, usually in the afternoon. The people who stable their horses here come out and ride, some more than others. I make sure the horses are fed and taken care of each day.” Tory paused in the middle of the barn. “Also, I keep the stalls clean and keep an eye on the various horses. I’ll inform the owner if a problem is developing. As you saw, I have several riding rings and also paddocks and trails for people to use.”

“What will my duties be?”

“Cleaning out the stalls, feeding and watering the horses, keeping the tack in good shape. You’ll be assisting me with whatever needs to be done.”

“Hours?”

“From six in the morning until three in the afternoon. You’ll have an hour off for lunch.”

The short man grinned, his brown eyes twinkling. “As I told you over the phone, I miss my ranch. I miss working with horses. My kids wanted me to move here, but they neglected to give me anything to do. I found retirement isn’t for me.”

“Do you think you can manage the duties?” Tory took in Gus’s wiry frame.

“Been doing that kind of stuff all my life. Don’t you worry about me. I am all muscles, no fat. I’m in good health and driving my daughter bananas. She’s actually the one who saw the advertisement in the paper and showed it to me.”