A Texas Legacy Christmas (7 page)

“I think I’m a lucky man. But I have so much to learn. They gave me a jolt today, and I didn’t know whether to warm their behinds or hold them tight.”

“You’ll figure it all out.”

“I hope so. They’re six, but their lives up to this point haven’t been good. And there’s so much to do at the newspaper. At least the two are in school during working hours, and my sister and brother volunteered to bring them to the office in the afternoons. Excuse me, I’m complaining like an old man.”

“I’ll help in any way I can.”

“I believe Mr. Barton has you pretty busy.”

“My Sundays are free.” Should she have been so bold?

He glanced down at his hands, then up at her face. “Would you like to help me with the twins this Sunday? I need to take them to church. I might need to lasso them into a pew.”

She started to say that people would talk if she joined them. But if God had decided to answer her dreams by blessing her with Zack and the twins for a Sunday morning, well—“I’d be glad to.”

Sunday morning, Zack held the hand of a twin on each side of him, and Chloe walked alongside Curly on the road toward Piney Woods Church. Chloe reminded him of a freshly picked rose—perfect. He could get lost in those enormous dark brown eyes. And her hair reminded him of black silk draping down her back. It would be hard to keep his attention on the service today. He recalled how Elizabeth always wore stylish clothes and had her hair fixed all over her head in curls, but she paled in comparison to Chloe. Hadn’t he convinced himself that he had no time for a woman? Mercy. His resolve must be sitting on the sidewalk in New York—right where he’d fallen.

Chloe gathered Curly’s other hand into hers. Good. At least he couldn’t pick his nose. Heaven forbid what might come from the twins’ mouths this morning. But they did look very civilized with cheeks like polished apples and dressed like preacher’s kids—or rather, grandkids.

“This church will be strange without sisters and a priest,” Curly said.

“Oh, I think you’ll get used to it. Remember, Grandpa is the preacher. And Grandma will be your Sunday school teacher.”

The twins were silent—a rarity unless they were nervous about new surroundings. A little over a week with them had taught him that much.

“You will have fun and learn about Jesus.” Zack glanced over at Chloe in hopes she could add a word or two to ease the twins’ uneasiness.

“We don’t like school,” Curly said. “Do we, Charlie?”

The little girl shook her red curls. “We want to go to the newspaper office with you.”

“Why?” This was the first Zack had heard about their discontent with school.

“The kids say we talk funny,” Curly said. “And they laugh.”

Zack swallowed his amusement. “You and Charlie come from a different part of the country.”

“But I want to sound like them. Say y’all and fixin’.”

This time he laughed aloud. “Oh, you will once you’ve lived here awhile.”

“Hope so. I’m tired of them sayin’ we talk too fast. And I don’t like it when they call us Irish stew. I like it when Grandpa calls us that, but not the kids at school.”

“Pretend it doesn’t bother you,” Chloe said. “When I was a little girl, the children used to tease me too.”

Charlie peeked around Zack to see the lovely young woman beside him. “Why, Miss Chloe?”

“Because I didn’t look like them.”

Zack smiled at her. She knew exactly what to say.

He studied Piney Woods Church. Many memories lived within those walls. As always, it glistened with the newest coat of paint. The stained-glass windows were intact, a gift to the church from his uncle Morgan and uncle Grant some years before. The church members never found out who had financed them, but Zack had overheard the conversation with his dad. Dad said the hymnals had recently been replaced, and he was proud of them. To the left of the church stood the old parsonage. It too sparkled with a new coat of paint. The church had sold it to one of the deacons under the condition that it would always be kept up. This was the church where his parents had been married and his father had been buried. This was also where Mama and Dad had married and where his grandparents’ funerals had been held. Life and death. All a part of each person’s journey to eternity. To Zack, this church represented all those things that had molded him into a man and set him on the right road.

Once inside, folks nodded and welcomed him and the twins. Zack held his breath each time someone spoke to them, but the children remembered their manners. He introduced Curly and Charlie to so many people that he began to wonder if he’d remember everyone who had met his children.

“Mornin’, Miss Chloe,” many said. “Good to see you helping Zack.”

She responded to each of them graciously. As soon as Mama spied them, she snatched up the twins for her class. Poor Mama. Hopefully, she could keep the two in their seats. Zack and Chloe sat together for Sunday school, but he was so worried about the twins’ behavior that he only half listened. Next week he’d do better. He suddenly remembered family devotions and memorizing scripture. Another thing to add to his list of fatherhood responsibilities.

When his cousin Rebecca started playing the piano as a sign that church was ready to begin, he gathered up his charges, who still looked fairly presentable. For a moment he counted the family members who had not met Curly and Charlie. The upcoming holidays would take care of that. He glanced down the aisle to where his dad stood ready to start the service. The front pew was full with Mama, Lydia Anne, Stuart, and friends, so he took the pew behind them.

“Did you like your lesson?” Zack said to Charlie.

“Grandma told us a story about a giant, a bad man.”

He kissed her forehead. “Wonderful. What happened to him?”

“A boy killed him with a slingshot ’cause God said so.”

Zack smiled. “Wonderful. We’ll talk later.”

Chloe had pulled Curly onto her lap, so he did the same with Charlie. Now didn’t they look like the perfect family? His thoughts collided inside his mind. What in the world was he thinking? Women were bad news—like a story that didn’t make the front page. And he wasn’t the least bit interested in Chloe.

Midway through the sermon, Charlie whispered that she needed to go to the outhouse. Great. He’d have to take her outside in front of all these people. He lifted her up into his arms and excused himself as he stepped by Chloe.

“Where are you going?” Curly’s words were much too loud.

“Hush, Curly,” Charlie said. “You’re in church, even if there aren’t any sisters or a priest.”

“But why are you leaving?”

“We’re going to the outhouse.”

A snicker rose in the crowd. Zack wanted to sink through the floor. His face grew warm. Not knowing what to say to either twin, he looked to Chloe for help.

“It’s all right,” she whispered. “They’re just children.”

He didn’t feel any better as he hurried down the aisle to the back door and attempted to ignore the amused congregation. Once church ended, Mama cornered him.

“Zack, why don’t you, Chloe, and my precious grandchildren come on out to the ranch? Juanita and I will have fried chicken ready in no time at all.”

It did sound good, and the twins had talked about all the fun they’d had at the ranch—except for the bull pen. He swung his attention to Chloe. “Would you join us?”

She hesitated. “Of course. I’d love to.”

“Ride with us home.” Mama teetered on her heels as though she couldn’t contain her excitement. But over what?

He glanced at the twins and then to Chloe. His normal mode of things was to exclude women. Seemed like a man had to have his senses intact and hide his wallet when it came to the female gender. He and Chloe were simply old friends. Right? Had he been taken in by a pretty face and forgotten his wariness because of the twins?

I’m in serious trouble.

*****

“I think Zack will be set nicely with plenty of clothes for the twins.” Chloe held up a yellow and green dress with a huge green bow. “Won’t Charlie look precious in this?”

“I’m simply glad Lydia Anne and Stuart’s clothes can go to someone who can use them.” Mrs. Whitworth stacked another shirt for Curly on the bed. She walked to the window and covered her mouth, but a laugh burst through. “Oh, Chloe, come look at what the twins are doing.”

Chloe stood beside the petite woman and watched the scene unfold. Stuart held the reins of a pretty nut-colored pony for the twins, who happened to be perched atop it. Brother Whitworth stood on one side of the pony, and Zack stood on the other. Each man balanced a twin.

“Oh my.” Mrs. Whitworth planted her hands on her hips. “Do you suppose the twins have ever ridden a pony before?”

“Possibly not in the city.”

Mrs. Whitworth studied her, and Chloe’s heart sped to a gallop. “Have you and Zack been writing to each other?”

“No, ma’am.” She continued to focus on the pony ride. Neither twin looked to be excited about the new adventure.

“So the night he arrived at the boardinghouse was the first time you’d seen him since last Christmas?”

“Before that.”

“He certainly appears comfortable with you.”

How was she supposed to respond? “I think he’s comfortable with me helping him with the twins.”

Mrs. Whitworth smiled sweetly. “We’ll see.”

The remainder of the afternoon floated by Chloe like a dream. She’d never been to the Whitworth ranch before. The huge house with its winding porch and gabled roof was filled with warmth and laughter, but more importantly, she’d never been around so much love. She tucked the memory of the day away to pull out when the weariness of life attempted to overtake her.

That evening, Brother Whitworth drove them back to town with his family. The twins were tired and really did quite well during church. After the services, Chloe thanked Brother and Mrs. Whitworth for the wonderful day and walked back to the boardinghouse with Zack and the twins.

“You must be exhausted,” Zack said. “I didn’t mean to take up your entire day.”

“I enjoyed myself.”

“I did, too. Is Sunday your only day off?”

“Ah, yes. But I couldn’t have spent a finer one.”

He chuckled. “I need to get these two into bed, or they’ll fall asleep in school tomorrow.”

“Would you like for me to help you?”

“I can’t impose on you any longer.” He sighed. “I realized something today.”

“What’s that?”

“They call me Zack. My first name doesn’t sound right, but what should they call me?”

“Why not ask them?”

He smiled and tugged on each little hand firmly clasped in his. “Curly, Charlie, what do you want to call me?”

“Is something wrong with Zack?” Curly said.

“Yes, there is. I’m going to legally be your father when the adoption is completed. So do you want to call me Dad or Papa?”

“I like Papa.” Charlie touched her finger to her chin.

“I called my father Papa before he died.”

She nodded and appeared to consider the matter. “I like Poppy.”

“Poppy?” He glanced at Chloe.

“Very nice,” she said.

“Curly, is Poppy all right with you?”

“Sure. If you’re our poppy, then is Miss Chloe our mommy?”

Chloe wanted to disappear into the dust that her heavenly Father had used to create her. Now she understood Zack’s humiliation this morning in church with the twins’ outburst. Heat rose in her face.

“I think it’s just the three of us.” Zack said.

Curly’s little shoulders lifted and fell. “But someday you’ll get us a mommy?”

“We’ll let God take care of that. Oh, look, here we are at the boardinghouse.”

Once inside, Zack led the children up the stairs.

“Would you like for me to make them a sandwich before they go to bed?”

He turned and smiled. “Why is it you think of everything?”

“I think it’s part of my job. What about a cup of coffee for you?”

“Only if you’ll share one with me—in the hall.”

She hoped her smile didn’t give away the anticipation of having a few more minutes with Zack. “I think that can be arranged. I’ll return shortly with the twins’ sandwich.”

“What do you say to Miss Chloe?”

Two very tired children mumbled a thank you. They had won her heart for sure. Their poppy had won it many years ago.

*****

Zack picked up the two plates and balanced two glasses on the top. The twins had eaten little but had drunk their milk. Now as they slept, he stole through the shadows to the door. The nutty aroma of coffee filled his senses, yet he preferred the company of Chloe to the finest coffee in the world. Life sure had changed.

She sat in the hallway with her knees drawn to her chest and her blue flowered dress draping about her. Natural beauty. Two steaming mugs of coffee and a sandwich rested on the floor.

“Is that a sandwich for me or us?” He eased down beside her.

“You. I’m not hungry.”

“Thanks.” He chuckled. “You remembered I like my coffee black.” He swung his attention toward her. “The little girl has grown into a beautiful woman.”

Her cheeks tinted pink. “I hardly know what to say.”

“Nothing to say. It’s a fact.” He picked up the sandwich. “Sure you don’t want half?”

She laughed. “Those days are over.”

“Praise God that you have grown up so . . . nicely.” He took a bite of the sandwich filled with roast beef. “This is really good.”

“I’ll pass on your compliments to Simeon. What’s on your schedule for this week?” Her soft voice gave him a tingling sensation clear to his toes.

“Get a few issues of the paper out to the community. I want to publish a daily paper soon. Talk to the various business owners about advertising. Visit a few of the smaller towns about incorporating their news into the
Frontier Press
. And take care of my twins.”

“Your mother is so proud of you.”

He lifted the mug of coffee to his lips. “She’d be proud of me if I worked at the livery cleaning out stalls.”

They laughed, but that was easy with Chloe. He’d never felt this relaxed with Elizabeth.

“What are you doing this week?” he said.

She tilted her head. “Working here. Stealing a moment to hug a couple of curly-headed twins when they come for breakfast and dinner.”

“Do you have any idea how good it felt tonight when those two said, ‘G’night, Poppy’?”

“Must have been special.”

“Whenever they say something that is so cute or dear to me, I tell myself to remember it when they misbehave.” Then he recalled Charlie’s request for a mommy. Should he apologize to Chloe?

“You’ll be fine, and they will too.”

“They did make it through a week without getting into trouble at school.”

She raised a brow. “Their first week of school was three days.”

“Actually, it was two and a half.”

They laughed again and finished their coffee. He’d laughed more this week than in a long time. Curly and Charlie weren’t the only blessings in his life. Another C had suddenly made him a very happy man.

Giggling from inside the room snapped him to attention.

“You hit me.”

“You hit me first.”

“That’s ’cause you kicked me.”