Finally Home (4 page)

He playfully tugged on her blond ponytail. “I didn’t mean to cause you worry, Mandy girl. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

She could sense he was just pacifying her. “I just don’t understand him, Thomas. I didn’t when I was little and I don’t thirteen years later either!”

“
I think you understand Noah’s wild spirit better than you think,” he chuckled, rubbing his gloved hands together. “It’s a bit nippy,

so I’m gonna hurry and get that fence fixed. Why don’t you come down to the ranch for Thanksgiving on Thursday? Unless you already have plans.”

“
I did have plans with my mom but she canceled on me.”

“
How’s Donna doing these days?”

“
Same old mom,” Amanda responded flatly.

“
How about your dad? Have you heard from him lately?”

She thought of her father, who she hadn’t seen since her parents divorced when she was eight. “He called me a couple of times in Chicago but that’s been about five or six years ago.”

“
You know I’ve always thought of you as family, Mandy. And Barbara did, too,” he nodded, remembering his beautiful wife for a moment. “So I hope you will think of this ranch as your home.”

She laughed softly, pulling her sweatshirt sleeves over her hands to protect them from the chilly breezes wafting through the porch.

“
I already do, Thomas. I’ve felt at home here ever since I first visited the ranch when I was a kid. Thanks for being so kind.”

“
Ok, enough of this mushy talk!” he tweaked her red nose between his fingers. “I’ll see you at the Thanksgiving table! And be prepared for some non-traditional grub. Maria has been experimenting lately!”

She giggled cheerfully, closing the door after he left. But as soon as she was alone, her mind helplessly drifted to Noah. She wondered if he had left for good this time.

********

Amanda was pleased to see the sun peeking out from behind a mass of clouds when she stepped from her truck. According to the local news station, the next couple of days would be a little warmer in Sage. Which was absolutely fine with her! The warmer, the better.

She thought she had left behind those bitter winds in Chicago. But just her luck, they followed her to Texas.

She locked the old red truck that used to be her grandfather’s. Grinning, she remembered what he said when he gave it to her before leaving for Florida. “It may not be pretty to look at but it’ll carry you to the moon and back!” And he must be right, Amanda thought, because it was twenty-five years old and still running.

Focusing her eyes on the old-fashioned general store ahead, she read the new sign in the front window. “Now selling custom made West Furniture.” She hadn’t seen it last week when she stopped by to purchase groceries. If the furniture was decent, maybe she could find a rocking chair for her front porch. She wondered who the manufacturer of West Furniture was.

After entering the crowded store, Amanda was stunned when she received her answer mighty quickly. The floor creaked beneath her boots as she walked toward a corner of the store. “Noah?” she whispered in surprise.

“
Hey, Amanda, what are you doing here?”

The knuckles of her hands were white from clenching the straps of her small black purse. “I should be asking you the same thing.”

He didn’t answer. But he didn’t have to. She already knew. “So you’re the talent behind West Furniture,” she glanced at the plump older man standing patiently beside Noah.

He was holding a check in his hands. “Yes, Detective,” Noah placed his hand on the high oak end table behind him and rubbed the smooth surface. “You solved the mystery,” he patted the back of the smiling man beside him. “But this old man owns the evidence now.”

The man tossed the check to Noah and turned to Amanda. “I’m Horace Randall, owner of Randall’s General Store,” he chuckled.

“
Nice to meet you. I’m Amanda Brookfield.” After shaking his hand, she tapped her foot and glared at Noah. “And pardon me, but I’m still in shock.”

Horace winked at her. “You’re not alone. I was in shock myself when he approached me about selling his furniture. I’ve known him since he was a boy but never knew he had this talent,” he pointed his finger at Noah.

“
You are a sly fellow. Not only about the furniture, but also about your girlfriend. It would be wise of you to bring her into town more instead of keeping her a secret! Now, I have some things to attend to. See you kids later.”

Amanda opened her mouth to speak but only stammered. “Does he t-think we’re dating?” She asked softly.

Noah shrugged and leaned toward her. “Is that such a bad thing to think?”

Her face blushed as he kissed her cheek. “No, it’s not a bad thing. But it’s not true,” she crossed her arms and moved a few steps away from him. “Now tell me all about this furniture.”

“
Amanda, it’s not much to tell,” he answered casually. “It’s something I love to do.”

“
Is it just a hobby, or have you made it into a business? And why do you seem so secretive about it?” she questioned.

“
Look, it’s not a secret, Amanda. It’s been a hobby of mine since I graduated college. I’ve just developed it into a small business the last couple of years,” he pulled her to him gently. “But you can’t say anything to my father about this.”

The sudden frown on her face displayed her bewilderment. “Why in the world not? You’re father doesn’t know about this? It’s something he would be proud of. And by the way, he’s worried sick because you haven’t been home for a couple of days.”

“
I’ll be at Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. And for your information, I’ve been gone because I had to finish Horace’s order before Thanksgiving. I’ve been working day and night the last three days. Good thing I found a building for lease down the street from the general store. It’s turned into a terrific workshop.”

She was so close to him, she felt the roughness of his light beard when her forehead brushed against his jaw. “I was worried about you, too.”

He barely heard her faint admission. “Oh, you were?” His fingers found their way into her hair, touching the soft curls. “I’m surprised to hear that. I thought you’d decided I was a scoundrel and didn’t want to see me ever again.”

Her skin tingled as he touched the nape of her neck. Desperately, she tried to fight the weakness claiming her whole body.

Thank goodness someone interrupted her muddled thoughts and made her instantly aware of her surroundings again. She forced herself away from Noah and turned from him when a woman approached.

“
Mr. West, I’m going to buy two of your rocking chairs over there,” the woman scratched her fluffy red hair and pointed to the front of the general store where two large rocking chairs were displayed. “But I would really like it if you could make me a swing, too. I didn’t see any here in the store.”

Noah swished fingers through his dark hair. He glanced at Amanda and then flashed the petite red-head a charming smile.

“
I would love to make you a swing, ma’am. If you don’t mind, please go over to the front counter where Mr. Randall is and I will join you there to take your order in just a while.”

She batted her lashes and left with a giggle.

Amanda felt composed enough to punch Noah lightly in the shoulder.

“
Ow! What was that for?” he rubbed his arm in false pain.

“
For being such a flirt,” she teased. “You had that woman drooling all over you.”

“
Hey, I’m just being myself,” he shook his head, staring at her coyly.

“
Ok, whatever you say,” she humored him. “You can stand here being yourself but I need to find a pie for tomorrow night’s dinner.”

“
I’m curious,” Noah called after her before she left his sight.

“
About what?” she asked.

“
How did you find out about my absence from the ranch?”

She cleared her throat. Should she lie, or tell the truth about Thomas knocking at her door and wanting to know if Noah was with her?

“
Umm, when your father came to fix the fence in front of my house, he caught me outside on the front porch and invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. I said yes and asked if you would be there since you had already invited me to dinner last week. That’s when your father told me you had been missing for a couple of days,” she knew she was rambling but hoped Noah believed her.

“
So, of course he stressed to me that he was worried and didn’t know if you’d be back--”

“
Ok, ok, sorry I asked. I didn’t want the book-length version,” he held his palms to her and waved them rapidly.

“
Ah, but if you don’t mind, I would like the book-length version of your journey into the furniture business and why your father is being left in the dark about your talent.”

Noah’s playful attitude vanished quicker than it had appeared just a few moments ago. “Amanda, my father is not in the dark. He knows about my furniture, and doesn’t like it. That’s why you can’t say anything about it.” He pivoted on his heel and headed toward the lady waiting for him at the counter.

Dazed, Amanda watched Noah march away to help his customer. She could make no sense out of him! Here he was, a talented furniture maker, and he wanted to keep it a secret. Especially from his father. How much sense did that make? She thought for a moment, chewing her lip. Then again, how much sense did it make that she was attracted to Noah and wanted to keep that a secret? Closing her eyes, she sighed to herself and made her way to the bakery section of Randall’s General Store.

Gradually, her gloomy mood changed into a sunnier outlook when she located the bakery. The smell of delicious baked pies lingered in the air along with freshly baked breads and cookies. Should she get the traditional pumpkin or maybe buy a sweet pecan pie?

“
What do you think I’m going to do?” the scratchy voice of a man interrupted Amanda’s decision making.

She looked to her left and found a very tall man in a brown trench coat and cowboy hat beside her. He was talking to another man who was jotting down notes in a black binder. “Mr. Ellinger, I think it might be a risk to consider waiting much longer.”

Amanda stiffened instantly. Mr. Ellinger? Wasn’t that the gentleman who wanted to buy Moonlight Ranch?

“
Mr. Sargent, sometimes I wonder why I’ve kept you as my financial advisor for so long. It is not a risk if I eventually get what I want!”

“
But Moonlight Ranch is still not for sale after all the years you’ve been waiting to acquire it. And the other ranch in San Antonio is. I think the risk of losing the available ranch is too great.”

Mr. Ellinger seized two loaves of bread and motioned for his companion to follow him as he walked away.

“
I’ve waited this long for Moonlight Ranch, Mr. Sargent. I can wait a little while longer. I have to have it! Besides, I can be very cunning when the need calls for it.”

Amanda shivered after the two men left. She wondered if Noah was still in touch with Mr. Ellinger, giving him updates on how Thomas was coming along...and if he was caving in. It made her queasy to even think about Noah’s involvement with a snake like Mr. Ellinger. But what could she do?

She picked up a pumpkin pie and then hesitated, tapping her fingers against the tin dish. Maybe she could talk with Noah tomorrow night after Thanksgiving dinner. Hopefully he had enough time to think about his insane idea to sell the ranch and would listen to her this time!

CHAPTER ~ THREE

“
I think I’m gonna bust!” Thomas chuckled, rubbing his stomach. He pushed his empty plate away and began to stir some sugar into his coffee. His eyes crinkled in the corners when he looked at Amanda. “Thanks for bringing dessert. You must have had a premonition about Maria’s apple pie.”

She placed her napkin on the table and lowered her voice. “I still don’t understand how she could have sat in it, Thomas.”

He held back a snicker. “I think she just forgot that she had placed it on a stool in the kitchen to cool...and the rest is history.”

She covered her mouth with her hands to stifle a giggle.

Noah sat quietly listening to their conversation, until the laughter started. He couldn’t help but join in.

Amanda inhaled deeply, trying to get her breath back from giggling so hard. She wiped the tears from her cheeks, and glanced at Noah, who immediately let out a chain of rippling chuckles. “We better calm down before Maria comes in here and swats all of our heads.”

Thomas started to say something but began coughing instead. Hunching over, his breathing became labored. Noah rushed to his side and helped him from his chair. “Dad, why don’t I take you upstairs to your room so you can rest for a while?”

“
I’m fine, I’m fine. The laughing just brought on a cough. That’s all it is,” he gasped and began coughing again. After a while, he stopped resisting and allowed Noah to guide him from the dining room.

Amanda wanted to follow them but Noah shook his head. So, she stayed behind, her mind spinning with anxious thoughts. Worrying about Thomas. She jumped from her chair when Noah reappeared.

His brows were drawn together with concern. Placing a hand on hers, he looked into her deep blue eyes. “He’s not well.”