Promise me tomorrow (38 page)

For all the scowls being sent his way, Chase could only smile. She was marvelous when she was fierce.

"What was I supposed to do?"

"Ask him if he was ready to give up. That way I can come out, and he doesn't have to know where I hid. Then I can use this place again."

"That wouldnt have worked."

"Yes, it would," she insisted. "Next time I wouldn't make a sound. You wouldn't even know that I was here."

The look he sent her caused her to lower her eyes.

"Don't you think Aunt Rusty is pretty, Quintin?" he asked his son.

Quintin smiled at Rusty.

"He's being silly, isn't he?" Rusty asked Quintin in order to cover her embarrassment. She wouldn't look at Chase but felt him reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Mmm, very pretty indeed."

Rusty still wouldnt look at him, and Quintin, thinking this a great game, just laughed. Rusty fixed the hair over her ear, but Chase pushed it back again and caught her hand.

"Quintin?" Mrs. Whitley's voice carried into the drawing room; she was clearly looking for him.

"You'd better go see what she wants," his father told him.

Chase looked back to Rusty when the small McCandles went on his way. He stared at her a moment and then stood to his feet. When Rusty crawled from beneath the desk, he gave her a hand up. He propped himself on the edge of the desk and waited for her to push the hair from her face before speaking.

"This is going to be a challenge."

"What's that?"

"Courting you. I didn't court my first wife at all, and now I'm trying to get to know you while having to share you with my five-year-old son."

Rusty could only stare at him.

"Not to mention the fact that you cant go on living here."

This was news to Rusty, so she didn't respond.

"Unless, of course," Chase said, only half-kidding, "we were married this weekend. Then you could live here."

Rusty decided to go with the wry humor she heard in his voice. Her chin went into the air as she teased back.

"I'm not certain that I can marry a man who tells my opponent where I'm hiding. Where I grew up that was a pretty serious offense."

"I was way off when I asked Quintin if you were pretty," Chase returned seriously. "Pretty doesn't come close to describing how lovely you are."

Rusty's heart swelled. She had worried about what he thought of her. The admiration she saw in his eyes went a long way in her heart.

"Have dinner with me tonight," Chase said suddenly.

Rusty blinked. They had dinner together almost every night.

"In town. Just the two of us."

Rusty felt a rush of excitement go through her but still said, "Quintin."

"Something tells me Mrs. Whitley or my mother would be thrilled to take care of him."

"All right. Shall I check with them?"

"I'll take care of it. You just be ready to leave at 6:30, and wear that lavender dress with the purple trim."

Rusty's mouth opened.

"What did I say?"

"I don't know." He had flabbergasted her. "I just didn't think you noticed anything about me, and now in one morning you say I'm pretty and that I am to wear a certain dress."

Chase laughed—not at Rusty—but at himself. He
had
done a good job of keeping his feelings to himself. The truth was that he noticed everything about her.

"Why is that funny?" She sounded so uncertain that Chase sobered in a moment.

"It's not, Katherine, not really. I was laughing at myself, not you." He looked at her for a moment. "Did you honestly think I didn't find you attractive?"

Rusty bit her lip.

"Tell me, Katherine," he urged softly.

She couldn't look at him but still managed to say, "It's just little remarks about my curly hair having a mind of its own, or my nose being burned because I forgot my bonnet. You say things like that, and I just assume they're distasteful to you."

"Katherine," he said and waited for him to look at her. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

She nodded, but he wasn't certain she was persuaded. He was sure she was not reassured when she said only, "I'd better get back to work. Are Mr. and Mrs. Capland around today?"

"As far as I know," he said slowly. He was going to have to let the other subject drop and take time to show how very lovely he found her; telling her wasn't enough. "My mother and Cap plan to leave Saturday to spend some time in the mountains. They might come back here on their way home."

Rusty nodded. "I'm glad I was able to meet them."

"They're quite taken with you."

This was good news to Rusty, but she didn't stay or ask what they had said. Mrs. Whitley had asked Quintin to put his puzzle away so she could mend the rug in his room. Rusty found him there still gathering all the pieces. She knelt down to help him but could feel how distracted she was. Tonight she was going out with Chase. Tonight they could talk and be alone. The day was sure to last forever.

"How's this?" Chase asked of Rusty as he waited for her to slip into the booth.

"Fine. Thank you."

Rusty had half-expected something to prevent them from going out, but it didn't happen. Quintin was with his grandmother, and she was out with Chase McCandles—just the two of them—with the whole evening waiting to be explored.

"How hungry are you?"

"Not very," Rusty had to admit. She had not eaten since lunch, but her stomach felt jittery and nervous. What if he learned that she was not the woman he wanted after all? Rustys eyes left her menu to study the man across the table. His gaze was still on the food list, but she stared at him so long that he finally looked up.

"Did you decide?"

No.

Chase put his menu down. "What is it, Katherine?"

"We don't know each other very well, do we?"

Chase was well able to understand her hesitancy and said, "And you're naturally wondering what type of man has asked you to be his wife."

"No, I'm wondering if you'll want me after you get to know me. "

Chase looked at her for a moment. This conversation was somehow familiar. At last he remembered.

"If I could give you any advice right now, it would be for you to take care of yourself and not me. Do you remember when I asked you to come work with Quintin?"

"Of course."

"I don't remember your asking me any questions. You were more worried about my response to you. You can't do that this time, Katherine. You've got to make sure that I'm the man with whom you can spend the rest of your life. Does that make sense?"

"Yes. I'm still just getting used to the whole idea."

'Then don't let me rush you. I might be tempted to do that since I'm a little further along in my feelings, but just tell me, and I'll give you time, as much as you need."

"Thank you," Rusty said simply, but then her head cocked to one side. "I don't really know what you do. I know you make investments and such, but I'm not exactly sure what that entails."

"I do make investments, but mosdy I own a lot of property. If I see a piece of land that I think would develop well, I buy it and build on it."

"That's why you need to travel."

"Yes, and that's one of the reasons I'm looking into selling off some of those properties or hiring a manager. I can't keep up with all of it and be home as much as I want."

Rusty was thrilled to hear that he was committed to being home more, but she also wondered what it would be like to have the kind of money he had at her disposal.

"What are you thinking?"

"I was just letting my mind wander. What would I do if I had money to invest?"

"What would you do?"

She didn't have to think long. "I'd see if I could buy that large piece of land by the pond."

"What would you do with it?"

Rusty smiled. "Put up an orphanage."

Chase did not smile back. "I already own that land," he said softy.

Rusty's brows flew upward.

"And it never once occurred to me to put an orphanage on it," Chase admitted.

His voice was so thoughtful, so stunned, that Rusty felt she needed to remain silent. The silence lasted until the waiter returned. They asked him to wait and take their order. When he left, the conversation didn't go back to land and investments, but Rusty could tell she'd said something that would make Chase think.

Nearly two hours later, as they were leaving the restaurant with plans to walk through town, Rusty remembered something Chase had said while they were standing in his office.

"Do you want me to look for another place to live?" she now offered.

"I've already started looking into that. I can't imagine you not living at Briarly, but I think it's for the best. The space between us will also help me give you the time you need."

"All right. Maybe I should ask around at church."

'That's a good idea. I know of a couple of women who live together; maybe they would have room for you to join them. I'll introduce them to you on Sunday."

"I could also live with a family who needs help with their children," Rusty suggested in complete sincerity.

Chase smiled. This one was special; his heart had told him that all along. He knew he would never find another like her. The orphanage came to his mind again. It was a fascinating idea. He praised God that Rusty had suggested it. He praised God for her. He glanced beside him now and caught sight of her lovely profile. They hadn't been touching, but he reached for her hand.

"Does that bother you?"

"No," Rusty said, but she could hardly breathe. He made her feel so cherished and special.

/
think I love this man, Lord. I wasn't planning on it, but I realize now that he hasn't been far from my thoughts in weeks. Help me to go slowly with this. Help me to enjoy it, to be thankful and wise.

"Are you all right?" Chase suddenly asked, seeing how intense her face had become.

Rusty looked at him
and smiled. "I'm just fine."

Chase smiled right back at her before tucking her arm in his and slowing his stride just a little more. It was going to be a wonderful evening.

42

Chase led the way up the center aisle of the church but then stood politely aside so that Rusty and Quintin could precede him. Once in the pew Quintin snuggled happily between his father and Rusty. He had been quite sad when Cap and his grandmother had left the day before, but his father had reminded him to be thankful for the time he'd had with them. He was now back to his cheerful self. His hand went into the folds of Rusty's skirt as he moved especially close to her.

Rusty lovingly touched his little knee, letting her
eyes
scan the other pews and her mind wander. Not for the first time she noticed how many children there were. Quintin was just one of three or four dozen. She found herself wishing there was a program for them here as there was in Manitou—not a time to replace church, but to have a Bible story and time of singing a little more on their level. Rusty's brow lowered. She had no way of knowing if there were many biblically qualified teachers, but Colorado Springs Bible Church certainly had enough people to set up several teams of teachers.

That's quite a look." Chase's quiet voice was softer than usual. He had an arm along the back the pew behind Quintin's head. His hand lay lightly against Rusty's back. She glanced up to find him watching her and felt horrible for her thoughts.

"I'm being difficult," she whispered back. "I always think I have the answer to everything."

Chase's brow rose. "You don't strike me as being extemely opinionated, Katherine."

Rusty shook her head in self-accusation. "I can be impossible. Right now I'm sitting here thinking that this church needs a children's program like the one in Manitou. What arrogance on my part! I don't know these people well enough to know if any of them meet the Bible's standards for teachers. Even I know that you don't set up a program before you have obedient workers."

"It's an experience knowing you, did you realize that?" Chase surprised her by asking, his eyes tender.

"Why is that?"

"Well, I couldn't agree with you more that godly workers have to be found before committees or programs are instituted, but the whole idea of a children's church time never occurred to me. I've even attended yours and still didn't think of it for this church."

"Well, at least you're not a know-it-all."

"You're too hard on yourself," he said gently. "But it wouldn't hurt to talk to the elders. They might be thinking along the same line." Chase managed to get these words in before the song leader stepped behind the pulpit and asked them to rise. Their
eyes
locked for a few seconds before Chase opened the hymnal.

Rusty thought about his words.
He might be right,
she said to the Lord,
hut it's all in my attitude. Instead of looking around and praying for a children's class, I'm critical. Instead of asking You to prepare hearts so that this church could have a great children's program, I'm scowling at innocent people and making judgments. Instead of finding out the path the leaders are on, I'm making my own.

As Rusty sang and prepared her heart for the sermon, Chase was doing a little praying of his own.
She has ideas that challenge me. Sometimes I think my world is small. She has such a different outlook. My view has been business, and hers has been children. I know you need godly businessmen here on the earth, Lord, but something tells me that Katherine's dreams and focus have a much more eternal reach.

Chase forced his mind onto the sermon and was pleased that he did. As he had been for the past few weeks, Pastor Radke was in 1 Corinthians, and Chase was convicted by what he heard. At times his walk with the Lord was inconsistent. He prayed that he would have a no-matter-what attitude of obedience seven days a week.

With that in mind, Chase remembered his words to Clayton Taggart. He must honor Rusty and their relationship and move her out of the house before their courtship went much further. He was praying about how to go about it when Darcey Lackland, the church organist, walked up for the closing song.