Seeds of Summer (26 page)

T
HE NEXT DAY AFTER CHURCH,
N
ATALIE SAT AT HER FATHER'S OAK DESK
going through the estate paperwork one more time before signing, when she noticed Libby's yellow sedan drive up to the house.

She met Libby at the front door. The woman's hands were loaded with luggage, her eyes downcast. “I brought back Chelsey's clothes. Figured she'd want them and that I'd save her a trip into town.”

Natalie opened the door for her and helped carry the items inside. “That's very thoughtful, but you didn't need to go to the trouble. We were going to come into town this evening to visit you.”

“It wasn't any trouble.” Libby tugged at her cotton shirt, and Natalie noted her red'rimmed eyes. “I'm real sorry about what happened the other night, and I wanted to apologize to all of you, if you'd allow me that.”

The woman's plea spoke to Natalie's heart. “Would you like some tea? I stirred up a fresh pitcher this afternoon.”

Libby smiled and followed Natalie into the kitchen where Natalie poured them each a glass of sweet tea. Once she sat down, Libby pulled a slip of paper from her purse. “I wanted to give you this.” She held out the folded paper, and Natalie stared down at it with curiosity.

“What's that?”

“I found it in your daddy's bedroom. I should have told you about it, but I convinced myself it was for Chelsey. I know now that your daddy wrote it for you.”

Natalie unfolded the piece of paper and read the poem entitled “A Wedding Gown.”

A gown of white lace.

Treasure for my little girl.

From my heart to yours.

When Natalie finished, tears stung her eyes. She sniffed them away, never having cried so much as she had this past week. “I thought he wrote one for everyone but me. Where did you find it? I cleaned his room from top to bottom.”

“Guess you didn't look under his mattress. Isn't that the first place a person hides his money?” Her stepmom grinned. “When Dillon mentioned you'd found cash in the barn, I figured the old coot must have hidden money in the house so I went on a treasure hunt of my own. I swear I never found any except for what you caught me with in the office. But I did find that poem.”

“Thank you for giving this to me.” Natalie believed the woman spoke the truth, but she still had questions that needed answered. “Were you and Tom in this together? Did Tom know about the hidden money too?”

Libby shook her head. “We talked about it in the barn that day he came by the ranch. I thought he might know where some of the money had been hidden, but he refused to get involved. Said he had enough trouble to deal with and needed to keep his hands clean.”

Her bottom lip wobbled. “I know I have no right to ask, that I gave up my rights a long time ago. But if you could see it in your heart to forgive me for my wrongs, I'd do just about anything to have another chance with you kids.”

Natalie leaned back in her chair and sipped her tea, the condensation
cold and wet against her fingers. “That's something Dillon and Chelsey will have to answer themselves. But if they're agreeable, I'm willing to give you another chance…on my terms.”

“I understand.” Libby held up her hands as though in submission. “I know I have a lot to learn and make up for. But maybe I could come out to visit from time to time, on weekends or something. I want to get to know them. They're good kids.”

For probably the first time in her life, Natalie agreed whole-heartedly with Libby. “Yes, they are.”

L
ATER THAT DAY,
J
ARED STOPPED IN AT
W
ILLARD'S PLACE AND FOUND
the old man in his shop working on a pair of white boots. “You look mighty busy in here. Don't you know you're supposed to take a nap on Sunday afternoon?”

Willard raised his head and nodded. “Any other day I'd agree with you, but there's no time for a nap today.”

Jared neared the workbench and noted the meticulous crafts-manship on the upper vamp, finely detailed with scrolling wings and stars. “Working on a special project?”

The man held up the ostrich hide boot with admiration. “I planned to build them for Natalie when she won the queen title last December, only she didn't win. After that, I didn't have the heart to finish them, afraid I'd hurt her more with the reminder. They've sat here in my shop, half made. I figured it was time to finish the job.”

“What if she doesn't accept the title?”

Willard scrunched his mouth. “Won't matter. I should have given them to her long before now. And as for her accepting the title, I reckon you and I should do some talking about that.”

Jared nodded. “That's why I'm here.” He pulled up a stool, and together the two men discussed possible ways to help Natalie fulfill her journey. An hour later, content with their decision, Jared traced the boot's red stitching with his finger, able to imagine Natalie
wearing them along with one of those fine leather gowns she wore for competition.

Now all they had to do was convince Natalie of their plan. In order to do that, everything would need to fall perfectly into place, and the best place to start was in prayer.

J
ARED DROVE TO
N
ATALIE'S HOUSE, AND
J
ESSIE MET HIM AT HIS CAR, HER
tail wagging. Dillon greeted him with a rope in his hand, probably out chasing goats as usual. “Hey buddy. Is Natalie around?”

Dillon pointed to the pasture. “She went for a ride. I think she wanted to be alone.”

“Well, that's okay,” Jared said, thanking God for his perfect timing. “I needed to talk to you and Chelsey alone anyway.”

The boy walked with him to the porch, then went inside to get Chelsey. A few minutes later, Jared sat them down, needing their permission before going any further.

“Of course we approve,” Chelsey said after Jared explained the plan to them. “It's the least we can do after everything Nat's done for us. Isn't that right, Dillon?”

Her brother gave an emphatic nod. “Want me to saddle my horse for you, so you can tell Natalie yourself?”

Jared hesitated, wondering if he could handle any other horse besides Jackson. “Sure, why not.” He might as well get used to such things, for if his plan went according to schedule, he'd be spending a good deal of time in the saddle.

A short while later, Jared trotted off on a pasture trail in the direction Natalie had gone. The lush green bluestem dipped and swayed over the hills and rocky crags, a veritable ocean of grass. Beneath him, Adrian's saddle creaked as Dillon's horse traveled the familiar cattle path. Jared scanned the mounds and valleys for Natalie and her gray horse. He found them by a shady stream. Natalie
waded barefoot in the water, her jeans rolled up, and her socks and boots lying on the rocky ground nearby.

“I was beginning to think I wouldn't find you.” Jared reined in Dillon's horse and stepped down from the saddle.

Natalie splashed toward him with an anxious expression. “Is everything all right?”

“Nothing to worry about.” He offered a sheepish grin and tied the reins to a hanging bur oak limb.

Her gaze traveled from his boots to his hat, her mouth tilting in satisfaction. “Why are you here then? Out for a Sunday ride?”

Jared took her hand as she stepped from the stream, her feet dripping water onto the rough pebbles. “I came to see you, to talk to you about something.”

“If it's about the title, you can save your breath. I'm not going to accept. Even if I figured out a way to deal with the ranch, there's no way I can leave Dillon and Chelsey after everything we've been through this summer. I'm not going to abandon them so I can follow a dream.”

He led her to where her boots lay on a sheet of bedrock. “Before you refuse, would you care to hear what Willard and I have come up with?”

Natalie shook her head. “You think I haven't been racking my brain trying to figure out a way to make this work?”

“You know what they say about two heads being better than one.” He sat with Natalie on the rock and handed her a boot.

“I'm telling you, I've been through every possible scenario. There are none—it's useless.” She tugged the cotton socks onto her damp feet and then shoved on the first boot.

He clutched the other boot to his stomach. “I'm not going to give this to you until you're ready to listen. Are you prepared to hear our proposal?”

Calling his bluff, Natalie lunged and nearly toppled him onto the flat rock, but Jared managed to hold the boot out of her reach.
“No fair, Miss Adams.” He chuckled, enjoying her close proximity. Unable to resist, he snatched a kiss from her soft, yielding lips.

Natalie pulled away. “I'd say you're the one not fighting fair, Pastor Logan.” She grinned and settled back on the rock, her legs crossed with her bootless foot exposed. “Okay, I'm listening.”

“Are you sure?”

Her nostrils flared with mock exasperation. “I'm certain.”

“Good, because I've already discussed this with Dillon and Chelsey, and they heartily agree with this plan.” Jared handed Natalie her boot, then grazed her cheek with his finger, loving every inch of her, including her stubborn will.

“Willard and I will finish off the grazing season. We'll gather some neighbors for the round-up, and we'll see to it that the ranch is cared for properly while you're gone.”

“That's too much responsibility—” Natalie started to protest, but he hushed her with his finger on her mouth.

“As for Chelsey and Dillon, Willard has agreed to stay with them at the ranch and serve as their guardian during your reign. He fig'ured you'd object and told me to remind you of his promise to your daddy, that he'd look out for you and the kids—and that's exactly what Willard intends to do.”

Jared slipped his arm around Natalie and hugged her to his side. “As for the two of us…” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I love you, Natalie. I know you have questions about being a pastor's wife, whether it's the right decision for you. And that's okay. The last thing I want to do is pressure you into loving me.”

Natalie removed his hat and smoothed a hand over his cropped hair. “Don't you know that I love you already?” She reached up to kiss his cheek, and he reveled in her touch. “The wife thing is a bit scary, but I'm not adverse to it.”

He smiled at this, his confidence growing. “That's why this separation will be good for us. You can fulfill your duties as queen, and while you're away, I'll play cowboy. And you'll come home every now
and then. It's not as though you'll be gone the entire time. We can use this time apart to see if a union between a pastor and a rodeo queen is the right choice for us. Because that's my intent when your reign is over—a full-fledged marriage proposal.”

She surprised him by resting her head on his shoulder and murmuring against his neck. “I like the sound of your plan…and your proposal.”