Small-Town Brides (7 page)

“We're going to get married. We just haven't had time.”

Clay was dead tired and he figured there was no way for this conversation to end that was good for anyone. He didn't blame the hospital for not trusting Davy to pay anything. The kid had holes in his blue jeans and didn't look old enough to have a job unless it was in a fast-food place.

“I don't suppose you have a credit card?” The receptionist looked up at Davy. “Or the title to a car or something for a good-faith deposit.”

Davy turned his eyes in Clay's direction.

Clay was silent for a moment.

“You can keep this as your deposit,” Clay finally said as he undid his belt and pulled it out of the loops on his jeans. “The buckle is solid silver and those stones in the eyes of the bull are real diamonds. It'd sell for a few thousand to someone who collects rodeo buckles. I don't know what it'd bring if you melted it down.”

Clay laid the belt out on the counter.

“This is a bit unusual,” the receptionist said as she frowned up at Clay. “And you are? Someone's father?”

Clay almost laughed until he realized he was old enough to be the father of either of those kids. “If you have to put something on that form, put that I'm a friend of the family.”

Davy reached over and wrapped his arms around Clay. “I'll pay you back.”

“Every penny,” Clay agreed as he gritted his teeth. Why did everyone want to hug him these days?

His eyes just naturally went over to where Rene was sitting. It wouldn't hurt her to come over and thank him. Maybe give him a little hug herself. She just sat there watching him, though. He was getting that bug-pinned-to-the-wall feeling again, too. He wondered how he had disappointed her this time.

“W
hat?” Clay asked as he walked over to where Rene was sitting. He could tell by the slight frown on her face that something didn't please her.

“It's just too bad, that's all,” she said, looking tired.

Clay sat down on the hard plastic bench next to her in the waiting room. Squares of linoleum covered the floor beneath their feet and shiny posters on the walls urged everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables.

“What's too bad?” Clay asked gently when Rene didn't go any further. He noticed that the sun was shining in the big windows on the side of the room facing the parking lot. The snow would be melting before long.

“It's just too bad Davy couldn't have come to Mandy's rescue,” Rene said finally. Then she turned to him. “She needs to believe that he loves her. But I wonder—do you think he does?”

Clay put his arm along the plastic ridge at the back of the bench. He wasn't the one to ask about these things. “I think he plans to marry her. Whether that makes any sense for either one of them, I don't know.”

“But just getting married isn't enough,” Rene protested. She moved so she could sit sideways and look at him directly. “Shouldn't he—”

“Make her eyes sparkle and her head spin?” Clay finished for her, so caught up in watching her blue eyes flash and her cheeks grow pink that he forgot he should be careful with his words.

When he remembered how unpopular his opinions on love were with Rene, he swallowed. He was feeling a little warm. He wondered if the temperature was set right in this room.

“Well, yes,” Rene admitted. “A woman needs to have that special feeling in her heart telling her that she's loved. That's how she knows it's true.”

Clay looked at her. If Trace could see Rene now, he would come running. What man wouldn't? She was so filled with compassion for some young woman she'd just met that it made her eyes glow. She was beautiful. Absolutely, breath-stoppingly gorgeous.

And Clay wanted her all for himself. He swallowed. This wasn't good. The room that had been too hot was suddenly too cold. He felt like he was wearing a tight necktie, but when he put his hand up all he felt were his chin whiskers. He needed to shave. Then he needed to get his head examined. He had nothing to offer a woman like her.

“Maybe he doesn't know how to go about it,” Clay finally said. His tongue was thick and his words were slow. “This love stuff.”

“He knew how to get her pregnant,” Rene snapped right back. “He should know about the rest.”

Okay, Clay told himself. He took a breath.

“Some men just aren't much good at talking about their
emotions,” Clay managed to say. “Maybe they don't know the words to tell a woman how they feel about her even when they do—you know—feel those things. A lot.”

Rene was silent for so long that he thought she must know he was talking about himself. He resisted the urge to pull his hat farther down on his face to hide his eyes. He didn't want to make anyone feel awkward here.

Finally Rene shook her head and said, “No, I think Davy is just scared.”

“Well, he should be scared.” Clay told himself he was relieved Rene hadn't read anything into his words. It was for the best. It had been a crazy impulsive hope on his part anyway. “The poor kid's clueless about being a husband and a father. I don't think he's even old enough to vote.”

Clay wondered if the reason his emotions were flipping around like this was because he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. That must be it. Or maybe it was because he hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours and this room was too warm.

“It's not that bad,” Rene said with a smile. “Mandy told me they both turned eighteen last winter.”

Clay looked around. There had to be a vending machine somewhere. The place didn't look big enough to have a caféteria, but he'd settle for a candy bar. After he ate something, he'd rest his eyes. Until then, he focused on Rene. He was getting his footing back.

“Maybe Davy doesn't want to make her feel like she's loved until he can take care of her,” Clay told Rene. “There's more to love than just the way someone feels. A man has a lot of responsibilities.”

“And you think a young mother doesn't?”

Clay really needed to find a vending machine. He was getting a headache.

“I think a young mother is a pillar of civilization. Her job is more important than anyone's,” he said. He thought he saw a large silver machine at the end of the hall to his right. “Could I get you a candy bar?”

“I don't have any change.”

“It's my treat,” he said.

“Oh, I couldn't—”

Clay stood up. He didn't have all day. “I'll put it on your tab.”

Rene smiled. “Well, then, maybe something with nuts in it.”

Clay nodded. They'd both feel better if they had something to eat.

 

Rene listened to Clay's footsteps as he walked down the hall. She liked just listening to his strong, confident steps on the linoleum. She'd never noticed the sound a man made with his boots before.

She shook her head. If she gave any weight to her feelings right now, she'd be making a mistake. Lately, when Clay tipped back his hat so he could look at her long and steady, she found her heart pounding a little faster and her hands trembling. Those, not to mention the footstep issue, were classic signs of true smitten love. He could twirl his finger and she'd be enthralled. That's how it happened.

But Clay didn't see her as anything more than a customer. Her problem with Trace had been that she had let her feelings guide her instead of waiting for other signs of love. She wasn't going to make the same mistake with Clay. She was going to finish that list of what she needed in a husband and she was going to abide by it.

Still, when Clay walked back into the waiting room, her
heart felt a little happier at the sight of him. He'd taken off his coat and he was wearing one of those cowboy shirts with all of the snaps. She'd never noticed how really fine those shirts looked on a man, especially when he had on well-worn jeans and leather cowboy boots. She didn't suppose she could add “must wear boots” to her list.

“I got you a caramel nut thing,” Clay said as he sat back down next to her and held out the wrapped candy bar. “I looked for some coffee, too, but they didn't have any.”

Rene nodded as she took the candy. “They probably figure worry keeps people awake in a place like this.”

Clay nodded as he took the wrapping off the plain chocolate bar he held. “I stopped and asked the receptionist. She said things were going okay with Mandy, but we wouldn't hear anything for a while.”

“Well, I suppose that's good news,” Rene said.

Clay nodded. “She said we should try to get some sleep.”

“I don't think anyone could sleep on these things.” Rene took a bite of her candy bar as she shifted on the hard plastic bench beneath her.

“Well, I aim to find out,” Clay said.

Rene barely finished her candy bar before her eyes started to feel tired. She told herself it would do her good to close them for a few minutes. Maybe it'd even get her emotions back on an even level. Clay had pulled his hat down past his eyes and was leaning back on the bench. He'd been so quiet she thought he might actually be dozing. She would just put her head back and relax a little, too.

The sun woke Rene much later. At first, she thought she was home in her bed in Mule Hollow. But her pillow was firm and her neck was at an odd angle. Then her eyes flew open and she sat up straight.

“I'm sorry, I—” Rene stammered. She'd been leaning against Clay's shoulder while she was sleeping.

“No problem. I thought it was kind of nice,” Clay said with his slow smile. His hat was sitting beside him on the bench and his dark hair was tousled. She could see where she'd wrinkled his shirt a little by laying against it.

“Yes, well, I—” Rene stopped herself. What could she say? “These benches really are not made for sleeping.”

“I don't know.” Clay's eyes were filled with warmth. “I slept fine.”

If she didn't know better, Rene would have said Clay was flirting with her. Well, maybe not flirting, but beaming at her with affection in his eyes. She'd blame it on poor lighting, but sunshine was streaming in through the window.

“They haven't told us any more about Mandy, have they?” Rene said. She needed to remember why they were here. Maybe Clay had just heard some good news and that's why he was so happy.

Clay shook his head.

“Well, at least there's no bad news. They'd tell us if something was wrong,” Rene said as she stood up. “I think I'll go ask the nurse how things are going.”

“They won't tell you much,” Clay said. “Patient confidentiality.”

“Yeah, well, I'll ask anyway.”

Clay watched Rene run away. She was embarrassed, and she didn't even know the half of it. She had snuggled against his arm when she was asleep like she was born to it. He'd never had a sweeter moment's rest than with her lying against his shoulder.

Sometime while she slept, he had realized he was at a crossroads. He wasn't sure he could keep to the same path
he'd always walked. Uncle Prudy had warned him that he might want to have a fuller life someday. He hadn't believed him, but here it was. He was like the proverbial kid with his nose pressed against a store window and nothing in his pocket to buy what he desired with all of his heart.

The truth was, Clay realized, that he had no idea how to make this new life he wanted. He was used to motel rooms and solitary meals. What did he know about being part of a family? But having Rene pressed so close to him for these past few hours made him want to try.

Just then he saw a flash of movement out the window. The sun had continued to shine all morning. Puddles were forming and snow was dripping off the cars in the parking lot.

Clay stood up to look closer and saw the minister out there helping his wife walk to the hospital entrance. They both wore long coats and Rene's aunt was using her crutches. Clay was worried she might slip until he noticed that her husband was walking just enough ahead of her so he could catch her if she did.

Those were two people who knew what it meant to love each other, Clay thought. He had known that from seeing them earlier that night. No wonder Rene had fallen for Trace so easily. Her whole family seemed to accept love as the natural way to live.

His life had taught him the opposite. He could still remember his mother's bitter complaints about her life and husband, even after the man was dead. Clay wondered what kind of a person his father had been, but all he knew is that the man treasured a gold tie tack shaped like a cross. That did not tell Clay much. He needed more. He had no more of an idea about how to be a husband and father than young Davy did.

But that minister outside the window knew all about it.

Clay stood watching Rene's aunt and uncle until they reached the cement pad outside the hospital entrance. Then he walked out of the waiting room so he could greet them.

 

Rene looked up from the receptionist's desk when the door opened to the hospital. Rene smiled when she saw her aunt step through the door, followed by her uncle.

“How did you get here?” Rene asked as she walked over to hug them. “I thought everything was still blocked.”

“The snowplow cleared the roads to Dry Creek,” her aunt said as she reached out her arm to Rene. “And we wanted to know how Mandy is doing.”

Rene turned back to look at the receptionist. “She said things are going well. And Davy is going to come out and see us in a minute.”

“There's room in here to sit, Mrs. Curtis,” Clay said as he walked out of the waiting room and looked at Rene's aunt. “We need to be sure the snow is all off the bottom of your cane, too. You can lean on me if you need.”

“Why, that would be lovely. But call me Glory. Aunt Glory, if you want.”

Clay nodded.

Rene wanted to crawl under one of those cold hard benches in the other room. She needed to talk to her aunt. In private. Rene knew her family was filled with hopeless romantics, but it was embarrassing to have her aunt assume Clay even wanted to be that close to them. He had made his position on romantic love pretty clear on the drive up here.

“Maybe you could come with me to get a can of soda,” Rene said to her aunt. “The machine's just down the hall.”

“I could—” her uncle started to offer.

Rene's aunt shook her head and turned to her husband. “I'll go. It'll give you a chance to have a nice chat with Clay.”

With that, the two women started down the hallway.

 

Clay had a bad feeling. The couple had obviously discussed having a chat with him, and the minister had been assigned the task. Well, he supposed he couldn't blame them. It wouldn't have taken them long to figure out that he wasn't good enough for their niece. They probably thought they were doing him a kindness to warn him off. Although that didn't make any sense, with her aunt inviting him to call her by her first name. Of course, that could be guilt. Some people were like that.