The Cowboy Takes a Bride (16 page)

Stacy went white. “Oh, no. I couldn't. I—”

“You'd be surprised at how many actors and actresses are really shy people.” Sugar had this sudden determination to get Stacy to at least come out to the barn.

“Really?” She didn't look as if she believed it, but seemed to be thinking it over. “How can that be?”

“Well, it's certainly not true of me—I've been a camera hog all my life—but for some it's a way of expressing themselves.”

Stacy gave Sugar a small smile. “I'm a long way from a camera hog. But I might come out and maybe let you read your lines to me, if you need someone to do that.”

Sugar got the most unbelievable sensation in the pit of her stomach, as if something very significant had just happened, something larger than herself. Oddly, she found it hard to speak. She nodded instead, swallowed and then met Stacy's gaze with a smile. A smile she felt from her heart. She found her voice then. “Tomorrow. Right after work. No one else gets there until seven. I really could use your help.”

“Maybe I'll come, if no one else is going to be there.”

Sugar decided right then and there that she would make sure no one else was around. Applegate and Stanley showed up early every once in a while to fiddle with things, but she knew that for Stacy, they'd stay away. “It'll just be you and me. And I know we're going to have fun. You'll see.”

They worked a few minutes more, finishing the cleanup around the playground before Stacy went inside to check on her toddler. Sugar looked up at the men hammering away on the roof, and waved when she saw Ross watching her. Her heart was full to bursting suddenly, and at the same time she felt immensely lighthearted.

“O
kay, I'm Hoss, and you're me. Sweet little ole Daisy Calhoun,” Sugar said, smiling. She and Stacy had been at the barn for an hour, and Sugar could tell the reserved woman was enjoying herself even if it wasn't especially visible. But Sugar had this burning desire to pull the energy she sensed inside of Stacy out into the open.

She'd asked Haley about Stacy, and found out she'd had an extremely sad life. Abuse was something Sugar had never known, and after her conversation with Haley, she'd taken off from work thirty minutes early to come to the barn where she could be alone. She had had the intense impression that she should pray before Stacy arrived. She had asked God to please be in the barn with them.

Looking into the deer-in-the-headlights eyes that Stacy had just leveled on her, Sugar prayed she wasn't doing the wrong thing by pushing her out onto the stage. But it felt right. She wanted Stacy to know how the stage made her feel.

“Don't look so scared,” she said, then added encouragement. “You can do this. Remember, it's just you and me. And most of all, this is
fun.
When you step onto this stage…” Sugar walked out into the middle of the space and took a deep breath, her eyes closed. “It is all about what's happening here. Nothing out there matters.” She opened her eyes and looked at Stacy. “Right here, you don't have to think about who you are. What your problems are. What your shortcomings are—not that we have any,” she added with a teasing grin. “Right here, it's all about the character. It's about breathing life into your role so that the audience is transported away from
their
troubles.”

Stacy's hands trembled as she gripped the script. She didn't say anything, but her gaze fell to the pages in her hands. Sugar was holding her breath and praying God would somehow use her to help this wounded soul out of her shell.

“Okay, I'll try.”

Sugar wanted to grab Stacy up in a big hug, but was afraid she'd scare the poor girl, so she held back and smiled instead. “That's all any of us can do. Now, from the top, Daisy girl. ‘Hoss is so in love with you he needs you to put him out of his misery and tell him that ya luv him!'”

 

“Oh, Ross, it was unbelievable. I have never, and I mean never, felt as excited and fulfilled as when Stacy read my lines like she was Daisy!”

Ross was speechless, looking at the exhilaration radiating from Sugar. It didn't help his situation at all. He'd been in complete knots since the night of the storm; knowing that he loved her enough to want her to fulfill her dream even if it meant watching her fly away from him was stretching him thin. But looking at her now, something was different. He could feel it. He smiled as she grabbed him and hugged him, before swinging away like a twirling top.

She'd cornered him the moment he'd arrived, and pulled him to the side of the barn, away from the other cast members.

“I always had this dream that I was supposed to be up on the big screen so that I could make a difference in some kid's life. You know, like what happened with me. But I never thought about using my love of acting in a one-on-one situation. I really think I can help Stacy come out of her shell.”

“Sugar, if there is one thing I know for sure, it's that you can bring out the actor in anyone.”

She was standing three feet away from him, her eyes alive with hope. He knew he'd never seen anything more beautiful in all of his life.

“It'll take time. Stacy won't be up there acting anytime soon—who knows, she may never want to act in front of people. Even if she doesn't, it is still a great thing. She walked out of here today with what I truly think was a lilt in her step.”

“You did good, Sugar.”

She looped her arm through his and turned her smiling face up to him. “Not me. God did it. I could
feel
Him. He was right there beside me.”

Ross couldn't help it, he placed his free hand on the side of her face, cherishing the texture of her skin. He'd fallen in love with this woman's passion and her spirit. “God's going to use you in a great way, Sugar. With your talent and your beautiful heart, there is no telling what He has in store for you. I see greatness in you.”

She went totally still, her eyes growing troubled. “Yeah, that's what I've always felt,” she said, but there was no note of bragging in her tone. “You know me, I'm sure as shootin' supposed to be America's next sweetheart.”

For the first time since he'd known her, she didn't say the words with conviction. He didn't know how to feel about that.

“Yup, ya got that right,” he teased, trying to lift the suddenly solemn mood hanging over them. He started walking her toward the front of the barn, needing to join the crowd before he broke down and kissed her. “It's time for practice. You know how I need it.”

She chuckled at that and squeezed his arm. “You're so much better than you think.”

“Only because I have you up there beside me.”

And that was the truth. He was supposed to be Hoss the singing cowboy when he was acting out his part, but that was him, Ross Denton, up on that stage—the man who loved Sugar Rae Lenox, heart and soul. Once she headed off to her destiny, he was going to go back behind the scenes and let the others do the performing. Without her, he didn't want to be on stage.

Who was he kidding? Without her, he didn't want to be anywhere.

 

There was a church social on Sunday morning after service. In the words of Applegate, Mule Hollow knew how to “put on the dog.” Sugar hoped dog wasn't on the menu, but there was so much barbecued meat on the table, one could never know for sure.

After she filled her plate, Sugar sat at a table with several couples. Before long, Ross came and settled beside her. Everyone at the table was joking and talking and having a good time. Her shoulder was pressed to Ross's for most of the meal, and she was so very aware of him. So much that she was relieved when he went to change for volleyball.

Mule Hollow volleyball was unique and unlike anything Sugar had ever seen—or rather, the dress code was. It was pure entertainment to see both the men and women.

While some of the cowboys changed into shorts and athletic shoes, others opted to play in their dress attire: Western shirts, stiff starched jeans and cowboy boots! And then there were Esther Mae and her husband, Hank—him sporting full-dress attire and her in a lime-green jersey. The group was rounded off with Norma Sue's husband, Roy Don. He served as the referee, and fittingly so, as he was a stout cowboy with a full mustache and commanding presence. He was starched up stiff as concrete from the bottom of his tan jeans to the collar of his pearl-snap dress shirt.

Looking at them, Sugar had no doubt that Mule Hollow most assuredly made a fashion statement. But it was Norma Sue, running roughshod over everyone as she organized the game like a general, who took the prize for best dressed. She wore her trademark overalls with the legs rolled up to just below her knees, and instead of sneakers, she, too, kept on her boots. She topped the look off with a red sweatband that came just above her eyebrows and made her short gray hair bush out all over the place.

Sugar was standing to one side, watching in wonder, when Ross jogged over to her. He had opted for athletic wear.

“Hey,” he said, stepping close. “Are you going to hang around?”

She nodded, smiling at him. Wild horses couldn't drag her away from watching him—and the others. “Is Norma Sue going to play like that?”

He chuckled. “She always does. And surprising as it may be, that short dynamo can hold her own out there. The woman has a mean serve.” His eyes were twinkling with merriment.

Sugar felt happy just from looking at him. “How about you? Can you play?”

“I do all right. How about you?”

She shook her head. “Not my game. But I'll really enjoy cheering you on.”

He leaned close. “With you cheering me on, they had better watch out. I'll be unstoppable.” He was just so appealing that Sugar did what came naturally before she thought better of it. She rose up on her toes and kissed him.

It was just a simple touch of the lips, but it felt like so much more that both of them froze. They'd been dancing around kissing each other for weeks.

Ross didn't move, but his eyes were not twinkling as they held hers. “That was a dangerous move right there, Sugar.”

Boy, did she know it. But suddenly she was tired of dancing. “And what does that mean?” She could hardly breathe.

“It means I've been playing this game between us with a handicap, trying to give you room to make up the rules. Fair warning—don't kiss me unless you're willing to change them.”

And that was the million-dollar question. Did she want the rules to change?

Yes.

“Ross Denton, you gonna play or what? Get out here,” Norma Sue hollered. “We've got a game to play and daylight's aburnin'.”

He lifted a questioning brow and Sugar took a shuddering breath. “Go play ball.” She pushed him lightly and he backed away toward the players.

“This conversation isn't over.” He gave her a smile of warning. “You and me, after this game.” He pointed at himself, then her, as he said it.

She couldn't help but chuckle. “Play. Ball. Tough guy.”

He grinned full out. “Oh, yeah, I'm goin' to go out there and keep the games movin' faster than you can blink. And then you and me are havin' a heart-to-heart.” He winked, then spun and jogged away.

As she watched him join the others, Sugar sank to the grass. Her legs wouldn't hold her up.
What, oh what was she doing?

She'd been having trouble all week. Ever since the storm, really, but it was the night when she'd talked with him after helping Stacy that something inside of her had switched gears. She'd been flirting with danger and she knew it. She'd been attracted to him from day one, of course, but he'd said the most beautiful things to her that night. He really believed in her. And he really wanted her to reach her dream. He hadn't said so, but she could tell he had deep feelings for her.

And then there was the kissing issue. They'd practiced their final scene all this time and never actually kissed. She had known he was barely holding back, and it had driven her crazy.

And now she'd crossed a line.

“Sooo, what's the story?” Lacy asked, plopping down on the grass beside her. “You are looking at that cowboy like he's a glass of water and you've been lost in the desert for a week.”

Sugar jerked her eyes away from watching Ross stretch for a high ball. He looked great. “What story? There isn't any story.”

Lacy smiled, stretched her legs out on the grass and crossed her feet. “Mmm-hmm if that's your version, I'm cool. I just wanted to come say thanks for giving some of your time to Stacy. I make it a point to try and draw her out, but it has been a slow process. I really got excited when she told me she had fun reading with you on Monday night, and that y'all are going to do it again. Just so you know, she really enjoyed it. You could be an answer to a prayer with what you're doing. What you did, giving her your time, was a big blessing, Sugar.”

Sugar's heart lifted at the knowledge. “You know, Lacy, it was a blessing for me, more than Stacy will ever know. I have never felt that way before, sharing something that means so much to me with someone else. And I think with time, and given half a chance, she might get up on that stage and perform herself.”

Lacy's blue eyes widened and her smile flashed, like a child in awe of a Christmas tree. “That would be a miracle in so many ways. You're good for Mule Hollow, Sugar. I hope you know that. I mean, I know you have plans to go back to L.A. After seeing your ability, I understand totally that you could be famous tomorrow.” She paused and picked a blade of Bermuda grass before pegging Sugar with intense eyes. “Or maybe God has prepared you for a different kind of fame than you thought.”

Six weeks ago—even two weeks ago—Sugar would have been frustrated by such a remark. But she knew Lacy had a missionary's heart. Lacy had come to Mule Hollow to open her salon so that she could be a witness to the women who moved to the town. Lacy had a heart for souls.

Sugar sighed. The answer she always gave didn't come. Her throat clogged, instead. She'd been so excited about getting the show up and running so that she could garner her reviews and then move on to bigger and better things…but was there anything bigger and better than what she'd felt here, in this tiny town?

“You sure make Ross happy,” Lacy said, breaking into her thoughts.

Sugar looked toward the volleyball court, automatically seeking him out.
He made her happy.
He was in the back row at the moment, and despite the rambunctious volleying in progress with the black-and-white ball, she found him watching her instead of the game. Their eyes locked and her stomach did a roll-over-and-die maneuver. He was looking at her as if he loved her, and she knew that as long as she lived, nothing within the bounds of human possibilities could compare with that. Someone shouted his name and Ross jerked his attention back to the game just as the volleyball shot across the net and hit him between the eyes—or would have if a lime-green flash of waving arms and legs squealing, “mine-mine-mine” hadn't flown into him first.