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His cotton polo shirt fit just right over his broad shoulders and tucked neatly into his jeans. In silence, he stared down at them. Celeste jumped to her feet, her small body mirroring her father’s stance as she fisted both hands on her hips.
Lorrie Ann squirmed, feeling like a kid caught skipping school. “Oh, it’s all right. I saw her and called her down. I...um...finished—” she waved her hand in circles “—you know...praying.”
He raised one eyebrow and grinned at her, probably amused about her stumbling over words he used all the time.
“Daddy, Rainbow almost came to me. You scared him away.” She looked back into the river, searching the clear deep water for the fish.
He crouched down, balancing on his heels. He rested one hand on Celeste’s shoulder and brought his gaze to rest on Lorrie Ann’s face. “Are you sure she’s not bothering you?”
For a minute she couldn’t breathe, feeling lost in his eyes, but she managed to shake her head.
“Well, then I’m heading out. Are y’all good for the day? Need anything before I leave?”
Lorrie Ann gave a quick nod, still unable to speak.
“Give me a hug, monkey.” He held his arms open.
Celeste leaped at him, kissing his cheek. “Love you, Daddy. Hurry back.”
“We’ll be back for dinner. See you then, Lorrie Ann.” He flashed another heart-stopping smile and then headed up the stairs. Her gaze stayed locked on him as he bounded up the steps, two at a time.
“Do you like Daddy?” Celeste had flopped back on her belly, hanging her chin over the edge of the platform.
Lorrie Ann shot a startled frown at the back of the little girl’s head. “What do you mean?”
Celeste twisted back around and wrinkled her nose. “A lot of ladies at the church look funny at Daddy, the way you just did.” She threw a small rock into the water. “Some of them said I need a mom.” She threw another rock. “Rachel says they’re just busybodies wanting to marry Daddy and we don’t like them.” Jumping to her feet, she started gathering some more small rocks. “You’re fun. If you wanted to be my mommy I wouldn’t be mad. Rachel might be, though.”
The bottom of her stomach fell. The thought of being anyone’s mother horrified her.
Celeste started tossing the rocks sideways. “Rachel knows how to skip rocks. Daddy told me to keep practicing and I’d get it.” She wrapped her fingers around another rock, her tongue sticking out between her teeth.
Lorrie Ann held her breath as she watched the rock fly. With a slight skip, it bounced back up once before dropping under the water. A huge smile filled her face.
Screaming, Celeste turned to Lorrie Ann, jumping up and down. “I did it! I did it! Did you see?”
Lorrie Ann laughed and clapped her hands. “Yeah! That was awesome, Celeste!”
As she twirled in circles, the little girl’s ponytail swung out. “I skipped a rock!”
Out of breath, Maggie appeared at the top of the stairs. “Lorrie Ann? Celeste? Is everyone all right? What happened?”
Lorrie Ann laughed aloud, her smile feeling too large for her face. “Celeste skipped a rock!”
“I did! I did, Aunt Maggie! It skipped right over the water just like Rachel’s and Daddy’s.” She squeezed her hands together in front of her, her body trembling.
“Celeste, you scared me half to death. If you two are going to make cookies for tonight, you had better get up here. No more lollygagging.” With those words, she turned and disappeared.
“What do you say? Ready to go up and make those cookies?” Lorrie Ann dusted off a bit of gravel and leaves from her black cropped pants.
“Please don’t tell Daddy. I want to surprise him.”
“No problem, rug rat. Um...and you won’t mention anything about the funny way I looked at him, right? I don’t want him or Rachel to worry.” She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the thought of her, married to a small-town pastor.
Celeste pulled her out of the altered universe when she grabbed her hand, looking at her as if she’d gone crazy. She snorted. Crazy was a good word for her life.
“It’s okay, Miss Lorrie Ann. Daddy says gossiping about people is hurtful. I won’t tell your secret.”
With that, the rug rat skipped up the stairs.
Great—the only thing between her and complete humiliation was a precocious six-year-old.
Chapter Six
As Lorrie Ann approached the kitchen later that evening, she faltered a moment and took a deep breath, willing the knot in her stomach to ease. With her best let’s-do-lunch smile, she tossed her hair back and stepped through the archway, one high-heeled boot at a time.
She had spent thirty minutes changing into and out of clothes. In the end, she’d put on her Los Angeles armor.
Reaching out with both hands, she greeted her cousin. “Yolanda! It’s been so long.”
Yolanda’s dark green eyes widened and for a second her mouth dropped open as her gaze took in the burgundy leggings and the silk blouse. But then again, Lorrie Ann thought, her cousin’s surprise might have something to do with the five-inch brown leather boots that covered her knees.
Yolanda pushed the loose ends of her hair from her face, trying to adjust her ponytail.
Yolanda had taken after her dad in height and stood about seven inches taller than Lorrie Ann. Because of the boots, they almost met eye to eye.
“Oh, wow, L.A., you look—” Yolanda stepped forward into a quick hug “—great. It’s been so long.”
Maggie joined them. “Now, Lorrie Ann, I told you this was a casual family dinner.” Her gentle voice had an unusual sharp edge. “Why did you get all dressed up?”
“This?” Lorrie Ann ran her hand over her silk shirt. “It’s my first family dinner in twelve years.” She gave Yolanda a tight smile.
Yolanda bit her lip. “Excuse me. I need to clean up.” With a glare to Lorrie Ann, she brushed past her and headed down the hallway to her old room.
Turning back to the kitchen, Lorrie Ann met Aunt Maggie’s dark eyes. The smirk fell from her face, and she felt as if she had been caught stealing Uncle Billy’s last cookie.
“What?” With her arms crossed, Lorrie Ann suppressed the need to squirm under her aunt’s scrutiny. “I didn’t do anything.” She gave a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes. Okay, so I have officially reverted to an insecure teenage girl. “People expect me to be a certain way, you know, coming from Los Angeles and all.”
“Mija, if you give people a chance, they will like the real you.”
Lorrie Ann turned away from the gentle look in Aunt Maggie’s eyes. Why did guilt feel so heavy and ugly?
She moved to the stove. “I’ll finish warming the tortillas.” As she flipped the tortillas, she heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. Celeste came rushing into the kitchen from outside.
The screen door slammed back as the hurricane of energy swirled into the room. “Lorrie Ann! Aunt Maggie! Rachel has her cast! It’s purple.”
“Hey, rug rat. Slow down.”
“Rachel’s so slow because she has to walk on the crutches and won’t let Daddy help her. Aunt Maggie, Uncle Billy said to bring him the veggies.”
Maggie grabbed the bowl and headed to the grill, ordering Lorrie Ann to make the tea while rubbing Celeste’s head. A few breaths later, a knock on the door announced the arrival of John and Rachel.
“Hello?” John walked through the screen door then stood with his back holding it open and flashed a grin. “She insists on walking without my help.”
The sound of Rachel’s shuffling feet and the thump of the crutches came with agonizing slowness as they waited for her to make an appearance. When she finally made it to the door, John reached out to help her over the threshold.
“I have it, Daddy.” With an awkward movement, she adjusted the crutch and managed to step up as her tongue stuck out in concentration.
John turned his face to Lorrie Ann, rolled his eyes and shook his head. “She can be a bit stubborn.” He shot her a wink. “Gets it from her mom.”
Celeste scooted a red step stool by the sink and started pulling out plates from overhead. “I’m stubborn, too, just like Mom. Grandpa says so.”
“Celeste, get down from there! Wait until I can help you.” One of John’s hands stayed on the door as he tried to reach for his younger daughter with the other.
Lorrie Ann moved to Celeste. “Here, let me help you.”
“Rachel always sets the table, but now I get to do it.” The stack of thick milk-glass plates wobbled over her head.
Lorrie Ann reached up behind her to balance the plates and lower them to the counter.
Rachel twisted toward her father. “She can’t do my job.”
“Rachel, she just wants to help.” His large hand covered her entire shoulder. “With the crutches, how would you carry the plates?”
“How about setting the silverware?” Lorrie Ann pointed to the table. “The basket’s already there.”
“Thanks,” John whispered close to her ear as he walked past her to help Celeste carry plates and glasses. “I see you’re back to your L.A. gear and artificial height?”
Standing in the kitchen with John, her decision to change made her feel shallow. She gave him the same weak line. “I wanted to wear something special for my first family dinner.”
With his arms braced behind him, John leaned against the sink and watched the girls set the long table. “You looked nice this morning.”
She shrugged and flipped another tortilla.
“Oh, you look so pretty, Miss Yolanda,” Rachel suddenly called out.
Lorrie Ann turned and saw the perfect example of feminine refinement walk into the kitchen. Her cousin wore a soft green dress with a faint floral print. It swirled around her knees and complemented the low-heeled sandals on her feet. Her thick brown hair now floated in waves just below her shoulders. Lorrie Ann straightened her spine and repeated her mantra, Smile, stand tall, fake it if you have to.
“Daddy, I want to dress up!” Celeste jumped up and down, clapping her hands. “Can I have some pirate boots like Miss Lorrie Ann?”
He laughed as he caught the six-year-old up in his arms. “I’m not sure a ranch is the best place for pirate boots.”
Yolanda opened the cabinet door next to John. “L.A. did always love costumes.”
Lorrie Ann felt like growling as she watched her cousin bat those incredibly long lashes at John. Instead, she repeated her mantra a few more times.
Yolanda continued in her soft Texas drawl, “Good evening, Pastor John. How did the trip to the doctor go today?”
“All went well. It was a clean break.”
Celeste slipped out of his arms and ran off to get the napkins. Turning back to Lorrie Ann, he reached for the sugar as she poured boiling water over the tea bags.
He held out the container for her. “I want to thank you again for keeping Celeste. She went on and on about the plans you had today.”
Taking the sugar from him, Lorrie Ann smiled. “To tell you the truth, I looked forward to it myself.” She looked up and was struck by the gentleness in his light brown eyes. For a moment she studied the gold flakes that radiated warmth. Oh, what had she been saying? “Um...she’s a great kid.”
“Please, let me know if she becomes too much.”
Yolanda came up and laid her hand on his sleeve. “You know I can watch the girls whenever you need help.”
Before he could reply, Aunt Maggie and Uncle Billy brought in the fajitas and grilled vegetables.
“Is the table set? Ice in the glasses?” Maggie set the platter of meat and bell peppers on the table and smiled. “Looks nice, girls.”
“I got the plates and glasses, Aunt Maggie.” Celeste ran from the table to the refrigerator. “I can get the ice, too!”
In a voice too prim for a young girl, Rachel yelled after her sister. “Celeste Rebecca Levi, you need to sit down.” She lowered her voice and squinted. “You’re going to give Daddy a headache.”
John’s rich laughter filled the room as he lightly pulled Rachel close to his side. “Thank you, sweetheart, but I think I’ll survive.”
Uncle Billy got the ice instead. After bringing out the rest of the food, Aunt Maggie sat down next to her husband. “Come on, everyone. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
Lorrie Ann reached for her old chair and collided with John’s hand. They both yanked back.
“That’s Daddy’s chair,” Rachel informed her. “He always sits there next to me.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“No, you take it.” His now-familiar grin made her forget about dinner. “We don’t have assigned seating—just creatures of habit.” He looked over at Rachel. “It’s good to shake up our routine.”
Uncle Billy’s gruff voice snapped the air. “Can y’all sit down so I can pray?”
“Yes, sir,” they answered at the same time. She slid a glance to her right and found Rachel glaring at her. To the left, John had his head bowed. Everyone joined hands. The words of her uncle’s prayer slid into her heart. She had missed being part of this family worship.
As soon as the prayer finished, Aunt Maggie jumped right in. “So, Pastor John, have you had any ideas about the Christmas pageant? With Martha out of town, I don’t know how we’re going to get it all done. It is the hundredth anniversary, so it needs to be big.”
Dread slipped through Lorrie Ann. She carefully put her filled tortilla back on her plate. “Aunt Maggie, please don’t.”
“Oh, mija, it’s perfect.” She handed a warm tortilla to her husband, never taking her gaze off John. “What about Lorrie Ann?”
She had to stop her aunt before she went any further. “No way.”
John raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think she’s interested, Maggie.” Filling his tortilla with meat and avocado, he shrugged his shoulders. “Vickie said she’d do it.”
Yolanda snorted “Vickie? She’s an awesome seamstress, but organizing and directing? She doesn’t know the first thing about music.”
Lorrie Ann thought of any suggestions she could make. “What about Mrs. Callaway, the high-school drama teacher? I remember her directing the pageant when I sang.”
“That is Martha.” Yolanda made it sound as if she should have known Mrs. Callaway’s first name. “Her sister’s having health problems, so she went to Houston to stay with her.”
