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“If no one objects, I suggest the part of Inspector Merrihew be assigned to Dr. Luc. What do you think?”
Heads nodded in agreement all around the room.
Big Ed’s beefy fist shot up as he began to speak, his excitement obvious. “The boy’s perfect for that part. No denying that. Has that accent down pat. I never could get the hang of that.”
Dani nodded, delighted with the cowboy’s easy acceptance of Luc.
“Great. It’s unanimous. Now, Inspector, do you want to try the part on stage?”
“I—I guess.”
But he didn’t, she could see that in the hunted look in his eyes. Try, she begged silently. Just try.
“‘Gertrude Mortimer baked the best chocolate cake anyone had ever tasted.’ Now you say it.”
He stood at center stage, stared at her. Dani repeated the phrase.
“Gertrude Chocolate mortimered anyone…” He stopped, gulped.
The others chuckled in sympathy.
“You’ll get it. Just keep trying,” the crowd encouraged.
But Luc didn’t get it. Half an hour later Dani dismissed the rest of the cast and watched them scurry away, undoubtedly grateful they didn’t have to endure any more of his line-mangling.
“It was distracting with the others here,” she excused as the door banged shut for the tenth time. “Way too noisy. We’ll practice one-on-one. Don’t worry about it. Come on, let’s try it down here.”
“You can’t say I didn’t warn you.” He sighed, took the stairs two at a time and flopped down beside her. This time the words emerged perfectly. But as soon as they returned to the stage to practice their movements with the lines, he tightened up, forgot what he was doing.
By ten-thirty Dani was ready to phone Big Ed and beg him to take over. Unfortunately Winifred Blessing didn’t know the meaning of the word defeat.
“Tiredness, that’s all it is. Simply too weary. Everyone’s had a long, busy day. So many things to do.” She cluck-clucked her sympathy, patting Luc’s shoulder as if he were four. “Try again when you’re fresh, dear. You too, Dani.”
Dani hadn’t felt fresh since the day she’d found out her father had left the ranch submerged in debt. But she scrounged for a bit of cheerfulness.
“This is Thursday,” she murmured, trying to remember what she’d planned for the weekend. “I’ve got some stuff to do Saturday morning, but maybe you could come out to the ranch in the afternoon. Around one? I could coach you then.”
“Why prolong the inevitable? I’m lousy at this.” Luc shrugged at her glower. “Oh, all right, fine. Saturday afternoon. I’ll be there, barring a medical emergency. But this is a waste of time. I’m not an actor, I’m a doctor. And no matter how badly you want to, you can’t change me.”
Thus released, he walked quickly up the aisle and left the building.
Dani waited until she heard the outer door squeak closed. Then she turned to Miss Winifred.
“Are you sure—”
Winifred patted her shoulder, her face beaming. “The Lord works in mysterious ways, Dani. But He does perform His wonders. Just you give Him a chance.”
Which was all well and fine, Dani decided as she pulled into her yard half an hour later. But they had only four months, and Dr. Lucas Lawrence hadn’t memorized three paragraphs in three hours. She climbed out, reached in for her jacket and blinked. A little white bakery box with that familiar red script was nestled on her back seat.
“‘Blessing Bakery,”’ she read aloud, stomach rumbling at the thought of delicacies she’d often seen tucked inside boxes like these. “‘Made with love.”’ She lifted the lid to peek inside. “What have you done now, Miss Winifred?”
One of Miss Blessing’s heart-shaped love cookies lay inside. The cookies were famous, appearing in unexpected spots all over the county, but Dani had never before received one personally. She held the box under the truck’s interior light, curious about the message she knew would be piped across the cookie in vivid red icing.
Faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to.
As usual, Miss Winifred’s cookie stated the problem with a piercing succinctness that made Dani wince.
“I’m trying to have faith, Lord,” she whispered, lifting the cookie out and nibbling off one corner as she stared at the blanket of stars winking overhead. “But tonight didn’t help. Ranch problems are bad enough. What am I going to do with an actor who freezes up the minute he gets on stage?”
The night breeze swirled off the snow-capped mountains and down around her, a chilling reminder that winter might not be finished yet. Loath to leave this panorama of beauty before her for the silence of her empty home, Dani remained a moment longer, considered nights past when she’d felt as if she nestled in the Father’s hand.
Heaven’s kiss, her dad had called it. A feeling that God leaned down and brushed your cheek with His lips, that He was in charge and everything would be fine. It had been so long since she’d felt that tender care.
“Everyone’s gone home to their families. Dad’s with You. But I’m out here all alone, God.” The words, whispered on the night air, carried back to her in painful repetition.
Alone. Alone. Alone.
Dani waited for that featherlight caress of peace to flow through her weary heart. But only the nip of frosty air brushed over her cheeks.
Evidently heaven wasn’t in a kissing mood tonight.
Chapter Two
O n Saturday, just after lunch, Dr. Lucas Lawrence steered his car around an assortment of potholes that littered the road to the Double D ranch and wondered why anyone willingly chose to live out here.
Just as quickly he chided himself for the criticism.
“Okay, it’s beautiful,” he admitted, gazing at the quilt-block pattern that the variegated greens made across the landscape. “Creation in all its glory.” He winced at the bounce from the right front wheel. “But it’s miles from civilization and a death trap to drive over!”
A sudden thought made him chuckle.
“If Winifred Blessing were here, she’d call me a wimp.” He deliberately pressed down the accelerator. One bone-jarring thump later, he yelped and immediately lifted his foot.
“I probably am a wimp.” He admitted it with a sigh and eased his aching behind more firmly into the padded seat, his attention fixed on the road.
“Now what?” Just on the crest of the next hill, a lone cow stood in the middle of the road, back end facing him. There wasn’t enough room on either side to pass the beast. Luc honked the horn.
The placid cow turned to face him. To his dismay, the cow turned out to be a bull that apparently was not amused by honking car horns. It scraped one hoof against the ground and snorted its protest in a bellow of disgust.
“Carrying bucolic a bit far, aren’t we, God?”
He sat there for several moments, waiting for inspiration to strike. The bull glared at him. Luc glared back. He was no wimp. He was a tough, in-charge doctor. He twisted the steering wheel hard right and edged forward. The bull moved just slightly to the right. Luc shifted to the left, so did the bull.
He considered getting out and chasing the thing away, but he’d chosen his favorite red shirt to wear today, and some echo in his memory reminded him that bulls charged anything red.
“What exactly am I doing out here?” he muttered in disgust. “Saturday afternoon and I’m sitting here trading stares with a bull.” As weekend entertainment, Luc felt it lacked a certain something.
The roar of an engine struggling to climb a hill caught his attention. Moments later Dani DeWitt’s battered red truck drew up beside the bull. Luc switched off his engine, his attention snagged by her chiding voice.
“Marvin, what are you doing out here?” She grabbed one horn and pulled. The beast shook his head free, then leaned over to lick her face.
“Stop that!” She dragged a shirtsleeve across her face. “I’m not impressed with your affections, you know. You’re supposed to be in the south paddock, not out here blocking traffic.”
The beast snuffled a response, rubbing its massive head against her side in a way that made Luc reach for the door handle as fear snaked its way up his spine. She couldn’t weigh one-tenth as much as that mammoth. It would surely kill her. He pushed the door open, freezing when it creaked loudly. The bull turned to glare at him.
Dani DeWitt didn’t even glance his way.
“Don’t get out, Doc. Just stay where you are. I have everything under control.”
Sure she did.
Luc didn’t believe it for a moment, but presumably she did have more knowledge than he about this animal. She even knew the thing’s name, though he’d never have called something so impossibly ugly “Marvin.”
Luc patted the seat beside him. He had his cell phone. He could call for help if he needed it, though he wasn’t clear on exactly whom to call.
“Okay, Marv. Shift your bulk right now, and I mean it. I’ve got my zapper and if you give me a bit of trouble, I’ll poke you right in the rump.”
The bull nudged her thigh again, waggled its horns, then obediently plodded across the road, into the ditch, and daintily stepped over a broken strand of electric fence. Dani followed him and smacked him on the hind quarters.
“You get home right now, Marvin, or you’ll find yourself going without supper tonight. Git now!” She stood her ground, hands on her hips, glaring at the beast’s wavering back end.
Marvin emitted a strange bellow, nodded his giant head twice, then began to trot due north, his hooves thundering against the hard-packed ground.
Luc climbed out of his car, staring at her in astonishment.
“How did you do that?”
“Hey, Doc. Didn’t think you were coming.” Dani touched her cheek with one finger, grimaced and wiped her face on her shirttail. She made a face at the wet spot of bull saliva, then grinned at him. “That dumb ol’ bull thinks I’m his daughter.”
“His daughter?” He chuckled. “You scared the daylights out of me when you grabbed his horn.”
“Oh, Marvin won’t hurt me. We grew up together. But don’t ever put yourself between him and me. He’s very protective. My dad once yelled at me and Marvin charged him.” She giggled. “He’s really just a big old softie, but he doesn’t like everyone to know that. Especially men.”
“I see.” Luc swallowed. This—this girl had used a few choice words to single-handedly manage what he’d seen grown men twice her size fail at. His appreciation for Dani DeWitt’s courage soared. “I’m sorry I’m so late. M-Marvin wouldn’t let me past.”
“No, he doesn’t want any strangers on the ranch. He’s afraid I’ll sell him like I did the other cattle.” Her face changed, lost its glow of fun.
“Will you?” He saw how little she wanted that to happen.
“Probably have to,” she murmured. “I don’t have any cows to breed him with and he’s worth a fair bit.”
“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say.
“Thanks. It’s been tough since Dad died, but I’m getting through.”
“From all I’ve heard, you’re doing very well.”
Her head jerked up at that, eyes narrowed. Luc realized he’d just told her the entire town was talking about her. He hurried to change the subject.
“Is this your land?”
She nodded. “Far as you can see.”
She told him exactly how many acres she owned, but the number didn’t compute in his brain.
“It sounds big, but I know less than nothing about ranches.”
“Why would you? You’re a doctor. I know less than nothing about medicine.” She pointed down the road. “If you want to follow me, I’ll take you back to the house.”
“Weren’t you headed somewhere? I don’t want to take up your afternoon.” Maybe he could get out of this yet.
“I was expecting you. I just came out to check on Marvin. I knew he’d head out here. He does it whenever he wants to make a statement.” She turned toward her truck. “Keep driving straight ahead. You’ll see the house in about five miles.”
Luc followed her at some distance, hoping to avoid the cloud of dust that trailed behind her truck, but also wanting to save wear on his shocks. Pavement appeared to be in short supply in Dani DeWitt’s neck of the woods.
As he drove, Luc noted that the place was huge—miles of green stretched before him. She ran it virtually alone, he knew from gossip in town. He couldn’t help his smile of admiration. Dani DeWitt was one very unusual woman. She’d handled a bull with an attitude, agreed to direct a play that involved half the town. She was feisty. And she sure didn’t back down from a challenge. He’d experienced that personally.
The house, when he saw it, made his eyes widen. A large, cedar-sided two-storey, it sat in the lee of a south-facing hill, huge windows offering what must be a stunning vista over the surrounding valley. A few scraggly flowers struggled to show their blooms against the house, but mostly the yard was grass. He parked beside her truck, climbed out.
“It’s very beautiful country,” he told her sincerely. “You must love to come home.”
“Yes, I do. I was away at college for four years, but every time I came back, it was as if I’d never left.” She motioned to the willow furniture on the deck outside the front door. “Would you like to sit out here in the sun? I can get us some lemonade.”
“Sure.” Luc gingerly lowered himself onto the cushion atop a web of woven willow and found it quite comfy. He waited, content to study the magnificent view, until she returned with two frosty glasses. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She took a sip, stared at him for a moment. “Are you enjoying Blessing, Dr. Lawrence?”
“It’s Luc.” He nodded. “Yes, I am. Now that Joshua’s recovered and I have a few minutes of spare time, I’m looking forward to really getting to know the area.”
“It was a terrible accident. I know both he and Nicole were glad you were there.” Dani stared out across the billowing grasses. “They seem very happy together.”
“I’m sure they are. The girls love their new mother, and Nicole doesn’t let Joshua get away with much. She’s got her own opinions about things.” He didn’t want to talk about work, Luc discovered. He wanted to talk about her. He didn’t bother to ask himself why. “Tell me about the ranch.”
A mask fell over her eyes, shielding her thoughts from him.
“What do you want to know?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want to tell me. What it’s like to live out here. Whether you intend on staying or not.”
“Staying? Of course I’m staying. Who told you otherwise?” Her brows drew together in a frown of dismay.
“No one’s said anything. I just assumed with you being so young, you’d rather move back to the city.” He glanced around, noted the unmown grass, the windows that needed painting, the broken board in the balustrade. “You must get lonely out here by yourself.”
“I don’t really.” She smiled. “Maybe because I’m so busy, or maybe it’s because I grew up here, cut my teeth on a horse’s bridle. This is my world.”
“And you love it.”
It didn’t take the nod of her head to tell him that. Luc could see it in the way she stroked the arm of her chair, in the softness of her eyes as she watched horses frolic in a distant pasture. Dani possessed a beauty he’d seldom seen. She had a youthful vitality that glowed in her vivid green eyes, glittered in the sheen of her black hair where the sun struck, but it was more than that.
