Heart of Texas Vol. 3

  “The thing is,” Wade said, “I don’t know anything about Amy.”

  “Do you love her?” It was a bold question, but Grady couldn’t see skirting around the subject when that was all that truly mattered.

  Wade’s head came up. “I think so…Yes.” He closed his eyes. “I don’t know why I do or how it happened. A week ago I was doing everything I could, short of leaping off a bridge, to get out of taking her to the dance.”

  Grady laughed. “I seem to recall Caroline mentioning a certain reluctance on your part.”

  “You mean Amy knew?”

  “I think she might have.”

  Wade groaned aloud.

  “What caused this sudden change of heart?”

  The question went unanswered for a moment. “I’d tell you straight if I could. When I went to pick her up for the dance, I felt as if…as if someone had stuck me with a cattle prod. I’d noticed her before, plenty, but I don’t know…I was afraid, I guess. Afraid of exactly what’s happening now. She’s beautiful, but I don’t want you to think that’s the only reason I’m attracted to her.”

  “Well, it doesn’t hurt any.”

  “True, but it’s much more than that,” Wade said. He reached for a long blade of grass and peeled off a strip. “I’ve only kissed her once, and as far as kisses go, it was pretty chaste.”

  “But you enjoyed it.”

  Wade’s tight face broke into a grin. “I damn near blew a fuse.”

  Grady laughed, remembering the first time he’d kissed Caroline. It had left him reeling for days. All he could think about was kissing her again. Judging by the desperation and yearning on his face, Wade was obviously experiencing the same reaction.

  “Then Monday night at Nell’s wedding…”

  “Yes?” Grady prodded the minister.

  “I…I had the strongest sense—” he glanced at Grady, then quickly averted his gaze “—that Amy and I were meant to be together.” He paled slightly. “I barely know her and I know almost nothing about her past.”

  “You mean, who’s the father of her baby and why isn’t she with him?” Grady believed in plain speaking.

  Wade shrugged, and again he hesitated. “It’s just that…”

  “Just what?”

  Wade tossed the blade of grass aside and then, as if he needed something to do with his hands, removed his hat and held it by the brim, slowly rotating it. “I’m worried,” he admitted.

  “Falling in love isn’t always easy,” Grady said, feeling adequately knowledgeable on the subject. “Especially when there’s a child involved. That complicates things. But you have to be willing to love the kid as if she’s your own—or he, of course. And you have to trust the woman you love….” His own romance with Caroline had gone through its share of difficulties. In truth, he’d been a stubborn fool, and it’d probably help Wade if he shared that, but Grady preferred to let Wade think him wise and perceptive.

  “There’s a lot of unknowns with Amy.”

  That would worry Grady, too. It’d been different with Caroline. Grady had known her almost all his life, not that he’d paid her any heed until recent years, when she’d become friends with Savannah.

  “You might just ask her,” Grady said. “I find the direct approach less confusing and troublesome myself.”

  “I could do that,” Wade agreed, but he didn’t sound confident about it.

  “You don’t want to ask her a lot of questions,” Grady said.

  “I’d rather she volunteered the information.”

  Grady didn’t blame him for that. They sat there a good ten minutes without either one of them speaking. Grady was a patient man; he didn’t mind waiting.

  But when Wade continued to brood in silence, Grady finally asked, “What can I do to help you?”

  Wade seemed to slowly shake himself free of his thoughts. “I guess I want you to tell me I’m not acting like a fool,” he said in a low voice. “And that there’s a chance for me with Amy—and her baby. That I’ll say and do the right things.”

  Grady stood and slapped the minister on the back. “You’ll know what’s right when the time comes.”

  Wade exhaled. “I expect I will. Thanks for the pep talk.”

  “No problem. Come to me for advice anytime you want. I’m not exactly an expert on romance, but I’m willing to help.” He actually felt sorry for the poor guy. He’d known Wade for a long time now and had never seen him looking so confused and unsettled.

  Falling in love wasn’t all starlit nights and picnics and romantic moments; it was also pain and uncertainty and risk.

  Wade had just found that out.

  AMY AWOKE BEFORE DAWN on the Fourth of July, excited about spending this day with Wade McMillen.

  Admittedly part of her excitement was due to the fact that she’d been invited to join his family’s celebration of the holiday. In their brief conversation she’d learned that Wade was the oldest of three. His younger brother and sister were both married and each had two children. His mother apparently doted on her grandchildren.

  The thought produced a small stab of pain. Amy’s mother had wanted nothing to do with her grandchild. With effort Amy pushed away all thoughts of her. Alicia Thornton’s life had been ravaged by drugs, alcohol and an endless series of disastrous relationships; she’d never functioned with any adequacy as a parent.

  From the time she was able to make sense of her own life, Amy had been determined not to make the same mistakes her mother had. Until recently she’d done a good job, behaving responsibly. Then she’d met Alex.

  He was another person she preferred not to think about.

  Wanting to contribute something to the festivities, Amy tied an apron around her nightgown. “Okay, Sarah,” she said, “we’re going to bake Wade an apple pie.” Dovie had told her Wade had a sweet tooth and one of his all-time favorites was apple pie. She’d even provided Amy with a recipe from her grandmother’s cookbook. A crust made with buttermilk, and a few chopped dates added in with the apples.

  Feeling ambitious, Amy baked two pies. One apple and one strawberry-rhubarb. Both turned out beautifully. She left them on the kitchen counter to cool, then showered and dressed for the day.

  Her wardrobe was limited, but Savannah had given her a few clothes that fit perfectly. She chose a pair of shorts and a sleeveless top, then glanced at herself in the full-length mirror on the bedroom door.

  “Oh, my, Sarah Jane,” she whispered when she viewed her reflection. “We look very pregnant.”

  Well, there was no help for that. It wasn’t as if she could hide the pregnancy; anyway, Wade was well aware of her condition when he invited her. If he’d had second thoughts, he would have said something before now.

  No sooner had she finished curling her hair and applying her makeup than the doorbell chimed.

  Wade stood there, looking about as handsome as a man had any right to be. She felt a jolt of pleasure at the sight of him.

  “Come on inside,” she said, unlatching the screen door. “I’m almost ready.”

  “I’m a few minutes early.”

  Amy hadn’t noticed. “All I need to do is load up the pies.”

  “Pies?” He quirked one eyebrow.

  “Strawberry-rhubarb and apple.”

  He groaned. “Apple’s my favorite.”

  “That’s what Dovie said.”

  “Did she also tell you what she discovered with Frank—that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?”

  Amy unsuccessfully hid a smile. “She might have mentioned something along those lines.” She found a cardboard box in which to transport the pies. Wade moved to help her, and before she understood what he was doing, they bumped into each other.

  His arm went out to balance her and she froze when his skin touched hers. Slowly she raised her eyes to his. Her breath jammed in her throat at the look of naked longing on his face. And she realized that same longing was reflected on her own.

  Without conscious decision—Amy was conv
inced of that—they reached for each other. Her arms circled his neck and she stood on her toes, offering him her mouth. Wade kissed her with a thoroughness that left her grateful she was supported by his embrace.

  “I’ve been dreaming of kissing you again since last Saturday.”

  “I…have, too,” she whispered. Her eyes were closed. She was afraid to open them, afraid reality would ruin the moment and she couldn’t bear that.

  “I’ve thought of nothing but you all week.”

  “Oh, Wade, are we crazy? I hardly know you. You hardly know me. And yet…it’s as though we’re…supposed to be together.”

  She felt his chest lift with a sharp intake of breath and instantly regretted having spoken. It was true; she’d thought of him all week. But it’d been more than that. Something had changed the night of Nell and Travis’s wedding.

  Something had happened. Even though Amy didn’t really know the couple, she’d let Dovie persuade her to attend the ceremony. Dovie had explained how Nell and Travis had met and fallen in love, and she’d mentioned the ghost town. Amy had found their story inspiring and romantic. She had to admit she was intrigued by Bitter End, too. To think the town had been forgotten all those years!

  But as she sat in the church, her attention focused on Wade, and she suddenly had the most intense feeling of connection. She was going to love Wade McMillen, she knew it, and he was going to love her. She couldn’t explain where this certainty had come from, but she’d definitely felt it. And so, she thought at the time, had he.

  However, having recently demonstrated her poor judgment when it came to men, Amy wasn’t inclined to believe in what had happened. Later she’d managed to convince herself that it had been a form of self-hypnosis. Dr. Jane had said that because of the pregnancy, her emotions might be off-kilter.

  That was it, Amy was sure. All these mixed-up feelings had been a fluke. Until now, she’d been able to believe that.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, mortified to the very marrow of her bones. “I didn’t mean…”

  Wade cradled her face between his hands and gazed into her eyes. “You felt it, too, didn’t you?”

  She lowered her lashes rather than admit the truth.

  He kissed her as though to remove all doubt. This time their kisses were neither patient nor gentle, but fiery. Urgent. She wasn’t sure if those kisses were meant to deny what they felt, to prove it false—or the opposite.

  The baby stirred and Wade must have felt the movement because he abruptly broke off the kiss. Speechless, they clung to each other.

  “We’d better go,” he finally said. “We have a long drive ahead of us, and Mom and Dad are waiting.”

  Amy envied him his fast recovery. By the time the effect of their kisses had worn off, Wade had loaded the pies into his vehicle. Amy grabbed her purse and a sweater and locked the house.

  Once they were on the road, Wade turned on the radio and they sang along to a Willie Nelson ballad at the top of their lungs. There was something exhilarating about speeding down the highway on a perfect July morning. Amy felt a delicious sense of anticipation, a quivery excitement.

  “Tell me about Bitter End,” she said when the song was over.

  He seemed surprised that she knew about the abandoned town. “It was settled, oh, about 130 years ago, after the Civil War, by families hoping to make a better life for themselves,” he said. “Then…there was some kind of crisis. Nell and Travis found out there’d been an unjust hanging. A preacher’s son. Afterward the town was said to be cursed by the preacher, and everyone moved away.”

  “I’d like to see it.”

  “I’m sure you will someday.”

  “It must be an incredible sight,” she said, remembering what Dovie had told her, although her friend hadn’t actually been to the town herself. Ellie had, but wasn’t inclined to speak of it. “Perhaps we could explore it together,” Amy suggested.

  “Perhaps,” he said noncommittally.

  “Tell me more about your family,” she said next.

  “Mom’s a housewife-turned-shop-owner,” he told her. “After all the years of staying home for us kids, she started her own yarn shop when Janice Marie went away to college. She’s always loved to knit, and this seemed a perfect outlet for her creativity. I don’t think anyone’s more surprised at Mom’s success than she is.”

  “I don’t know how to knit.”

  “Then my mother would love to teach you—whether you want to learn or not,” he said with a chuckle. “Dad’s a retired insurance broker, but he’s busier now than he ever was working. He volunteers at the grade school tutoring children at risk. Last I heard, he was coaching Little League, too. He told me he simply hasn’t got time to work, not when he’s having this much fun.”

  “It sounds like you have a wonderful family.”

  “Just wait until you taste the barbecue. That’s Dad’s real speciality. He won’t let anyone near the grill, not even my mother. He takes real pride in his slow-grilled ribs.” Wade went on to describe the apron and hat his father would be wearing. A complete wardrobe reserved for the Fourth of July.

  Amy’s laugh was carefree. “Now what about your sister?”

  “She’s mean and ugly.”

  “Wade!”

  “Well, she was when she was twelve and if she’s changed I haven’t noticed.”

  Amy didn’t believe him for a minute.

  “I can’t understand what prompted André to marry Janice Marie.”

  “It might’ve had something to do with love.”

  Wade snickered. “It might, but I doubt it. Janice Marie bakes the world’s best applesauce cake, and André has a weakness for it.”

  Amy rolled her eyes.

  “Hey, he confessed it to me himself.”

  “What about your brother?”

  “Larry? He’s spoiled rotten. Both him and Janice. I’m the only one who turned out decent.”

  “Yeah, right.” She grinned. “I can’t wait to ask your mother the real story. You know, I’m so looking forward to meeting them.” She paused. “What did they say when you told them you were bringing me?” She leaned back, patting her rounded stomach.

  “They don’t know you’re coming.”

  Amy’s amusement died. “What do you mean, they don’t know I’m coming?”

  Wade didn’t appear to notice how upset she was.

  “I didn’t tell them. Hey, it’s no big deal.”

  “Yes, it is,” she said, her panic rising. “Take me back to Promise,” she demanded. “I can’t—I won’t meet your family. Not like this. Not without them knowing…”

  CHAPTER 6

  WADE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE of the road. Amy looked as if she was about to burst into tears. And he had no idea what he’d done wrong.

  “Amy?”

  She was breathing hard and tears welled in her eyes. She opened the car door and leaped out.

  “What is it?” He followed her, not sure what to do.

  “You didn’t even tell your parents you’d invited me to the family get-together?”

  He gave her a puzzled look. “We often invite impromptu guests. Mom prepares enough food to feed a small army. You’re welcome with or without my parents’ knowledge.”

  “Then they don’t know I’m pregnant, either.” She folded her arms and glared at the sky. “That was a stupid question, seeing they don’t even know I exist!”

  “My parents aren’t going to judge you,” Wade promised. “They’ll be thrilled I’m bringing you.”

  She didn’t seem convinced.

  “All right, all right,” he said. “If it’s that important, I’ll use my cell phone and we’ll call them from here.”

  He watched her shoulders rise and then fall with a deep troubled sigh. “Are you going to tell them I’m almost seven months pregnant, too?”

  “Ah…” He hesitated, not sure how to answer. If he admitted he was, Amy might find fault with him for warning his parents. If he reassured her he wasn’t going to
say a word, she might accuse him of setting them up for a shock. Either way, he feared he’d end up with just enough rope to hang himself. “What would you like me to say?” he asked.

  “Tell them,” she said, then chewed on her lower lip.

  “Okay.” He sat back in the car and reached for the phone.

  He’d punched out four numbers when she cried out, stopping him. “No, don’t!”

  Wade replaced the receiver. “Maybe we’d better go over exactly what you do want me to say. Rehearse it in advance.”

  Amy climbed back into the Blazer and sat there, arms crossed. After a long tense moment she glanced at him. “Do you have any suggestions?”

  “I could tell them we met in church.”

  “Well…” Her beautiful eyes smiled once again. “Isn’t that a bit deceptive?”

  Wade grinned. “It’s the truth—sort of.”

  The amusement fled from her face. “Oh, Wade, I don’t know what we should do.”

  “Couldn’t we simply enjoy the afternoon?” That seemed the obvious solution to him.

  “But I’ll be self-conscious the entire time.”

  “Because you’re pregnant?”

  Amy covered her cheeks with both hands. “I can only imagine what your family will think of me.”

  “What makes you assume they’re going to think anything?”

  “Because people do. It’s only natural.”

  “Then they’ll think I’m the luckiest man alive to have convinced such a beautiful woman to share the Fourth of July with me.” His mother and father were kindhearted generous people, but she wouldn’t know that until she’d met them. Never in all his life had he seen either of his parents intentionally shun or hurt anyone. They just weren’t like that. He wanted to tell Amy, but feared she wouldn’t believe him.

  “They’ll think I’m one of your charity cases,” she muttered.

  Wade didn’t mean to laugh, but the idea was so ludicrous, he couldn’t help it.

  “I’m glad you find this funny,” she said. “Unfortunately, I don’t.”

  His laughter died, and Wade turned to grasp her by the shoulders. “Oh, Amy, you’re about as far from being a charity case as it’s possible to get.”