Lone Star Blessings

“This way, Dad.” Alyssa scooted toward a table.

Trying to balance the plate and glass, he didn’t notice until it was too late that she’d led him to the Lambert woman’s table.

“Miss Lambert’s my new Sunday school teacher,” Alyssa announced, clearly pleased.

That was quick. She’d barely had time to unpack her car.

Marvin greeted him heartily. “Come sit down.”

He couldn’t refuse without being rude. “Sure we won’t be crowding you?”

Marvin shook his head, gesturing to his wheelchair. “I brought my own seating, so we have more than enough room. Right, Kate?”

She met Tucker’s gaze and he was surprised to see a trace of vulnerability in her eyes. It faded quickly as she directed her attention toward Alyssa. “Hey!”

Alyssa scooted into the narrow spot between Marvin and Kate. There wasn’t a chair on the other side of Marvin, but there was one beside Kate. Moving the chair would be awkward, obvious. So he put his plate on the table and sat next to her.

His shoulder brushed hers as he settled in place. She didn’t jerk away, but he could feel her arm stiffen before he shifted over a few inches.

Sipping his punch, he wished he’d thought to choose a bracing cup of coffee instead. He watched his daughter. Her face was lit up, more animated than he’d seen it in…longer than he could calculate.

Marvin cut into his brisket. “Did you get some of this, Tucker? Best brisket I’ve ever eaten. That’s saying something—I eat barbecue at least twice a week.”

Tucker hadn’t paid any particular attention to what he’d piled on his plate. Looking at it, he realized he had about three kinds of potato salad and no meat. “I’ll have to try it another time.”

“I can get you some, Dad.” Alyssa popped up before he could protest.

Marvin looked after her wistfully. “Wish I could bottle some of that energy.”

Tucker guessed Marvin was a man used to doing things on his own. He was probably chafing, being confined to that chair.

“Does she have any brothers or sisters?” Kate asked.

His throat tightened. “No.”

She didn’t press. “I’m an only child myself.”

Marvin looked over at Tucker, then wrinkled his brow. “How is it I’ve never met you? I’ve been coming to this church since I moved here.”

Alyssa arrived with a hearty portion of brisket. “Mr. Carlson said there’s lots.” After placing the plate of meat on the table, she scooted next to Kate again. “And there’s all kinds of cake, too.”

Marvin turned his attention to the girl. “Daisy Ford didn’t make a pie?”

Alyssa shrugged. “Somebody said there weren’t many pies ’cause there’s gonna be a pie sale for the hospital this week. Guess they want to make sure people’ll buy the pies.”

Marvin nodded. “That’s right. Just heard about it this morning. My brain’s starting to act like a sieve.”

“It’s okay to forget stuff,” Alyssa assured him. “I forget things, too.”

Marvin chuckled. “Guess I’ll take your word for it.”

Tucker watched them, remembering the light, easy play they’d shared with Alyssa’s grandparents. But now the visits were one-sided. Shelley’s parents drove down from Dallas, but he and Alyssa hadn’t been out of Rosewood in the last two years.

Kate picked up the plate of brisket, offering it to him. “It really is delicious. Somebody told me that Michael Carlson cooks it over a low fire for hours and hours. I’m not that much of a meat eater, but this just melts in your mouth.”

His gaze dropped to her lips as she spoke. They seemed to be curved in a perpetual smile. Well, at least since they’d sat down to lunch. He easily remembered how well she could frown. Still, he couldn’t miss the tint of some sort of pinkish gloss on her full lips.

At that thought, he straightened up so quickly that he brushed her arm again. His tie felt as though it was made of shrinking elastic, tightening around his neck. “Warm for this time of year, isn’t it?”

Kate tilted her head. “I’ve only visited here before, so I don’t really know, but it seems about right to me.”

“She’s used to the heat and humidity in Houston,” Marvin explained. “It’s like being in a twenty-four hour sauna.”

Tucker glanced back at Kate. “So you are from the city.”

“Born and bred.”

He waited, but she didn’t add any details. Picking at the food on his plate, he hoped they wouldn’t have to stay too long at the lunch. He glanced over at his daughter. Alyssa was all smiles.

And she’d sure taken to Kate.

Something was different about the woman, but he couldn’t put his finger on the change. Same fiery green eyes, pale skin, auburn hair…maybe that was it—she didn’t have her hair scrunched into a ponytail. Instead it was loose, falling past her shoulders in waves.

Pretending interest in his brisket, he snuck another look. With her coloring, he expected a sprinkling of freckles, but he didn’t see any. Maybe she was a hothouse flower who kept inside all the time. She laughed just then at something Alyssa said, throwing back her head, exposing the slim column of her throat. It, too, appeared flawless.

“Tucker, it’s been a month of Sundays!” Old man Carruthers stopped by the table. “Well, more than that, I think. Good to see you back where you belong.”

Tucker stood to shake his hand. Albert Carruthers had been Tucker’s Sunday school teacher when he was in junior high school. Despite his feelings about church now, Tucker knew Mr. Carruthers only meant well.

“You doing all right, sir?”

“Just getting old, Tuck.” He lifted his cane. “But I’m not letting it slow me down.”

Remembering the older man’s endless energy when he was younger, Tucker grinned and lightly touched the cane. “Don’t be vaulting any fences. Mrs. Carruthers’ll have your hide.”

Albert chuckled. “You’re right about that.” Reaching up, he patted Tucker’s shoulder. “Don’t be a stranger. I’ve missed you.”

Tucker would have liked to reassure his old friend, but he couldn’t lie to him.

When Mr. Carruthers left to stroll toward his wife, Tucker sat down.

Kate looked at him curiously. “Sounds like you’re the prodigal son.”

He clenched his jaw, aware of his daughter’s close proximity. “Do you think you’ve been in town long enough to judge that?”

Kate had the kind of face that didn’t hide what she was thinking. And he saw curiosity turn to puzzled concern. “I just noticed a lot of people surprised to…” She glanced at Alyssa and apparently had a flash of good sense. “This is all new to me. Nice, but new.” Picking up a cup of punch, she averted her face.

Tucker felt the brush of her shoulder as she fidgeted. She put down the plastic cup, fiddled with her fork, then straightened out her paper napkin. “So, anyone ready for dessert?”

Marvin and Alyssa looked down at their nearly full plates.

Tucker studied Kate.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who wanted to bolt.

That afternoon, Marvin whistled as he sat in front of the large window in the living room. Since Seth had removed the barrier to the entry, he could maneuver easily without help. As he watched the day dwindle toward its end, couples strolled down the street, some hand in hand. Young parents pushed strollers and children shrieked as they let off the last remnants of energy.

Kate brought him a glass of iced tea. “I’ll have to remember to buy some more lemons.”

“This is one of my favorite things on Sunday.” He pointed out the window. “Reminds me of when I was a kid…when it wasn’t so frantic in Houston. It just got too big too fast.”

“Pace is slower here,” she agreed. “I keep forgetting I don’t have to rush somewhere every day and plan, so that I can avoid traffic and lines.”

“I had enough of both.” Marvin shook his head. “Didn’t like feeling I was always running, never catching up. Pace here suits me better.”

“Are you hungry? It’s getting close to dinner time.”

Marvin shrugged. “A little, maybe. That was a big lunch.”

Kate watched as an older couple strolled by. “Looks like they’ve been together forever.”

“The Hills? About fifty years.”

“Incredible. That’s what? Two-thirds of their lives?”

“Sounds about right. Katie, you haven’t even mentioned Derek.”

She’d dreaded this conversation. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Has he called since you’ve been here?”

“We’ve got lasagna and baked ham left. You choose. When all the good stuff’s gone, you’ll be stuck with my cooking, which you know is terrible. That or sandwiches.” She fluffed the pillows on the couch. “Then again, maybe I’ll just get take-out from the café so I don’t poison you.”

“Did you argue about coming here to take care of me?”

She sighed. “He wasn’t who I thought he was.”

“I assume that’s a figurative reference.”

“Maybe I didn’t want to see the real Derek.”

“This is because of me. Katie, I won’t let you ruin your life—”

“Dad, coming here just opened my eyes. And I’m glad. What if I’d stumbled into marriage, then found out? It hurts, but it’s better to know.”

He sighed. “Confession—ever since I moved here, I’ve hoped that someday you would, too. Now I’ve trapped you.”

“You can’t trap somebody who volunteers. Face it, you couldn’t have kept me away.”

“So much like your mother. Stubborn, kind, seeing the best in people.”

There were days when Kate missed her mother so badly it was as though she’d just barely died, instead of twenty-five years ago. Blinking away the tears, she looked at the floor. “So, lasagna or ham?”

“She’d be proud of you, Katie.”

“We can make sandwiches out of the ham, so let’s have lasagna. I do know how to warm up stuff in the microwave. But no promises about not burning it. I usually make TV dinners because they have the instructions right on the package.”

“Katie?”

“Yes, Dad?”

“Love you.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

Chapter Four

Kate reached high with the feather duster, passing it over the top of the bureau in her father’s room. A second later she heard knocking. She glanced down at her jeans and mussed shirt. Fortunately, none of their visitors seemed to notice her perpetual state of messiness. Still, she smoothed her hair back as she reached the front door and opened it.

Alyssa Grey stood on the porch, looking somewhat shy.

“Hey! What a pleasant surprise. Come in.”

The girl looked at the duster still in Kate’s hand.

“Are you busy?”

Realizing she’d forgotten to ditch the duster, Kate stuck it behind her back. “You are a very welcome diversion. I don’t mind housework, but I like company better.”

“Is your dad okay, Miss Lambert?”

“Kate. And yes, he’s fine.” She noticed Alyssa had her backpack on. “Did you just get out of school?”

“Uh-huh. I passed your house on the way home, so…”

Kate sensed the girl was feeling uncertain. “I’m glad you have time to stop and visit. How about a snack?” She headed into the kitchen, Alyssa trailing behind. “We’ve got some fruit, um…cheese…yogurt…”

“I’m okay.”

Reaching into the fruit drawer, Kate pulled out two apples. “Want one?”

“Sure.”

They settled at the kitchen table, companionably munching their apples. “So you don’t live far?”

Alyssa pointed north. “About a block that way.”

“Great, we’re neighbors!” She reached for a paper napkin. “Did you let your parents know that you were stopping here?”

She shook her head. “It’s just my dad, and he’s at work.”

“Oh.” Kate cleared her throat. She had wondered on Sunday where the girl’s mother was. “Shouldn’t you still check in?”

“In a few minutes. Dad got me a cell phone after…Anyway, I’m not supposed to use it to talk to friends, just if I need him. So I call from home. But we got out an hour early—it’s Teacher Day or something.”

Kate wasn’t thrilled that this likeable girl belonged to the obstinate sheriff, but she knew how parents worried. “Surely he knows that.”

“He’s got a hard job and he forgets little stuff.”

Like when his daughter was due home? He shot down further in her estimation. Sure, divorce was difficult, but if he had primary custody, he needed to step it up. Not something she wanted to say to this child. “Okay, you have to be completely honest with me. Did I stink at teaching your class?”

Alyssa giggled. “Everybody likes you. Sasha’s worried you won’t let us have as many parties as Miss Laroy, but it’s cool that you lived in Houston and you’re an artist.”

“I restore paintings—so I’m a fixer, not an artist.” She leaned forward. “I haven’t taught a Sunday school class in a really long time. Think everyone will give me time to get my footing?”

“Sure. Miss Laroy moved away.”

Kate laughed aloud. The frankness of youth.

“I thought I heard somebody.” Marvin rolled into the room, then scrunched his brows in concentration. “Alyssa?”

The girl beamed, pleased that he remembered her name. “Uh-huh. How do you feel?”

“Still rolling.”

She giggled.

And Marvin grinned in return.

Kate could see that a dose of Alyssa would be very good for her father. “We’re having a snack. You hungry?”

He shook his head. “I’m still stuffed from lunch. Mrs. Ford makes a killer lasagna, but I overdid.”

“It’s about gone.” Kate sighed. “Then you’re in for my cooking, and it won’t be pretty.”

“I can cook,” Alyssa offered, shy again.

“That makes one of us.” Kate glanced at the nearly bare counters. “I wouldn’t mind if the neighbors started bringing over goodies again. We had almost every kind of cake and pie, and—”

“That reminds me,” Marvin interrupted, “I volunteered you to make a pie for the hospital bake sale tomorrow.”

“A pie?” She stared at her father in disbelief. “You know I can’t cook.”

“Making a pie’s not cooking. It’s just fruit and crust.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “You think so? Um, a little detail. I haven’t the faintest idea how to make crust. For that matter, I don’t know what goes in the filling.”

“I do.” Alyssa’s voice was quiet, but her face looked hopeful.

“Really?” This child was a wonder.

“Some people buy canned filling, but it’s easy with real fruit—and it tastes better. We have some peaches that’d make a good pie.”

“I can’t let you do that!”

“Why not?” Alyssa’s large dark eyes grew rounder in expectation.

“Well…I imagine you want to see your friends…and it’s an imposition.”

“I have to go home and call my dad anyway. I could get the peaches and come back.”

Kate stared helplessly at her father.

True to form, he was a big help. “Sounds good to me. Kate teaches you Sunday school, you teach her how to make a pie.”

Alyssa grinned, then hopped up. “I’ll be right back.”

After she scooted out the back door, Kate pinned her father in a chiding gaze. “What was that?”

“You can see the child’s hungry for attention.” Marvin’s grin faded. “Reminds me of another little girl a long time ago.”

“Oh, Dad.” Reaching out, she patted his hand. “You’re such a softie. I thought I noticed something on Sunday, too. Hmm. Her parents are divorced, but I imagine her mother’s still part of her life.” Kate pursed her lips. “You get all the gossip. What do you know?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t meet her father until you did. Seems I heard something about him…. Can’t remember just what it was.”

Kate sighed. “Do you know if you have a pie pan?”

Marvin shrugged.

“Great. This may be a square pie.” She stood and began rummaging in the cabinets. “At least you have flour and sugar.” She sniffed the bag of flour, not sure how to tell if it was stale. “Do you know what goes in crust?”

Marvin shrugged. “Nope.”

“Would you do me a favor?”

“Anything, Katie.”

“Don’t volunteer me for anything else.”

He chuckled. “Small towns aren’t like the city. Everybody gets involved.”

“I think I have enough involvement to last for some time.”

Nearly an hour later, a light knock sounded on the back door.

Kate opened it. Seeing that Alyssa’s hands were full, Kate reached out to help unload them.

“I’m sorry I took so long, but I thought you might not have a pie pan or some of the other stuff we’ll need.”

“Good guess.”

“I need to make a second trip. I’ll be right back.”

She popped out the door again and Marvin laughed. “She’s got enough energy for half a dozen people.”

“Youth, Dad.”

“Speaking from your own advanced years?” he retorted.

“I never thought about it much before. But I look around and see other women my age with two or three kids, and…”

“When the time’s right and the man’s right, you’ll know.”

“You sound very sure.”

“Experience, kiddo. I hit the jackpot with your mother.”

Her throat tightened as she thought of Derek. She’d chosen so very poorly. How could she know that she’d ever get it right?

“We start on the crust first,” Alyssa told her, once she’d brought over all the ingredients. “Cause it needs to be cold.”

Kate frowned. “But if we make it first, won’t it get warm?”

“We put the dough in the fridge and let it chill while we make the filling.”

Marvin chuckled.

Alyssa put a rolling pin on the counter. “Do you have butter?”

Now wary, Kate thought for a second. “How much do we need?”

“A stick. But it has to be real cold.”

Kate exhaled. “No problem.”

Marvin turned his chair toward the living room. “You ladies enjoy yourselves.”

“Deserter,” Kate mumbled under her breath, searching through the cabinets for the bowls.

Once everything was assembled, Alyssa patiently showed Kate the steps in making the crust. It took some time, but eventually the dough was patted into a ball, wrapped in plastic and stowed in the refrigerator. Kate was wearing nearly as much flour as they’d used in the crust, but she was impressed with their results. “I didn’t know this could actually be fun.”

Alyssa stared at the peach she was peeling, not meeting Kate’s eyes. “How come you don’t know how to cook?”

She dredged up a smile. “I never learned. When I was seven, my mom died. Dad knew how to grill most everything, so basically, except for cereal and sandwiches, we ate barbecue every day. On the upside, I’ve never wanted fried food.”

Alyssa was suddenly quiet.

Kate knew that death was a difficult concept for children. “Cooking always looks so complicated, on TV shows, I mean.”

“You’re doing really good.” Alyssa handed her a peach. “It’s not important how much you know, but how hard you try.”

What a mature thought for a young girl.

“I brought the spices,” Alyssa continued. “They’re not real fresh, so we’ll have to use extra.”

“Hmm.” Kate picked up the bottle of cinnamon, studying the label. “How do you know?”

“Spices last about six months, the ones that are all ground up don’t last as long as whole ones. And they put dates on the bottom.”

Kate felt about as smart as she had in algebra class. All the other kids got it right away. Not her. “You know a lot for a person your age.”

Alyssa shrugged skinny shoulders.

“So, what you said about the importance of trying hard? Did you just come up with that now?”

She shook her head. “It’s what my dad says.”

Maybe he was a better father than she’d imagined.

Once all the fruit was sliced, the sugar and spices added, Kate felt like they’d run a marathon. She glanced at the clock. “Alyssa, was it all right with your dad to stay so long?”

“I left a message at his office.”

Feeling a flash of uneasiness, Kate paused. “Then you didn’t ask?”

“It’s no big deal. I leave messages all the time. He has to work really long days.”

“All the time?”

Alyssa was instantly defensive. “The sheriff can’t just go home when he wants to. He does important stuff.”

“Of course he does.” Kate recognized the fierce protectiveness. She remembered feeling the same way about her own father. “I’m happy for your company. Works out for both of us.”

A smile edged back on Alyssa’s face. “Now you can learn how to put the crust in the pan.”

“Oh.” Algebra time again.

It took forever to roll out the dough. Alyssa was patient when Kate got dough stuck to the rolling pin and tore it repeatedly.

“Are you sure this is going to be edible?”

Alyssa laughed. At nearly the same moment, the bell at the front door rang steadily, as though someone was leaning on it. Then an equally loud knocking followed.

Marvin hollered through the noise. “Come in!”

Kate reached for a towel, hearing another man’s voice in the living room. Before she could finish wiping her hands, she heard the man stomping through the house toward the kitchen.

Tucker’s scowl was ferocious. He looked around the kitchen, taking in the domestic scene.

Not wanting the child to get in trouble, Kate stepped toward him, resisting the urge to hide Alyssa behind her. “I’m sorry if we’ve taken too much of your daughter’s time. You know, she’s in my Sunday school class. Um…I’m new to it, just started, that is.” She linked her fingers together, trying not to visibly clench her hands. “Anyway, I have to bake a pie and I didn’t know how, so Alyssa rescued me, volunteering to help. Well, actually to make it….”

“Do you know how I’ve spent the last hour?” His voice was a near growl, low but controlled. “Calling all of Alyssa’s friends, knocking on almost every door in the neighborhood, checking the school, calling on my deputies and nearly everyone I know to search the rest of town.”

More intimidated than she wanted to admit, Kate gulped. “She couldn’t reach you at the office, so she left a message.”

“And you think that’s acceptable?”

Kate opened her mouth but couldn’t find the right words without implicating Alyssa. “In hindsight, I suppose not. Trust me, if I’d known it would cause trouble…well, I would have done things differently.”

“Trust you? I don’t even know you.” He turned to Alyssa. “Why didn’t you answer your cell phone?”

“I’m sorry, Dad. I left it in my backpack.” She scrunched her thin shoulders inward. “I didn’t think I needed it.”

“We’ve gone over this. When you’re away from the house, you carry your cell.”

She ducked her head. “I got all excited about the pie….”

Exasperated, his tone lightened a fraction. “How do you even know how to make a pie?”

“Mommy taught me.”

Tucker’s face paled.

Seeing the swift shaft of pain filling his dark eyes, Kate put her arm around Alyssa’s shoulder. “You’ve raised a wonderful child. My father and I have thoroughly enjoyed her company. In fact, Dad hasn’t smiled this much since before the accident.”

“Oh.” He hesitated. “I don’t want Alyssa to be a bother.”

Tightening her grip, Kate gave Alyssa a small hug. “She’s anything but a bother. She’s an absolute joy.” Releasing her, Kate grabbed the notepad and pen by the phone. She scribbled their phone number and handed the scrap of paper to him. “She’s welcome here any time.”

Stiffly, he accepted the number.

“Can I stay, Dad? Kate doesn’t know how to do the crust, and if she doesn’t do the top part right it could explode.”

Tucker didn’t speak for several moments. When he did, his voice was grudging. “Just until the pie’s done. Then call me so I can walk you home.”

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