City Girl Read online

  happy when Dakota had wanted to leave but in the end

  21

  had admitted that he understood.

  "Let me get that," Dakota said as Darvi came back into

  the room, a large box in her arms.

  Dakota waited for her to take a seat on the sofa and then

  set the box down so it would be positioned between them.

  Darvi had opened a few gifts already, presents from people

  Dakota did not know, so it was special for her to watch him

  open this box and remove the gift. It was a beautiful wall-mount

  coffee grinder.

  "Oh, my," Darvi said as she took in the size and heavy

  cast-iron make. "This is wonderful. I think Uncle Marty

  knows how much you like your coffee."

  "I think you might be right" Dakota suddenly stopped and stared at Darvi. "Are we thanking all these people at

  the wedding for this stuff or what?"

  Darvi laughed until she was red in the face.

  "Leave it to a man," she finally gasped, "not to know whaf s going on. If a gift arrives early, it's usually because

  the giver can't attend the wedding. I've been sending out

  thank-you cards as things come in."

  Dakota looked rather sheepish but still laughed a little.

  22

  "Thanks for taking care of all this, Darv."

  "You're welcome."

  The couple's eyes met and held for long moments. Dakota was glad the box separated them. Darvi wished she

  could move it. Both were thinking: Just a few more days.

  "3* *5ash

  Rawlings sidestepped a running child and the

  woman darting after him and made his way into the downtown

  shop. Each and every time he was in St. Louis to see

  his parents, he took a gift to his housekeeper, Katy.

  Knowing her personality, it had always been something

  practical. This time he was going to surprise her.

  "May I help you, sir?" asked a friendly woman who met

  him in the middle of the store.

  "Yes, please. I'm looking for something for someone

  who is a little older. I'm not even sure she'll welcome the

  idea," Cash added with a smile, "but I'm going to give it a

  try."

  The perfume shop owner's smile was genuine, her eyes

  twinkling as she said, "I believe I have just the thing." She

  23

  turned and led him to one of the three perfume counters,

  slipped behind it to face him, and from under that glass

  countertop withdrew a tray full of tiny bottles.

  "Try this," she said, uncorking a small vial and waving

  the lid in his direction.

  "That's nice," Cash said, but it had a scent he would

  term romantic. He almost shuddered as he pictured Katy's

  reaction.

  "Too romantic?" the woman shocked him by saying.

  Cash looked down at her and blinked. "As a matter of

  fact, I was thinking that very thing."

  "I was hoping you were, in case you realize you have a

  second lady at home who would enjoy some perfume."

  She was openly flirting, and Cash's smile was kind, but

  he stuck to the business at hand.

  'Til just shop for my housekeeper this time," he said,

  not unkindly. "Have you something else in mind?"

  "I do," she stated, all at once becoming very professional.

  She put the first tray back under the counter and

  had Cash follow her to the next counter.

  24

  "This is what I should have shown you in the first place.

  I believe you will like it."

  The woman was right. Cash inhaled the gentle scent and thought that not even Katy would be able to hide her pleasure.

  "This is perfect," he stated quietly. "I need it gift-wrapped

  and able to travel."

  16 lori wick

  "Right away/' the woman agreed with a smile, wondering

  why some woman had not snatched up this

  charming, redheaded cowboy. His manners were faultless,

  and if the cut of his clothing was any indication, he was not

  living on the streets. But the thing she was most drawn to

  was his eyes. A deep shade of brown, they were so warm

  that even a stranger was made to feel as though he cared.

  The package wrapped and secured for travel, the proprietress

  walked Cash to the door as if it were an everyday

  occurrence. It wasn't, but she couldn't deny herself the

  sight of watching him put his hat back in place and then

  seeing his long legs take him down the street. She knew her

  25

  business would never survive out of the city, but for a

  moment she wondered just how far west she would need

  to go in order to find a town where the men were all like

  mat

  "How are you, Ubby?" Virginia asked as soon as she

  returned from meeting with the dressmaker. Virginia's

  dress was done, but she had caught some of the excitement

  that surrounded this wedding and had gone in person to

  make sure it was being delivered that very day as

  promised.

  Having removed her hat and gloves, she now came over

  to hug the younger woman and kiss her cheek. "I'm sorry

  I wasn't here when you came down."

  "Thaf s fine. I'm feeling much better, thank you. I had a

  good breakfast, and I just came back from a walk."

  "Did Slater go with you?"

  "No, a message came for Dak, so he went to Darvi's to

  26

  deliver it"

  Virginia took a seat but didn't bother to get comfortable.

  "At moments like this, I wonder if any of us are going to

  survive this."

  City Girl 17

  Liberty smiled with compassion. "When we went to

  dinner the other night, Darvi told us her mother wanted

  her to have a wedding she would never forget"

  Virginia's eyes rolled. "She's sure to have that, and if it

  will keep peace in the family, then if s worth it"

  Liberty didn't comment but was well aware of the story.

  Liberty also knew that at times Dakota found his mother

  rather stubborn on issues she felt were important Virginia

  Rawlings was not as worried about St Louis' opinion as

  Darvi's mother seemed to be, but when it came to spiritual

  truths, she was almost stiff with fear and pride. Mr. Rawlings

  had been more open, and the discussions with his sons

  had given them great hope, but Virginia still seemed to be

  digging her heels in on the subject. So much so, in fact, that

  27

  Dakota had told Cash and Slater, If it wasn't for Mother's hes~

  itance, I think Father would have come to Christ by now. He

  won't have anyone to blame if he waits too long, but I do think

  Mother is holding him back.

  Is there anything I can do to help?" Liberty asked, even

  as she prayed for Slater's parents.

  "I can't think of anything just now. Be sure you get your

  dress to Winnie so she can press it for you."

  "She came for it yesterday."

  "Oh, that's right. I saw it in the back hallway. It's beautiful,

  by the way."

  "Thank you."

  Virginia sighed. 'I've got so many lists in my head, I

  can't keep track."

  One of the staff came to the door just then with a question

  for the lady of the house. Virginia stood
as she

  answered, moving toward the doorway, but then remembered

  her daughter-in-law.

  "Oh, Libby, how rude of me to leave like this, but the

  truth is, I'm going to be so busy today. Are you going to

  28

  feel terribly neglected, dear?"

  "Not at all, Mrs. Rawlings. Slater and his grandmother

  have plans, this afternoon to show me where she used to

  18 lori wick

  live. Darvi and I will see you at dinner tonight," Liberty

  reminded her. "Your sons are going out on their own."

  "I'd forgotten about that," she said with a laugh. "Look

  out, St. Louis!"

  -3^

  "Do you remember the time you tried to hide from

  Father in a stall full of hay?" Dakota asked Slater that

  evening.

  The three Rawlings brothers were in a small St. Louis

  dining establishment. Their table was quiet, as was the rest

  of the place, and the smells coming from the kitchen told

  them their father's recommendation had been a good one.

  "How could I forget?" said the youngest brother,

  29

  shaking his head at the memory. "I still have the scars from

  that pitchfork I never saw coming."

  "I came into the house and thought you were dead,"

  Cash added. "All because Dak stood in the hallway and

  howled all the way through the doctor's examination of

  you."

  Dakota shook his head and smiled. "I hated the pain of

  one of Father's spankings, and I thought a pitchfork in the

  seat must have been a hundred times worse."

  "At least I didn't get both," Slater added.

  "He wouldn't have done that," Cash added with confidence.

  "I heard him and Mother in the kitchen later. He

  was too shaken up about the blood all over your pants."

  Cash suddenly looked at Slater. "What had you done?"

  "Ridden Father's horse after I'd been told not to. I

  thought Father had gone to town, but when I came past the

  pond, I saw him headed into the barn. He came out a

  second later shouting my name, and I knew I'd been

  caught. He wasn't even looking for me in that stall, he said

  later, but he decided to fork some hay into one of the stalls

  30

  before he turned the ranch upside down to find me,"

  City Girl 19

  "Father's probably hoping you have a son that gives

  you twice the trouble."

  "Me?" Slater looked to Dakota in amazement. "I was

  easy compared to you, especially after you'd decided to

  join the Rangers. Why, you arrested the dog every day over

  something. You practiced holding your toy gun on Mother

  and Katy so much, the two of them still don't flinch at the

  sight of a weapon."

  Both Slater and Cash had a good laugh at Dakota's

  expense, and he couldn't help smiling as well. The threesome

  fell quiet for a moment, and after several seconds,

  Cash realized his brothers were exchanging a glance. Cash

  was about to ask what was going on when Dakota gave

  some instructions to Slater.

  "All right. Slate, you go first."

  Slater nodded and looked to his oldest brother.

  31

  "You have to get married, Cash."

  "Is that right?" Cash asked calmly. He didn't know

  whether he should be laughing or his mouth should be

  hanging open at this unannounced change in topics.

  "Yes. Marriage is wonderful, and now that Dak is taking

  the plunge, if s your turn."

  "To any lady in particular?" Cash asked congenially.

  Slater turned back to Dakota.

  "Go ahead, Dak, you've been in his church. Who could

  he marry?"

  With this, Cash started to laugih.

  "Be serious now, Cash," Slater scolded him. "You have

  to let Dak think."

  "You two are crazy. Do you know that?"

  "Never mind now," Slater directed, starting to smile too.

  "Let Dakota think."

  "There was that one woman," the black-haired brother

  said thoughtfully. "She was sort of tall with blonde hair, I

  think. Is she available?"

  Cash shook his head in amazement

  32

  20 lori wick

  "Maybe Libby and I need to go home by way of

  Kinkade, so we can find someone for you/' Slater said so

  matter-of-factly that Cash began to laugh again.

  "Let me ask you one thing, Cash." Dakota's serious face

  was almost comical. "Have you been looking?"

  "Not specifically, no."

  "She's not suddenly going to drop into your lap," the

  middle brother chided.

  "She did for both of you," Cash stated mildly.

  This silenced the younger Rawlingses. They looked at

  Cash and then at each other in surprise. The waiter came to

  their table before anyone else could comment further, and

  all three men realized they hadn't even glanced at the

  menus. The waiter stood by while they looked over the

  choices. It didn't take long, and after they'd given their

  orders and the man had gone on his way, Cash spoke in a

  voice tinged with laughter.

  "Shall we start this evening over again, gentlemen, or

  33

  does someone want to tell me what that was all about?"

  "We honestly want you to get married, Cash," Slater

  admitted, his smile lopsided. "It's nothing more than mat"

  Cash gave a moment's thought to this and then asked,

  "Is there something in my life mat makes you think I'm not

  trying?"

  Both men shook their heads no.

  "Then I don't know what else I can do. I certainly talk to

  the Lord about it, but in truth, there is no one at my home

  church, and I don't want a mail-order bride. You both

  found love, and I have to be honest and tell you I'm looking

  for the same thing."

  Forgetting where he was for a moment, Dakota sat back

  in his chair, the front legs lifting from the floor. His dark

  gaze was intent on his brother.

  "Darvi did drop into my lap, didn't she? I hadn't really

  thought about it like that"

  "Yes," Cash agreed, "and Slater dropped into Libby's. It

  doesn't always happen that way, but since there aren't any

  34

  City Girl 21

  single women my age at church right now..." Cash

  shrugged as he let the sentence hang.

  "Well, I still think you should," Dakota said, his brow

  drawn down in a stubborn way.

  "If you find someone for me, I'll listen to you."

  "Darvi's cousin is a believer, and she's pretty too," Slater

  said.

  "Who's that?" Dakota was all ears.

  "I can't recall her name. She's the one we met the other

  night."

  "If you're talking about Wendy, Mother told me she's

  17." Cash put his oar in, wondering if he should stop them

  or just listen.

  Thankfully, their food came in record time, and from

  there the conversation turned to business, Dakota's new

  job and the town it was in, where he and Darvi would live.

  Slater and Liberty's life in Shotgun, and finally the ranch.

  Either by design or by oversight, the topic of a bride for

  35


  Cash was put on the back burner, and Cash was rather

  thankful mat it was. His brothers wanted answers. He had

  none. In his mind there was nothing to talk about

  ^

  '(#

  "thank you for dinner/' Charles said, following Virginia

  to the kitchen and kissing her cheek after she set a

  large bowl down on the counter.

  "You're welcome/' she replied, smiling as she looked up

  at him. "Do you think the girls liked it?"

  "Very much/' he returned, his voice warming perceptibly.

  "I would say our boys have done very well."

  "And a grandchild, Charles!" She grabbed his arm. "I'm

  so excited. I don't suppose we could talk Slater into

  moving back to St. Louis."

  Charles laughed. "He loves Texas, Ginny, not to mention

  that you told me you were in as much a mood to travel as

  I was. We already put off our trip to Europe for the wedding.

  36

  I was hoping we could leave after Dakota and Darvi

  are off on their wedding trip."

  Virginia looked at him in horror. "I can't leave now."

  "Why not?"

  "The baby!"

  'The baby's not due until June."

  "Virginia opened her mouth but quickly closed it again.

  She had just seen a side of herself that she did not like. For

  years women in her association had been making fools of

  themselves over grandchildren; something she had vowed

  never to do. She and Charles had only recently learned that

  Liberty was going to have a baby, and here she was trying

  CityGirl 23

  to fit her life around this grandchild instead of the man

  she'd been married to for more than 30 years.

  "You're right," she said quietly. "The baby's not due

  until summer, and I did want to see Europe in early

  spring."

  Charles put his arms around her and held her dose. He

  37

  didn't say all that was in his heart, but he was very proud

  of her. Unbeknownst to either of them, they were thinking

  of the same sets of friends who were grandparents. On

  Charles' part, he was picturing men whose wives would

  not stray from their grandchildren. Trie men were forced to

  sit and listen to tales of travel from other husbands whose

  wives accompanied them or who simply chose to travel

  without them.

  Suddenly weary, Virginia thought she could rest in her

  husband's arms all night But her daughters-in-law were

  waiting for coffee and dessert in the next room. After a

  warm kiss for the man she loved, she moved to get the

  good china teacups.