Every Little Thing About You Page 5

  back of Mrs. Tobler's house. Should have done it years ago;

  nothing but west sun for hours every day."

  Every Little Thing About you 45

  Slater smiled a little. If he'd wanted information, he'd

  come to the right place.

  5-*5"

  w"

  "You ever even held a hammer?" the scruffy-looking

  old man asked Slater about 15 minutes after he left the barbershop.

  73

  "Yes, sir. I've done some building."

  "You won't get rich," Hank said,

  "I didn't plan on it. Some food and covering the rent

  would be nice, maybe a new shirt now and again."

  Still Hank weighed him. He wasn't as big as his sort,

  but then not many men were. He was polite enough; Hank

  had to give him that

  "I'll give you a try and pay you when you work, but if

  I say you're gone, you're gone."

  "Yes, sir."

  "You can start by lifting the other end of that board and

  holding it in place. Hold it steady now."

  Slater immediately bent to the task, glad he'd seen fit to

  return his horse to the stable at Griffin's. He'd asked God

  to help him find work. He now asked His help in not

  shrinking from any task.

  %r ^" S'*

  Griffin came in reading the mail. He stood a few feet

  74

  from the desk, his mind otherwise occupied, so it took several

  minutes for him to realize his sister was staring at him

  from the desk chair.

  "What's up?" he asked.

  "Whatever compelled you to ask him to spend the

  night at your house?"

  Remembering how embarrassed she'd been, Griffin

  put the mail aside.

  46 lori wick

  Every Little Thing About You 47

  "He's not a bad guy, Lib. I was really impressed with

  the way he wanted to go to church and the way he followed

  along in his Bible. He found the book of Nehemiah

  without a bit of help from me."

  "He agreed to go to church with you yesterday?"

  "Yes, we sat in the back."

  This gave Liberty pause; she had not expected this.

  75

  Griffin often asked prisoners to join him in church, but few

  accepted.

  "I feel worse now," Liberty admitted.

  "Why?"

  "While he was still behind bars, he wanted something

  from his saddlebags. I told him he'd have to wait for you,

  and then I never told you. He probably wanted his Bible."

  "Don't be too hard on yourself, Lib. He admitted to me

  that he was being stubborn about paying the fine. If he'd

  wanted out enough to get his Bible, he could have paid the

  ten dollars at any time."

  Liberty was thankful for her brother's understanding

  but still felt uncomfortable about that whole ordeal. Ah,

  well he'll be miles from here in no time. I'll just have to put it

  from my mind.

  "Were things quiet this morning?" Griffin asked, the

  other subject slipping from his mind.

  /'No trouble, but Maddie Flowers stopped to say that

  her neighbors were on a drunken binge all weekend. She

  said they've been making their own brew and that we'd do

  76

  well to burn down that barn of theirs/ since thaf s where the

  trouble always starts."

  Griffin shook his head. "And of course Maddie's brew

  is only for medicinal purposes, so we should leave her still

  alone."

  Liberty grinned.

  "Lets go out in the morning," Griffin suggested.

  "You'll be in?"

  "Midmorning. Right after Bible study."

  "All right. I'll see you then."

  Liberty left the jailhouse and sheriff's office, thinking it

  was a nice day for a walk. She untied her horse's reins but

  didn't climb into the saddle. She even went the long way

  home. She worked on Monday and Tuesday mornings, and

  at odd times when Griffin needed her. So far Griffin had

  not met anyone he felt qualified for the job. The town was

  getting big enough to consider more law enforcement, but

  that didn't mean men were available.

  "Libby!Isthatyou?"

  77

  Liberty looked over to see old Mrs. Tobler waving a

  dishtowel in her direction.

  "Hi, Mrs. Tobler."

  "Come in here!" the old gal demanded. "I can't find my

  needle. Come in and look for it."

  Liberty changed directions without hesitation. Mrs.

  Tobler was a dear old thing, if a little bossy. It never

  occurred to her to ask for anything--it was always

  demanded--but beyond that, she was kindness itself.

  "It's slipped down the cushion, I'm sure!" Mrs. Tobler

  informed Liberty as she neared. "I don't know how I'm

  supposed to get anything done without my needle."

  "What are you working on right now?"

  "Pillow slips! And Christmas right around the corner."

  Liberty hid a smile as she went in the old woman's

  front door. Not for anything would she have mentioned

  that Christmas was well over two months away or that

  Mrs. Tobler's closet was so full of things she'd made that

  she probably could give up sewing for the rest of her life.

  "All right," Liberty said, standing in the overcrowded

  78

  living room. "Where were you sitting?"

  "Right here. I like to keep an eye on the work out back,

  so I moved my chair."

  "What's going on out back?" Liberty asked as she

  dropped to her knees and began to search.

  "A covered porch," Mrs. Tobler said absently, having

  moved to the window to peer out. "No, no!" the older

  woman suddenly exclaimed and dashed out of the room.

  48 LoRiWrac

  Liberty could hear the side door bang and Mrs. Tobler's

  voice raised in irritation. Shotgun's deputy only shook her

  head and kept searching. She pulled the cushion from the

  chair, but that only produced some popcorn kernels and a

  button. The floor was next

  Liberty was searching, her nose nearly on the rug,

  when she spotted them. Liberty stared at the cowboy boots

  in confusion, until she realized someone was wearing

  them. She tipped her head back and literally gawked into

  the face of Slater Rawlings. With his haircut and beard

  79

  gone, he was a different man.

  "Aren't you going to pull your gun?" he asked quietly.

  Liberty blinked before saying, "Why should I do that?"

  "That's what you've done every time you've seen me,

  so I thought you might have gotten into the habit"

  Liberty bit her lip but it didn't work; a smile peeked

  through, and then a laugh. She moved to get up, and

  Slater's hand was suddenly right there to help her.

  "I really am sorry about this morning."

  "It's all right," Slater said. Having seen the way she

  looked without the men's clothes, he could now see the real

  Liberty Drake, even in this outfit. She had the most

  amazing hazel eyes, more gold than anything else. And

  that hair! Slater wanted to stare and stare.

  "You're very understanding."

  "And you're looking for something. What is it?"

&
nbsp; "A needle."

  Comprehension dawned on Slater's face. "That's what

  she sent me in to do--look for a needle with you."

  Liberty frowned. "How do you know Mrs. Tobler?"

  80

  "I'm working on her porch with Hank Hathaway."

  Liberty's eyes went to the window and back to Slater.

  "You're working here in town?"

  "Yep." Slater's thumbs went to his belt loops, and he

  rocked back on his heels. "Hired just four hours ago. I'm

  the town's newest carpenter."

  Every Little Thing About You 49

  Liberty found him so cute that she couldn't stop her

  second smile.

  "And why" she asked now, a smile still in her voice,

  "did Mrs. Tobler think I needed help with the needle?"

  "Well, I didn't understand it at the time, but I realize

  now that she said, 'You might as well help Lib find the

  needle. I've got to set this old man straight.'"

  Hand to her mouth, Liberty dissolved into laughter,

  and without thinking, she collapsed into the chair, a position

  that lasted for only a second before she was on her feet

  again.

  "I found it!" she gasped, just stopping short of

  81

  clutching her stinging backside.

  Slater's eyes flew to the seat and there it was, protruding

  point-side up. It wasn't hard to imagine why Liberty

  had not stayed in the chair. Slater bent to retrieve it just

  as Mrs. Tobler came in the door.

  "You've found it," she said matter-of-factly. "I knew

  Liberty could do it with some help." With that the old

  woman plucked the needle from Slater's fingers. "Now get back out there and keep an eye on him. He knows what he's supposed to do, but you'd better watch him.

  "Libby! You come with me. I want you to see that new

  quilt I put on my bed."

  Liberty nodded and even smiled. She followed Mrs.

  Tobler with a wave at Slater. Slater waved back before

  moving to exit the room. Before he left, however, he looked

  back to see Liberty following their hostess, her hand now

  reaching back to rub the pin hole. Slater stopped for a

  moment, his heart wrung with tenderness. Even as he proceeded

  back out to work, the scene remained on his mind

  along with another emotion, one he couldn't quite define.

  5^

  82

  v/

  "thank you, mrs. locken," Griffin said kindly on

  Monday evening. "Everything was great."

  "You're welcome, Griffin. Would you like some coffee

  on the porch?"

  Griffin looked at Tess, and she nodded.

  "I'll help you, Mama," Tess offered.

  "I'm fine, dear. If I need help, I'll ask your father. You

  go ahead."

  Tess led the way but wished she didn't have to. She

  never wanted it to look as if she'd conspired to get Griffin

  alone. For this reason she took a chair that sat off on its own

  when she reached the front porch.

  Griffin noticed and even understood why. Tess had

  never pushed herself at him. Hus, along with dozens of

  other facts about this woman, made his feelings even

  harder to accept. He hadn't planned to love anyone. And

  he certainly hadn't planned on a sweet, godly woman

  loving him.

  83

  "Was it busy today?" Tess asked, always interested in

  his work.

  "Pretty quiet. Lib was in this morning, but she said it

  was quiet too."

  Tess smiled. "I like Libby so much. She's so fun and

  smart."

  "You're smart too, Tess," Griffin said. He knew she

  struggled with her self-image. She was a very beautiful

  woman, with pale blonde hair, skin like cream, and huge

  blue eyes. And since most people thought that was all there

  51

  52 lori wick

  was to her, she had begun to believe it. It didn't help that

  her father and older brothers were men who had little time

  for family. Making money was their main concern.

  "That's what Libby always says, but when you're with

  someone as capable as Libby, it's hard to believe."

  84

  Griffin didn't answer. Tess hadn't been looking directly

  at him, so when it got quiet she looked up to find his eyes

  on her. His face looked boyish, as it often did. It made Tess

  smile.

  "You don't look tough enough to be the sheriff."

  "And you're too wonderful to be in love with an old

  hound dog like me."

  "Oh, Griff," Tess said softly.

  Griffin watched her look away, her eyes filling. He had

  talked with Duffy and Pastor Caron, and they had asked

  him if he was trusting God. He thought that he was, but

  did trust mean being blind to the facts? When a man had

  his type of job--the type of job that had killed his father-- did he go into marriage without a backward glance? And what if they had children? He would not only leave Tess

  alone, but his kids too.

  Griffin looked out over the quiet street the Lockens

  lived on. He had been happy to be single, but then Tess

  moved into town a year ago and came to church with her

  mother. At first he thought there wasn't much under those

  pale blonde curls or behind that ready smile, but then she'd

  85

  visited Mam and Duffy's house at Liberty's invitation, and

  Griffin learned otherwise. She was a woman whose faith in

  God was genuine and whose courage was deep.

  "Here's coffee," Mrs. Locken said as she used her hip

  to push open the screen door, the tray in her hands. Griffin

  rose to take it from her.

  "If you don't mind, I think I'll go in and have mine with

  Albert. Call if you need something."

  "Thank you, Mrs. Locken."

  Tess rose to pour the coffee and offered him a cup. She

  fixed it just the way he liked. The light was fading, but

  Every LittfyThingAbout You 53

  when she sat with her own cup. Griffin could see that Tess'

  eyes were still moist.

  "Maybe I shouldn't stay, Tess," Griffin forced himself to

  say.

  "You don't have to if you don't want to/' she said to

  him, and Griffin had to close his eyes. She was so special

  86

  "What do you want me to do?" he finally asked.

  Tess took a big breath. "I want you to play me in

  checkers. You beat me the last two times, and I want a

  rematch."

  For a long moment the sheriff could only look at her.

  Not able to help himself and not willing to try. Griffin

  reached over and let one finger slide down her soft cheek.

  "I'll get the board."

  Tess' eyes closed the moment he stood, her heart wondering

  how she would make it. Every moment with him

  was sweet torture. She wanted to sob her eyes out but

  heard him coming back through the house.

  If he isn't for me, Lord, please work a miracle in my heart so

  it doesn't break in two.

  ^-

  "A shave and a haircut," Griffin said when he got home

  that night and found Slater in the living room. "Did you go

  87

  for a job or courtin'?"

  Slater laughed. "I didn't think it would hurt to look my
<
br />   best."

  "Where'd you go--the bank?"

  Slater's look was smug. "You happen to be looking at

  Shotgun's newest contractor."

  Griffin was not long in catching on. "I'd heard that

  Price Hathaway headed to Austin. You must have taken his

  job. How do you like working for Hank?"

  Slater's eyes grew comically. "He knows what he's

  doing, and he knows what he wants me to do; it's just a

  matter of getting him to remember that he thought about

  54 lori wick

  the order but didn't tell me. I think I know why Price left

  town."

  "Hank's a case, but you're right, he does know how to

  build. Are you by any chance at Mrs. Tobler's right now?"

  "That's the place. She wants a covered porch on the

  back side of her house. It's only going to shade two windows,

  88

  but she wants it"

  "She's got a big heart but also a mind of her own. Libby

  went there as a little girl for sewing lessons."

  "She was there today."

  "For sewing lessons?"

  "No. Mrs. Tobler lost her needle and expected your

  sister to find it."

  "Did she?"

  "Not until after she sat on it,"

  Griffin's brow lowered. "Is she all right?"

  "That's not a question I could really ask her. I think it

  smarted, but she might have been more surprised than

  anything."

  "How did you learn about the needle?"

  Slater gave Griffin a rundown and that man's face

  became very thoughtful.

  "Did I say something wrong?" Slater had been

  watching him closely.

  "No, not at all," Griffin told him honestly but knew that

  the rest of his thoughts would have to stay inside. Slater

  89

  wouldn't thank him and neither would Liberty. Not to mention

  the fact that you can't figure out what you're doing in your

  own relationship, Griffin, let alone getting involved in someone

  else's.

  "How do you think you'll like a hammer and nails after

  law enforcement?" Griffin asked in an effort to shift his

  thoughts.

  Slater thought for a moment, his head leaning back

  against the softly padded chair; it was a question he'd been

  asking himself all day.

  Every Little Thing About You 55

  "It's going to take some getting used to," Slater finally

  admitted.

  Griffin nodded but still didn't ask the question that had

  come to his mind the moment he'd learned this man was a

  Texas Ranger. That question might take some time or turn

  out to be one he could never ask.

  "There's a church picnic this Sunday afternoon,"