A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (30 page)

"No. I assumed her family hasn't missed her yet."

Dakota shook his head. "I'd almost forgotten about her

family."

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"How long did it take to find her?"

Dakota's shirt was off, and he lathered his face and neck

while he spoke.

"Not long, and I'll tell you something, Cash, the only

explanation for how things went is that God led the way. I

was sitting in a hotel when I saw this woman who looked

like Darvi. Then I noticed a man watching her, so I followed

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him. I ended up asking for a job at a ranch where the cook

died the day before, and I was hired. That led to waiting

until late last night while the men were coming home from

town. I took Darvi out a bedroom window and we walked

away."

Cash was silent with thanks over what Dakota had just

revealed. He'd prayed the whole time his brother was

gone/ thinking for part of the time that he might have sent

him on a wild goose chase. He was so relieved that Dakota

had been there for Darvi that for a moment he couldn't speak.

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"She refused to be babied. I'm trying to mother her, and

she won't have it!"

Katy's words preceded the woman herself, who was

closely followed by Darvi.

"Did you check this meat?" she demanded.

"Six times," Cash told her with wide eyes.

Katy turned away toward the oven so as not to be

caught smiling. Slipping into a clean shirt mat Cash had

handed him, Dakota headed to see Darvi, who was still in

the doorway.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. I keep thinking about my Uncle Marty and

family. I need to send word."

"Brace has been in touch." Dakota told her, "and it

doesn't sound like anyone has missed you. Did your family

know when you were headed back?"

Darvi looked surprised. "As a matter of fact, I didn't

say, but I would like to wire them."

"We'll go to town tomorrow and take care of it."

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Darvi nodded. She still looked a bit under the weather,

but he could see that she was coming along.

"Hungry?" Cash stepped forward and asked.

"Very. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Something akin to a growl escaped Katy's throat, and

Cash only shook his head.

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"I think that means no. Why don't you come on through

here and get comfortable in the living room? We'll eat in no

time." ^

Cash led the way, and Dakota brought up the rear. They

took Darvi to the large living room, warm with earthy

colors and deep, comfortable furniture. Darvi sank down

in the first chair and thought she could lay her head back

and go to sleep.

"Go ahead," Dakota directed.

"Go ahead and what?"

"Sleep. I can see you want to."

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Darvi smiled at being so transparent. "I am tired, but it

can wait. It feels too good to be awake and know that I'm

not trapped anymore."

"When you're up to it, I really would like to hear what

went on."

"Well, I'll tell you, Dakota, as soon as I've had a little

something to eat. I'll tell you everything."

As though on cue, Katy called them to the table. No one

needed to be asked twice. And Darvi was good at her word.

Before her plate was even half-empty, she began to talk.

starting with "they thought I was a woman named

Annabelle Hewett," and ending with hearing Dakota's

voice in the ranch house, Darvi chronicled her adventure.

She grew emotional at times, but as they shared a wonderful

Sunday dinner, Darvi explained the details she

could recall.

Listening to her, Dakota knew his own range of emotions.

At some times he thought he could string up Seth

Redding, and at other times he felt Cassy and Eliot were to

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blame as well. That they hadn't harmed her physically was

a remarkable relief, but it didn't get them off the hook He

would see to that personally.

"If s your turn, Dakota," Darvi finally said. "How did

you find me? How did you know?"

Dakota smiled. "I have Cash to thank for that"

Darvi looked to the tall redhead and waited for

someone to explain. When Dakota did, she was as amazed

at his story as he was at her own.

"So this woman, this reporter, does look like me?"

"Remarkably so. I had all I could do not to ask her

where she'd been the day you boarded the train, thinking

I'd made a complete mistake."

Darvi shook her head a little. "That day feels like such

a long time ago."

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"It was," Cash said gently. "Not in actual chronological

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days, but in events, and those are far more emotionally

draining than just time moving along the clock or calendar."

"I can't honestly say that I've ever thought of it before,

but I think you must be right. I don't know when I've been

so tired."

Not having meant to hint, Darvi was surprised when

both men pushed back their chairs.

"Head out, Darvi," Dakota spoke to her surprised face.

"Go get some rest"

"I didn't mean for you..." But they didn't give her a

chance to finish.

"I'll look forward to talking with you later, Miss

Wingate," Cash said, his voice and expression very warm

and kind.

Darvi looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Thank you for a wonderful meal and for allowing me

to stay with so little notice."

"Well, don't hurry off. I think youll find Kinkade and

the Rawlings Cattle Company very much to your liking."

Cash went on his way then, and Dakota came to get her

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chair.

"I'll walk you up/' he offered, and Darvi allowed herself

to be cared for. As her legs took the stairs, however,

they began to feel weighted. By the time she reached her

room, she was nearly wobbling.

"Will you get some rest too?" she couldn't help but ask

before going into the room.

"We take it pretty easy around here on Sundays, so.I'm

planning on it"

Acute disappointment sprang into Darvi's eyes.

"I missed church again," she said with a small shake of

her head. "It feels like if s been forever."

"If s over now," Dakota told her very gently.

"You're right," Darvi agreed, a part of her heart still

trying to process this.

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"Come on down to the living room when you're ready.

We'll ride out and see a little of the ranch."

"All right. Thank you, Dakota, for everything."

"My pleasure."

Dakota turned for the stairs, hearing Darvi's door close

behind him. He sought out his favorite chair in the living

room and reached for Cash's Bible. He was asleep before

he could read five verses.

^"3r-3 -

"And

this," Dakota pronounced dramatically as they

rounded the trees, "is the pond."

"Oh, my," Darvi breathed. "If s beautiful."

"We think so."

The two sat astride their horses and took in the scene.

The pond was almost a perfect circle, a good 300 feet

across, bordered on two sides by pecan trees.

//t)o you want to walk awhile?" Dakota asked, all the

time trying to gauge how she was doing.

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"That sounds nice. Where shall we leave the horses?"

"Right here. We'll tie Toby, but Eli will stay put"

Darvi looked at him. "You whistled for Eli in the woods,

didn't you, just like a dog?"

Dakota smiled. "That about describes him. He's always

been like a big puppy. If you look behind us right now,

you'll find him watching me, as though he doesn't want

me out of his sight"

Darvi did as he suggested and laughed out loud at how

accurately he had called it. Dakota loved hearing the sound

of her laugh and joined her when her face began to turn

red.

"And you say he's always been like that?"

"Yep."

Darvi bit her lip to keep from laughing again. She didn't

know if it was that funny or if she was still tired. She'was

trying to figure it out when she spotted a half-circle of

wooden benches that sat around a^fire pit and gave a perfect

view of the pond. Going to a seat and getting comfortable,

Darvi let her mind drift back. It didn't take much

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coaxing. The people she'd left, most especially Gassy and

the children, were never far from her thoughts.

"It was strange," Darvi began as though they'd already

been speaking of it.

Dakota had taken a seat across from her, but she hadn't

looked at him. He watched and listened in silence.

"Gassy and the children were so sweet, and even the

men were kind, but Seth would not see reason. I woke up

every morning shaking my head that this had happened. I

just didn't think such a thing could go on in this day and

age, and certainly not to me."

Darvi finally looked at him, and Dakota asked the question

he dreaded, fearing that the answer would make him

want to shoot the man in question.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. I didn't feel threatened in any way."

Darvi suddenly frowned.

"He wanted to kiss me. I wouldn't let him!"

"You did the right thing."

"One time I kicked him."

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"That was good. Your kisses are yours to give, not

someone else's to take."

Darvi melted a little. It was such a nice thing to say, but

as she was finding, memories continued to flood back.

"He said I had an upside-down mouth."

Dakota looked at her.

"If s a very kissable mouth."

Emotions chased across Darvi's features in rapid succession:

first surprise, then pleasure that softened her features

as she looked at the man across from her. But before

long that softness was replaced by a look of uncertainty

and then another frown.

"Dakota Rawlings," she said in soft rebuke "a gentleman

does not tell a lady that her mouth is kissable."

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Dakota wished he'd kept the thought to himself.

"You're right. I'm sorry I said that."

An uncomfortable silence fell over them, neither

looking at the other. The water proved to be a helpful neutral

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point, and both took advantage of it:

Several minutes passed. A breeze stirred the trees, and

as always, the low sound of cattle could be heard from the

distance. Not certain how she felt about what had just happened,

Darvi did not like sitting there with a strain

between them. She was the first to chance a peek and was