Every Little Thing About You (Yellow Rose Trilogy 1) (26 page)

Liberty nodded; she knew that very well. She was genuinely

glad that Slater had the job, but on occasion she felt

a twinge of regret. This worried her since it had been only

a few days.

Someone knocked on the front door right then, and

Laura, having been told to play in the kitchen, came running,

glad for an excuse to escape.

"Hi, Tess!" they heard her say. "Come on in."

"Thank you, Laura. Are your mother and Libby

home?"

"Yes. Mam is in the kitchen, and Libby is visiting with

Slater. I'm not allowed in there."

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Tess laughed.

"Hi, Tess." Kate had come around the corner. The two

women hugged.

"I have news," Tess told her future mother-in-law. "I'd

like to tell you all at the same time."

"Of course. Slater and Lib are right in here."

"We have a date!" Tess announced to the occupants of

the living room just moments later.

"When?"

"January 21. Three weeks from this Saturday. We know

it's short notice, but we didn't want anything too fancy."

"Will you be able to find a dress?" Liberty asked.

"I'm going to wear Mama's. She's so excited."

"When did you decide?"

"Just today."

"And I get to watch?"

"Yes, Laura, you do."

"Oh, I can't wait to tell Zach."

Kate happened to look over just then toward Slater.

That man was just starting to get glassy-eyed.

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Every Little Thing About You 185

"Did you want to ask what the dress looks like, Slater?"

Kate teased.

He gave a small laugh. "That was on my mind," he told

her and then shook his head and stood. "I hope I won't

offend anyone, but I think this might be a good time for me

to get back to work."

The women all laughed at his expense, but Liberty took

pity on him and walked him to the door.

"Thanks for the walk," she said.

Slater smiled. "We'll do it again very soon, Miss Drake,

and you can tell me your story."

Liberty nodded. Slater slipped out the door, and she

peeked out to watch him walk away. Her brother was getting

married in three weeks. For the first time in Liberty's

life, she wished the wedding was hers.

3-*3

Price and Amy Hathaway's party did not turn out to be

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overly crowded, but a good time was had by all, including

the smiling newlyweds, whose eyes were constantly

turned to each other in love. That they had managed to

keep their marriage a secret so long was nothing short of

amazing. It was also amazing when Hank Hathaway

approached Slater and offered him a room.

"In your house?" Slater had to clarify.

"Well, Price won't be needin' it! And the sheriff is

gettin' himself hitched too."

Slater nodded slowly. "How about I come back on

Monday?"

"Suit yourself," the crotchety old man said as he turned

away. Slater looked to Liberty with raised brows.

"He's always a surprise, isn't he?"

"Yes, but Mrs. Hathaway is one of the best cooks in

town, so you might want to consider it"

"Did he talk to you?" Korina Hathaway came up as if

she'd heard her name.

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"He did, Mrs. Hathaway. Did you know he was going

to ask me?"

"It was my idea/' she beamed at them. "Hank has

talked about what a good worker you are, and I thought it

sounded just right. Hank always tries to please me."

Both Slater and Liberty managed to smile, but they

were stunned. It wouldn't seem that Hank tried to please

anyone. Clearly he was not the same man at home mat he

was in public.

"Everyone seems to be settled in with their cake and

coffee. Why don't I show the room to you right now?"

"All right," Slater agreed. He would not have suggested

it, but he saw no harm in agreeing.

"Would you like to come too, Libby?" their hostess

asked.

"Thank you," Liberty smiled and followed Korina up

the stairs, Slater bringing up the rear.

"Price is so big that we've always given him the large

room. We talked about switching, but we like where we

are."

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This didn't really make sense until they were upstairs,

but in truth, both rooms were spacious and separated by a

large closet that Mrs. Hathaway proudly showed them.

Nevertheless, Slater questioned Mrs. Hathaway about disturbing

them.

Brushing it off, she responded, "We both sleep like the

dead. Price has always come and gone, and we never hear

a thing. Lucky for us he's such a good boy because we

would never have stayed awake to catch him in his mischief."

The room was lovely--spacious and beautifully furnished.

The curtains even matched the bedspread. Slater

found himself agreeing to the rent they wanted--a buy

because it included meals--and asking when he could

move in. Griffin and Tess were to be married in one week's

time, and he thought the sooner he vacated, the better.

Every Little Thing About You 187

"Anytime," he was told, and looking at the immaculate

room, Slater could see that it was in fact ready for occupation.

"That was a nice surprise," Liberty said when they

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finally joined the party back downstairs, and their hostess

hurried away to see to the refreshments.

"Wasn't it? I would never have guessed."

"Do you have some reservations?"

"A few, but I'd already checked into the boarding

house. If this doesn't work out, I can still try there."

Liberty made a face.

"You're spoiled," Slater told her, watching that

adorable nose wrinkle.

"I'm sure you're right."

As had become normal for her in the last few weeks,

Liberty looked around the Hathaways' home and tried to

picture herself as wife and homemaker in a home of her

own. It wasn't hard to do with a certain tall blond standing

next to her.

Slater suddenly turned and looked at her, his eyes

searching her face. The act made her wonder if her

thoughts had shown, and she blushed at the very idea.

"I don't suppose you want to tell me why you're

blushing," Slater asked, his voice low as he bent toward

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her.

Liberty refused to look at him.

"I'll find out," he teased, but Liberty only smiled.

The temptation to ask him how he would learn her

thoughts was strong, but that might be stepping onto intimate

ground, something Liberty was struggling with

anyway. She made herself shift her thoughts and gladly

took the cake and fresh coffee she was offered. Slater did

the same, causing Liberty to wonder if he wasn't struggling

with the same thing. With a heart asking for an extra measure of patience, Liberty asked the Lord to strengthen them both.

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S-*3r

Griffin and Slater had not been back from the Hathways'

party an hour when Maddie Flowers came in. She

was obnoxious and shrill, but since Griffin's plan was to

keep a close eye on the Potters' dealings, the men mounted

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up and rode out.

Griffin filled Slater in as they rode, and by the time they

arrived, the new man felt prepared. He wasn't prepared,

however, to have shots fly at them when they were still a

ways off. Griffin wasn't either.

"That's enough, Ned!" Griffin bellowed at him from

behind an outcropping of rocks.

"I didn't know it was you," the man called back. "I

thought it was that Flowers woman."

"You and the boys come on out to the porch, Ned. Just

leave your guns inside."

The front door opened soon after, and all four men

trooped out.

"We weren't going to shoot the old bat, nly shut her

up a bit."

Griffin shook his head. "I oughta run you all in."

Ned was a mean one, but even the threat of jail time

made his face pale. He'd been locked up twice in his life.

Jail was a dry place.

"We won't shoot anymore," he told them in a petulant

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voice; he sounded like a spoiled child.

"Who's that?"

"Shut your mouth, Critter," his father turned on him,

but Griffin answered.

"That's my deputy, Critter." The sheriff's voice was

cold. "You take a good look at him. You too, Rush and

Possum. We are not going to put up with this any longer.

You'd best keep that in mind."

While Griffin held his shotgun on all of them, he

ordered Slater to collect the guns.

Every Little Thing About You 189

"You can come for them in two weeks. Not a day

before. Now keep it clean, boys, or I'll run the lot of you in

and raid the house and barn,"

The lawmen did not stick around much longer, but

both were aware of the dark, angry eyes that followed

them.

"It's going to come to a head one of these days, and

someone is going to get hurt," Griffin predicted.

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"I'm sure you're right. Some things you can avoid, and

some you have to deal with when they come. Unless they

up and move, it's probably going to get worse before it gets

better."

Griffin couldn't have agreed with him more, but right

now he had no solution. Ideas and plans shifted through

his mind all the way back into town. They did battle with

thoughts of his wedding in a week's time. Not for the first

time, he asked God to let him be there for Tess.

^Mei

"what do you mean, no?"

"Just that, Libby. The answer is no."

Liberty stared at the man she thought she might be in

love with and wondered if she knew him at all. The wedding

had been wonderful. Tess had been stunningly beautiful,

and Griffin's eyes had been full of love as they joined

hands and vowed their lives to one another. Now it was

Monday morning, and all that had faded. Liberty had

gotten up, climbed into her work clothes, and headed to

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the jail, only to have Slater tell her to go home.

"Slater/' she tried a new tact. "Griff and Tess don't

come back until Wednesday."

"Be that as it may, you can't fill in."

"What if something dangerous comes up?"

"I'll call Price."

Liberty was instantly angry. "Price is no lawman!"

"But he does know how to use a gun, and he told me to

call me if I needed him." Slater spoke with more calm than

he felt. Liberty's coming to work was the last thing he'd

expected. They had never talked about this, and now he

wished they had. It was past time for her to know how he

felt on this issue.

"You're going to get your fool head shot off," Liberty

retorted, her anger still evident.

"At least il won't be yours" was all the deputy said,

sending Liberty storming from the office.

Liberty was some ways up the street before she realized

she'd left without Morton. She stormed back up the walk,

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swung into the saddle, and heeled him too hard for the

short ride home. The poor horse had never been treated so

roughly. By the time she stabled the beast and hit the

kitchen door, she was in the finest rage she'd ever known.

"Liberty!" her mother exclaimed, naturally surprised.

"What in the world?"

Liberty was ready to explode, but reason took over.

Laura had come off the floor where she was playing, and a

sudden view of her mother's expanding waistline caused

Liberty to remember that she was not the only person in

the world. Willing herself to calm down, she took a seat at

the table and accepted the mug of coffee her mother set

before her.

"Laura..." Kate began.

"You want me to play somewhere else, don't you?"

"Well," Kate hesitated, hoping she didn't do this too

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often, "only if you want to."

"I don't. I want to know why Libb/s face is all red."

The room was silent for several seconds. Kate had no

idea what to do, and Liberty was still working on calming

down. She finally looked at her small sister's concerned

face.

"It's nice of you to care so much, Laura," Liberty said.

"I would like to talk with Mam. Do you think you could

give us a few minutes alone?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"Not at all, and I'm very sorry that I acted that way

when I came in."

Laura nodded. Liberty's voice had returned to normal.

All was right in the world. Both older women watched the

little girl skip from the room, and when she left, Kate sat

opposite the small table in the kitchen.

"What's up?" She didn't hesitate; Laura would not

want to stay gone all morning.

"I just had an argument with Slater."

"About?"

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Every Little Thing About You 193

"My working. He told me that I couldn't fill in and to

go home."

"I would think you would be glad of that, Lib. I

thought you'd been rather relieved."

Liberty knew it was time for the truth. "I haven't been

near so relieved as I've let on."

"Meaning?"

"I just don't feel needed by Griffin any longer," she

said, finally telling the truth. "Slater has fit in so well. I

thought Griff would need me from time to time. I know it

hasn't been that long, but I feel so left out."

"So Griffin didn't ask you to go down there this

morning and help?"

"He shouldn't have to ask me. He knows I'll just naturally

fill in."

"But he didn't ask you, did he, Libby?" her mother

asked again.

"No."

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"So Slater's telling you to leave did not sit well."

Liberty shook her head in confusion. "I know he needs

me, Mam. Why can't he see that?"

For the first time ever Kate saw how unhealthy her

daughter's situation might be. It never occurred to her that

Liberty wouldn't be able to give up the job. She'd always

been too busy being thankful that her daughter could be

there for her son. Clearly, Slater had other ideas. Kate was

in a sudden quandary. Her natural bent was toward her

child, but she certainly admired Slater's desire to keep Liberty

safe.

"What was his reason?" Kate asked.

"I don't think he wants me hurt," Liberty said, some

disgust coming back into her voice. "I can take care of

myself, Mam. I think I've more than proved that."

Kate's brow lowered. "What's really going on here, Liberty?

It doesn't sound to me as though you want to help so

much as you want to prove that you can."

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Liberty looked so crushed that Kate almost retracted

the words, but she took long enough to decide that Liberty's

face changed again.

"I don't know/' Liberty admitted. "I want to say thaf s

not true, but you might be right. Clearly my pride is

involved, or I wouldn't have gotten so angry."

Kate only nodded.

"I think I'll head up to my room now. Tell Laura I'll

play with her in a little while."

"All right What are you going to do?"

"Spend some time reading my Bible and praying. I've

got a lot of thinking to do."

Kate stayed where she was as Liberty left the room. She

had work to do--lots of it--but right now her daughter

needed prayer. She was still praying for her when Laura

returned. Kate carried on, seeming as normal as ever to

Laura, but her heart was full of doubts and questions, all of

which she had to leave with the Lord. No easy task. It was

dose to lunchtime before she surrendered and knew God's

peace.

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%r %r

He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he

made the waters to stand up as a heap. In the daytime also he led

them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He

cleaved the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out

of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and

caused waters to run down like rivers. And they sinned yet more

against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. And

they tempted God in their heart by asking for meat for their lust.

Liberty read these verses in Psalm 78 several times. The

children of Israel had been brought from slavery and

bondage, but all they did was complain about what they'd

been forced to leave behind. God had given them an abundance.

Every need was met. He showed His love for them

over and over, but they still complained and wanted more.

Every Little Thing About You 195

I'm just like they are. Liberty now told the Lord, tears

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clogging her throat. You've given me so much to thank You for,

but I want something different. You allowed me to help Griffin,

but when Slater doesn't want me, I grow angry. I'm sorry, Lord.

I'm so willful and full of pride. I think Mam is right. I want to

prove that I can do this. I've never seen it that way before.

Liberty suddenly rolled onto her back. "I'm terrified,"

she whispered, her eyes on the wood molding at the edge

of the ceiling. Liberty said the words, but not even that

made it clear to her. She knew she was frightened, but she

wasn't sure of what. Not being wanted? Not being good

enougjt? The answer wasn't obvious to her, but one thing

was: She had to go back to the jailhouse and apologize to

Slater. She had behaved terribly. Griffin had put him in

charge, and she'd treated him with contempt because she

didn't get her way.

Liberty did take time to put a puzzle together with

Laura, but when she left the house an hour later, she was

in one of her best dresses, her hair brushed away from her

face and falling long down her back. There hadn't been

much color in her face when she left, but just the thought

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of facing Slater made her blush, and she knew there would

be more than enough color when she saw him.

It was something of a letdown to find the office empty,

but she was not put off. She paced around the small confines

and hoped he wouldn't be hours. She was determined

to see him before she left. She turned when she heard boot

steps on the boardwalk, and sure enough, he opened the

door a moment later. Liberty watched him freeze and then

come in slowly. She spoke the moment the door was shut.

"I'm sorry."

Slater covered the distance between them in an instant,

coming to stand close in front of her.

"Thank you," he said softly, his eyes taking in every

detail of the face he loved.

"It was presumptuous of me and disrespectful. I am

very sorry, Slater."

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Slater's hand came up, and with the backs of his fingers

he stroked her baby-soft cheek, wishing with all his might

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that it could be his lips instead.

"I was going to talk with you/' he finally said. "I'm so

glad you came to me. The time was dragging because I

wanted to see you so much."

"Oh, Slater. Have you always been so understanding?"

He smiled. "Did you think I would order you into the

street?"

Liberty chuckled. "No, but I wouldn't have been too

surprised if you didn't want to speak to me for a while."

"That's never going to happen. Do you hear me?"

Liberty nodded. She desperately wanted to tell him

what was in her heart--the fears, the love--all of it, but it

had to come from him first. She thought he might be ready

for that, but until it happened, she couldn't be sure. The

silence was making her tense, so she invited him to dinner.

"I'd like to come, but I'm not sure I can spare the time."

Liberty understood. She had watched her brother as