Arizona Homecoming (16 page)

Chapter Sixteen

N
o one had to urge Patti to keep on talking.

“I didn’t put it together, didn’t remember until I saw Billy’s photograph on the television yesterday. I pulled out some of my scrapbooks this morning.”

“Remember what?” Karl was starting to get cranky.

“What I won in that rodeo,” Patti said to Jacob. “Do you remember?”

“No.”

“I’m not surprised. You only had eyes for Naomi. And Billy Wilcox only had eyes for her, too. Me, I loved Billy, but I couldn’t tell him. I was way too shy back then.”

Her knees started to sway. Donovan was out of his chair and over to her side just in time to catch her. Emily was there, too, helping him, moving her to the chair while Elise ran for water.

Karl didn’t look like he could move. “I’m not understanding all this,” he said.

“I won the barrel racing event that day,” Patti said. “I won all three runs. And, like all the other winners, I received a knife.”

“Like Dad’s.”

“Exactly like your father’s.”

“But the initials aren’t yours,” Emily protested.

“Yes, they are. My first name is Jane. It’s my middle name that is Patricia. Like I told you at the hospital, my mother was Jane, and we didn’t like getting confused.”

“And your maiden name was Hamm,” Donovan said. “You told us the Gramma Hamm story.”

“So, how did Billy get your knife?” Jacob wanted to know.

“I gave it to him. It was the next Monday at school. He said something about liking the way I rode. And, I gave it to him. I’d forgotten. How could I have forgotten?”

“So, probably not a murder weapon,” Jacob said.

“Probably not,” Officer Sam Miller said, standing. “I called the woman in Kearny back, and she remembered Billy having the knife. Most likely—” Sam went over to Karl and bent down, looking the old man in the eyes “—Billy was trying to get home and just too sick to make it all the way.”

“I’d have fetched him if he called.”

“We didn’t find any money, nothing,” Sam said.

“But you think he was trying to make it home?” Karl asked.

“I absolutely think that.”

Karl nodded.

“Come on, Karl,” Elise said. “This is way more excitement than you need on the day you get out of the hospital. I’m taking you to Eva’s room. Cooper, you want to help?”

He was already out of his seat and at her side. Looking at the way they smiled at each other did something to Emily’s insides. She wanted the same.

Her dad was walking both Sam and Patti to the door. Going over to stand by Donovan, Emily said, “Not the way I thought this would all pan out.”

“Me, either,” Donovan said, but Emily got the idea he wasn’t talking about Billy Wilcox.

He was talking about her.

About them.

* * *

Donovan met the family in the dining room for dinner. It was still closed, for grandfather purposes, but Cook had made a meat loaf for the family.

To Donovan’s surprise, Karl was there, dressed for church.

“Looks like you’re coming tonight, too,” Jacob observed.

“Yeah, well, Emily invited me.”

“She know the answer was yes?” Cook asked, handing Donovan a plate.

“No.”

“How long has it been since you’ve been to church?” Jacob queried.

“Too long.”

Jacob nodded. “You picked the right night. The congregation will be so focused on Patti, they might actually miss noticing you.”

“I doubt it,” Karl said.

Emily came in at that moment, wearing a white shirt, tucked and nipped in all the right places, over a blue jean skirt and white sandals. Her hair was long and loose with some kind of band holding it back.

Donovan stood so quickly that the table moved.

“Easy, boy,” Jacob cautioned.

Emily got her own plate and came to join them, completely at ease at the table full of men.

He should have attended church on Sunday morning, Donovan considered, because then he would have enjoyed this smile more than once.

Dinner ended too soon as they were already running late. Pleased that she didn’t question who she’d be riding with, Donovan led the way to his truck, opened the passenger door and helped her in. Across the way, Jacob was doing the same, only he was helping Karl. Cook climbed in the back. Only Harold Mull stayed behind, to mind the animals and in case of an emergency. Donovan had been informed that usually emergencies weren’t a consideration and everyone went, but with Eva in the hospital...

“I’m surprised Karl’s attending church. He got out of the hospital today, and then he found out that his son died trying to get to him.”

“He’s not missed a day of church in the last year.” Emily tugged on her seat belt. “It’s his favorite thing.”

Donovan wondered how long it would take him to convince her to sit in the middle, next to him, instead of by the window.

“You think my father has a female following,” Emily added. “You should see the women flock about Karl. They take care of him. Tonight, he’ll know he’s not alone. Of course, he knows the Lord. Karl knows he’s not alone.”

Donovan shook his head. “I was sure that skeleton was a murder victim. What are the odds, that knife being right there?”

“I guess we humans are geared to think the worst.”

“You certainly used to think the worst of me,” he teased.

“Used to? Maybe I still do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“You’re right. Any man that starts out thinking he can win my affections by building me a Hopi village—”

“And then gets talked into a whole hotel—”

“—can’t be all bad,” she finished.

Donovan followed Jacob from the ranch, his truck bumping on the dirt road before finding traction. “I’ve got something to tell you,” he said once they were on smoother pavement.

“About Tinytown?”

“No.”

“About the Baer house?”

“No.”

She started to guess again, but he held up his hand. “Randall Tucker’s made me a job offer. He assures me it won’t be Karl’s or the Baer place. He’s wanting to put in a retirement community, and he doesn’t want it to be cookie-cutter. It’s a five-year project. I’d be in charge. I’d be here.”

“Tract housing?”

“Yes, and no. He’s allowing multi-acre lots, and he wants diversity. So consider it a planned development but so much more.”

“I don’t like it.”

Donovan wished he could tell her something that would make the scenario perfect, but this was his job. She had to understand. “It’s coming whether I’m in charge or not.”

“Can’t you just build tree houses and—”

“I’d be moving from one state to the other, and when the economy tanks, I’m no longer worthy. Plus, the tree houses I build are for the wealthy. Tucker’s already dangled the ‘affordable’ card in front of me.”

And in the hours since he’d talked to his parents and spoken with Tucker, all Donovan could think about—besides Emily—was that maybe he could get his parents to move here. Retire. No more snow.

“Randall purchased the Majestic and didn’t even try to build something modern but equivalent. He built an ordinary apartment building.”

The way she emphasized the word
ordinary
let him know how deeply she still felt.

“I think he regrets his choice. Did you know he’s purchased a house here in Apache Creek?”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. He’s going to make this his home base.”

“He actually approached Karl,” she said indignantly, “and his property wasn’t for sale.”

“Not an unheard-of or unexpected move in real estate.”

“We’re not Phoenix,” she protested, but he could tell she was halfhearted.

“Better the enemy you know than the enemy you don’t.” Donovan couldn’t believe he was using the exact same words on her that he’d wanted to use on Tucker. Of course, Donovan’s nemesis was Nolan Tate. His ex-fiancée’s dad. In this case, Emily might consider Donovan the enemy more than Tucker.

After a moment, Emily allowed, “Dad says Apache Creek’s had a good run, and that change is bound to come.”

“Five years,” Donovan said. “I’ll be here five years. I called him this afternoon and took the job. I’m thinking that maybe after our first date this Friday night, there will be another?”

She nodded. “And then another.”

He watched her relax and promised himself he wouldn’t do anything that might cause her to exit his truck and not climb in again. Ever.

When he pulled into the parking lot of the Apache Creek Church, he saw only one carload of people he didn’t recognize.

“Those are the Cagnalias,” Emily said. “The boy walking beside his mother is Garrett’s best friend.”

Parking, Donovan managed to wave at John Westerfield and his family. “Guess I’ll be able to hire him back.”

Emily nodded and said, “There’s always a positive.”

“Who’s the minister?”

“Mike Hamm. He’s a little older than Eva—”

Donovan held up a hand. “You can give me the whole history later. Right now, I’m satisfied that I know his great-grandmother’s history.”

Church started with an assembly. He came to find out there were a few other people he didn’t know in Apache Creek. He shook a dozen hands and tried to remember names. After the devotional, Emily dragged him to the singles class, and he found himself between her and Sam Miller.

Funny, he’d not thought of the man as being single. Elise and Cooper were in the class, although he figured they’d be booted in a few months when they got married.

Now he’d be here for the event.

Jane de la Rosa came into the classroom, a little late, and sat down next to Emily. She leaned in and whispered something. All Donovan could make out was “side of my mother I never knew about.”

Too soon it was over, leaving Donovan glad he’d come and sorry to leave. It was a piece of his youth he’d missed. It had been one more thing caught up in his battle to get away from the farm.

The only place his father had never forsaken was church. But they always went home right after, just in case the cows needed attention. Donovan reminded himself that it was his father’s work ethic that had eventually taken Donovan to college, leaving him without debt.

Nights like tonight made Donovan wonder at God’s timing. He’d not been ready to attend church the first time Emily invited him. Tonight was perfect. The Bible-class lesson on Romans 13:8, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law,” meant so much more now that he’d seen exactly what loving his fellow man meant—especially fellow woman.

His feelings spread to his parents, to Jacob, Karl, Elise, Eva and even to Randall Tucker.

Leaving the building, he took Emily by the hand and entwined his fingers through hers. This was what home meant, not a building, not a town, but the right woman. He helped her into the truck, pleased when she grinned at him and scooted over to the middle. Hurrying around the vehicle, he thought about his next step. Ice cream tonight? A drive?

His phone sounded. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the name on the screen.

He had a message on his phone. Recognizing the number, he winced.

“Bad news?” Emily asked.

“It’s my current boss, Nolan Tate. I haven’t severed the relationship with him yet.”

She managed to look sympathetic, but it made him consider. Did she even have a boss? She was in charge of the museum and it looked as though almost half the stuff had been donated by her family or, in the instance of the Majestic, purchased by her. The storytelling was something she did for fun. She didn’t charge for it, not that he could see. The waitressing, she did in a pinch if her family needed her. And her boss was her father.

Donovan had some experience with fathers who were bosses.

First his own father and then Olivia’s.

He swiped the on button and said, “Hello.”

“Had an interesting call a few hours ago,” Nolan said. “Have to say I’m surprised. This is something you should have discussed with me.”

“It happened fast. He approached me Sunday and then again last night. I like it here. I think I’m ready to stay put. Did he offer to pay off my debt?”

There was that word again, from church.

“He did.”

By the sound of Nolan’s voice, Donovan couldn’t tell if the offer had been satisfactory and taken or turned down.

If Nolan turned Tucker down, Donovan would have only five weeks.

Looking over at Emily, he figured five years, five decades, five lifetimes wouldn’t be enough. He wanted forever.

“I told him I’d think about it.”

Donovan let out a breath. He was so ready that he almost offered to pay Nolan more if the offer from Tucker wasn’t satisfactory.

Not good.

He and Nolan never had what Donovan considered a close relationship. Nolan believed bigger was better. His whole life personified that belief. His voice boomed. He stood over six feet. And wherever he went, he expected to be first in line.

Donovan was ashamed to admit he’d started appreciating the lifestyle. He’d been embarrassed by it at first, but front-row seats at professional sports games, no waiting at restaurants and vacations where every whim was adhered to—now, that was something.

He’d liked being called sir. He’d liked having the most beautiful woman in the room on his arm. He’d fallen in love with that, he now recognized, not with her.

It was so different than what he’d grown up with. His parents gave to God first, paid the bills and purchased necessities next, and if there was anything left over, they saved it. He’d missed out on a lot of childhood fun, at least to his mind. When he turned twelve, he’d asked for wages.

What do you need wages for?
His dad had honestly been surprised.

I want to play baseball next year.

It’s too far. You know it’s too far into town and affects—

I know that. I intend to buy a car. I can drive myself. I want to play baseball.

He’d wanted to play baseball since he was in third grade.

Baseball had been just one more dream pushed aside for the reality of living so far from town.

“I appreciate you considering it,” Donovan said. “I know it might put you in a tough spot, but—”