Jenna's Cowboy (33 page)

If they’d gotten the car and left, they would have been fine. But they couldn’t bear to leave the puppy behind. While they were in the house, a big monster truck skidded around the corner and hit her car, smashing the back fender so badly that the tire wouldn’t turn. She didn’t think the driver realized they were home when he drove off. They had no choice but to try to get out on foot.

Kim and Zach had taken to each other right away. He adored the puppy and had been oh-so-careful when he petted him. Playing with the little boy helped keep Kim’s mind off the fire.

Ethel was about the same size as Jill, and her daughter was only a little bigger than Kim. When Ace went to Ethel’s house and asked if they could spare some clothes for them, they were glad to help. Jenna had given Mrs. Dodd some pink Capri pants with a drawstring waist and a pretty rose knit top. The snazzy outfit, as the elderly lady called it, seemed to cheer her up a little.

Ramona and Ace planned to stay the night at the ranch house. They would take good care of their guests and Zach, which freed Jenna and Sue to try to help out in town.

And hopefully get news of their menfolk.

Jenna slowly approached the sheriff’s car parked across the road, its blue lights flashing. The officer shielded his eyes against her dimmed headlights. A wall of flame lit the night sky on the other side of town, and she shuddered.
Please,
God, protect the people fighting that monster.

“The fire isn’t moving as fast,” Emily said quietly. “I don’t think the flames are as high.”

Jenna picked up the two-way radio from a pocket on the console and pressed the talk button. “Looks like Dalton is manning the roadblock, Mom.”

“Good. We’ll have a better chance of getting through.”

Jenna stopped, and he walked toward her. She lowered the window as he approached. “Hi, Dalton. How’s it going?”

“Evenin’, Jenna.” He looked across the cab at Emily and nodded slightly. “Ma’am.”

Sue got out of the SUV and walked up to join them. “How are you holding up, Dalton?”

“A lot better than the guys on the fire line. I hear a few of them have been treated for smoke inhalation. None of your men,” he added quickly. “As far as we know, there haven’t been any serious injuries or fatalities.

“Actually, it’s boring out here. Other than the Red Cross and Salvation Army, y’all are the first people to come along in an hour. I wish I was in there helping them.”

“Someone has to guard the town. Some people are ornery enough to try to sneak in and loot.”

“I turned away a few guys who didn’t have any business here. I didn’t have to talk hard. They took one look at the fire and decided it wasn’t a good place to be.

“We have firefighters from dozens of volunteer fire districts in there now. And engine companies from as far away as Midland and Abilene. They’re having better success establishing a control line now that the wind has died down, but it’s going to be a long night. The Texas Forest Service sent in a couple of bulldozers to build a firebreak. Chance hauled his dozer out there and is working alongside them.”

He peeked into the back of Jenna’s truck. “I suppose y’all want to go in and help at the church.”

“Nate and I took some clothes and food from the Mission this afternoon.” Jenna hesitated, then voiced the question she’d been dreading to ask. “Is the Mission gone?”

“Yes, Jenna, it is. I’m sorry. But what you salvaged will be a big help to people.”

Jenna’s mom reached up and curled her hand around her arm in comfort. “I have a truckload of food. Folks out our way have been bringing it by all afternoon. Things to eat now and supplies to take. Even if nobody stays at the shelter, we can feed the firefighters. Have you had any supper?”

“No, ma’am.” He took off his hat and sifted his fingers through his hair. “I haven’t felt much like eating. I lost my place too.”

“Oh, Dalton! We’re so sorry.” Sue put her arms around the tall deputy, etching a crack in his professional facade. He let her hug him briefly, then eased away.

“Thanks.” He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes with the side of his index finger. “Reckon I needed that.” He shrugged and put his hat back on. “I have good insurance. I can rebuild. Dad rescued the horses and took them to his place. He was trapped in the pasture by the fire. Had to cut the fence to get away. But he’s safe, and so are my animals. That counts more than anything.”

“Will you be staying with your folks?”

“No, ma’am. Grandma is living with them, so they don’t have room. Will invited me to bunk at his place as long as I need to.”

“Good. Now, come back here, and I’ll give you some food. You need to eat.”

He followed her and returned to Jenna’s truck a few minutes later, holding a paper plate filled with fried chicken and rolls. A sandwich-sized bag of cookies dangled from one hand. “I’ll pull over so y’all can go by. Don’t go anywhere other than the church.”

“We won’t. Thank you, Dalton.” Jenna’s heart ached for her friend. He was putting on a brave front—like Mrs. Dodd and Jill Harmon—but losing his home must cause a great big hole in his heart. He’d only built it a couple of years ago and had done a lot of the work himself.

While she was waiting for him to move the car, she heard her mom on the radio.

“Dub, can you hear me?”

Thirty seconds later, he answered. There was a lot of noise in the background, or static on the radio. Jenna wasn’t sure which.

“I hear you, Sue. Are you at the church?”

“Almost. We’re waiting for Dalton to move his car and let us through. How are you?”

“Tired and hungry. The Salvation Army and Red Cross folks brought us some sandwiches awhile ago, but that wore off already.”

“I can barely hear you.”

“Hang on.” There was a pause. “I moved back from the fire line a little.” There wasn’t as much noise now. “Is that better?”

“Yes. I have a truckload of food. If you can, come by the church and rest a spell. Get something to eat. How are the boys?”

“Tired like everybody else. But they don’t let up for a minute. I’m mighty proud of them. Jenna, you on here too?”

“Yes, Daddy. How’s Nate?”

“Handling a fire shovel like he’s been doin’ it all his life. He’s doing good. Real good.”

“Tell him I love him. And to stay safe. That goes for all of you. I have to go now. Dalton is waving us through.”

“Y’all be careful.”

“You too.”

Her mom signed off as Jenna drove past the deputy’s car, waving at Dalton. For somebody who wasn’t very hungry, he sure was gnawing on a chicken leg.

27

Pastor Brad and a couple of other men had already set up the twenty cots the church owned. The Red Cross had provided twenty more. Some were in classrooms, the rest were in the sanctuary in the open areas at the back and across the front. So far, only five people had come to stay the night, a family who had no place else to go.

Sue and the rest of the kitchen crew fed them and comforted them. They kept a few casseroles warm but put everything else in the commercial-sized refrigerator and waited.

Grace Community had the biggest fellowship hall in town. Jenna, her mom, Pastor Brad, and a couple of the Emergency Committee members decided to divide it in half, with one end set up for meals and the other as a food and clothing distribution center. The North Side Baptist church a few blocks over would use their fellowship hall as a distribution center for household goods, appliances, and furniture. And the Presbyterians offered space for any overflow.

Jenna and Emily began sorting the clothing that came from the Mission, organizing it by size, type, and gender where appropriate. Lindsey showed up to help. Misty Dumont, the woman who had made a play for Nate at church back in October, arrived a few minutes later.

Jenna had a little trouble with that. Was Misty there to try to impress somebody? Maybe some of the firefighters if they came in? But Misty pitched in and worked hard unpacking canned goods and organizing them on portable shelves someone had brought in. Her heart seemed to be in the right place, and Jenna chided herself for judging her.

At 8:00, a Salvation Army semitruck arrived with more clothes, food, and water. “Tomorrow or the next day is when you’ll really start needing the groceries and clothing,” said Captain Carrie Carpenter, who was already in town to coordinate their efforts. “Whenever the authorities start letting people back into town.”

They had a crew of volunteers with them who started unloading the truck. Jenna was surprised and touched when they deferred to her on where to put things. They were the experts. But they respected her as the local person in charge, right then, at least.

Half an hour later, a Walmart semi arrived, filled with pallets of bottled water, Gatorade, batteries, ready-to-eat food like canned ravioli, peanut butter and crackers, Vienna sausages, and even pudding cups. Jenna was floored. She’d read about the company’s response during hurricanes along the coast, but it never occurred to her that they would come to Callahan Crossing.

That’s when the magnitude of her community’s loss hit her.

Overcome with emotion, she sought sanctuary in a corner of the room used to store decorations and props from plays they’d performed over the years. Curled up on the floor next to a life-sized wooden donkey, she began to cry.

Nate found her there ten minutes later. When he opened the door, she scrambled to her feet and threw herself into his arms, holding him as tight as she could. How she loved this man—dirt, smoke, sweat, and all.

He embraced her for a minute, then wheezed, “Honey, you’re squeezing the stuffing out of me.”

“Oh, sorry.” She eased her hold and took a good look at him. Dirt and soot covered him from head to toe, except for slightly paler ovals around his eyes. “You’ve been wearing glasses.”

“Tinted safety glasses. Dub had an extra pair.” He was hoarse.

She drew him farther into the room and listened to his breathing. The wheezing hadn’t been merely because she was squeezing him. She’d made it worse, but there was a definite raspy whistle. “Your poor voice. And you’re wheezing. I can hear it. Did you let a medic check you out?”

“Yes. She had me breathe some oxygen with something in it to open up the airways. It’s only minor smoke inhalation. She said I’ll be fine, but I need to stay away from the smoke.”

“Which you’re going to do, right?”

“Right. At least right at the fire. That’s the worst. But the whole town is full of it.”

She gently put her arms around him, though she realized she was getting filthy. He rested his hand at her waist and leaned against the wall. “I’m proud of you for fighting the fire, but I’m so glad you won’t be going back out there. Is it contained?”

“Almost. There’s a stretch where they’re still trying to get the control line in place. Chance was moving his dozer ahead of it when I left. He’s something to see on that thing. I was amazed at how he could operate it.”

“He’s even better with a backhoe. Total precision. So they’re all doing okay? Dad, Will, Chance?”

“They are. The crews are going to rotate taking an hour or two break. Come in and eat and rest.”

“I’d better get in there and help.”

“They can handle it for a few minutes.” He brushed a grimy finger along her jaw, then made a face. “I’m getting you dirty.”

“I don’t care. I don’t mind your dirt.”

He smiled, his teeth shining white against his smoky skin. “You sayin’ a Saturday night bath is all I need to take?”

“No. Not at all. I don’t mind you getting a little of your dirt on me right now.”

“Got it.” He leaned down and kissed her slowly and thoroughly.

Maybe they didn’t need her in the kitchen after all.

He lifted his head, searching her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She wanted so badly to give him a little nudge in the marriage direction. Thanks to Jesus, he had faced and conquered his biggest nightmare that day. Surely the other PTSD issues paled next to that.

“I don’t want to waste any more time. I’m sayin’ the word, honey. Will you marry me?”

Tears of joy stung her eyes. “You know I will. But I’m not waiting for a big wedding. Been there, done that. Don’t need it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

He took a deep breath and relaxed. “Good. I don’t want to wait long enough to plan anything big.”

“Me, either. We can run over to the courthouse tomorrow and get the license.”

A wide grin slowly lit his face. “That quick, huh?”

“Yes, sir. And we’ll corner Pastor Brad and ask him to keep Saturday afternoon free.” She hadn’t thought his smile could get any wider, but it did. “Your immediate family and mine. Well, the grandparents too. But that’s it. And Lindsey. She’s been too good a friend since I came home to leave her out. And we have to invite Dalton because he’ll be staying with Will.”

“And the folks on the ranch. They’d be hurt if we didn’t invite them.”

“True. But that’s it. I don’t want a lot of fuss and bother. It doesn’t seem right in the midst of all this, for one thing. I want it done and over with and you for my husband.”

“And Zach’s daddy.”

“He’s going to be thrilled.”

“Does he know what a daddy is?”

“He knows his friends have them. Thankfully, he’s never asked me why he doesn’t have one. Dad and my brothers have tried hard to fill that hole. And you have too.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him again. “I really should go help in the kitchen. You need to go wash up and find a cot to stretch out on. Get some rest.”

Nate shook his head, his countenance as sad as a country song. “We haven’t even committed matrimony yet, and you’re ordering me around.”

She winked and sashayed out the door. “I’m the boss lady, remember?”