At Bluebonnet Lake (Texas Crossroads Book #1): A Novel (35 page)

“Won’t you stay overnight?” Mom asked when he’d finished the second piece of apple pie she insisted he take. “With the girls away, there’s plenty of room.”

He hesitated, then seeing the longing in her eyes, relented. “All right, but I need to make a couple calls.” He glanced at the wall phone. Since he’d forgotten his cell, he’d have to use it.

“Kate, it’s Greg,” he said a few minutes later when his father had headed for the lodge where he spent so many evenings, and his mother had left the kitchen, giving Greg the privacy he craved.

“Where are you?” He could hear the surprise in her voice, perhaps triggered by the unfamiliar number on her caller ID.

“At my parents’ house.”

“In Washington?” Surprise turned to confusion. He could picture the tiny furrows between Kate’s eyes as she tried to understand why he had come here.

“It’s the only one they have,” he said with an attempt at humor.

She wasn’t buying the casual air he’d tried to project. “But why? I thought . . .” Kate let her voice trail off.

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it when I get back. If all goes well, that’ll be tomorrow afternoon. We’ve got a lot to talk about. Now, tell me about Sally.”

They spoke for a couple minutes more, and when he hung up, Greg’s smile was ironic as he realized that, like his father, he hadn’t said what was on his mind. Not once had he told Kate he loved her. But perhaps that was for the best. Like the discussion he’d had with his father, a declaration of love was one thing that should be done in person.

I
t had been another difficult night, trying to sleep on the chair in the waiting room. Kate knew she’d probably crash the instant she got into a real bed, but in the meantime, it was important to be as close to Sally as possible. And soon Greg would be here.

Their phone conversation had been brief, but it lingered in her memory, as much for what hadn’t been said as what had. Greg had sounded different. Tired, of course, but more relaxed, as if something had released the springs that had been wound so tightly inside him. It sounded as if the meeting with his father had been better than Greg had expected.

Kate said a silent prayer of thanksgiving that Greg was trying to resolve his issues with his father. It was good that he was trying to bridge the gaps between them. What puzzled Kate was why Greg had decided to fly to Washington yesterday. She had expected him to come back to the hospital, but instead he’d flown in the opposite direction.

Something must have happened to change his mind after he left the hospital Tuesday night. What? And, even more importantly, what did he want to discuss with her? Greg’s voice had
changed, growing warmer and more intimate, when he’d told her they had a lot to talk about.

Kate felt her cheeks flush as she remembered how Greg had sounded. If she were being fanciful, she would say that he sounded like a man in love. Perhaps dreams did come true. Perhaps Greg felt the way she did.

“Good morning, young lady.”

Roy’s words jolted Kate out of her reverie. “Good morning to you too, Roy.” Kate smiled, relieved to see that another night’s rest had restored his color and erased some of the shadows from under his eyes. “Your timing is perfect. They’re moving Sally out of the ICU as we speak.”

“I know.” He sank onto the chair across from Kate, stretching out his legs and setting his Stetson on his lap. “I called to see what was happening before I left Dupree. Thanks for putting me on the authorized list. I’d have worried the whole way otherwise.”

“Then you know that she’s doing remarkably well.” While the doctors had hesitated to call it a miracle, they’d told Kate her grandmother’s condition had improved faster than they’d dared to hope.

Roy nodded. “Sally’s a strong woman with a heart as big as the whole state of Texas. Is it any wonder I love her?” Kate hadn’t realized that grown men blushed, but Roy’s cheeks reddened as the words came out. He spun his hat on a finger, pretending to be fascinated by the way it moved. A few seconds later, he looked up, his expression wary. “Did Sally tell you I asked her to marry me?”

Kate blinked. The proposal wasn’t a surprise, but the fact that Sally hadn’t mentioned it was. “No, she didn’t.”

Though she saw disappointment in Roy’s eyes, he nodded. “She refused me.” There was no doubt of the pain the refusal had caused him, and Kate’s heart went out to the man who
loved her grandmother. Sally was a fortunate woman to have found love not just once but twice.

“She said she couldn’t leave you,” Roy explained.

That was Sally, putting Kate’s happiness ahead of her own. Like Grandpa Larry, taking himself off the partnership track so he could spend more time with Kate, Sally was sacrificing her own life for her granddaughter.

Sally was right. A week ago, Kate had been worried about the impact her grandmother’s marriage would have on her. But that was the old Kate. The new Kate knew what was important, and it was much more than successful ad campaigns and promotions. The new Kate no longer feared change. Instead, the new Kate realized that not only was change inevitable, but it could be positive, as long as she followed the right path.

Kate wouldn’t let her grandmother give up her second chance at love. She would wait a few days until Sally had regained more of her strength, but then Kate intended to tell her that she should marry Roy. Sally deserved every bit of happiness she could find.

“Sally’s already given me more than I deserve. It’s time for her to think about herself.”

“That’s what I told her.” Roy stopped twirling his hat and fixed his gaze on Kate. “What I’m telling you is that as soon as they let me see Sally, I’m going to ask her again, and this time I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Good for you!” If Sally was so misguided as to refuse him a second time, Kate would intervene. She wasn’t about to let her grandmother allow happiness to slip through her fingers. This was one change Kate wanted to witness.

Roy raised an eyebrow. “Then you don’t mind?”

“Absolutely not. I want Sally to be happy, and it’s clear that you’re the man who makes her happy.” Kate leaned forward and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial level. “I just need you to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?” Once again wariness filled Roy’s eyes.

Kate smiled, hoping to reassure him. “No justice of the peace wedding. I want to be Sally’s maid of honor and watch her walk down the aisle.”

His eyes lighting with pleasure, Roy held out his hand for a shake. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Roy’s here?” Sally looked up at her granddaughter. Kate’s face reflected both happiness and relief. Sally smiled, realizing she was probably displaying the same emotions herself, with the addition of fatigue. Though she didn’t remember much of the past couple days, according to Kate, Sally was fortunate to be alive.

Triple bypasses might be routine to the surgeons, but they were anything but routine to Sally, nor was the fact that she had no memory of the past two days. From everything Kate had said, that was just as well. There were some things a person didn’t need to remember, and heart surgery was one of them. Right now, Sally felt happy, relieved, exhausted, and very, very anxious to see Roy. There was so much she had to tell him. But first . . .

“Would you bring me a mirror?” A quick glance confirmed her fears. “He can’t see me like this.” Her hair was matted to her head, and without makeup she looked a hundred years old. That was no way to greet the man she loved and hoped to marry.

Kate’s smile made Sally suspect she knew exactly why she was so anxious to see Roy. Perhaps she should tell Kate what she intended, but one thing Sally had realized was that Roy was right. It was time she thought about her future on Earth, however long or short it might be, and made the choices that would bring her the most happiness.

Kate was a grown woman, no longer a baby chick or even a fledgling. And if Sally’s eyes weren’t deceiving her, Kate was not the same woman who’d left Rainbow’s End Tuesday morning.
Though dark shadows under them betrayed sleepless nights, Kate’s eyes reflected a serenity Sally had never seen. Something had happened to her granddaughter, and whatever it was, was good. Sally would ask about that later. First she needed to see Roy before her courage deserted her.

“The man has stars in his eyes whenever you’re around,” Kate said firmly as she laid the hand mirror on a small table. “He won’t care that your hair is a little messed up.”

“A little?” Sally couldn’t forget what she’d seen. “It’s worse than a bird’s nest. You’ve got to help me do something with it.” It was possible there might come a time when she didn’t mind Roy seeing her at less than her best, but that time wasn’t this morning.

Kate nodded. “Let me see what I can do.” She returned a few minutes later, a couple small bottles in one hand. “This is the best I can do—dry shampoo. You’re not allowed out of bed until the doctor sees you.” The corners of Kate’s mouth turned up in a mischievous grin as she added, “Of course, I could always ask Roy to wait until the doctor’s made his rounds.”

Her granddaughter was teasing her, and Sally couldn’t think of anything that would please her more except seeing Roy. “You know I don’t want to keep Roy waiting. Let’s see what you can do.” In less than fifteen minutes Sally studied her reflection in the mirror. It was amazing what clean—well, cleaner—hair and a bit of makeup could do for a woman’s self-esteem.

“Thanks, Kate. I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” She took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves when her granddaughter left. As dearly as she loved Kate, Sally didn’t want her to overhear what she was going to say to Roy.

It seemed like only seconds later that the door opened and he entered the room. Just the sight of him made Sally’s heart pound so fiercely that she was surprised she didn’t set off one of the monitors.

“Hello, Roy,” Sally said, her voice cracking with emotion. Had he grown more handsome or was it simply that the blinders had fallen from her eyes? Whatever the reason, she knew that she would happily spend the rest of her life gazing at this man. And if her heart beat faster when he walked into a room, that was okay too.

“You gave me quite a scare, young lady.” To Sally’s surprise, Roy’s voice quavered as much as hers did. Though she wouldn’t have thought it possible, he looked relieved and worried at the same time. She decided to defuse the emotion of the moment with a little laugh.

“If I’m a young lady, you must be a very young man.” Sally’s smile faded as she said, “The truth is, Roy, neither one of us is young. The fact that I’m here is proof of that.” She glanced around the room that, while luxurious by hospital standards, was still a hospital room.

“You’re going to be fine.” Roy seemed to have recovered from his earlier display of emotion, because his voice was steady now. “The doctor said you’d be out of here in another day or two.” He stopped, stared at the floor for a second, then looked back at Sally. Touching the bridge of his glasses as he often did when he was nervous, Roy said, “I probably should wait, but . . .”

Sally shook her head. “Stop right there, Roy. You’re a gentleman, so you know it’s ‘ladies first.’”

He blinked in surprise but nodded slowly, letting her continue.

“Kate told me what a close call I had.” Sally still shuddered to think of all that had happened after she’d suffered what she’d believed to be nothing more than a bout of indigestion. “It made me realize how precious life is and that I shouldn’t waste a single day.”

She took a shallow breath, never breaking her gaze. Her future happiness depended on this man and his reaction to what she
was about to say. “I love you, Roy, and if your offer is still open, I accept. There’s nothing I want more than to be your wife.”

The happiness that shone from his eyes left Sally no doubt that he still wanted to marry her. “I know it’s a cliché, but it’s true. You’ve made me the happiest man on earth.” Roy leaned forward and pressed his lips to Sally’s. Minutes later when they were both breathless, he said, “If I had my way, I’d marry you today, but your granddaughter won’t allow it.”

Sally stared, shocked. The Kate of a week ago might have protested, but surely the one who’d fixed her hair and helped with her makeup so she could be pretty for Roy wouldn’t object to the wedding.

“Let’s get her in here. I’ve got a thing or two to say to that young lady.”

“Now, Sally,” Roy said, cupping her cheek, “it’s not that bad. Kate gave me permission to court you. It’s just the timing that’s wrong. She wants us to have a proper church wedding, and she’s insisting that she be your maid of honor. She’d be disappointed if we got married today.”

“My maid of honor?” Sally smiled as she pictured herself in an ivory dress following Kate down the aisle. “Why not? We can wait a week or two.”

“That’s my girl.” Roy leaned forward and pressed another kiss on her lips. “Now, here’s what I’m thinking about for a honeymoon.”

By the time Roy finished telling her his plans, they were both laughing. Tears of joy welled in Sally’s eyes as she thought of all she’d been given: a loving husband, a wonderful granddaughter, and now a second chance at life and love.

“Life with you is going to be such an adventure,” Sally said, clasping his hand in hers. “I can’t wait to get started.”