Jessie (4 page)

Pastor English had made the offer in total sincerity, but he was not surprised when Seth did not show any interest in joining him in church. The young man was polite and kind, but his interest in spiritual things was not just greatly lacking, it was nonexistent.

The pastor even invited him to the pie social they were planning for that afternoon, but knew with a fair amount of certainty that he would not see Seth Redding. Seth helped him with the dishes, but even before the pastor left for the church building, the younger man was on his way out the door. He didn't take his bag so Pastor English knew he would still be spending another night, but he strongly doubted he would see him the rest of the day.

Jessie's head felt fine by late morning, but the apartment was growing a little warm. Not moving very fast, she cleaned the kitchen and put her shoes on. After putting the apartment in order, she headed downstairs and through the storeroom. She was outside and had locked the door before she turned and spotted Seth Redding sitting under a tree watching her. Jessie stared at him a moment and then started that way.

“I wondered if you were ever going to come out that door,” he said, pushing to his feet as she neared.

“Is that what you're doing here, waiting for me?”

“You're surprised?”

“I didn't know if I would see you again so, yes, I'm surprised.”

“Meaning you don't need me to work, or you thought I would be leaving town?”

“The latter, but I just remembered you told Jeb you might be sticking around.”

“At the moment I don't know what I'm doing,” Seth admitted, and then added, “How's your head?”

“It's doing all right. Patience checked it for me.”

“Patience?”

“Jeb's wife.”

“Are they family?”

“Jeb and my father were cousins.”

Seth nodded, his eyes watching her. Jessie looked right back.

“Would you care to walk along Token Creek, Miss Wheeler?”

Jessie, simply liking him and the way he said things, smiled. Seth took that smile for a yes.

Chapter Two

“P
ASTOR, MAY
I
ASK
you a question?” Jeb began, having caught the man after the service.

“Certainly, Jeb.”

“You mentioned during the sermon that a young man is staying with you right now. Is it Seth Redding?”

“It is. Did you meet him at the store?”

“Yes. What do you think of him?”

“He's very polite and grateful for the meals and the bed.” The pastor stopped and looked at the other man a moment. “Are you worried about Jessie?”

“Not worried exactly—she takes care of herself very well—but I know if you had a concern I could talk to her about it. She listens to me.”

“I don't have a concern about Jessie's safety, Jeb. I'm not sure Seth is planning to stay in town very long. And as far as I can tell, he's been honest with me. We've talked a little in the evenings. He has very little family alive and no real roots. He also has no interest in biblical matters—that does concern me no small amount—but then I know Jessie doesn't either.”

“That's true. I'm hoping someday that will change, but she's her father's girl. Hiram Wheeler didn't feel he needed God for anything. He had his store and his strong back and hands and believed that was all he needed.”

“That was my impression too. How would you say Jessie has done with his being gone?”

“I think she does fine. I'm thankful to say she comes to us when she has a need.”

“That's good to hear. Maybe if Seth stays in town for a while, you'll have an opportunity to have him and Jessie over. That way you can see firsthand what he's like.”

“That's a good idea, Pastor,” Jeb said. The men had worked together on Saturday, but there had been no time for socializing in the store on that day. Jeb realized his attention had drifted a bit and added, “I don't think I would have thought of that, so thank you.”

The men said their goodbyes and Jeb found Patience. On their walk home, he told her what their pastor had said and what he had in mind.

“You actually run the store by yourself, don't you?” Seth asked when they'd walked for a time.

“Yes. My father has been dead for more than a year.”

“And your mother?”

“She died two years ahead of him.”

“No siblings?”

“I'm afraid not.”

“You sound like you have regrets.”

“It wasn't my choice, but some days it would be nice to have someone else who cared.”

She was doing odd things to Seth's heart, and he knew she wasn't even trying. It didn't hurt that she was beautiful, but it was far more than that. He liked her toughness and her confidence.

“What's in Texas?” Jessie suddenly asked.

“My brother.”

“What's he doing there?”

“He's from there. We didn't have the same fathers and haven't lived together that much.”

“Where are you from?”

“Kingdon way.”

“When did you decide to move to Texas?”

“What makes you think I'm moving?”

“Well, you told me all you own is in your bag. That doesn't sound like a man who's planning to return.”

“Eliot, that's my brother, likes it down there,” Seth said by way of an answer. “He thinks I will too.”

“Will he wonder what happened when you're delayed?”

“We're pretty independent, and he knew I would have to work my way along.”

Jessie nodded before asking, “Who do you think took your money?”

“I don't know, but it's my own fault.” Seth's voice held a level of disgust. “For some reason I moved the bills to my shirt pocket and then nodded off. If I'd left them in my pants pocket, no one could have gotten to them.”

“Well,” Jessie said, working not to like him too much. “You could be stranded in worse places. Token Creek is a very nice town with many fine folks.”

“Including Jessie Wheeler?”

“I don't know about that. I'm just a store owner with usually more work than time.”

“You must look forward to Sundays all week.”

“I do look forward to the day off, but I also close at five, so I have my evenings too.”

“Was that a hint?”

Jessie blinked at him. “A hint for what?”

Seth almost accused her of hinting that he ask her to dinner, but he could see by her face that she was doing no such thing. Instead he changed the subject.

“Pastor English invited me to a pie social the church is having this afternoon.”

“Are you going?”

“If you are,” Seth felt bold enough to say.

“I wasn't planning on it.”

“Fair enough, but it might beat walking the creek line in the June heat.”

Jessie nodded thoughtfully and made sure she was looking at him when she said, “You could always come to supper at my place.”

The interest in the eyes watching her was unmistakable, and Jessie decided to be very clear. “
Just
supper,” she added.

“Just supper is fine,” Seth said smoothly, smiling at the way she read his mind.

“You're sure about that? Because I wouldn't want there to be any misunderstandings.”

“I'm sure. What are you having?”

“Chicken and dumplings.”

Seth nodded, looking pleased but not saying what was on his mind. He didn't know when he would have enough money to get himself to Texas, but that might not be as great a factor as it once was. This woman was simply too good to be true, and Seth thought he might need to stick around long enough to find out if he was wrong.

Trace Holden sat down at the pie social with his aunt, Jeanette Fulbright, and was swiftly followed by his brother, Brad. The pie social was being held on the grassy area between the church building and the parsonage.

“How is Mama today?” Brad asked. He was Trace's senior by 21 months, but the men looked enough like twins to be mistaken for such on a regular basis.

“She's doing well. Becky stayed with her,” Jeanette added, referring to her cook. “Do you have time to come see her after we're done?”

“We're planning on it.”

Jeanette looked at their handsome faces and tried to think about how much her sister, Theta, was missing. Two years earlier her husband, Wes Holden, had come home drunk and beaten her almost to death. She had never been the same. Wes had taken off and not been heard from since, but the boys continued to run the ranch on their own. Jeanette had taken her sister into her home in town and cared for her every need.

“What pie did you get?” Jeanette asked her nephews, working not to think about Theta just then.

“I started with berry,” Trace said. “Now I'm working on apple.”

“Lest you feel faint before supper,” Jeanette teased gently, bringing a smile to the youngest Holden's mouth.

“How about you, Brad?” Jeanette asked.

“I'm still on my first piece—it's apple—but I think I'll have the berry next.”

His aunt couldn't stop another smile, and Brad caught it, his own eyes twinkling.

“What kind did you bring, Jeanette?” Trace asked.

“Peach crumble.”

“Oh,” he said softly, almost reverently. “I'll have to have some of that too.”

This made Jeanette laugh outright but also reminded her that she hadn't had pie. As it was, the three of them made for the pie table at the same time.

“This is nice,” Seth said, standing in Jessie's living room several hours later and having a look around. It was one large room with three doors leading off of it. The door he'd just come through led to the stairs. He assumed the other two were bedrooms or a bedroom and a closet, but the doors were shut.

Large windows looked over the street, and to the left of these was the kitchen area. A small dining table with just four chairs sat in front of the windows. Between that area and the stairway door was what Seth saw as the living room. There was a long sofa and two comfortable-looking chairs. Dark wood tables sat next to the chairs, and two ottomans rested before the sofa. A brightly patterned rug brought all the furniture together. Against one wall sat an oak bookshelf that held knickknacks and a dozen books or so.