Tully stepped on the brake. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t just drive away. She was going to get his help if she wanted it or not. He had made a lot of bad decisions in his life, but this wasn’t going to be one of them. This time he was making the right choice. Maybe it was because she had suffered so much at the hands of a reckless driver and he was somehow trying to make amends for that. It wasn’t rational, but it was what he needed to do. He shoved the car in Park. Picking up his phone, he dialed Arnie’s number.
His buddy answered on the second ring. “Are you in town already, or have you chickened out? Wait. Who is this?”
Tully knew the drill. “This is Tully Lange. I’m an alcoholic. I’ve been sober for four months and one week.”
“It still gives me chills to hear you say that. I’m proud of you, Cowboy.”
“Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
“So where are you?”
“I had to take a small detour.”
“Oh yeah?”
“It wasn’t a moose. It was a cow.”
“You hit a cow?” Arnie didn’t even try to control his laughter. “‘Cowboy Cow Collision in Northern Maine.’ It could make the national news.”
“I didn’t hit the cow, but I hit her calf and broke the little thing’s leg. I took her to the closest farm. Turned out to be a dairy run by an Amish family. It was their cow. Look, the family is in a bind right now. The old man that runs the place got hurt. He has only his widowed daughter-in-law and his granddaughter to help him. I’m going to stick around for a while and give them a hand.”
“Ah, there is a woman involved, isn’t there?”
“Nothing like that.”
“Sure. Is she pretty? Is it the widow or the granddaughter?”
“The granddaughter is in the first grade.”
“So it’s the widow. Tully, you sly dog.”
Tully grew annoyed. “I said it’s not like that.”
“Okay, my bad. Stay and help the family for as long as they need it. You aren’t likely to find a drink on an Amish farm.”
It was a good point. “Look, I’ll see you at Christmas. I just need to make sure they’re going to be okay.”
“Don’t forget me, Cowboy.”
Tully caught a note of sadness in his friend’s voice. “You know I can’t forget you. You saved my life.”
“Twice,” Arnie added emphatically.
“And you’ll never let me forget it.”
“That’s right. You owe me big-time. Someday I’m gonna call in that marker.”
Tully chuckled. “Any time you need someone to save your life, I’m your guy. See you in a few days.”
He might have made a joke out of it, but Tully was serious. He owed Arnie more than he could ever repay. After ending his call, Tully turned the car around and drove into the Beachy farmyard again. He saw Becca and Annabeth lifting the heavy milk cans onto the back of a wagon. He got out of his car and lifted the last two steel containers onto the wagon bed for them.
Becca brushed the snow from her gloves and frowned at him. “I could have managed those. I thought you were leaving?”
“Ma’am, if you know anything about cowboys, you should know that we have a powerful sense of right and wrong. It is just plain wrong to leave a woman in a lurch if a fellow can help.”
“I thank you for your offer, but don’t concern yourself with us. Annabeth, get up on the seat. We need to get going.” Becca moved to the front of the wagon. She ignored the hand Tully held out to help her up.
He looked at Annabeth and rolled his eyes. “Your mama is a stubborn one.”
“Sometimes.” The child held out her arms. Tully lifted her up beside her mother.
He pushed his hat up with one finger. “I’ve decided to stick around for a while. No point in telling me to move along, because I’m not going to do it. I’ll be here when you get back. If you have any chores that need doing, tell me now.”
She stared straight ahead. “None that I can think of.”
He held back a smile. “Annabeth, can you think of any?”
“Daadi was going to split some kindling for the stove this morning.”
Becca scowled at her daughter. “That’s enough. It was kind of you to offer, but your help isn’t needed.” She lifted the reins, spoke to the horse and headed the wagon down the lane.
Tully watched them until they reached the highway. Annabeth looked back and waved. Becca did not. Her rejection hurt more than it should.
“I like the cowboy,” Annabeth said. “I’m glad he’s going to stay. Aren’t you? He can help with lots of chores so Daadi can rest.”
Becca glanced at her daughter’s face. “He won’t be staying. We will do our own chores and Gideon’s, too. We will just have to work harder until Gideon is better.”
It was going to be difficult, but Becca had never shied away from hard work. Tully’s offer to stay and help was kind, but she couldn’t afford to pay a hired hand even for a week, let alone for the month that the doctor had said Gideon needed to heal.
Annabeth tipped her head to gaze at Becca. “Don’t you like Tully?”
She liked him a lot. That was the trouble, but she couldn’t tell her child that. She barely knew the man. “He has shown us great kindness. For that I’m grateful, but don’t expect him to be at the farm when you get home from school.”
Among the Amish such acts of charity were common. She wasn’t used to seeing the same behavior from the Englisch. She didn’t know what to make of him.
“I hope he will be there,” Annabeth said wistfully. “He makes me laugh.”
When they arrived at the school, the children were outside for the morning recess. Their teacher, Eva Coblentz, waved from the schoolhouse steps. Her brother Danny stood beside her. Eva planned to marry after Christmas. Her brother would take over her teaching job when she left. Danny was single and a nice fellow. He had asked Becca to walk out with him several times. She had politely refused. She wasn’t interested in stepping out with him or anyone. She had no intention of marrying again. Loving someone else didn’t seem possible.
Danny gave Becca a warm smile as he walked over. “We were wondering what had become of Annabeth this morning. I was just about to drive out and check on you and your family.”
Becca tipped her head slightly and avoided meeting his gaze, not wanting to give him any encouragement. “I appreciate your concern.”
“Rosie had her calf, but Tully hit her baby with his car and broke her leg. Then Daadi Gideon slipped in the snow and hurt his knee and the cowboy took us to the hospital,” Annabeth said all in a rush.
Danny’s eyes widened. “It sounds like you’ve had a busy morning. How serious is Gideon’s injury?”
Becca sighed. Danny would find out soon enough. “He dislocated his knee.”
“That’s not goot,” Danny said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Nee, we are fine.”
He shook his head. “Nonsense. My cousin dislocated his knee two years ago. He was laid up for weeks, and he is a lot younger than Gideon. I’ll come out to help with the chores before and after school.”
“That’s not necessary.” This was exactly what she had hoped to avoid. Becca didn’t want to spend her mornings and afternoons working alongside Danny. Nor did she wish to spend weeks resisting his persistent attempts to get her to go out with him. He was a fine man, but she wasn’t interested in him romantically.
He leaned closer. “Don’t be prideful, Becca. Let me help.” He held out his arms to Annabeth, who went to him happily.
Becca looked away. “It isn’t pride. We...we already have a man helping us. An Englisch fellow.”
Danny lowered Annabeth to the ground. She gaped at Becca. “The cowboy is staying? Before you said—”
Becca cut her short. “Never mind what I said.”
A faint frown appeared on Danny’s face. “Is it someone I know?”
“Nee. He is new to this area. Would you ask Bishop Schultz to come out to the dairy when you see him? I need to get this milk to the collection station, or I would go see him myself.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Danny said. “And I will bring Annabeth home this afternoon so you don’t have to make the trip.”
She couldn’t see a way to refuse his kind offer. “Danki.”
Annabeth waved to her friend Maddie on the swings. “Guess what? I have a new calf. Her name is Diamond, and we have a real cowboy staying with us.”
Becca knew the whole community would be curious about their visitor once the children took home Annabeth’s information. She was sure to have visitors as soon as word got out about Gideon’s injury. She would need to have a suitable story ready to explain Tully’s presence. If he hadn’t already left.
She thanked Danny and turned her horse around. The collection station was at the farm of an Englisch dairyman named LeBlanc some two miles past her own farm. He maintained refrigerated storage tanks that she and several other small dairies rented from him. The milk truck came three times a week to take the collected milk into the city to the processing plant. Thankfully he was in the building when she arrived. He emptied the milk cans for her.
Heading back to the farm, Becca kept her horse at a steady trot. A flutter of anticipation settled in her midsection as she turned into her lane. Would Tully be there?
As she drove into the farmyard, she saw his car was missing. She tried to ignore the letdown that seemed to sap her strength. She hadn’t really expected him to stay. She wasn’t sure why she was so disappointed.
She climbed down from the wagon stiffly. The cold seemed sharper than before. The sun slipped behind the clouds, making the morning gloomy. She unhitched the horse, checked on little Diamond, who seemed to be doing well with her cast, and then went into the house. She stopped on the threshold. Tully was down on one knee filling the kindling box beside her stove.
He rose to his feet and dusted off his gloves. “If that’s not enough, I’ll bring in another armload.”
He was still here. “I thought you had gone. Your car isn’t here.”
“Gideon told me to put it in the shed because it is going to snow. He’s doing okay. I had him take two of those pain pills, although he wasn’t happy about it. I put an ice pack on his leg. He’s a hard man to keep down.” He shifted nervously from foot to foot. “I threatened to hog-tie him if he got up without help again. Is this enough wood?”
“That is fine for now. Tully, I appreciate all you have done.”
“It’s nothing.”
She moved to take off her coat and thick woolen scarf and hung them up. “It is much more than nothing. Please sit down.” She gestured toward the table.
He took a seat and waited for her to speak. She sat across from him with her hands folded on the table in front of her. She didn’t like discussing their financial situation, but she didn’t feel she had a choice. “I would like you to stay until Gideon is better, but you must understand that we cannot afford to pay you for your help.”
He leaned back in his chair. A wry smile curved his lips and showed a dimple in his right cheek. “A few days of your good cooking will be payment enough. You don’t have to worry about putting me up. I can sleep in the barn if the animals don’t mind my snoring.”
“Why are you doing this?”
His smile disappeared. His eyes grew serious. He leaned forward and clasped his hands together on the tabletop. “I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it had been a long time since I was somewhere that felt like a home. When I got out of the army two years ago, things didn’t go well for me. Let’s just say I messed up. I ended up homeless and living out of my car. I know what it feels like to be down and out. You folks have hit a rough patch. Somebody gave me a helping hand when I needed it. I’d like to think I’m repaying that favor by helping you and your family. Just until Gideon is back on his feet. I’m serious about sleeping in the barn. I’ve slept in worse places.”
What places and why? She longed to ask him, but she didn’t. It was unlikely that she would ever know the answers, but the pain he tried to hide underneath his words touched her deeply. “That won’t be necessary. We have a spare bedroom you can use, but I must talk this over with Gideon before I can give you an answer.”
“Fair enough.” It wasn’t an outright no. Tully relaxed a fraction. He was prepared to leave if she insisted. He didn’t want to stay if he made her uncomfortable.
“What do you need to discuss with me?” Gideon asked as he slowly made his way into the kitchen on his crutches.
Tully scowled at him. “What did I say would happen if you got up without help?”
“Tying the hog is not needed.” Gideon lowered himself slowly onto a chair. “As you can see, I have managed on my own. What are the two of you talking about?”
Tully glanced at Becca. When she didn’t explain, he did. “We were discussing my staying on to help with chores for a few days until you get back on your feet.”
“I am on my feet.”
Tully scoffed. “You’re barely on one foot and two crutches. Explain to me how you are going to feed and milk your cows.”
“He has a point,” Becca said. “If he wants to help us, we should let him.”
“We can’t pay him. A laborer is worthy of his hire.”
“Room and board will be sufficient payment for me. I don’t know much about dairy cattle. I may end up being more trouble than I’m worth.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Becca’s mouth. “If that becomes the case, I will stop feeding you.”
He grinned at her. “And I will be gone before nightfall. Now that you know how to get rid of me, what chores need to be done?”
“I will show you.” Gideon attempted to rise, but he grimaced and sank back onto his chair. “Perhaps Becca should show you what you need to do.”
“I will after we get you back into bed,” Becca said, motioning for Tully to help her. Between the two of them, they were able to get Gideon up on his crutches and into his bedroom. Tully stood back and waited as she carefully propped Gideon’s injured leg on a pair of pillows and pulled a quilt over him.
She stood beside the bed looking uncertain. “Is there anything you need? Do you want another pain pill?”
“I’m fine for now. Don’t fuss over me.”
She tucked the quilt around his shoulders. “I will fuss over whomever I please. Promise me you won’t try to get up until we are back in the house.”
“I promise. Now go away and let me sleep.” He closed his eyes and turned his face away from them.
Tully stepped out into the hall. Becca followed him and closed the door. A second later she opened it a crack. “I want to be able to hear him if he calls out.”
Tully longed to offer her some measure of comfort or reassurance, but he wasn’t sure what to say. Comfort hadn’t been a big part of his life. His grandfather had been fond of saying, “Be tough, boy, because life is tougher.” The army hadn’t been big on coddling, either. He cleared his throat and took a stab at it. “He’s a strong man. He’ll get over this.”
“I pray you are right.” She turned away from the door.
“What made you decide to let me stay?”
She wouldn’t look at him. “Annabeth wants to hear more stories about your cowboy ways.”
He sensed it wasn’t the whole truth. “That’s nice to hear, but I don’t believe it’s why you changed your mind.”
“I have my reasons.” She propped her fists on her hips. “Do you want to stay or don’t you?”
He held both hands up. “I want to stay, but only if I won’t make more trouble for you.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “All men do is make more trouble.”
He had to laugh. It was the wrong thing to do.
She scowled at him and pointed to the end of the hall. “Your room is there. I have baking and laundry to do. Stay out of the kitchen.”
She spun on her heels and walked away.
“You had better do as she says,” Tully heard Gideon say.
He pushed open the door to make sure Gideon wasn’t trying to get up again. “I know how to follow orders.”
“That is goot. When Becca is in a mood, you had best avoid her. If you can’t, do what she says. My wife was the same way. I blamed it on her red hair.”
Tully stared toward the kitchen, where he could hear pots and pans being rattled about. “I seem to have a knack for upsetting Becca.”
Gideon chuckled. “Don’t feel bad. My son used to say the same thing.”
Tully moved to stand beside the bed. He pushed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “Becca told me what happened to your family. I’m real sorry.”
“They are with Gott. As we all shall be when He wills it.” Gideon raised himself up in bed and scooted back to lean against the headboard. “Why didn’t you go on your way?”
Tully couldn’t admit the whole truth. “I like you folks. I couldn’t leave without trying to help.”
“Our community will take care of us.” Gideon made a sour face.
“You don’t sound thrilled about that.”
“Charity is much harder to accept than to give. I sometimes suffer from the sin of pride.” Gideon gestured to his leg up on pillows. “When I prayed Gott would help me overcome it, I wasn’t expecting this to be His answer.”
“I know what you mean. I don’t want to add to Becca’s workload. I hope you’ll steer me in the right direction.”
“Can you cook, clean, darn socks and do laundry?”
“I can do all that. My grandma made me learn to take care of myself on the ranch, but I’m a lousy cook.”
Gideon chuckled. “When I see something that needs to be done, I will tell you. When Becca sees something that needs to be done, she does it herself. You will help best by getting out of her way.”
“Got it. Thanks for the advice. What can I do for you?”
“How good are you at checkers?”
“Pretty good, if I do say so myself.”
“There is a board and pieces in the desk in the living room. Bring it in here. We shall see if the Lord will help you overcome your sin of pride.”
“If that’s a convoluted way of saying you think you can beat me, I’ll show you a thing or two.”
Becca came to the door. “Gideon, you are supposed to be resting. I’m going to take the trash out to the burn barrel.”
“I’ll do that,” Tully said quickly.
She glanced at each of them and then went away.
Tully looked at Gideon. “Where is the burn barrel?”
“Behind the shed where I had you put your car.”
“I’ll be back with the checkers set in a bit.” Tully went down the hall to the kitchen. Becca was at the table cracking an egg into a mixing bowl. She glanced up at him and tossed the shell into the overflowing trash can. It rolled out and hit the floor.
Tully jumped to pick it up as Becca bent to do the same. His hand closed over hers. He met her eyes, and they both straightened slowly. He still held her hand.
His heart started thudding heavily in his chest. His gaze swept over her face. What would it be like to kiss her?