Willow gathered a knot of hair, twisted it up, and inserted a hairpin. Miserably hot weather greeted the last day of August. The air was so humid, you could wring it dry. Strange, given the fact that it didn’t rain.
There’d been no further word from Mr. O’Malley. She assumed he’d left Thunder Ridge early, as promised. How soon would the bank serve the eviction notice? And where would they go? The answer was as simple as “Yes, I will marry you, Silas.”
Slipping into yellow sprigged cotton, courtesy of Copper, Willow turned to the mirror. The dress fit perfectly, nipped tightly at the waist, puffed lightly at the sleeves. Her friend sewed a flawless seam. She pirouetted in front of the mirror, studying the way the skirt flared. Copper had chosen well. The dress was most becoming, and a welcome addition to her limited wardrobe. Comfortable, too. That was an added blessing.
Willow heard the town common area stirring. The last official Sterling summer picnic was about to begin. She’d been told the celebration was nearly as large and boisterous as Fourth of July. In a matter of weeks now the long summer of heat and lack of rain would give way to cooling temperatures and, prayerfully, fall rains. Local women would be setting up long tables with pretty white tablecloths. Massive jars of lemonade would sit nearby, prepared with Silas Sterling’s contribution. Women dressed in white uniforms with the Sterling Enterprise emblem emblazoned on starched pockets would be bustling about the area.
Silas’s swift-piloted ships had a heart-shaped midsection, a short keel with very raking stern-and-stem outline, and a low-sided and sharp-bowed hull.
She enjoyed this about the town. Poor, dependent on the sawmill to survive, and dry—endlessly dry—but the spirit of life was strong and contagious here. She’d taken pleasure in the fellowship that was evident during Thunder Ridge’s celebrations.
Her thoughts turned to Tucker and Meredith. No doubt they would be there today, talking and laughing. Well, it was no concern of hers. She had other things to occupy her mind. If Tucker wanted to spend his time with Meredith, he had a right to do so. He needn’t turn up his nose at her, though, for trying to enhance Wallace, Audrey, and Copper’s lives. It wasn’t as if she had the freedom to make the choice. Sometimes, circumstances dictated an action that was in direct contrast to the desirable.
Arranging an errant lock of hair, Willow peered into the mirror. Today you will accept Silas Sterling’s proposal.
No!
Yes.
No!
Yes. She turned away from her image before she lost the argument.
On the way downstairs, she checked on Wallace, who was dozing. What a dark, bleak world he lived in—confused, helpless. Why had God left him to struggle through the maze? Was not his work here on earth finished? Sometimes death could be a blessing. Willow shuddered. She never wanted to go through the nightmare Wallace was living.
She lifted the light sheet and folded it over his bare feet. The bedroom was like a stovetop. How could the man sleep in all this heat? Her skin was clammy with perspiration. Perhaps there would be a breeze in the common area. She’d wake the judge later and see if Deet would take him to watch the festivities. Wallace was becoming a recluse. Only too aware of how he looked, and of his own limitations, he preferred to stay home and see only a few close friends. Perhaps she would feel the same in his condition.
Late Sunday afternoon, the picnic was in full swing. The townspeople had begun to accept the loss of the organ, and take the accident in stride as they did the lack of rain. God had a reason, they consoled one another, though no one could think of a single reason why having an organ would be wrong.
Willow rounded the corner where the band was playing and came face-to-face with Tucker. He veered in the opposite direction, but she blocked his escape.
“Tucker. I need to speak to you.”
He turned to face her. “If it’s about that organ, I didn’t have a thing to do with the accident.”
“No.” She smiled, giving in to her fundamental instinct. The man was hopeless, but she enjoyed his company. Far too much. “About this pointless feud between us. Don’t you think it’s about time to lay it to rest?” If she married Silas, this man would always be in her life. Her heart. At the least, they could become friends.
Varying expressions crossed his rugged features—skepticism, curiosity, hope. She held her breath. Whatever their future held, she prayed they could peacefully coincide. She wanted—needed—him in her life. Not that she would ever entertain romantic notions of this man once she became Silas’s wife, but a future without Tucker Gray would be very bleak.
He nodded. “I’d like that.”
When he smiled, she felt her heart contract. The man didn’t have a thought of how he affected her. She understood too late the meaning behind all of Betsy’s endless discourses on love.
He reached to take her hand. His touch made her weak. “The rumor mill says you’re going to accept Silas’s proposal today.”
The question cut straight to her heart. Yes, she was going to accept Silas’s proposal. The enormity of what she was about to do hit hard.
Tucker met her eyes. “I’m begging you to reconsider.”
Her gaze met his and her heart was breaking. She took in every line of his face, knowing he could never be hers.
“I can’t.”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “If money controls your decision, then I guess you’ve run out of options. If love is the deciding factor, then you have many. Including me.”
Oh, how she had wanted to hear those words, but they came too late. He must understand her situation. What would she do about Uncle Wallace? What about the five-thousand-dollar loan and Mr. O’Malley? Did he even know about the stranger in town? Surely he did. It had been her experience that everyone in town knew everything about everyone else. By the next morning, it would be whispered in every house, business, and gathering place. Shouted from the housetops. Just witness the expectation of Silas’s announcement of their engagement. Every man, woman, and child appeared to know as much, if not more, about the matter as she did.
She looked away, furious. How dare he say these things now? He had to know it only made her decision to marry Silas all the more difficult. She’d known for weeks their attraction was more than ordinary. He knew it, too. And she understood how he felt, but why couldn’t he support her in this, instead of throwing up roadblocks? Doing her duty was hard enough without him leading her into further temptation.
Her eyes lifted to meet his. “What about Meredith?”
He drew back. “Meredith’s a friend.”
“Very friendly, from all appearances.” Jealousy intervened. “From my observation, she’s closer than a friend, and I have a feeling she expects more than friendship from you.”
His expression hardened. “From my observation, you don’t love Silas.”
“We’re speaking of you now, not me.”
“Who made those rules?”
When she didn’t immediately answer, he sighed and released her. The warmth of his hands lingered on her shoulders, as if it had been imprinted there. His manner changed, he withdrew, and suddenly loneliness swept her. This will be your life after tonight.
His gaze fixed on her, distant now. “Your mind is made up. Nothing I can say will make a difference. Have a good life, Willow Madison, but don’t expect me to stay around and listen to this insanity.”
He left her standing, empty and drained, watching everything that mattered to her walk away.
Tucker was so intent on leaving the common area he didn’t notice Caleb moving to intercept him until he called, “Hey, Tuck. Wait up.”
He paused and turned. He didn’t want to face either Caleb or Eli right now. They knew his moods too well, and he was sporting a foul one.
Caleb met his warning look with compassion. “You all right? Where you headed in such a hurry?”
“I’ve had about all the excitement I can handle for one afternoon.”
His cousin nodded. “I hear Silas is going to have an announcement some time later.”
Tucker’s jaw firmed. “I hear the same.”
“That have anything to do with your sudden craving for peace?”
“Not a thing.” Tucker kept his voice even and cool. “I just have a hankering for a mess of fresh fish.”
“Going fishing, huh? Well, that should be quiet enough. Give a man time to think.”
“Yeah. Did you want anything in particular?”
Caleb lowered his voice. “You ever tell her how you feel?”
Tucker turned away. “She knows. It doesn’t make any difference to her. She’s determined to marry Silas so she can take care of Wallace and her friends.”
“That’s right noble.”
“The fish are biting.”
Caleb blocked his path. “You’re just going to walk away without a fight?”
Tucker gave him an icy stare. “What’s the point of a fight, if you know you’re outnumbered?”
“I think the two of you made a good pair.”
“It seems you’re wrong.”
Caleb shrugged. “You want some company?”
“Not now, but thanks.”
“You won’t be there for the announcement?”
“No.” Tucker walked away, aware of his cousin’s eyes following him. The whole town knew how he felt and knew why he would be absent. Sometimes it took a wise man to know when to cut his losses.