The sign that said Acala, Texas, disappeared behind Mercy that afternoon, but more desert spread out ahead of the truck. Before long, Hunter would drop her off at her folks’ house, and she had a lot of things to take care of in the next two weeks. Her older sister was not going to like the idea of her living in the same house as Hunter, no matter how good the job was.
As if on cue, her phone rang, and she regretted even thinking about Rachel. “Speak of the devil and he, or in this case, she, shall appear,” she muttered.
“What did you say?” Hunter asked.
“I’ll tell you later.” She answered the phone on the fifth ring.
“Hello, Rachel. How are things in Floresville?” she asked.
“Mama told me what she did, and I don’t agree with her.” Rachel’s preachy tone reminded Mercy of Jenny’s.
“Mama’s decision to send me away with Hunter so we could work out our problems has helped, so it doesn’t really matter if you agree or not,” Mercy said.
Hunter jerked his head around to raise an eyebrow.
“My sister,” Mercy mouthed.
“Didn’t know you had one,” Hunter said.
Rachel was on a tear, quoting scripture one minute and singing Cody’s praises the next. Mercy didn’t even try to interrupt, but just let her go on and on for a good five minutes. “Well, what have you got to say about that?”
“You want the truth?” Mercy asked.
“Of course, I want the truth, but what I want most is for you to come home with a better attitude, stop moping around and making mama feel sorry for you, go out with Cody who really likes you, and settle down.” Icicles hung on Rachel’s words.
“Okay, then you asked for it. I’m coming home with a new attitude. I will not be moping around, but I’m not going anywhere with Cody. I’m moving to Denton, to Hunter’s ranch. He’s offered me a job as his ranch office manager and a room in his house as part of the benefit package,” Mercy told her sister.
A long, pregnant silence made Mercy look at the phone screen to see if the call had dropped or if Rachel had hung up on her.
“Does Mama know this?” Rachel finally asked.
“Not yet, but I suppose I’d better give her a call since you’re going to be a tattletale,” Mercy answered.
“Oh, no, I wouldn’t drop this load on her and Daddy for anything. That’s your job, but I think you’re making a big mistake,” Rachel said.
“It’s my mistake to make if I am,” Mercy told her.
“You’re right, but I’d hoped you would give Cody a chance. Would you at least go out with him one time before you finalize this decision?” Rachel had put on her big-sister whining tone.
“That ship sailed last Friday,” Mercy answered. “Go find another woman for him. He’s a good guy, and I know he’s your friend, and that you and David have helped him with the youth group at church ever since you got married, but I’m not interested in him.”
“Why do you have to fall for bad boys?” Rachel moaned.
“I have no idea, but I can’t wait for you to meet Hunter. You and David should bring the boys over to the ranch”—she glanced over at Hunter, who was nodding—“for a weekend. I’m sure they’d love getting out of the city.”
“We’ll see,” Rachel said. “We’ll talk more later. Goodbye.”
“Do you think that went well?” Hunter asked.
“I do,” Mercy answered. “Rachel is ten years older than me. She’s married to David, who helps out with preaching when he’s needed at the church my family attends. They have two teenage boys, Matthew and Luke.”
“I hear an ‘and’ or maybe a ‘but,’” Hunter said.
“She’s my sister, but she’s kind of like Jenny. She wants to tell me what to do, who to date, and…” She paused and collected her thoughts. “Maybe that’s why it was so easy to let Jenny boss me around. Rachel had already conditioned me for that.”
“I won’t ever boss you around,” Hunter said.
“Not even as my boss in an office setting?” she asked.
“Nope, if you can run a dentist business, you won’t have any trouble with the ranch. I wouldn’t be surprised if we aren’t using the same software program,” he answered. “I like you just the way you are right now. I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”
“Thank you for that.” Mercy sucked in a lungful of air and let it out slowly. “On another issue, what usually happens the day after some woman comes and sneaks into your bed? Do you call her or forget you ever knew her?”
“There’s nothing usual about what happened between us, Mercy. But I can tell you this, I have never had feelings like this for any other woman. I think about you all the time. I was miserable when I couldn’t find you, and then when you moved away,” Hunter answered. “And darlin’, I’ve never offered another woman a job.”
“Can you put the past behind you? I’m not Carla, and I can never be a replacement for her. I don’t want to be. And I’m sure not Raylene. I’m just me, and this relationship isn’t going to be about anyone else but the two of us. I want you to be sure that…” She paused when he laid a hand on her shoulder.
“This weekend has shown me how to put the past where it belongs, but Mercy, I don’t want to wait two whole weeks before I see you again. Will you come to the ranch this weekend?” he asked. “I could show you the office, and you could tell me what you want changed, and we could maybe have dinner one evening with Gloria and Jeremy.”
“I’ll be there on Friday afternoon, and maybe I can make dinner at home for Gloria and Jeremy?” she replied.
Home.
She’d just said home, and that one word put a smile on Hunter’s face.
“Well?” she asked when he didn’t answer right away.
“I would really like that. Can you make it a long weekend and not leave until Monday or even Tuesday?”
“How about I just move in on Friday?” she asked.
“Darlin’, you have made me a very happy man,” he said.
“But I still want my own room. I’m not moving in with you into your bedroom until we’ve both had time to figure everything out,” she said.
“We’ll go as slow or as fast as you want.” Hunter stopped the truck on the side of the road, got out, jogged around, and opened her door. He wrapped her up in his arms and hugged her tightly, and then kissed her so long and passionately that they were both breathless.