Page 28 of Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn 4)
Chelle leaned forward with interest. “A client? That’s awesome. Sarah said you were starting a home business. She wouldn’t tell me what it was. Mason thinks you’re selling makeup. I said there wasn’t enough money in that, but I thought maybe health products. Really, neither of us knows much about either, but it was fun to guess. Were either of us close?”
Lucy glared at Sarah, then smiled, but it looked forced. “You both were close, but I feel weird talking about it. I’m just starting out.”
Chelle reached out and laid a hand on her arm. “I know how you feel. I sold candles one year. I hated asking everyone if they were interested in hosting a party or buying something. They’d say yes, but I was never sure if they felt pressured. You don’t have to feel like that. Whatever you’re selling, we’ll buy ten. Right, Mason? Just to get her started.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Lucy said, shooting what looked like a save-me look at Sarah.
Sarah clearly knew what Lucy’s new business was, and Lucy apparently didn’t want anyone else to know. He watched her squirm and told himself a better man would step in. I’m only human, though, and dammit, I want to know.
Tony added, “No reason why we shouldn’t all do what we can. Sarah, buy as much as you want. We’ll find a purpose for it.”
Sarah gurgled and bit her knuckle. “Anything you say, sweetie.”
Chelle clapped her hands. “That reminds me. I donated baskets to the church raffle, and that brought in some business. I can help you with ideas like that if you want.”
Sarah burst out laughing. “Sorry, I’m picturing everyone’s face if you donated a basket at church.”
Lucy threw a piece of crust at Sarah and stood. “Thanks for the support, Sarah.”
Sarah instantly stopped laughing. She stood and made a grab for her friend’s arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Lucy pulled her arm away from Sarah. “No, you weren’t.”
Frantically, Sarah waved at their friends. “They don’t know anything. I didn’t tell anyone, I swear. Not even Tony.”
Tony frowned.
David knew exactly how he felt. He didn’t like being on the outside either.
Lucy was shaking her head angrily. “No, but now they want to know. It didn’t have to be an issue.”
Mason raised both hands. “I don’t need to know.”
Tony nodded in agreement. “I heard nothing.”
Chelle went to stand with the other two women. “We love you, Lucy. As long as it’s legal, does it matter what you’re selling?”
Lucy threw her hands up in the air. “It’s sex toys. Okay? Satisfied? That’s how I plan to save my ranch—by selling high-tech vibrators.”
A man at a nearby table said, “No wonder he likes her so much.”
David rose to his feet, and the man meekly went back to eating. “Lucy—” David didn’t know what to say, but moved to stand beside her in support.
Mason said, “We’ll still take ten.”
Chelle swatted at him and shook her head. “This is no time to joke.”
Mason shrugged, with big innocent eyes. “Who’s kidding?”
Lucy moved to walk away, and David stepped in front of her. “There’s no need to leave. No one will judge you here.”
She waved her hand at everyone in the restaurant and tears filled her eyes. “You don’t think so?”
David looked pointedly at the nearest man to him. “Will you?”
The man shook his head.
He scanned the nearby tables of people who were watching them. “Does anyone here have a problem with what Lucy is doing?”
Tony stood, as did Mason. David didn’t need their help. He was more than ready to take on the first person who said anything.
From across the room, one man called out, “My wife wants to know if you have a catalogue.”
Laughter erupted, and the tension in the room eased.
Lucy looked fragile, but hopeful. He felt like an ass for letting her friends push her into sharing something before she was ready to, but she had a choice to make. She could hide or be proud of who she was.
She raised her chin and answered, “Not yet, but I’ll have some for my next visit.”
Two young men at a corner table said something, but David didn’t hear exactly what it was. He turned toward them. “If you’ve got something to say, be man enough to say it to my face or smart enough to keep your mouth shut.”
An older man from another table walked over and slapped one of the young men in the back of the head. “Sorry, David. That one is mine. I’ll talk to him.”
David nodded at the old man. “Thanks, Pete.”
Mason whooped and clapped a hand on Tony’s back. “I always thought this town was afraid of you, but I think it’s David they’re afraid of.”
Clara, the waitress, chirped in, “That’s not fear, Mr. Thorne, that’s respect. There ain’t a person in here David hasn’t helped one way or ’nother. When my daddy lost his retirement, David helped him find a fancy lawyer in Dallas who got it back for him.” She looked at Lucy. “A smart woman doesn’t walk away from a man like that.”
David’s cheeks warmed. “Your family has been just as kind to me.”
Tony grumbled, “Life was a whole lot less complicated before we all started sharing so much. Are we staying or going?”
Not caring who was watching, Sarah said, “Lucy, I really am sorry.”
Lucy gave her a quick nod, but her attention remained on David. She searched his face. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like this. The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass you.”
“You didn’t. Now, what do you want to do—stay or go?”
Lucy looked at Clara, then back and said, “I want to stay.”
“Then let’s have another round of beers. In fact, how about a round for everyone—on Mason. Vote Thorne for president!” David smiled.
Mason called out, “I’m not announcing anything, but I will buy all of you a drink.”
General applause filled the room while David, Lucy, and their party sat back down. Once everyone was settled, David took Lucy’s hand in his. He spoke softly into her ear. “You could have told me.”
“I was working my way toward it.”
“Is there anything else I should know?” Now is the time to tell me if there is someone else.
“No, that’s the only secret I had.”
Thank God.
Chapter Thirteen
A few hours later, Lucy was tucked against David’s side on the porch swing of Sarah and Tony’s house. The evening air had cooled off just enough to make the thought of going inside something neither were ready to consider.
There was also the hanging question of how and if they would part for the night. Lucy wasn’t comfortable enough with David to share a room with him in the main house. She couldn’t imagine going back to the equally not-private bunkhouse with him. Eventually, they’d have to come to a decision, but at the moment, Lucy was right where she wanted to be.
As
if he could hear her thoughts, David kissed the top of her head. “I had fun tonight.”
With her head resting on his strong shoulder, Lucy looked up at him from beneath her lashes. “Me too, if you can believe it. I’m glad I didn’t leave. I like Fort Mavis.”
David caressed her arm as he talked. “No town is perfect, but there are enough good people here to make up for the trouble that sometimes bubbles.”
“And they love you. If you ran for an office here, you’d win hands down.”
He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s a good town. We watch out for each other.”
“I was born in the town I live in, and I could count on one hand the number of people who like me.” It wasn’t something Lucy was proud of.
“So why stay? Why not sell the ranch and move on?”
“I promised my mother—”
“I don’t know a mother who would want her daughter to stay where she’s not happy.”
Lucy raised her head and sat up straight. “You don’t understand.”
He kept his arm around her. “Then explain it to me.”
Lucy pressed her lips together for a moment before speaking. She wasn’t sure she could explain something she was still working out for herself. “For a while, I told myself I was saving it for my brother. I also told myself I had to hold on to it because of the family history. I’m not sure either was the real reason. When I came home, David, I lost so much. I was ready to give up—” David’s eyes snapped to hers and she quickly added, “Not kill myself. Well, not physically, but I was dying on the inside, and I had started to think maybe it was for the best. Maybe feeling nothing was better than hurting so much. Thank God, I spoke to Sarah. She gave me the kick in the ass I needed. I knew I had to make a decision, and saving the ranch was what I decided to do.”
“That’s why you were angry when I stepped in.” David rubbed his cheek in memory.
“Yes. I need my business to work out. I need to pay you back. Not because it will save the ranch, but because it will save me.” Lucy laid a hand on his thigh, praying what she was saying made sense to him. “I want to be with you, but I’m so afraid of losing myself again.”
