"A few blocks over. He's puttin' a covered porch on the
back of Mrs. Tobler's house. Should have done it years ago;
nothing but west sun for hours every day."
Every Little Thing About you 45
Slater smiled a little. If he'd wanted information, he'd
come to the right place.
5-*5"
w"
"You ever even held a hammer?" the scruffy-looking
old man asked Slater about 15 minutes after he left the barbershop.
73
"Yes, sir. I've done some building."
"You won't get rich," Hank said,
"I didn't plan on it. Some food and covering the rent
would be nice, maybe a new shirt now and again."
Still Hank weighed him. He wasn't as big as his sort,
but then not many men were. He was polite enough; Hank
had to give him that
"I'll give you a try and pay you when you work, but if
I say you're gone, you're gone."
"Yes, sir."
"You can start by lifting the other end of that board and
holding it in place. Hold it steady now."
Slater immediately bent to the task, glad he'd seen fit to
return his horse to the stable at Griffin's. He'd asked God
to help him find work. He now asked His help in not
shrinking from any task.
%r ^" S'*
Griffin came in reading the mail. He stood a few feet
74
from the desk, his mind otherwise occupied, so it took several
minutes for him to realize his sister was staring at him
from the desk chair.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Whatever compelled you to ask him to spend the
night at your house?"
Remembering how embarrassed she'd been, Griffin
put the mail aside.
46 lori wick
Every Little Thing About You 47
"He's not a bad guy, Lib. I was really impressed with
the way he wanted to go to church and the way he followed
along in his Bible. He found the book of Nehemiah
without a bit of help from me."
"He agreed to go to church with you yesterday?"
"Yes, we sat in the back."
This gave Liberty pause; she had not expected this.
75
Griffin often asked prisoners to join him in church, but few
accepted.
"I feel worse now," Liberty admitted.
"Why?"
"While he was still behind bars, he wanted something
from his saddlebags. I told him he'd have to wait for you,
and then I never told you. He probably wanted his Bible."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Lib. He admitted to me
that he was being stubborn about paying the fine. If he'd
wanted out enough to get his Bible, he could have paid the
ten dollars at any time."
Liberty was thankful for her brother's understanding
but still felt uncomfortable about that whole ordeal. Ah,
well he'll be miles from here in no time. I'll just have to put it
from my mind.
"Were things quiet this morning?" Griffin asked, the
other subject slipping from his mind.
/'No trouble, but Maddie Flowers stopped to say that
her neighbors were on a drunken binge all weekend. She
said they've been making their own brew and that we'd do
76
well to burn down that barn of theirs/ since thaf s where the
trouble always starts."
Griffin shook his head. "And of course Maddie's brew
is only for medicinal purposes, so we should leave her still
alone."
Liberty grinned.
"Lets go out in the morning," Griffin suggested.
"You'll be in?"
"Midmorning. Right after Bible study."
"All right. I'll see you then."
Liberty left the jailhouse and sheriff's office, thinking it
was a nice day for a walk. She untied her horse's reins but
didn't climb into the saddle. She even went the long way
home. She worked on Monday and Tuesday mornings, and
at odd times when Griffin needed her. So far Griffin had
not met anyone he felt qualified for the job. The town was
getting big enough to consider more law enforcement, but
that didn't mean men were available.
"Libby!Isthatyou?"
77
Liberty looked over to see old Mrs. Tobler waving a
dishtowel in her direction.
"Hi, Mrs. Tobler."
"Come in here!" the old gal demanded. "I can't find my
needle. Come in and look for it."
Liberty changed directions without hesitation. Mrs.
Tobler was a dear old thing, if a little bossy. It never
occurred to her to ask for anything--it was always
demanded--but beyond that, she was kindness itself.
"It's slipped down the cushion, I'm sure!" Mrs. Tobler
informed Liberty as she neared. "I don't know how I'm
supposed to get anything done without my needle."
"What are you working on right now?"
"Pillow slips! And Christmas right around the corner."
Liberty hid a smile as she went in the old woman's
front door. Not for anything would she have mentioned
that Christmas was well over two months away or that
Mrs. Tobler's closet was so full of things she'd made that
she probably could give up sewing for the rest of her life.
"All right," Liberty said, standing in the overcrowded
78
living room. "Where were you sitting?"
"Right here. I like to keep an eye on the work out back,
so I moved my chair."
"What's going on out back?" Liberty asked as she
dropped to her knees and began to search.
"A covered porch," Mrs. Tobler said absently, having
moved to the window to peer out. "No, no!" the older
woman suddenly exclaimed and dashed out of the room.
48 LoRiWrac
Liberty could hear the side door bang and Mrs. Tobler's
voice raised in irritation. Shotgun's deputy only shook her
head and kept searching. She pulled the cushion from the
chair, but that only produced some popcorn kernels and a
button. The floor was next
Liberty was searching, her nose nearly on the rug,
when she spotted them. Liberty stared at the cowboy boots
in confusion, until she realized someone was wearing
them. She tipped her head back and literally gawked into
the face of Slater Rawlings. With his haircut and beard
79
gone, he was a different man.
"Aren't you going to pull your gun?" he asked quietly.
Liberty blinked before saying, "Why should I do that?"
"That's what you've done every time you've seen me,
so I thought you might have gotten into the habit"
Liberty bit her lip but it didn't work; a smile peeked
through, and then a laugh. She moved to get up, and
Slater's hand was suddenly right there to help her.
"I really am sorry about this morning."
"It's all right," Slater said. Having seen the way she
looked without the men's clothes, he could now see the real
Liberty Drake, even in this outfit. She had the most
amazing hazel eyes, more gold than anything else. And
that hair! Slater wanted to stare and stare.
"You're very understanding."
"And you're looking for something. What is it?"
"A needle."
Comprehension dawned on Slater's face. "That's what
she sent me in to do--look for a needle with you."
Liberty frowned. "How do you know Mrs. Tobler?"
80
"I'm working on her porch with Hank Hathaway."
Liberty's eyes went to the window and back to Slater.
"You're working here in town?"
"Yep." Slater's thumbs went to his belt loops, and he
rocked back on his heels. "Hired just four hours ago. I'm
the town's newest carpenter."
Every Little Thing About You 49
Liberty found him so cute that she couldn't stop her
second smile.
"And why" she asked now, a smile still in her voice,
"did Mrs. Tobler think I needed help with the needle?"
"Well, I didn't understand it at the time, but I realize
now that she said, 'You might as well help Lib find the
needle. I've got to set this old man straight.'"
Hand to her mouth, Liberty dissolved into laughter,
and without thinking, she collapsed into the chair, a position
that lasted for only a second before she was on her feet
again.
"I found it!" she gasped, just stopping short of
81
clutching her stinging backside.
Slater's eyes flew to the seat and there it was, protruding
point-side up. It wasn't hard to imagine why Liberty
had not stayed in the chair. Slater bent to retrieve it just
as Mrs. Tobler came in the door.
"You've found it," she said matter-of-factly. "I knew
Liberty could do it with some help." With that the old
woman plucked the needle from Slater's fingers. "Now get back out there and keep an eye on him. He knows what he's supposed to do, but you'd better watch him.
"Libby! You come with me. I want you to see that new
quilt I put on my bed."
Liberty nodded and even smiled. She followed Mrs.
Tobler with a wave at Slater. Slater waved back before
moving to exit the room. Before he left, however, he looked
back to see Liberty following their hostess, her hand now
reaching back to rub the pin hole. Slater stopped for a
moment, his heart wrung with tenderness. Even as he proceeded
back out to work, the scene remained on his mind
along with another emotion, one he couldn't quite define.
5^
82
v/
"thank you, mrs. locken," Griffin said kindly on
Monday evening. "Everything was great."
"You're welcome, Griffin. Would you like some coffee
on the porch?"
Griffin looked at Tess, and she nodded.
"I'll help you, Mama," Tess offered.
"I'm fine, dear. If I need help, I'll ask your father. You
go ahead."
Tess led the way but wished she didn't have to. She
never wanted it to look as if she'd conspired to get Griffin
alone. For this reason she took a chair that sat off on its own
when she reached the front porch.
Griffin noticed and even understood why. Tess had
never pushed herself at him. Hus, along with dozens of
other facts about this woman, made his feelings even
harder to accept. He hadn't planned to love anyone. And
he certainly hadn't planned on a sweet, godly woman
loving him.
83
"Was it busy today?" Tess asked, always interested in
his work.
"Pretty quiet. Lib was in this morning, but she said it
was quiet too."
Tess smiled. "I like Libby so much. She's so fun and
smart."
"You're smart too, Tess," Griffin said. He knew she
struggled with her self-image. She was a very beautiful
woman, with pale blonde hair, skin like cream, and huge
blue eyes. And since most people thought that was all there
51
52 lori wick
was to her, she had begun to believe it. It didn't help that
her father and older brothers were men who had little time
for family. Making money was their main concern.
"That's what Libby always says, but when you're with
someone as capable as Libby, it's hard to believe."
84
Griffin didn't answer. Tess hadn't been looking directly
at him, so when it got quiet she looked up to find his eyes
on her. His face looked boyish, as it often did. It made Tess
smile.
"You don't look tough enough to be the sheriff."
"And you're too wonderful to be in love with an old
hound dog like me."
"Oh, Griff," Tess said softly.
Griffin watched her look away, her eyes filling. He had
talked with Duffy and Pastor Caron, and they had asked
him if he was trusting God. He thought that he was, but
did trust mean being blind to the facts? When a man had
his type of job--the type of job that had killed his father-- did he go into marriage without a backward glance? And what if they had children? He would not only leave Tess
alone, but his kids too.
Griffin looked out over the quiet street the Lockens
lived on. He had been happy to be single, but then Tess
moved into town a year ago and came to church with her
mother. At first he thought there wasn't much under those
pale blonde curls or behind that ready smile, but then she'd
85
visited Mam and Duffy's house at Liberty's invitation, and
Griffin learned otherwise. She was a woman whose faith in
God was genuine and whose courage was deep.
"Here's coffee," Mrs. Locken said as she used her hip
to push open the screen door, the tray in her hands. Griffin
rose to take it from her.
"If you don't mind, I think I'll go in and have mine with
Albert. Call if you need something."
"Thank you, Mrs. Locken."
Tess rose to pour the coffee and offered him a cup. She
fixed it just the way he liked. The light was fading, but
Every LittfyThingAbout You 53
when she sat with her own cup. Griffin could see that Tess'
eyes were still moist.
"Maybe I shouldn't stay, Tess," Griffin forced himself to
say.
"You don't have to if you don't want to/' she said to
him, and Griffin had to close his eyes. She was so special
86
"What do you want me to do?" he finally asked.
Tess took a big breath. "I want you to play me in
checkers. You beat me the last two times, and I want a
rematch."
For a long moment the sheriff could only look at her.
Not able to help himself and not willing to try. Griffin
reached over and let one finger slide down her soft cheek.
"I'll get the board."
Tess' eyes closed the moment he stood, her heart wondering
how she would make it. Every moment with him
was sweet torture. She wanted to sob her eyes out but
heard him coming back through the house.
If he isn't for me, Lord, please work a miracle in my heart so
it doesn't break in two.
^-
"A shave and a haircut," Griffin said when he got home
that night and found Slater in the living room. "Did you go
87
for a job or courtin'?"
best."
"Where'd you go--the bank?"
Slater's look was smug. "You happen to be looking at
Shotgun's newest contractor."
Griffin was not long in catching on. "I'd heard that
Price Hathaway headed to Austin. You must have taken his
job. How do you like working for Hank?"
Slater's eyes grew comically. "He knows what he's
doing, and he knows what he wants me to do; it's just a
matter of getting him to remember that he thought about
54 lori wick
the order but didn't tell me. I think I know why Price left
town."
"Hank's a case, but you're right, he does know how to
build. Are you by any chance at Mrs. Tobler's right now?"
"That's the place. She wants a covered porch on the
back side of her house. It's only going to shade two windows,
88
but she wants it"
"She's got a big heart but also a mind of her own. Libby
went there as a little girl for sewing lessons."
"She was there today."
"For sewing lessons?"
"No. Mrs. Tobler lost her needle and expected your
sister to find it."
"Did she?"
"Not until after she sat on it,"
Griffin's brow lowered. "Is she all right?"
"That's not a question I could really ask her. I think it
smarted, but she might have been more surprised than
anything."
"How did you learn about the needle?"
Slater gave Griffin a rundown and that man's face
became very thoughtful.
"Did I say something wrong?" Slater had been
watching him closely.
"No, not at all," Griffin told him honestly but knew that
the rest of his thoughts would have to stay inside. Slater
89
wouldn't thank him and neither would Liberty. Not to mention
the fact that you can't figure out what you're doing in your
own relationship, Griffin, let alone getting involved in someone
else's.
"How do you think you'll like a hammer and nails after
law enforcement?" Griffin asked in an effort to shift his
thoughts.
Slater thought for a moment, his head leaning back
against the softly padded chair; it was a question he'd been
asking himself all day.
Every Little Thing About You 55
"It's going to take some getting used to," Slater finally
admitted.
Griffin nodded but still didn't ask the question that had
come to his mind the moment he'd learned this man was a
Texas Ranger. That question might take some time or turn
out to be one he could never ask.