“Camel on the ceiling. C-C-C,” Gracie answered.
Hattie sat down, and Lisa cuddled up next to her while Gracie claimed the other side.
Somewhere in the middle of the book, Gracie had laid her head on Hattie’s lap and fallen asleep. Lisa was asleep before that. Without disturbing either of them, Hattie arranged a couple of pillows against the trunk of the tree, leaned back, and shut her eyes.
Kate pulled her phone from the hip pocket of her shorts and snapped a picture and then one of Jamie and Paul chatting beside the stagecoach. And one more of Victor with his cowboy hat pulled down over his face and his arms crossed over his chest. She was looking for Waylon through the camera eye when she felt him behind her. She slipped the phone back in her pocket and resisted the urge to turn around and kiss him.
“Walk?” he asked.
“You would have made a good father, Waylon,” Kate said when they were fifty yards down the edge of the creek.
“Thank you. I like kids, but like I said before, I wasn’t ready when the time was right, and now the time has passed.”
“You really think so?” She pulled off her sandals and set them on the edge of the quilt. “With the right woman, you could still have a houseful of kids.”
“I can’t imagine that. I think I’ll just enjoy Lisa and Gracie and be their surrogate uncle. Are you fixin’ to wade in the water?”
“I am.” She nodded.
“It’s been years since I’ve got my feet wet in the creek.” He tugged off his boots and socks, rolled up the legs of his jeans, and took her hand in his. “Shall we step off into it together?”
“One. Two. Three.” She counted and then put her foot in the water. “Sweet Lord, Waylon! That water is really icy. How did those kids stand it so long?”
“They were hopping around and having such a good time that they didn’t even notice.” He chuckled. “This little creek is always clear and cold. It will cool you right down.”
“I am definitely a tenderfoot.” She moaned as she took baby steps into the water.
“Not any more than I am. I haven’t gone barefoot in years. I have a big favor to ask,” he said.
“Yes, you can kiss me.” He tipped her chin up with his fist, and she looked deeply into his eyes. Her hands snaked up around his neck, and the temperature of the cold water around her calves felt as if it shot up forty degrees.
By the time the kiss ended, Kate was sure the water was boiling. No one had ever made her feel like he did. Timing was wrong, right along with everything else, but she liked this detective—a hell of a lot.
“I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.” He smiled. “The favor is that when this is really settled, you’ll go out with me.”
“Like on dates? Even if I’m in Fort Worth? A long-distance dating thing?” she asked.
“Sounds crazy, but we might make it work,” he said.
“Everything else in our world has been crazy this summer, hasn’t it, so why not?” she said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Kate envied Jamie the right to carry a sleeping Gracie into the house that Monday evening. She took in her backpack and watched Jamie strip her out of her clothing and tuck her between the sheets in nothing but her underpants.
“Wine?” Kate asked.
“Love some.” Jamie nodded.
When they reached the kitchen, Kate got two glasses and Jamie opened the refrigerator for the wine.
“Paul?” Kate asked as Jamie poured.
“Waylon?” Jamie raised an eyebrow.
“I could like him, but long-distance relationships don’t always fare so well,” Kate answered. “You, on the other hand, will be living right here in the same town with Paul. He is handsome, he’s honest, and he’s a sweet guy and a great father.”
“It’s only two hours from here to Fort Worth.” Jamie led the way to the deck.
“But how far is it to Huntsville or whatever prison I could end up in?” Kate asked.
A whimper made them both forget their conversation.
Kate quickly crossed the deck to the far side. “Amanda? What’s wrong? Did you get a bad report at the doctor’s?”
“No,” she sobbed.
“Is it your aunt?” Jamie pulled a chair across the wooden floor to sit beside her.
“No, it’s a girl.”
“What girl? Who did something to make you cry?” Kate sat down on the end of the chaise lounge.
If someone had hurt Amanda’s feelings, then they’d better get ready for a fight with Kate. Amanda was na?ve, but she was pregnant and her hormones were all out of balance and she sure didn’t need extra stress.
“The baby is a girl, not a boy, and I wanted a girl. I don’t know anything about boys, and now I feel guilty because I didn’t want a boy.” Amanda blew her nose loudly, tossed the tissue into the trash, and reached for another one. “I’m a mess all over again.”
“Gracie will be so excited,” Kate said.