A Texas Thanksgiving

“I want to make it clear that I will pay for my dinner and Ellie’s.”

Evan shook his head. “I invited you.”

“No, you didn’t,” Julia said. “Your daughter did.”

“That’s the same thing.” His sharp gaze drilled into her, his mouth firmed in a hard line.

“Sorry, I pay my own way.”

He smiled. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re stubborn?”

“Oh, on a number of occasions.”

Evan glanced toward the doorway that led to the hall. “While the girls are still playing, I have a question. Why did you correct me earlier when I called you Mrs. Saunders?”

Homecoming Heroes: Saving children and finding love deep in the heart of Texas

Mission: Motherhood —Marta Perry

July 2008

Lone Star Secret —Lenora Worth

August 2008

At His Command —Brenda Coulter

September 2008

A Matter of the Heart —Patricia Davids

October 2008

A Texas Thanksgiving —Margaret Daley

November 2008

Homefront Holiday —Jillian Hart

December 2008

MARGARET DALEY

feels she has been blessed. She has been married more than thirty years to her husband, Mike, whom she met in college. He is a terrific support and her best friend. They have one son, Shaun. Margaret has been writing for many years and loves to tell a story. When she was a little girl, she would play with her dolls and make up stories about their lives. Now she writes these stories down. She especially enjoys weaving stories about families and how faith in God can sustain a person when things get tough. When she isn’t writing, she is fortunate to be a teacher for students with special needs. Margaret has taught for over twenty years and loves working with her students. She has also been a Special Olympics coach and participated in many sports with her students.

A Texas Thanksgiving

Margaret Daley

MILLS & BOON

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Special thanks and acknowledgment to Margaret Daley for her contribution to the Homecoming Heroes miniseries.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him and bless his name.

— Psalms 100:4

To three special girls,

Ashley, Alexa and Abbey

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

“A m I glad you are finally here, Julia. I need help!”

Olga Terenkov, dressed in a jean skirt with a leather vest, cowboy boots and large pieces of turquoise jewelry, planted herself in front of Julia Saunders.

“What’s the problem?” Julia asked and placed her cherry pie on the dessert table.

“Too many pets. When I decided to have Show and Pet for the children, I never thought they would bring everything from a boa to a pig! Those are not pets!” In her exasperation, Olga’s Russian accent became heavier.

“And my daughter just brought a goldfish,” Julia said and peered around the grief counselor to search for Ellie among the crowd of parishioners at the church picnic. Her daughter had raced toward her friends the second she’d climbed from the car. Ellie stood in the middle of a group of children showing them her new and only pet swimming in its plastic bowl.

Leading a pony, a little girl with light brown shoulder-length hair joined the group of kids. Her daughter immediately latched on to the cute animal, holding her small fishbowl in one hand and stroking the pony with the other. Ellie, even though she was only five, wanted to learn to ride ever since they had arrived at Prairie Springs from Chicago four months ago. Julia was sure she would hear about her daughter’s renewed longing later that night.

Olga gestured toward the newest arrival. “See? Next someone will bring a rat.”

“What can I do to help?”

“I need someone to get the Show and Pet organized, to be in charge. I thought all we would have were a few cats and dogs. Where are the normal pets?” The older woman threw her arms up in the air. “I’ve got Paige’s dad to help, too. I need all the animals moved over there.” Olga pointed toward an area roped off with a few temporary pens set up. “Can you do that for me?”

“I was supposed to help Anna with the food.”

“Oh, she’s got more than enough with David, Caitlyn and Steve. See?” Olga fluttered her hand toward the end of the long tables.

“Then, sure. I’d be happy to help with the pets.” This from a woman who had never owned a pet, except now—a low-maintenance goldfish. Julia spied her friend Anna giving instructions to a small army of volunteers and wished she could take back her words. She would be better handling the food.

“Who’s Paige’s dad?” Julia asked, still learning all the children’s names. This was only her third Sunday attending Prairie Springs Christian Church.

“You see that handsome cowboy over there?” Olga nodded her head in the direction of the group of children Ellie was in the midst of. “That’s Paige’s dad, Evan Paterson.”

Julia found the man Olga indicated. He was the picture of a quintessential Texan cowboy one would see in an ad campaign. His image had plagued her dreams since her first glimpse of him from across the room at Ellie’s elementary school. Her daughter had talked about Paige, but Julia hadn’t realized the connection between Ellie’s classmate and the tall, lean man with sandy brown hair and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.

“I’m surprised you don’t know him. Paige and Ellie are in the same kindergarten class. That’s Paige with your daughter. She brought the pony.”

For a few seconds Julia studied the little girl, who had befriended her daughter, before she again found herself zeroing in on the Texan cowboy. “I saw him at Back to School Night a few weeks ago, but we didn’t meet. I didn’t realize he went to this church.”

“He goes to the early service, and don’t you attend the late one?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then I will introduce you two, and you can start getting that menagerie under control.” Olga spun around and moved toward the group of children.

Julia heaved a sigh and followed. Every alarm in her body went off the closer she came to the kids and Evan Paterson. There was something about the man that reminded her of—

“Evan, I want you to meet Julia Saunders. I’ve talked her into helping you with the animals.”

He pivoted toward them, tipping back his black cowboy hat, his mouth cocked in a grin. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

“Likewise.” Julia fit her hand in his and shook it. His firm, self-assured grip left a warmth on her palm that she couldn’t quite ignore.

“I’ll leave you two to work this out—” Olga swept her arm across the scene in front of them “—before we have animals running loose all over the place. Now I wish I had gotten more pens.”

At that moment one of the Mayhew twins let go of her large dog’s leash while turning her attention to the pony. The black Lab darted through the group of children and made a beeline for the food table. Quick, as if he was used to roping dogs, Evan leaped forward and snatched up the end of the leash. The Lab came to a grinding halt a few feet away from the desserts.

Olga clapped. “Very good. For a second I thought we were at a rodeo.”

Julia chuckled at the “aw, shucks” look that appeared in Evan’s eyes and the touch of color that brushed lightly across his cheeks.

He lowered the brim of his hat to shield his expression and gave the leash back to the little girl. “Josie, keep a tight rein on your dog.”

Before Julia could say anything, Evan put his two fingers in his mouth and trilled an ear-piercing whistle that silenced the clamor. “I need everyone to get their pets and move over there.” He pointed toward the corded-off area.

Olga leaned close and whispered to Julia, “That’s his military training. A cowboy in uniform. You can’t go wrong there.”

Then Olga hurried away, leaving Julia speechless for a good minute. She’d heard from Anna about her mother’s “little matchmaking” schemes, and now Julia was sure she had become the object of one. Little did Olga know that she wasn’t in the market for anything that looked remotely like romance.

When Julia swung her attention back to the problem at hand, she realized she was standing by herself while all the pets and children headed toward the area Evan had indicated. He was more organized than she was.

“That man doesn’t need any help,” she muttered to herself and started forward.

Julia came up behind Evan. “Reporting for duty.” She curled her hand to keep from saluting.

After directing his daughter and her pony to one of the pens, he wheeled around, pushing his cowboy hat up on his forehead to reveal the amusement in his eyes. “It’s hard to get away from something that was a part of my life for years. When faced with overwhelming odds, I always fall back into my military training.”

“And come out fighting?”

His laughter peppered the air, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes that gave him character deepened. “I was a sergeant and used to giving orders to the men in my unit.”

“Then if you’ve got everything under control, I’ll go help Anna with the food.”

“And disappoint Olga?”

“Then you know what she’s up to.”

“I’ve known Olga for quite some time. She can be a steamroller, a sweet one but nevertheless a determined one, too. I find it easier to go along until she is out of view.”

Uncomfortable with the topic of their matchmaking, Julia searched for a safer subject to discuss. “So, you’ve been a member of this church for a while?”

“Yes, and you’re new. How long have you been attending? This is the first time I’ve seen you here.”

“Three weeks. I tried out some other churches in Prairie Springs, but this one fits my spiritual needs.”

“Help! I’ve lost my kitten!” a little boy shouted.

The twenty-pound “kitten” jumped over a rabbit’s cage and landed on the pig’s back, sending it charging forward. The cat continued its trek through the animals, causing a mutt and a German shepherd to chase after it while dragging their owners. After scurrying up a nearby oak, the pet that started the chaos perched itself on a top limb, staring at the dogs barking at the bottom of the tree. A picture of the cat in Alice in Wonderland popped into Julia’s mind.

Shaking the image from her thoughts, Julia hurried into the melee. She intended to calm the children who still had control of their pets while Evan waded through the dogs by the oak tree. He grabbed the collar first of the mutt, then the German shepherd and hauled them both to their waiting owners.

Cradling the fishbowl in her lap, Ellie sat next to Paige. Both girls giggled.

Julia stopped in front of her daughter. “I’m glad someone thinks this is funny.”

Ellie put her hand over her mouth in an attempt to contain her laughter. “Taylor did that on purpose. He wanted to see what would happen, Mommy. He thought the dog was funny earlier.”

Julia knelt by her daughter and Paige. “Can I count on you two to help me?” After both girls nodded, she continued. “Paige, put your pony into the first pen while I get the pig into the second one.”

“What about my goldfish?” Ellie still held her bowl.

“I don’t think we have to worry about your fish getting away. You can set it up on something high enough where the other animals won’t bother it,” Julia said, smoothing Ellie’s brown wavy hair back from her face. “Honey, if you and Paige can get all the kids with dogs over there—” Julia pointed toward a roped-off area at the far end “—that would be a big help.”

“When is Show and Pet gonna start?” Paige tugged on her pony’s reins.

“When we have some kind of control on the situation.” Julia prayed those weren’t her famous last words concerning this activity.

Two hours later Evan stood off to the side watching Julia supervise the kids while they showed off their animals and let anyone who wanted to pet them. She would make a great sergeant in the army. Not only efficient and hard-nosed when she needed to be, but she’d also organized the children and their pets while he’d climbed the ladder and brought down the “kitten” that had started the whole mess.

By the time he was back on the ground, he didn’t have anything to do except observe her in action, a petite woman with long wavy brown hair and eyes the color of a new leaf on a maple tree. Every movement had a purpose, but when a child needed extra attention she was there to give it, even to the little boy who had caused the commotion with his cat.

Leaning back against a pole, where a goldfish bowl resided, he folded his arms across his chest and let his daughter give some of the smaller children rides on her pony, Sugar. Paige had wanted more responsibility and this was as good a time as any to give her some.

Julia Saunders approached him, a smile deep in those green eyes. He lowered his gaze to her full-lipped mouth, set in a smile directed at him. For a few seconds a trapped sensation took hold of him until he shook some sense into himself. No way was he going down that path. Ever. Again.

“Your daughter’s pony has been a huge success. This is Ellie’s second ride.” She stopped next to him and immediately the scent of lavender wafted to him.

“She wanted to bring all her pets. I put my foot down and told her only one. Now I’m glad I did. That’s all we need is more animals.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Oh, you don’t think forty-four is enough?”

“You counted them?”

“In order to keep up with them.”

A woman after his own heart. He was liking her more and more. And that was the problem. He didn’t need a woman in his life.

Evan pushed off the post. “I’d better get Sugar back in the trailer. We need to be leaving.”

“So soon?”

He swung his attention to Julia. “I thought the picnic was winding down. I’ve seen a few families taking their stuff to their cars.”

Two patches of red colored her cheeks. “I meant—I…” She averted her gaze. “My daughter is going to be disappointed that Paige is leaving. They have been inseparable today.”

“I’ve noticed. She’s mentioned Ellie to me a few times. I didn’t realize she was your daughter.”

The picture of Julia, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a red jacket with black trim, materialized in his mind. The first time he’d seen her across the kindergarten room she had been talking with the teacher, her hands gesturing as she spoke. He could almost tell what she was saying by their movements. Very expressive.

He’d made his rounds looking at the pictures the students had drawn of their families and home, then at some of his daughter’s work on her desk. Although the whole time his gaze kept straying to the petite woman with Sarah Alpert, he stayed across the room. He knew trouble when he saw it.

“Ellie’s birthday is in a few weeks. I haven’t been here that long. Where’s a good place to have a birthday party?”

“All I’ve heard from Paige is about how great The Amazing Pizza is. According to my daughter, it has everything a person having a birthday could want. Rides, games, food, all indoors under one roof. She’s already working on me for hers in January.”

“Thanks. I’ll look into it.” She slid him a look. “Unless you think Paige would be upset if Ellie had hers there before she did?”

Evan chuckled. “Hardly. If I told her I was taking her there every weekend, I would have a happy camper.” He saw his daughter and Ellie heading for them. “But don’t say anything to her about it. I want to surprise her. She thinks we’re gonna have it at the ranch.”

“She doesn’t want it at the ranch?”

“No way.”

“Ellie would love to have her party somewhere like that. All she talks about is learning to ride a horse.”

“Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have,” he said in a low voice.

“Daddy, can Ellie come spend the night tonight? I want to show her my other pets you wouldn’t let me bring.”

“I have some work I need to do when I get home. I don’t…” He swallowed his next words when a disappointed expression descended over his daughter’s face. He was being manipulated, but Paige had been through a rough nine months. Her mother had died suddenly of a drug overdose, and now her aunt, Evan’s little sister Whitney, was missing in action. “Sure. That is, if Mrs. Saunders says yes.”

“Mommy, can I?”

Julia’s gaze flitted from one girl to the other, then settled on him. “Are you sure? We can make it another time if you have work to do.”

“No, that’s okay. The girls can help me.”

“Then it’s fine by me.”

Paige threw her arms around him. “Thanks. We’d better get moving then.” She whirled around and raced toward Sugar tied to a post with Ellie quickly catching up with her.

“That quick exit is my daughter’s way of saying let’s get out of here before he changes his mind,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll bring the girls to church tomorrow for Sunday-school class.”

“That’s great. I’ll pick her up here then.”

The girls approached with the pony. Ellie grabbed her fishbowl off the post and hugged it against her chest.

“Do you mind following me to my apartment so I can pack an overnight bag for Ellie? I don’t think that outfit will look too good for church tomorrow.” Julia gestured toward her daughter, whose jeans and long sleeve striped shirt were dirty. “It shouldn’t be too far out of your way.”

“Mommy, why don’t you bring it out later before you go over to Anna’s tonight? We have a lot to do before it gets dark.”

“I could,” Julia replied with hesitation in her voice. “I haven’t been on a ranch yet. We didn’t have too many in Chicago.”

“Daddy has a big one. It’s the best in Texas.” Paige tugged on the reins and led Sugar toward the horse trailer.

As the girls walked away, their heads bent together, Evan sighed. “I think we’re being manipulated.”

“You think?”

Evan strode toward his truck with Julia beside him. “The ranch isn’t too far outside of town. It’s on Johnson Road about three miles out. I have a sign over the entrance that says the Double P Ranch.”

“Double P?”

“After Paige. It’s all for her. Her heritage.”

Julia retrieved the fishbowl from Ellie before she climbed up into the cab of the pickup. “I’ll be there by six.”

Evan opened the back of the horse trailer and took the reins from his daughter. “We’ll still be at the barn. Stop by there, Mrs. Saunders.”

After Paige scurried to the passenger door of the truck, Julia said, “It isn’t Mrs. Saunders but Miss Saunders. I’ve never been married,” then strolled toward her dark green Ford Mustang.

Julia drove east on Johnson Road, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel in time with an eighties tune blaring from the radio. She was running a little late and hated to be since she was usually on time unless Ellie was involved.

She’d had her hand on the doorknob heading out of her apartment when the phone rang. She’d thought about ignoring it, but as a social worker, she knew emergencies occurred even on a Saturday night.

“Mommy, I need ya to bring my movie, The Parent Trap. ”

Ellie gave her directions where to find her treasure box with the DVD in it. Julia smiled at the thought of the items in her daughter’s decorated shoe box. There was a plastic horse that her daughter had informed her was exactly the kind she wanted for her birthday, a picture of the two of them together in front of the apartment building in Chicago and a stack of letters from Grandma….

Thinking of her mother brought back memories that ladened her heart with sadness. Ellie hadn’t seen her grandmother much, even though they had lived in the same town for most of her young life.

Tears misted Julia’s eyes. I’m sorry, Dad, Mom. I’m so sorry.

She swiped at her cheeks and focused ahead on the asphalt pavement.

Suddenly, a loud pop exploded in the air, and her Mustang jerked to the left toward the ditch alongside the highway. She swallowed the panic down and tried to gain control of her car. She turned the steering wheel to the right but it was too late.

Chapter Two

I’ ve never been married. In his barn Evan stabbed the pitchfork into the hay to fill his wheelbarrow. She’d said that then left him to wonder what she’d meant, especially by the almost defensive tone in her voice. A warning? It shouldn’t mean a thing to him, but it did. He would chalk it up to his curiosity, except that it was more than that.

Julia Saunders intrigued him.

Against his better judgment.

If she’d said it to warn him away, then she didn’t need to worry because the last thing he wanted to do was get involved with a woman. Not after Diane.

If she’d said it to shock him, she clearly didn’t know him well. He didn’t shock easily, not after his experiences in the war. He’d seen the scope of human tragedy.

And human joy.

Life and death, at its elemental core.

“Daddy, we cleaned out the stall. Can we ride the horse now?” Paige skidded to a stop in front of him with Ellie right behind her.

“Let me finish putting fresh hay in the last one, then I’ll saddle Bessie for y’all to ride.”

“We’re really gonna get to ride a horse?” Ellie asked his daughter as they strolled to the mare’s stall.

Evan stared at the darkening sky beyond the opened barn doors, then checked his watch. Ellie’s mother was late. Thirty minutes, which for some reason surprised him. He figured her to be someone who would be on time. He shrugged and loaded his pitchfork with more hay. He’d been wrong before about a person—disastrously so.

The strains of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” blasted from his jean pocket. He laid the tool against the wheelbarrow and retrieved his cell phone.

“Paterson here.”

“Evan, this is Julia.” Her voice was quivering.

His military training taking over, he straightened, checking to see where the girls were. After he found them, he continued to sweep the area. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m in a ditch along Johnson Road, I’m guessing not too far from your ranch.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No—at least I don’t think so. Just shook up.”

“What happened?” His grip on the phone strengthened about the bit of plastic while his gaze fastened onto the two girls at the other end of the barn—safely out of earshot.

“I had a blowout. My tire is shredded. I lost control and went into the ditch.” Exasperation leaked into her voice. “I don’t have roadside assistance. Do you know a good wrecker service?”

“Yes, I have a friend who works on cars and has a gas station. I’ll call him and get him out there, then come pick you up.”

“You don’t—”