Page 97 of Lone Star Longing
“God, Lacey, you’re kidding, right? These are going to be the first grand babies I’ll get to spoil every day. I’m ridiculously excited about your babies. But I also think you deserve to love someone. You deserve to have someone love you. You and me, we will always have each other to lean on. But it’s okay to welcome someone else in, too, don't you think?”
“I think it’s more than time we do,” she said, knowing he mean Marianne as much as Beck. “I think we both deserve love. But maybe Beck isn’t the one for me.”
“Do me a favor and don't write him off just yet. He’s a good guy. Don't avoid him. See what he does next. And keep an open mind.”
“So how does Marianne feel about becoming a step-grandmother?” Lacey asked, pushing her way out of her own head.
Her dad blushed. “I think she doesn't think we’re that serious yet.”
“What do you think? Are you that serious?”
“I don't move very fast, you may have noticed.”
“Oh, I’ve noticed. And I think she has, too.”
Her dad rose with a laugh and gave her hair an affectionate ruffle, like she was twelve instead of twenty eight. “Maybe I should start bringing her around more, so the two of you can get to know each other better.”
“I think that is a good idea.? Even though the idea of sharing her dad with another woman gave her a bit of a twinge. She hadn’t had to do that in years, and part of her was sad her dad had been alone so long, and part of her was jealous.
Ridiculous. She couldn't have things stay the same always. She had to be ready for change.
Just seemed like a lot of change was coming in a very short time.
*****
DUST DOWN THE DRIVEWAYsignaled a visitor on Saturday, and Lacey peered through the kitchen window where she was doing approximately a week’s worth of dishes, so she could see who it was.
Marianne was coming to dinner tonight, so the women could get to know each other, and Lacey had spent the day making the house look like two grown adults who knew how to keep house lived here.
She didn’t know why it mattered. Marianne had been out to the house several times when Lacey wasn't home, and she had dealt with the mess just fine.
Maybe it was a territory thing. Whatever the reason, Lacey wanted the place to look nice tonight. She was cooking, but Marianne was bringing dessert, and maybe a salad, Lacey thought she heard.
And now she was having a visitor.
Her heart thudded against her ribs when she recognized the truck.
Beck. What was he doing here? She hadn’t seen or heard from him since she turned down his proposal. While she wasn't exactly fine with it, she was resigned to the idea that he’d taken her answer at face value. Why was he here now?
She set down her kitchen towel and hurried through the house, smoothing a hand over her hair, tugging the hem of her t-shirt down over her belly. She slipped her feet in her flip flops and opened the front door to see him standing at the open bed of his truck, where he’d lashed a...stock tank?
“Beck?” she asked, stepping out on the porch.
He was working the bungee cords free, and rolled the enormous metal tank toward the tailgate, hissing and snatching his hand back when he touched the hot metal.
“Your dad around to give me a hand?”
“He went to town to get groceries for tonight. Marianne is coming to dinner.” She walked toward him. “What are you doing?”
“Marianne, huh? I heard they were seeing each other. That’s okay. I think I can get this.”
“What is it? We don't have stock to water.”
He turned to face her, one hand holding the tank so it didn't roll out of its own accord. “I thought you could use a way to cool off. A lot of people use these as wading pools, you know. I thought a wading pool was a little too flimsy, you’d have trouble getting in and out, plus I didn't know where you could put it so it wouldn’t get holes in it. So I got you this.”
“Beck, those things are a couple hundred dollars.” She only knew that because one of her patients, Mr. Dunfry, had just ordered one and was complaining about the price.
“Maybe you can guide it off while I lift. I just don't want it slamming into me. That could hurt.”
