The Rancher's Answered Prayer Page 11

  Deep down, she knew that Wyatt was nothing like Layne, but she couldn’t seem to convince herself that he wouldn’t eventually act just as hatefully as Layne. Shaking her head, she pushed away memories of her ex, the dream and the kiss.

  With one last glance around the room, she headed for the door, relieved that Wyatt had disappeared. She hurried along the hallway to the stairs. In her haste, she almost tripped on the steps. Remembering how her mother had fallen, she slowed down. Moving over to the table that she’d claimed for her desk, she opened her laptop to get online.

  Moments later, she perused a list of available contractors in the area, jotting down phone numbers and making notes. Lyons and Son was the only local option. They’d already been recommended to her, but she made a few other calls first.

  A couple of the contractors couldn’t give her an estimate for more than a month. Others did not handle roofing or plumbing or floor refinishing but offered to give her numbers for subcontractors they used, some from as far away as Oklahoma City and Wichita Falls, Texas. One fellow drove down from Duncan that afternoon. Lyons admitted they were busy, but because she was local, they promised someone would stop by in the early evening.

  Both men listened attentively to her needs and plans. They promised detailed estimates the next day. Both had impeccable references, and their approaches were similar. Tina felt inclined to go with Dixon Lyons, the son in Lyons and Son, simply because he was local, but she couldn’t afford to make a mistake, and she knew that if she asked any of the lifelong locals, they’d recommend Lyons. As newcomers, Wyatt and his brothers might be more unbiased, but she didn’t want to ask Wyatt. She had enough trouble just sitting at the dinner table with him. On the other hand, excluding him from any conversation on the subject would be even more awkward than ignoring him.

  Ann had encouraged her to attend prayer meetings on Wednesday nights, and suddenly that felt like a good idea tonight. God didn’t seem to pay much attention to her one-on-one, but maybe He’d hear her better in church. Maybe He’d pay more attention if hers wasn’t the only voice calling out to him. Maybe, in this instance, God would give her obvious direction and guidance.

  The Smith brothers routinely attended prayer meetings, but Tina had thus far resisted the midweek service. She’d started to wonder if she wasn’t being somewhat petty. Was she staying away because God hadn’t answered her prayers the way she wanted? What did that say about her faith?

  What’s best for us isn’t something we can easily decide for ourselves. We have to trust that God knows best.

  She wanted to believe that she trusted God to do what was best for her, but Wyatt’s comments had made her wonder if she wasn’t substituting her judgment for God’s. Previously, she’d told herself that she hadn’t attended prayer meeting because she didn’t want to spend more time than necessary in Wyatt’s company. But wasn’t that just another way of saying God had put her in the wrong position? Or had she put herself there by ignoring God’s will?

  She needed reassurance that God was listening and had a purpose for all that was happening in her life. Staying home and keeping so busy that she had no time to think would not provide such reassurance. Something had to give. Still, she dithered on making the decision until after supper that evening.

  As usual, Wyatt and his brothers had knocked off work early enough to change before the meal. Jake even got Frankie cleaned up and dressed. Usually the boys put on their pajamas after their baths, but after that first Wednesday here, Jake had made a point of taking Frankie with him to church. It was only an hour, as he pointed out, so it didn’t delay the boy’s bedtime. Tina had refused Jake’s offer to bathe Tyler along with Frankie. If she decided to go to prayer meeting, she could bathe Tyler afterward. Meanwhile, she wouldn’t have to decide just yet whether to put Tyler into his pajamas or street clothes.

  She mulled the decision all during the meal preparations, gradually becoming aware of a deep need for spiritual solace, and she knew that she was fighting the urge to attend the service simply because Wyatt would be involved. She couldn’t face staying home while the others went to church, however. Not again. She had to go. She just had to attend prayer meeting tonight.

  The instant the decision was made, she felt overwhelming relief. She placed a bowl of corn on the table and announced, “I think Tyler and I will attend prayer meeting tonight. Ann’s been inviting me, and I know Tyler would like to see Donovan again.”

  Jake, Ryder and Tyler all made approving statements, but Wyatt said nothing. When she dared to glance over at him, however, she found him staring at her with a gentle smile on his face and warmth in his eyes. Delight mixed with panic welled up in her, and she quickly averted her gaze. But she wouldn’t change her mind. He reached for the corn, and she pulled out a heavy wrought-iron chair to take her place at the long table.

  The meal progressed in near silence, with everyone concentrating on cleaning their plates and getting out of the house on time. Afterward, everyone pitched in to make the cleanup go rapidly. Then Tina grabbed up her handbag and led the way out the back door. She knew she’d dressed better than usual today because she’d intended to go to church all along. Wondering how often she lied to herself, she reached back to encourage Tyler to hurry. That was when her son threw a monkey wrench into the works again.

  “I wanna ride with the guys!”

  Tina looked down at him with exasperation. His behavior had improved significantly of late, but he still demanded his way from time to time. Usually, she could negotiate a compromise without too much trouble, but time was short just then. She prepared to lay down the law and suffer the consequences, but before she could speak, Wyatt did.

  “I can move his seat to my truck. Jake can drive, and I’ll ride with you. If that’s okay.”

  Tina desperately wanted to refuse, but Tyler deserved some reward for his recent behavior. And if she were truthful, she longed for the ease she’d had with Wyatt before that kiss. They didn’t have to talk about personal matters.

  Tyler waited hopefully for her decision.

  “Up to you,” Wyatt murmured.

  She told herself that she and Wyatt could discuss the contractors. Abruptly, she realized that she trusted Wyatt’s opinion and advice above all others. And why shouldn’t she, after witnessing the way he was going about getting Loco Man Ranch back into production?

  She addressed her son. “All right. Wyatt will bring your car seat.”

  Pressing the tiny remote control in her hand, she unlocked the car and moved to the driver’s door while Wyatt slipped around her to access Tyler’s safety seat. He had plenty of experience installing such seats because of Frankie, so he made quick work of the change and soon returned to sit down in the front passenger seat.

  She didn’t give him a chance to say anything before she brought up the subject she’d convinced herself should be the focus of their conversation. “I can’t make up my mind which contractor to use.”

  “Oh?”

  She started the car and began backing around to follow Jake in Wyatt’s truck. “They both seem entirely capable, and I haven’t seen the estimates yet, but one of them is local and the other is out of Duncan.”

  Wyatt considered the matter as she drove. “The estimates will tell you a lot. If one is much lower than the other, you have to wonder if someone’s bumping up his price or if the other is intentionally underestimating.”

  “Either could be disastrous.”

  “Exactly. If they’re close, you have to consider which one you feel you can best work with.”

  She shot him an inquisitive glance. “And how am I to do that? I don’t know either of them well enough to make that sort of judgment.”

  “You may know more about them than you realize. For instance, did either show bias in any way? Some contractors can be dismissive or even disdainful of women.”

  She shook her head, keeping her gaze trained
out the front windshield. “Both were completely respectful.”

  “Glad to hear it. Well, then, did either question your instructions or plans?”

  She thought over her conversations with both men. “No, not really. Each one made suggestions and comments. They each pointed out the same concerns, so obviously I should take those seriously.”

  “Sounds wise. Did either act as if you might not be able to understand their reasoning? Was either reluctant to explain his conclusions?”

  “Actually, one of them was all too willing to explain every little detail, but when I told him that details could be left for later, he just smiled, nodded and shut up.”

  Wyatt chuckled. “Smart fellow. He understands that you’re the boss.”

  “Oh. I guess so.”

  “Sounds like either one would do nicely,” Wyatt said. “All things being equal, I’d go with the local guy. It never hurts to create goodwill in the town where you live.”

  “I thought that, too. I just don’t want to discount the other man because he doesn’t live in War Bonnet.”

  Wyatt gave her a curious look, one she couldn’t quite discern. “I applaud your fairness. But something has to tip the balance.”

  “True.”

  “Is the local contractor by any chance Lyons and Son?”

  “Yes. Why do you ask?”

  “I’ve heard only good things about them.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I haven’t met Lyons or his son, but Dixon, I think his name is, was pointed out to me in the diner not too long ago, him and his wife. They had a baby with them, too little to walk yet, but Delgado said she was his sister. Apparently, they’re raising her as their own.”

  “That speaks well for them,” Tina remarked.

  “I thought so. Unless Lyons does something unexpected with the estimate, I’d say that’s the way to go.”

  She smiled. “I agree. Thanks for your input.”

  “My pleasure.”

  They drove in silence for a minute or two before Wyatt said, “Actually, I want to talk to you about something.”

  Oh, man, here it comes, she thought grimly. He’s going to bring up the kiss.

  Hoping to stop him, she spoke. “Can this wait until—”

  At the same time, he said, “I’ve discussed it with my brothers, and—”

  Mortified, Tina squawked, “What? You discussed it with your brothers?”

  He stared at her, clearly puzzled, until she turned her gaze back out the windshield.

  “We’re willing to help pay for the renovation.”

  Shocked, Tina lurched forward in her seat. As the implications of his statement fully sank in, her jaw dropped. Several heartbeats later, she managed to speak. “Y-you’re willing to help pay for the renovations?”

  He made a show of relaxing, one elbow propped against the passenger window. “Seems only fair if we’re going to be living in the house.”

  Trying for a calm response, she meant to say, “Good,” but it came out as a cough.

  “That’s still the plan, isn’t it?”

  “I... Yes. Sure. B-but would we split the profits of the B and B then?”

  “I don’t see why,” Wyatt said, his tone contemplative. “You’ll be handling that on your own. And you won’t be sharing in the profits from the ranch. But if you’d rather we just paid rent, we can negotiate that.”

  That didn’t seem fair, especially if she was going to be renting out the bunkhouse, which belonged to them. She shook her head. “No, I... This is just getting more complicated than I’d planned.”

  “Doesn’t have to be. We can talk it over with Rex if you want, draw up some paperwork about how we want to structure things.”

  “We could do that,” she decided, trying to tamp down her elation in order to picture how it all might work.

  “I’ve been thinking,” Wyatt said next, enthusiasm entering his voice. “The house needs central air. And you and Ty shouldn’t have to share that clunky old bathroom downstairs. You should have private bathrooms like the rest of us. Then we could incorporate the old bath into the laundry room, make it a real workable space. And you could use the storage room for an office. I’ve poked around in there and haven’t found anything worth keeping. Of course, you could always share office space with me.”

  She hadn’t even thought of the storage room, but sharing an office with Wyatt? “Uh. I don’t know. That’s a lot to think about.”

  “Well, mull it over. You can decide later.” Clearly, the decisions were hers to make.

  She couldn’t help smiling. For the first time, she felt that it could actually happen. Her dream of providing lodging for War Bonnet visitors and a stable home for her son might actually be feasible.

  It had been so long since she’d felt optimism that she almost didn’t recognize the feeling, but her mood had lifted significantly by the time she parked the sedan in front of Countryside Church.

  If God wasn’t listening to her, He must certainly be listening to Wyatt Smith.

  Either way, she couldn’t be anything but deeply grateful. To both of them. God and Wyatt.

  Chapter Eleven

  Pleased that Tina had asked and thanked him for his advice, Wyatt finally relaxed. He’d expected for her to lash out at him for that kiss, but she was obviously as eager to forget about it as he was. Too bad he couldn’t figure out how to do that.

  Kissing her had been a horrible mistake. One that he’d enjoyed immensely and would repeat again if given the opportunity. He did not expect such an opportunity ever to materialize, not even when she placidly filed into the pew with him and his brothers and took a seat between him and Ryder.

  Small sheets of paper were passed around so people could write down their prayer requests, with or without a signature. A typewritten list of ongoing requests was also provided. Wyatt jotted down his request and signed it:

  Wisdom to discern God’s will in domestic and business matters.

  Wyatt Smith

  Tina scribbled something onto her sheet. It lay in her lap for several moments while she looked over the typewritten list. Curiosity got the better of him, so Wyatt surreptitiously glanced at what she’d written, smiling because it so closely mirrored his own request:

  Important home and business decisions.

  He noticed that she didn’t sign her name, but after a moment, she retrieved the pen from its holder once more and added another line:

  Favor in family court.

  So, she expected the custody issue to wind up in court. He hoped—prayed—she was wrong. Rex had outlined a number of instances in which she could easily lose custody. Wyatt hadn’t seen the point in detailing them for her, but he’d been praying about the matter ever since his discussion with the friendly rancher and lawyer. Thankful that she would request corporate prayer on the matter, even anonymously, Wyatt smiled to himself.

  The congregation, which numbered about half of those who attended on the average Sunday, stood to sing a hymn. Then the pastor read aloud Philippians 4:6.

  “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

  He went on to explain that the verse meant have no grievous care for anything; do not be anxious or worried. Instead, those with concerns should take their cares and worries to God and be thankful for what they’d already received.

  One of the elders read the prayer requests aloud. As usual, Ryder had submitted an unsigned request for the family of Bryan Averett, the young man who had died while practicing with Ryder back in Houston. Some folks jotted down each request. Some took occasional notes. Others, like Wyatt, committed the requests to memory or merely let them sink in. They were instructed that those who wished to speak their prayers could do so as they felt led. Others could pray in silence. They bowed the
ir heads. A few moments of silence ensued before, one by one, various voices put their petitions and those of others into words.

  A few prayed with eloquence. More were simple and direct in their praise, gratitude and requests. Several mumbled and bumbled their way through. Wyatt knew very well that it was all the same to God. He refrained from speaking aloud simply because he wanted to address both Ryder’s and Tina’s unsigned requests in detail. He added requests that Tyler would find peace and joy in his situation and that Layne Kemp would drop his custody suit and stop trying to alienate Tyler from his mother. Wyatt also prayed that Ryder would let go of his guilt and put Bryan’s death behind him.

  Wyatt and his brothers had attended prayer meeting only sporadically back in Houston—until the tragic death of Bryan. Wyatt had found real peace and comfort in prayer meeting after that, but he could only hope it was the same for his brother. Prayer meetings always seemed brief to Wyatt, but especially so tonight with Tina sitting at his side, looking as pretty and sweet as any woman could in a simple top and jeans. Just knowing that she was there next to him lifted his spirits.

  Scary thought. Especially if he was the only one feeling such things.

  Pushing away unwelcome thoughts, he smiled and shook hands with all those around him as he made his way out of the sanctuary, Tina at his side, his brothers trailing them. When they reached the foyer, Tina and Jake went to retrieve the boys from their respective groups. Tina returned with Ann Pryor and her son, as well as Tyler. Donovan’s beaming smile made Ty’s mulish scowl all the more obvious.

  “I’m sorry, but I just can’t manage it tomorrow,” Tina was saying. “Perhaps in—”

  “I never have any fun!” Tyler erupted.

  “You know that’s not true,” Tina corrected calmly. “You and Frankie have been having a great time together. I know you want to play with Donovan, and I’m happy for you to do that, but I cannot take you to Donovan’s tomorrow.”