“This was a good idea of yours. Although I have no problems with the TV trays or eating at the bar. But this is a nice change.”
“I imagine you usually eat in your dining room at home…when you aren’t out on a fancy dinner date?”
Where had that come from? It seemed that he was genuinely interested in the answer. That was strange to her way of thinking. But perhaps he was trying his best to make up for his behavior earlier. She could react in kind.
“I hate to disappoint you, but most nights I’m either home late and eating a plate of food that has been left in the refrigerator for me…seated at my bar while reading through briefs. Or I’m teaching or guest-lecturing at the law school, or I’m spending one evening volunteering my legal services at a local women’s shelter. The fancy nights out are few and far between. What about you? I take it from what your sister Cassie was saying at the café, that you seem to be quite an in-demand bachelor.”
He responded, “Turning the tables on me,” finishing up the fries on his plate before replying. “I don’t know what my sister thinks she knows of my life away from Destiny’s River, but I’m kept busy on cases here, and on long-distance ones. There is little chance for romance of any kind when you’re staking out a flea-bag motel in some wide spot in the road in the backwoods after a felon who won’t make it easy.”
“Do you plan to make the marshals’ service your long-term gig?” she ventured, something making her want to know the answer to that question more so than any other.
“Well, until I find the person who’ll take me on and want to make a home and have the kids and stuff in Destiny’s River hopefully. But that is easier said than done. I haven’t come across too many women who seem to be into all that family stuff.”
“A little woman who will stay home and do the carpools and room mom stuff?”
“I’d like to think we could share that stuff. And if she wants to have a career, that’s great. But our family would come first for both of us. That’s the better way to put it.”
Erin was surprised by his comment. He could have been one of those men who thought only one career in the family…his…was all that mattered.
“What about you? I suppose the law is your life until you retire and then you’ll teach it in some rarefied Ivy League college.”
Erin sat her tea glass down and gave him a considering look. She kept her cool. “You would suppose wrong. I hope that I might have the same life you described. There are plenty of women like me who can balance a career and take care of a family and fit a carpool in along with a lecture to law students. The key is the right partner, and it truly is a partnership in marriage and parenting. But just as you say in your life…there aren’t many men in my experience who want that. At best, it would be arm candy or society climber. I am neither of those.”
“I admit that I did have a different idea of who I was given as an assignment when this all began. And I will also admit that my first impression has had to be revised somewhat.”
“Is that your version of an apology? For interrupting my courtroom? Manhandling me so much that you broke my newest pair of heels, making me disguise myself and spiriting me away to a cabin in the woods without benefit of cell phone or any other communication? Did I leave out anything?”
He had the good sense of looking somewhat apologetic. “Sorry, but I had to get you to a safe place as fast as possible. I like to think that possibly you have found it isn’t such a bad safe place as you first thought.”
She gave a soft smile. “When you first said fishing cabin, I was not happy. I imagined this old, wooden shed on some lake that was halfway inhabitable and smelled of fish guts.” There was laughter shared at that scenario. Somehow something had become easier between them. It was a tenuous silk thread of something, but it felt right.
“And now?” Rance asked.
“Now, I find it has charm, and it feels like a homeplace. Where a family has grown and shared so much…so many good times, and maybe some not so good times. But it is lived in and still a beautiful wood and stone home that sits beside a lovely river. Your family is blessed to live in such a community with so many good people around you. You have no idea how many people never know of this type of existence. All too often, I see some of them before my bench. It could make a difference…especially among the younger ones who began in awful places and never knew a life such as this.”
“That could have easily been my siblings and me. We were lucky. But Tori was tough, and she never let us give up our memories of family and finding a ‘forever home’ as she called it.
“Yes, it does make a difference.”
“But you were blessed in your own way, also. I don’t know all about your life, but it had to have been decent, or you wouldn’t have turned out to be the person you are.”
“Blessed…with a desire to survive,” she said in words just above a whisper. His gaze was sharpened. She hastened to add, “Don’t get me wrong. I was indeed born into a world where I did not have to ever ask about where food or shelter or every want would be found or provided. I never expected pity or sorrow, just envy. My mother left the world when I was six. I had no siblings. And my only curse was I was not a male heir to the Latham throne. But I became a quick study. To excel was to gain the closest emotion to love that my father could give. But I never expected nor accepted pity. We are all given paths to walk when born and crosses to bear. It is how we choose to handle our lives that makes the difference. It took me a detour or two to gain control of my own road. But I did and make no apologies for the beginning, but I own the path I’m on now and no excuses.”
Rance sat forward in his chair as if to share a secret with her. She leaned closer to receive whatever words he was about to impart.
“You also earned warm apple pie and ice cream—Tillie’s best. I’ll serve us on the deck. The sunset should be incredible. Make yourself comfortable and I’ll be out with the goodies in two shakes.” He stood and headed into the kitchen.
Whatever she had expected, it wasn’t that swift turn in their conversation. She stood and moved to do as she was told. And she had to allow a small smile to come into play. Rance wasn’t playing what she had said off lightly. He had heard and understood every word. She saw it in his eyes. And he had known the right way to bring the moment from the shadows and into its place in the light. He got her…more so than anyone had in a very long time…if ever. That strange warmth moved through her chest as it had begun doing in the last week or more. She wasn’t ready for more analyzing. She chose two loungers close together with a view of the river and beyond, the hills protecting the valley where one could see the golden orb beginning to slide lower in the sky.
Rance was soon visible with two blue bowls from which emanated the smell of warm apple pie and their dollops of vanilla ice cream. She accepted hers with a smile. “This looks and smells delicious, thank you.”
He took the seat next to hers; their elbows were close enough to touch. His long legs stretched to the end of the blue cloth while hers left a foot or so of the padded lounger open.
“I slaved over this evening’s dinner, as you can tell.” He grinned, taking a spoonful of the dessert from the bowl and then enjoying it.
“I am sure you did. And you also ordered this beautiful sunset for a dinner floor show.”
“I did manage to add that. Hope it meets with your city-girl approval.”
