baby?” She peered at the tiny infant, a shudder working its way done her spine. She knew nothing about children, much less babies. They looked so fragile and tiny, as though if you held them the wrong way, they’d just about break.
Lily smiled and shifted her son into a more visible position in her arms. “See, Letty Sue? He’s just fine. Little Ty’s got a sweet temperament.”
“Like his mother,” Tyler added, kissing Lily’s cheek.
“But he’s got his father’s handsome looks.” Lily smiled at her husband.
“And I’m goin’ ta get a chance to watch him, all by myself, when I gets older,” Bethann said proudly.
“My, that’s quite a responsibility, Bethann. Good for you.”
“How are you doing, out on the ranch these days?” Tyler asked.
Letty Sue knew Tyler was just being polite by inquiring, and that Joellen had probably asked him to keep an eye on her. “I’m fine. Really. I do miss Mama. She wired me and asked me to join them in St. Louis.”
“Uncle Jasper sent us a wire, too, last week. Sounds as though they’re having a splendid time. Are you planning on joining them soon?” Lily snuggled the baby to her chest and began rocking him in her arms when he fussed. “There, there, now Ty.”
“I, uh, I haven’t decided yet.”
“Well, let us know when you decide, Letty Sue,and if there’s any way we might help you.” Lily placed an adoring kiss on her baby’s forehead.
“Thank you. I will.”
“Sorry to say, it’s time for us to head home. This is little Ty’s first trip to town. I think he’s tuckered out. Send word if you need anything, Letty Sue,” Tyler said with sincerity.
“I will. Goodbye.” Letty Sue watched Tyler and his family walk off. They were a true family now. And all of them were as happy as could be.
Letty Sue had doubts as to what it would take to make her truly happy. But she shuffled them aside when little Elias Henderson came up and announced excitedly, “Time for the kissing booth, Miss Letty Sue. And I want to be first in line. Sally ain’t here yet. She stayed behind to help Sam Fowler.”
Letty Sue drew her eyebrows together and asked Sally’s younger brother, “Help Sam? Why would Sam need her help?”
“We found him on the road. His horse spooked at a snake crossing its path and threw Sam a mile into the air. Hit his shoulder hard when he came down. Sally took him back home to patch him up.”
“Oh dear. I wonder if I should go and check on him.”
“Nah, it ain’t that bad. Sally said they’d both be up at the picnic later. ’Sides, who’s going to do all the kissing in the kissing booth if you go?”
“Sally was supposed to share the time with me.”
“Looks like it’s gonna be just you now, Miss Letty Sue.”
“Well, I guess I’d better get to my booth.”
They walked to the makeshift booth, consisting of two tall poles set in the ground and a plank table. A banner attached to the poles and waving in the breeze announced:
Kissing Booth—2 Bits Each
Limit 5 to a Customer
Letty Sue chuckled. “Who made up that sign?”
“Me and a bunch of my schoolmates at Sunday school.”
“Well, it is for a good cause.” The money donated today would go to building new benches in the church and fixing the roof. The whole congregation had got flooded out when the last thunderstorm hit during Sunday services, leaving the church in a shambles.
Letty Sue took her place in the booth, behind the table. A line formed that stretched across the yard and out the church gate.
Oh Lordy.
Kisses to the cheek only, she decided.
No matter what.
Chase leaned against a mesquite tree, watching the festivities from a distance. He took one last heady puff on a cheroot, then tossed it aside. A tick in his cheek worked overtime, pulling the skin taut with undue tension. He scrubbed his jaw, then clasped his hand into a fist.
What in blazes was wrong with him?
He refused to believe it was the overly long line forming for Letty Sue’s
Lily smiled and shifted her son into a more visible position in her arms. “See, Letty Sue? He’s just fine. Little Ty’s got a sweet temperament.”
“Like his mother,” Tyler added, kissing Lily’s cheek.
“But he’s got his father’s handsome looks.” Lily smiled at her husband.
“And I’m goin’ ta get a chance to watch him, all by myself, when I gets older,” Bethann said proudly.
“My, that’s quite a responsibility, Bethann. Good for you.”
“How are you doing, out on the ranch these days?” Tyler asked.
Letty Sue knew Tyler was just being polite by inquiring, and that Joellen had probably asked him to keep an eye on her. “I’m fine. Really. I do miss Mama. She wired me and asked me to join them in St. Louis.”
“Uncle Jasper sent us a wire, too, last week. Sounds as though they’re having a splendid time. Are you planning on joining them soon?” Lily snuggled the baby to her chest and began rocking him in her arms when he fussed. “There, there, now Ty.”
“I, uh, I haven’t decided yet.”
“Well, let us know when you decide, Letty Sue,and if there’s any way we might help you.” Lily placed an adoring kiss on her baby’s forehead.
“Thank you. I will.”
“Sorry to say, it’s time for us to head home. This is little Ty’s first trip to town. I think he’s tuckered out. Send word if you need anything, Letty Sue,” Tyler said with sincerity.
“I will. Goodbye.” Letty Sue watched Tyler and his family walk off. They were a true family now. And all of them were as happy as could be.
Letty Sue had doubts as to what it would take to make her truly happy. But she shuffled them aside when little Elias Henderson came up and announced excitedly, “Time for the kissing booth, Miss Letty Sue. And I want to be first in line. Sally ain’t here yet. She stayed behind to help Sam Fowler.”
Letty Sue drew her eyebrows together and asked Sally’s younger brother, “Help Sam? Why would Sam need her help?”
“We found him on the road. His horse spooked at a snake crossing its path and threw Sam a mile into the air. Hit his shoulder hard when he came down. Sally took him back home to patch him up.”
“Oh dear. I wonder if I should go and check on him.”
“Nah, it ain’t that bad. Sally said they’d both be up at the picnic later. ’Sides, who’s going to do all the kissing in the kissing booth if you go?”
“Sally was supposed to share the time with me.”
“Looks like it’s gonna be just you now, Miss Letty Sue.”
“Well, I guess I’d better get to my booth.”
They walked to the makeshift booth, consisting of two tall poles set in the ground and a plank table. A banner attached to the poles and waving in the breeze announced:
Kissing Booth—2 Bits Each
Limit 5 to a Customer
Letty Sue chuckled. “Who made up that sign?”
“Me and a bunch of my schoolmates at Sunday school.”
“Well, it is for a good cause.” The money donated today would go to building new benches in the church and fixing the roof. The whole congregation had got flooded out when the last thunderstorm hit during Sunday services, leaving the church in a shambles.
Letty Sue took her place in the booth, behind the table. A line formed that stretched across the yard and out the church gate.
Oh Lordy.
Kisses to the cheek only, she decided.
No matter what.
Chase leaned against a mesquite tree, watching the festivities from a distance. He took one last heady puff on a cheroot, then tossed it aside. A tick in his cheek worked overtime, pulling the skin taut with undue tension. He scrubbed his jaw, then clasped his hand into a fist.
What in blazes was wrong with him?
He refused to believe it was the overly long line forming for Letty Sue’s
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