Home Sweet Texas by Sharon Gillenwater

Author:Sharon Gillenwater
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2007-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The road made a big circle, leading them back past the house. Caleb pulled in behind them. They went in the general direction of the old house where Jake’s grandparents had lived but turned south before they reached it. After about five minutes, Sunni’s racing pulse and the tension hovering between them eased.

“I think I got some good pictures of you and Caz this morning.”

Jake glanced at her, slowing as a roadrunner raced down the dirt road ahead of them. “You’d taken some before I saw you?”

She nodded. “Several. By the way, you have a great voice. I can’t wait to hear you singing in church.”

His expression softened. “This morning was the first time I’ve felt like singing in over two years. A little gift from God, I think.”

“He put a song in your heart.”

“That’s right, one of thanksgiving.” A trace of huskiness edged his voice. “I can’t tell you how good it felt.”

“You don’t have to. I could hear it and see it in your face.”

“So tell me about the pictures.” He turned down another road. Grass and weeds were about a foot high in the space between the tire tracks.

Sunni briefly described the shots, not wanting to brag on them too much until she saw the actual prints in case they weren’t as great as she thought they would be. Maybe she was too impressed with herself. Perhaps anybody who had dabbled with photography, taking lots of family or vacation photos, could have done as well. When they were developed, she’d probably discover that she had cut off the top of Jake’s head like the guy did in the TV commercial.

“It will be fun to see them. Feel free to take as many today as you want. There are three more rolls of film in the bag. I had planned to use them on my next Ranger assignment, checking out an oddball cult commune that we suspected was a front for a drug-smuggling operation.”

“Do you miss being with the Rangers?”

“Sometimes. But I’ll never try to go back. I doubt they’d let me for one thing. To be honest, I don’t have the confidence that I used to have. I’d always worry about doing something wrong and my partner getting hurt. Or I’d get hurt. I’d just as soon not put myself in that situation again. Maybe that’s cowardly, but that’s the way it is, so I have to accept it.”

“I don’t think it’s cowardly. You served in law enforcement for a long time. I don’t think it has to be a lifelong commitment. Now it’s time for something else.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. I enjoy ranching and living out here. There isn’t the security of a regular paycheck, but my books are in the black.” He smiled ruefully. “This year at least. I’ll never be rich, but I’m happy.” He glanced at her and added softly, “Especially now.”

Now. Because he’d restored his relationship with God. That was a certainty. Because she was with him? She hoped, perhaps foolishly, that she contributed to his happiness.

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