Read Online Her Hometown Hero by Margaret Daley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Margaret Daley
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dance.
Lord, I know I haven’t prayed to You in a while, but I need You. What can I do? Financially, I don’t have to work, but I want to. I need to.
As she passed the barn she wondered if Nate was with Howard inside. Nate’s red truck was still parked in front of the main house. He’d made it easier to talk with Carrie and Jacob since she’d already broken the news about the seriousness of her injury to him. This time wasn’t as bad. But she also appreciated his absence when she arrived to see her niece and nephew.
Tomorrow she would apologize for what had transpired in the barn. She knew he meant well.
Kathleen stepped up to the cabin porch. A movement out of the corner of her eye seized her full attention. She swung her flashlight toward the swing at the end and illuminated Nate rising.
Chapter Five
S traightening from the porch swing, Nate frowned. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I need to talk to you, and tomorrow will be crazy.”
Kit dropped the flashlight to her side, a glow from the front window of the cabin giving her enough illumination to follow Nate’s progress toward her. “I told the kids tonight. I’m tired.”
“It didn’t go well?”
“Actually it went better than I’d expected, but I exhausted myself worrying about how they would take it. It’s just now hitting me.”
He stopped several feet from her, wishing he could erase the tired lines on her face and make everything right for her. “I won’t be long then, but I hope you’ll come to the barn tomorrow morning around ten to meet some of the kids in the youth group.”
She attempted a smile, but it fell short. “You’re hoping they’ll persuade me to help you.”
Although not a question, he said, “Yes. We’re trying to come up with something special. Something that hasn’t been done in a while. You know how creative I am. On a scale from one to ten on creativity, I’m a zero, whereas you’re an eleven.”
“Thanks. If you’re trying to butter me up, you’re doing a good job. I’ll try to come, but I’m not making any promises. Okay?”
He smiled. “I’ll take a ‘maybe’ over ‘no’ any day.”
When he started to move away from her, she asked, “Did you and Howard come up with anything?”
“A rodeo was about all, but that has been done to death.”
“It’s Oklahoma. What do you expect?”
“Something different but not too complicated.”
“I’ll think about it. Good night.”
He walked a few feet toward the road, then glanced back to watch her go inside the cabin. He was glad Beth had talked him into moving his meeting with Howard tonight to the barn. In the past he would rush in and try to fix things, but with Kit he couldn’t push her too hard. Beth made him see that.
Kit would help him, and he would help her. He actually whistled “Oklahoma” as he headed for his truck.
* * *
The next morning Kathleen sat at her table, sipping a second cup of Earl Grey tea. She hadn’t slept well the night before, her dreams filled with Madame Zoe as she told the woman her star pupil would never dance again. Kathleen knew her mentor wouldn’t feel she had let her down, but Kathleen felt that way all the same. It was irrational, but hard to rid her mind of it.
She had purposefully kept her amputated leg from Madame Zoe because it wasn’t something she wanted to tell her over the phone when she was in New York or even here at the ranch. But the audition for the Summer Dance Academy in a week wasn’t the time or place, either. Early this morning she’d decided she would accompany Carrie to her ballet class and talk with her mentor privately afterward. She didn’t want anyone else in town to know until she’d told Madame Zoe on Tuesday.
She glanced at the clock in the kitchen area and realized she was already late for the meeting. Gulping down the lukewarm tea, she rose and crossed to the sink to rinse her cup.
A knock cut into the quietness. As she made her way to the door, she tried to
Lord, I know I haven’t prayed to You in a while, but I need You. What can I do? Financially, I don’t have to work, but I want to. I need to.
As she passed the barn she wondered if Nate was with Howard inside. Nate’s red truck was still parked in front of the main house. He’d made it easier to talk with Carrie and Jacob since she’d already broken the news about the seriousness of her injury to him. This time wasn’t as bad. But she also appreciated his absence when she arrived to see her niece and nephew.
Tomorrow she would apologize for what had transpired in the barn. She knew he meant well.
Kathleen stepped up to the cabin porch. A movement out of the corner of her eye seized her full attention. She swung her flashlight toward the swing at the end and illuminated Nate rising.
Chapter Five
S traightening from the porch swing, Nate frowned. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I need to talk to you, and tomorrow will be crazy.”
Kit dropped the flashlight to her side, a glow from the front window of the cabin giving her enough illumination to follow Nate’s progress toward her. “I told the kids tonight. I’m tired.”
“It didn’t go well?”
“Actually it went better than I’d expected, but I exhausted myself worrying about how they would take it. It’s just now hitting me.”
He stopped several feet from her, wishing he could erase the tired lines on her face and make everything right for her. “I won’t be long then, but I hope you’ll come to the barn tomorrow morning around ten to meet some of the kids in the youth group.”
She attempted a smile, but it fell short. “You’re hoping they’ll persuade me to help you.”
Although not a question, he said, “Yes. We’re trying to come up with something special. Something that hasn’t been done in a while. You know how creative I am. On a scale from one to ten on creativity, I’m a zero, whereas you’re an eleven.”
“Thanks. If you’re trying to butter me up, you’re doing a good job. I’ll try to come, but I’m not making any promises. Okay?”
He smiled. “I’ll take a ‘maybe’ over ‘no’ any day.”
When he started to move away from her, she asked, “Did you and Howard come up with anything?”
“A rodeo was about all, but that has been done to death.”
“It’s Oklahoma. What do you expect?”
“Something different but not too complicated.”
“I’ll think about it. Good night.”
He walked a few feet toward the road, then glanced back to watch her go inside the cabin. He was glad Beth had talked him into moving his meeting with Howard tonight to the barn. In the past he would rush in and try to fix things, but with Kit he couldn’t push her too hard. Beth made him see that.
Kit would help him, and he would help her. He actually whistled “Oklahoma” as he headed for his truck.
* * *
The next morning Kathleen sat at her table, sipping a second cup of Earl Grey tea. She hadn’t slept well the night before, her dreams filled with Madame Zoe as she told the woman her star pupil would never dance again. Kathleen knew her mentor wouldn’t feel she had let her down, but Kathleen felt that way all the same. It was irrational, but hard to rid her mind of it.
She had purposefully kept her amputated leg from Madame Zoe because it wasn’t something she wanted to tell her over the phone when she was in New York or even here at the ranch. But the audition for the Summer Dance Academy in a week wasn’t the time or place, either. Early this morning she’d decided she would accompany Carrie to her ballet class and talk with her mentor privately afterward. She didn’t want anyone else in town to know until she’d told Madame Zoe on Tuesday.
She glanced at the clock in the kitchen area and realized she was already late for the meeting. Gulping down the lukewarm tea, she rose and crossed to the sink to rinse her cup.
A knock cut into the quietness. As she made her way to the door, she tried to
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