Page 12 of Loving Decker

“Ah, so best behavior.” Nash grinned.

“I’m not sure why you’re smiling like you are.”

“Just happy for you, brother. She’s one of the best this town has to offer. A Dawson marrying a Haws. I don’t think our dads could have arranged it any better.”

Decker almost started complaining about jumping to conclusions, but who knew what could happen between them. They’d certainly known each other long enough to know all there was to know.

Maybe their feelings could grow. Maybe he could win her over. All the maybes.

When Nash went back to the house and Decker climbed up into the loft to move the hay around, he faced the other thing that was itching to be managed.

Two huge accounting firms had been talking to him. And he’d been approached by another group wanting to start their own venture. A part of Deck wanted to go, to leave Willow Creek for his brothers to manage, and start a life out there. He’d studied business. He’d worked as the Dawson Ranch accountant for years. Things were falling together for him to do the things he’d always wanted to.

But the timing seemed odd. In many ways moving to New York was exactly what he’d always wanted. And the job offers had come at just the right time. It would be a wonderful thing if one of the brothers brought in some kind of outside income unrelated to rodeo or cattle or hay. And he was the one to do it.

At the same time, the town needed him. He’d just reconnected with Faith, and the family had some pressing decisions to make. Was it fair for him to take off? Yes, he would be making additional income. But then what about Faith? And if the opportunity was so perfect, why couldn’t he feel at peace about any of it?

He lugged the huge bales around some more, mostly just to get his muscles aching. But by the time he was finished, the loft had never looked so great. Stacks of hay all the way to the back in nice, neat rows felt particularly satisfying. If only life would stack up so neatly.

Chapter Five

Faith cleaned up the dentist office after everyone else left. She did it every day she worked. Being an office manager was not something she really ever envisioned for herself. But when money started to get tight and Grandpa needed 24-hour care in the hospital, Willow Creek had really come through for her. Dr. Thad had offered her a job immediately. Three days a week.

And when she’d arrived, she knew they needed her. Within a few weeks, she’d organized all the files, got everything digitized, and taught the others a new computer program to keep them on top of things. Now just welcoming new patients and organizing work shifts for the other ladies seemed easy in comparison. So she stayed after to clean up. She needed the extra work.

Her grandfather’s words came to mind. “There’s nothing that some extra work won’t help. Even if you don’t feel better, at least you will have accomplished something.” She smiled while locking the door, the trash bag hanging over her shoulder.

Grandpa was real special. When her parents passed away, he’d taken over getting her through high school and off to college, and then she’d helped him after college when taking care of everything had been too taxing for him. They had a good system. They needed each other.

And one of the major blessings of that situation were his nightly bookkeeping lessons. Neither of them had known how vital it would be for her to know how to run the Haws ranch. “I just think you’re gonna need to know this someday, Faith.”

His hand is stretched out still. Faith couldn’t help but think that God was helping prepare her for everything that had happened since. There He was, preparing her for the mountain of work and stress that would fall on her shoulders after her grandfather’s last stroke.

She’d given up asking why he’d had a stroke in the first place, she’d let go of her frustration that life wasn’t moving forward just how she wanted it to. It was just too exhausting to cry out against what was. The fact of the matter was life had not gone as planned for her for a long time, and she didn’t understand why, and she knew that complaining about it wasn’t going to change a thing. But His handwasstill stretched out, even when everything was falling apart. She had to hope it was.

Every now and then something would happen that would show her just how much the Lord was aware of her and how He was helping her all the time. And she clung to those tiny evidences even though some of the larger trials in her life did not seem to be getting any better.

She dropped the garbage bag in the dumpster and turned back toward her car. Everything was dark. The streetlight flickered, and her car was parked out by the street. She picked up her pace. So rarely did she ever feel worried or afraid in Willow Creek, but living alone all the time had taken a toll.

As she approached the front parking lot and entered the light, Randall stepped out from around the corner.

She jumped. “Randall.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I made you jump.” He draped his arm across her shoulders again. The weight of his wiry frame surprised her, and she immediately wished to be rid of it.

She tried to calm her heart. “What are you doing here?”

“I just figured you’d want some company.”

She nodded. That was a nice gesture, she supposed. But after spending time with Decker, Randall just seemed small. That wasn’t fair. Not every man could be as built as a Dawson. As Decker Dawson in particular. But that wasn’t the only way that Randall was small. He seemed less in every way.

“I know we still have time to think about things, but I just wanted you to know that I’m so happy you’re considering the offer. Not everyone is getting as much as you are. And for the sorry saps who are last to sign, last to sell, their property won’t be worth hardly anything, not tied to a development or anything. There won’t be nearly the financial benefit for them as you’re getting right now.”

She was tired of his sales pitch. “Why me?” He acted like it was a personal thing, like they were close buddies or something, but she knew it was all about her land. And possibly her influence.

He stumbled for a moment. “Ah, you know, we’ve known each other for a long time.” His voice trailed off and left it at that.

“You’ve known everyone in town for a long time. Why are you doing this, Randall?”

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