Page 3 of Loving Decker

Decker grew very still, watching her. Then he shook his head. “You can’t.”

Something about his tone, half desperation, half demanding, sat wrong with her. “Why not?”

“Because you’re the Haws.”

“And you’re the Dawsons.”

“Well, if you cave, then we might as well give up on Willow Creek altogether.”

“I could say the same about you and your family. That’s unfair, Decker, and you know it.” Did she have to point out that they were sitting with her grandpa? That she was the only Haws left in all of Willow Creek? That she was hanging on with every scrap of desperation left to her? And it wasn’t enough.

“But if we go down, and you go down, what will Willow Creek be?”

She looked away. Deflated again. What little strength her indignation had granted her fizzled out.

He reached across Grandpa and rested a hand on hers that still cradled her dear grandfather’s. “I’m sorry.”

She met eyes that were filled with compassion, and it brought out the tears waiting to fall. But she didn’t look away. “I was hoping Grandpa would tell me what to do, too.”

He nodded. And they sat like that for a long time, Decker leaning across Grandpa’s lap, their hands all in an intertwined pile.

Chapter Two

Decker could have kicked himself for getting after Faith. Like the woman didn’t have enough to worry about. But he really had been hoping for some answers. He’d wanted Faith to give him the strength to go up against Mav and his crazy idea to sell. Instead, she’d sounded like she might agree with his brother.

He had been out on the highway, running to Tractor Supply for some parts, and all of a sudden he just knew he had to go to the hospital. Right then. He’d hoped that God was showing him a path, some sort of sign. Mav had asked everyone in the family to report back with an answer—to sell or not to sell—and if the answer was no sale, then they needed to think up some solutions. ’Cause the ranch wouldn’t make enough to support itself forever.

Their sponsorships brought in money. Their wins brought in money. The rodeo was a good source of celebrity and income, but they couldn’t ride forever. Mav could see the writing on the wall that he so blatantly pointed out to each of them. The Dawson Ranch was going under unless they thought of other ways to bring in an income. Did the place belong to the grandchildren and their children after? He knew his father would have said yes. His mother had remained strangely quiet. Another thing that Decker would have to go and investigate. How did Mama feel about all this, really?

But he’d put all that pressure on Faith, pressure he knew belonged on his own shoulders, plain and simple. The fate of Willow Creek did not rest with her alone.

And here they were, basically holding hands with her dying grandpa. Would the man have sold out? He studied his peaceful face, and he knew he wouldn’t have ten years ago. But now? Things were different now.

He squeezed her hand. “You wanna go get something to eat?”

Her sad, desperate eyes lifted into a smile, the switch to hope and light so beautifying her face that, for a moment, he was stunned. His Faithy was one beautiful woman. And he’d never really considered her that way before. He stood. “Grandpa, do you mind if I go take care of your granddaughter for a bit?”

He imagined the man’s smile and gentle wink. Then he turned to Faith. “I miss him.”

“Yeah, me too.”

He held out his hand, and as he clasped her fingers in a typically friendly gesture, it felt different. She felt more tender. And he felt more protective. Something about her changed in his mind. He didn’t know what. But for now he knew he needed to make up for the added pressure he had just dumped on her. He wanted more than anything to take it all back to rest on his own shoulders.

They didn’t say much as they left the hospital together.

He held the door open for her to climb in his truck. “We’ll come back for yours.”

She nodded.

When he closed it, enclosing her inside, he wanted to carefully cradle her presence, her closeness. He wanted to take care of the woman. He patted the roof of his truck and then moved around to the other side.

He started the heat and then thought better of it. It might get warm. “Please adjust this to however you like it.” Then he turned on the music, but it wasn’t right. No good music on. So he turned it off.

He put his hand on the gearshift and hesitated. Then he turned to her.

She laughed.

“What?”

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