The Delivery of Decor (Shiloh Ridge Ranch in Three Rivers #7) - Liz Isaacson Page 0,125

interesting ride with you, Juniper.”

She liked it when he used her full name, and she’d hated her full name since grade school. Somehow, when Judge said it, it became a term of endearment.

He drew in a deep breath. “I also didn’t ask, because I know Lucy Mae graduates on Friday. I believe you told me she was leaving for California the next day—and that’s the day Ward is getting married.”

Those pesky tears entered her eyes again. She knew if she spoke, Judge would hear them. He’d look at her and see them again. “Yes,” she said anyway, and he did exactly what she feared he would.

She let him look, and she let him see, and he did exactly what she hoped he would. He gathered her close to his chest, enveloping her in his strong arms, and whispered, “It’s okay, June-Bug. It’s all going to be okay.”

She pressed her eyes closed, because her only daughter leaving Three Rivers wasn’t okay. Such a thing wasn’t even in the same realm as okay. “I don’t know how to be alone,” she said.

“Maybe you won’t have to be,” he said.

“I don’t know how to have enough faith that she’ll be okay in California.”

“Maybe I can help,” he said.

June pulled away slightly and looked up at him. “Why won’t you go out with anyone else?”

“Have you?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I sort of have a policy about that.”

“Yeah, but you’ll break that policy for the right guy,” Judge said, dead serious. “Right?”

“I guess.”

“Have you been asked out in the past six months?”

“Yes,” she said.

“By someone other than me?”

“Yes.”

Judge frowned, and he obviously didn’t like that. “Did you say yes?”

“No.” A relationship with him felt impossible. It was exactly as she’d told Ida a couple of months ago. Maybe God simply didn’t want June to have someone as amazing as Judge in her life.

“I don’t want to ask you to come to the wedding,” he said. “If you’re available and you want to come, that’s fine. No one’s going to turn you away.” He stepped gently away from her, and they both looked up to the door when it opened again.

Preacher came outside, and he paused, surprise evident on his face. “Hey, uh, when you’re done here, can I talk to you for a sec?”

“Sure,” Judge said, looking from his brother to June. “I think we’re done. Miss Nichols surely has a full schedule today to be at the ranch so early.” He reached up and tipped his hat to her, his smile gorgeous and perfectly symmetrical, with all those shiny, white teeth.

She watched him go up the few steps and say, “What’s up? I overstepped with Mister, didn’t I?” before the two of them went inside and the door closed behind them. She knew Judge and Mister didn’t always get along, and she wanted to know what boundary he’d overstepped.

She wanted him at her side this summer while Lucy Mae was gone. She’d wanted more of a relationship with him the past few months, but she’d let the tides of life push her this way and then that one.

She wanted to see his Christmas display, and help him upgrade his network to make it run flawlessly.

She wanted to tell him that Adam was coming to pick up Lucy Mae, and she was scared out of her mind to see her ex-husband for the first time in thirteen years. She’d spoken to him when she’d had to, but she hadn’t been in the same physical space as him since he’d left her and Lucy Mae all those years ago.

While still standing on the front sidewalk in front of Bull House, she sent a text to Judge. Can you go to dinner tonight? I’ll be done by five-thirty, and I have something I want to tell you.

Sure, he said almost instantly, and she could hear it in his cowboy twang. The man said “Sure,” as easily as he breathed, and with a date with him on the horizon, June finally felt like she could breathe again.

“Did you get your cap and gown?” June asked when her daughter walked in from her after school job. She pulled the pan of lasagna from the oven. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“I’m going out with Timmy tonight, remember?” Lucy Mae dropped her backpack by the door and kicked off her shoes. “Yes, I got my cap and gown. You would not believe how many cars came through the line today.” She smiled and reached for one of the caramels June had