The Delivery of Decor (Shiloh Ridge Ranch in Three Rivers #7) - Liz Isaacson Page 0,99
her. Maybe then I can say the same things to Dot.”
“You know what to say to her,” Judge said, turning toward the doorway that led into the basement. “So you’ll work really fast today, and you’ll come back here and shower. You’ll get yourself down to town and to her front door, and you’ll lead with ‘I love you, Dorothy. I love you, I love you, I love you.’” Judge burst out laughing, but Ward actually thought his suggestion had merit.
“You love her?” Mister asked, his voice coming from behind Ward. He and Judge turned to find the man fully dressed, wearing a coat, and closing the front door behind him. He faced the two of them and added, “The sunrise is gorgeous this morning.”
“The sun rises over the back yard,” Ward said.
“I went up to Ace’s,” Mister said. “He said I could sit on his back deck any time I wanted.”
“How long have you been up?” Judge asked as he walked through the living room and toward Mister.
“Hours,” Mister said, accepting the hug from Judge and then collapsing onto the loveseat. “I hate feeling like this. Why did she have to say no?” He closed his eyes, but the pain coming from him echoed Ward’s.
“Ward feels the same way,” Judge said, also taking a seat. “Bring me that coffee, would you, Ward?”
He moved over to the counter and collected the mug for Judge. “All right, Mister. You’re going to tell Ward everything you said so he can repeat it to Dot and get her up to the party tonight.”
“You haven’t invited her to the party yet?” Mister asked.
“It’s very last-minute,” Ward said, a bit defensively. He didn’t rush to sit down and hear Mister’s sad tale but busied himself with making a cup of coffee. He took it to Mister and returned to the kitchen to make one for himself.
“Seems like you’d invite the woman you loved,” Mister said.
“Dot’s…different,” Ward said.
“She’s a woman,” Mister said. “She’s probably thinking you should call her first.”
“We live in the twenty-first century,” Ward said, rolling his eyes. “Women call men all the time.” He sat down on the couch, his mind only on Dot. Could he just call her out of nowhere?
It’s not out of nowhere, he thought. She kissed you, and she said she’d call. You’re dating. It’s somewhere.
Would she come back up to the ranch?
Ward could worry about anything, and he stewed while Mister started his story.
“Go,” Preacher said later that day. He moved to stand right in front of Ward. “You are yelling at everything. Can you please go shower and go talk to Dot already? You’re driving me insane.” He wore a stern look, his eyes filled with fire as he glared at Ward.
Ward could only blink at him. “I’m yelling at everything?”
“For an hour,” Preacher said. He reached up and ran his hand under his hat and then down his face. “Haven’t you noticed that I’ve assigned all the cowboys somewhere else?”
“This stupid pigpen won’t cooperate.” Ward kicked the nearest board, realizing that he’d practically yelled. At a piece of wood.
“Please go,” Preacher said. “You’ll feel so much better, and we’re done here anyway. I’m going to have Bishop come deal with it, as we’re both obviously dunces with hammers.”
Ward looked at the hammer in his hand, and Preacher quickly reached for it. “I’ll take that.” He plucked it out of Ward’s hand and backed up. “Judge filled me in, and I really appreciate you, Ward. I know you like your space, and I got married too soon.”
Preacher looked away, something storming on his face now. “Charlie and I are leaving tomorrow. You’ll have your house back—at least for a week or so.”
“I don’t care about any of that,” Ward said. “I want you and Charlie to have Bull House until you can move into the Top Cottage.”
Preacher nodded, his gaze still far away, out on something on the ranch only he could see. Ward looked that direction too, wishing the Lord would write in the sky what he should say and do. “I’m nervous,” he admitted. “I’ve been out with a lot of women in the past four or five years, and I haven’t felt as strongly for any of them as I do for Dot. What if…?” He exhaled and stopped talking. He didn’t need to finish anyway.
“I showed up on Charlie’s front step and just told her,” Preacher said. “It worked for me, and I thought it would work for Mister.”