A Match Made in Texas- By Arlene James Page 0,73

pronounced. “Big business and big money with a side order of west Texas thrown in. What else could you want?” He wagged his finger at no one in particular, adding, “And you said I shouldn’t have brought him along.”

“You didn’t bring him here,” Kaylie said, moving to Stephen’s side and sliding her arm across his shoulders. He carefully let out a breath that he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding and reached up to grasp her hand. “Not really. God did. I’m convinced of it.”

Stephen closed his eyes. Thank You, Lord.

“You believe that because you want to believe it,” Hub said desperately.

“Yes,” Kaylie gently replied, “and you won’t believe it because you don’t want to, but I love him, and I believe God means us to be together, and that’s all there is to it.”

“You love me?” Stephen said, as near tears as he could possibly be without sobbing.

“Of course I do.”

“And I love you,” Stephen hastily supplied, laughing with relief as moisture gathered in the corners of his eyes. He reached across with his right arm, wrapped it around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap. Kaylie’s soft smile launched his heart into a whole new stratosphere of delight.

“But what about Dad?” Bayard was demanding.

“If you marry, he’ll be alone,” Chandler said worriedly to Kaylie.

“I’m alone, Chan,” Morgan pointed out, “and so are you. Bay’s the only one of us who has his own family.”

“But Dad’s health—” Chandler began.

“Is better than most men’s his age,” Kaylie said gently.

Hubner cast a look at that portrait over the mantel, grimaced and turned away. In that moment, Stephen understood a large part of the problem. It was fear, the fear of loneliness and change, but the solution was so simple that he didn’t understand why they couldn’t all see it.

“Who says he has to live alone?”

“I won’t have a babysitter!” Hub declared bitterly. “And I won’t be forced into one of those smelly warehouses.” He visibly shuddered at the thought. “I won’t be foisted onto my sisters, either. They’re almost as old as I am, and they sacrificed enough of their lives taking care of our father.”

“But you’d have Kaylie do the same thing,” Morgan pointed out.

Hubner blanched, muttering, “It’s not the same thing. Kaylie has a calling.”

“To nursing,” Kaylie said, “not to singlehood. The aunts are called to singleness, Dad. I am not.”

“You’re missing the point,” Stephen said, tugging on Kaylie’s hand. He smiled up at her, saying, “I have no objection to Mr. Chatam living with us.”

Kaylie gasped. “Stephen!”

“I’ll take you any way I can get you, sweetheart. Aunts, brothers, fathers, the whole kit and kaboodle, whatever it takes. Besides,” he whispered into her ear, “I have a really big house.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “Stephen.”

Across the room, Hubner Chatam’s eyes had widened behind his glasses. “I—I couldn’t leave Buffalo Creek,” he sputtered, but Stephen detected a note of hopefulness in his voice.

“Why not?” Morgan asked. “Bayard has.”

Bayard humphed. “It’s a business decision. The bank’s in Dallas, but Buffalo Creek is still home.”

“Uncle Murdock did and Aunt Dorinda,” Morgan went on. “I can name you a dozen others.”

“I am not the others,” Hub snapped. “I am the eldest Chatam, and the Chatams are Buffalo Creek. We have a responsibility to this town. Buffalo Creek is my home. My…” He paused then finished softly, “My ministry is here.”

“Was here,” Morgan said gently, “until you abandoned it.”

“I didn’t abandon it,” Hub argued. “Chatams do not abandon their callings.” He put a hand to his head. “It abandoned me really, though I prayed that God would take me before that happened.”

“Oh, Dad,” Kaylie said. “Why don’t you see that God still has use for you? Why else would he let you recover so well from your heart attack? And just think what that experience could mean to others in the same condition.”

He glanced around guiltily. “Who would listen to an old man whose best days are behind him?”

“I would,” Stephen said. “In fact, I—I have some questions that I need answered, if you don’t mind. Spiritual questions. Who better to ask than you?”

Hub’s eyes went very wide behind his glasses. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “I’m sure we’ll have some time to talk after lunch,” he muttered.

Kaylie smiled at that and laid her head on Stephen’s shoulder. “Thank You,” she whispered. “Oh, thank You. Thank You.”

Stephen did not assume that she was thanking him, but he would give her all the reason to do so that he could.

“As