Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
S tewart pulled back on the reins. He absently reached down and patted Echo on the neck. This was the section of fence that had led to the discovery of the drugs. The discovery that changed things… too many things. It still needed to be fixed.
Lord, I’m so angry with McKenna. I’m angry with Katie and I’m angry with myself. McKenna has no money and needs a lawyer. He’s been in jail for weeks now. I feel guilty, and I didn’t do anything. My sister went behind my back and had the woman I… The woman I have feelings for, strong feelings, leave. I let everyone down. Where do I start?
Church… The word seemed to form in his brain out of the blue.
He turned Echo around. He still had time to get ready and attend church services.
After showering and getting dressed, he drove to the church. He parked the car and stared at the building. Had God really answered his prayer by sending him to church?
Ignoring the elbow jabbing his family started when he walked down the aisle was almost impossible. Just as he was going to ask them to move over, he caught sight of Aurora on the other side of the church.
The welcoming smile he received filled his heart. He smiled back and sat in the pew next to her. His angst quieted. The pastor stood before them. There hadn’t been time to say hello to her, but she didn’t seem to notice. Her eyes brightened as she listened.
He was drawn into the pastor’s sermon. The sermon emphasized the importance of forgiveness. The message was loud and clear.
When the service ended, he turned to Aurora.
“I haven’t seen you in here before,” she said.
“For a long time, I didn’t see the need. I was compelled to come today.”
Her gaze bored into his. “Did you get what you came for?”
“I did. Things have fallen in place for me. The pastor’s sermon was timely.” Had she always been so beautiful?
“I’m glad. I need to get going. I need to get ready before heading to work.
They walked out of the church together. He purposely avoided the door where the pastor was shaking hands. One step at a time.
When they stopped walking, she turned to him. Her smile faded, replaced by uncertainty. “Have a good afternoon, and I’m so glad you got your answer.” She walked away.
One step at a time. He had things he needed to take care of. He had two things on his mind: finding a lawyer for his brother and meeting with Katie. Lastly, he needed to forgive himself. The last one would probably be the hardest.
“Did you sit with Stewart at church?” Ruby Lou asked Aurora, her smile hinting at something.
“What, is it on Facebook or something?”
Ruby Lou laughed. “No, Instagram with a pic. So?”
“Well, technically, he sat with me, since I was there first.”
When Ruby Lou just raised one eyebrow, Aurora released a sigh.
“It was nice. No awkwardness came between us, and he enjoyed the sermon. I need to grab my apron.” She hadn’t looked at social media much since her father was arrested. It might be time to start following some of the locals. Or maybe not.
Soon after she started her shift, every table was full. It had never been full since she’d worked there. Between taking orders and refilling coffee, exhaustion took her over.
“Ruby Lou, why do we have so many customers?” she asked as she waited for yet another coffee pot to brew.
“Sure is packed,” Ruby Lou answered, gazing at the crowd. “I’m sure it’s due to you.”
“Me?”
“Everyone saw you sitting with Stewart in church.” Ruby Lou shrugged and winked. “To some folks, that’s serious. They just want to get a look at you, is all.”
Aurora had an order up, so she grabbed the plate from the kitchen pass-through. Was she being sized up? What if they found her lacking? She delivered the order and sought refuge back behind the counter.
“You don’t have time to say hello?” asked an unpleasantly familiar voice.
She closed her eyes. Glen. Grabbing the coffeepot, she turned around and poured him a mug.
“It’s been crazy in here. Would you like the usual?” She mustered a smile, bracing for a harsh comment.
“The usual? I want much more than the usual.” It was clear from his eyes that he wasn’t referring to food.
“Once you decide, let me know. I have another order up.”
He muttered something she didn’t quite catch, but she’d deal with it later. After setting the plates down on the table, she glanced up and Ruby Lou looked as though she was taking Glen’s order. That was one disaster averted.
She went back to serving the customers. The next time she glanced at the counter, Glen was gone.
The lawyer was going to cost much more than Stewart had thought. But his shoulders felt lighter after he made the necessary arrangements. Now it was in the hands of God and the justice system. He’d called Katie trying to schedule a meeting for Monday or Tuesday, but she insisted on coming right over.
His anger had dissipated. Now his mind was filled with questions about why Katie had sent Aurora away.
Katie must have driven fast. He heard her and Flora chatting. He might as well get it over with. Leaving his office, he met her in the great room. The furniture dwarfed her as she sat on the sofa.
“Thanks for coming,” he said.
Flora came in with coffee and blueberry muffins. She smiled at them both before she left.
“Is this about McKenna? I’m not sure we should allow him to rot in jail,” she said.
“I took care of it. I hired the best lawyer I could find.” Stewart shook his head as he watched Katie pick up a muffin. “This is about Aurora.”
“I heard you sat with her at church. That was a bold decision, wouldn’t you say? Think about how this might look to someone else.”
Stewart snorted. “Katie, it’s not the 1800s. Sitting with a woman during a church service doesn’t mean anything more than we know each other. I was surprised to see her yesterday working at The Morning Glory. I thought she left town. That’s what her note said.” His gaze lingered on her, and he felt an odd sense of satisfaction as she shifted uncomfortably.
“Yes, I heard she went to the bus terminal.”
“Give it up Katie, I know. I know how you asked her to leave for the sake of the family.” He subjected her to a cold stare. “In the future, please refrain from interfering in my personal life. She asked to stay only a few weeks after her father was sentenced. The press had been relentless, and she didn’t feel safe.”
Katie tilted her head, seeming to be studying him. “You’ve fallen for her.”
“Not quite,” he admitted openly. “But I do like her. She was already feeling bad about herself due to her family, and your words made her feel like she wasn’t good enough for the McKeegans. In reality, she is too good for us. Do you know what she said to me? She asked how I would feel if everything I’d been led to believe my whole life was a lie. Can you imagine feeling that way?”
Katie fidgeted with the muffin she had yet to bite into.
“Then there were all those horrible things her mother said about her. Boarding schools were Aurora’s home, and she spent her vacations with the servants.” He checked himself, reined in his temper before he added, “She’s incredibly strong, but I don’t think she realizes it. I do know she has no one and her reputation has been blackened by her father’s actions. It was just a coincidence that she found herself in Tyrone.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in coincidences?”
“Perhaps it was God’s plan.” He huffed out a breath. “I don’t know. Do you think you could be kind to her?” His sister was typically known for her kindness.
She stared at him for a lengthy moment. Finally, she sighed. “If she makes you happy, then she makes me happy. I never meant to meddle. I just couldn’t get past the notion of her and her father working together in the scam that was pulled on us.” A frown furrowed her brow. “How did you meet Stingster?”
“McKenna and I went to a Cattleman’s dinner. I met him there. McKenna invited him to sit at our table. Paul Stingster was very knowledgeable about all the equipment, and it was as though he knew what I needed before I did.” He twisted his lips into a grimace. “A sign of a good con man, I suppose. Later I found his business card on my desk.”
“Did McKenna know him?” Katie asked.
“I don’t know. McKenna always knows everyone. He did seem to jump on me hard for being scammed. Harder than the rest of you. I hadn’t given it much thought. It doesn’t matter.” He sighed.
“Stewart, it does matter. Look at it this way. McKenna introduces you to a man who scammed us out of a lot of money. Then McKenna insists you step down. He then used the fact that you met Aurora and had her living at the house to make you step down. He even forced Aurora out of town. I don’t know what the drugs have to do with it, but it’s something to think about.” She stood and kissed him on the cheek. “I will never chase away another girlfriend, I promise.” There was a hint of mischief in her eyes.
Her departure left him with much to ponder.