Lone Star Secret

“I might,” David said, smiling as he shook his head. “That Olga is quite a character, isn’t she?”

“She sure is. She has these wild schemes for setting up singles at church. Some of the members frown on her methods, but Olga is a very dedicated Christian. She means well.”

David wondered about that and about Olga Terenkov. “Why hasn’t she ever remarried?” And why wasn’t her lovely daughter married?

Steve laughed out loud. “Probably because she intimidates every man she meets. Rumor has it she’s got her eye on Reverend Fields. That would certainly be an interesting match.” Then he tapped his pen again. “Don’t go spreading that. I shouldn’t be gossiping about Anna’s mother.”

David nodded. “I don’t spread gossip. I know how it feels to be talked about.”

Steve homed in on that revealing remark. “Did you have a good childhood, growing up here?”

Oh, boy. Now he’d have to go through all the angst from his past. “Yep.” He shrugged, unable to hide the truth from Steve. “Well, no. Not all good. I didn’t go without food or clothes, but it was tough. My mother…she was a single mom. She was stationed here before I was born and somehow even after her time serving at Fort Bonnell was up, we stayed.”

Steve dropped his pen then moved on. “How’s your faith?”

David looked down at his hands. “It’s still intact. More than ever, I believe. But…I do need to work on it a bit. I mean, there’s frontline faith and then there’s that kind of pure faith on a Sunday morning coming down. There’s a country song about that, in fact.”

Steve nodded. “I know that song. Written from the heart. But you don’t have to sit outside the church doors, my friend. God wants you to come on in.” Then he stood up. “I think you’re on the right track, David. But I encourage you to go see Anna. She could use some help.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” David said. “Working with Anna wouldn’t be so bad.”

Steve grinned. “She’s a great person. And so is her mother. Maybe you can replace some of those bad memories from your past with some good ones.” Then he shook David’s hand. “Just remember, if you need anything—”

“I know where you are,” David replied. “And…I do appreciate your help and the suggestion about volunteering. I’ll see what I can do.”

“I think you’d be an asset and I know Anna could use the help. She works very hard.”

David couldn’t deny that. “Children of the Day has been a constant presence during this war. Maybe it is time I give ’em some payback.”

“Only if your heart is in it,” Steve cautioned.

David nodded, then left the quiet office. His heart would be completely involved in helping others, but he wondered how it would react to being around Anna. It did seem to speed up whenever he was with the pretty blonde. And that was cause for both wonder and worry.

Anna sat in the swing on the wraparound porch of the rambling Victorian house where she worked and lived. The COTD offices took up the first floor while Anna and Olga had a spacious apartment on the second.

Today her mind was centered on the charity’s latest hard-fought cause, bringing Ali to America. Children of the Day worked diligently to help anyone suffering from the damage and destruction of war, and her whole team had done their best to help General Willis get Ali Tabiz to Texas. Now she could rest easy knowing the little boy would be taken care of. And he’d have a chance now—a real chance to grow and thrive. Anna just hoped General Willis would keep opening his heart toward the boy. They needed each other.

She had taken a rare moment to come and sit in one of her favorite spots so she could regroup and prepare for another busy workday tomorrow. This was one of her spots to pray. It gave her a good view of the tree-lined streets and the world beyond the busy Veterans Boulevard, yet she felt protected and cocooned here on the wide, deep porch, surrounded by towering magnolias and pines and lush crape myrtles. She could rock the swing back and forth and talk to God, calming herself after a long day.

But tomorrow should be a good day even if it was going to be shipment day. That always involved packing boxes full of supplies for the soldiers and emergency relief packages for the villagers. It always amazed her how many generous people brought things for those boxes. And some of the requests were interesting—anything from paperclips to toothpicks and bug spray or Bibles, books and candy bars. But Anna got the soldiers what they needed, one way or another.

Now that everything was in place with Ali and every precaution had been taken—all the proper paperwork had been filed and all the necessary steps of getting through government red tape had been carefully taken care of—Anna could get back to the day-to-day operations of COTD.

Thank You, Lord. Anna rocked back and forth on the white swing, her mind whirling with relief. She’d helped to save a child from war, but she didn’t want Ali to be afraid about the surgery. Because Anna herself remembered being little and afraid because of war.

She was about to get up and finish some work before her mother came home for dinner when she heard a truck idling out on the street.

Surprised that anyone would be stopping by this late in the day, she held her foot on the floor to halt the swing. When David Ryland got out of the truck, Anna gulped in a breath to hide her shock.

“Hello,” she called, waving to him as he walked up the steps.

“Hello, yourself,” he said in response. Then he slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans, staying on the steps while he surveyed the house. “Impressive.”

Anna got up, too nervous to sit still. “The house was built around the turn of the century—1901 I think. My mother knows the entire history of this place.”

He nodded then glanced out at the old oaks and tall pines. “So this is where you live and work.”

“Yes.” She nodded, her hands clasped in front of her. “So what brings you to see us today anyway?”

He grinned then scratched his thick short hair. “I guess I’m here to volunteer. At least, that’s what Chaplain Steve suggested this morning.”

“You don’t look so sure,” Anna replied. In fact, he looked downright uncomfortable.

“Oh, I don’t mind volunteering,” he said. “It’s just that…well…I’ve been on the front for so long, I guess I’ve forgotten how to talk to a woman.”

Anna chuckled, hoping to hide the blush moving down her face. “But you were around women in combat, right?”

“Uh, right. Whole different kind of thing.” He shrugged. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a pretty woman sitting in a swing on a summer night.”

“Oh, I see.” Anna liked the way he drawled out his words. Then she said something that surprised them both. “You’re welcome to sit here with me for a while.”

“That would be nice,” he said, motioning to the swing. “But don’t let me keep you.”

“No, it’s okay. I was taking a break before I go back in to finish up some things.”

He let her settle into the swing then sat down beside her, his weight shifting the creaky chains. Anna thought how different it felt, having someone beside her in this old swing. Different and a bit disconcerting, considering how her mind went into sensory overdrive with this man. She noticed the fine hairs on his forearms, the soapy clean scent surrounding him. And she noticed how he kept giving her an almost shy smile.

“So where do I sign up?” he asked.

“How good are you with a hammer and nails, Chief?”

David gave her a deadpan look then said, “Well, ma’am, It’s been a while but I think I remember how to swing a hammer. But I might hit my thumb instead if you smile at me and distract me.”

Anna’s blush reheated. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He nodded, laughing. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do around here. I just need to stay busy.”

She relaxed, and fought the temptation to fan herself. What on earth was wrong with her? She was acting like her mother. Never one for theatrics, Anna gave herself a serious reprimand and reminded herself she couldn’t get involved with this man, for oh so many reasons. “I’ll just take you out back to the playground. We’re trying to rebuild it so it can be up to code. We’ll have several volunteers coming in the morning to pack boxes and such, and I think you’ll enjoy working on that type of project. And the back porch steps need repairing. If you don’t mind.”

He gave her one of those killer smiles. “Don’t mind one bit. It’ll be nice to be out in the open without having to worry about getting shot or blown up.”

She slanted her head toward him. “I can show you what needs to be done right now, if you want.”

“That’s fine, as long as I’m not keeping you from something else. I mean, it is quitting time and I’m sure you have an after-hours life.”

Anna had to laugh at that. “Oh, yes. Very exciting. I get to go upstairs and settle down with more paperwork.”

“Do you ever just get away from this place and have fun?”