newest resident of Harmony, Texas.
Though they’d both crossed the hall many times, Kate insisted on claiming the guest room in his place as hers, and would until they married. Despite being a major and in her forties, his Kate was very proper, and, he thought, very loved. Not only he, but his staff and everyone she’d met in town had welcomed her to Harmony with open arms.
Tyler tapped on the frame of her open bedroom door. “Sorry to wake you, dear,” he whispered, “but may I come in?”
She made a sleepy little noise that sounded something like a yes.
Tyler pulled off his tie and shoes as he walked to her bed. He had only a few minutes, but he wanted to finish the night with her in his arms. He lifted the covers and slipped in beside her, loving the warmth of her as she cuddled into him.
Kissing the top of her head, he whispered, “I love having you here, dear Kate.”
Until he’d found her, he’d spent all his adult life alone. No woman had ever set foot in his quarters above the funeral home, except for the housekeeper.
Thinking of his new housekeeper, Autumn Smith, Tyler smiled. He’d found her sleeping in the cemetery with nowhere to go and pregnant. When he’d offered her the rooms next to the kitchen, and a job as cook and housekeeper, she’d been suspicious. Now, she was part of the family and the staff was getting fat on her cooking.
In a few weeks she’d have a baby and everyone, including old Calvin, who worked in the basement, was so excited. Kate had organized everything, and they’d even run drills for when the time came. The cars were never to be less than half full of gas. The suitcase was always at the kitchen door, already packed. Calvin had even installed a buzzer that, when pushed from the kitchen, went off in all the private areas of the house.
For the first time since Tyler had been born forty-five years ago, there would be a baby at the Wright Funeral Home. “Life goes on,” he whispered as he rested his cheek against Kate’s head and fell asleep.
Chapter 9
B UFFALO B AR AND G RILL
B EAU Y ATES FINISHED THE LAST SET OF SONGS, SET HIS guitar down, and told Border Biggs that he wasn’t feeling well.
Border agreed he should go on home. “I’ll get my brother to help load up and take the equipment back to the duplex. Ronny’s trying out a few new desserts on us tonight. She says if we live she might cook for a boyfriend someday.”
Beau shook his head as the image of Ronny Logan blinked in his mind. It seemed unlikely that Ronny, who lived on the other side of the Biggs brothers’ duplex, would ever be brave enough to go out on a date.
“She’s way into the ‘never get married’ zone,” Beau said. “Some women miss their window of opportunity, and I’m afraid your neighbor is one of them. What is she, twenty-seven or twenty-eight?” She was a nice lady who worked at the post office, but she had that never-had-a-date lookabout her. Beau liked her, though, because she never complained when they practiced late, and she sometimes brought them leftovers. The first few months she’d lived next to the Biggs boys, nothing she made was fit to eat, but she was getting better. Now, when he ate her cooking, Beau figured he had better than a fifty-fifty chance of keeping it down.
“I don’t know how old she is.” Border packed up their guitars. “Maybe when she found out both of us Biggs boys were too young for her, she just gave up and started cooking.”
Beau walked toward the door. “That would be a switch.” He laughed. “But I can see how you two could turn a woman in that direction.” Border didn’t just frighten small children, he frightened just about everyone who didn’t know him, and his older brother, even without the tattoos, was just about as threatening. Big was the kind of man who could clear his throat in a room and everyone would start running for the door.
Beau smiled at his friend. “I’ll come over tomorrow before noon so we
Though they’d both crossed the hall many times, Kate insisted on claiming the guest room in his place as hers, and would until they married. Despite being a major and in her forties, his Kate was very proper, and, he thought, very loved. Not only he, but his staff and everyone she’d met in town had welcomed her to Harmony with open arms.
Tyler tapped on the frame of her open bedroom door. “Sorry to wake you, dear,” he whispered, “but may I come in?”
She made a sleepy little noise that sounded something like a yes.
Tyler pulled off his tie and shoes as he walked to her bed. He had only a few minutes, but he wanted to finish the night with her in his arms. He lifted the covers and slipped in beside her, loving the warmth of her as she cuddled into him.
Kissing the top of her head, he whispered, “I love having you here, dear Kate.”
Until he’d found her, he’d spent all his adult life alone. No woman had ever set foot in his quarters above the funeral home, except for the housekeeper.
Thinking of his new housekeeper, Autumn Smith, Tyler smiled. He’d found her sleeping in the cemetery with nowhere to go and pregnant. When he’d offered her the rooms next to the kitchen, and a job as cook and housekeeper, she’d been suspicious. Now, she was part of the family and the staff was getting fat on her cooking.
In a few weeks she’d have a baby and everyone, including old Calvin, who worked in the basement, was so excited. Kate had organized everything, and they’d even run drills for when the time came. The cars were never to be less than half full of gas. The suitcase was always at the kitchen door, already packed. Calvin had even installed a buzzer that, when pushed from the kitchen, went off in all the private areas of the house.
For the first time since Tyler had been born forty-five years ago, there would be a baby at the Wright Funeral Home. “Life goes on,” he whispered as he rested his cheek against Kate’s head and fell asleep.
Chapter 9
B UFFALO B AR AND G RILL
B EAU Y ATES FINISHED THE LAST SET OF SONGS, SET HIS guitar down, and told Border Biggs that he wasn’t feeling well.
Border agreed he should go on home. “I’ll get my brother to help load up and take the equipment back to the duplex. Ronny’s trying out a few new desserts on us tonight. She says if we live she might cook for a boyfriend someday.”
Beau shook his head as the image of Ronny Logan blinked in his mind. It seemed unlikely that Ronny, who lived on the other side of the Biggs brothers’ duplex, would ever be brave enough to go out on a date.
“She’s way into the ‘never get married’ zone,” Beau said. “Some women miss their window of opportunity, and I’m afraid your neighbor is one of them. What is she, twenty-seven or twenty-eight?” She was a nice lady who worked at the post office, but she had that never-had-a-date lookabout her. Beau liked her, though, because she never complained when they practiced late, and she sometimes brought them leftovers. The first few months she’d lived next to the Biggs boys, nothing she made was fit to eat, but she was getting better. Now, when he ate her cooking, Beau figured he had better than a fifty-fifty chance of keeping it down.
“I don’t know how old she is.” Border packed up their guitars. “Maybe when she found out both of us Biggs boys were too young for her, she just gave up and started cooking.”
Beau walked toward the door. “That would be a switch.” He laughed. “But I can see how you two could turn a woman in that direction.” Border didn’t just frighten small children, he frightened just about everyone who didn’t know him, and his older brother, even without the tattoos, was just about as threatening. Big was the kind of man who could clear his throat in a room and everyone would start running for the door.
Beau smiled at his friend. “I’ll come over tomorrow before noon so we
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