A Family of Her Own (Dundee, Idaho #3)(73)
Author: Brenda Novak

Her car? Since she’d sold the Cadillac, she didn’t have a—Suddenly the memory of Booker handing her three thousand dollars flashed through Katie’s mind. “Oh, my gosh! It’s the Cadillac, isn’t it? They found the Cadillac in that gully!”

He didn’t answer.

No wonder he’d given her cash! He couldn’t write her a check without revealing that he was the one who was buying her car—a car he didn’t need. He’d basically given her that money. When her own parents had turned their backs on her, he’d taken her in, fed and clothed her, and bought her that computer and all her software.

“Booker, is it true?” she asked.

His scowl darkened. “It’s no big deal. I can always sell it.”

“But you haven’t been trying to sell it. You’ve been hiding it so I wouldn’t know you gave me three thousand dollars for nothing. Just because I needed it. Why?”

His gaze shifted to meet hers and his expression softened. “Why do you think?”

Warmth filled Katie as she thought about all the good things Booker had done for her. She didn’t care about his reputation or the mistakes he’d made in the past. She didn’t care about anyone else’s opinion of him. She knew him. He’d been there for her when she had no one else. It was his love that had nourished her.

Bringing Troy to her shocked mother, she threw her arms around Booker’s neck. “I’ve never known anyone with a more beautiful heart than yours,” she said and kissed him.

Booker looked a little uncomfortable having an audience to such praise. Certainly he wasn’t accustomed to it. But Katie could tell he was fighting a smile. And she knew Rebecca understood how she felt because of her silly grin. Even Katie’s parents seemed awestruck.

“So what now?” Don asked.

“We’re getting married,” Booker said.

Tami held Troy against her shoulder and patted his back. “When?”

“As soon as possible.”

“At least wait a while to make sure—” Don started, but Tami placed a hand on his arm.

“It’s too late for that, Don.” She turned her gaze on Booker. “Just tell me you’ll take good care of my grandson. You don’t mind that he’s not your baby, do you?”

Booker reached out and took Troy from her. “He is my baby now.”

“What about Delbert?” Don asked.

“He’ll stay right where he is,” Katie said.

“You’re going to let him live with you?”

Katie knew Booker felt responsible for Delbert, as a big brother of sorts, and could never send him away. She didn’t want him to. She loved Delbert, too, loved knowing that Booker’s heart was big enough to include him. “Yes.”

“Hey, can I live with you, too?” Travis asked, and chuckled weakly when his parents glared at him. “Just kidding.”

Katie looked at her father. “Will you come to the wedding, Dad?”

“I don’t know, Katie. I—I don’t know what to think.”

“Will you at least consider it?”

He nodded as Ashleigh came rushing into the storeroom. “Rita Price just called,” she announced. “You’re never going to believe why she missed her appointment today.”

Katie and Rebecca both said, “I hope she’s okay.”

“She’s fine. But someone broke into her house this morning while she was at church—and he was still there when she got home.”

“The poor thing’s got to be sixty!” Rebecca cried.

“And she lives alone,” Tami added.

Ashleigh rubbed her hands together. “She might be a widow, but guess what? She caught him! He flashed her but couldn’t get his pants up fast enough to make his getaway. He tried to run out the back, tripped and fell, and she hit him over the head with a skillet. Knocked him out cold.”

“Who was it?” Booker asked.

Ashleigh grinned. “Are you ready for this?”

Rebecca nudged her. “Just tell us.”

“Officer Orton’s son.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“DO YOU THINK MY FATHER will come to the wedding?” Katie asked as she and Booker packed up her belongings later that day.

“I don’t know,” Booker replied. “Why don’t you call him?”

Katie didn’t want to call her father tonight, just in case the answer was no. She planned to make dessert for her new family—Troy, Delbert, Bruiser and Booker—and afterward relax in Booker’s arms while watching a good movie. She hated to let anything spoil the simple peace of it. “I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“We could stop by their place on the way home if you want,” he said.

She definitely didn’t want to take that much of a risk. “No, it’s okay. They rushed off because they had company coming. I’ll handle it later.”

A knock on the open door caused Katie to turn. Mike was leaning against the lintel, his hands in his pockets. “You two need any help?”

“I think we got it,” Booker said.

Mike tipped his hat back. “You know you stole my girl, don’t you?” he said to Booker.

Booker glanced at Katie as he finished latching her suitcase. “It was nip and tuck there until the very end.”

Mike chuckled and shook his head. “No, you had me beat a long time ago.”

Booker set Katie’s suitcase on the floor. “So, are you going to start seeing Mary again?”

Mike rolled his eyes. “I was never seeing Mary! I was bored and wanted an occasional dinner companion, and she was available. But I’m beginning to believe I’ll never live it down.”

Laughing at Mike’s exasperation, Katie put Troy in his infant seat and arranged a blanket around him. “I don’t think she’s the woman for you.”

“No.”

“But there’ll be someone.”

“Let’s hope I find her before I turn forty.”

“First you have to overcome your fear of commitment,” she said.

“I’m not afraid of commitment!”

Katie heard Booker laugh softly at her baiting and liked having him with her. He was part of her. They belonged together, for better or worse. “Thanks for everything, Mike,” she said, giving him a hug as Booker carried out her suitcases.

“Actually, I came out here today to tell you I found Andy.”

Katie froze. “Where?”