Hope intended to do everything within her power to avoid Judah Lawless, not because she thought he was a murderer, but because he held the sort of danger within him that could hurt her in ways she had yet to experience. He’d made his position very clear, and she could hardly blame him. After having already lost two wives, why in the world would he ever want to get married again? He’d left no doubt—he didn’t. And she loved being a schoolteacher; every day the students grew on her a little more. With less than a month to go before the students took the summer off, she was already thinking about next year. Despite missing her family, she knew this is where she wanted to be, with these students, in this community. McKinney may have been wrong about Judah, but there was a lot to love in the thriving community, and Hope intended to make it her home.
Staying away from Judah proved easier than she would’ve thought considering she felt drawn to him. But since he lived so far away and they didn’t attend the same church, the only times she ever saw him were when he came to pick up his niece and nephew, and then he never got out of the wagon and parked further down the lane than he had previously. He knew she wanted to avoid him and respected that decision. She imagined he wanted to avoid her, too. After all, she hadn’t been very ladylike at the barn raising—spying on him shirtless and then kissing him like some sort of woman with loose morals. The fact that her own mother had told her a similar story about kissing her father made it seem more respectable, though she was aware the circumstances were much different for her parents. Her father had been leaving for war, after all.
Ginny was still having a few issues with the other girls, but Hope mentioned them to her mother whenever she came to pick the children up. She also addressed it with the other girls, hoping that would make it stop. It didn’t; they just made it even more covert. Hope knew enough not to mention it to their parents.
Life at the Howards’ was uncomfortable, and she missed her family more than she expected to after having been gone for so long. Letters came and went between them almost every day, but it wasn’t the same. And living in the cramped quarters was doing a number on her as well. But Mr. and Mrs. Howard were kind and courteous, and Hope didn’t want to question the possibility of the little house being built on the school grounds because she didn’t want to hurt their feelings. Still, when she had a chance to daydream, her mind wandered to what it would be like to have her own place, where she could be herself and not have to worry about waking the elderly or stepping on Mrs. Howard’s toes when their ways of doing things weren’t quite the same. Since she still hadn’t received the slates she needed, she doubted there was any chance of construction starting on the home any time soon and tried to put it out of her mind.
One early May afternoon, she’d finished cleaning up the classroom and was headed out when Doc’s wagon pulled up out front. She smiled and gathered her things. While she was aware his feelings for her were different than the way she felt about him, he was a good friend, respectable and easy to talk to. The contract assured her he wouldn’t do anything to make her feel uncomfortable, other than stare at her and blush sometimes if she sat too close on the wagon bench.
“Howdy there,” he called as she stepped out onto the porch. “I think I’ve got just enough time to run you home before I head over to the Talbot’s place. Shirleen ain’t been able to make it in this week. I think she might be havin’ that baby at any moment.”
“My goodness! Is it time already?” Hope asked, excitement bubbling up inside of her for the woman she’d met the first time she stopped by Doc’s office. “Are you sure you shouldn’t head on over there right now?”
“She hasn’t sent anyone to fetch me yet, so I think it’s okay. I just have a feelin’ based on the last examination I did. It can’t be long.”
“All right then,” Hope said, hopping up into the wagon like it was her own. She had considered getting herself a little pony and trap but wasn’t sure if the Howards would let her keep it in the small carriage house. “Actually, I have a favor to ask,” Hope said, clearing her throat. “I was thinking I should head uptown and speak to Mr. Stamine about those slates. It’s been a few weeks since I checked with him, and he seems to be givin’ me the run around.”
“I cannot imagine Joe Stamine givin’ anyone the run around,” Doc said, but the twinkle in his eye told her he was pulling her leg. “Yes’m, Miss Tucker. Let’s head thataway,” Doc said with a nod, and he pulled the horse around.
It was a hot afternoon, and Hope had it on good authority it would only be getting hotter. They weren’t deep in the heart of Texas; it wasn’t all that far to Oklahoma from here. But the longtime residents said she could expect scorching heat from May until September and then lots of rain and a mild winter. She was looking forward to less snow and sleet, but the idea of living through months of temperatures even higher than the suffocating she was experiencing in May did not sound inviting.
There weren’t too many other folks on the square when they arrived, but Hope did see one familiar face. As soon as the wagon passed Doc’s office, Lluvia came running out, flagging him down. “Sal Masters fell and broke her hip!” she shouted. “She’s in the back room! Her husband just went lookin’ for you!”
Doc was clearly alarmed. “I’ll be right there!” he called.
“I’ll take the reins,” Hope assured him, knowing where he parked, and he nodded his thanks before jumping down out of the wagon and running to his waiting assistant. She changed course, headed to his preferred spot, and hitched the horse and wagon securely before proceeding to his office herself. She doubted there was anything she could do to help, but a broken hip sounded serious.