Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗

and fancy setting seemed out of place for barbeque brisket, but Nathan’s mother loved pulling out all the stops and making everyone feel like kings and queens.

The air seemed thick with tension and the room quiet, as silverware clinked against china. Maybe everyone was just hungry. Carli pushed the concern from her mind.

“There’s pecan pie and blackberry cobbler,” announced Mrs. Olsen as she cleared a spot on the sideboard for the desserts.

“Which would you like?” asked Nathan.

“Pie please, and thanks.” Carli smiled.

He returned with pie for her and a bowl of cobbler for himself. He grinned when she eyed his bowl. “You can have a taste if you’d like.”

She giggled. “Great.” She dipped her spoon into his bowl and brought it to her lips. As she did, she glanced up to see Lank watching her from the far end of the table. His face was red as anger glinted in his eyes, but then he changed to a look of utter sadness as he watched her. She’d ask him if everything was all right after the meal.

“Can I have your attention everyone?” Nathan stood and gently tapped his spoon against his tea glass. There really wasn’t much talking, again strangely quiet, but Carli looked up at him. “Mom. We are all here today to celebrate you, and, as usual, instead of relaxing you’ve outdone yourself. The meal was delicious. Thank you.”

Claps and agreements followed.

“You’re sweet, but I had some good help. Thanks to Lola for assisting in the kitchen.”

Mrs. Olsen put an arm around Lola who said, “Anytime, but it was mostly all you.”

“I want to give you something I made. Happy Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day.” He handed her a bright pink bag. She genuinely seemed surprised, and pulled out an intricate, delicate, copper-colored, long-stemmed rose made from metal. She beamed with pride. “It’s beautiful. You made this, Son?” The look of surprise shone across her face.

“Which brings me to the next thing I want to say.” Nathan cleared his throat. “I have an announcement to make.”

The faces around the table were frozen in place, no one uttered a word. Nathan leaned on the table as if to find courage, and then he glanced at Carli and winked. She smiled back but had no idea what he was about to say.

“We know already,” said his mother with great exuberance and a wide smile on her face. “The best present you could ever give me. I’m going to be a grandma!”

Carli choked on a bite of pie, coughed and sputtered, and then covered her embarrassment with her napkin. The town rumor was running amok.

“What?” Total shock appeared on Nathan's face as he looked at Carli. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing at Lank. He smirked and then shot Carli a look of anger, disappointment, almost hatred. He didn’t seem surprised which meant he had heard the rumor too.

“When’s the wedding, big brother?” asked Travis.

“No, wait.” Nathan held up his hands. “There’s no wedding.”

“You sorry loser.” Angie jumped up from her chair so fast it turned over backwards hitting the tile floor with a thwack. “I should smash your face in.”

Voices started all at once with some congratulations in between Angie’s griping at her brother. Lola’s voice rose from the den. “You can get married at the Wild Cow!”

“I’m trying to tell you, I’ve made a decision about my future. I'm leaving town.” Nathan’s voice was drowned out by the chattering around him.

“What’s this nonsense? Of course, you’re marrying Carli. You're not going anywhere,” Skip Olsen said firmly and then turned his attention back to his bowl of cobbler.

Carli watched the chaos for a minute and then climbed up on top of her chair. She stood and placed two fingers between her lips, giving a shrill, piercing whistle that stopped the chatter instantly.

“I am not pregnant!” she shouted. And then glanced down the long table to see that Lank’s chair was empty. Her heart sank. She got off the chair and turned to Nathan. “You are a dear friend, but I’m not going to Santa Fe with you. That is what you’ve decided, isn’t it?” She moved closer to Nathan and took his hands. “You’re going to pursue your art, aren’t you? I wish you all the best, but I’ve got to go now and take care of something. Before it's too late.”

She rushed to Buck’s side. “Where did Lank go? I have to talk to him. Right away.”

“He left early to ride in a rodeo. Stay on highway 287 and it’s three towns over.”

“Go get him, Carli,” whispered Lola.

She nodded. “That’s what I intend to do. Say a prayer for us.”

"Always." Lola smiled.

“Name of the town is Happy,” Buck called after her.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

“Carli. Wait.” Nathan’s voice followed her to the entry hall of the Olsen’s ranch house, just before she placed a hand on the front doorknob.

Carli turned to face him. “Nate. I’m sorry.”

“I went over and over what I wanted to say to my parents, and that’s not anything like I had imagined the conversation would go.”

“What a mess this is. I feel bad. I ruined your announcement.”

“Back there I said there was no wedding, but I didn’t mean it. I’ll help you raise this child.”

For a moment Carli was shocked. So, it seemed, Nathan believed the rumor too. “You think it’s true? You think I’d do that? I thought you knew me better.”

“It is a shock, but we will get through this.” He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her.

She pushed him away, almost feeling betrayed. “Listen. It’s not true. It was a horrible rumor started by that waitress at the coffee shop. Remember when I showed you my birth certificate? She only heard part of our conversation and repeated it to Belinda and then to the entire town, apparently.”

“There’s no one else? I hoped we would eventually find our way, but I didn’t want to rush you.”

“There’s no one. At least not at this moment.” That last part escaped from her lips before she could