Lone Star Hero. Jolene Navarro

age I could barely walk without tripping.” He gave Vickie and Ashley a hug. “I’m heading out. Call me if you need anything. Love you.”

      She kissed him on the cheek. “Love you, too, Daddy.”

      “See you later, Jake.”

      “Sir.” Jake gave him a nod. After the door closed, her childhood friend stood with his hands in his pockets, keeping his gaze on Seth. “Well, I guess we’ll head out. I should have him back between four and four-thirty.”

      “I’ll come pick him up, no need for you to drive all the way out here. What time is it over?”

      “We’re usually done before four, but it’s pretty informal, so he can leave whenever you get there.”

      “Okay, sounds good.”

      They stood there like idiots not wanting to leave but not having any reason to stay.

      “Are we going or not?” Insolence laced Seth’s voice.

      “Seth!” Embarrassed at his attitude, Vickie sent an apologetic glance to Jake.

      “It’s okay.” Jake patted the sullen teen on the back. “I’m ready for some football.” With a wink to Vickie, he followed Seth out the door.

      That wink made her feel things she needed to pack away with her homecoming mums. She wanted to be independent. She needed to be independent. Instead, he made her consider giving it all up to hide in his arms. Coming home, she would have never guessed Jake Torres would be the biggest threat to her sanity and heart.

Chapter Six

      Vickie pulled into the gravel parking lot of the unfinished youth building. Her daughter leaped out of the car before she shut off the engine. Racing across the field, Ashley stopped at the sideline and started jumping up and down, cheering for her brother. Vickie chuckled at the look of horror on Seth’s face.

      With a smile, she grabbed the extra cookies she and Ashley had made after Jake had left with Seth. Making her way across the dry field, Vickie kept her gaze on Jake. She stopped next to her daughter.

      A mix of men and boys ranging in age from twelve to fifty made up the teams; her son looked to be the youngest. Seth crouched down next to Jake, his fingers in the dusty ground as they made up the line. His stare fixed on her boss, Rhody Buchannan. The Mercantile owner played quarterback for the other team. The ball snapped, and Vickie held her breath. Seth looked so small out there with the men and high school boys.

      Rhody handed the ball off to Derrick De La Soto, a teenager in the youth band. Jake cut him off, forcing him toward Seth. Her heart froze, and she shot a quick prayer for her son. Seth pounced and gripped the bright yellow flag from Derrick’s hip. He jumped up with the flag high in the air. Ashley yelled his name and clapped.

      With a huge sigh of relief, Vickie released the death grip on the container of cookies. Pastor John blew a whistle and called the game. The teams started mingling and shaking hands. Seth ran toward her, his hair sweaty and plastered to his skin.

      “Mom, did you see what I did?”

      His blue eyes sparkled in a way she had not seen in the last two years.

      “Yes, I’m so proud of you.” I will not cry.

      Pastor John walked over and patted Seth on the back. “Great job today, Seth. I’m glad you joined us.”

      “Thank you for letting me play. Mom, I got five flags.” He bounced on the balls of his feet.

      “I think we might have created a defensive monster,” the pastor said.

      “Yeah, they couldn’t get through us. We built a solid wall. I love football, Mom. Dad just had me in the wrong positions.” He glanced at the box in her hand. “Can I have a cookie?”

      “Oh, yes. Here, Pastor. I brought your favorite, chocolate chip pecan.” She held out the container, allowing each to take one.

      “Can I take them to the teams?”

      “That’s why I brought them.”

      Seth ran off with the cookies, and Ashley followed. Jake had worked wonders in one afternoon.

      The pastor pulled her out of her own thoughts. “Seth and Jake seem to be getting along well. Seth’s coming out of his shell.”

      She nodded. “I’m so sorry for the problems he caused with Rachel and well...” She had to say the words no matter how humiliating. “Pastor John...”

      “Vickie, it’s okay. Seth apologized, too.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “I did tell Rachel if she ever left the house without permission again, she would be grounded until she turned thirty. Raising children is a rough job, and doing it as a single parent is even harder. Remember, you don’t have to do it alone. The church is here for you.”

      She swallowed the burning knot lodged in her throat. “Thank you, but it’s more than Seth’s behavior. I had no excuse for the way I treated Lorrie Ann.”

      John rested his hand on her shoulder. “It’s behind us.” He nodded and smiled. “Asking for forgiveness is difficult, but sometimes accepting it is even more so.”

      Vickie wrapped her arms around her middle. “Thank you so much for everything.” Pulling her gaze from her son and Jake, she looked at Pastor John. “So now I’m making the dresses for your wedding. How are the rest of the plans coming along?”

      He groaned. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m so happy Lorrie Ann has been able to reconnect with her mother and wants to involve Sonia while also respecting Maggie as the mother that raised her, but convoluted would not be an exaggeration. Throw in her cousin Yolanda and my two girls and you have total chaos. Lorrie Ann reassures me it is controlled chaos, but I’m not sure I’m buying it.”

      He popped a green Jolly Rancher in his mouth. “We’re trying to keep it small, but everyone in town seems to think they also have a say. Lorrie Ann is excited about the ideas she has for you.”

      A little bit of shock still stumbled through her at the thought of making the dresses for Lorrie Ann’s wedding. For a while she had thought dating Pastor Levi would be a perfect way to get over Tommy. He had made it clear he wasn’t interested.

      The minute Lorrie Ann stepped back into town, Vickie could tell John reconsidered his stance on dating. That had stung her pride.

      Then Jake defended Lorrie Ann, and Vickie had gone right back to high school and picked up the role of the mean girl again. The list of things for which she needed to ask forgiveness seemed to be getting longer instead of shorter.

      She could do this. “Maybe Lorrie Ann needs to find someone else. I know a woman in Uvalde that...”

      “Lorrie Ann wants you, and Maggie is determined that you make her and Sonia’s dresses, too. Lorrie Ann was amazed with your work on the costumes at the Christmas pageant. Don’t let past mistakes or fear stop you from using your gifts.”

      A flash of guilt caused her to bite the inside of her cheek. She had almost ruined the Christmas pageant because she had been jealous of Lorrie Ann. “Thank you. I do love sewing.”

      Embarrassment had her wanting to hide, but she had already agreed and she owed Lorrie Ann so much. “Well, the thought of designing dresses for the whole party is exciting.” She looked over the brown football field. Jake had two cookies in his hand. He saluted her and mouthed his thanks, winking before turning back to the huddle of males.

      “Pastor John, I have a question,” she said as she focused on the hills surrounding the little valley.

      “What can I help you with?” The steadiness and concern in his voice calmed her.

      “How do we know God’s plan for us? I mean, how can we tell the difference between what we want and what God wants for us?”

      “That’s