"Take Me Out..Period."

Chapter 6

Bethanie looked over at T.C. as she sat on the horse he'd saddled for her. The breeze blew past his ranch home, through the large trees, and she could feel herself drifting back to strong, sweet memories of country living.

"You okay?" he asked, a concerned look pasted on his handsome face as he rode to her side.

"Perfect." she smiled at him, watching as the concerned look drifted away.

"You are." winking, he took off on horseback leaving her in the dust.

"HEY! Come back here!" she shouted, clicking to the horse and going after him.

The scenery passed in a blurr as she focused in on T.C., and she realized that somehow that was more than a thought about the here and now. It was almost as if that's what her life was coming to. Shaking her head, she frowned. Hadn't she promised herself no commitments? No commitments meant no broken heart, it meant no breaking up or divorce. The sky above was a brilliant blue, with puffy clouds that resembled cotton candy. It was as if God, is His infinite wisdom and mercy was telling her to trust.

T.C. came to a stop in front of her, and turned to face her, "You keep up well."

"Thanks, I know." smiling at him, she took off her cowboy hat and swatted it against her leg. "This is fun."

"I love it." he smiled as well.

Jumping off the horse, he came to her side and helped her down as well before leading her to the hill nearest the river. Together they sat on the overhang, looking down at the river below and then up toward the sky where the sun was beginning its descent. Bethanie breathed deep of the fresh air and focused her attention on the man beside her. "What's your dream, T.C?"

"My dream?" he looked stunned as he took his hat off and lay it beside him.

"Yes, you know something you aspire toward."

Sitting back with his weight resting on his hands, T.C. moved his eyes heavenward as he thought. Bethanie couldn't help but smile at the way thoughtfulness wrinkled his nose just a bit, his eyebrows hung low over his eyes. Every inch cowboy, and both eyes placed exactly where they should be. On God.

"To raise my daughters correctly." he finally uttered.

Something inside of her lept at the mention of his daughters, they were simply adorable. She smiled at him, "Their adorable you know."

"Yes, I know, they take after their mother." he winked, before his eyes probed deeper into her's, "So what are your dreams, Bethanie?"

Somehow she didn't see that turning around on her, but instead of getting flustered she thought, really thought. "To find the man God pre-destined for me, and to be happy with him for as long as I live." The words simply seemed to flow out of her mouth into the empty space between them, and she realized it was true. That was her dream.

"You believe in God?"

The words shook her to the core, and she couldn't help staring at T.C. His eyes were hollow as he stared back, her heart seemed to cease its beating as she looked at him. What had she done? He didn't believe in God? "You don't?" she stuttered still staring in shock.

"I did once, not anymore. I'm sorry Beth."

"Not as sorry as I am..." she whispered, standing to her feet. "I think I'm going to head home...hope you don't mind me cutting out early."

"Oh no, go right ahead.."

--

T.C. watched Bethanie pull away in her truck, and he felt his heart being emptied of all hope for any future with the woman. He shouldn't have bursted her bubble so quickly, really he should have went along with the God thing. However, his honor didn't allow him to lie, even by omission. Shrugging, he walked back toward the house. Immediately, Shiloh raced into his arms hugging him tightly. "Hi baby."

"Daddy! Daddy! Where's Miss Bethie?" her brown eyes sought her beloved teacher.

"She had to go home early.." he said quickly, hoping that would pacify his daughter.

"Oh." her big eyes fringed in full, dark lashes pinned his, "Story, Daddy?"

"Yes, let's read a story. Where's Shadow?" Taking his daughter's hand in his he let her lead him toward their bedroom where Shadow sat quietly playing with toys. "Ready to read a book, Shadow?"

Her head bobbed up and down as she tossed the blocks she'd been playing with out of the way.

Quickly, he sat on the floor, pulling Shiloh onto one leg and Shadow onto the other. With a hand, he grasped their favorite book from beside him, and he began to read. Half way through the book, he looked down at the toddlers in his lap and smiled. Both had fallen asleep against him. Sighing, T.C. set the book down on the shelf and scooped up both girls.

"Their getting so big." his mother whispered from the doorway.

He nodded, "I know, I can hardly believe how big they are now. Remember how tiny they were when we first brought them home?" Casting a glance toward the pictures on the wall, he let his mind wander back to that time.

His mother chuckled, "I remember you thinking they'd break if you did anything wrong."

"I still think that sometimes." he whispered, as he touched Shadow's cheek softly.

His mother nodded, "Me too, son, me too."

Following her into the kitchen, he sat in one of the chairs at the table. "Even after twenty seven years, you still think you can mess up?"

Vivian James chuckled, "It's quite possible to still mess up, Tucker."

"Thanks for the encouragement." he muttered with a grin toward his mother.

"Anytime, baby, anytime." pressing a kiss to his forehead, she walked toward her bedroom.

Still possible to mess things up, even after all those years? Was that true?