Pastor's Prize (Culpepper Cowboys Book 15) Read online

  “How do you like living in Culpepper?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “It’s nice. I wish my sister and brother-in-law were around more, but I enjoy living with Linda.”

  “You stay with Linda Culpepper while they’re filming, right?”

  Rikki nodded. “You learned a lot about me in a short period of time.”

  He frowned. “It’s not hard. This is a gossipy little town. Not in a bad way, but everyone knows everyone else’s business. And your story isn’t exactly a secret.”

  She sighed. “No, it’s not. My face was on the front page of a whole lot of newspapers when it first happened, and again when he settled without going to trial.”

  “Do you want to talk about what happened?”

  She shrugged. “What is there to talk about? I was kidnapped. My sister saved me.”

  “There’s more to it than that. Not a lot of details were released about what happened to you. Did he rape you?” He knew the words were blunt, but he also knew that there were times when you had to just say what was on your mind to get to the needed answers.

  She shook her head. She didn’t want to talk about it. It was still painful. “No, he didn’t.”

  “How did you get away?”

  She frowned at him. “You can find those details in at least thirty places online. Why don’t you do a search?”

  “I don’t want to do a search. I want you to tell me.”

  “Look, Pastor Benjamin, I’m not sure why you’ve decided to make me your project, but I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s not easy, and if you hadn’t noticed, I’m at my place of business.”

  “Call me Ben.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Call me Ben. I’m not talking to you as a pastor. I’m talking as a friend.” And he was, which surprised him. He’d told himself he wanted to make sure she was all right, because that’s what a pastor did, which was true as far as it went. No, he was interested in her in a much more base level than as a pastor talking to a congregant. He was just interested in her. Period.

  “Why should I call you Ben? You’re trying to counsel me. I can’t call my counselor Ben.”

  “I’m not trying to counsel you, though.” He reached over and covered her hand with his. “I want to get to know you better, but not as a pastor.”

  She blinked at him a few times, before slowly responding, her face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m not sure I understand. I thought Brother Anthony told you to talk to me.”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. Brother Anthony only knows I left for lunch. He has no idea where I am, or that I’m trying to talk to you.”

  “But—I don’t understand why you’re here then. Why me?”

  “I can’t be the first man to tell you that you’re a beautiful woman, Rikki.”

  “Well, no, but you know what happened to me!”

  “Is that supposed to scare me away? The fact that you were kidnapped?”

  She shrugged. “It scares everyone else away. No one knows what to say to me. It’s like I’ve become someone else after what happened.” And she hated it. She hated that people looked at her and saw a victim. People once saw her as Valerie Dobson’s little sister, and she’d thought that was rough. Now that she was the younger sister who was kidnapped, she knew that she’d had it easy before.

  “It’s not scaring me. I think you’re a special woman, and I want to spend more time with you. Would you be willing to go out with me?”

  Rikki stared at him for a minute, her voice lost. She’d never really dated. She’d never had the time. She’d been an honor’s student in high school, studying all the time. Then she’d gone to college for pre-med, so she was again studying all the time. She’d decided a year off was necessary after the kidnapping though, so there she was in Culpepper, trying to remember what she used to see that was so good in the world.

  “Well?” he asked, wondering why it mattered to him so much that this girl went out with him. Sure, she was beautiful, but he’d met other beautiful women that he hadn’t felt compelled to date. She was different, though.

  “I guess I can do that.” She couldn’t believe she’d agreed. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wished them back. She couldn’t go out with a pastor. Why would he want her?

  Ben smiled. “Tonight?”

  “Tonight…I…Sure. I guess tonight is fine.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven.” He stood, crumpling the trash from his lunch and carrying it to the garbage can.

  “What should I wear?” she asked, stunned at how quickly he was pushing forward.

  “Jeans are fine. See you then.” He waved as he left the building, leaving Rikki staring after him.

  She wasn’t sure why she’d agreed, but there was no going back now. She would have to go out with the handsome new pastor, but she was sure he would go away soon. She was nobody’s prize, and he’d realize it faster than she could recount the story of what had happened to her.

  2

  Rikki began to panic before she even got home from work that afternoon. She knew there was no way she could be alone with a man. What had she been thinking?

  As soon as she walked in the door, she headed straight for Linda, confessing what she’d agreed to. “When Ben comes to the door, will you tell him I’m dead? Please?”

  Linda frowned at Rikki. “He’ll realize you’re not dead when you show up for church on Sunday.”

  “I’ll change churches! How far of a drive is it to Haskell?” Rikki asked, naming the nearest town.

  “You’re not going to change churches. Let’s take this one step at a time. Go to your room and change into jeans and a nice shirt.”

  Rikki bit her lip, nodding slowly. “I can do that much.”

  “Then go.” Linda reached out and gave Rikki a slight push in the direction of her bedroom. “When you’re done, come out and we’ll talk.”

  Rikki hurried to her room, digging through her clothes. Jeans. She knew she had a pair of jeans somewhere. Several in fact. She found a pair hanging in her closet, and took them out, and then she found a nice green blouse that matched her eyes. She changed and then went back out to find Linda in the living room. “I did it.” Why did she feel like changing her clothes was such an accomplishment?

  Linda smiled, assessing the younger woman’s appearance. “You have a bit of flour on your cheek. Go wash your face and put some lipstick on. Thankfully, you don’t need any more makeup than that.”

  Rikki hurried off to do as she was told. She noticed that her hair was still in the ponytail she’d put it in for work, so she brushed it out, letting it fall in waves down her back. Her hair was much longer than she’d ever worn it, but she couldn’t force herself to sit with anyone standing over her with scissors. It hadn’t been cut since the kidnapping.

  She hurried back out into the living room, certain she was ready to go now. All except her coat, and that was on the back of the couch. She sat down beside Linda. “I’m scared. What if I freak out about being alone with him?”

  “Does he know your history?”

  “He knows about the kidnapping. I’m sure by now he’s searched every news site that covered what happened.” Rikki didn’t have to talk about how much she hated that the incident was online, just waiting for everyone to read. Linda understood.

  “If he knows what happened to you, then he should be able to handle it if you do get scared. He’s a counselor, and from what I hear, he’s a very good one.”

  Rikki sighed. “You know I never just ‘get scared.’ I have a full-on panic attack!”

  “If it happens, he’ll deal with it. That’s what he does, after all.”

  “I just wish I didn’t have to worry about those things! I’m still afraid to get in and out of my car!” Rikki shook her head.

  “I know you are. But I also know you want to get better. Hiding here at my house and avoiding all possibilities of a relationship isn’t going to help you in any way.”

  “Why do you always h
ave to be so logical?” Rikki jumped at the doorbell. “That’s probably him! I can’t go! I just—There’s no way I can handle it. Not tonight.”

  Linda squeezed Rikki’s hand. “Then tell him that, but I’m not going to do it for you. Go to the door and let him know you can’t go.”

  Rikki wrinkled her nose, knowing Linda was right. She hurried to the door and threw it open, wanting to get it over with. She stood staring in shock when she saw who was there. Grace stood with Marcus and Ben. Rikki blinked a few times. “Do you want to come in?”

  Grace laughed softly. “We’re here to get you for your date tonight. Ben got take-out and we’re eating at our house.”

  Rikki nodded, hurrying to get her coat. He’d handled her fears. She wondered if he’d always know what to do to keep her from getting scared. “I won’t be too late,” she told Linda.

  Linda smiled in response. “Just have a good time.”

  She shrugged into her coat and walked out to the car with Ben at her side. “Where’d the others go?”

  “They’re waiting in the car. I thought it would seem strange if all three of us were standing there waiting for you to come out.”

  “It was strange that all three of you came to pick me up to begin with.”

  He opened the back door of Grace’s vehicle for her, before walking around to the other side. “I thought you might be getting nervous, and you’d feel better if Grace was there as well. She’s agreed to come with me to drop you off if you need her to.”

  Rikki bit her lip. “Can I get back to you on that?” She wanted to say she’d be fine, but the truth was she didn’t know how she’d be in a couple of hours. At least she knew Grace and her husband Marcus, so she wouldn’t be nervous about being in their home.

  Ben nodded solemnly. “Of course, you can. I’m just glad you agreed to come out with me to begin with.”

  Marcus looked into the rearview mirror. “Everyone buckled?”

  Rikki quickly buckled her seatbelt. She didn’t like wearing them, because she felt like they pinned her down, making it harder to get away. “I am now.”

  On the short drive to Marcus and Grace’s house, Grace talked about the baby shower cake she was making for her sisters Joy and Faith, who were having a joint shower. They were due on the same day, which Rikki found to be very odd. “I’ll bet Linda is bouncing off the walls getting ready for her first two grandbabies.”

  Rikki smiled at that. “She is. I think she’s crocheted more little booties than anyone has ever crocheted. And she’s painted little signs for their walls. I wish the girls would tell what they’re having.”

  “I know! I think they just like knowing something no one else does.” Grace shook her head. “My sisters can be pains at times.” Both of the sisters in question were married to Culpepper sons. The Quinlan quadruplets had all married Culpeppers, and their younger sisters, twins Grace and Honor, had come out later and married men from Culpepper along with their two cousins. All eight of the former Quinlan girls now lived in Culpepper.

  “All sisters can be pains at times!” Rikki said, only half joking.

  “Even Valerie?” Grace asked, her eyes wide as she turned in her seat to look at Rikki.

  “Especially Valerie! How would you like to be the younger sister of someone as famous as Valerie? Everyone knows her name. That’s why I started going by Rikki. Both of us having V names was a pain, because then people really lumped us together.”

  “A V name?” Ben asked, a frown on his face. “Veronica?”

  Rikki nodded. “I changed my name when I started high school, though, and refused to answer to Veronica anymore. Valerie was halfway through college then and everyone was convinced she was perfect.”

  “She’s not?” Grace asked.

  Rikki sighed. “I know you’re a huge fan of Valerie’s, but she really can be a pain. I hate living in her shadow.”

  Ben shrugged. “I’ll have you know I have only seen the show a couple of times, and I’m not that fond of it.”

  Rikki frowned at him. “My sister is an incredible actress!”

  He sighed. “I can’t win either way, can I?”

  “Probably not.” She shook her head, laughing at herself. Only she was allowed to admit her sister was less than her impeccable reputation. “I love my sister, and no one gets to talk badly about her except me!”

  “I still can’t figure out why she’s not perfect,” Grace put in from the front seat. “I think she’s pretty incredible.”

  “She is,” Rikki agreed. “She’d do anything for me. I just wish I really was more like her at times.”

  “Why?” Ben asked. “You seem pretty awesome to me just the way you are.”

  “You don’t understand. Valerie isn’t just an actress. She was a straight A student. Always the smartest girl in school. Always good at everything she touches. I felt so boring trying to live up to her perfection.”

  “I have an older brother. I understand completely.”

  “What does he do?” Rikki asked. Ben seemed rather perfect to her, so she couldn’t imagine him trying to live up to someone else.

  “He’s a cardiac surgeon. Mom wanted us both to be doctors, but my calling was different.” He shrugged. Sometimes he felt guilty for following his heart, and not becoming a doctor like his father and brother.

  “I was pre-med before the kidnapping,” she said softly, surprising herself. She rarely talked about what her plans were before, because she’d abandoned everything. It was all she could do to just survive at this point.

  “Do you have plans to return to school?”

  She shook her head. “Not at this time. I can’t be around crowds. Or closed in places. Or cars.”

  “Cars?” He understood the first two, but cars?

  “I was walking out to my car after a late shift at the grocery store where I worked when he grabbed me. Actually, he didn’t have to grab me. He talked me into going with him. I was so gullible.” She never would be again, though. She looked at everyone, wondering what they would do to her if given the chance. She missed the trust she used to be able to place in people.

  “So now you’re afraid of cars?”

  “Well, that’s inaccurate. I’m afraid of getting in and out of cars by myself. If I get out of my car and park it, even in broad daylight, I run to wherever I’m going. It’s silly, but I expect him to jump out from behind every bush.”

  He frowned. He’d researched her to find out everything he could about what had happened. He’d thought he was going to try to get her into a counseling session, but he found he couldn’t. His feelings for her were too strong to try to work with her. It wouldn’t be professional. “Isn’t he in jail?”

  “He’ll be in jail for a very long time. That doesn’t change my fears. I know they’re irrational.”

  He reached over and took her tiny hand in his. He was a large man. Over six two, and she was small. She couldn’t have been much over five feet. She must feel dwarfed by him. He threaded his fingers through hers. “Okay?” he asked softly.

  Rikki looked down at her hand in his and nodded. She was surprised by how very okay it felt to have her hand in his. “Yeah. It’s good.”

  Marcus shut off the engine. “Food. And I thought we could play a card game. Anyone play euchre? Or is that just me?”

  Rikki grinned. “I love euchre!”

  Ben nodded. “I’m from a small town in Wisconsin. Euchre was what you did on Saturday nights if you weren’t a drinker.”

  “I’m not sure how that follows, but okay!” Rikki said with a grin. “You play, Grace?”

  “Marcus taught me. Should we play girls against the guys? I think we could take them, don’t you?”

  Rikki nodded with a grin. “I love that idea!”

  Ben shook his head at her. “As long as you don’t mind losing, her team is the perfect place to be!”

  “Are pastors allowed to talk smack?” Rikki asked. “Isn’t that against the law or something?”

  “Oh, you hu
sh. Pastors can do whatever they want as long as they’re not being immoral.”

  Rikki was surprised at how comfortable she felt throughout the meal. Ben sat beside her, and they shared a large order of fries from Bob’s Burger Barn. “I hope you like burgers,” he said.

  “As long as you’re not making me eat tacos, we’re good.”

  Ben tilted his head to one side in confusion. “You don’t like tacos? What do you eat on Tuesdays?”

  “I usually love tacos, but my sister is very pregnant, and every time I see her, she’s forcing tacos on me. I can’t handle any more tacos!”

  “I think I can understand that. Is she always eating tacos like that? Or is this a pregnancy thing?”

  “It’s a pregnancy thing, which is good, because if she was like this all the time, I might have to kick her.”

  Ben frowned. “Are you threatening violence against a pregnant woman?”

  “Yes, I am. I really am.”

  “Wow.” He was happy to see she could joke about her sister. She always seemed so serious that he was worried she never smiled.

  “What made you decide to come to Culpepper?” she asked, surprised at her ability to speak with this man without tripping all over her tongue.

  He shrugged. “I was finishing up at seminary, and I heard there was a need of a pastor with counseling experience here. I have a masters of psychology, and I knew that I would be able to be of help. So, I applied and got the job.”

  “Do you like working with Brother Anthony?” she asked. From what she’d seen the older man was very scattered when it came to sermons, weddings, and everything else he did.

  “You should ask me that when his grandson isn’t sitting across the table from me,” Ben answered with a grin. “Really, though, I enjoy the man. He makes me laugh, and keeps everyone on their toes.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” Marcus said, shaking his head. “I wish I could say that it’s old age, but he’s always been that way. He says whatever pops into his head whenever he thinks it, and he sure can’t remember anyone’s name. He does well to remember mine!”