This Time(33)

Little General snuggled against Burke, his brown puppy nose resting on the man's leg. Since his tornado rescue, the little dog's loyalty belonged to the former pro athlete. Rascal, Petie, and Jasper stretched out next to the truck, panting, their long pink tongues dangling over the side of their mouths. Scout and Junior were on guard at home, keeping Duke company.

"I think God makes days like this just for me," Belle said with a contented sigh.

"Hmm," Burke mused. "I always thought they were for me."

She laughed low. "It's amazing how the Lord can make each one of us feel like we're His favorite."

"It's beyond comprehension," he said. "But He does."

"I like what Pastor Mike said on Sunday about the Lord being so good, and His mercy enduring forever."

"I've been meditating on that verse," Burke admitted, reaching around her for the soda filled cooler. His tan, muscular arm brushed hers, causing her skin to tingle and her cheeks to blush.

"I can't believe it's August already," she said, shifting away from him slightly, his touch unnerving her.

"Me neither. We start two-a-day practices next week."

She twisted around. "Next week? Already?"

He nodded, dropping his hand over the side of the truck and giving the dogs a thick piece of ice to eat. "Our first game is the last week of the month. We've got a lot of work to do."

A nagging disappointment rankled Belle's thoughts as she realized his days at the Bar J would end and become consumed with football. She'd grown used to his presence at the ranch and working side by side with him. Taking him up on his offer to help out at the ranch proved to be the best decision of the summer.

Yet, he didn't belong to her. His intentions toward her were clearly those of a friend. Now she realized she'd unwittingly opened her heart to him again, and it made her a little angry. How could she risk another heartbreak? Taking a deep breath, she whispered a prayer.

"You okay?" he asked, his words edged with concern. Little General nuzzled her hand with his nose, licking her fingers as if he, too, sensed something wrong.

"I'm fine," she said, feigning control. "I appreciate your help this summer. I couldn't have done it without you."

"I'm leaving tomorrow for L.A. and Denver," he said without preamble. "I have some unfinished business to take care of before the momentum of practice starts."

What business? Grace? Belle clinched her jaw, fighting a flare of jealousy. "How long will you be gone?"

"About a week. I have a commercial shoot and a guest spot on the David Dubois show next Thursday. You going to watch?"

"Wow, the David Dubois show," she said, her tone hollow.

What about Grace? He mentioned nothing about seeing her, but surely he would once he arrived on the west coast. How could he not? As far as she and the rest of the world knew, they were still an item, in love and heading for marriage.

The idea made her heart sink.

***

Burke could see Belle struggling. He fought the longing to take her in his arms and sooth away the doubt and fear.

Yet, the Lord's instructions were clear. Wait. Wait.

He knew he could not stir feelings he could not answer.

Lord, keep her heart, he prayed, watching the last of the sun dip behind the trees.

Conversations with Grace over the summer had been long-distance and brief. The time change between Sydney and Haskell made it nearly impossible to keep in touch. Email helped, but Burke needed to see her face to face.

"It's getting late," Belle said, whistling for the dogs to pile into the truck bed. Little General growled as they did, guarding his territory. She turned to Burke. He could see her expression, set and serious, in the twilight. "You know what I miss?" she asked.

"What?" he asked softly.

Belle hesitated as if she regretted starting the conversation. Finally, with a slight shrug, she said soft and unsure, "I suppose I miss being a part of the life that you're returning to tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" he asked in a quiet, hushed tone.

She continued. "I missed sitting in the stands with all the other player's wives, cheering for you when you scored the winning touch down that cinched the Super Bowl. You did do that, didn't you?"

He dipped his head as he nodded, hearing the regret in her voice, the picture of all he'd robbed from her coming into full view. He'd not only broken her heart, but also stolen her part of the dreams they shared together and, without warning, changed the course of her life.

"Sometimes I feel jealous that you lived such an exciting life with so many opportunities. A life I should have shared with you. Even though I'm content and happy here in Haskell, running the ranch with Daddy, there's a part of me that wonders how I would have been affected by your celebrity. What experiences did I miss out on? And you… I don't know anything about your friends, where you've been, what you've done."

"Believe it or not, I dialed your number many times to invite you to a game or attend some benefit or function with me. But, I always hung up before the first ring."

"What turned you into such a coward?" she asked, her remark a little acerbic.

He answered immediately. "Fame."

"Well, I'm sorry for that."