She sighed and reached up to resecure the clip that was supposed to be holding her hair up. "Actually, all I did was leave a message. That's another reason why I need to leave immediately. I figure I have about forty eight hours until the Federales show up to escort me either directly to law school or ground me to my room. I should be gone from here when that happens. It won't be pretty."
"No, Charlie. I'd face a fire breathing dragon rather than have to watch you drive away. We'll deal with whatever together. You may not believe this, but I really am stronger than your mother."
Shaking her head without smiling, she said, "I don't doubt that, Luke, but what if she sends Elroy? I'd hate to get you sued over my issues. And you know how attorneys are. They think they're untouchable for that exact reason. No one wants to cross them."
"No one's suing anyone, Charlie. You're twenty three years old. You can do what you want and marry who you choose and it's not damaging anybody. Now if you left, then you'd be damaging somebody. My heart would never survive it."
"You just said you were stronger than my mother."
"My will, not my heart. Right now my heart has had all it can take." He pulled her back into his arms again. "Leaving would kill me for sure." He leaned in to kiss her one more time, grateful that if she wasn't exactly mauling him back, at least she wasn't pushing him away. Just when he knew he should back off before he scared her again, the door to the pantry came open and they heard Madge gasp and then close it again quickly.
Pulling back, he gave her a grin. "Come on, Charlie. We're going to have the whole house on its ear before breakfast. Much as I hate the idea, I guess we'd better come out of the pantry." He glanced around again. "Somehow, I've come to really like this little storage room, though. This is a great pantry." He laughed and kissed her again and then took her hand and went to open the door.
Before he could even turn the knob, it opened again, this time to reveal Chase and Tuckett. Tuckett laughed when he saw them and Chase looked disgusted as he said, "I wondered why Madge looked like she'd seen a ghost. What do you think you're doing in there, Luke? Get your grubby hand off of her."
Luke kept hold of her hand as he pulled her past his brothers. "Oh, lighten up, Romeo. Can't a guy even have a minute with a girl in a pantry once in a while? What's the problem?"
Luke seated Charlie at the dining table with Richard and the little kids as Chase returned. "She doesn't like guys to touch her, ya know. Haven't you figured that out by now?"
Coming around to his own seat between Tuckett and Madge, Luke glanced at Charlie with a smile. "I wasn't aware of that, no. I'll keep that in mind the next time I steal Charlie away to the pantry." He turned to Madge. "Are you okay, Madge? We didn't mean to scare you. I just had some very important things to talk to Charlie about this morning."
Madge patted his hand. "I'm fine, Luken. A trifle surprised. I went in for syrup and got more than I bargained for. Is that what you call that? Talking?"
Luke grinned at her. "Well, it started out as talking." He turned to address the rest of the table, "Speaking of kissing, would all of you other Langstons please help me talk Charlie into staying here with us instead of moving back to Utah? I did my best to convince her, but I'm sure all of the rest of you begging would help. Except you, Chase. You leave her alone. She doesn't like guys touching her, remember?"
Chase glowered as the other adults grinned and Evie asked, "What did he mean daddy, about speaking of kissing?"
At that, Charlie blushed and Richard opened his mouth, but hesitated over what to say and Luke rescued him at Charlie's expense. "I just meant that someday I'd really love to kiss Charlie in the pantry, sis. Who's going to say the prayer this morning, Dad?"
Before Richard could answer, Chase stood up and turned to Luke in outrage. "You kissed her? You kissed her? You… You…"
Calmly, Richard said, "I'll say it. Fold your arms, Jamie." When everyone bowed their heads, Chase finally closed his mouth and sat down as Richard began to pray. Luke glanced over at Charlie who was still blushing and winked and then bowed his own head.
When the prayer was over, the little kids dug in as if nothing was out of the ordinary and Madge beamed at Richard and said, "It's been too long since we've had kanoodling in the kitchen. Don't you agree, Richard?"
With a watchful eye on his two oldest sons, Richard hesitated again. "I'm not exactly sure, Madge. I'm not sure what to think of this whole morning."
Chase was still glaring at Luke who made a point of ignoring him, while Tuckett was grinning like he was in a comedy theater and finally, Charlie said, "Tuck, do you think you could stop smiling long enough to pass the syrup?"
With another gasp, Madge stood up with her hand to her chest. "Good heavens! What with all the kanoodling, I completely forgot to go after the syrup again!" She headed back into the kitchen and Richard shook his head and began to laugh and the little kids joined in.
Evie laughed for a minute and then turned with a perplexed look on her face. "Daddy, what's kanoodling? Is it a dessert? Do we get dessert after breakfast today?"
At that, Richard gave Luke a pointed look and shook his head again. "No, honey. Kanoodling is like snuggling between adults who love each other. Well, I guess you could call that dessert, couldn't you? If I let you have dessert after breakfast, will you ask Luke the next tricky question?"
"Sure, dad. I want a banana popsicle." Then Evie turned to Luke and asked, "So if you were snuggling in the pantry with Charlie, does that mean that you love each other?"
Charlie blushed crimson this time, Tuckett totally cracked up and Richard murmured, "You deserved that one, Luke."
Luke smiled at Evie and then looked at Charlie as he said, "I'm not sure if Charlie loves me, Evie, but I know that I really love her. That's why I want her to stay so I can talk her into marrying me someday."
Evie's eyes got only marginally bigger than Charlie's huge ones and the whole table got quiet for a minute as everyone looked at Luke and Charlie looking back at each other. Finally, Chase got up and stomped out in disgust and Jamie broke the tension when he asked lustily, "Would everyone quit looking at all of us and can I have anudder teeny hock dog? I love deez teeny hock dogs."
Charlie absently picked up the platter of pancakes and handed them to Jamie, who burst out, "Charlie! That's not hock dogs. I want the teeny hock dogs. I don't want anymore pancakes."
She was still staring at Luke. "Sorry, Jamie. Here."
She put the pancakes down and handed him the butter at which point, he put both greasy little hands to his cheeks and said, "Oh, great! Daddy, I think Charlie is still kinda tired. Could you give me a teeny hock dog, please?"
Charlie finally realized what she was doing and handed the plate of sausages to Jamie. "Sorry, buddy. I must be tired. Would you like some more milk?"
With a sausage in each fist, Jamie gave an exuberant, "Yes!"
Charlie reached over and poured orange juice into his almost empty milk at which Jamie's whole countenance crumpled and he started to cry as he said, "Charlie, why did you do that for? I don't like orange juice wif mioke."
She picked up his cup and looked into it. "Oh, Jamie. I'm so sorry. Don't cry. I'll get you another cup." She got up and went into the kitchen and reappeared with another cup and then sat back down. She looked at her plate for a few seconds before getting back up and saying, "Excuse me please." Taking her plate and utensils, she went into the kitchen where Luke found her a minute later, absently staring out the window with the water running and a plate in one hand.
Turning off the water, he took the plate and asked, "Are you okay?"
She turned to look at him. "I'm fine. Fine. And you?"
"You don't look fine." She raised her eyebrows at him. "Honestly, you look a little dazed. Are you in there?"
She answered him, "Yes." But it took about three seconds to pronounce the word and then she followed it with a tentative. '"I think so. I'm just so surprised by you this morning. I have no idea how to take you. You shouldn't tease about important things so."
Putting the plate down into the dishwasher, he straightened and looked at her. "Is that what you think? That I'm teasing?" When she nodded, he came closer to her. "I'm not teasing, Charlie. Maybe it is sudden because of your revelation this morning, but I'm absolutely sincere. I do love you. I do want you to stay here and let me talk you into marrying me. I do want to talk to you in the pantry. And stuff." He looked pointedly at her mouth and she turned away and began to load the dishes again.
When he didn't move out of her way, she looked up at him and said, "Be serious, Luke. This isn't really a joking matter."
He reached for both of her hands. "Charlie, look at me." When she did, he said quietly, "I do love you, Charlie Evans. And I do want to be with you forever." She dropped her eyes and he asked, "What? Do I have to write in on the silo in John Deere green or cut it into a field or what? Why would I be joking? You've been here long enough to know when I'm joking. Haven't you?"
She nodded and then said, "But Luke, how do I reconcile this morning with this last few weeks?"
"I tried to tell you why, Charlie. All I can do is ask you to believe me and try to make up for it. Isn't that all I can do? And keep on telling you and showing you?"
"Yes, I suppose so. But can you give me some time to get used to you like this?"
"Sure, Charlie. I can do whatever you need me to. Always." He put a hand under her chin and she looked up first at his mouth and then into his eyes as he continued, "Because I truly do love you."
"I love you, too, Luke. But I'm still kind of afraid of you."
He smiled sadly, "I know. We're going to work on that. But be prepared. Not fighting for you didn’t work too well. From here on out, I’m going to do everything I can to make you want to be with me." He leaned down and kissed her gently. "I have to go. Have a good day, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
Charlie was having a good day. All day long she’d been catching herself day dreaming about Luke kissing her. She still couldn’t believe the way he’d acted in the pantry. Or that kissing could be that incredibly intoxicating. Luke’s mouth was… Oh, My. There she went again, staring out at nothing and remembering how good his lips had felt against hers. She had to stop this. At least Madge hadn’t caught her this time and given her that knowing smile like she had been doing all afternoon.
And Luke had helped it along by dropping in every so often to give her that long, deep look before giving her that long, sweet kiss that made her forget her own name. The last time, he’d even brought a bouquet of wildflowers to go along with the kissing. She hadn’t gotten much done, what with all the day dreaming, but… She felt herself sigh and almost felt a little ridiculous. Luke was a really wonderful kisser.
Yeah, she was having a good day. A great day!
Right up until she saw a black Hummer pull up in front of the main house that evening as the sun went down while she was working in the garden. She knew as soon as she saw it she was in trouble. She hadn't thought her parents would send someone this soon, but it was entirely fitting that they show up in an armored military vehicle.
As not only her mother, but her father as well got out, followed by Elroy, she glanced down at her cut offs and t-shirt and bare feet and was eternally grateful they hadn't seen her there among the tomatoes.
When they were welcomed inside, she snuck out the back of the garden and made a bee line for her house, hurriedly changed her clothes and then headed for the bunkhouse.
Fo and Luke looked up as she came in and both of them knew instantly something was wrong. Luke stood up and came to her. "Is it Tyree again? In the daylight?"
She was slightly out of breath, but tried to joke anyway. "Worse. Elroy and both all-powerfuls. Up at your dad's house."
Luke was relieved. "Oh, good. I thought he'd gotten into your house again."
"Good? You think this is good?"
"Well, it's better than Tyree. What did they say?"
She shook her head. "I haven't talked to them yet. I was in the garden in cut offs and bare feet. My mother would have had an infarction if she'd seen me like that. I ran home and changed."
Luke took her hand and led her to the cowhide couch. "Calm down Charlie. It's going to be okay. Stop and think about what you're going to say to them. And remember that you're twenty-three years old and smart and competent and especially beautiful."
Fo laughed and Charlie rolled her eyes. "Oh, that'll help."
"He just doesn't know them, Charlie. Cut him some slack." Fo turned to Luke. "It honestly probably isn't going to be especially beautiful when they see her. They really do think they can force her to obey."
"They really don't know how much I want her to stay here and marry me."
Fo turned to look at Luke as if he'd spoken in tongues and Charlie actually laughed before she said, "Luke, I'd have to be married and expecting our second child before they'd let this go."
Luke got up and went over to his bunk, opened a box on a shelf and dug through it and came back. "Well, I can't really go that far. I mean I intend to eventually, but… Charlie, would you marry me? Here, put this on. It was my mother's."
She looked up at him in confusion. "Oh, sure I’ll marry you. We’ll have a lovely June wedding. This is the perfect time for a marriage proposal. Luke! Stop messing around! This isn't a joke!"
"Honey, I'm not joking a bit, and they are on the porch. Will you marry me? Give me your hand." He put the ring on. When she looked up at him to tell him he was crazy, he hauled her into his arms and proceeded to kiss her like she'd never been kissed in her life. At first, she was surprised and then a little mad and then blissfully oblivious until she heard her mother gasp and Elroy swear. Still, it took her a minute to pull herself together enough to face them after that.
When Luke pulled back, he must have known she'd need his support to stand, because he left his hand around her waist as they turned to greet her parents. And Charlie didn't have to feign surprise. She was still in complete shock from Luke and his ring and kiss. She swallowed and said, "Mom, Dad, Elroy. We weren't expecting you."