“Come look at the kitchen,” Duke said. “It’s really big, but of course it would need to be gutted. And I’d like to widen the opening between the eat-in kitchen and the formal dining room.”
As they began going from room to room, their ideas for what needed to be done began to mesh. By the time they reached the second floor, Cathy was already seeing the finished product in her mind as she listened to his plans.
“There are five bedrooms up here, but they’re small. I’d pick the first two, knock down a wall and make a big master bedroom with a master bath and a big walk-in closet, and then move some walls around to make a couple more decent-size bedrooms for guests.”
“Yes, and downstairs, make the east wing into a butler’s pantry, laundry, and mud room, and the west wing into an office.”
Duke turned to her then and put his hands on her shoulders.
“I’m going to ask you something, and if it makes you uncomfortable, or I’ve asked this too soon, will you be honest with me and tell me?”
And just like that, all the fantasy of playing house was gone, and the reality of what was growing between them was back again.
“Yes…I’ll always tell you the truth of how I feel,” she said.
“Will you do this with me? For us?”
Cathy’s heart skipped. “For real?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Her eyes welled. “Oh, Duke…”
He groaned. “Too soon. I’m sorry, I didn’t—”
“No, no, no, it’s not that. I just never thought I’d be happy again…until you. Yes, I’ll do this with you…for us.”
Duke sighed. “Thank you, Jesus,” he whispered, then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
Cathy was lost in his touch, matching him kiss for kiss and wanting more. But the rumble of thunder shifted the moment from wanting to weather.
“It sounds like we have rain coming. I’d better get you home before it hits,” Duke said.
They hurried back downstairs, then out the door, pausing long enough to lock it back and return the key to its hiding place.
Then he went down two steps and stopped. “Hop on, and I’ll take you piggyback,” he said.
Cathy climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
“Hang on,” he said, and made a run for the truck through the knee-high grass as the wind began to pick up.
She was safely inside and buckled up, and he was turning around when the first raindrops splattered on the windshield.
“We’re good,” he said. “It’s either gravel or blacktop all the way back to the highway.”
“I wouldn’t fuss about being stuck in the mud with you,” Cathy said.
Duke grinned. “Well, I would be fussing about getting stuck, so there’s that.”
His phone rang while they were on the way back to town.
“It’s Jack,” he said, and answered. “Hey, what’s up?”
“I’m home and checking on you.”
“I have the phone on speaker. I’m taking Cathy back to town. Be home soon. I gave her a tour of the farm and of the Bailey place this afternoon.”
“Awesome. Hi, kiddo… The turkey is thawing in the refrigerator as we speak. See you soon.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Cathy said.
Duke disconnected, and then dropped the phone in the console between them.
The rain was coming down heavily now, and they were almost to the blacktop when Duke suddenly slammed on the brakes and shoved the truck into Park.
“What’s wrong?” Cathy asked.
“I think I see the taillights of a car down in those trees. Stay here.”
“Take your phone!” Cathy said.
“Right,” Duke muttered. He dropped it into the inside pocket of his leather jacket, tossed his hat in the back seat, and glanced at her. “Promise me you’ll stay here.”
“I promise,” Cathy said. “Just be careful.”
Moments later, Duke was out of the truck and running. Cathy could see the red taillights now—like glowing red eyes looking up from between the trees—as Duke slipped and slid his way down the slope.
“Whoever it is, please God let them be okay,” she said, and pressed her face as close to the window as she could get, trying to see through the downpour.
* * *
Big Tom Rankin had spent the night with his girlfriend, Ethel, and stayed over this morning to help her repair a hole in the fence around her chicken house. They had discussed the notion of getting married more than once, but neither one of them wanted to give up their own homes, so overnight visits to Ethel’s had become a twice-a-week thing.