Page 121 of Hope Like Wildflowers
“You can imagine my surprise when Cole came back home two days ago and told me he'd seen you.” Charles stepped forward, gaze locked on hers. “Said you were set up nicely and even looked the part.” His gaze trailed down her, so she folded her arms across her chest to still a little of her trembling. “I came to see for myself.”
She drew in a shaky breath and stood up taller. “How have you been, Charles?”
“Better now, Kizzie.” His lips crooked into a charming grin she knew all too well.
“I reckon the two of you may want to carry this conversation to a more private part of the store.” Gayle stepped near enough to place her palm on Kizzie's arm. “The back porch might be a good spot.” Gayle held her gaze, infusing some sort of strength into Kizzie's body. She wasn't alone. She wasn't destitute or desperate anymore.
Kizzie had choices, friends, confidence, and the Lord. “Yes, that'd be good.”
“And if I hear anything ungentlemanly”—Gayle eyed Charles like the protective mother hen she was—“I'll be sure to investigate myself, but I warn you, boy.” She pointed a finger at him. “I sell cast-iron skillets of all sizes.”
Charles’ brows rose, his eyes lit with humor, before he dipped his head in acceptance of the threat.
As Kizzie entered the hallway, she heard Gayle say, “And Molly, don't you go repeating nonsense. If you ain't got nothin’ worth sayin’, don't say nothin’ at all.”
The hint of levity dissipated as soon as Kizzie reached the back porch. She gestured toward a set of chairs, but Charles laughed.
“Why are you acting so formal, Kizzie?” He stepped forward as if to embrace her. “It's me.”
“We ended things betwixt the two of us, Charles.” Her palm rose to stop him. “When I left.”
His gaze dropped to her middle. “Doesn't seem like anything's ended.” He reached over, picked her up, and swung her around. “In fact, we got a whole new beginning growing inside of you.”
“Not for you and me.” With another push against him, he let go. “You're getting ready to be married.”
Something he'd never offered her.
He studied her a moment and looked away while removing his hat. “I ain't engaged anymore.”
“You ain't?” Something wasn't right. “That was an awful quick change from Cole's words two days ago to now.”
Had he ended the engagement because he found Kizzie? Her breath paused. Because he wanted to marry her now, after all? And wouldn't that fix everything? Charlie would have his daddy, Noah his reputation, and Kizzie her happily ever after?
The thoughts crashed in her aching head.
But was it a happily ever after? Especially now when she understood loving and being loved so much better.
“When Lorraine heard Cole's news of finding you, she didn't take too kindly to the notion of me already having a child that wasn't hers.”
How could she continue to be so naive? Charles hadn't broken the engagement for her. “So Lorraine called it off, did she?”
“Kizzie.” He took her hands in his. “You know how Mama is. She gave an ultimatum, and I had to make a decision to keep her happy.”
“To marry Lorraine?”
“She was Mama's choice for me, not mine.” He squeezed her fingers, his smile returning. “We got along well enough, but you were the one who always had my heart.”
Kizzie tried to pull her hands away, but he held fast. “So you'd marry a woman you didn't love while loving one you wouldn't marry? Or … is it love at all, Charles? Seems more like me and Charlie are things you own, more than people you love, especially when we're a second choice.”
“You're turning this against me.” He released his hold and ran a hand through his hair. “I came to find you so we could be together. As a family.”
As a family?
“You mean to marryme, then?”
She read the answer on his face.
No.
