Chapter 8 #3
A loud buzz cuts through the moment as a bee darts between us. Naudi jerks back with a gasp, and I have to grab her arms to keep her from toppling out of the Gator.
I make sure she’s seated and steady before releasing her. The moment is gone, blocked by one of my own damn bees.
Neither of us speak. I know I’m trying to make sense out of what almost happened and why I’m so frustrated it didn’t. I’m a fool.
We sit in the Gator with our eyes once again on the two hives in the distance. Naudi lets out a breath. “What was that?” she asks, her voice quiet and cautious.
I drag a hand down the back of my neck. “I’m sorry.”
She shakes her head quickly. “Don’t?—”
I stop her right there. “Not for what you think.”
She turns to face me and tips her head in question, so I answer that question in the most honest way I can. I am not the man for games.
“I’m sorry it didn’t happen.”
She stares at me, her expression shifting into one of surprise. Then she nods once.
“I…” she glances away for a second, then back at me. “I think I am too.”
We smile at each other.
“But,” she adds, “maybe it’s better that it didn’t.”
I give a nod, but every single part of me disagrees.
“Our lives are going to be complicated enough,” she continues. “We don’t need to add anything else to it.”
“For now,” I tack on. “Once your parents are gone, I’m going to want an honest kiss with you. Not one as a performance from your fake fiancé, but a real kiss from a man that is interested in a woman.”
She blinks and then swallows audibly.
“Okay.” Her voice cracks. She clears her throat and tries again. “I think we should get our story straight before my parents get here. We need to know things about each other. Real things to make it believable.”
“Right. Yeah. Good idea.”
“I think we should keep things as close to the truth as possible. That will make it easier to remember.”
“So… we met in your store and you thought I was buying underwear for three women.”
“Maybe not that close to the truth. How about we met in my store when you came to give me orders from your sisters?” Her mouth twitches slightly.
“That works.”
“You asked me out and we started dating.”
I glance at her, wishing that had happened. I’d been too chicken to ask her out. “I took you to the Faire Island Museum on our first date to see the period clothes. You know, because you like things like that.”
“I find that very charming, that you put such thought into a date that I would enjoy so I said yes to a second date.”
We grin at each other. “I took you out on the boat for our second date.”
“I was scared because the only other boat I’d ever been on was the ferry. You were patient and understanding and made me feel safe.”
“I took us to a cove on the north side of the island, set anchor, and we watched the sun set and talked.”
She looks off into the distance like she can see it happening. I can too. “We discovered we have a lot in common. We both like old western movies.”
I twist my head toward her. “You really like old westerns? I love them. There’s no better actor than John Wayne. I must have seen The Searchers a thousand times.”
“I think I’ve seen Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid a thousand times. Oh, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Classic.”
Our eyes meet and this time I think we see each other a bit differently. “Movies weren’t our only thing in common. We are both business owners, and we both have the same work ethic to making it successful.”
“Oh, that’s a good one. And true. I hate doing the books. If I could only design and produce, I would be so happy. I struggle with the paperwork behind the business.”
“Then you need to talk to my dad. He loves doing things like that. He handles all the business end of our farm. Honestly, he loves it. He’d do it for free and take it off your hands.”
“Do not tease me with something like that. I just might beg him to do it, but I’d need to pay him. I don’t take handouts.”
“Another thing we have in common. We both want to make it on our own. However, one of us is severely independent and unwilling to accept help when it’s needed. Like when hit by a truck.”
That gets a snicker out of her. “You made your point, Mr. Colley. Now let’s get back to our love story.”
“Right. What about our third date?”
“I invited you over and cooked for you.”
“You can cook?”
“All Indian women can cook. It’s in our DNA.”
“What did you cook for me? I bet you spent all day on it.”
“I cooked, but it didn’t take all day. I am a working girl, you know. I made you butter chicken. It’s chicken pieces simmered in a creamy tomato sauce and served with naan.”
My mouth waters. “It was amazing. I had seconds and immediately asked you out for date four.”
“There was just something about you that I found endearing and different, and I said yes.”
“We had the most amazing dates and then I proposed.”
“No, no, no. I am a good Indian girl. We dated for months and got to know each other very well before you proposed. It was so romantic. I cried happy tears.”
“Yeah, you did. I thought I’d messed everything up, and you were going to say no.”
“Never. I know what a catch you are. I cried because you were everything I’d hoped to find in a man. You are someone that sees me. You have always only wanted my happiness, and you would do whatever you had to make my dreams come true.”
Our eyes meet and hold. I never imagined I’d want the life we just described. But only if it’s with the woman beside me. She wants to wait until after her parents leave, and I don’t want anything fake mixed up with real feelings so I’ll wait.
“When I proposed, I was nervous and almost dropped the ring.” I pull it out of my pocket and open the box. Naudi gasps and her eyes grow wide as she stares at the ring inside.
“Oh, my God, Walker. That is stunning.”
“I can only remember my grandma wearing it as her wedding ring. Colley legend claims that it was the only piece of jewelry Robert Colley paid for honestly. He had it commissioned in secret for the woman who refused to marry a thief.”
“Walker, I can’t wear a family heirloom. That’s just wrong.”
“I want you to wear it. If you will. I know it’s old. Maybe you’d like something from the jewelry store in town.”
“I would be honored to wear your family ring. I’ll be terrified the whole time about losing it.”
“Don’t be. This ring seems to always turn up. My grandma lost it in the garden once and found it the same night. She said she looked out her bedroom window and the ring glowed in the moonlight and led her directly to it.”
I take it out of the box. She holds out her left hand and I slip it on. It fits perfectly as if it were made for her. Our eyes meet once again and hold. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I know I wish the moment was real. And that is crazy.
To break the moment, I turn forward and start the Gator.
“So, this butter chicken. I think it might help to actually know what it tastes like. Maybe you should make it for us for dinner when you’re feeling better.”
She chuckles as we head back to the house.