Chapter 24Charlotte Lane
Chapter 24
New Beginnings
Charlotte Lane
C harlotte watched the young cowboy walk out of her room with his head held high. In novels, there always seemed to be a moment for characters when they realized something important. And as Staten Kirkland had stood in the middle of her classroom, she’d watched wisdom grow.
She looked down at his test and did something she rarely had time to do while grading. Instead of just marking the questions he’d gotten wrong, Charlotte made a point of praising him on the questions he answered well. By the time she finished, the pages looked like they’d been scribbled on by a preschooler. Red colored the margins and small smiley faces dotted the test.
Staten had passed with flying colors, and she wasn’t the least surprised. After watching him on the ranch and tutoring him through the past semester, she knew he was something special. He was going to be a great man one day, and she wanted to stay around and watch him grow.
A light knock sounded on her open door, and as she looked up, her lips curved into a smile against her will. Wade stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. What looked like a small grocery sack hung from his cast-free arm.
He spoke before she could. “You have any idea what time it is?”
Charlotte turned her gaze to the windows lining the left side of her classroom. Shock settled over her as she took in the already darkened sky.
Wade chuckled. “Yep, it’s almost nine. What are you still doing here this late?”
She gathered Staten’s test and placed it in her case. “I was working with Staten Kirkland. I gave him a practice test and just got finished grading it. I lost track of the time, I guess.”
She stood, nervously sorting the rest of her things.
Ever since Wade had kissed her on New Year’s Eve, things had felt different between them. She couldn’t forget the feel of his lips on hers. It may have only lasted a few seconds, but she had replayed that moment in her mind a hundred times.
“What about you? Why are you still here?”
“Actually, I just got back. I poked my head in here earlier, but you were so focused on your papers you didn’t even notice me. I figured if I didn’t grab your attention, you probably wouldn’t remember to eat dinner either.” He dropped the plastic bag on the desk between them.
Charlotte tried to ignore the warmth filling her heart. “What’s that?”
“Nachos. I ran up to the bar and got our usual. I even stopped at the gas station down the street and picked you up a Diet Coke.” Wade smiled proudly, handing her the drink. He unloaded the bag and pulled a chair next to the desk. “Join me?”
She couldn’t believe he’d gone out of his way to make sure she’d eat. It was so thoughtful. So sweet.
As they ate, they talked about the Double K Ranch and her riding lessons with Staten. She told Wade all about Jake Longbow, the foreman of the Kirkland ranch, and his stories about the first Kirklands to settle the area. “You should come out with me sometime. I swear that old cowboy knows more about this area than any of the founding families I’ve met. He told me that James Randall Kirkland left a diary behind that’s supposed to be in the school’s safe.”
The ex-soldier sat up and leaned forward. “Here? In this school? In the safe downstairs?”
Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face. “Yeah, he said it was stored here for safekeeping, since the school has one of the only libraries in Crossroads.”
Wade jumped up off his chair. “Let’s go check it out. Those journals might be what I was missing. They might hold a clue that will help me find the cave.”
She stood up, too, and before she knew what was happening, he pulled her against his chest and hugged her. “You’re a dream. You know that?” He planted a quick kiss on her cheek and bounded out the door. “Come on.”
“Just a second. I’ve got to make a quick call.”
Charlotte smoothed her beige skirt, trying to regain her balance. This friendship thing was a lot harder than she’d thought.