Chapter 17 #3
“Finally!” Noah cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. “Do you know how hard it’s been watching you two dance around each other?”
“I had money on last week,” Caleb called out with a shake of his head. “Cost me twenty bucks, little brother.”
“You bet on us?” Claire’s voice held laughter and exasperation in equal measure.
“The whole town had a pool going.” Agnes waved off their blustering. “It was for a good cause. All the money goes toward a 4H sponsorship. Tessa at the Co-Op has been tracking on the bulletin board.”
Rachael Bennett stood from her booth, clasping her hands together. “This is exactly what I was praying for. The Lord answers prayers in His perfect timing.”
“Rachael, you’ve been scheming every single day, trying to come up with ways to get them together.” Agnes harrumphed. “Don’t pretend this was all divine intervention.”
“Sometimes God requires his stewards to pitch in a helping hand.” Rachael poked Agnes in the shoulder with a gentle prod.
Miss Jo carried two cups of coffee over and nudged them into his and Claire’s hands.
“On the house. For the entertainment value alone.” She leaned in closer, dropping her voice.
“Also, because you’re good for each other, and this old heart has been rooting for you both since Claire walked in here that first week looking lost.”
“I wasn’t lost.” Claire’s protest fell on deaf ears.
“Honey, it’s okay.” Miss Jo patted her arm. “Glad you remembered. Now go grab a seat.”
Luke led Claire to his family’s table where Mom pulled Claire into a fierce hug. “I’m so happy for you both. So, so happy.”
“Mom, you’re going to squeeze her to death.” Graham tossed a wad of paper at Noah, who smacked it hard enough to send it pinging across to another table.
Mom pulled back, keeping her hands on Claire’s shoulders. “You’re family now. You know that, right? You’ve been family for weeks, but now it’s official.”
Dad stood and extended his hand to Claire. “Welcome to the family, Claire. We’re lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one.” Claire shook his hand, then surprised him by pulling him into a hug too.
The booth was too small for all of them, but they made it work. Noah scooted over with exaggerated grumbling, and Graham pulled up a chair from an adjacent table. Luke kept Claire tucked against his side, his arm around her shoulders, unable to stop touching her now that he had permission.
“So.” Caleb leaned forward, elbows on the table, wearing his most mischievous expression. “How long have you actually been in love with each other?”
The teasing continued while Miss Jo made the rounds with the coffee pot and people stopped by the table to offer congratulations.
Tom Martin shook Luke’s hand and told him he’d done good.
The Henderson twins wanted to know if there was going to be a wedding soon.
Elderly Mr. Peterson announced that it was about time someone in town had good news.
Through it all, Claire stayed pressed against Luke’s side, fielding questions with grace and humor, fitting into his family like she’d always belonged there.
“All right, all right.” Miss Jo eventually shooed people back to their tables. “Give these two some peace. They’ve had enough interrogation for one night.”
She winked at them when she said it, which meant the interrogation was far from over. This was Covenant Creek. They’d be talking about this moment for months.
He didn’t mind.
Dad stood, pulling Mom up with him. “We should head home. Let you young people celebrate.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Luke stood too, keeping Claire’s hand in his. “For everything.”
The old rancher clapped a hand to Luke’s shoulder. “That’s what family does, son. We don’t give up on each other.”
His brothers filed out with promises to see them both tomorrow, though not before Noah managed one more joke about Luke finally loosening up and Graham threatened to tell embarrassing childhood stories at the wedding.
Luke’s face flamed at that comment. How long did he need to wait before he proposed? He’d do it right now except they had too many curious onlookers probably hoping for exactly that.
When the diner had mostly cleared and it was just him, Claire, Miss Jo, and a few stragglers, Luke pulled Claire close and kissed her right in the middle of the Brand Iron Diner where anyone could see.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” She smiled. “Think we gave them enough to talk about?”
“Probably not.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We might need to make a scene at church on Sunday too. Just to be thorough.”
Claire laughed, and the sound filled all the empty places in his chest he hadn’t known were there until she showed up and turned his life upside down.
They’d found their way home. Together.
And sitting in the warm light of the Brand Iron Diner with his arms around the woman he loved and his community celebrating around them, he finally understood what his grandfather had meant.
The best things in life really did require a person to be brave enough to need them. And to admit to that need.