David sat down heavily at the kitchen table. “Why not?” he asked, in shock at the changes to his home.
His mother sat down next to him. “You look tired David. Are you getting enough sleep?”
David shrugged his shoulders. “There’s a lot going on in town too,” he said.
His mother got to her feet. “You should sleep here tonight, take a break. Gypsum Creek will be okay without you for one night,” she said. “I’m going to make you something to eat. I bet you haven’t been eating right either.”
David thought about that and decided it might be just what he needed. “Thanks, mom, I could use a break,” he said, getting up and giving her a hug.
Their tender moment was interrupted by his sisters as they came thundering down the stairs shouting his name. He let his mom go and braced himself as the youngest two barreled into him, hugging him around the legs and jumping up and down.
“What did you bring us?” they asked, looking up at him.
“Just myself,” he said, laughing when they began to pout.
“That’s enough, girls, your brother isn’t always going to bring you presents,” his mother said, “What are you doing out of bed?”
Natalie sighed. “I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen.”
“We wanted to see David,” they said in unison.
“Where are Beth and Vinnie?” David asked, noticing that his two middle sisters were missing.
“Your sister and I are having a bit of a disagreement about how much freedom a thirteen-year-old should have,” his mother said, shaking her head.
He looked from his mother to Natalie, who said, “Vinnie’s been egging her on so they’re both in their rooms.”
David sighed. “Sounds like I need to do more than stay the night,” he said.
***Michelle***
It had been three days since she’d seen David; she knew that he’d been around town because people talked about seeing him, but he hadn’t stopped by the church or the boarding house. If she was honest with herself, she was disappointed, had been since Stephanie told her that he’d been called out to his family farm to help and wouldn’t available to help her.
She’d finally talked to Sophie, who’d called the morning after the day she’d spent with David sorting through the town’s treasures. Sophie had explained her absence, apologizing until Michelle had made it clear that she was fine, had plenty to keep her busy for a while.
But she was anxious to see the journal, and where Molly and her family had been buried. If nothing else, she hoped it would get her mind off David, who’d invaded her thoughts and wouldn’t leave. She’d dreamed of him every night, looked for him in town any time she came out of the church or the boarding house, and had even considered calling him.
It was stupid to be thinking about David at all, she kept reminding herself each time he entered her thoughts. She’d just broken up with Bryce, had a master’s thesis to write: it just wasn’t the right time for romance. The only problem was that her heart wasn’t listening to her brain; it kept stirring her up with thoughts of David.
During the day, it was easier to push thoughts about him away. The records in the church had given her a lot to work with already: birth and death records for not only Molly and her little family, but extended family members as well. She’d begun sketching a family tree, tracing one branch to the next until she had a good picture of Molly’s heritage and ties to the community.
It surprised her that there were none of them left, but that sometimes happened when a scandal was too great: entire families picked up and moved away. At some point, she’d have to look at property records for the county, try to pinpoint where everyone lived and see if she could trace where they went.
But that would mean a trip across the mountain to Marshall, the county seat, and she wasn’t ready to leave Gypsum Creek just yet. She tried to tell herself that it was just because she didn’t want to miss Sophie, who was clearly a busy woman, but she knew deep down that it was David she didn’t want to miss.
Realizing that she’d completely lost her concentration, she shut the book she’d been reading and put it back on the shelf. It was time to call it a day anyway, and she clearly wasn’t going to get anything else done that day. As she locked the door, she remembered the day she’d spent with David and wondered for the first time if he was ignoring her.
It was such a shocking thought, a man not wanting to be around her, that she had to think it through again. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that he had been avoiding her. That he lived right across the street, that at some point during the day, they should have run into each other.
When she got back to the boarding house, she headed straight for the kitchen. “I haven’t seen David for three days; do you think he’s avoiding me?” she asked, Stephanie without even a greeting.
Stephanie was quiet for a second. “He’s been out at his mom’s a lot the last few days, but it does seem strange that you haven’t seen him. Does it bother you?”
Michelle answered without even thinking. “Yes, I guess it does. I mean, we had a good time that day, I just thought he was...” she trailed off, realizing that she’d said more than she’d meant to.
Stephanie grinned at her. “He does have a way of getting to you,” she said.
“He hasn’t, I mean… Oh, I don’t know what I mean,” she said, exasperated with the whole situation. “I shouldn’t even be thinking about this.”
Stephanie patted her on the back, “It never happens when we want it to.”
Michelle was silent for a second, then said, “Nothing is happening, Stephanie; he won’t even see me.”
“Oh, he’ll be back; they always come back,” Stephanie said.
Stephanie’s words would come back to haunt her, but not because of David. After dinner, Michelle decided to go over to the diner for coffee and a piece of pie, as had become her habit since David had disappeared and the nights seemed too long to bear alone in her room.
The men in town had already gotten used to her presence, the initial ogling and open-mouthed stares replaced by quiet respect once she showed them that there was more to her than her beauty. It wasn’t long before she was engaged in a heated discussion about the Civil War and Tennessee’s part in the war, a discussion that looked like it could last all night.
She was enjoying a battle of wits with one of the oldest men in town when her phone rang. Without even thinking, she pulled it out and answered, only to hear Bryce’s voice on the other end.
“Sweetheart, I was beginning to get worried about you. You’ve stopped answering my calls; is something wrong?” he asked, his voice full of the sweetness that had once fooled her.
Michelle had been ignoring his calls, should have blocked his number but just hadn’t gotten around to it yet, not able to make that final break. But now that she heard his voice, she wished that she had blocked him. “Hold on a second,” she said to Bryce, then to the table, “I’m sorry, I guess I have to take this call. I’ll be back though; this discussion isn’t over.”
Chapter Eight
***David***
David was sneaking along the side of the diner trying not to be spotted. It was a childish and juvenile thing to do, but he wasn’t ready to see Michelle again. He was so busy trying not to be spotted that he almost didn’t see her come out of the diner, her cell phone to her ear.
When he saw her, he stopped, then stepped back into a deeper shadow, knowing full and well that he should announce his presence. He almost did, but then Michelle started talking. “Bryce, I thought you understood that we’re through; get someone else to give you the introduction. I’m staying here in Gypsum Creek until my thesis is done.”
A wave of jealousy washed over him, and he nearly gave himself away, but he stuck to the shadows to hear what else Michelle would say. “I’m not coming back, Bryce; this is my home for now. I’m not going to marry you, and I don’t care about your introduction. Those are not my dreams, and I w
on’t be bullied into doing what everyone else wants me to do any longer.”
It hit David like a slap in the face to discover that Michelle was engaged, but then he realized that she’d broken if off and a little part of him began to wonder if he might have a chance with her. But then she spoke again, her voice taking on an edge he’d never heard before.
“No, there isn’t anyone else, nor will there be for a while. Believe me, I’ve had enough of men for a while,” she said. “I’m done talking to you now. I have better things to do.”
There was a brief pause, then she said, “Bryce, don’t call me again.”
David watched her shove the phone in her pocket, then she turned and pressed her forehead up against the building, her shoulders shaking. Feeling terrible that he’d been eavesdropping and even worse because she was clearly very upset, he circled around to the front of the building.
He made a bunch of noise with his feet, then called, “Michelle are you out here? Someone inside said you came out here to take a phone call.”
Resisting the urge to walk around the corner of the building where he knew she was standing, he waited patiently for a few minutes. Finally, she came around the corner, all trace of the tears she’d been shedding covered up by the darkness.
“There you are,” he said. “I was just about to go back inside.”
“I just, umm, had to take a phone call,” she said, then she took a big shuddering breath and stepped into the light.
David couldn’t miss her puffy eyes and red nose, surprised to find that crying only made her that much more beautiful. He suppressed the wave of desire that raced through him, only to find it replaced by concern.
“Are you okay? You look upset,” he asked, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms.
Michelle sighed. “I’m fine,” she said, “just finishing up some unfinished business.”
David searched for something to say and finally settled on, “Well, if you need someone to talk to, I have two ears, and both are good at listening.”
Michelle smiled at him. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay,” she said, then smiled at him. “I haven’t seen you for days; how have you been?”
David felt a thrill of happiness to know that she’d missed him, then felt a bit guilty for abandoning her. “I was out at the farm; my sisters needed a little reminder that they don’t rule the world. I’m sorry if it seemed like I abandoned you.”
“That’s okay, I understand,” she said, although it didn’t sound like it. “How many sisters do you have?”
It was David’s turn to sigh. “Five.”
Michelle’s eyes got big. “Five?”
“Yep, you met Natalie; she’s the oldest. Then there Vinnie who’s fifteen, Beth who’s thirteen, and the twins are eight,” he explained.
“Wow, your mother has her hands full,” she said.
David nodded. “Since my father died, it’s been hard on her, raising the girls on her own, running the farm, and keeping them fed is a lot of work. I do my best to help out; that’s why I was working in Nashville.”
Michelle looked relieved to have the conversation off her troubles, so he led her over to the bench in front of the diner. “Natalie, has a lot of ambition and a brand-new degree in hospitality management she’s dying to use.”
“She’s the one I met that first day in the store.”
David nodded, then began talking about his other sisters, enjoying sitting next to Michelle but knowing it was a bad idea. His body was tingling, desire a constant throbbing in the background as he talked, but he wouldn’t have gotten up for anything.
When he finished talking, Michelle said, “They sound like great girls; your mother must be proud of them.”
“She is, but they can be quite a handful.”
There was a long silence between them, and he could tell that Michelle was getting restless, but then she surprised him by saying, “That was my ex-fiancé on the phone; he just can’t get it through his head that we’re broken up.”
David was shocked that she’d confided in him, and couldn’t think of anything to say, then before he could stop himself, said, “I don’t blame him,” came out of his mouth.
He cringed, and Michelle was silent for a long time. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t the right thing to say,” he said. “I’m not very good at this sort of thing. Do you want to talk about it? I’ll keep my mouth shut, won’t say anything stupid again.”
***Michelle***
Michelle was horrified that she blurted out her personal business, and David’s remark reminded her that he was just another man. But she could see that he was truly sorry, that he did really care that she was hurting. Still, she wasn’t going to talk about Bryce.
“That’s okay, it’s just something I’ll have to deal with. Hopefully he won’t call again. He wasn’t happy that I decided to come up here; the truth is, neither were my parents. They had different plans for my life,” she said, again saying more than she’d intended to.
David was silent for a second, and she wondered if she’d said too much. Most men didn’t want to hear about her life or her problems; they wanted to imagine that her life was as perfect as her looks.
“Well, you’re here, and that’s all that matters,” he said, “How has the search at the church been going? I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you.”
Michelle was surprised but relieved that he’d changed the subject. “I’ve basically got all the background information I need, birth and death records, stuff like that. The only thing I haven’t done is figure out where they all lived, well, except Molly.”
“I heard that there used to be a bunch of Swensens around here, but they all left,” David said.
Michelle nodded. “It looks like they all left shortly after Molly died, but I won’t be able to verify that until I check the property records in Marshall.”
“I’d be happy to go with you if you like. I’ve got some things I need to take care of, building permits and stuff like that,” David offered.
Michelle started to tell him no, but changed her mind, thinking that she wouldn’t mind spending the day with David again. “That would be nice,” she said, then quickly added, “These roads can be a bit scary.”
David nodded, then grinned, “You should see some of the delivery drivers when they finally get up here; half of them refuse to come back.”
Michelle laughed. “I can just imagine; it was scary enough in my little car. I can’t imagine driving one of those big trucks up here.”
“It takes some guts, that’s for sure. But the trip to Marshall isn’t so bad, and there’s some beautiful country between here and there.”
“Then it’s a date,” Michelle said, then realized what she’d said. “I mean, I’d love…oh, umm, what time do you want to leave?”
Michelle wanted to curse her choice of words, knew that something as simple as a misused word could give a man the wrong idea, but David didn’t seem to notice what she’d said.
“How does nine sound? That should put us in Marshall about ten.”
“Sounds good,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’d better get home and get ready for tomorrow, make sure I know what I’m looking for.”
“I’ll walk you home,” David said, getting to his feet.
Michelle shook her head. “It’s just next door. I think I can make it on my own but thank you for offering.”
She’d learned a long time ago that letting a man take her to her door often resulted in him trying to kiss her, and that was the last thing she wanted from David. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, she had to admit as she walked away from him.
She wouldn’t have minded if David tried to kiss her, but she didn’t want to spoil what they had right then, didn’t want the confusion of what a kiss might mean. When she got to the door, she turned and looked back at the store to see that David was waiting out front.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him standing there in the light from the store. A wave of desire washed over her,
and she wondered if she should have let him walk her home, or if she should have just kissed him herself. That thought made her smile; he’d probably be so shocked if she did that, it made the idea seem that much more alluring.
Knowing that she was being silly, she waved to him and stepped into the house. Stephanie was sitting in the front room watching television, but she turned it off when she saw Michelle standing at the door, a silly smile on her face.
“I see that David is back,” she said, startling Michelle.
Michelle couldn’t help the blush that crept onto her cheeks and hoped that it was dark enough that Stephanie didn’t notice. “He’s going to take me to Marshall tomorrow,” she blurted out, unable to hide her happiness.
“I told you he’d be back,” Stephanie said, getting to her feet. “Tell me all about it while we have a cup of hot chocolate.
Michelle was surprised to find that she liked that idea. “Okay.”
Over a cup of hot chocolate, Michelle found herself telling Stephanie about Bryce’s phone call, her parents’ disapproval of her choice to come to Gypsum Creek, and most surprising, her confused feelings for David.
When she was finished, she felt empty, but not in a bad way. It had been so long since she’d had a friend to confide in, so long since anyone had really listened to her, that it was a relief to get everything out.
“Well, if you want my opinion, you did the right thing coming here; you have to live your life for yourself and not someone else. I learned that lesson the hard way, and now I’m stuck here,” Stephanie said.
When Michelle opened her mouth to ask what she meant, Stephanie held up her hand. “We’ll save my story for another time; tonight was your turn. Besides, we’d better get to bed; you need to get your beauty rest, and so do I.”
Chapter Nine
***David***
Young Love: Wolves of Gypsum Creek (A Paranormal Romance Story) Page 5
