Harvest Moon (6 page)

He sighed heavily, and turned to me. “It’s not anything you need to be concerned with, and soon it won’t matter anyway.”

“Okay. Then tell me this.”

He only looked at me.

“Are you a priest or something?”

“What?” he laughed. “Where in the world would you get that idea?”

“Ovett said that about you choosing to be celibate.”

“Oh.” He looked down, and based on his tone, if I could see him, I’d see his face turning red. “No.”

“Then why would he say something like that about you?”

He didn’t answer me right away. Instead he stood and walked toward the pool. “Would you dance with me, Prentiss?”

“What? No. I mean, I don’t dance.”

“I don’t either, but I’d like to tonight. Here. With you.”

The way he said that last part, if he could see me, he’d see my cheeks turning pink.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I answered.

“Why not?”

“We talked about this last time.”

He nodded. “Jackson.”

“I’m sort of in a committed relationship.”

“But if we’re just dancing, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s not like...”

“No, but I think, if the situation were reversed, if it were him, I wouldn’t like it.”

Gallatin walked back and sat on the fallen tree beside me. “Why wouldn’t you like it? Would it mean something to you?”

He tried to take my hand, but I slid it away. “You haven’t answered my question.”

“Which one?”

“The one about you being a priest.”

He chuckled again. “I am not a priest.”

“So what are you? Why would you decide to be celibate so young?”

“Why would you decide to get married so young?”

“You keep doing that! Every time I ask you something, you turn it away onto something else.”

He sighed. “Okay. After my grandfather dies, I’ll take his place. As a Guard.”

“And Guards don’t marry? But how does that work? He’s your grandfather.”

“Sometimes it’s best if we don’t marry. In times of turmoil or increased danger. Loved ones can be used against us.”

“Like since you’ve invaded our country?”

“It’s not like that, Prentiss. There’s a lot you don’t understand.”

“Then help me understand.”

“I want you to dance with me. Please? Just once.”

I let out a frustrated groan and stood up, striding back around the pool to the moonlit spot. It was the way back to the camp, but he was quickly at my side, catching my hand.

“I won’t let it mean anything, I promise.”

“How can you say something like that?”

“Here.” He stepped closer and slid his hands around my waist, pulling me to him.

I didn’t fight. I let him hold me in an embrace, and after a few sways, I even lifted my hands to his shoulders. But I was too short. My face was pressed into his chest.

“Hang on,” he said, looking around.

Then he led me to the hillside by the pool. There was a little ledge where some rocks jutted out over the side forming a lip. He helped me step up on them, and at that height, my chin met his shoulder. I could see his face better, and the moonlight reflected the smile in his amber eyes.

“Much better,” he said, sliding his arm around my waist again and starting to sway.

I couldn’t really move or I’d fall off the ledge, but I didn’t want to face him this way. I leaned my head forward so my chin was on his shoulder and we merely swayed back and forth. My eyes closed and I felt myself relax in his arms. Then I noticed he was humming a tune I almost recognized.

“What’s that?” I whispered.

“Harvest moon,” he said softly in my ear.

His lips tickled my skin. We were a breath away from a kiss, and I turned my face into his neck. His arm tightened around my waist, and I wanted to cry. I wanted to kiss him. Instead, I straightened up. I couldn’t step away from where I was perched on the rocks, and my back was to the hillside. All I could do was look into his face. He looked back at me, and we stood there caught in a moment of longing and regret.

“I need to go,” I said through the thickness in my throat. “I shouldn’t be here now. Like this.”

He reached up and slid a piece of my flyaway hair behind my ear. “I wish things were different.”

“Please help me down.”

He stepped back and gently lifted me to the ground then we started walking back toward the pack and the way to camp.

“Will you tell me something?” he said.

“Okay.”

“Why are you engaged? So young, I mean.”

I sighed and stopped walking. We were in our little circle of light, only now it was moonlight. “Remember that about my dad?”

“Being an alcoholic?”

I nodded and sat down. He did the same, taking my hand again. This time I didn’t pull away.

“My mamma died when I was about nine, and my daddy started drinking. First he only did it at night til he passed out. Then he started at lunch. Then lunch and night started meeting up, and he’d go all the way to bedtime, then past bedtime.”

Gallatin’s thumb stroked the top of my hand, and he looked down at our joined hands. “Alcoholism is a strange illness,” he said. “There’s always an emotional component.”

“Yeah, well, then Braxton found Jesus.”

“What does that mean?” he laughed. “Was Jesus lost?”

“It means my brother turned into a Jesus-freak. Big time. And he started preaching at Daddy every night. After a while, they’d start arguing. Then Daddy’d start punching him in the face.”

Gallatin’s hand tightened on mine. I looked up and his face was lined. He tried to pull me to him, but I caught his arm and pushed back.

“Don’t,” I said, wondering why my eyes were burning. I’d stopped crying over my stupid brother and my drunk daddy fighting years ago.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t imagine you caught in the middle of something like that. And you were still so young?”

“I was about thirteen.”

“So this Jackson helped you?

“I’d sneak out and run to his house and spend the night.”

“He kept you safe.”

“I guess,” I said. “It was more like he was my safe place to run. My promise of something better. A better life.”

“I understand why you feel so strongly about him, then.”

“We were always together after that. I was his girl, and his daddy was going to give us the farm. It was my future. My dream.”

“Until now?”

“No, not until now. It’s still my dream. I’m going to find Jackson, and we’re...” I bit my lip. Who’s side was I on anyway? I was supposed to be getting information from him, and instead I was about to give away my whole plan.

“Come on,” I said, standing up. “We need to get back to camp.”

He stood with me and pulled the backpack onto his shoulder. We set out over the hills in silence. We’d been coming this way so often, I could find my way in the dark, and I made a mental note of that for when I returned.

At the fence Gallatin stopped and turned to me. “I’m sorry your life was like that. I’m sorry that soon...”

He stopped speaking, and my body tensed. I should want to know the rest of whatever he was about to say, but all I felt was sadness. I knew what he was about to say. Soon he’d be leaving.

“Hearing that story makes me wish I could have been the one to protect you,” he said.

“I don’t need your protection,” I sniffed. “I’m little, but I can take care of myself.”

“Everyone needs help. Sometimes.” He reached up and slid the hair back from his face exposing the scar on his cheek.

I didn’t know how to answer that. I still didn’t know how he’d gotten those scars, but more than that, I didn’t know who I wanted protecting me now.

I stepped through the fence. “I guess this is good-night,” I whispered.

“Sleep well, doctor.”

I shook my head and sneaked past the cabins across the dark yard and into the dormitory. Once inside I stood for several minutes with my face pressed against the doorjamb. I could still feel his finger tracing my cheek, and for just a moment, I imagined my head was still resting on his chest.

Why was this happening? I wasn’t this kind of person. Other girls got their feelings all mixed up over boys, but I didn’t. That question had been settled in my mind years ago, and yet here I was acting like a starry-eyed little twit. I was failing in my job to rescue us. Everyone was counting on me, and here I was useless, fighting this battle with myself. I had to get it together. I had to get myself back on track, for all of us.

I turned to face the dark room. Heavy breathing or the occasional snore was the only sound that met my ears. I went to my bunk, undressed, and crawled under the thin sheet. I hadn’t accomplished much, other than learning his grandfather was some leader and Gallatin was all set to take his place. That wasn’t really helpful. It was clear he was somehow politically important like his sister. I supposed that was why she was so anxious to have him here. But it wasn’t useful. I had to find out about the chips and when they were leaving. I had to get him to tell me their plans and what, if anything, was in those boxes.

I rolled onto my side and slid my knees up to my chest. His soft touch, the warmth in his eyes, his words at the fence about protecting me, all these things rolled together into a lump in my chest. My eyes slid closed, and I remembered the feeling of his arms holding me, swaying in the moonlight, the hum of his voice. Everything about it was warm and wonderful and good. But I knew it was wrong.

Still, just as a secret for me, just for tonight, I allowed myself to drift to sleep thinking of a harvest moon somewhere in a different world. Somewhere where it would be okay to let myself relax in his arms. Where it would be okay to reach up and touch his face, to seal our dance with a kiss.

* * *

P
ressure builds in the prison camp, tragedy strikes, and Prentiss’s new alliance is broken. When everything hinges on her making the right decision, she takes the chance to make a break.

Until unexpected news and a shocking discovery raise all the stakes.

Pre-Order “Jackson” Today:
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f you enjoyed this episode of
Behind the Stars
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* * *

Pre-order all
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“J
ackson” (Dec. 7):
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“Into the Woods” (Dec. 21):
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“If I Fly” (Dec. 28):
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Behind the Stars
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––––––––

I
f you enjoyed this episode of
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, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or wherever you purchased your copy. Reviews help your favorite authors find new readers, gain advertising opportunities, and sell more books.

Thank you!

* * *

Pre-order all
Behind the Stars
episodes, and/or the Complete Set Today!

R
elease Schedule:

Nov. 9 – “Captive”

Nov. 9 – “Learning to Spy”

Nov. 23 – “Harvest Moon”

Dec. 7 – “Jackson”

Dec. 21 – “Into the Woods”

Dec. 28 – “If I Fly”

Dec. 31 –
Behind the Stars
Complete Set

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* * *

Did you love
Harvest Moon
? Then you should read
Jackson
by Leigh Talbert Moore!

Pressure builds in the prison camp, tragedy strikes, and Prentiss’s new alliance is broken.

When everything hinges on her making the right decision, she decides to take the chance and make a break.

Until unexpected news and a shocking discovery raise all the stakes.

Red Dawn meets L O S T in this New Adult action-adventure romance from Amazon bestselling author Leigh Talbert Moore. Contains mild language and themes appropriate for readers aged 13 and older.

Episode Release Schedule: (all available for pre-order)
Nov. 9 - Captive
Nov. 9 - Learning to Spy
Nov. 23 - Harvest Moon
Dec. 7 - Jackson
Dec. 21 - Into the Woods
Dec. 28 - If I Fly

Dec. 31 – BEHIND THE STARS Complete Set

Read more at
Leigh Talbert Moore’s site
.