Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (30 page)

She
jumped
at
a
new
clap
of
thunder,
shoving
the
cocoa
canister
into
his
hands.
“What?”

“Discovering
all
these
little
things
that
we
haven’t
had
time
to
learn
yet.”
For
a
moment,
it
seemed
as
if
he’d
disappeared
into
some
distant
daydream.
“I’ve
practically
lived
my
days
here
for
five
months.
I
know
you
better
than
I’ve
ever
known
anyone
outside
my
family,
but
then
it
seems
like
I
don’t
know
you
at
all.”

“I
felt
guilty,”
sh
e
confessed
with
a
sly
smile
growing
as
she
spoke.
“I
felt
the
same
way.
It
seems
like
you
shouldn’t
feel
like
you
don’t
know
the
person
you’re
going
to
marry,
but
I
kind
of
liked
the
feeling.
It’s
like
an
adventure,
and
yet
that’s
crazy
because
I
know
things
about
you
that
no
one
else
does—maybe
even
you!”

Luke’s
slow
nod
told
her
he
understood.
While
milk
heated
on
the
stove,
they
leaned
against
the
corners
of
the
island,
their
hands
intertwined
on
the
granite.
Both Luke and Aggie seemed
mesmerized
at
the
sight
before
them,
but
at
last,
their
gazes
met.
The
look
in
Luke’s
eyes
stole
her
breath
and
held
it
for
a
moment.
“March.”

“Seventh,”
she
agreed.

“A
long
time.”

“Mmm
hmm.”
Though
she
tried
to
drop
her
eyes,
she
couldn’t.
“Too
long.”

“Sunday
after
church?”

“Nope.
It’s
Saturday
or
the
seventh
of
March.”

The
scent
of
warm
milk
jerked
her
from
their
conversation.
She
stirred
the
pot,
readied
the
mugs,
and
tried
to
control
the
overwhelming
temptation
to
beg
him
to
agree
to
Saturday
or
Sunday.
It
didn’t
take
long
for
him
to
say
the
only
words
that
could
assure
that
she
would
be
Aggie
Milliken
for
at
least
a
couple
of
more
months.

“I
suppose
preempting
the
kids’
birthday
with
our
hastily
arranged
wedding
isn’t
exactly
something
Emily
Post
would
agree
with.”

“Getting
married
that
quickly
probably
also
gives
rise
to
other,
less
charitable
,
gossip.”

“Who
cares—”
Luke
sighed.
“
I
suppose
we
should.
The
kids
would
be
the
ones
who
got
the
brunt
of
it—eventually.”
He
accepted
the
cup
she
offered
and
nudged
her
back
toward
the
living
room.
“So,
what
about
houses.
Should
we
live
in
your
house
or
mine?”

Hot
chocolate
spewed
across
the
room,
landing
mostly
on
the
dining
table,
bench,
and
chairs.
The
floor
also
looked
as
if
the
storm
had
moved
indoors.
“And
I
thought
you
were
a
gentleman.”

“Why
would
you
think
that?
I
was
just
protecting
my
back
from
scalding
hot
chocolate.”

Aggie
started
to
turn
back
toward
the
kitchen,
but
Luke
blocked
the
way.
“Go
sit
down
and
enjoy
your
chocolate.
I’ll
clean
up
your
mess.”