Love Lift Me (11 page)

“Aren’t
they beautiful?” I asked Shane as we watched. “Just look at them.”

“I’ve
never seen anything like it, Kat. They have that whole island all to
themselves. Can do whatever they want, anytime they want.”

“Especially
run around. I wonder if my horse Zip is any relation to them.”

“That
the one you had with you the other day? The black one?” I nodded, and twisted
my hands on the rail. Shane asked, unsure, “Are they…are they easy to ride?”

“Not
those. You’d have a better chance taming a zebra, I’d say,” I answered.

“Oh,
no. Not the wild ones. The ones like you have at the farm.”

“Shane
Logan,” I said, perplexed. “You mean to tell me you never rode a horse?”

He
shrugged innocently. “Can’t say I have. Not much of a country boy, you know?”

“Well,
I can fix that.” I stepped a little closer, edging myself at an angle between
him and the railing. He looked down at me and stared into my eyes when I asked,
“You have to work tomorrow?”

“I
hate to say it, but yes. We’ve still got some things to work out for the case.
Who knows when Patterson Reid’s lawyers will start throwing curveballs at us.
I’m going to be stressed out all next week.”

“Then
you come back to our farm next weekend, when you get a break. I’ll teach you.
Show you how
I
ride. Take away all that stress.”

I
immediately realized the words that had come out of my mouth, but I wasn’t
about to take them back. Shane’s smiled extended and a pinkish blush rose on
his cheeks. “Oh yeah?”

“Mm-hmm.”
I stepped even closer, until he was pressed right up against me and my back was
pinned against the brass railing.
Ooh, he felt so nice.
The warmth from
him seemed to cross over to me, and a delightful ache wound up from between my
legs and settled delightfully into my belly.

“I’d
like that,” he said, and the words trailed away from him and escaped into the
wind. One strong hand eclipsed my waist and he leaned forward, into me, and my
eager lips met his. At first it was a light, testing peck, but then the flood
came rushing in and I let it take me. Our mouths met again quickly, more
fiercely, and the ache inside me started to burn.

Eleven

“
Ohh
.
Oh my,” I murmured as our lips parted. Shane’s hand gently brushed down the
side of my face as he stared into my eyes, transfixed.

My
heart was racing. I turned away from him, confused thoughts blazing in my mind.
What was I doing? I hadn’t had that much to drink, had I? Our first date
wasn’t even over yet!

“Shane…I…”

 “I’m
sorry, Kat. I don’t know what came over me,” he said, taking a step back. “I’m
usually not like this.” He picked up my hand and held it between us, and then
he turned my chin so that I was facing him again before he continued, “The
truth is, you sort of make me crazy. I couldn’t stop myself.”

“I’d
be lying if I said I didn’t like it, or I wasn’t hoping for the same thing.”

“Really?”
He asked.

I
nodded. “There’s still a lot going on, though. For both of us.”

“I
know.”

“Maybe
we should slow things down a little, Shane. Just…I don’t know.”

He
lowered his eyes and didn’t answer. Instead, we held hands under the stars and
enjoyed the night in quiet, and I tried to forget about how impossibly wonderful
his kiss felt. It was incredibly difficult to process everything and convince
myself that waiting was the smart move, but the last time I rushed into a
relationship it didn’t work out so well. It was right to slow things down
before they flew out of our control…
wasn’t it?

The
silence was shattered by the blast of a horn coming from somewhere up the deck
on
The Enchanting Queen
. Shane and I turned suddenly in surprise and
then I felt the slow force of the boat coming around in the water, back the way
we’d come.

Once
the boat was safely docked, an announcement went out over the PA system that
directed all passengers to the main exit. Side by side, Shane and I walked down
the ramp and crossed the road back to his car. My thoughts were still tangled
by what had happened – the suddenness of his kiss, the raw, tantalizing
experience of it, and of his silence when I suggested we go slowly. We spoke
only of the surface of our date during the ride; how badly we had danced or how
lovely everything was, even though I was sure he was thinking the same things I
was.

He
drove back up the winding dust trail of a driveway, and like the gentleman he
was, escorted me to the porch. Mother had left the light on, and it was still
early enough that dull, thumping music could be heard coming through the
windows of Abby’s room upstairs.

“Tonight
was fantastic,” Shane said, standing close to me on the top step. “And I
thought about what you said.”

“That
we should take our time?”

“I
don’t want to.” He flashed a smoldering look at me. “But I will, if that’s what
you want, Kat.”

I
twirled a loose sequin on the belt of my dress.
Did I?

“I…I
think...” I stammered, feeling myself being drawn in again. A quick glance at
the door told me no one was watching us, then I turned back to him.
Those
eyes. Those lips. Who could resist?
 “We don’t want to rush things, Shane.
Not too fast.”

“Yeah,”
he agreed, and his hand gripped my waist, pulling me near.

God,
did I want to kiss him again
.

“Not
too slow, either,” I whispered, giving in.

“We’ll
take things carefully. Easy.”

“Uh-huh.”
Our lips were inches apart. A thrill ran through me.

“We
should just let things…evolve…naturally.”

I
closed my eyes and felt his lips crush against mine.
To hell with it
.
The tension in my arms relaxed and my hands fell by my sides, no longer obliged
to try and prevent the inevitable. A feverish sort of rush came over me and
flowed across my skin. By the time our heated exchange had ended my entire body
was positively buzzing with the excited, tingling urge to take things another
step further.

“Whew,”
Shane said quietly, blowing out while he pulled away. “That seemed about the
right speed.”

“So
I guess this means we’re on for next weekend?” I said with a light laugh. Discretion
would win out…for now. “I can’t wait to see you on a saddle.”

“I
wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

The
kitchen light clicked on just then and beamed out from the window at the end of
the porch. Shortly after came the muffled sounds of cabinets opening and closing.

I
took a step closer to the door and said, “Guess I should be heading in now.
Call me this week?”

“Sure.
If I get a chance, maybe we can grab a coffee or something while you’re in
Wilmington with your mother.”

“I’d
like that. Drive safe.”

“Goodnight.”

I
raised my hand and gave him a little wave as he turned to get back in his car.
Shane shot me another amused look and disappeared behind the darkened
windshield. A few moments later, and the taillights of his silver BMW were
nothing more than two fading red spots in the distance though a trailing puff
of dust.

The
next morning, I awoke to the smell of frying bacon. I stretched out sleepily
under the warm comfort of my blankets, let out a huge yawn, and rolled over.
Hanging on the doorknob of my closet was the black dress I’d worn the night
before. A smile spread across my face as I recalled the previous evening and
the time I’d spent with Shane.

What
a night
.
At first I’d thought I was going to lose my mind when I found out where Shane
was taking me, but like some magic spell only he could weave, everything I was
scared of became nothing. He made it all go away. I thought about what he’d
said at dinner, and how it didn’t matter what happened in the past, and I set
my sights on enjoying the present as much as possible.

And
the present started with
breakfast
.

Once
I’d rubbed all the sleep from my eyes and awkwardly twisted my feet into my
fuzzy slippers, I followed the scent of food. When I arrived downstairs, Daddy
was seated in front of an empty plate which was still stained with the remnants
of maple syrup and he was finishing the last of his coffee. Mother was whisking
pancake batter in a bowl and humming pleasantly to herself.

“Look
who it is,” she called out in a sing-song way. “How was your night, Mary Katherine?”

“It
was…good.” I shot her a perplexed look. “You certainly look like you had a good
night, too.”

“Oh,
I did, I did. Haven’t felt better in ages. I told ya’ll I’d lick this thing,”
Momma said pridefully.

Father
pulled off his glasses and set them down on top of his newspaper. “Don’t go sayin’
things like that now, Carol. I know you’re feelin’ better, and I’m glad, but my
mind ain’t gon’ be at ease till that doctor says you got it licked.”

“Listen
to your ol’ Daddy,” Mother said and loaded up a plate with three crisp strips
of bacon. “He’s sceered I’ll jinx myself. Truth is, I’ve been hungry all the
time since yesterday. Feel like a million bucks. Energy is just bustin’ outta
me!”

I
could hardly believe what I was seeing. She’d done a complete one-eighty in
less than a day. “That’s great, Momma. Now, don’t you go getting down on
yourself if it doesn’t last. You might want to take it easy just in case.”

She
rolled her eyes at me, almost exactly like my sister often did. “Take it easy! You
all jus’ worry about me too much. I’m fine. I’ve been fine, just a little under
the weather, s’all.” She pulled up a chair and sat down next to my father, who
was just getting finished buttoning up his shirt. “Ya’ll wait till you hear
what that doctor gots to say after my next appointment. Miss Pauline says the
whole church has been prayin’ for me all this time. By the grace of God, that’s
the true medicine!”

“Speaking
of which,” Daddy spoke up, “You goin’ with us today to service, Lil’ Bit?”

I
shrugged and said, “I don’t know. I haven’t been in so long.”

“All
the more reason. Pastor James was askin’ about you last week, and now that your
leg’s not so bothersome no more, I thought you might want to come with us.”

“Alright,”
I answered, and grabbed the last pancake from the counter. Mother hopped up
immediately and began to ladle some more onto the skillet.

“So
there’s some for your sister whenever she drags her lazy butt out of bed,” she explained
quickly. “And if ya’ll want more, too, of course.”

I
couldn’t recall the last time I’d seen my mother with so much energy. The color
had returned to her face, though, and I would’ve sworn she’d gained weight
overnight. Maybe adding the new medicines had done it. Maybe it was the grace
of God, like she said. Whatever it was, I hoped it would last.

Abby
never did make it downstairs in time for church. I couldn’t say I was too
surprised. She’d probably spent most of the night listening to some new
boy-band’s music she’d picked up at the mall or talking to girlfriends about my
date on her phone. If I’d done that when I was the same age, I’d have been
woken up by Momma tugging me out of bed by the ear to stand, and sing, and
pray, right along with most of the rest of town. My parents had definitely
cooled the way they handled things like that since I’d left for college.

With
Daddy driving and Momma sitting in her usual place in the front of the car, we
rode the short few miles into town to church. The parking lot was about
half-full and people in their freshly-pressed Sunday suits or fine dresses were
making beelines from their cars to the big open doors of the sanctuary.

Ridgewater
Baptist wasn’t the only church in Kirkland, not by a long shot, but it was the
largest. It was constructed in the sixties and built up ever since. Most of the
existing structure was replaced to expand and give more room for members and
functions. Space for the fellowship hall used to be no more than a small room
barely sizeable enough to hold a meeting with a dozen people. Now, it was an
enormous area with an attached kitchen, where the church held everything from
the men’s Sunday breakfast to huge wedding receptions and other gatherings.
There was even a gym with a full-size basketball court on the backside of the
property, and every Saturday they hosted church league games.

The
outside was almost pure red brick, from the top of the front walls to the
ground. White vinyl trim laced around the rooftop, which was a smoky, charcoal
grey. There were two square bell towers jutting up from opposite sides, one
with the original bell that had been placed in the church when it was built,
and the other with a new system of speakers that played out the music from inside
for all to hear. On the top was a traditional cross, just like most churches,
however this one was outlined in what appeared to be gold and was easily large
enough to be seen over the trees for a few miles in any direction. Only the
pastor knew for sure how much it had cost.

I
exited the car along with my parents and looked on at the big sign which had
been wedged into the grass near the roadway. In blocky, changeable letters, the
message of the week read for all motorists to see,

“
Life
is to prepare for us for greater life! The good news begins with Jesus!
”

And
then, below it;

“
Sign
up now for our bake sale at the Harvest Festival – November 20
^th
.
”

“Only
a couple more weeks. It’s gonna be a big one this year, I’ll bet,” Momma said
from beside me.

“I
didn’t even know Kirkland was still doing a Harvest Festival. Didn’t they
cancel the last one a few years ago?” I asked.

“Mm-hmm,”
Momma intoned, and swung her heavy purse around on her shoulder. “That Mister
Reid donated a heap of money to bring it back this year. S’ppose he’s doin’ all
he can to paint a good picture for himself in light of all that’s been goin’ on
as of late.”

“Ya’ll
gon’ stand there and jibber-jabber all mornin’?” Daddy asked, and Momma shot
him a disturbed look. He jerked his thumb towards the front steps, where a
large, dark-skinned woman with an equally large, overly-elaborate hat was
waving to us. “Miss Pauline is up there waitin’, and it looks like she’s about
to have a fit.”

“She
jus’ wants to talk gossip ‘fore church,” Momma said. “Reckon it must be
something real juicy this time.”

“Well,
you might as well get on with it, Carol. You know she ain’t gon’ give up till
you do.”

Mother
waved back in Miss Pauline’s direction and the woman finally put down her hand.
“That lady is a saint in her own right. The things she does to help those in
need. But
Lord knows
she sure does like to talk on about other folk’s
affairs.”

“And
you like listenin’,” Daddy said with a quick laugh.

We
walked together across the lot and onto the concrete sidewalk leading up to the
church. At the front door, mother was immediately accosted by Miss Pauline, who
promptly dragged her off to the side and began to fill her in on whatever
eavesdropped details she’d heard passed around over the last few days. Most of
the time it was church-related bureaucracy, but occasionally she heard rumors
of a cheating spouse or marital conflict, and
that
was the kind of thing
she really seemed to live for. Whatever it was today, Miss Pauline was turning
red in the face as she hurriedly dished to mother.