Gone Country

Chapter 5 (Charlotte Jackson, Or Just, Charlotte?)

The local farmer's market was definitely a new place to me. I've heard of the places before, but have never been to one, or I have and had been too young to remember.  We pulled onto the lot where people were setting up tables and racks for fresh produce and a lot more other things. It was just Jack, Stella, and I today. It's been a little over a week since I've arrived at the Young house and things have been a little difficult.

Avery and I have been going to the Holt's residence a lot which turned Brant against us. He can't even look at us without a serge of anger flashing into his eyes. Avery has let it go, she liked Jax too much to dwell on it, but I felt a little bad for Brant. I wish he would've came with his parents and I so we could try to sort things out, only I was hoping he could do that with Avery when he took her and Jax swimming today.

When the truck halted, Stella, Jack, and I immediately went to work. We got out and headed to the bed of the truck where the wooden boxes of produce were waiting to be put on display. Jack pulled down the tail gate and fetched the first box of tomatoes after telling Stella and I which ones were the easier to lift boxes. 

Stella grabbed a box of cherry tomatoes, and I went to grab the lettuce they had grown. Arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind and a familiar pair of lips pecked my cheek. "Let me get that for you Charlie."

He was here?!? I twirled around in his arms, brightly smiling when I saw that it was in fact him. I haven't seen him since yesterday! "Clay!" I squealed. He easily caught me when my excitement took over and I jumped into his arms. I hugged his neck, giggling like a maniac because he was here. 

"Hey princess" he softly chuckled in my hair. I don't know why I was suddenly attached to him, it just kind of happened. When I finally unlatched my legs from around his torso and gave him back his space, he grabbed a box of produce and showed off for me. I thought it was cute how he would carry a box, then come back and pick up twice as more than the first time. I leaned against the truck, watching as he glanced at me to make sure his efforts weren't in vain. Trust me, my eyes were glued onto those muscles of his. 

He helped Jack finish setting up a lot quicker when he was showing off, I could tell Jack and Stella were thankful for his macho act. Clay returned to the truck, only this time he flipped me over his shoulder and carried me to the stand that Stella and Jack had sat up. 

"This is the last thing Jack" Clay said in a serious tone. "Although I think I'll keep this fine looking item to myself. How much?"

I giggled and hit his back, demanding to be let down in between my laughter. There was no way Jack was going to sell me. "Eh, I'll take a penny for it."

"Jack!!" I shrieked. His deep chuckles made me smile, but it wasn't until Clay actually slapped a penny onto the wooden table did I really smile my widest. 

"You two go look around" Stella ordered. "I'm sure Charlotte is curious about the market."

That I was! Clay set me down on my feet, his hand taking it's new favorite place which was in mine. "Alright then" Clay beamed. "Come along beautiful maiden that I bought for a penny, I'll show you the ropes around here."

He tugged me along, staying by my side as I looked at these new surroundings. Rows after rows of fresh produce, homemade things, and even animals were present in the outside market. I clung to Clay like a lost child, looking over everything that we passed by. 

"Mrs.Sue, you look beautiful as ever" Clay smoothly told an elderly woman selling her homemade quilts and jewelry. Her brown hair was greying, and she had wrinkles, but Clay was right about her being beautiful.

"Oh stop it" Mrs.Sue told him with a wave her hand, but a flattered smile. He leaned over her table, kissing her cheek to make her feel even better about herself. This woman was definitely like fine wine, because even with her age she was outstanding in looks. She must have been killer when she was in her teen years.

"I swear Mrs.Sue, you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met. If you weren't married to Burt, I'd marry you myself" Clay told her with a soft smile. The way he talked and looked at her, it was extremely charming. He didn't care what people thought as long as he could get her to smile and feel beautiful. 

Mrs.Sue just waved his words off but was clearly amused by him. "Stick to the lovely girl holding your hand" she said with a stern look. "You'll never get this." I giggled when Mrs.Sue playfully rocked her hips. 

Clay gave a pout at her words, then looked to me with a different caring expression. "Mrs.Sue use to baby sit me while I was growing up. I've tried my whole life to get her to marry me, but she always tells me I'm too young."

I gave his back a feign sympathetic pat. He stuck his tongue out at me and tugged me into his side. "We'll be going Mrs.Sue. I'll come by sometime this week for a cookie date."

She gave a nod, playfully blowing him a kiss that he pretended to faint over. I couldn't stop myself from laughing, their banter was just too cute. Clay led me away from that table and guided me on down the line. 

Along the way we tried free samples of jam, cheese, and Clay even stopped by the food cart so I could try Danny's which was like a hot dog stand, only it had so much more than that. He got us both barbecue sandwiches, a medium fry to share, and one ice cold glass of Motown's finest sweet tea that was served in mason jars that you got to take home. 

There were a series of picnic tables near Danny's food cart. We took a seat on the first one and began eating. "So what was with that greeting earlier?" he asked with a smug smile. "You act like you miss me or something?"

I snatched the french fry he had picked up out of his hand and shoved it into my mouth. "Says the one who called me princess" I shot back. 

"We missed each other then" he concluded. "I didn't stay up all night wondering if you liked me as much as I like you for no reason, right?" With a timid smile, I shook my head. "And I'm not dreaming?"

I leaned over the table, pinching his cheek to prove that he was perfectly awake. He cracked a grin, stealing a cheek kiss before I settled back into my seat. "I do like you Clay" I made sure he knew, even if confessing this made my whole face burn in embarrassment.

"Even if I don't have nice things or a ton of money?" he had to ask. "Cause I'm dirt poor Charlie."

He doesn't get it. "I don't care about money Clay. I didn't build up my boutique for money, I did it for my mother. I'm not the wealthy one, my father is. If it wasn't for him, my boutique would be closed down and I would be starving. Do you know how much I get paid from my sales?" 

He gave me a worried look. "I didn't mean to upset you Charlotte." 

I took his hand in both of mine, smiling at him in reassurance. "I'm not upset. Clay, I don't get paid at my own shop. All the money I earn goes to inventory, maintenance, bills, and my employees. The only reason why I have nice things is because my father showers me in them as I'm sorry gifts."

Clay sadly smiled at me, completely sympathetic towards my life. My family has so many problems that I'm not even sure who we are anymore. Were we a family, or enemies? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go crazy" I quietly murmured.

"It was a good crazy Charlie, you opened up to me." He  stood up, coming around my side of the table and sitting next to me. "Now finish your sandwich and we'll go look around some more."

I gave in to what he wanted, mostly because the sandwich was extremely good and I didn't want to worry him. He munched on some more french fries, took a swig of sweet tea, then focused on rubbing my back in comfort. I quietly ate my sandwich, knowing that he had to think I was some psycho now. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him smiling at me. Maybe he was the psycho one? 

"If you have nothing to do later, would you come and help me with Bolt, the black horse?" he asked. "I finally got him to come to me, and now it's just a matter of getting him to calm down in the round pen. He might settle down faster if he sees your calm, beautiful blue eyes."

He really was a smooth talker. "If you want to see me later, just say so" I told him with wink.

I had expected some kind of witty comeback or a line to make me blush, but he simply said, "I want to see you later." He didn't hide any emotion flickering around in his dazzling eyes, he let me see that he meant every word.

For the first time, I was so drawn to him that I could hardly contain myself. Closer and closer my face drew near to his, right up to the point that I let my lips touch his cheek for the very first time today. Kissing him like this, it was definitely intimate to me. It wasn't lip on lip action, but I did realize that the same feelings I got from when he kissed my cheek, they prickled throughout my body when I kissed his cheek. 

"I'll be over later then" I whispered. What was this boy doing to me? Just one smile from him directed towards me made my stomach do cartwheels and my heart pump faster than it has ever done before. It was amazing, but also scary. 

He didn't let me feel the fear part, only the part that made me feel like the most special girl in the world. Once we finished every scrape of food, we grabbed our sweet tea and walked hand in hand around the market some more. 

I didn't know where we stood exactly. We flirt, hold hands, and talk, but he's never asked me to be his girlfriend. My mind was itching to know whether this was just a weird flirting friendship kind of thing, or if he really wanted people to see me as his girlfriend. I've never done this dating stuff before so I had no clue what was going on. 

He takes me on riding dates, we've even had a picnic under his mother's weeping willow tree, but was dates all it was? I was deeply confused, and I've wanted to ask Brant what I should believe, but he's not speaking to me like the mature guy he is.

Finally I just laid it out there, it was bothering me so bad that I was just going to boldly say it. The worse thing that could happen was him saying that it wasn't more than a friend thing. "Clay" I squeaked. He looked away from a table selling hunting knives and focused on me. "We've been hanging out for a week now, does...does that mean something?"

I was such a wimp! My tone was quiet and scared, I just couldn't help but feel anxious about it. I liked him, I liked him a lot. "Well" he murmured with a lopsided grin. "I was hoping it meant you were my girlfriend. I'm really terrible with extreme romantic things so I had no clue as to how to ask you." He swung our joined hands then let go and slipped his arm around my waist in a protective way.  "So should I get down on one knee and ask or is just asking enough?"

Because I knew he wouldn't do it, I smirked and said, "Get down on one knee." 

He gave me a weird look, stopping me from walking and nearly getting us trampled by the rest of the crowd that had arrived over the time we ate. I was about to tell him that I was kidding, but the crazy boy actually took my hands in his and dropped down to one knee.  "Charlotte Jackson?" My jaw dropped. I quickly looked around to see if anyone was looking, bad choice. Everyone had pretty much stopped to see what Clay was going to say. I looked back to the the pink cheeked boy gazing up at me with his beautiful green eyes that ignited sparks within me, wondering if he was dropped on his head at birth. "Will you be my girlfriend?" he nervously asked. 

I could practically feel everyone looming over us, waiting for some response out of me. My heart pounded and I gulped down my fear before shakily replying, "Yes."

He shot to his feet and enveloped me in a hug that lifted me off the ground. I quietly laughed, hugging onto his neck while he told me I wouldn't regret it, I wouldn't regret us. People who weren't disappointed about it not being a real proposal clapped in approval. "I told you that I would do anything for you Charlie." 

He pulled away a little, bringing his smiling lips to my forehead. "Come on, there's more of the market you need to see." Willingly I followed him around the rest of the market, just enjoying the rest of the time with him until we made a circle back around to Stella and Jack. Clay had only come to the market for some homemade cheese that his dad wanted him to fetch for the homemade lasagna they're having tonight. I didn't want him to go, we had only been together as a official couple for a few minutes, I wanted to spend more time with him. 

"I'll see you later Charlie" he assured when I pouted at the fact he was leaving. "Don't eat any dinner before you come over. You'll love my dad's lasagna."

I still pouted because he was leaving. It wasn't going to kill me not to see him for a little while, I just honestly didn't want him to go. I've heard of girls being clingy, and I of course didn't want to be in that category, so I hugged him and let him go. "I'm going to miss those celeste blue eyes of yours" he sighed, petting my hair while we hugged one another. "I'll see you soon." 

He let me go, glancing over his shoulder at me as he strode away from the produce stand. Stella grabbed me, demanding to know everything that happened within the hour Clay and I spent together. I was too excited to speak, I just smiled like an idiot, until I remembered a certain someone who also called my eyes celeste blue. I hope he's okay.