Gone Country

Twenty Seven

This wasn't good.  

My mind was going in circles, and all because of Harper. 

I told her...I told her that I'm in love with her and she fainted as if the statement was terrifying. I knew she might not have wanted to say it back, didn't even know if she truly felt the same way, but that...a mans ego could only take so much.

Sitting in their kitchen I sipped on my coffee.  Lilly had made sure to put a cool cloth on her head even with all her protests, all but shooing me away.  So here I sat.

Their voices were low as the spoke in the living room, and I had no doubt she was telling her mother of my mishap...I wanted to tare my hair out with how much my hands were going through it, but there was nothing for me to do.

I should have told her.  Instead I tested her trust, what ever little trust there was, and dashed it out the window.  Harper was a gentle soul with armor thicker then any I had ever come across, and right as I made a dent, I put it straight back up. 

There was only one choose I had if I was going to prove it to her.

I was going to put Jimmy behind bars.

Already I had a good sense of the case, but only in the form of innocence.  I needed to see all the evidence, and soon.  The dates were coming closer as I pondered it.

My mind made up I pushed my cup to the side and texted Jason letting him know that I was on it.  Melissa had probably already sent a fax in, letting the county department be aware of everything going on.  And to my benefit, Jason and I had formed a friendship, one at least to have exchanged numbers.

Im on the case.  Is all I sent, and shortly after that,

Im on it with ya. Got ur back.  Talk to Harper?  Ah fuck...I wanted to scream then.  He must have been the one to tell her just like I thought.  But I couldn't be mad at him.  His loyalties lied with none other then the woman that stole my heart.

Yea.  Not so good.  Sighing and hitting send I leaned back on the bench in the kitchen, gazing up to the ceiling.

How stupid I had been.  Women were delicate creatures. And I am just a down right ass hole.  Making short of my coffee after that I felt my phone vibrate.

Work it out.  Love to keep u round.  Smiling lightly I put it down not bothering to reply.  It was nice to know that someone other then Lilly was happy that I had feelings for Harper.

"Hey.."  Startled I looked up and to the kitchen entrance. Harper was in it balancing a very happy Peyton.

"Hey."

"I wanted to say that I was sorry.  I might have over reacted a bit."  Slowly pacing her way round to me I opened a spot on the bench for her.  She took it, and placed Peyton on my lap.

Instent warmth filled my chest with her smile, so I bent to kiss her nose.

"She's starting to walk a little."  Harper said in a hushed tone.  "But we spoil her too much caring her so I don't know how fast she'll pick it up."

"She'll get it just fine.  Just gotta make sure to put her down here and there."  Winking at her Harper let out a light chuckle.

"Yeah I guess so."  Leaning into her side I wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  I was surprised when she met me half way and melted into the embrace. I placed my face in her hair, taking in her scent. 

"I'm not leaving Harper."  She took a deep breath and leaned in closer.

"I want to believe you Caleb.  I really do...s-so I'm trusting you.  If you have to leave, tell me.  Don't wait."

"If I do every have to leave, Id be coming back."  She took one of Peyton's hands with a forefinger and helped her stand on my lap.

"You can't really like it here that much city boy."

"Oh I beg to differ country girl."  We laughed, and I noticed then that Lilly had not come back into the kitchen.  "Where is your mother?"  She waved her hand to the front.

"I told her to shoo so I could talk to you without ease dropping."  That made me laugh, and seeing the lines on her face define, it only made me smile wider.  The ache of uneasiness fading from my chest.

"So then..."  Clearing my throat I leaned into her ear.  "I can call you mine."  I wanted to.  I wanted to say that she was my woman and no one else's.  I didn't care what anyone would say, I just needed to know that I had a claim on her.

She didn't grow tense, or try to move away.  Instead she looked up into my eyes, then to my lips, and oh so gently pressed her lips to mine.  I wanted to crush her to my chest, to kiss her breathless, but I knew that would have to wait.

"I'm yours, as you are mine."

~

A little while latter I sat in Harper's truck in front of Lucas's school, waiting for the mini man to get out.  She sat next to me, her hand intertwined with mine, while Peyton played with a little stuff elephant in the back.  She was squealing and talking into our ears, and I didn't mind.

If I had it my way, Id hear it every single day.

"He should be out by now...I don't know whats taking so long."  Harper was nervous in her seat, for reasons I wasn't sure of, watching the other kids running around.

"Just wait, he'll be headen our way soon."  She started tapping her boot on the dash board.  Her nerves over riding her.  "What's wrong? Why are you so nerves?"  Sighing, she put her hands over her eyes.

"Jimmy was here this morning."  Body gone stiff as a board in my seat I looked over her and to the children all scrambling to their parents.  He couldn't be here.  He had no right to either of his children.

"He was here."

"Yes...said, he wanted to see him off...but I have other worri-."  With that I opened the door and stepped out into the Georgia heat.

"Stay here.  I'll get him."  I didn't want to take chances with Jimmy.  Harper's nerves already raddled from everything today, from me alone, I wanted to make sure Lucas got to his mother safely.  Muttering an okay she watched as I made my way over the pavement.

Looking around I didn't see anything off, kids playing and parents telling them to go along..but no Lucas.

Spotting some other children that looked around his age I made my way over and scanned the area.  A huge sigh of releaf escaped me as I saw him.  He was standing in the shade...but, he looked off.

Making my way to him quickly, I knelled down beside him.

"Lucas-"

"Dragon!"  Nearly crying out he wrapped his hands around me in a rush.

"Lucas?  You okay mini man?"  He shook his head into my arm, tear starting to roll.  "Hey, hey, whats going on.  Why are you crying?"  Gently I nudged him back to were he could look at me.  "Tell me, please." 

"A man...he said he was my D-Daddy, told me to wait here for him w-while he went and did something.  If I didn't, he was g-gonna h-hurt my Mommy."

"Was this man blond?"  He nodded.  "Did he tell you his name?"  His answer was no.  Thinking of anything else I could I picked him up into my arms and started to caring him to the car.  "We're going home, your okay, your safe."  He kept crying into my shirt until we made it to the car.  As I made to reassure him again Harper jumped out and took him from me, worry etching her features.  He clung to her for dear life.

Her worst dreams were coming true.

One look at me and she knew.  We had a very big problem.