She narrowed her eyes at him. “You're not a fallen woman with a past, Noah.”
“But let's say he told me I wasn't strong enough or smart enough to attempt to run the mill on my own and that I should give up altogether. How should I respond to that?”
She folded her arms across her chest, pinching her lips closed.
“Cower to him?” He matched her stance. “Believe his wild rantings?”
The tension in her mouth and around her eyes softened. “Of course not.”
“Then why don't you heed your own advice?”
“If you … If I keep visiting with you and your mama, people are gonna start to talk.”
“People are always going to talk, Kizzie.” He took her hand for a brief squeeze. “What would be worse, inflammatory remarks by the narrow-minded of The Hollows, or refusing my mother and me a friendship with you and Charlie?”
Her shoulders deflated despite the slight tilt to her lips. “You had to toss Charlie into the lot, didn't you?”
“I felt it beneficial for my cause.”
Her smile blossomed, and then her expression grew serious again. “Fine, but I'll not have things grow worse for my friends, so I reserve the right to retreat if the two of you get hurt from association with me.”
“Well, I don't agree with your reasoning, but as long as you agree to join Mother and me for dinner on Saturday, I'll not argue about it anymore” He wiggled his brows. “Today.”
Chapter 21
NOAH HAD HOPED FOR Aquiet, relaxed dinner with Mother and Kizzie on Saturday, but as soon as he met his brother in the office at the mill on Friday morning, George informed Noah that he and Beatrice would be joining them. Beatrice wished to discuss some of the wedding plans.
And when Beatrice wanted something, George made sure she got it.
Unfortunately for Beatrice, George's dedication proved more related to his determination to move among the richest circles in The Hollows rather than any true devotion to his fiancée. Noah knew all too well how unfaithful his brother's affection had been in the past … and the present.
“You could have refused to come, Kizzie,” Noah offered as they neared the house. “I gave you fair warning back at Carters when I collected you.”
Charlie grinned up at him as he drove, and he nearly touched the baby's round cheeks. His large eyes mirrored his mother's. His smile too, except for his dimples.
“I could have, but I considered what you said, and I realized the good in it.”
She'd worn green today. “It's nice to have my advice so thoroughly taken.”
She chuckled and rolled her eyes for his benefit. “Well, a solid half-hour talk from Mrs. Carter helped too.”
“Ah.” He released an exaggerated sigh. “Mrs. Carter's words proved more powerful.”
“Both of your words proved powerful.” She grinned over at him. “But it's hard to fight what I know God says about me with what I feel I've done to my own self. If God”—she looked over at him—“and you and your mama aren't worried about an association with me, then I need to believe you truly accept me for more than my past and what others may think about our … friendship.” Something in her features softened. “I want to believe it too.”
His gaze caught in hers. Was it possible her heart was turning toward him?
She cleared her throat and looked ahead. “And I ain't never been keen on bullies, so I didn't want to give your brother the benefit of thinking he'd won against me.”
“That's the spirit, Kizzie. We'll face my pigheaded brother together.” He winked, and her smile spread even wider. “What do you say?”
“I say I'm awfully glad we're teaming up against him tonight and that I ain't alone.”
He sobered. “I won't leave you alone with him. And perhaps, if Beatrice's wedding talk becomes too tedious or George begins to monologue about his house, we can find a way to escape their company by …” He looked up at the sky. “How are you at chess?”
“Chess?” Her nose wrinkled. “I'd never heard of it until I started working at Carters and saw a chess set for sale, but I can play checkers.”
“Checkers it is.” He nodded, clicking his tongue for the horses to pick up the pace. The idea of secluding her for a game of checkers completely reframed his opinion of the entire evening. “But, if you're game, I could teach you chess.”
