“It’s complicated,” she whispers.
“Tell me.”
Clasping her hands in front of her, she stares at a puddle on the ground, not able to look at me. Is she ashamed? She should be. I’m emotionally disoriented because of her lies, making me question the authenticity of our relationship.
“Madison?”
She nods and looks up at me, the rain dissipating around her into a light mist. “I’m not here to buy your farm.”
“You’re not?”
“George, I meant what I said. I want to help you.”
I tip my hat back and harrumph. “Well, buying our farm is not going to help me. It will destroy me.” My voice croaks with pent-up emotion.
She takes a step forward and blinks back more tears. “I know that now. I’ve just been too busy to see straight.”
I frown. “I don’t understand.”
“I know you don’t. And I’m trying to explain myself in a way that will make sense to you.” Her words come out slowly and with intention.
“Here’s the thing. When you finally realize that joy is less fireworks and more fireflies, less rock and roll, and more wind chimes, the joy comes back more often. And you’re the one who taught me that, George Jamison.”
Now I’m really confused.
“I’m sick of the fast pace of my life. I want to breathe in the simple pleasures you’ve shown me. I feel like a slower lifestyle has been beckoning me for some time now.” She presses her lips together before another deluge of tears slips from her eyes. “I keep thinking about how you hugged me goodnight yesterday with your quiet warmth. I want more of that. I want more of you. George, you brought me back to life.”
A tiny part of my heart cracks open even though I still don’t totally understand what she’s saying. But I can feel her honesty, and I want to wrap my arms around her like before. To run my thumb across her tear-stained cheeks and soothe her.I want to show her compassion. Even though I still believe she lied to me, I know deep down that I care about her.
She’s standing directly in front of me now. The rain has stopped, and the earth steams in the aftermath of the storm. I watch her untie the yellow hood from her head, the two of us in a staring contest. She reaches for me, her hand locking around my wrist and squeezing.
“I told you I came to Heartsboro on business, which is the truth. I just never told you what kind of business.”
“You buy land,” I state simply.
“Yes. I’m a contractor for a company called Global Dynamics. They’re looking for property in this part of Georgia to expand their manufacturing. But your farm isn’t the right piece of land for them. I know this now.”
“Were you buttering me up? Were you going to get me to sign something without my knowledge? Like Kip does?”
The space between her brows creases with horror. “I would never do that. And I promise I’ll never let Kip do that to you ever again.”
“But how? You don’t live here. My grandfather is dying, and everyone in this town knows I can’t run the farm by myself.”
Madison interlocks her fingers with mine. I hold on for dear life.
“We need to have an open conversation with your grandfather on the best way to handle this, okay? And I apologize for notbeing honest with you about everything from the beginning. You have to know I care about you and your grandfather.”
“You do?”
“Yes.” She lets go of my hand and hugs her rain-slick body against mine.
“I don’t want to leave you or Heartsboro, but I have to have an in-person meeting with my boss. I need to find a way to get him disinterested in your land. You’re not going anywhere. This is your home. This is your kingdom. You can do this, George. But you have to be brave.”
Her whispered words against my ear strike a nerve. I have no idea how to muster bravery. But standing here in the middle of my broken-down castle below the busted tree house with Madison in my arms, maybe I can. Perhaps I can be heroic. Maybe I can be her knight in shining armor, full of chivalry and bravado.
And I could be the one who saves her.
“And while I’m telling you the truth, there’s something else you should know.”
