The Outer Edge of Heaven (23 page)

"Twice in my house that I know of."

He met her striking blue eyes, unbelievably sad that he'd made her feel as if her safety was of no concern to him. Softly, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me? Didn't you know I'd want to know so I could help take care of you?"

Several emotions he couldn't quite place flitted across her face, ending with hurt as she finally said, "I'm fine, Luke. In three weeks I'll be gone anyway. I'll be fine until then."

Fo came past them on his way out the door. "Gotta go. One of you two call me, would you?" He ruffled Charlie's wild hair as he went by. "Watch him, Charlie. He's a tad irritable this morning. I don't think he realized how out of control his monkeys had gotten. You might need to help him get a handle on them." He smiled at her. "Metaphorically speaking of course. Good luck." This last was directed to Luke who sighed. He was going to need it.

With Fo gone, Luke took Charlie's hand and led her back to the couch as she asked, "What monkeys have gone over board this morning? What's he talking about?"

Deciding to take the bull by the horns, he looked at her and said, "You, Charlie. He's inferring that you didn't tell me about Tyree because you thought I wouldn't want to know. Or wouldn't care or something. Please forgive me for giving you that impression. I'm sorry. Have a seat, would you?"

"Sure." Looking slightly wary, she sat on the edge of the couch and ran a hand through her hair. "It's okay, Luke. Everything's under control. With new locks, I'll be fine. I'll pay for everything, by the way. There's no reason for your family to have to foot the bill for my troubles."

"Charlie, do you really think a stalker at our home isn't our problem? C'mon, girl. And I know I've been more distant, but don't construe that as unconcerned about your safety."

She looked at him quietly again and he could see the little cogs turning in her brain before she said nonchalantly, "I'm perfectly safe, Luke. And I really do need to go get busy. The kids are going to be up and into things." She'd pulled away from him almost visibly and he knew he truly had been the one to train the monkey, but just now it made him ashamed. In the long run it was probably best, but it still ripped his heart out.

After considering for a moment, he said, "Okay, I'll let you go on one condition. That you tell me if you even wonder if there might be a problem in the future."

She dropped her eyes to her hands in her lap and then looked up at him again. "I'm sorry, Luke, but I'm not going to promise that. Under the circumstances I shouldn't. But it doesn't matter anyway. I'll be fine. And then I'll be gone. Everything is okay."

Geez, everything is not okay.
His whole world was sitting here in front of him, refusing to let him even be involved and it was his own doing and he knew it. Protecting their hearts was one thing. Her physical safety was another. He'd never forgive himself if something else happened to her here, especially if she didn't level with him.

He watched her, trying to figure out what his options were. He wanted to demand that she keep him informed, but he knew he didn't have the right and had to sadly admit defeat, "All right, Charlie. I deserved that. But I wish you'd tell me. I truly do want you to be absolutely safe and I'd like to help. Know that at least. Maybe you could think about changing your mind." She nodded and got up to go. "Will you at least let me take you to your house and check it out this morning?"

"Sure. I'd love that. Thank you."

"Let's go then."

They walked side by side to her house in silence, and when they got there, he went inside while she stood on the porch with her bare feet.

There was no one in her house, but as he checked her bedroom, he found a note sitting on her pillow that said, “Charlie, I love to watch you. You’re beautiful when you sleep.” It made the blood rush to his heart. The instant anger made his swear. What was wrong with this guy?

While he was still standing there, wondering how to deal with this, she came inside. After taking one look at his face, she looked around. Seeing the note, her face blanched and she backed up until she was clear back to the doorway. He looked at the abject fear on her face and walked across to wrap her into a hug. There was no way he could let her just stand there afraid like that.

She nearly melted against him, but in only another moment, she pushed him away, took a deep breath and walked back into her room to open a drawer in the dresser. Still standing in her doorway, he said, “I’ll wait here while you dress and then I’ll walk you up to the house.”

Shaking her head, she said, “No. I’ll be fine. And with new locks, he won’t be able to do anything. He never comes around in the day time. Go get your work done.”

Looking at her stubborn face that still held fear and a hint of hurt, he knew that he’d indeed trained his monkey well. And she wasn’t going to let him untrain her here this morning. Not by a long shot. Maybe that was best in the end anyway, although he hated this. All of it.

Letting out an inaudible sigh, he said, “I'll call that locksmith and then I'll arrange for some live security from here on out. And don’t touch anything. You need to call the police and report this. I’m sure they’ll come and check for fingerprints." He stood in front of her and looked into her face. "I'm sorry all of this is happening, Charlie. I'm so sorry you have to deal with something like this."

She only shrugged. "We'll manage, Luke. Thanks for checking for me. I appreciate it."

"You're honestly welcome, Charlie. I'll be around if you need anything."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

She went into her bathroom and he let himself out of her house.
Yeah, you'll keep it in mind, but you won't ask.
So much for untraining the monkeys. And he'd thought watching her go out with Dr. Nichols was hard.

****

When Fo got home from work that evening, Luke didn't know what to say when he came in and studied him for several seconds without saying anything. He finally had to laugh when Fo said, "Bad monkeys! Bad, bad monkeys. No monkey chow tonight!" He took off his sport coat and hung it up and added, "Maybe what you need Luke, is a new monkey trainer. I'm sure there are a number of men who would volunteer. I could ask Dr. Nichols for you."

Luke glowered and Fo laughed. "Gee, thanks, Fo. I'm sure that would solve everything. Phone him right up, would you?"

"Actually, Charlie described her date the other night as the sunset was spectacular and the company was okay. So you're probably safe as far as Dr. Nichols is concerned. It's that shooting instructor you need to worry about."

"The other one was a shooting instructor? Geez, that's all I need for competition. That's nearly as bad as an attorney."

"Nah. I'd lots rather be shot than sued. And I thought you had taken yourself out of the competition, my self sacrificing friend."

"I have. Thanks for reminding me. I forget every time I see her."

"This is insane. You do know that, don't you? You're going to regret this for eternities."

"I know. But it's the only thing that's fair to Charlie."

"You don't know Charlie."

"I know Charlie far too well. That's the problem. If I'd never met her, I'd be fine."

"You'd have missed out on the greatest woman you'll ever meet in your life, Luke. I wish you'd get honest with yourself instead of trying to be all selfless. She doesn't want to go to law school. I'm telling you. If you asked her to stay, I'll bet she would."

"Maybe, Fo. But would that be fair to her?"

"Fairer than smashing her heart."

"Oh, as if I'm smashing her heart." This time Fo didn't have a come back and Luke looked over at him, but he was studiously hanging up his clothes. It made Luke wonder what Fo wasn't saying so loudly.

****

He thought about that again, later that night when he and Charlie passed on the bunkhouse porch in the dark. Where they had made a habit of hanging out late together, now they politely excused each other when one or the other was hanging out with Fo. Even Fo had begun to get antsy as they did it. As Charlie came and settled into a chair and Luke went inside, he wanted to swear, but instead just said, "Good night, guys. Be sure to see her home safe, Fo." Fo couldn't be right. She acted fine without him.

Before he went to bed, he called the security guard that he’d hired to double check that they were watching out there tonight.

The next day as he was mentioning that Richard had gotten tickets to the Kalispell Symphony for everyone, she was so cool and poised that he thought he must have been mistaken after all about her caring for him. Either that or she had gotten over him incredibly fast. She looked at him and nodded and then went back to grilling cheese sandwiches for lunch and acting like she hadn't a care in the world.

And then the night of the symphony, as they all dressed up and went into town to the concert, she was absolutely stoic even though she looked liked a million bucks in her little black dress and matching heels. She had each of the little girls by the hand as they went in and he was actually glad for the distraction of carrying Jamie when he found his eyes following her every move in the sleek outfit. Fo had come with and brought Amy and even when Charlie was greeting them, her mask of serenity was flawless as she moved into the auditorium and found her seat. He sat down beside her determined to enjoy the symphony in spite of the emotion, or lack of it that arced between them. No, she definitely wasn't heart broken that he could see.

****

They were well into the third cutting of hay and the grain was ready to be cut as well and the busiest time of year found him with little time to even dread how soon she would be leaving. On top of the haying and combining, he had several hands come down with some nasty stomach bug and he found himself working twenty hour days to try to get the grain cut before a storm blew in that next week end. He dragged in to eat dinner about three days into this grueling pace and then was headed back out when Charlie stopped him as she was clearing the table. "Are you okay, Luke? You don't look so good."

Fo came in just then and Luke tried to grin at them as he answered, "Thanks, a lot, Charlie. And yeah, I'm fine as long as being a zombie qualifies."

Fo joined in. "What's going on? You haven't been to bed that I've seen in three days."

Luke tried to explain and was surprised when Charlie volunteered, "Is driving a tractor all that much more difficult than regular driving? Fo and I could pitch in.” She nudged Fo with her elbow and smiled at him as she said, “Fo's not that great of a driver, but I have a perfect record if you don't count stalls."

"No, driving a tractor is pretty straight forward, but we'll be okay without you. Another couple of days and the others should be feeling better."

"But what about the storm? I thought your dad said if a storm hit with the grain this heavy it would ruin it."

"It will. I'll just keep going as long as I can and we'll get through as well as possible."

At this, Charlie turned on him. "Look, Luke. I know you don’t want to deal with me right now, but don't let it cost you part of your crop. Put your aversions on hold. Take the help. You can go back to keeping away from me when the others are back at it. All you have to do is deal with me long enough to show me how to start up a tractor.

You can handle that."

"Charlie…" Luke was too to either argue or set her straight. She didn't answer him, just looked at him and finally he said tiredly, "Okay. Go get a jacket and your gardening gloves."

Luke looked at Fo and Fo said, "Hey, I'll help buddy, but you know I can't handle one of those monsters."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "He's just scared, Luke. Get a tractor ready for him too and I'll give him a pep talk on the way out. He'll be fine. It'll do him good to get his office hands out into nature for once." She turned to Fo. "Come on, big guy. Your cousin is in the mire. You can do this. I know you can." Luke left them to their pep talking and went to prep the requisite tractors, knowing that Fo wouldn't have had a chance against her even if he'd been serious about not going.

Forty minutes later, Luke had gotten Fo started and was pulling into the field on a four wheeler with Charlie on the back behind him doing her best not to touch him as they'd bounced over the chuck holes in the gravel road to get there. He pulled up and parked the bike next to where the huge combine was parked and continued to explain what he needed from her as a combine driver here.

Together they climbed up into the cab of the behemoth machine and he was grateful to see that she didn't seem too intimidated by the sheer size of the thing. He made a lap around and showed her how to keep it in alignment and then dump the grain out of the hopper into the huge grain truck that would come pick it up. "If you have any questions at all, call me. Otherwise there should be enough here to keep you going until you're too tired and need to come in. Just park it and ride with whoever is driving the truck and I'll come back out."

She nodded her head. "Okay. I think I've got it. Just keep the wheels in the last row. Okay. Go home and go to bed. We'll be fine."

Luke looked at her. She was unreal. He'd never known anyone who could take stuff in stride the way this girl could. He couldn't help himself and reached up and caressed her cheek with his hand. "I've never known anyone like you, Charlie Evans. Be careful out here. And call if you need to."

A shadow crossed her eyes as she nodded wordlessly and he got out of the cab. How was he ever going to forget her?

He was really thinking that the next morning at dawn when he found her there at the edge of the field with her head bent over the steering wheel of the tractor, dead to the world. He never dreamed she'd drive for more than twelve hours straight while he slept. He surveyed how much she had gotten done and he could hardly even believe she'd been able to do that on her first time driving a combine.

He also couldn't believe the neat loop the loop that she'd made on her last pass through the long straight part of the field. Leave it to Charlie to doodle with a ten ton combine. He shook his head and laughed as he put a hand on her shoulder to gently wake her up. "Come on sleepy head. Let's get you home to bed. You did a wonderful job, by the way. I can't believe you could do this the first time."