by Amanda
"Sorry about her, I hate to say it, but that’s about how everyone will be." He shrugged.
"That’s okay, I kind of assumed it would be like this. They’ve known you your whole life, you’re a part of the community, they’re all just curious." She hit the nail on the head, Brian was relived she was being so understanding about all of this.
"That about sums it up. Thank you for being so understanding, Aria."
Lyle Robbins stumbled over to their table. This’ll be interesting, Brian thought as he suppressed a groan.
"Brian, you go to Vegas for a week and bring me back the fourth Mrs. Robbins, how sweet of you, buddy." He could smell the liquor on his breath, not that Lyle needed it to make a fool of himself.
"Sorry, Lyle, but she’s taken. This is my wife, Aria." He gestured to her, and noted how she was tensed up and looked like she was trying to shrink herself into her chair. Without thinking about it he reached his hand across the table to offer her comfort, when he realized what he was doing he started to pull back, but before he could, he felt a small, warm hand grasping his. He was shocked, this was the first time she had touched him like this, it was such a simple gesture, but it set his heart racing. For the first time since they met she was finally accepting the comfort he offered without a fight.
"Wife? Since when? What’d you do, getter knocked up?" Brian felt Aria’s fingers tense in his as the blood started to fill his head and rush in his ears, before he could say anything Tammy was back with their drinks.
"Lyle, you can’t come in here harassing my customers like this, if you wanna hit on pretty girls and piss off new husbands you just get your tail back on across the way to Suds, smell like you been there since noon anyway. You’ve already paid, so go on." She set the drinks on the table, put her hands on her hips and gave Lyle a look that would send a man of any age running with his tail between his legs.
Lyle threw his hands in the air, "Yeah, yeah, I’m going, I’m going." He turned and stomped out the door, Brian could hear the snickers from the surrounding tables.
"Don’t mind him none, he’s a harmless flirt, and a drunk, but he ain't never hurt nobody," Tammy gave her a wide grin and squeezed her shoulder as she turned back to her other tables. Aria squeezed his fingers tighter at the unexpected contact; he was filled with joy to think that she was relying on him for comfort.
"Do you want to take our meals to go, and just eat at home?"
"No, I’m used to men like him, I want to stay, if that’s okay. I actually like Tammy," she smiled and looked down at the table. As soon as her gaze landed on their joined hands she pulled back, "Sorry, Brian, I didn’t think about—"
"No, don’t, it’s fine I know you’re—"
"Congratulations, Brian, we couldn’t help but overhear. We’re really happy for you, son," Brian hadn’t noticed Mr. and Mrs. Simpson come up behind him. "Young lady, you couldn’t have picked a better man to marry if you tried, Brian is the best young man I know. You hang on to him," Mr. Simpson gave them both a warm smile, and he and his wife turned and left.
"Mr. Simpson was my football coach in school, he’s retired now, he and his wife are good people," he explained with a shrug.
"They seem nice," she smiled at him.
"Alright, here we are, I hope you enjoy it, Aria. Bob’s been cookin’ for most of these folks for years now, we have the occasional visitor, but it’s when new folks come to stay that he gets nervous about his food." Tammy sat the food on the table as she talked. "I’ll leave you to it, but don’t be surprised when he comes out to check," she winked and turned toward the register.
Brian bowed his head and prayed out loud, he hadn’t done so this morning, but he was beginning to feel more comfortable with her now, and it just felt natural. When he finished he looked up to see Aria scanning the room, he didn’t think about how she would react to him praying in public like that, he didn’t even think about it, it’s just what he had done his entire life, no matter where he was.
"Don’t worry, in here, we’d get strange looks if we didn’t pray before our meal," he said as he picked up his sandwich and took a bite, he let out a low moan. "They make the best tenderloins."
She smiled and took a bite out of her burger, he smiled when he heard her similar, yet much more feminine satisfied groan.
"I think this is the best burger I’ve ever tasted," she said, her hand covering her mouth. He was relieved that she liked it, this place was a part of his childhood, he had many memories here, and he looked forward to building more with Aria.
"I’m glad. Bob’s a really great cook, and they get as many of their ingredients as possible locally."
"Buying local is really important around here, isn’t it?" He just nodded, and they both went back to their meals.
"Brian, if I knew you were looking to marry just anyone I would’ve offered, no need to run halfway across the country when we could’ve stayed right here and done it." He swallowed the groan that threatened to escape, they had made it through the rest of their dinner with only short, polite interruptions from people just wanting to quickly introduce themselves, and now this.
"Tasha," he said her name like an explicative, "I wasn’t looking to marry just anybody, I was looking for someone special, and I found her." He motioned to Aria, whose cheeks pinked up at the compliment, he couldn’t believe the nerve of this woman, he’d been turning down her advances since the sixth grade when she blossomed sooner than most of the other girls. She was too forward and flashy for his tastes, and not much had changed.
"Are you saying I’m not special, Brian? You sure know how to compliment a girl." She feigned a wounded expression. He let out a sigh, he wouldn’t normally have been so rude to a lady, but his patience was wearing thin, especially where she was concerned.
When he had first come back to town she had told everyone that he came back to marry her, it took him three months to convince everyone that he was in fact not back to be Tasha’s next husband, she certainly didn’t help matters by following him around town and joining him at his table whenever he came in here.
"Look, I don’t mean to offend you, but I’m trying to enjoy a nice evening out with my wife, can you please just leave us?"
"Natasha Lynn Calhoun Gustafson James, you leave these people alone, and get outta my diner this instant, go on across the street and find Lyle, ya’ll are actin’ just alike tonight. I don’t know why you two think you need to come in here and make a show in front of God and everybody." Tammy had come to their rescue, again.
"Oh, Tammy, you know I’m just messing with him. I’m using my maiden name now."
"Sometimes you need a little reminding of your past, young lady. You can give people a hard time elsewhere, when you’re in here, you treat my customers with respect. Get on outta here and let me get these people their pie, you’re gonna scare poor Aria off, make her think we’re a bunch of rude rednecks."
"Maybe somebody should scare her off," Tasha huffed as she stormed out the door.
Tammy shook her head as she watched Tasha’s retreat, after the door slammed closed she turned back to face Aria, "What you must think of us. I promise you, God gave some of us brains. Now, just never you mind her, she’s just like Lyle, we keep waiting for them to finally realize they’re two peas in the same pod and just tie the knot already, Lord knows they’re both good at that. Anyway, I hope you’ll come back and give us another chance, I sure would like to get to know you better."
Aria hadn’t given away much at all during the entire confrontation, she sat perfectly still and her face was a perfect mask of indifference toward the whole thing, as soon as the door slammed shut Brian watched her entire body sag with relief. She looked up at Tammy with a large, forced smile and assured her that she would love to come back and that she couldn’t wait to try a piece of her pecan pie.
"I guess it’s a good thing we’re showing our true colors tonight, I might actually be concerned if they were all on their best behavior," Brian chuckled, "I promise, life isn’
t usually this exciting around here."
"No problem, I can handle drama, I’m used to that. Most of the people here seem really sweet, and I can tell that they all love you."
"They do. It really is a great place to live, despite those of us that refuse to leave high school behavior where it belongs."
"Why did you lie to her?"
"Lie? To who?"
"That woman, Tasha, you told her you didn’t just want to marry just anyone." She trailed off and started picking at the edge of the vinyl tablecloth. Her comment stabbed at his heart, did she really think she wasn’t special?
"You think I didn’t meet plenty of women while I was in Vegas? I was there for a little more than a week, do you think no other women sat down at my table, or talked to me?"
"I didn’t really think about that, I’m sure they did, but still you didn’t know me—"
"I didn’t have to. If I just wanted anyone to marry I could have asked any of them, or even found a woman here, but I didn’t, I asked you. You are the one I could see myself with, the second I saw you, I could see us together. I know that sounds crazy, but I immediately felt it could work. Yes I was feeling lousy and wanted a wife, but I wouldn’t have asked if I couldn’t have seen it working."
"Oh," was her only response, her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink again, and she picked up her fork, and dove into the pie that Tammy had discreetly placed on the table during his speech.
Twenty minutes, several greetings, and many reassurances to Bob that Aria enjoyed his food later, they were finally back in the car, Brian was just about to turn the key when a knock at the window startled him, and sent Aria jumping in her seat. He let out a long breath when he saw who it was.
"It’s okay, sweetheart, it’s just Will Majors, he lives down the road from us," he tried to placate Aria, she looked like she couldn’t decide if she wanted to faint or run. She just nodded as she tried to catch her breath. He turned the key and hit the window button.
"Sorry, Brian, I didn’t mean to startle you, I just saw you out here and thought I’d let you know I went ahead and plowed your place for you today, I hope that’s okay. I didn’t want you to have to worry about it when you got home today." Typical Will, always watching out for everyone around him, and never himself, Brian reached into his wallet and pulled out a few twenties.
"I was worried about that, it can drift pretty bad out there. I really appreciate it, thank you. Now, I know you’re going to try and argue with me, but I’ve had enough arguing already today," he looked at Aria out of the corner of his eye, "so please just accept this as payment and—"
"No sir, I’m not accepting any payment, I saw a job that needed doing, so I did it. That’s what neighbors do, besides you helped me with that mess of paperwork last month and refused payment, consider this payment." Brian shook his head and pressed the money into Will’s coat pocket.
"I told you that was nothing, you are taking the money. I know you didn’t do it for the money, but you deserve it, now, go inside and ask Tammy about my first night back, I need to get my new bride home, it’s been a long day." He heard Aria chuckle, long day was an understatement.
"Yeah, I heard about that already, congratulations, son. It’s good to see you so happy," he waved to Aria and made his way into Zimmer’s.
"Okay, let’s try this again, shall we?" Laughter was her only response, though she had regained her defensive, glued to the door position, she was now angled more toward him, her body language was slightly more open. He knew they had far to go, but he was grateful for the small strides they were already making. They gave him hope, he could only pray that with God’s grace they would eventually become a real couple. He could see himself falling in love with her, if she’d let him.
"Do you do a lot of work for free? Or just for Mr. Majors, and, was her name Harriet?" Harriet McDaniel had paid them a quick visit during dinner, he was reworking her will in exchange for two cobblers and a tray of her walnut fudge.
"Not really for free, you haven’t tasted Mrs. McDaniel’s baking, you’ll thank me for accepting it as payment as soon as you taste it, I promise. She’s on a fixed income, and all of her kids have moved away, she loves the chance to bake for anyone, I figure it’s a win-win,"
"You’re even buying the ingredients, though," she protested, she didn’t seem angry about his business practice, just confused.
"Like I said, she’s on a fixed income. It’s not that big of a deal. And, Will is the most generous and giving guy you’ll ever meet. I’d be willing to bet he cleared every drive in a ten-mile radius, and didn’t expect a penny for any of it. I’d also be willing to bet that more of that money than not will find its way to someone who needs it worse than we do. Will is the kind of guy that will bend over backwards to help anyone else, and not even expect a thank you in return. He’s also on a very limited income, so I figure that helping handle some paperwork here and there is the least I can do for all he does."
"You’re a good guy, do you know that?" She was studying him intently when he glanced over at her. The compliment was unexpected, but made him feel light as air.
"I really can’t take the credit, all of that goes to the Good Lord and your in-laws."
"And to you, for continuing in the ways they taught you, I’ve known many men who were raised in church and with good families, but they do things…make choices that would make your skin crawl. It’s a choice you make as an adult, too." She looked out the window as if she were embarrassed at her compliment, and embarrassed for reveling too much.
The more he got to see the soft, tender side, the more the walls came down, the more beautiful she was to him, he was more and more drawn to her all the time. He ached to know her more, to understand her hurt and take it away.
As they rounded the last corner toward home, Brian saw Todd Erickson headed their direction, so he slowed to a stop and waited for him.
"What are you doing? You can’t just stop in the middle of the road!"
"Why not, three people live down this way, us, Will, and he’s in town, and the Erickson’s, and Todd’s headed toward us now, I need to talk to him." Just then Todd pulled along side them and lowered his window, Brian followed suit.
"Hey buddy, I just left your place, Thunder and Jax are both well fed and happy, Will must’ve plowed your drive, too, I was going to do it for you, when I heard you were back in town, but he beat me to it, beat me to ours too," he said with a shake of his head.
"Yeah, I saw Will in town. Thanks, I really appreciate it, here you go." Brian handed him a few bills he had set aside when he asked Todd to watch his place while he was gone.
"You’re kidding right? After everything you do for us? No way am I accepting that, this is just what friends do."
"You’re right, friends help friends, and when one friend has a house full of kids and a farm and takes time away from that to check on the other’s house and animals that friend owes him much more than this, now take it."
Todd leaned forward to address Aria, "Your husband is one stubborn man, do you know that? No sense in arguing anything with this man, his bullheadedness combined with his lawyer jargon and smooth talking, makes every argument a losing battle, you may as well just give up while you’re ahead." He gave a mock grimace and shook his head.
"You’ve heard about our marriage?" Aria asked, her voice rising.
"Oh yeah, Tasha called Anna crying, saying she always thought you’d come to your senses and all that," both Todd and Brian busted out laughing. Aria was clearly confused.
"She’s been chasing him since they were in middle school, poor girl can’t take a hint, even after two failed marriages."
"That makes sense," she nodded, her brow furrowed.
"Anyway, congratulations, guys, don’t let Tasha get to you, she’s a good girl, just lonely and restless. I won’t keep you any longer, I’m sure Anna will come pay you a visit soon, Aria, if that’s okay, she’s excited to have another woman so close, especially an adult one," he added with a
laugh.
"That would be great, it’ll be nice to have a female friend out here. Tell her I look forward to meeting her, and all of those kids I’ve heard about." He just nodded, waved, and went back on his way. Brian did the same, and within minutes they were pulling up their driveway.
Suddenly Brian was nervous again. He’d always loved this house, the farm, the country, and everything about it, but what if she reacted like Kara? What if she hated it and was completely miserable? Only time would tell. Lord, if it be Your will, let her find the peace, security, and love in You I find so readily out here…and please, Lord, help me to be the husband You need me to be for her. He silently prayed as he hit the button on the opener and pulled into the garage.
5
"Here we are, home sweet home."
"We live in a garage? Here I thought we lived in a house," she mocked him with a broad smile, she couldn’t believe how easy it was to fall back into her old self, a self she hadn’t know since she was a child, with Brian, she hadn’t laughed and joked with anyone since before her mother died. It was terrifying and wonderful all at the same time.
"Very funny, let’s just take in the refrigerated groceries for now, I’ll give you the grand tour, and while you decide which room you want I’ll haul in everything else, sound good?" She nodded, and looked out at the garage as Brian made his way to the back to grab the cooler they had put the perishable groceries in earlier.
She stepped out and looked around, they were pulled in next to a large, dark blue pick up truck, darker than the Durango, but still a beautiful color blue, Brian wasn’t kidding when he said it was his favorite color. She noticed a set of wooden stairs leading up into what she assumed was a loft, at one end of the garage, and three large chest freezers along the far wall, accompanied by an old refrigerator, next to that was a door leading to what she assumed was the back yard.