by Bree Cariad
“If this agreement is entered into willingly, then we the undersigned give our seal of approval.” He cleared his voice and read off the names, including his, the other men from the town council, and her own father.
Turning to the man beside her, she stared. “That’s what this meeting was all about?”
“Yes, though I had no idea when I went,” Gerald admitted. “How do you feel about it? That’s what matters now. If you don’t want to do this? We won’t. No questions, no convincing, nothing. But if you would like to?” He paused and then smiled. “You did seem rather taken with young Covington.”
Blushing slightly, she nodded before turning back to Xander who was leaning forward so much it looked like he might tip over. “Why me?”
His eyes opened wide and he slowly shook his head. “Why not? You’re funny, intelligent, and not a pushover. And yet you were raised in values I hold dear. Besides, who wouldn’t be interested in you, Kathy?”
The butterflies erupted in her stomach and she wasn’t sure how to respond. “I thought after seeing me upset yesterday that you were basically giving me the brushoff.”
“You’ll learn to trust me,” he assured her. “Just like you trust your own father. This isn’t a life sentence, Kathy. It’s just a very intense dating situation. The question you have to ask is: is it worth the possible ending? Oh, and ‘do I like Xander enough to realize at some point he’s going to kiss me?’“
She giggled as he winked though his father cleared his throat. “Alexander, that’s enough.”
“Once she signs, you can’t stop me, father.”
“She hasn’t signed yet.” The elder Covington put the contract down on the coffee table in front of her with a pen. “Miss Bretherton, if you would like to enter this courting, please sign next to the X.”
The room became incredibly silent after he put the pen down and Kathy looked down at the paper. This was it. Just a few weeks ago she had no idea what a courting was and here she was being asked to enter one. Could she do it? Yes, she could. Considering all their rules, she actually felt comfortable. The real question was did she want to? The answer came quickly as she glanced up into Xander’s calm face. Yes, she did. If things didn’t work out, well, it would make her senior year interesting. And she could leave for college right after so as not to get any fallout from it.
College. Gnawing on her lower lip she looked Xander right in the eyes. “What if I told you I wanted to go to college?”
“I’d say which college and where so I could find us a house.” The serious expression on his face convinced her he was telling her the truth.
“And what if I decided upon college graduation that I wanted to work outside the home?”
“We would discuss it but if that was what you wanted? I’m all for it. Mom runs her own floral business. Just because we enter into the kind of relationship we both want does not make you a lesser person, Kathy. In fact, one of the things I admire about you is the fact you did not grow up in Hyacinth and yet still believe in the things I need. I don’t want a pushover for a wife. I never have.” His father grunted and nodded, smiling. “I can’t even promise you we would live in Hyacinth forever. I loved Chicago and part of me would like to move back there. But if things worked out between us? That would be our decision. Ours. Not mine.”
The distinction finalized her decision and with a flourish, she signed her name on the line.
There was another moment of silence before Xander stood up as his father picked up the signed contract. Xan stepped over the coffee table and reached for Kathy’s hand. Feeling like she was floating, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. One of his hands cupped her cheek while the other pressed lightly against her back, pulling her closer. Leaning down, his lips brushed lightly against hers, making her tremble.
“Thank you,” he whispered in her ear.
Leaning her head against his chest, she hid her smile. Her first kiss. Xander just gave her her first kiss. And it was wonderful.
A loud knock at the door made her jump and she turned toward it. As her father groaned, she realized it must be the gentleman caller. Snickering softly, she stayed where she was as she heard her father get to his feet behind her.
“Pardon me,” he said calmly. “With everything that happened this afternoon, it drove our newest dinner guest out of my head.”
“A possible courter?” Xander asked dryly.
“Yes.”
“Xander, we need to make ourselves scarce,” Alex said.
“Why? She’s mine.”
Kathy bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself smiling at those words.
“Yes, and once the banns are posted, you can let every young cock know that. But you’ll have to wait until morning. Come.”
Xander growled softly, but quickly hugged her tight and then let go, following his father out of the room. A hand she recognized as her mother’s grasped her elbow and tugged back lightly. Following it, Kathy plopped down on the sofa.
“Congratulations,” Carilyn whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Her father opened the front door and they heard him speak to whoever was outside. “Damian, it’s good to see you. But I think you should be aware that just now, my daughter has accepted a courting. It will be posted tomorrow. You are, of course, welcome to stay for dinner, but if you would prefer not to, that is acceptable as well.”
A deep voice responded, but it rumbled so hard Kathy wasn’t able to make out the words.
“Of course, I completely understand. Have a good evening.” The door shut and Gerald joined them back in the living room, Alex and Xander joining them about the same time. “He has chosen not to stay.”
“Was that Damian Lonston?” Alex asked, a frown on his face.
“Yes.”
Alex and his son shared a glance and the elder Covington nodded as some silent communication passed between them. Turning toward Kathy, Alex’s intense eyes actually softened. “Welcome, Kathy. As a member of my extended family, you’re welcome to come to me at any time you have any questions. I’m pleased you’ve accepted my son’s courting.” He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it lightly before releasing it. “And now, I must go home. Charlotte will have dinner on the table soon. Alexander, will you be staying or coming home?”
“I would prefer to stay. For one thing, Mr. Bretherton and I need to work out a few things.”
“Oh!” Kathy said, jumping to her feet. “Speaking of which, I need to start the chicken.” Her mother stood up and followed her into the kitchen, leaving the three men to talk. Once Kathy settled the plates and cutlery on the table, Carilyn set the places, placing Xander next to Kathy rather than at the foot of the table.
Turning the heat back up on the sauce which had thickened wonderfully over the last hour, Kathy heated up some oil and began to fry the chicken. Considering the excitement of the last couple days, dinner was wonderfully without incident. The sauce tasted like it should, though it had turned pink rather than red, and both Xander and her father ate two helpings. As she and her mother stood up to clear the table, her father spoke.
“Why don’t we have dessert in the living room? We can discuss whatever questions you have, and set the ground rules.”
Ground rules? Kathy barely hid her smile as she walked into the kitchen. So dating Xander would be just like any of her other dates. That was comforting, actually.
After cutting the cake and putting four pieces out, Kathy loaded them on a small tray along with glasses of milk and she joined her mother, father, and Xander in the living room. There seemed a strange sort of comforting formality when he rose as she walked in the room, taking the tray from her and placing it on the coffee table, waiting for her to sit down before sitting by her side. It was the same kind of thing her father always did for her mother.
As each of them picked up a piece of cake, her father spoke. “Alex gave me the rules for each stage of your courting. Kathy, you grew up with dating and Alexander, you have been dati
ng since you went to college. This is different.” He paused, as though to wait for any questions, but Kathy felt it was better to listen right now than speak. Xander seemed intent on listening. He was once again leaning forward, his eyes on Gerald.
“For the first stage, all of your dates will be here at the house, unless expressly requested by Alexander and okayed by me. At which point either myself or Kathy’s mother must accompany you. Alex said I needed to set a timeframe. If it would be acceptable to you, I suggest Friday night dinners; two hours each on Saturday and Sunday would be good as well. With it being summer, the two of you would be welcome to take a walk as long as you are in view of the house and one of us. We can discuss stage two when it’s time.”
“How long is each stage?” Kathy asked as she finished her cake. “A month?”
“They are set up that way,” Xander said quietly. “But they don’t specifically give them time limits. While all stages must be completed within a year, that does not mean each one is a calendar month. One stage may be two weeks, another six. There are specific results expected from each stage.”
“Like what?”
“Supposedly the town council knows. I’ve never known them to get it wrong, so they must have this figured out. The main thing they’re looking for is progress. If a couple has made no progress in their relationship by the fifth month, they are strongly encouraged to call it quits. But to be honest? That is a rarity here. So much thought is put into a courting that it rarely goes wrong.” His lips quirked. “And they make sure the girl is emotionally ready for such a commitment before they even allow men to start visiting officially.”
“But they don’t even know me.”
He put his plate down and nodded. “True. But you know that battery of tests you took at the school?” Confused, she nodded. “Think about it. How many tests dealt with school subjects? And how many were more esoteric? By the time your last exam was done, they had a pretty clear view of how mature you are.” There was a pause before he went on. “Dad called me up and told me there was a new girl I had to meet. He knew I wasn’t impressed with anyone who was here and to be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect from you either. Until I met you at the diner. There was something different about you immediately, something that pulled at me. When Dad told me the council had okayed you for courting, I jumped in. There was no doubt in my mind you would be popular here in town and I was half afraid if I waited, that you would end up courted to someone I didn’t deem worthy.”
Picking up a glass of milk, he winked at her. “I’m glad I did.”
Smiling at him, she nodded, even as the butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Xander could make her feel all sorts of strange things all at once. Trying to hide those reactions was a full-time job. “Why did none of the girls here in town attract you?”
“They grew up here in Hyacinth. Don’t get me wrong. They’re nice girls who expect to marry, take care of their husband’s home, and live the rest of their life in Hyacinth. I needed a girl with more spunk, who could use her brain. Also,” he added, “you had no trouble talking back to me when your shyness went away. I liked that. Most girls here are too well-trained to ever talk back to a guy. Of course, too much backtalk will get you into trouble, but I like that you challenged me. For the first time in a long while, I felt alive around a girl. I went home and told Dad that I had to get to know you better.”
Warmth flooded her veins and Kathy couldn’t help grinning at him.
“I was already intent on seeking a courting and found you walking home the other day. My protective streak came out. As strong, if not stronger, than I feel toward my little sister and mother. Add in finding you in such straights yesterday and I was going a bit crazy. So having the courting be official I must admit makes me feel better.”
Not quite sure how to tell him all the craziness going through her head, Kathy was glad when her father cleared his throat bringing both of their attention back to him. Her mother had a smug look on her face. “It’s been a full day. I suggest Alexander and I retire to my study to work out the finer details. You may say goodbye to him before he leaves.”
Slightly embarrassed that her father had just laid down the law in front of her – well, her boyfriend she guessed – she peeked at Xander out of the corner of her eyes. He didn’t look taken back or weirded out which had been the reactions from guys who had wanted to date her before. In fact, he seemed to be expecting this and stood up.
As soon as the two men disappeared into the study, she picked up the tray and went into the kitchen, her mother right on her heels.
Chapter 7
“Oh, don’t look at me that way,” Kathy pouted at the little ten week old mutt who was looking up at her with sad eyes. “It’s not my fault. I have to go to school next week. It’s my senior year and my parents won’t let me volunteer at the same time.” Actually it was a combination of her father and her boyfriend. Her father had allowed her to hold down a part-time job in their last town even while going to school, but Xander wanted all of her attention either on the school or on growing their relationship.
And having it put that way, she hadn’t even desired to object.
Being part of a Hyacinth courting had given her a few perks she had been aware of though she hadn’t known how they would pan out. Finding out what they were made her grin. The first was that her school uniforms were a little less formal. As it turned out, Xander was allowed to say what he wanted her to wear, so instead of a plaid skirt and a sweater over a simple blouse, she was able to order simple tan pants and a set of blouses in tan, pink, and green. A small button came with it that had his monogram on it – ACB – and she was to wear it daily.
The second perk she found out on Wednesday when she and Cami went to the school to find out their schedules. Cami picked her up just before ten and they drove to the school to find it teaming with students there for the same reason they were. “Ugh,” Cami moaned as she drove Xander’s car into the parking lot. “I was hoping people wouldn’t come until tomorrow.” While Kathy was in one of the outfits Xander had picked out for her, Cami was in the normal school uniform. Kathy had to admit that it looked better on than in the images. But she was still glad that she didn’t have to wear it.
Several students were milling about and watched them as they approached.
“Hey, Cami!” Kathy looked up to see one of the girls she had met earlier in the summer trotting over to them in the same uniform as her friend.
“Dora! Haven’t seen you all summer,” Cami said with a wide grin. “Where’ve you been?”
Dora, a short, slightly rounded girl with limp brown hair and braces looked relieved to see them. “Mom and Dad sent me to my grandparents for the summer,” she lisped. “Got braces though.” She grinned, showing them off.
“Do they hurt?” Kathy asked.
“A bit.”
“Seen Stephanie at all?” Cami asked in a whisper so low that Kathy almost didn’t hear it.
“No. Called her house but nobody answered. She didn’t write to me all summer.” It was obvious by the expression on her face that Dora was worried.
“I haven’t heard from her either. On Monday we’ll have to get the news at lunch.”
Turning to Kathy, Dora’s eyes fell on her uniform. “Lucky,” she said. “Only a few months and you’re already courted. Who is he?”
Cami squealed before Kathy could even say. “Xan! Kathy’s my future sister-in-law.”
Dora’s eyes widened. “Wow. You’re lucky. He’s a great guy.” She turned and looked as a small gaggle of girls came out the front door of the school chattering. “Shall we go find out our classes?”
The three of them made their way inside. There were several tables set up, with sets of the alphabet at each one. “Kathy’s and mine are over here,” Cami pointed to a table which read A-C. “Dora, the Ls are over there. Let’s meet out in the quad afterward.”
Kathy followed her over to the long table where a woman with thin metal-framed glasses pe
rched on the edge of her nose sat, peering at the students as they went by.
“Hello, Mrs. Struthers,” Cami said brightly.
“Camille Covington,” the woman said in a bored voice, flipping through a set of envelopes on her desk. “Looking forward to your senior year?”
“Definitely,” Cami responded, taking the envelope she was handed. “And this is Kathy Bretherton. She’s a senior, too.”
Mrs. Struthers stared hard at Kathy and hummed under her breath. “Courted already are you?”
“Yes,” Kathy answered quietly, not sure quite why that should matter.
“Yes, she is,” Cami said proudly. “With my brother.”
Without another word, Mrs. Struthers thumbed through her envelopes and pulled one out. “Looks like I have you in chemistry,” she said in a bored voice. “I expect excellence from my students, Miss Bretherton. Don’t let your love life interfere with your studies.”
“Uh, I won’t.” The dislike in the woman’s eyes surprised her as Cami pulled her away.
“Don’t mind her. That’s Carol Struthers, the science teacher. She hates everyone. Let’s go find a place to sit down and wait for Dora.” Looking over at the table that read L-P, it looked like Dora would be awhile, she was tenth in line.
They made their way back outside and Kathy realized she felt kind of blah about her new school. She was far more interested in her time with Xander.
“What classes did you get?” Cami asked as she tore open her envelope and plopped onto a small step. Sitting down next to her, Kathy listened as she read off her classes. “I have baking first period, math second – oh goodie, I can annoy Mr. Lafferty with my sugar high, English third, chemistry fourth, yoga fifth – are they kidding me? Yoga in the late afternoon? Ugh! And advanced sewing sixth.”
Opening up her envelope, Kathy pulled out her schedule. Her six classes were listed, but four were in green type and two were in blue with lines through them. “Um, baking first period, yoga second, chemistry third, literature fourth. Those are in green type. Does that mean they’re before lunch?”