“I cannot council on how to bring about your desires. I can only tell you what is, and I fear that you are courting disaster. Good evening,” she said, and let the beaded curtain fall.
Lindsay and Charlie held hands, walking to their campsite. “Do you think that lady was for real?” Lindsay asked.
“That old quack? Of course not. I was indulging her, letting her go on. I’m sure it made her day.” He lifted Lindsay’s hand to his mouth and kissed the front of it. “She probably entertains the regulars every weekend. Don’t think twice about what she said. Let’s just focus on tonight.”
“Tonight, huh?” Lindsay tried not to show her uneasiness at Tilly’s prediction, but it bothered her nonetheless. Charlie should know; Southerners are a superstitious bunch.
Charlie gave her a sexy wink. “That’s right.”
“Well, in that case, I better get a shower.”
Lindsay opened the passenger–side door of the van and grabbed her suitcase. She unzipped it on the seat and searched for a change of clothes, while Tilly’s scratchy voice echoed in her mind. If anyone could truly predict the future, they’d be rich and famous—not hanging out in the primitive camping area of Givhans Ferry State Park.
Lindsay resolved to forget all about Tilly’s predictions. They hadn’t asked for her “council” in the first place. Though, in the back of her mind, she had an uneasy hunch that Tilly was legit.
Chapter Nine
Lindsay closed the curtain on the stall in the wood–framed shower house. Charlie showered in the men’s section, on the adjacent side of the building.
She couldn’t help thinking that this thing they had was too good to be true. For the first time in a long time she had butterflies, as she contemplated what her night with Charlie might be like. She couldn’t imagine how she would respond to a man’s loving touch. Then there was the question of allowing herself to surrender to him. Would she return his love in the patient, tender fashion she was certain he would bestow upon her? Could she?
After her shower, Lindsay dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a plain white tank top. She sat on the wooden bench inside the shower house, rubbing lotion on her legs, while her hair dried underneath the towel.
A hunger pang roared in her belly, and she realized she had eaten all day. No wonder she felt so weak. Right, that was it—she needed food. It had nothing at all to do with delaying their lovemaking.
She brushed her hair into a ponytail, curled her eyelashes, and spritzed on some perfume. Having cleverly planned her outfits, she slipped into a pair of white flip–flops with a glittery heart embellishment.
When she pulled open the bathhouse door, Charlie was standing on the other side. “Hey, I didn’t know you were waiting,” Lindsay said.
“Did you think I was going to leave you here by yourself?”
It had turned dark, but Lindsay hadn’t been afraid. The shower house was only a hundred feet from their campsite and besides, she’d had too much on her mind.
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Lindsay said. “That was very sweet of you to wait for me. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” Charlie said, extending his elbow.
A slight breeze had set in and lured the aroma of Charlie’s cologne right to her nose. He smelled sensational and looked equally good in his blue jeans and simple black T–shirt. His freshly shaved face looked touchably soft. She resisted the urge to nuzzle her own cheek against it. Instead, she clutched his upper arm, and they headed back toward the campsite.
“You smell phenomenal,” Charlie said.
“I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
“You know, I could smell your perfume before you walked out the door. That’s the same one you were wearing last night, isn’t it?”
Lindsay nodded, wondering what she was thinking, spritzing it on. She didn’t need her favorite aphrodisiac working its magic right now. Butterflies … no, more like bats, flapped inside her belly.
“If I were blindfolded, I could pick you out of a lineup by your scent,” Charlie added.
“Thank you. That’s very flattering. You know what I thought about earlier?”
“What’s that?”
“We haven’t eaten a thing all day. I’m starving.”
“You’re right. I guess food was the furthest thing from my mind, but it was selfish of me not to think about you. We may be in luck.” He pointed to the campsite. “What are Ireland and Jeffrey doing over at the picnic table?”
“Hey y’all,” Ireland shouted. “We made steaks on the grill. Come get a plate.”
“You’re a life saver,” Lindsay said, wasting no time, piling potato salad onto her plate. She picked the biggest steak left, with no apologies.
Not so much as a word was said while everyone chowed down. Apparently Lindsay wasn’t the only one who’d been starving.
“Now I’m stuffed,” Lindsay said, rubbing her stomach. “I can’t believe I went all day without eating.”
“Your mind must have been in the gutter,” Ireland said, tapping Lindsay’s foot under the table. “How late is it anyway?”
Lindsay pulled her cell phone from her pocket to check the time. “Eight–thirty,” she said. She’d missed a call six hours earlier. Looking at her call log, she didn’t recognize the missed number, but whoever it was had left a voice mail. “Excuse me one second,” she said, stepping away from the table.
The message on her voice mail was the high point of an already fabulous day. A brand new medical emergency facility in North Charleston had called about her application. They wanted to schedule an interview.
Lindsay’s face was already hurting from smiling, when she started walking back toward the picnic area.
“Someone called about one of your applications, didn’t they?” Ireland asked.
“Yes, I can’t believe it,” Lindsay said.
Charlie took a final bite of steak and pushed his plate away. “Application?” He excused himself from the table.
Lindsay met him halfway. Finally I can tell you there’s more to me than cosmetic consultations. “I have great news. And you are the very person I want to share it with.”
“Great, I’m anxious to hear it. First, do you want to say goodnight to Ireland and Jeffrey?”
“We probably should.”
After they helped clear away the paper plates, Lindsay and Charlie thanked Ireland and Jeffrey for dinner and said that they would be turning in for the night.
“See you tomorrow,” Jeffrey said.
“Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do,” Ireland said, zipping the small tent closed with Jeffrey and her inside.
Charlie unlocked the back of the van and let down the steps. The queen–sized bed took up most of the room in the van, but there was enough space for a small table and two fold–out chairs. Lindsay took a seat in one, and Charlie sat in the other. “All right, let’s hear this good news,” he said, reaching across the table and cupping her hands in his.
“First of all, I have to tell you how embarrassed I was telling you I worked at the mall. Even though you don’t seem to mind, I’m not comfortable at my age saying that’s what I do for a living. I graduated from college six months ago with a degree in health services.”
Charlie’s eyes lit up, concealing what he already knew. “Why didn’t you tell me? That’s awesome, something you should be proud of.”
“I know,” Lindsay said, glancing away, “but it’s not a big deal when you don’t have a career to show for it. I’ve applied to more doctors’ offices than I can remember—to be a medical assistant.”
“I’ve been rejected because,” she counted on her fingers, “I don’t have any experience, the position has already been filled, or maybe they just haven’t liked me … who knows. I missed a call earlier today from a new emergency–care office in North Charleston. They looked over the application I submitted a month ago and said they would love to interview me.”
Charlie had not yet seen this happy side of Lindsay. He coul
dn’t help wondering if she’d applied to his dad’s office. God knows, he and his sole secretary could use the help. But he suspected Lindsay, as independent as she was, wouldn’t want Charlie’s help getting her foot in the door.
Charlie leaned forward. “Wonderful. Congratulations.” He reached across the table and embraced her. “I wish you’d have said something about it before. I could have tried to help you.”
“I doubt it. You’ve got connections in the sky, not on the ground. And thank you, but I wouldn’t have asked for help. This is a quest that I’m on. A mission to conquer all by myself.”
Just as he’d suspected. “Have you always been this independent? Sounds to me like there’s more to it.”
“Do you really want to hear all this nonsense? It’ll probably bore you to death, and I don’t want you feeling sorry for me.”
“I don’t have anywhere else to be.” Charlie sat back in his chair, his hands on the back of his head. “You’ve got my undivided attention. And I won’t feel sorry for you, scout’s honor,” he said, holding up a couple of fingers.
“All right, here’s the short version: My dad forced my mom to stay at home and raise his daughters. He didn’t want her working, yet he didn’t have a steady paycheck himself. He painted and sold his own artwork, if that tells you anything. Right out of high school, my older sister, Kelly, married a lawyer. Mom was overjoyed to see her daughter living the life she could never give her. And she was steady in my ear, encouraging me to follow in Kelly’s footsteps. But you see, that’s not me.”
“You want to depend on no one but yourself,” Charlie said, finishing what he was sure she was about to say.
“I do. I want to be wholly self–sufficient, and I don’t know how one accomplishes that living off of someone else’s dime. I want to contribute something good to society.”
“Well, I for one think that’s highly commendable,” Charlie said. “With that kind of attitude, I’m sure you can do anything you want to.”
“Thank you.” Lindsay covered her mouth and yawned, her eyes watering. “It was wonderful spending time with you today, but I’m getting tired. Mind if I take a rest on your satin sheets?”
“Please do.”
Lindsay left her flip–flops under the table and crawled into the bed. Charlie lay down beside her, both of them with their hands behind their heads. Lindsay took deep cleansing breaths, resting her over–worked mind. Good things were happening, but it was all so fast that she felt a little overwhelmed.
“Do you want me to show you the other fancy feature this van has?” Charlie asked.
“It doesn’t require me moving, does it?”
“Of course not,” he said, reaching for a remote control on the sideboard. He laid his head down on the pillow next to Lindsay and aimed the remote at the ceiling. With a touch of the button, the roof rolled back displaying the starlit night above them. “Is that neat, or what?”
“That is the coolest thing ever! The night is so clear, you can see at all the stars.” Lindsay kept her gaze firmly on the sky above, counting her blessings on the largest stars.
Charlie caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “The stars in the sky are reflecting in your eyes. They’re a gorgeous shade of green.”
“Hazel,” Lindsay corrected. “That’s a nice compliment, especially when I’m without makeup.”
“You’re a natural beauty.” Charlie rested his hand on her stomach and kissed her softly. His head jerked. “What was that?”
“What?”
“Your lips were trembling.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m a bit anxious.”
Charlie scooted to the foot of the bed and reached underneath, pulling out a duffle bag.
Lindsay sat up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. You’re not going anywhere, are you?”
Charlie unzipped the bag and turned around with a plush blanket. “Relax, doll, and lie back down. I thought this would make you more comfortable,” he said, covering and tucking the sides of the blanket around her.
“Don’t worry about me putting the moves on you tonight,” Charlie assured her. “You’ve had a busy day. When it’s time for us to be together, I want it to be perfect. And maybe I’m being selfish, but I want to be the only thing on your mind. Close your eyes and rest. I’ll be right beside you.”
Lindsay’s eyes were heavy. “You have a way about you,” she whispered, then fell asleep with the corners of her lips turned up. The look on her face spelled serenity in bold letters.
Lindsay awoke to a beautiful melody orchestrated by the Carolina Wrens. Lifting her head off of what she thought was her pillow, she saw a bare chest covered with dark hair. She didn’t remember falling asleep. Charlie’s stomach muscles were prominent with the daylight shining in, and she couldn’t resist tracing the ripples with her finger.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Charlie said drowsily. He stretched both his arms to the side, and then wrapped them around Lindsay. “Sleep well?”
Lindsay nodded. “I must have been tired, because I slept hard. I almost forgot where I was.” She paused. “Did anything happen between us last night?”
“No, though, I hope you don’t mind that I took off my shirt. I sleep more comfortably like that.”
“Of course I don’t mind. It was nice waking up in your arms.” Lindsay laid her head on his chest, breathing in the scent of his skin, and nearly fell back asleep… until—”Oh my gosh!” she said, sitting straight up.
“What’s wrong?”
“My car. I forgot about it. It’s still at The Crust!”
“Don’t worry, I already took care of it.”
“What do you mean, ‘took care of it’?”
“You’ll see when you get home. Trust me, everything’s fine.”
Lindsay wrinkled her eyebrows, only half–convinced. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Now, what do you want to do today?” Charlie asked, putting on his shirt.
“Let’s venture into the park and see what our options are.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
At seven a.m., Ireland and Jeffrey were still zipped up in their tent. They’d probably had an engaging night.
Instead of bothering them, Lindsay and Charlie struck out walking on their own. They came across a sign pinned to a tree that said “1.5 mile nature trail” with an arrow pointing to the woods.
“Want to give it a go?” Lindsay said.
“Absolutely,” Charlie said. “You think you’ll be okay walking in those flip–flops?”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine. C’mon,” Lindsay said, gripping Charlie’s hand.
The deeper they walked down the trail, the more they understood just how “natural” it was. The path was cleared wide enough for only two to walk side–by–side. A group on the trail would have to walk in a single–file line. The track became hilly as it curved beside the river.
“Now I wish I’d worn tennis shoes,” Lindsay said. “I can see somebody easily twisting an ankle out here.”
“I know,” Charlie said. “Just watch your step.”
Halfway down the trail, they encountered a tree with a few initials carved in. Some had hearts around them; others had dates that went back as far as twenty years.
“Can you believe those initials have been there so long?” Lindsay said. “I wonder if any of those couples are together today?”
“Not sure. I guess the only way to know which relationship stands the test of time is to add our initials,” Charlie said, reaching in his pocket. He flipped open the blade on his Swiss Army knife, and carved “C&L” above the other initials. He enclosed the letters with an animated bubbly–shaped airplane.
“Awe, how sweet,” Lindsay said. “And you added a personal touch. So creative.”
Charlie closed the knife and put it away. He dusted the wood shavings around the carving and stepped back to study his work. “The plane represents a love that soars above the clouds.”
Lindsay looked down, p
ushing leaves around with her flip–flop. She wasn’t sure what to say, especially since she’d never experienced real love before.
Charlie lifted her chin with the side of his index finger. “If we give it a chance to, that is. If we both agree to leave our hearts unguarded, I have every confidence that it could be like that.”
Lindsay was starting to like the idea of being loved and in love. It was becoming easier to trust his words, though for now, she left her own undeclared. She pinned Charlie against the tree and gave him a seductive slip of the tongue, hoping her outward enthusiasm would reflect her inner joy.
Her show of affection was cut short by a distant shriek. “What was that?”
Charlie held up a finger. “Listen,” he said, his eyes roaming as he concentrated on which direction it was coming from.
They heard it again, but this time the scream was followed by, “Help!”
“It sounds like it’s coming from the river,” Charlie said.
They ran as fast as they could, up and down the hilly trail until they got to the river embankment. “Is that Asher?”
Thrashing about in the water, Asher yelled with the ear–piercing shriek of an adolescent.
“Yes, that’s him,” Lindsay said apathetically. Should we go find out what his problem is?”
“I guess every worm deserves help in his time of need,” Charlie answered.
They took their time walking down the steep embankment, careful not to stumble. From the river’s edge, Lindsay called out to Asher. “What’s wrong?”
“Help!” he screeched, still splashing, the look of utter terror on his face.
Lindsay put both hands to the sides of her mouth. “What? Be still so I can hear you!”
“It’ll bite me again if I don’t splash!”
“What will?”
“The snake!”
“Hurry and get out of the water so we can help you,” Charlie shouted.
Hearing Charlie’s command must have engaged his rationality because Asher complied without hesitation. Even in his terrified state, he remembered that Charlie wasn’t the man to mess with. Asher slipped and slid on the muddy shore, hurrying toward them.
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