A Merry Little Christmas (12 page)

Charlie’s pained expression didn’t soften.

“I promise you, I’m not upset. I’m just stunned. And I’m awfully glad you weren’t seriously injured.”
Thank You, God, that he didn’t perish in the fire, trying to save the barn.
“You have some good insurance, better than what I had, so you’ll get a brand-new barn. That old barn was beyond its prime…so rickety it could barely hold itself up anymore. It’ll be all right.”

“So you’re not furious with me?”

“No, of course not.”

Charlie steepled his fingers together and leaned toward her. “Good, because there’s more to my story.”

“Oh?”

“Well, my hired hand, Farley—he hurt himself.”

“Badly?” Perhaps these mishaps were her fault, for leaving Charlie too soon.

“No.”

“So he hurt himself in the fire?” Franny tried to remove the alarm from her face, since she didn’t want to add to Charlie’s grief.

“No. Actually, Farley hurt himself at home. He fractured his arm by falling off his daughter’s rocking horse. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to help me now. I went into town and asked around at the diner, but everybody’s busy with their own work.”

Franny tried not to grin. “So, Farley injured himself falling off his daughter’s rocking horse? Farley never did have very much horse sense. Folks will pray for him as hard as they’ll howl with laughter.” She put up her hand. “Sorry, it’s not funny.” She leaned toward him. “So, Charlie, who’s looking after the piglets? Did you remember to give them their iron shots? And who’s watching out for Frutti? Is she starting to nest yet? If you don’t watch her carefully, she’ll end up having her babies in the field, and you know—”

“Everything is all right. Farley’s brother is there watching over everything…for now. But he only promised to take over for today and tomorrow. I have to go back tomorrow evening.” Charlie touched Franny’s apron. “So, what happened at the radio stations?”

Franny hated to pile her unhappy news on top of his, but he would have to know sooner or later. “The truth is, no one wanted me. Not even as a receptionist. After I thought about it, I realized they were pretty wise in their decision. I have no college education. No background in radio. I have an Oklahoma accent and a voice that goes squeaky as a rusty windmill when I get excited. I was so sure of myself, and yet this was the most foolish thing I’ve ever done in my life.” She picked up the apron and tied it around her waist.

She reached for her headband, but Charlie held onto the other end of it. “I admire the fact that you
did
try.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” Charlie let go of the headband. “In fact—”

“Wait a minute. Hey, how did you find me? Aunt Beatrice doesn’t live at that residence anymore, so the telephone number I gave you was bad.”

“I know.” A smile warmed Charlie’s features. “Well, I had a little help from my Friend.” He pointed upward. “Hey, that’d make a good song. Anyway, miraculously, I heard your name on the radio. I could hardly believe it. The announcer mentioned this diner and, well, I didn’t know where else to go. I took a chance since it was close to the station and I thought you might be hungry.”

“It was a miracle you found me, since I could have stopped at any diner in the city.” Franny picked at the lace on the headband. “Any diner at all.”

“But you didn’t. You stopped here. And I couldn’t be happier about it.”

“Me too.”

“The thing is”—Charlie loosened his tie—“if you don’t love your waitressing job, I wish you’d come back. You’re good at farming, and I’d pay you very well to help me. Of course you’d stay in the house.”

“Oh.” Franny scrubbed her knuckles against her chin. “So that’s the real reason you came to find me—to save the farm?” She had a sudden need to play with the salt and pepper shakers, so she wood-pecker-tapped them together, impatient to know Charlie’s real reason for his fanatic search to find her.

“No, it isn’t at all.” He caught her gaze, which wasn’t easy to catch, since she was avoiding his scrutiny. “I missed you, Franny. The farm has no life or color without you. I doubt the potatoes would grow in the spring without you. And the pigs were getting a serious case of melancholia. It just won’t do, Franny.”

She sighed a little inside, thinking he’d redeemed himself. A little. “I have to confess that I missed the farm after I left. And I missed you.”

“I’m glad.” Charlie picked up the ketchup and mustard containers and bumped them together just like Franny had with the salt and pepper shakers.

She grinned.

“So, tell me, do you regret selling me the farm?”

“I would hate to put it that way.” But how would she put it?

He set the containers down but continued to grip them. “Here’s the way it is…I want you to come back, but I’m equally sorry about your dream. I want you to know that I wasn’t rooting for your failure. Except now, I admit to a little selfish joy on my part. But I assure you that I’m very repentant for it. Well, I’m trying to be.”

Franny loved the way Charlie talked—loved his ways in general. “I believe you.”

“And I promise I didn’t burn down the barn just to get you to come back.”

She chuckled. “I’m glad about that too.”

“Good. Now will you come back? Just say those words. Please.”

“Yes, I just might.”

“Sorry, it suddenly got so noisy in here that I couldn’t hear what you said.”

“Yeah, I know. There’s a bunch of ladies laughing up at the front. Women can be such cackling hens.”

“What?”

“I said, women can be such cackling hens,” Franny almost screamed the words just as the diner got quiet. A few people looked their way.

Charlie and Franny laughed.

“My answer is yes.”

“Very good. Well, then, I think you’re going to disappoint old Arnold. He was looking forward to working with his grandmother.”

Franny chuckled. “Cute.” She gave his hand a little pat. “Arnold will recover.”

Charlie took her hands in his. “I want to ask you for another favor.”

What could it be now? “Yes?”

“As you know, my brother and father live here in the city and, well, I’d like for them to meet you. We could go after lunch. That is, if you want to.”

“I would love to meet your family.” Franny looked at her uniform and remembered the dress hanging in the back room. “I’ll have to turn in this uniform, and that new dress I bought got a little mangled yesterday.”

“You’re perfect.”

Now that sounded pretty fine. The man in the booth behind them blew smoke their way, and just as Franny waved it right back to him, Noma arrived at their table with purse in hand. “You’re leaving already?” Franny asked her friend.

Noma clutched her purse and bin of cleaning supplies. “That was a mighty good meal, and I thank you for it.”

“You’re welcome, but it’s me who’s grateful.”

“I usually don’t take but a few minutes to eat my lunch, but today was special.” Noma squeezed her eyes shut for a second as if trying to control her emotions. “You’re always welcome in my home.”

“Thank you, Noma.” Franny stood. “I made a decision just now. I’m going back to the farm.”

Noma looked at them, concerned.

“We won’t be living in the same house.” Franny grinned but felt her face go as hot as firecrackers.

“I wasn’t worried about you two.” Noma’s face knotted into a forlorn, resigned kind of expression. “I was thinking how much I’d miss my new friend.”

Franny gave Noma a bear hug. “I will miss you, but any time I’m in the city, I promise I’ll drop by. And you’re always welcome at the farm. It’s five miles straight east of Hesterville.”

“Someday I may hold you to that promise.” Noma hugged her back and then released her. “But you’re right in returning to the country. It’s a good place to raise children.”

The temperature on Franny’s face heated up again, but Noma distracted her by turning to Charlie. “I’ve got a soft spot for this girl, Mr. Landau, so you take good care of her.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Charlie grinned. “I have a soft spot for her too.”

After a quick bite of lunch, a change of clothes, and letting Arnold know about her new plans, Franny found herself riding along toward Nichols Hills in Charlie’s Rolls-Royce motorcar. She also found herself jiggling her purse, fidgeting with her dress, and twiddling with her hair.
Should I have put on more lipstick?
She was accustomed to being in the company of hogs and cattle and chickens, not the aristocracy. She felt so keyed up she could barely enjoy the ride, which was a shame, since she would probably never ride in such luxury again.

“It’ll be all right, Franny. We’ll only be there for a few minutes.”

What was the matter with her, anyway? She could face pigheaded and tough-talking bigots, but she couldn’t even say hello to Charlie’s father without fear. Was it the wealth that intimidated her? Surely she wasn’t so shallow. However, even though she tried to be earnest and steadfast at times, she also acknowledged having equal amounts of silliness.

He turned the corner and looked over at her. “Sometimes you go quiet, and I can’t imagine what you’re thinking. But I’d love to know.”

Franny gripped the seat. “You wouldn’t always want to know what’s going on in my brain. It’s a real mess in there.”

“Mine’s pretty shambolic too.” Charlie tapped the steering wheel with his thumb. “Is that a real word?”

“If not, it should be. My brain sort of shambles, like a lost child…always in the wrong direction, though.”

“You’re not convincing me.” Charlie turned another corner, and the houses went from homes to stately mansions with immaculately kept grounds and fountains. He drove through a large brick portico toward the back of the house.

“This is your home? It’s so beautiful, Charlie. I can’t imagine growing up this way.”

Charlie came to a stop in front of a large statue and looked at her. “My home is now a farm, but this is where I lived before that.”

Franny blew the bangs off her forehead. “Why do I feel like I’m going to my execution?”

Charlie laughed. “I guess I’ve told you too many stories about my father. He’s not
all
bad. He just can’t remember how to live. Maybe you could teach him.” He tugged on her sleeve. “Does that make you feel any better?”

“Do you want an honest answer?”

“With that look in your eyes, probably not.” He grinned. “Stay put. I’ll come around and get you.” Charlie went to the passenger side and opened the door.

She grasped his outstretched hand and slipped from the car, trying to remember all the ladylike advice she’d gathered through the years. She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

Charlie put his hand at her back as they walked along the stone path, and she welcomed his touch by leaning into it. But his limp made her cringe. “How’s your leg?”

“It still hurts, but being with you works like a painkiller.”

She chuckled. Their time together felt more and more like a date, which made her more and more nervous. But like a morning glory unfolding in the light, Franny was opening her heart to the possibility of falling in love with Charlie. Perhaps she’d already fallen a little in love, but along with caring for another person came the potential for worry and concern that something unfortunate would disrupt those first stirrings of tender affection.

As Charlie opened the back door, Franny felt the first twinge of concern—that something was about to go wrong.