"Yes, of course. I came to thank you for allyou've done for me and the place here." She said wishing she couldbe more sophisticated about this, but she couldn't.
He stared at the money and reached for hisshirt. Then when he still didn’t take it, she came closer. Any timeyou are nearby and want to make a little extra money, stop off andsee us."
"So is Dickens moving in?"
"Yeah, and it's a good thing." She turnedaway as the site of him made her uneasy. The only man she'd everseen without his shirt on was Jim. And Jim was very lean and notmuscled at all. Wes on the other hand, had a very trim waist, buthis chest and shoulders flared, into a very well-built man.
"Here," she offered once more as he buttonedhis shirt and gave her his full attention. "I better get back. Ineed to fix supper."
"Kate," he called to her before she reachedthe door. "I'm sorry I have to leave. But I've really got somethings I need to take care of."
"Of course you do, I understand. I knewyou'd be leaving soon. I'm just glad you stayed long enough to helpme get the crops in. I paid the mortgage for another year, so I'vegot some time to decide what I'm going to do. If I don't get decenthelp, I may have to consider selling out, but it is my lastoption."
"How long you think you can hold out,selling, that is?" He asked coming closer.
She dropped her gaze to the floor. "Well, ifI can find someone to plow the field and help me get the crops in,I guess I can stay but if I don't. I'll have to considerselling."
He took her by the arms to turn her aroundto look at her. "I'm going to try to be back by spring."
"You're coming back?" she asked, shocked bythe news.
"If my plan works out, you won't have tosell, Kate, unless you want to." He told her.
"What plan?" she asked.
"I don't want to say anything to get yourhopes up, but if it does, I'll be back. By mid-April." He toldher.
"You don't owe me anything, Wes. You didyour job, and I'm thankful."
"I wish I could tell you what I've got inmind, but it's too soon." He stared into her face.
"Well, if you can fine, you have a job here,if you want it, and if you can't, I'll understand." She said herhand on the door to leave.
"Dammit Kate, there's so many things I wantto say to you, but I can't yet!"
"I better go now, and supper will be readysoon." She said and ran out the door.
She didn't know what he was talking about.And the fact that he couldn’t confide in her told her enough.
Wes was a good friend, and a great hiredhand, but that was all he was. All he could be.
So why were tears running down her cheeks.Why did it hurt so much that he was leaving? She'd expected him toall along.
She fixed chicken fried steaks, with mashedpotatoes and gravy. She had corn on the cob, and fresh canned greenbeans and biscuits.
"Well this is a great meal, Kate." Dickenscommented when it got too quiet.
"Yeah, it's great." Wes added.
"Thought we should have a good meal tocelebrate." She told them.
"Celebrate what?"
"Paying the mortgage and getting the cropsin and killing the cat!" she said her voice veering slightly fromthe normal.
"I bought some wine, I thought that would benice." She told them.
"Kate, I got something to tell you, both ofyou." Dickens told her as she opened the wine and poured them all aglass of a fine red wine.
"I'm listening," she said as she sat downonce more.
"I'm selling my place Kate, since I'm movingin here and since I am going to be living here, I'll pay the nextyears rent, so you won't have to worry about the crops unless youdo find someone to work it for you."
"Oh, I can't let you do that."
"Of course you can. I'll be living here andusing things and eating your food. I need to pay my own way, Kate."Dickens told her.
Wes stared at the two of them. "Well, thatwould solve a lot of your problems, Kate. It would give you time tofind some help and you'd be helping each other."
"I hadn't planned on charging you to livehere, Dickens. I love to have you stay. I need the company." Shesmiled.
"Well, company or not, I pay my own waygirl. So it's settled. Now we can really celebrate." He smiled ather.
She leaned and kissed the top of his baldhead. "We'll talk about this later." She insisted.
"No we won't. I won't stay if I can't pay myown way." He told her.
"Alright, you can pay it then." She finallygave in.
Wes smiled. "That makes me feel a lotbetter."
Dickens saw how reluctant she was, and hereached for her hand. "This way, I'll feel it's my home too,Kate."
She finally quit fiddling with the winebottle and set it on the table. "I guess you are right. I got toomuch pride."
"Let it go Kate. If you aren't worrying andupset all the time, it'll be a lot more pleasant around here."
She snickered. "Well, I guess that'strue."
"Good, now that's settled I feel betteralready." Dickens chuckled.
They sipped their wine and it seemed torelax them as the conversation picked up.
That evening they all three sat on the porchfor a while. Lucky and Moby seemed to have made friends. ButDickens didn't dally much he went to bed early leaving her and Wesalone.
"I hope your plans work out Wes." She saidsoftly.
"Me too. It's the first big ambition I'vehad in a long time. I want you to know, you've helped me a lot tooKate."
"Me? How?" she asked a bit surprised by hisstatement.
He snorted a bit, then looked at her. "I'vebeen nursing this, 'Everyone's gonna die on me' routine for toolong. I forgot I was still alive. You reminded me."
"I did? I don't know how." She chuckled.
"Sure you do. You kissed me."
She nearly fell off the steps when he saidthat. "I wasn't trying to change you Wes. I was just trying toprove a point at the time."
"I know that. But it sure woke me up."
"It did?"
"I guess if
