An: This chapter's title is from "Brighter Than the Sun" by Colbie Caillat
"Oh, this is how it starts, lightning strikes the heart. It goes off like a gun, brighter than the sun."
Chapter 2: Brighter Than the Sun
"When this is all over, would you like to go on a date with me?" Carlton asked quietly, spooned around Angeline.
"A date?" Angeline asked, turning her head to look up at him.
Carlton blushed lightly, not meeting her eyes.
"Yeah, you know… dinner someplace nice, with candles and stuff like that."
"Out in public?" she asked quietly, her voice tight.
Lassiter tensed, frowning.
"Something wrong with that?" he rasped, his voice hard and hurt.
She turned in his arms and kissed the corner of his down-turned lips.
"You wouldn't mind being seen with me?" she breathed.
"Mind?" he asked, his brow furrowing.
She snuggled into his chest, hiding her face.
"It's just… you're so handsome and respected and I'm nothing but a…" she mumbled.
"Stop," Carlton said firmly, flushing at the praise and tensing at her devaluation of herself. He brushed the hair back from her cheek, revealing her profile.
"You're smart and beautiful and I'm proud to be seen with you, anytime," he insisted, smirking at the red that stained her cheeks at his words.
They laid together in silence, the low murmur of the sea soothing.
"Could we go dancing?" Angeline finally asked.
Carlton laughed lightly.
"Dancing?" he asked incredulously.
She smiled up at him.
"I saw it on TV the other day. It looked fun."
"I'm not much of a dancer," he warned.
She laughed and hugged him, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
"You can just stand there and look pretty," she assured him humorously.
"I've never looked 'pretty' in my life," Carlton grumbled, unable to hide a smile.
-000-
"So," Henry grumbled, "Thanksgiving's tomorrow."
Lassiter looked up at him in surprise, spoonful of oatmeal halfway to his lips.
"Already?" he asked in surprise. All that time in the hospital had thrown his time sense for a loop.
Henry chuckled, shaking his head.
"Do you want us to leave?" Angeline asked quietly.
Lassiter blinked quickly, his mind spinning. Thanksgiving was a time for families. Maybe Spencer Senior had plans. But where could they go? The hotels were surely full of visiting relatives this close to the holiday.
"Of course not!" Henry's strong admonition startled him from his thoughts.
"If you have plans…" Lassiter threw in, uncomfortable with the idea of barging in on a Spencer family tradition.
"Hah! Of course I have plans! And you two are a part of them. What, you think I'm going to do all the cooking by my lonesome?" Henry said.
"Cooking?" Lassiter squeaked.
Henry nodded, grinning.
"Lots of it! Let's see… We're feeding my son, of course, and Gus- his parents are on a cruise- and Karen and her husband and Iris…"
"Chief Vick is coming here?" Lassiter asked, sharing a startled glance with Angeline.
"And Juliet…" Henry continued, ignoring the interruption, "and that should be it. Nine all together. Here's the list of groceries we need. Why don't you two get started on clean-up while I head to the store?"
Henry was out the door before Lassiter could protest.
"Since when did we become a maid service?" he groused loudly, staring down into his empty bowl.
Angeline slid the bowl from his hands and smiled at him mischievously.
"Sounds like he'll be gone for a while…" she said.
"Yeah…" Lassiter agreed questioningly.
She raked her gaze down his body, her dark eyes smoldering when she looked up.
"I'll have to take it easy on you, since you're wounded and all."
Carlton gaped at her, his eyes widening. Finally he smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"Not too easy," he said lowly.
She grinned.
-000-
The house was spotless by the time Henry arrived, due more to his considerate lollygagging than any concentrated effort on their part.
Lassiter had taken well to his role, years of bachelordom accustoming him to such menial tasks. Not to say there weren't many distractions, mostly deliberate.
Sandwiches were waiting on the table for Henry when he got home late that afternoon. He didn't complain. The floors were as shiny as he'd ever seen them, his back not up to the strenuous task of mopping as often as he would like.
Decorations graced the mantle, free of dust, and the center of the table. Child-like hand turkeys were given a place of prominence. Henry snorted as he recognized the long fingers of Santa Barbra's Head Detective and shook his head in wonder at what a woman could compel men to do. Indian corn and miniature pumpkins completed the ensemble. A Country Living magazine protruded from the neat stack on the coffee table and answered any questions Henry might have had about the décor inspiration.
Dragging the brown grocery bags into the kitchen, he smiled at the sight of gleaming appliances. He peeked into the oven and nodded in approval. No wonder they'd chosen sandwiches for dinner. They must have been exhausted after all that work.
Heavy footsteps tromped down the stairs. Lassiter poked his head around the corner.
"Need help?" he asked.
Henry shrugged, unpacking the brown bags.
Lassiter loped over, putting away the food as quickly as he could. He winced when he bent to stick the celery in the crisper, something that did not go unnoticed by Henry.
"Don't work too hard," Henry warned, "You'll end up back in the hospital."
Lassiter flushed and turned away in the guise of shelving the canned goods.
Henry snorted.
"Not work-related pain, I see."
Lassiter didn't answer, focused on straightening the line of cans in the pantry. His ears were bright pink.
When all the groceries were put away and the turkey thawing in preparation for the morning, Lassiter finally spoke.
"Thank you, Henry."
"It's nothing," Henry responded quickly, uncomfortable with the sincerity in the other man's eyes.
"It's a lot," Lassiter countered, "You didn't have to allow us to stay here. Didn't have to invite us to your family Thanksgiving. I appreciate it. And I know that Angeline appreciates it too."
"She deserves it. So do you," Henry said gruffly, squeezing Lassiter's shoulder as he pushed past him and out the back door.
"And you're welcome," he said softly as the door closed.
