PUSH BO AWAY
You can tell that Bo wants the kiss to go much deeper, but before he has a chance to prolong it, you release yourself and plant your hands on his chest, pushing him back.
"How dare you?" You ask, adding anger to your swirl of emotions as you wipe your lips off with the back of your hand.
"I'm sorry." Bo replies, taken aback. "It's just that, well, I like you, I've liked you all along, and now that you're not my cousin….."
"That's really funny." You interrupt, with no humor whatsoever. "I haven't seen you show the slightest interest in me up until now. I have, however, witnessed the way you charm your girlfriends at the Boar's Nest when you want something from them."
You reach down and swiftly pick up your grandfather's letter that had fallen to the ground. "Well, you don't have to play that game with me, Bo. I said I'd see to it that your Uncle Jesse kept his land, and I intend to keep my word."
With that you turn and begin walking back to the still site, brushing the last few trails of tears from your face.
"You've got it all wrong. I meant what I said!" Bo clarifies, the sound of pain in his voice as he walks behind you.
"Bo, I appreciate your effort to do what you can to take care of your family and your farm. What I don't appreciate is the fact that you felt you had to insult my intelligence in order to do it."
Bo doesn't have a chance to respond as the two of you arrive back at the still site.
"Uncle Jesse." You say. "Can you please give me a ride back out to the farm? I want to collect my things and get out of your way."
Uncle Jesse offers you a sad smile. "I thought you were staying with us for the summer."
"I was going to spend the summer with my family. Sadly, that's not the case anymore."
Uncle Jesse places his calloused hands on your shoulders. "Honey, there's one thing you apparently still don't know about us Dukes, and that's that ya don't necessarily hafta have Duke blood runnin' through yer veins ta be considered family. Now, right now you're upset and yer not thinkin' straight, and that's understandable. And it's for that reason that I'm gonna hafta insist that you at least stay tonight. Tomorrow mornin' when you've had some time ta rest and think on the matter, if yer still determined ta leave, then I won't stand in yer way."
XXXXXXXXXXX
As the wee hours of the morning creep up on you, it becomes apparent that there are too many thoughts running through your head to get the good night's rest Uncle Jesse ordered. Slipping out of bed carefully so as not to disturb Daisy, you tiptoe out of the farmhouse and make your way to the barn, where you climb up into the hayloft.
Pushing the loft doors open, you gaze at the fields which are bathed in the light of the full moon and framed by the majestic mountain backdrop. You can't help but smile softly at the peaceful, serene view as you tighten your robe against the slight breeze.
"Beautiful, ain't it?"
Startled, you jump as you hear the voice behind you. You turn and can make out the form of Luke standing there.
"I'm sorry, Luke, did I wake you?" You ask.
"Unfortunately, no." Luke replies as he sits next to you wearing only pajama pants. "Since you're up here, I'd say it's because you got as much on your mind as I do. Ain't no better place on the farm to collect your thoughts."
You sigh. "I just hate the fact that something my great-grandfather did years ago is surfacing to cause problems now." You smile. "I just wish I understood exactly what happened when that transaction took place. He never had anything to do with Hazzard County as far as I know."
"Well maybe your grandfather had a feelin' about buyin' this land." Luke replies. "Just a small, inner feelin' that you sometimes get, tellin' you to do somethin' although you have no idea why."
"For all the good it did him." You reply. "He died right after he gained possession of it."
"Well, maybe he didn't get the land because he belonged here." Luke replies, looking at you. "Maybe he got it because something told him that one day someone in his family, maybe his great-granddaughter, would belong here."
You look at him in astonishment. Was Luke actually encouraging you to take the farm?
If that were true, Luke….." You reply, looking back out into the field. "Then why did circumstances allow the Dukes to end up staying on the land all these years?"
"Well maybe that's because….." Luke begins as he turns your head to face him. "The Dukes belong here too." He ends as he leans forward for a kiss.
JUMP TO THE CHAPTER ENTITLED 'LUKES KISS' IF LUKE KISSES YOU
JUMP TO THE CHAPTER ENTITLED 'LUKE INTERRUPTED' IF HE IS INTERRUPTED BY A SOUND IN THE BARN
