"A picture is worth one thousand words."

~Fred R. Barnard

Chapter Thirteen

"What would you like to have in the background?" Christy asked Ida. She was making good progress on the sketch of the older woman. She had started on her face even before Ida joined Christy in her bedroom, carrying the newspaper with her.

"The mountains, I suppose?" Ida's lips twitched. "Perhaps something from Boston?"

"Here, look what I have drawn so far." Christy turned her sketchbook toward Ida.

"Oh, Christy! That looks just fine! That hat is perfect and the lace collar! How can you be so fast and accurate? I cannot thank you enough!"

"I'm glad you like it. I think I should do the mountains behind you because this is where you are now?"

"Yes, I think that is a fine idea." Ida circled another ad in the newspaper. "I have chosen five, Christy. Can you read them and see which one seems the best fit?"

"Maybe you should answer more than one? Perhaps all five, even? Send the same letter to all five, and I can just trace this sketch several times?"

"What if they all want me?" Ida asked, eyes wide.

Christy smiled, and held back a chuckle because Ida was serious. Who knows? Maybe they would all want to meet her?

"Well, you will have to choose eventually," Christy said, "but I am certain you will exchange several letters with them before anything is finally decided. And, even then would you not like to meet the man before you agree to marry him? Surely, he would come here to fetch you and then David can help you decide, also."

"I suppose you are right, but I do not want David to know about this. Not yet." Ida set the paper down on the bed and stood up. "I will go check on dinner. Read those when you have a chance." She pointed to the newspaper. "That drawing looks wonderful. Would you really do it again four more times?"

Christy nodded. "I could change the background or the clothing for each if you'd like?"

Ida frowned and then shook her head. "You better keep them all the same. It would be too confusing to remember which picture I sent to which man." She rolled her eyes and then left the room.

Christy continued drawing at her desk. She was avoiding answering the letters home, even though she knew she would need to write them as today was the day she would have the most time. Unless it rained, of course, and there was no school. She frowned. How would she organize all those children outside? How would she keep them focused? Oh dear, those three boys, Sam Houston, Creed Allen and Zack Holt were sure to be horrible. Maybe she would sit them with John and Rob and beg the two older boys to help her?

The phone rang downstairs, and again Ida picked it up, and again, she called for David. Perhaps Miss Alice had gotten the message. This week would be terrible, in so many ways. Christy rubbed her face and then rested her elbows on the desk and rubbed her temples. Suddenly, very strong hands were rubbing her shoulders. Her eyes flew open and she turned to look at the intruder.

"How did you sneak up here?" she asked, breathless.

"Woman, I am far too large to sneak anywhere," Neil said, with a chuckle. "You were off in a different world. Do you have a headache?"

"No, but don't stop massaging my shoulders," she whispered, tipping her chin to her chest to stretch out the tight muscles.

"You're all knotted up. How long have you been sitting here?"

She sighed. "Too long, I guess. Thank you." She turned and smiled. "I did not expect to see you again today."

"I hope you are pleased?"

"Of course," she said. "Did you get your paperwork and files updated from Lyleton?"

He moved to sit on the bed. She watched in horror as he picked up the newspaper. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

He frowned, looked at her, confused, and then looked back down, and then his face turned dark.

"Neil, it's not what you think," she spat out

"Christy!" Ida called from the bottom of the steps. "Bring down my newspaper and come eat!"

"Alright!" she called back. She pointed to the newspaper Neil was holding and his face cleared, and thankfully he realized she wasn't looking at the ads. She tried to snatch it, from him, but it became a tug of war. "Neil!"

"I require payment," he whispered.

"Is that right?" She smiled. "What sort of payment?"

"Can you not think of anything to trade this for?" He waved the paper in front of her.

She shrugged. "It's not my paper. You'll have to trade Ida for it." She giggled. "Come eat."

He caught her just as she was leaving through the open door and spun her around. He laughed. "May I kiss you, Miss Huddleston?"

"Well, of course." She moved closer, and rested her hands on his broad chest before tipping up her face and smiling. "You really don't need to ask."

His kiss, soft, and undemanding, made her feel warm inside and a little tingly.

"Thank you," he said. He handed her the paper. "She is answering ads?"

Christy nodded and gave him what she hoped was a sorrowful look. "You were her last hope."

He chuckled. "There never was hope, then."

She batted him playfully with the rolled-up paper. "Does Ida know you are here?" she asked as they walked down the stairs.

"She was on the telephone and waved me up to your room."

"Oh, the telephone." Christy nodded. "I forgot it rang."

"I wonder why?" He winked at her.

"I wonder, Dr. MacNeill?" She shook her head at him and used her best intimidating teacher stare.

"I did come to talk with you," he said, "not just to steal a kiss, although that was very nice. Do you have time after supper?"

"I will always make time for you," she said. Maybe she could even get her courage up to ask him to the wedding!

When they reached the dining room, David was just sitting down. Neil joined him. Christy went to help Ida get the dishes, and handed her the newspaper. "I still didn't look at them yet," she said.

"That's alright. I'll just start on the letters tonight, and then we can decide later."

"You'll have to come up with something to tell Mr. Pentland. He'll wonder why so many letters are going to so many places." She paused as she filled a pitcher with water. She narrowed her eyes. "What do you think of Mr. Pentland?"

"Ben Pentland?" Ida's thin brows narrowed. "Well, he is always so sweaty by the time he gets here. I don't know."

Christy took the pitcher of water. Sweaty. Christy wanted to giggle. Ida was always clean and fresh, surely Mr. Pentland's ill-kempt appearance "He's very funny. In good shape. Healthy. He has a good job. You could stay here with your brother, and when David leaves you could move to El Pano! You already know so many people." Christy was getting excited. Why had she not considered Ben before for Ida?

"Ben Pentland." Her Ida's lips puckered. She rested a fisted hand on her right hip. "If I invited him to dinner, do you think he would come?" she asked.

"I do," Christy answered with a smile. "Then you would know what he looks like when he cleans himself up!"

"I'll do it." Ida nodded. "At least I know what I'm getting with him! I can clean him up. Maybe he only needs a woman's touch?"

"Maybe so," Christy answered with a laugh. "He is a good man and certainly been patient with me and all my deliveries from home!"

Christy went back in the dining room and filled up everyone's cup. Neil and David were talking about Ferrand and she didn't want to interrupt. She went back in the kitchen, grabbed a plate of biscuits, and a bowl of creamed corn. Ida carried the roast and mashed potatoes into the room.

"Who was on the telephone, David?" Christy asked.

"Alice. She got the message. She's very upset, as you can imagine." He put some potatoes on his plate and passed it to Ida. "She'll be here tomorrow afternoon. I told her you would be teaching outside. She laughed and said you would teach on the moon if you had to."

Christy rolled her eyes. "Now, that would be something."

When there was a lull in conversation, Neil said, "Tom McHone still has not come back home. I talked to Uncle Bogg today and he is worried. I think he and some of the men are going out to look for him tonight."

Christy took a sip of water. "Poor Opal."

Neil glanced at her and then away. "He has never been gone this long."

"Opal said he was hunting. I am guessing it was actually something else?" David asked.

Neil nodded.

"Moonshine?" Christy asked.

Neil nodded gravely.

She swallowed. "Maybe he just got injured and the searchers will find him tonight?"

"Maybe," Neil answered, but not convincingly.

"Dr. MacNeill, how long have you known Ben Pentland?" Ida asked.

He blinked, obviously surprised by the seemingly randomness of the question. "Quite some time. He started delivering the mail soon after I came home from Philadelphia."

Why did her stomach clench every time he mentioned his time in that city? Was it because it reminded Christy, he had been with Margaret then, and she knew nothing about their marriage? Well, she knew what Alice shared with her, but Christy did not know anything about it from Neil. Should she? Was it her business? Even if they did move on in their courtship, should his past be of any business to her? Yes, she decided, of course it should!

"Does he drink?" Ida asked.

Neil frowned in thought. "Not that I have heard, or seen myself. He is quite a character, though. If I ever need to know something going on, I just have to ask Ben."

Ida smiled tightly and then cleared her throat. Her voice came out higher than usual as she asked, "Does he attend services in El Pano?"

Neil shook his head with a shrug. "No idea, sorry."

Ida played with the food on her plate. Neil and David both looked at Christy and she shrugged. She stepped on Neil's foot under the table and gestured for him to tell Ida more. He didn't understand right away, but then he closed his eyes and shook his head before explaining more about Ben Pentland.

"You know, Miss Ida, Ben comes from a large family in Low Gap. I think he was the oldest of seven? He might be five years older than I am? His two youngest sisters live in the cabin where they all grew up. One is a widow with three children. The other is… well, simple minded…His parents died about five years ago. Both had pneumonia and no one bothered to get me."

"So, he's almost forty, then?" Ida asked.

"That sounds about right," Neil said.

"Does he have a house?" Ida asked and then flushed.

"Why all the questions about Ben Pentland, Ida?" David finally asked.

Ida cleared her throat and swallowed, her Adam's apple bobbing in her thin neck. "Well, I was considering asking him to dinner this week. Before Dr. Ferrand gets here."

David looked at her curiously, but wisely did not say anything.

"Have you heard from your parents, this week, Christy?" Neil asked, changing the subject.

"I did." She nodded. "Daddy has a stressful case coming up, and Mother was angry with him for missing George's baseball games. It's the beginning of the season, though. He'll be able to attend a lot of the games this summer."

"I forgot you said your brother liked baseball," David said. "If he comes for a visit we'll have to play. I bet the children would enjoy learning the game."

"Maybe," Christy answered. "You'll have plenty of children to make up two teams."

"I doubt we'll be here long enough to have the Huddlestons come for a visit," Ida said cryptically.

"We just have to pray Dr. Ferrand sees the importance of the work we have done here already, Ida," David said. "I would hate for Ferrand to let the moonshiners win, to allow them chase us off. We are doing the Lord's work here."

Christy glanced at Neil, curious what he thought about David's comment. He kept his focus on his food, and she could see no outward reaction.

The rest of dinner passed quietly. Ida had baked a peach pie from preserves one of the Cove women had given them. It was a sweet treat and Christy noticed Neil had two slices. She really did need to learn how to cook.

"Dinner was delicious, Miss Ida, thank you," Neil said.

Ida blushed and thanked him for the compliment.

Christy picked up the empty dinner plates. It was her turn for dishes.

"I'll be on the porch smoking, Christy," Neil told her.

"You could help with the dishes," she called back with a cheeky grin.

"I could, but you know the saying… too many people in the kitchen…"

"There is nothing left to spoil, Neil MacNeill." She laughed at him and went into the kitchen to clean up dinner.

David joined Neil on the porch. Neil wondered if the man just wanted company or if he had something specific to talk about. He found out quickly enough.

"You think Tom is dead?"

Neil tamped down the tobacco in the bowl of his pipe and then lit a match on the sole of his boot. Once it was burning how he liked it, he nodded. "I do. I think he must have crossed one of them. My money is on Nathan O'Teale. I was there today, before I came here, to see if Swannie knew where Nathan was."

"She didn't?"

"She says she doesn't." Neil shrugged. "I never can tell when she's lying to me. Her face has one expression, all the time."

"I fully expect Alice to fire me tomorrow. I probably should go pack up my bag tonight and be ready."

"Why?" Neil asked.

"I gave the sermon she told me not to, and now the church is burned out. Christy has to teach outside." He shook his head.

"You said at service today that you can only control your own actions," Neil reminded him. "You are correct in that. You can try to remedy the situation? If Ferrand allows you to rebuild, I'll be the first to volunteer for the working. I expect Jeb and Bob and Rob and John will be lined up right behind me. It will have to start after their planting is done, though."

David frowned at him. "You didn't help the first time."

"You're right. When you came, I had no real connection to the mission." He shrugged. "Things have changed."

David nodded with a small grin. "I think she has brought a lot of good change."

Neil smiled. "That she has."

"I want to hate you, you know," David said, "but I can't. You both belong here, you both have a vision to make Cutter Gap better. Just don't hurt her, alright? She's young, full of ideas and way too impulsive. I worry she's going to get herself in trouble."

Neil chuckled. "I'm trying. Fairlight said it best. Christy wants to do everything at once, to soak everything in and make everyone the best they can be. Hard to fight that sort of exuberance, but I plan to try to rein it in a bit. If she doesn't get hurt physically, she might get discouraged, and I don't want that to happen either."

David laughed. "Good luck with her impulsivity. I suppose being older, you help calm her down. She's always thinking, her mind is always working. Probably even when she's sleeping, she's thinking of ways to fix this place."

Neil laughed, but knew David was right.

"Did she pick a good bible passage today?" Neil asked. This was part of the reason he wanted to talk with her. The Psalm had been on his mind that whole day.

"Perfect. Sometimes I think she knows the Lord much better than I ever will. Her heart is just so big. Everything she does, she does with love and kindness."

Neil snorted.

"What? You don't believe that?" David asked, frowning.

"She hit me with a newspaper before dinner."

"You probably deserved worse." David laughed.

Neil nodded. "You think she'll stay?"

David studied him intently. "I don't know. If Ferrand closes the school, what will she have left here?"

Me, Neil wanted to say, but instead he remained silent. "Have you seen the list of changes she wants to make?"

"She actually made a list?" David asked, his voice tinged with astonishment. "Of course, she did. And she probably numbered everything and alphabetized it."

They both laughed.

"What is so funny, gentlemen?" Christy asked looking between the two of them.

Her expression made Neil laugh harder.

He stood up and stretched. "You ready for our walk?"

She rubbed her upper arms. "Actually, why don't we talk in the parlor? It's chilly out here."

"Alright," Neil agreed.

He hoped David wouldn't follow. He and Christy both looked at David, and it seemed he got the message.

"I'll just… go read… or something," David sputtered, walking toward the bunkhouse, leaving them alone.

Neil followed her back into the mission house and into the parlor. He threw another log on the fire. It was chilly that evening; almost felt like it could snow. Snow wasn't unheard of in late February, but he would be surprised none-the-less.

"I'll get some coffee for us," she said, disappearing into the kitchen.

Neil was nervous to discuss with her what he needed to. He was not certain how she would react. He had taken a big step today, done something he hadn't done in nearly fifteen years, maybe even longer. He didn't come seeking her approval, but wanted her to know that something was changing within him. She was the only one he trusted to tell, and he needed to tell someone.

She was back quickly, handing him the warm mug, along with a wide smile.

"Alright, I am all yours." She sat next to him in a ladder-back chair by the fireplace.

"I am very glad of that," he said with a wink. He took a long sip of his coffee, feeling chilled himself. "I want to talk with you about that list of your ideas. Did you get it written up for me?"

"I did." She nodded. "But, I'm not ready to talk about it with you yet."

He frowned.

"What I mean is… I want you to look it over first… think about my ideas." Her hands were flying in the air again. "Sometimes when I throw ideas at you, your immediate response is no. If you take time to consider it, though, you might have a better idea how I… well… we can achieve some of the ideas."

"We? You and I?"

She nodded. "Some of them I will need your help with, or at least guidance, I suppose." She stood. "I'll run up and get it."

He was already exhausted thinking about what she might be expecting from him. No, that wasn't true. He was curious what she wanted to do, and how she thought he could help her. He was happy that she was looking to the future stability of the Cove, as that meant she was truly considering returning to teach the summer session and beyond. He was anxious to see what she wanted to change, knew that change came so slowly here, and knew she would want results overnight. Yes, it was wise she was giving him the list ahead of their conversation about it. He smiled. She was coming to understand him very well.

She was back quickly, folding the paper as she joined him. She handed him the folded note, which he reached for. She pulled it back with a chuckle.

"I should ask for payment," she teased.

"Come here then. I'll gladly swap it for a kiss."

"Is that your version of Little Burl's swapping howdies?" she teased.

"Maybe." He dropped his voice. "But, only with you."

She handed him the paper and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. He moved his face and caught her lips instead.

"Tricky man," she chided with a grin.

He took the note and placed it in the breast pocket of his shirt. "When would you like to discuss this?"

"Well, it depends when Ferrand arrives. Alice will be here tomorrow, I hope. You tell me. I want you to make notes on the sheet, and add things you have in your mind, too. You can tear apart my ideas, just don't tear it up." She laughed. "Oh! I mean no disrespect with my ideas, either, so don't get angry with me."

"I don't ever get mad when people are honest, Christy." He took her hand. "We will disagree over things. You and I are both stubborn and determined people and arguments are bound to happen. It's my hope we won't ever work against each other, though."

She sat next to him, close to him, still holding his hand. "I'm always honest with you."

"That was part of what I really came to talk with you about."

"Oh?" Her eyes widened.

He looked down at their joined hands. There was so much on his heart he wanted to tell her, but knew it was too soon. He wanted to tell her about how Margaret hurt him, how scared he was to allow himself to be completely open to love again, even though it was too late to stop what he felt for this beautiful woman next to him. He wanted to tell her about his dreams for his research, his hope to work at a specialty eye hospital full time, not just once a month. He couldn't tell her any of that until he was confident, she would stay here with him—forever, not just a season.

"Thank you for asking me to come to services this morning," he said. "It has been a very long time since I have listened to a sermon, or read the bible, or thought about how God might be working to help instead of hurt." He met her steady gaze. "My parents and their parents were what you would consider good Christians. We prayed together before bed every night. My father read the bible every day, would read aloud to my mother who could not read. She would have loved you, Christy. She would have wanted you to teach her to read just like Fairlight."

"I would have liked to know your family," she said. "I do plan to visit your aunt sometime this week. I want to know her better."

"Hattie will like that. She is very much like my father. He was humble, but proud of all of us." He swallowed and interlaced his fingers with hers. "The Psalm this morning was very well chosen, I thought. I could actually not only apply it to the situation at the church, but I saw how it was applicable to my life now, too. When I got home, I couldn't get the idea of God as a refuge from my mind. I opened my family's bible." He chuckled. "It was as dusty as can be, but I found the Psalm and read it several times. What I realized is that, for so very long, my refuge has been to hide inside myself, instead of reaching out to God. I have been putting all my faith in myself instead of allowing God to help me get through my struggles. When I realized that, I felt incredibly alone." He squeezed her hand, noticing her eyes were getting teary. "Since you came here, Christy, I haven't felt that loneliness anymore. I have begun to seek you as my refuge, and realizing that, and knowing that you trusted the Lord to be your refuge, your support, makes it a little easier for me to accept that maybe I could turn my worries to the Lord, too. That He gives too, not just takes away."

She smiled.

"I suppose what I am saying in a rather inarticulate way is that you have become a refuge for me, and I hope I will become that for you, too." His beautiful hazel eyes met hers.

"You have!" she cried. "My goodness, I take everything to you. I haven't told most of those ideas on that list to anyone else. You are the only one I would trust with my ideas. I do trust you, more than anyone other than my family."

He took her hand and kissed it. "Thank you for that."

"Surely you know you are my best friend," she said with a smile.

"Just a friend?" he grinned.

"No, of course not!" She smiled. "Every good relationship starts with a firm friendship at the base of it, and I think we have that."

He nodded. She was right.

"I would like… that is… would you help me turn back to reading the bible?" he asked. "I know you have papers to grade and lessons to plan, but would you?"

Now she was crying, with a wide smile on her face. "Of course." She swiped her tears away. "Are you certain you want me, though? What about David or Alice?"

"I trust you, Christy. This is going to be a mountain for me to climb as it is, and I want you by my side, no one else."

"Thank you." She touched his cheek lightly with her finger tips.

"I suppose if there is something neither of us can puzzle out, we can go to David, but I would prefer you and I studying together. As I held that bible, I remembered just how humble my father was, how certain he was that the Lord was real. He had true faith, that despite all the troubles our family encountered God would give him the strength to carry on. I think that is how you see Him, too, isn't it?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I don't think we can just rest on our laurels, though. We must be willing to take up whatever He pushes us to."

"Funny you should say that. I offered to help David rebuild the church if Ferrand allows it."

"You did?" she gasped.

"Well, you have made quite a difference here, Miss Huddleston. I can't have you teaching outside forever. The building has to be up by the time the snow falls in the fall, I'm not going to chance you getting sick."

"You're doing it for me?"

He shrugged and the shook his head with a sigh. He sort-of wanted to shake her, honestly. "I don't think you quite understand how important you are to me. I already told you I struggle to express my feelings, Christy. I want Cutter Gap to be your forever home. I haven't made any secret of that, have it?"

She shook her head and then looked down at their hands.

"I don't want to push you. I can't push you because I would be devastated if ten years from now you decided you weren't happy here, or worse yet, happy with me."

Her gaze flew up to him.

"Yes, that is what I am worried about, and thinking about. I have never felt this way about anyone else, Christy Huddleston. I've never felt this vulnerable or scared. I'm telling you this only so you know that I'm not spending time with you simply because I have nothing else better to do, but because I want nothing more than to be with you."

"One minute, I'm giddy, thinking about how I feel when we are together, knowing the I can hold your hand, and kiss you and be close to you," she whispered. "Then, I remember all the other struggles here, and you're right, I get nervous. I feel like I am sitting on a see-saw, and every time something wonderful happens, like our time together yesterday, something bad happens to even out the balance. Do you know what I mean?"

He nodded. "It does seem that way."

"What I also have realized is that it's you that helps me balance the scales. If it weren't for you, I would be a mess right now." She chuckled.

"So, would I," he admitted. "I have been, Christy. I have years-worth of bad things floating in my head and heart. You had family to comfort you, and your faith. I've had nothing."

She stood up and surprised him by climbing on his lap before she gave him the tightest hug he had ever had. For a little lady she certainly was strong. He accepted her strength he felt the tension ease from his shoulders. How good it felt to have someone who cared.

She pulled back and pushed his ever- errant strand of hair behind his ear. She drew his face close to her and kissed him. A low growl escaped his throat when she pulled herself against him. Too soon, he remembered where they were and ended the kiss, instead hugging her again. It felt so right to have her in his arms.

"I should probably go," he sighed. It was the last thing he wanted.

"Not yet," she said. "I have something to ask you. Well, two things."

He caressed her check with the back of his fingers. "Alright, go ahead."

She wrapped his hand in both of hers, and grew rather solemn. She took a deep breath and said, "My very good friend, from the time I was little, Eileen, is getting married in Asheville. I would like very much for you to attend the wedding with me. She's asked me to be the maid of honor."

He tensed a little. He didn't like to think about her leaving Cutter Gap. "When is it?"

"April thirteenth. It's a Saturday. You could come whenever you would like, even with me, if you wanted to, when I leave on the thirtieth of March."

He had known that was the date she was leaving, but having her say it just now made it seem so final. "I couldn't come that soon. I would be away too long."

She nodded, seeming to have suspected that would be his answer. "Well, even the day before would be fine if you couldn't spare much time away. I would very much like you to meet my family and friends from Asheville."

"Can I think about it?" he asked.

He wanted to say yes, to see what her life was like in the city, how wealthy her parents really were, as he thought she often downplayed their standing, and to meet her brother and grandmother of whom she spoke about so often. Her family was important to her.

Her face closed up a little, and he could see the hurt in her eyes, but she nodded. "Of course." She kissed his cheek and crawled off his lap. She sat back next to him. "The other thing I wanted to ask was about Tom. If he is gone, how can I help Opal?"

She switched the topic so quickly, he knew his refusal to agree to attend the wedding bothered her, and she wanted to set it aside for now.

"I don't know what can be done to help. She's always known he was a runner for the moonshiners. He never had his own still, but he was up to his ears in moving it down the mountain. Tom has a good heart, but not such good luck. She'll need your friendship, Christy. The boys will need Bogg I suppose." He shook his head at Tom's carelessness.

"Has it always been like this? Men just go missing?"

"When I was younger it was worse," he told her. "The Taylor/ Allen feud was horrible. Every night someone was getting shot. I am relieved Ault and Birdseye aren't as confrontational as their fathers were. At least for right now."

"Would Tom be a runner for Birdseye since Opal was an Allen?" Her brows furrowed and she looked confused.

"I don't know. His family was always on the fringes of it. I suppose whoever was willing to pay him is who he's working for. Like I said, the feud is quiet right now. Thankfully. I really don't like pulling out bullets."

"No, you like eyes." She smiled and battled her eyelashes a few times.

"Especially yours." He reached over and caressed her cheek. "I suppose if they find him alive, I'll be one of the first to know. Tomorrow, at school, just be extra sweet to the boys."

"Yes, Doctor." She smiled.

He stood and held out his hand, which she took and stood with him. "Walk me out?"

She nodded.

He grabbed the coat he'd hung at the door. "I am anxious to start bible reading with you," he admitted as they walked out the front door. Dusk was falling. "Can we start this week?"

"Oh! Well… sure. Fairlight comes for her writing lessons right after school tomorrow, but if you want to come for supper again, we could start afterwards?" she offered.

"Yes. I would like that. Thank you." He unwrapped Charlie's reins from the post.

"What do you want to start with?" she asked.

"I know it's not written as a normal book that must be read start to finish, but maybe we could start at the beginning?"

"Genesis it is." She smiled.

He pulled her close and kissed her softly. "This was a wonderful evening with you, Christy."

"I agree." She smiled, and then cupped his cheek. "Be sure to bring your bible with you."

"Yes, ma'am, Teacher Lady." He climbed on his horse, and looked back waving as he rode away.