I knocked on the door to the jailhouse/ sheriff's office and smiled as Matthew answered the door, "Hi Matthew I was wondering if you would like to go on a picnic with me by the oak tree about a mile past the church Grace told me about the spot."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Well as great as that sounds Maria, I already have my lunch maybe tomorrow?"

I smiled and nodded "Yes maybe tomorrow see you then unless of course, you will be joining us for dinner again tonight then I'll see you tonight."

He smiled back "Yeah I'll be there tonight, see you then Maria."

I sighed as he closed the door and slowly started the walk back over to Graces', "What's got you down beautiful?" Came that deep southern voice that could only belong to one man.

"Not now Hank please." I snapped as I walked a little faster.

"Now, now Maria I was just wondering if you might want to have lunch with me." He said gently grabbing my arm making me come to a stop.

I looked up angry at him but all my anger washed away as soon as I looked into his eyes, "Depends on two things, do you like picnics and do you know the way to the oak tree about a mile past the church?" I sighed smiling slightly, once again that sly smile appeared on his lips.

"Well I do indeed love picnics and yes I do know where the oak tree is."

"Then I'll have lunch with you."

We walked back toward Graces' together but before we got to close Hank whispered in my ear to meet him behind the church and then we'd walk together to the oak tree, "Well hello there Maria did you find someone to have a picnic with?" Grace asked as she handed me my basket.

"Why yes, I did miss Grace thank you again for lunch."

The church building was easy to find because of how big it was and Hank was waiting for me behind the church just like he said he would be as soon as he saw me, he smiled his smile as I had dubbed it in my head. "Please allow me to carry the basket for you Maria"

"Oh, it's fine Hank it's not that heavy," I said smiling.

"But how can you hold both the basket and these flowers I picked for you?" He asked pulling a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers out from behind him.

"Why Hank there beautiful!" I exclaimed handing him the basket and taking the flowers.

"They're almost as pretty as the girl holdin them," Hank said reaching out for my hand this time I took it with ease though I must emit something felt off as we walked together was this the man that Sully and the Reverend had warned me about no this was a sweet kind man who got sweeter and kinder every time, I met him.

"Well here we are, give me a minute and everything will be ready," Hank said pulling a small blanket from out of the basket I looked around and sighed in happiness I don't know how but everything seemed better out here, the grass seemed greener and the sky bluer and the air seemed sweeter. "It's ready," Hank called I hadn't realized I had started walking until. Lunch was peaceful and fun Hank seemed truly interested in all I had to say.

"Alright, your turn Hank I have told you all about me now I want to know about you," I said smiling as I popped the last blueberry in my mouth.

Hank smiled and started to tell me about his nana and how his real name was Hans Lawsenstrom, and how he was raised in a brothel and that he had a son named Zack who drew the most amazing pictures, the more and more we talked the closer and closer we got to each other until we were so close that I may as well have been sitting in Hanks lap.

I looked up at Hank and smiled "Hank you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen."

He placed his hand on the side of my face and brushed the hair out of my face "And your smile is the most beautiful one I've ever seen." The next thing I know Hanks' lips were almost against mine my eyes widen and I push him away, the danger in his eyes seemed as if it had been ignited by this making me move away from him.

"Hank I did not ask for that to happen," I say as I begin to stand up and back away.

"You might not have voiced it but your eyes said you wanted it, Maria," Hank said standing and stepping closer and closer to me.

"Hank I mean it back off or I'll scream I thought you did not want to hurt me, Hank."

"And I haven't have I did me almost kissing you hurt?" he asked with his sly smile on his lips.

"No, but I didn't want it and to be honest you're scaring me I think we should head back into town," I said as I reached for the basket only to have in grab my waist a little hard than he had this morning. "Hank you're hurting me." The moment that the words were out of my mouth he hands were gone from my waist and his face seemed calmer.

"I'm sorry Maria I won't do that again go ahead and head out I'll clean this up." Hank said refusing to meet my gaze. I did not say a word as I left, once I was out of the woods, I basically ran all the way back to the clinic.

"Maria, what's wrong are you ok?" Michaela asked as she walked over to me to help me sit.

"I thought I saw a bear." I panted lying to Michaela was not something I was proud of but I couldn't tell her the truth, who knew what she or Sully would do and besides how could I face Matthew if he found out.

"So, who did you take on your picnic?" Colleen asked smiling.

"No one I was just lucky and found the oak tree by myself just doesn't tell grace I kind of lied to her and told her I had someone who was taking me to the tree."

Michaele rolled her eyes, "Still the little adventuress I see what if you had been hurt what if it had been a bear out there?"

"Uh excuse me Michaela but is Maria in here?" Hanks' voice made me freeze to my seat and my breathing all but stopped.

"Yes, she is Hank is there something I can do for you?" Michaela said crossing her arms.

"Look I saw her running out of the woods while I was taking my afternoon stroll and thought I'd see what scared her and noticed she'd left this behind." He snapped holding up my bag.

"Oh, thank goodness! Thank you, Hank, for finding this for me!" I exclaimed grabbing the bag and pecking him on the cheek the moment my lips touch the stubble of his beard I pulled away and blushed so hard I thought my hair was going to catch on fire. "Let me walk you out."

As soon as the clinic door was closed Hank turned and glared at me "First you tell me you don't want me kissing you and then you kiss me why?"

I blushed "Well it is just how I was thanking you now if you will excuse me, I'm going in to see if the ladies are ready to go home." I said turning on my heels and walking back into the clinic. "So, should we see if Sully and Brian are home so we can get started on dinner oh dear I have to go see Mr. Bray again I forgot the ingredient I needed for the pie I will be right back."

Later back at the homestead:

We walked in laughing and joking to find a rabbit and a note sitting on the table. Michaela read the note while Colleens started to deskin the rabbit. "Sully will be back before dark he needed to go to the Indian reservation, Brian is upstairs napping." She sighed sitting down.

"I will go and wake him up aunt Mike then he can help me find the berries I need." I said as I headed upstairs, entering Brians room I walked over and gently shook him "Alright Brian I need you to wake up I thought you were going to help me make the wild berry pie." The way he shot up in bed I thought that maybe he thought I said the house was on fire.

"What do I need to do huh?" He asked bouncing up and down. I need you to go downstairs and get three medium-sized bowls and then pick me a bowl full of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries alright when you get back, we'll start ok." He ran down the stairs yelling as he went for Colleen to grab him three bowls.

"Alright, now Brian stir all the berries in this mixture of sugar, and cinnamon while I make the crust," I say as I start to knead the secret ingredient into the dough for the crust.

"I'm done, Maria," Brian said trying to look over my shoulder.

"Now Brian Maria said you could help as long as she didn't show you the secret ingredient," Colleen said ruffling his hair.

Just as I was putting the pie in the oven Sully, and Matthew came home. "Hmm, dinner smells good Colleen rabbit soup tonight?" Matthew said giving her a hug.

"Yep now take off your hat and go sit by Maria," Colleen said walking over and starting to make bowls. Dinner was wonderful and quite until Colleen spoke up again, "So Maria who was it you had asked to go on the picnic with you today?" her question caused Matthew to cough slightly.

"I asked Matthew but he was busy and already had lunch right, Matthew," I said smiling.

"Right, and we have plans to have lunch tomorrow too," Matthew said blushing out of the corner of my eye I saw aunt Michaela smiling.

"Why don't she just spend the day with you, Matt?" Brian asked causing me to choke slightly.

"Being with the Sheriff all day is not proper for a young lady people might think she's training to be a deputy and that's a man's job, Brian," Michaela said, causing me to frown.

"Who says that Michaela? The same people who use to say that a woman cannot be a doctor?" I asked slightly angry.

"Well, it's just not proper for a young lady or a young woman in your case to be around danger like that Maria." She stated in her this conversation is over.

"Well, what do you think Matthew would you like me to spend the day with you tomorrow Sheriff?" I asked glaring at Michaela.

"Uh-uh no way am I getting in the middle of this, Sully wanna talk outside for a moment." Was all he said as he stood and almost ran outside, Sully followed not too far behind.

"Maria, I understand that your adventuress sided is calling but it is just too dangerous to hang around Matthew all day with him being the sheriff now, and that's that I know damn well your mother would have agreed with me!" Michaela said the moment they were outside.

"I understand that aunt Mike but to be honest I am eighteen years old meaning that you do not get to make my decisions for me but to put your mind at ease I will agree with you not to hang out with Matthew as long as he's working alright?" I sighed

"Alright fine just please do not do anything too dangerous I don't want to lose you too."

The rest of the evening was peaceful thankfully I was grateful that neither Michaela or Colleen had mentioned the incident with Hank I thought that they had forgotten until later that night when Collen and I were back in her room. "Alright spill what was that earlier today with Hank?" she asked as soon as she closed her door turning and crossing her arms.

"If I tell you, you have to swear never to tell Michaela."

"Cross my heart."

"Hank was who took me on my picnic and I did not run back to the clinic because I thought I saw a bear but because Hank almost kissed me and when I turned him down the anger in his eyes terrified me." I stared at the floor the entire time I was talking to embarrassed to look her in the eye. Suddenly I was wrapped in a hug.

"I am so sorry that happened to you, I should have offered to go with you."

"No Colleen do not blame yourself I was warned not to trust him by both Sully and Rev. Timothy but I thought they were just being overprotective," I said as I pulled away.

"if you didn't like him trying to kiss you then why did you kiss his cheek when he brought your bag back to you?"

"Because of what's in that bag and my brain did not click what was happening until my lips touched his cheek. Can I tell you a secret?" I asked sitting on her bed nodding she sat next to me. "That was my first time kissing a man who was not a member of my family on the cheek or anywhere, to be honest."

Colleen's eyes widened "Really you never tried to kiss a boy?" I shook my head blushing. "Can I tell you a secret?" I nodded. "My first kiss almost ruined a friendship with my best friend Becky."

"How did it almost ruin your friendship?" Colleen went on to tell the story about how a boy her friend liked had kissed her and her friend had mistaken it as Colleen trying to steal her crush. We spent the rest of the night until we fell asleep sharing stories about our childhood.

Next chapter Spending time with Matthew/dealing with Hank.