Monday Night
When Dale and Irma's guests had gone home Kate and Daryl stayed behind to help them clear away the picnic tables and pick up the last of the litter that was scattered about. She didn't mind helping them like this and she couldn't believe that the couple had the energy to host this huge party every year.
They said goodbye to the Horvath's and got into Kate's car to head into town to meet back up with Jim and Charlene for part two of the 4th of July celebrations which included a firework display in the local park.
By now it was dusk and the sky was quickly fading from blue to orange as they pulled up in a small carpark and spotted Daryl's friends sitting in the tailgate of Jim's pickup.
"You're gonna just love this," Charlene decided as she hopped off the truck, rushing over to greet them like they hadn't seen her less than two hours ago, "fireworks, dancing and just about the nicest corn dogs in the whole State of Georgia."
"Kate don't like corndogs," Daryl said.
"Well…" Charlene coked her head to the side, "I'm sure you'll find something that you just love."
Jim and Charlene led the way into the quaint little town centre which was the heart of Daryl's universe. All the shops were closed since it was both night time and a public holiday but despite that there were whole crowds of people milling around, sharing small talk and making their way to the festivities. The street they were walking along seemed to be almost the entire sum of this small town, with its one row of banks, shops, a post office, beauty salon and anything else a person might need, all laid out in a purpose built line. It was just about the cutest little all American street that Kate had ever seen. It looked even cuter with all the bunting and fourth of July decorations in every shop window and dangling between lampposts.
Perfect little cookie cutter towns like this appealed to the perfectionist in her that enjoyed the symmetry of all the straight lines and wide roads. But more than anything they made her miss home and the magical feeling of walking around a street like The Shambles in York which had been standing for over 600 years as the rest of the city grew in a hodge podge around it.
Jim and Charlene were pulled into a conversation with an older man and his wife while Kate and Daryl carried on a few more steps to stop outside of what looked like a family run hardware store that had a green shop front and copper cursive letters that read 'Sullivans. Est.1926' across the glass window. She peaked past the lettering into the darkened room to see the faint outline of perfectly arranged shelving, all lined up and neatly stacked.
"It's lovely here" Kate decided while glancing at the little electronic horse that sat outside the shop, just waiting for a little child and a shiny coin to make it rock.
"Ya think so?" Daryl said as he studied a couple of handwritten notices that sat in the shop window. One advertising a missing cat, the other a used tractor. "I mean, I've lived here my whole life so to me it's just… home."
"Well," she looked across the street at the diner with actual red and white awning like she was on the soundstage to some movie town that she didn't think existed in real life. "It's a nice place to live."
When she looked back to Daryl he was giving her that look. That intense look that made her feel like he could see right through her. He picked up her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it before he sighed, his husky voice breathing out her name, "Kate."
She tilted her head, watching his face as he dropped her hand in favour of grasping either side of her jacket pulled her towards him. "I have somethin' I wanna tell ya," he said.
"That sounds ominous," she laughed, her gaze dropping from his and her fingers finding a button on his shirt to fiddle with.
Daryl cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him, "I'm gettin' the farm."
"What do you mean?"
"Dale an' Irma are lettin' me have the farm," a smile spread across his face.
"To work there?"
"Work, live, run it… own it," he looked almost as surprised as she felt.
"Wow, thats crazy," she laughed in surprise but she'd seen first hand how much the farm, the land and his Fort meant to him. It was a very generous gift from the Horvath's but there was probably not a single other person in the world who would love that land as much as Daryl would. He was getting everything he wanted. "I'm happy for you," she pulled him in for a hug, nestling her nose into his neck to inhale some of his musky smell before she let him go.
Daryl didn't let her go all the way, he kept her in his arms, half pressed against him, "what did ya think I was gonna say?"
"I have no idea."
Daryl's thumb ran across her lip before he dipped down to kiss her, soft and slow before sucking her bottom lip as he pulled away. His fingers tenderly stroking her cheek, his eyes soft and a small smile twitching at his lips. Kate could almost forget they were in the middle of a busy street right now, he had a way of making her forget that anything existed outside the two of them.
She straightened out his collar before wrapping her arms around his neck, "will you raise horses or plant crops?"
"Ain't had chance to think 'bout that too much. I ain't be thinking too much 'bout the work… more the livin' on the farm."
"You'll find it strange?"
"Yeah, they'll be no Dale and Irma, just me…" he pulled her even closer, "it's a big house."
Kate pictured Daryl on the farm, his old blue truck sitting out front, a nice layer of sweat and dirt all over his clothes and skin as he did whatever it was he was going to do. There was only one thing missing from her little vision. "You should get a dog," she exclaimed.
Daryl snorted and nuzzled his face into her neck, his stubble both tickling and scratching at her skin before his soft lips brushed against her jaw, forcing a little sigh to shudder from her lips as his mouth covered hers.
"Get a damn room," Jim shouted thwacking Daryl across the back with a jolt that made them both stumble a step or two, her cheeks flushing and a small embarrassed laugh falling from her lips.
"Aww, I think it's sweet, reminds me of us in the early days," Charlene cooed before wrapping herself around Jim and pressing her head on his shoulder. "You couldn't keep your hands off me."
Kate almost agreed with Jim, they should find a room and do some more of what they did the other night. She'd barely been able to think of much else all day. Every time Daryl touched her, even looked at her she felt her breath catch. She could never remember feeling so desperate before but then her libido had dwindled to nothing for the past 18 months, now it wanted to play catch up.
Daryl held her hand as they strolled the rest of the way down the street with Charlene and Jim. Every so often he would give her hand a light little squeeze or kiss the back of it and each time she would feel the flutter of happy butterflies helping her forget that she wasn't a teenager in the midst of puppy love.
The park was large, big fields to kick a football around or throw sticks with a dog, a children's play area filled with brightly coloured equipment that was built to look like a pirate ship. Further along the path the sound of music became louder and the lights that had been hazy became brighter as a bandstand covered in fairy lights came into view. The band was playing to people who were taking a turn on the makeshift dance floor that was laid across the grass.
Kate spotted Jason towering above others, his cowboy hat bobbing around as he danced with a woman that Kate had noticed at Irma's picnic. Past the dance floor was a cordoned off field where officials in high vis jackets were organising the display but before that there was the tables, benches and food trucks.
"We do this every year, the farm in the afternoon then the park in the evening," Charlene said as they took a seat at a spare table that overlooked the dancers. Kate waved to Jason, who managed to tip his hat in as he twirled the blonde under his arm.
"Ya thirsty? Hungry?" Daryl asked, his hands resting on her shoulders as he bent down to hear her answer over the music.
After the small mountain of food she had managed at Irma's she was sure she wouldn't be hungry until lunchtime tomorrow, "I wouldn't mind a drink."
Daryl smiled and threw his jacket down on the table before he disappeared with Jim to fetch some drinks and snacks.
"Its nice to see Daryl bein' so sweet…" Charlene said with a wide smile.
"He isn't usually?"
"Well yeah he's real sweet, but never with a girl" before Charlene continued another red headed woman caught her attention and she span around to share a conversation with her, leaving Kate to watch the dancers and wonder idly if Daryl liked to dance, or had ever danced. The she spotted Merle and his friends standing on the sidelines, Bo smoking a cigarette and Harley waving to get her attention.
Merle's face lit up in a big smile as he sauntered over, arms outstretched, "Sparky!"
"Good evening," she greeted the boys as Merle plopped down next to her, pushing Daryl's jacket aside.
"Ya wanna taste of my hot nuts?" he sniggered before jangling a paper bag of peanuts in front of her face.
Kate batted the bag away, a wry smile tugged at her lips "no thank you."
Merle waggled his eyebrows, his face leaning closer, holding her gaze as he said, "salty."
Kate turned away in an attempt to ignore him. There was no talking to Merle.
"Where's my baby brother?"
She pointed to where he was standing in line talking to Jim and ordering her a drink.
"Ya got him whipped good dontcha?"
"If you mean he's acting like a Gentleman, well that's all Daryl. I don't need to remind him to behave… unlike some people."
Merle rustled his bag, pouring a mouthful of nuts down his neck and chomping away while Jim and Daryl began weaving their way back to the table.
Merle stretched out his arm, draping it along her shoulder and squeezing her against him, "just look at his face right now… look how pissed off he is that I got my hand on his girl… I think my baby brother might just be in love…"
Love. She felt like he'd just hit her in the chest and knocked all the air out of lungs as she thrust his hand off her shoulder and stumbled over the back of the bench until she was scrambling to her feet.
Charlene turned around from talking to the other woman. "What you doing here?" she pointed to Merle. "Get away from Daryl's girl before I have to hit you over the head with my purse."
"Ain't doin' nothin'," he popped a nut in his mouth and chuckled as he backed away, nodding to Harley and Bo who joined him like obedient dogs.
Daryl's girl, not for the first time Charlene had seemed fit to call her that.
Charlene plastered a smile across her face, "I wanna invite you to my wedding. Daryl needs a plus one. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the bouquet..."
Kate felt her face blanche as she crouched down to gather her handbag off the floor.
This was too much, far too much. She had suspected it on Sunday morning but she'd pushed the fear away. She'd tried to ignore the rational part of her brain that told her she was already falling too deep into the great big hole that they were digging around themselves. Kate was in a foreign country and as nice as it was, it wasn't home. Her friends, her career, what was left of her life and everything she knew were thousands of miles away and in less than three weeks she wouldn't even have a valid visa. She needed to pull the plug. It would be better for everyone this way. She wasn't ready for anything, not after losing Harry, how could she have a life without Harry? It wasn't going to happen.
"Ya okay?" Daryl said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and firing up the happy butterflies to wage battle with the anxious adrenaline that was saying 'run away'.
Kate pulled her face from his hand and took a step back. This wasn't going to be easy but it would only get harder the longer it continued. She realised that things should never have reached this far. How had she gone from sharing an unwanted afternoon of hunting to sitting with all his friends, letting him fetch her a drink, letting him bloody tattoo her and then turning to fucking mush every time she looked at him. She had to be pragmatic, even if Daryl wasn't.
"I um…" Kate looked at her watch for the longest time while trying to think what to say, "I think I'm going to go home."
Daryl's eyes flicked over her shoulder to where his brother had walked away, " what did Merle say to ya?"
Kate's gaze tried to land anywhere but Daryl's face and the concerned look that was making his brow furrow. "Nothing… I'm just not feeling very well." It was almost the truth.
Daryl put the drinks on the table before he rested the back of his hand against her forehead, "ya feelin' sick? I'll drive ya back."
"No, you stay…" she pulled her handbag over her shoulder, backing away further, "I just… I think I've had too much sun."
Daryl let out a soft sympathetic laugh, "I'll have to get ya a little hat for our next horseback ride."
"I don't want you to give me anything. Just go watch the fireworks," she turned and pushed through the crowd to get away.
Daryl caught up to her, falling in step with her fast pace, "I don't care 'bout seeing fireworks. I just wanna make sure you're okay."
Kate tried to ignore him as he walked with her but she could feel his eyes watching her every step and she could hardly stand it. He was being so bloody nice, so attentive. God, why did he have to be so fucking lovely? It was bad enough she was physically attracted to him but the way he made her laugh, the way he did everything, really it was all too much. "Please… just go have fun with your friends."
"How can I have fun if ya feelin' sick?"
Kate let out an exasperated sigh as she crossed the road, her car in sight. "I don't need you to fucking drive me home okay?"
Daryl's look of concern shifted to hurt and she felt a stab of pain slice all the way from her heart to rest like lead in the pit of her stomach.
"I'm perfectly fine on my own. Bloody hell Daryl, you don't need to fucking baby me" Kate pulled her keys from her purse, pressing the button and lighting up the Mustang as she dashed towards it.
Daryl's hand gripped hard around her forearm, spinning her to face him, "ya ain't actin' like ya fuckin' fine."
"You don't know how I act, you don't know me," she said, shaking him off and reaching for the handle of the car. Why was he making this so difficult? Kate climbed inside her Mustang and Daryl blocked the door before she could shut him out.
"That ain't true," he knelt down, his blue eyes searching her face, "did somethin' just happen?"
Kate bit her lip, grasping the steering wheel and looking out of the front window while her mind was racing with ideas of terrible things she could say to make him leave her alone except she could hardly bring herself to hurt him.
"I'm going home Daryl. Just let me go."
"I ain't lettin' ya go when yer actin' like this."
Kate felt smothered, it was overbearing. "Just…. fuck off Daryl! You're not my fucking boyfriend." And there it was, exactly what she needed to say to make him stand up, step away from the door and slam it shut with a bang so final that it made her jump. She couldn't even look at him as she reversed out of her space and left him standing by the side of the road.