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Earl shrugged. “Give me a week. If it doesn’t work, then I’ll stop.”
Charlotte was surprised she trusted him so much, but she readily agreed. “All right. I can do that.”
“Thank you. I really want to help Walt as much as I can.”
“I know you do. Thank you for that. I don’t think you have any idea how much I appreciate you treating him as your own.”
“It’s how I think of him,” Earl said, sitting on the sofa. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her on the chair or sitting beside him so they could snuggle together. It felt like it might be time for them to grow closer. He’d only been there for a couple of days, but they seemed to be getting along much better than he’d ever expected.
Charlotte moved to sit beside him on the sofa, sitting close beside him. Without thinking, he put his arm around her shoulders. “I think church went well this morning,” she said. “I was a little surprised when you started inviting half the congregation to supper on Saturday night, but I’m looking forward to it.”
“Good. I was afraid I was trapping you into doing something you’d hate.”
She laughed. “I don’t know, do I? I’ve never been to someone’s house for supper or invited anyone to mine. It’ll be a fresh new experience.”
“You’ve never gone to supper at someone’s house? Not ever?” His family hadn’t been terribly social, but they had at least had friends they’d shared meals with on occasion. Never having had that experience seemed crazy to Earl.
She shook her head. “Growing up, we were around people as little as possible, for fear they’d realize I was a girl, and I’d be taken away. Then as an adult, my mother-in-law spent time with us, but she hated me, and it showed in everything she said and did. I was happy when she went back to Connecticut.”
“Did Howard come from money?” he asked. It seemed to make sense from the little he’d heard about her first husband.
“He did. His mother saw him as someone who would be a lawyer or a banker someday, and he ended up in the west ranching. She said it made her stomach turn to see him throwing his life away the way he was.”
“She sounds like a lovely woman. I so wish I could meet her.” The sarcasm was so thick in his voice that Charlotte could do nothing but laugh.
“I managed to get through it all. As soon as I was expecting, she said she’d taught me all she could and went home. She never did meet Walt, which is just fine with me. She’d have found fault with him simply because he was my child.”
Earl toward her, sighing. “I wish the first half of your life had been as good as I plan to make the rest of it.”
She smiled at that. “You really are a good man, Earl. I’m glad you were the one to respond to my letter.”
“My sister said she read it and knew it was meant for me. I almost refused to read it at all. She’s sent some of our brothers to marry before, and I didn’t want to be just another Miller brother expected to marry a stranger.” He shook his head, caressing her cheek with the back of one finger. “She was right though. I felt you calling to me with that letter. I knew I was meant to be your husband.”
“You really don’t mind my reputation, do you?”
“I think your reputation is ridiculous. People can think what they like about you, and I’ll still be at your side. I promised for better or for worse, and this is for worse.” He leaned down and brushed his lips softly against hers. “I think I’m ready to be more familiar.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not ready for you in my bed yet.”
“That’s just fine with me. I’m not ready for that either. I am however ready for just a bit of kissing and touching.”
She smiled. “That sounds good to me.” Turning more fully toward him on the sofa, she touched his cheek with her fingers, feeling the stubble that came from not having shaved in a while. “Are you growing a beard?”
He shrugged. “I thought I might. Beards seem to be the norm around here. Why should I be different? Back east, most men are clean-shaven it seems. At least that’s how it is in Beckham. But here? I can let my beard grow to the middle of my chest, and no one will think a thing of it.”
“I think I like it,” Charlotte told him, wondering if her opinion would affect what he did.
“Then I’ll keep it. You just let me know when it gets too long, and I’ll consider trimming it.”
“My opinion matters?” she asked.
Earl nodded, smiling. “You’re my wife. You have to look at me more than anyone else does. Of course, your opinion matters.”
She laughed at that. “Then I’ll let you know what my opinion is as soon as I’ve figured it out.”
He leaned toward her then, pressing his lips against hers again. There had been little kissing between him and Patsy because of her history with men, but kissing Charlotte felt right. Absolutely perfect.
Charlotte put her hands on his shoulders and tilted her head, inviting him to deepen the kiss. His touch made her feel so much—more than Howard’s ever had, which made her feel both guilty and excited at the same time.
