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“I understand, but still. Between that and the ‘Country Roads’ lie, there must be consequences.”
Noah got an uneasy feeling. “Like what?”
“Oh, Mrs. Walsh.” Daisy looked Noah in the eye and winked. “Did Noah mention he was shot last night?”
Then, she sat back smugly as all hell broke loose—his sisters fawning over him and his mother going ballistic that he hadn’t told her. He shot Daisy a wicked glare laced with a warning that this wouldn’t be the last of things.
* * *
Daisy leaned back in the rocking chair, sipped her sweet tea, and laughed. That’d teach Noah to mess around with her.
While his mom tended to his “scratch” and forced out the story of what had happened, Daisy watched Noah. She’d learned a lot about him during the day and had a better handle on what made him tick. He thought he’d prevented some gossip at dinner, but she’d already heard the scoop by then.
Once his family was convinced death wasn’t imminent, and that his injuries were minor, things returned to a dull roar. Amid protests from his mom, Daisy helped with clean up. The rest of Noah’s siblings and their families left soon after to avoid the incoming storm. Daisy found him on the porch swing, sitting in the dark.
“May I?” she asked, nodding to the space next to him.
He nodded, and she sat. “You survived. I’m impressed.”
“Told you I would,” she said. “Your family’s great.”
“They’re all right,” he admitted.
“It was hard to keep track of who was who, but I had a really fun day.”
“Hm.”
“You did too,” she said, pushing off the ground to put the swing in motion.
He huffed out a laugh. “Yeah. I did.”
“And that makes you feel guilty.”
“They told you.” It wasn’t a question. The warm wind picked up, and lightning struck in the distance, followed by a rumble of thunder. The storm was close.
“Yeah.” On impulse, she grabbed his hand and held it between hers. “You shouldn’t. Feel guilty, I mean.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t.”
They sat in silence for several minutes, swinging and thinking. “You think we’re safe now? From whoever shot you?”
“For now, yes. I wouldn’t have come here if I thought there was any danger. My mom says we can spend the night here. You wanna do that or find a hotel in Lewisburg?”
“I already told her we’d stay,” Daisy said. “What with the storm comin’ and all.”
He nodded and went quiet again. The rain came in fast and hard and surrounded them. Flashes of lightning, followed closely by deafening cracks of thunder, shook the night.
She wanted to kiss him, but controlled her impulses. They wouldn’t get the best of her this time. After a few minutes, she excused herself to go to bed and left him sitting on the swing, deep in thought.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
In the morning, Daisy found Noah on the porch, nursing a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. Except for a symphony of birds chirping and the wind rustling the trees, it was quiet and calm. It had stopped raining, but moisture from the overnight storm still hung in the air.
She sat across from him. “Gosh, there must be a million types of birds out here. It’s so soothing and peaceful.”
“Yeah, once you get rid of all the people talking, kids screaming, and babies crying, it’s rather nice. No offense to my family.”
“I’m sure they wouldn’t take any.” She sipped her coffee. “What’cha workin’ on?”
