His Forever Valentine by Kit Morgan Page B

side that were well off, but if there was anything else, he didn’t know. He wasn’t even sure how much farming the man did.
    He went to the door and knocked, and as luck would have it, Mrs. Davis answered. “Oh, it’s you. What business do you have coming here?”
    Tom removed his hat and held it before him. “I’ve come to  … call on Miss Charlotte.” Was “call” the word he really wanted to use in front of this woman?
    “Call on my daughter?  After you broke her heart? Why the nerve!”
    Tom took a step back. “Broke her heart?”
    “You heard me!  She cried and everything!”
    “She … she did?  But ma’am, there was never …”
    “Oh, but I’ll fetch her to you all the same, just so you can apologize!” Before he could say a word, he was yanked inside. “Wait right here,” she ordered and hurried into a parlor off the front hall.
    He glanced about the decorative foyer as he twisted his hat in his hands.  The only other place he’d seen like this was the Cooke’s house out at the Triple C ranch.  It was as big, if not bigger, and just as fancy. The sight made him wonder if apple farming was as lucrative as cattle ranching.  He knew Mr. Davis had a few orchards, but didn’t think them enough to afford all this.  Whatever investments he had back east, must be good ones.
    “Deputy Turner?”
    He turned. Charlotte stood in the doorway of the parlor, and motioned him to follow her.  Once inside, she then motioned him to sit as she took a chair. She sat with her hands folded in her lap, her face expressionless. “Miss Charlotte, aren’t ya feeling well?  Ya don’t look so good.”
    “I’ve had a few r ough days.” She picked at a loose thread on her dress. “I’m sorry you’ve had to carry out the duties of chaperone alone.”
    “That’s just it, Matthew didn’t ask for me. Did he send for you?”
    She raised her face to his. “No, that’s odd.”
    He noticed how pale she was, and leaned toward her, resting his hands on his knees. Dark circles were under her eyes, accentuated by the blue calico she wore.  Her hair was up, but loose strands hung about her face as if she’d been working, and didn’t bother to re-pin them, and perhaps such was the case. But if Tom knew anything about women, it was the fact they liked to look their best around a man.  Today, however, Charlotte didn’t care.  “Your ma mentioned,” he hesitated. How was he going to word this? “Mentioned that I might have done something to upset you.”
    She moaned, placed her face in her hands, and mumbled something that sounded like I’m going to kill my mother … before giving him a glazed look. “What are your parents like, Tom?”
    “Are we on a first name basis now?” he drawled.
    She smiled. “Yes, I see no reason why not.  Let folks think what they want, I don’t much care anymore.”
    “You want to know what my folks are like?”
    She rubbed her temples. “I can tell you without reservation, they are not like mine.”
    He studied her.  In truth she looked awful, which sparked his concern. “Your ma told me I plumb broke your heart. I take it that’s not the case.”
    She stopped her self-ministrations. “Of that you are correct. In part, at any rate.”
    “What do ya mean, Miss Charlotte? Are ya sure you’re all right?”
    She drew in a weary breath. “What I mean is, if there was any heart-breaking, then it came by my hand alone.”
    He let go a light chuckle. “I might not be as smart as some fellas, but I’m not dumb either. What are ya so mad at yourself for?”
    Her eyes met his own. “Too many things to count.” She sat back in her chair. “So many in fact, I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
    “Well, are they things that need fixin’? Or things you can walk away from?”
    “Walk away?”
    “Yeah, like startin’ over … um, let bygones be bygones … the barn done blown over, so I’ll build me a new one.”
    Charlotte stared at him. “You mean, forget about