Page 40 of Country Road Romance

“Look, I think we can all admit that sometimes older people would be better off just admitting the truth rather than hiding from it, but sometimes we also have to take people where they are rather than continuing to demand something that they’re not able to give…right?”

Surprisingly enough, his interjection worked. Joyce and Jared suddenly backed off of one another, though there was still that bit of crackling tension in the air. Charlie found himselfsilently begging Jared to just let this one go and to let his mother work through this in her own time.

Jared nodded a tad reluctantly. “I guess you’re right, Charlie.”

Joyce gave him a smile and a little pat on the cheek.

“Now see, Jared, this is the kind of boy we’ve been waiting for you to bring home, someone with a good head on his shoulders. He’s a keeper.”

Now that that little bit of unpleasantness was over, they retired to the family room, where the rest of the family was still gathered. Somehow Charlie found himself seated next to Doug, who leaned over to whisper confidentially in his ear.

“I have to give you credit, Charlie. You’re able to defuse tense situations pretty well,” he said. “Usually when these two start going at one another I find somewhere else to be and hunker down until the whole thing has blown over.”

Joyce, sitting nearby, blew out a very theatrical sigh. “Really, Doug, do you have to be so dramatic about it? It’s not like we’ve ever thrown anything at one another. I mean, except for that one time.”

“I just hope you know that just because you’ve won this round doesn’t mean that I’m not going to go at it again,” said Jared, and Charlie almost rolled his eyes at his obvious need to have the last word.

Joyce looked like she was going to give her son a good smack for that bit of impertinence, but then seemed to decide against it. “What I wouldn’t give for a son who is nice and obedient.”

“Ah, but then you wouldn’t have me, would you? And think how boring your life would be if we didn’t have these little sparring matches. Besides, it keeps you sharp.”

And just like that, the tension that had been building up like a bad thunderstorm was gone.

What I wouldn’t give to have a family like this one,Charlie thought, and then immediately felt guilty.

“Charlie,” Jared said abruptly. “Would you like to go for a walk, maybe somewhere a bit further away this time. I’m dying for some fresh air and, well, to get away from these yahoos for a bit.”

Every eye was suddenly on them, and Charlie had no idea what he was supposed to say. If he said yes, then might make the rest of the family feel like he wanted to get away from them. If he said no, then he would probably hurt Jared’s feelings.

“I think that’s a very good idea,” Joyce said. “You two could use a little bit of alone time, and I promise I won’t interrupt this time.” She gave them both a very knowing look, and this time it was Charlie’s turn to blush.

“Thanks for that, mom,” Jared said, his own face also starting to flush. “Well, Charlie? What about it?”

This was the chance he’d been waiting for, and Charlie would be a fool not to take it.

He flashed his most camera-ready grin. “I’d love to.”

CHAPTER 13

Jared hadn’t really been sure he was going to ask Charlie to go for a longer walk until the words were out of his mouth. Once they were, though, he was…actually kind of glad that he’d asked. Watching him with his family had been a bit of a revelation, but more than that, he was really amazed at how skilled he was at defusing the argument between Jared and his mother. That was something that Jared himself could never get the hang of, no matter how much it sometimes threatened to derail his relationship with her.

Sometimes, I think I like being right more than I like the people in my life.

Charlie, on the other hand, was about as far from that as possible. The easy way that he’d interacted with Jared’s grandmother had been more evidence that he had that knack of being a people person, someone who was able to get along with pretty much anyone that he came into contact with, a skill Jared had never mastered

Now they were walking outside again, and he wanted, very badly, to kiss Charlie like he had before, to feel his lips against his own, but he was afraid to initiate it.

He looked nervously over at Charlie, but he was just taking in the beauty of the surrounding hills.

Damn, he really does look beautiful here. But then, I guess he’d probably look beautiful anywhere,Jared thought.

“So, where shall we go?” Charlie asked suddenly, turning to look at him with those startlingly blue eyes. He gestured at the surrounding farm. “I’m sure there’s all sorts of nooks and crannies that you had time to explore when you were young, right?”

Jared wanted to believe that there was a hint of something else in those words, but he was afraid to let himself get his hopes up.

Just take it easy, Jared,he said.He’s probably just being curious. Don’t try to force anything, and whatever you do, don’t mention that damn kiss.

“Um…,” he said, mind suddenly devoid of all rational thought.

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