Page 101 of His Tenth Dance

I just need some space, Mission.

That text haunted him, and it had only been two days. He’d gone over to her house on Sunday, the day after the auction, when she didn’t show up for church. She hadn’t answered the door and claimed to be in the city for a couple of days, at a veterinary training—which she hadn’t told him about previously.

Mission hadn’t believed her, and when he’d pressed her, she’d admitted that she’d decided to take a few days off, have a spa day in the city, and just escape for a minute.

He’d tried to set up dinner in the city. She’d said no. He’d asked her which hotel she was at, so he could send flowers.

That was when she’d sent him the horribleI just need some space, Mission,text.

But if Mission knew how to do one thing, it was give someone space. He hadn’t texted or called Kristie again, though he felt part of himself dying with every moment that passed where he didn’t know where she was, how she was, and when he’d hear from her again.

He’d just finished his lunch of leftover soup when his phone chimed with a non-farm notification. It wasn’t Kristie’s either, but his eyes shot to his device all the same. Then his heart dang near flopped up his throat.

Lennie’s name sat there, and he practically stabbed at his screen to get the full message to show.Hey, this is Lennie, Kristie’s friend. None of us have heard from her for a couple of days, and we’re starting to worry. Do you know where she is?

Mission took some comfort in knowing that Kristie had slammed the door on everyone in her life, not just him. At the same time, he knew how it felt, and he didn’t want Lennie, Jocelyn, or Harper to worry.

Instead of texting back, he tapped on the phone icon to call Lennie. She answered on the first ring with, “Hey, Mission.”

“Howdy, Lennie.” He sighed the biggest sigh he’d ever sighed. “Kristie…something happened at the auction on Saturday, and she’s shut me out.”

“Mm-hm, that tracks for her.”

“She told me she went to the city for a spa day, some shopping, and an escape. She wouldn’t tell me which hotel.”

“What happened?” Lennie asked. “No, you go outside, Luke. Go on now; lunchtime is almost over, and it’s not raining.” She spoke the last bit in a softer voice as she’d probably moved her phone away from her mouth. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.” He didn’t want to tell Lennie what happened, because he only knew it from his perspective. “A disgruntled client confronted Kristie in public,” he said. That was right, and he didn’t have to offer commentary on the situation. “She took it really hard.”

“Oh, no,” Lennie said. “She works so hard. Her job means everything to her.”

Mission tried not to let that sting, but it did nonetheless. He sighed again. “I’m in love with her, Lennie, and I don’t know what to do.”

“You’re in love with her?” She sighed too, a happy sound that made Mission feel even worse that he’d said so to her before Kristie.

“I obviously haven’t told her,” he muttered. “Can you not say anything, please?”

“Of course I won’t, Mission. But how sweet.” She let out a long sigh too. “Let me text the other girls. I bet the three of us can figure out where she is.”

“Okay,” Mission said.And then what?he wanted to ask. Then he’d…drive into the city and show up at the hotel? Get loud and demand to know which room Kristie was staying in?

Him getting loud had been the problem. Kristie had gone silent, and Mission’s overprotective nature with her had stormed right out. He’d only been matching his tone and energy to Carl’s anyway.

He’d apologized a dozen times via text, and he’d say it out loud to her face as many times as she needed him to.

“Give me a few hours,” Lennie said. “Lunch is almost over, and then I’ll be doing science with fourth graders.”

“Sure,” Mission said. What was a few more hours? Less oxygen in his lungs? A couple hundred more dying breaths?

The call ended, and Mission struggled to focus enough to move on to the next thing. He wasn’t sure if his lunchtime hadended, or where he needed to be next on the farm. The harvest was still in full swing, and Mission surely had somewhere to be.

He certainly couldn’t stay here, in his too-quiet, empty cabin. No dog. No yowling cat. No chocolate cake.

Nothing in Mission’s life felt right without Kristie in it, and as he jammed his hat back on his head and left his house, he muttered, “You can’t let her end it like this.”

But he didn’t know what to do. None of his prayers on the matter had been answered, but Mission tipped his head back into the foaming October sky and sent God another plea that He would somehow, some way, soften Kristie’s heart and provide Mission with a way back to her.

Later that evening, after he showered, he picked up his phone, hating how darkness had already started draping its dark claws over the farm. He’d worked a normal day and hadn’t even eaten dinner yet.

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