Page 16 of My Heart for Yours

“Yes, I do know, and I predict more of the same in your foreseeable future. Why don’t you get ready for bed? I’ll see you later.” There’s so much promise in his voice and all I want is for him to come home and make good on every single one.

“I think that’s a very good idea. I’ll see you later. And Shane?” I have to tell him, make sure he knows.

“Yeah?” Barely a whisper.

“I love you.” I can tell he didn’t expect that from the sharp intake of breath.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” With that he hangs up and I’m left trying to figure out if I should listen to my head or my heart.

Cole

What is she doing here?

Marshall Falls, a hole-in-the-middle-of-nowhere town, so small there’s only one set of traffic lights, probably to stop the horse-drawn carriages from running into each other. What could my angel possibly want here that she cannot find back home in Chicago, with me? I don’t ponder this for too long because I knew she needed time and space to realize where she belongs, but I’ve been patient long enough.

It took little effort to find her and I would have gotten here sooner, but I needed to get rid of her first. Mercifully, all that is done with now. No more distractions or substitutes. I’m here to claim my angel and take her home, where she belongs. I will give her everything her heart desires and in return, bask in her love and affection for as long as we both live.

Chapter 8

Shane

That phone call was weird, right? Lisa sounded on edge when she answered, and I got the distinct impression she didn’t want to talk to me. Did this Joe upset her? I know he’s from her life in Chicago and he was also the one she was talking to that first night at the bar, when they had the conversation about crossing state lines. That’s usually something people say when they talk about criminals, isn’t it? I never did get a straight answer out of Lisa and she was willing to leave town to avoid talking about it. I need to do better by her.

When I got home last night Lisa was out like a light, but the sheets were all bunched up at her feet as if she was fighting them off her. I decided to let her sleep, so I took a quick shower and then got into bed and spooned around her, hoping that my presence would calm her somehow.

I wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day. I’ve always loved this festival for its simplicity and the spirit behind it and this year I get to share it with Lisa, not that I’ll be seeing much of her, since I’ll be stuck in the beer tent. At least she will be close and that is enough. I look over at her now, still fast asleep and curled up tight, and consider for a moment waking her to reassure myself that everything is okay but decide against it. There will be plenty of time to talk later. I get up and get dressed but before leaving I write Lisa a note and leave it on the pillow next to her:

Good morning, Beautiful,

I wanted to wake you, to feel you, to taste you

before I go. Hope you dreamt of me the way

I’m dreaming of you every moment we’re apart.

I’m at the festival, see you soon.

Love always,

Shane

When I get to the designated spot where the beer tent is going to be erected, operations are already in full swing and I start setting up. The air is cool and crisp but clear and it looks like the perfect weather for a day spent outdoors. Jay, Travis, and Derick arrive shortly after me and pretty soon we’re done and taking a break before the festivities kicks off. Travis and Derick won’t stick around much longer, for obvious reasons but for now they have plenty of questions about Lisa which I try to answer without giving too much away, but it seems pointless to try and hide what she means to me. I’m pretty sure it’s written all over my face anyway. Jay just smirks at me, and I itch to wipe the know-it-all smile off his face, but he has also been our greatest supporter, so he gets a pass, for now.

Promptly at ten o ‘clock, our chief of police, Simon Reeves opens the festival with his usual year-end speech and this year I actually listen to what he has to say. So much has changed for me in a very short space of time and I want to take it all in and enjoy the experiences. I scan the crowd for Lisa, hoping to catch sight of her before I have to start working but can’t find her. She’s probably still on her way or stuck in some other part of the crowd. I’ll just have to enjoy her later.

Work is still slow, it is only morning after all and it would be weird if the beer tent was busy this time of the day, so I spot him the moment he walks in. The guy looks to be a few years older than me, maybe thirty-three or thereabouts with a decent build, but everything about him seems wrong somehow. He’s obviously not from Marshall Falls. His hair, clothes and general demeanor give him away. Looks like a city boy and it sets off all kinds of warning bells in my head, but with nothing else to go on, I have no choice but to ignore them. From the way he’s scanning faces, it looks like he’s looking for someone, but that person must not be here because he doesn’t linger. I consider that for a moment when my phone beeps with an incoming message from Lisa: Hey, sorry I missed you earlier, but I really liked your note Working hard?

I don’t hesitate: Work not so much. Me? Hell yeah! Where are you? I can already imagine her blush. It’s only been a few hours and I’m dying to see her.

My phone beeps again with her reply: I just got here, already spoke to people about taking their pics. Yay! Will come over in a few

I stand there like a loon, smiling at my phone and that’s how Jay finds me.

“Let me guess: Lisa?” He nods towards my phone.

“Yep.” No need to say anything else because Jay gets it.

“I’m happy for you man. You deserve this. Just remember who got you two together when it comes time to pick a best man, yeah?” See, he totally gets it.

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