Beyond These Hills (28 page)

“I'll do that.”

He pulled her closer until their lips almost touched. “I'll think about you every minute I'm away.”

“And I'll do the same.”

She moved toward him, and it took his breath away that she initiated their contact. When her lips covered his, he groaned as her scent filled his nostrils. He'd never been drunk before, but the intoxicating feeling that assaulted him dulled all his senses and left him reeling in her wake.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you too,” she echoed.

The sound of someone's throat being cleared startled him, and he abruptly released her. He turned to see Jimmy standing just outside the door. His hands were clenched at his sides, and his body shook with repressed anger. “Laurel, you're making a big mistake. This guy's not for you.”

“Please, Jimmy, let's not argue.” She tried to step past Andrew, but his hand on her arm stopped her.

“Look, Ferguson,” Andrew said, “this has nothing to do with you. This is between Laurel and me, and I'd appreciate it if you'd let us decide if we're right for each other or not.”

Jimmy directed his attention back to Laurel, and his body sagged as he exhaled. “I guess you're right. I'm sorry, Laurel. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble.”

She pushed past Andrew this time and ran to Jimmy. “You're not causing me any trouble, Jimmy. We've been best friends since we were children, and I value your opinion. But I can't help how I feel.”

He stared at her for a moment before he took a deep breath. “I know you can't. Take care of your folks, and don't forget I've invited you to come to Tremont.”

“I won't, Jimmy.”

“Then I guess that's it for now.” He leaned over and kissed her on
the forehead before he nodded to Andrew. “I'll wait in the car while you tell Laurel goodnight.”

He hurried down the steps and climbed into Andrew's car. Laurel turned back to Andrew. “I hate hurting him.”

Andrew walked over to her and put his arms around her. She leaned forward and let her head rest on his chest. “Don't worry about it. You were honest with him.”

“Yes, but that doesn't make me feel any better.”

He kissed the top of her head and released her. “I'll miss you while I'm gone, but I'll look forward to seeing you in Gatlinburg.”

“We'll be there sometime next week.”

He squeezed her hand once more before he hopped down the steps and jogged to his car. The minute he climbed in he knew it was going to be a chilly ride back to the CCC camp. Jimmy looked as if he was frozen to his seat, and he didn't move or say a single word the whole trip. When they arrived at camp, Jimmy mumbled his sullen thanks and jumped out of the car almost before it stopped. He had disappeared into his barracks by the time Andrew parked.

Andrew climbed from the car, leaned against the fender, and thought about Jimmy's reaction when he'd seen Andrew with his arms around Laurel. Given the close friendship between Laurel's and Jimmy's families, it was understandable. He tried to imagine how he would feel if Laurel preferred Jimmy to him.

Not too long ago he'd been certain he'd never marry, but that all changed the minute she said she loved him. Suddenly marriage appealed to him, especially if Laurel was his bride. Whistling a jaunty tune, he ambled to the barracks. No doubt about it. His life sure had changed since he came to Cades Cove.

Laurel walked to the window in her bedroom and stared out at the night. She'd thought she was tired when she and her family
arrived home from Nana and Grandpa's, but now she felt wide awake. She pulled the brush through her hair again and smiled at the way Andrew had touched her braid yesterday when he found her at the barn. They had shared some magical moments together until Willie had found them and led them back to the house.

She held the brush close to her chest and closed her eyes as she remembered the way she'd felt when Andrew kissed her. Not too long ago she'd wondered what it would feel like to be kissed. Now she knew, and it was more thrilling than she could have imagined. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Andrew who'd delivered that first kiss and not someone else.

A sudden thought struck her, and she walked over to the table by her bed and picked up her Bible. She dropped down in the rocker next to the table and flipped through the pages until she found what she wanted. The picture she'd taken of Andrew on Gregory's Bald lay between the pages of her favorite Psalms, and she picked it up and studied it.

She remembered how he'd looked that day as he stared out over the mountain ridges that rippled across the landscape in a washboard effect. The sight had been as overwhelming to him as it was to her every time she saw it. The pensive look on his face let her know he was in deep thought. Sitting beside him and sharing the moment had been one of her favorite times with him.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. “Yes?”

“Laurel,” her mother called out, “your father and I would like to talk to you if you're not too tired.”

She stuck the picture back into the Bible and replaced the book on the table beside the bed. “No, it's fine. Come on in.”

Her mother, followed by her father, stepped into the room. The expressions on their faces caused her heartbeat to quicken. They weren't here to wish her sweet dreams. There was something more serious on their minds, and she knew there could only be one subject that they wanted to talk with her about—Andrew.

She sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed as they settled on
either side of her. Neither spoke for a moment, but finally her father reached over and grasped her hand in his. “Laurel, your mother and I are concerned about you.” When she didn't answer, he continued. “From the moment we returned from Gatlinburg and found that Andrew had been to see you, we've sensed a change in your relationship with him.”

Laurel had known this time would come, and she'd dreaded it. Now she had to be honest with her parents. But the big question still hovered in her mind. Could she be honest with herself? She still had no idea where her relationship with Andrew was headed, but she wanted to find out.

She nodded and looked from her mother to her father. “It has changed. Andrew had told me the last time he came to church that he thought we shouldn't see each other again, but he changed his mind. He came by Nana's to ask Grandpa some questions about the Bible verses he'd been reading. He didn't know I was there until Granny told him.”

“And so the two of you talked?” Her father's hand tightened on hers.

The words she wanted to say to make them understand evaded her, and she pushed to her feet. It was impossible to talk with them sitting on either side of her. She turned and faced them. “We did, and we decided we had to know what the feelings we have for each other mean.”

Her mother's forehead wrinkled in a frown. “You have feelings for each other?”

“Yes, Mama. We do. Andrew says he loves me, and I love him.”

Her father shook his head and rose to face her. “Laurel, you don't know anything about this man except what you've seen since he's been in the Cove. He comes from a different world than you do.”

“I know that, Poppa. That's why we're taking our time to see where our relationship goes.”

A horrified expression crossed her mother's face, and she bounded
to her feet. “See where it goes? That sounds like you're considering marrying this boy. You can't do that.”

Laurel clenched her fists and raised her chin as she glared at her mother. “I didn't say anything about marriage. But what if I do decide he's the man I want to marry? I've always thought that decision belonged to me alone.”

Her mother shook her head. “It does, darling. But you need to weigh the consequences before you decide something that important. Is Andrew going to stay in Tennessee or does he plan to return to Virginia? Do you think you could fit into his family if you went to Virginia?” She reached out and grasped Laurel's hand. “All I want is for you to be happy.”

Laurel glanced from her father to her mother. “All I want is someone to love me who I can love in return—just like the two of you.”

“And that's what you deserve,” her father said. “I want you to have what your mother and I have had. But remember this, Laurel. We had a lot of common ties. We loved this mountain valley and wanted to make a life here. And we both had a strong belief in God.” He glanced at her mother and took a deep breath before he continued. “I worry because Andrew doesn't share that with you. Don't overlook that important detail in whomever you marry. All your mother and I are saying is that we want you to be careful because we want you to have the happiest life possible.”

He held out his arms and Laurel stepped into his embrace. Her mother put her hand on Laurel's back and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “All we want is your happiness.”

Laurel nodded. “I know, and I promise I'll pray that God will show me what to do in this situation.”

Her father released her and bent down to kiss her cheek. “That's all we can ask. Now let's all go to bed. It's been a tiring day.”

She kissed both her parents on their cheeks and watched as they turned to leave. When they reached the door, she called out to them. “Wait.”

They turned and faced her. “What is it?” her father asked.

“I have been thinking about something all day, and I wondered…” Her throat closed, making it impossible to force the words to her mouth. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

A concerned expression flashed across her mother's face, and she was back beside Laurel before she could blink. “What is it? What are you upset about?”

“Ch-Charlie,” she stuttered. “If we move to Gatlinburg, how will he find us when he comes back?”

Tears filled her mother's eyes, and she pulled Laurel close to her. “I have the same fear, darling. But he'll know to look for Mountain Laurel Pottery, and he'll find us. Try not to worry about him. Just pray for him.”

“I do every night.”

Her father walked back to her side and gathered her and her mother in his arms. “Your mother's right. All we can do now is pray that God will keep him safe and bring him home to us.”

They stayed locked together for several minutes, each with their silent prayers ascending to the Father. Then her parents released her, kissed her again, and walked out of the bedroom. When the door closed behind them, Laurel fell back across her bed and buried her face in her pillow. Where was Charlie tonight? Did he miss them and want to come home?

“God, don't let him be too proud to come back. Help him know we love him and want him home again,” she whispered.

She lay still thinking about Charlie, her feelings for Andrew, and the move that her family was being forced to endure. None of these situations could be settled tonight, and at the present time she couldn't see a solution to the problems presented by all three. After a while, she yawned and drifted into a troubled sleep.

Chapter 14

A
ndrew climbed out of Superintendent Eakin's car and glanced around the parking area in front of the Mountain View Hotel. For the last week he'd come back to the hotel every day expecting Laurel to be waiting, but she hadn't shown up yet. There was no sign of her today either. He'd even made a trip over to Mr. Bryan's store yesterday to ask if he knew when the Jacksons would be arriving with their crates of pottery, but the man told him they didn't follow a set schedule. They simply showed up when Mrs. Jackson had completed enough work to make the trip worthwhile.

“Is something the matter, Andrew?”

The superintendent's voice jarred him out of his thoughts, and he glanced at the man who stared over the roof of the car at him. Andrew's face grew warm, and he shook his head. “No, sir.”

“I couldn't believe how many people were in Gatlinburg today. But that's what we like, lots of visitors. In a few years these mountains will be packed with tourists, and then we'll face other problems.”

“Like what, sir?”

“Oh, things like cars and trucks everywhere.” The superintendent shrugged and walked around the car. Andrew fell into step with him as they trudged into the hotel. “Just think of what it's going to be like in fifty years in these mountains. We'll have gas stations and
restaurants on every corner and the park will be littered with debris left by campers. Then there's the danger of some careless person not putting out his campfire. I don't even want to think about what kinds of problems that could cause.”