The Price of Trust (27 page)

"I'm good," he said kindly, wishing to ease the tension in the truck. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she said quietly as they pulled into Kelly's driveway. Joe turned off the truck.

"Uh, I'll go on in and check on Kelly if you don't mind," Todd said, already out the door, closing it hastily.

They sat in silence, unsure of what to say. Carly sighed and scooted over to Todd's side, opening the door.

"Where are you going?" Joe asked roughly, grabbing her arm. She pulled her arm away from him.

"I'm going to see Kelly."

"You can stay with me," he said hotly, grabbing her arm again and pulling her to him tightly.

Angrily, she resisted and tried to pull away from him. "Joe, let me go!" she said furiously, straining against him. "You're hurting me!" Immediately he relaxed his grip on her, giving her enough room to breathe but not letting go of her entirely. "What is wrong with you?" she asked, her face red with anger.

"What's wrong with you? You can't stand to be with me now, is that it?" he said bitterly, letting go of her completely.

She sat next to him in stunned silence. "What are you talking about?" she asked, all the anger gone out of her. "What is bothering you?"

Silently, Joe looked out the window. Gently, she put her hand on his arm. "Joe, what is it?" She leaned over to look at him, trying to catch his gaze.

"Are you going to stay with me even though I can't afford to buy you everything?" he said suddenly, taking her by surprise. All the jealousy and anger and helplessness he had felt came rushing out in a torrent of emotion.

"Joe, what did Ian say to you yesterday on the phone?" Carly asked gently, turning his face toward her. "Did he tell you that I wouldn't be happy with you?" He nodded, unwilling to talk. "You don't need to be afraid. You can give me everything I've ever wanted. I love you with every fiber of my being. Other than Jesus, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't ever want to lose you." She kissed him. He pulled her to him, hugging her tightly.

"Are you okay now?" she asked quietly, stroking his face tenderly.

"Yes," he said, still holding her close. He kissed her palm.

She grinned, pulling away slightly. "Good, because you really had me worried!"

"Worried? Do you want to talk about worried?" he said, looking at her warmly, pushing some hair out of her face.

"Well, where should I start?" he asked, grimacing. He proceeded to tell her all that had happened to him the night before, starting with his conversation with Ian and finishing with the panic that had overtaken him when she didn't answer her door. "That's about it. How was your day?"

"Better than yours." She smiled regretfully. "I'm sorry that you couldn't find me, but I didn't think you'd be in town. I thought for sure that you'd still be doing your work."

"Can we come out now, or are you two still fighting?" Todd asked, opening the door and leaning inside the truck.

"Fighting?" they both said innocently."We don't know what you're talking about," Joe said, his arm snugly around Carly's shoulders.

"Good. We're hungry," Todd said, motioning toward Kelly, who was waiting patiently at the front of the truck. Kelly climbed in behind Carly, giving her an awkward hug and smiling from ear to ear, Todd getting in beside her.

"Ready?" Joe asked happily, pulling out of the driveway.

"I sure am glad you two made up. I wouldn't want to ride home with Joe if you hadn't worked everything out," Todd said, leaning forward to glance at his brother. Joe laughed, unruffled.

"It's good to have a little fight before you get married," Kelly said, smiling wickedly at Todd.

He frowned. "No way! I don't like fights, so don't pick any."

Carly laughed, snuggling closer to Joe. "But it keeps things in perspective!"

They talked amiably on the way to the diner, halting only to find a seat together.

"I hear congratulations are in order for both of you!" Sandy said loudly as she came to take their orders. "When y'all getting married?"

Carly and Kelly looked at each other and giggled, unsure of how the men would answer.

"We haven't picked a date yet," Joe said finally, trying to stall for time. Todd laughed. "How about you, Todd?" he asked, putting Todd on the hot seat.

Todd turned red. "I'm not really sure either."

"You mean to tell me that you're engaged and you don't even have a date picked out yet?" She laughed brashly, causing quite a few of the customers to turn around and stare. "I wouldn't let them get away with that if I were you two," she said to the girls, who were trying heroically to hide their faces in their menus, not coming out until she had gone to get their drinks.

"That was embarrassing," Todd said, his face still pink.

"Are you embarrassed about getting married to me?" Kelly asked petulantly, winking at Carly. "I see how it is. I'm supposed to be your little lap dog now, is that it?" She turned away, lifting her chin toward the ceiling. Carly giggled while Joe pretended not to hear a word.

"What are you talking about?" Todd asked, trying unsuccessfully to get her to look at him. "Did I say I wanted a lap dog?"

She ignored him.

"If you hold your nose a little higher, you'll scrape the ceiling." Nothing.

"Kelly," he whispered, nudging her in the side. Kelly continued to ignore him, perusing her menu with dedication.

"Do you see what you got me into?" he asked, frustrated. "If you two wouldn't have been fussing, she wouldn't think it was all right to fuss with me now. Kelly," he took her hand in his. "I'm not embarrassed of you. I was embarrassed that she was being so loud."

"Okay," Kelly said happily, grinning. "That's all the fussing I want to do."

"Praise the Lord," he said morosely as Sandy brought their drinks. She took their food orders without further embarrassment, and they went back to their playful banter.

"Hey, Sandy," a gruff voice called, the door jangling open. "Got anything good to eat here?" Randy Pruitt said as he, Billy, and their father came inside. Randy and his dad guffawed as if that were the funniest thing in the whole world, Billy standing quietly beside them, his eyes riveted on Joe and Carly.

"Wassa matter wit you?" Randy said, elbowing him in the side.

Carly looked up, catching Billy's intense gaze. She smiled and waved at him, trying to be friendly. He stared at her without smiling for a moment, then turned his back on her, making it known that he still wasn't happy about their engagement.

Joe leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Darlin', I believe you've just been snubbed."

"Did it just get really cold in here?" Todd asked sarcastically, rubbing his arms. "What'd you do to him?"

"I guess he's just not in the mood to wave," Carly said flippantly, trying not to be annoyed.

"He's just jealous," Kelly said softly, squeezing her arm affectionately. "He'll get over it."

"Why does he always come in here when we're here?" Joe asked thoughtfully, glancing at Todd.

"Yeah, it's almost like he knows where you're at," Todd said, catching Joe's meaning. "Like he's watching you." He winked meaningfully at Carly, who stuck her tongue out at him. They joked around for the rest of their meal, not noticing when Billy left the diner.

Joe leaned back and patted his full stomach. "Sandy, we're ready for our bills."

"Y'all don't have any bills," she said, walking toward them. "They've already been paid."

"Paid?" Todd and Joe said simultaneously. "Who paid them?"

"New guy I've never seen before. He's gone now, but he was sitting right over there next to where Billy sat," she said, sticking her thumb in the general direction of the counter.

"You've never seen him before?" Joe asked, immediately suspicious.

"Nope, but I wouldn't mind if I did see him again. Good-lookin' fella. You don't see the likes of his type in out-of-the-way diners like this one. Good tipper too." She grinned, picking up the tip Joe and Todd left for her, counting it expertly and slipping it into her apron pocket, all within a matter of seconds. "Y'all have a good night."

Joe was quiet on the drive back to Kelly's place, deep in his thoughts as the rest were talking and laughing. He pulled into the driveway and turned off the truck.

"Kelly," he said suddenly, taking them all by surprise. "Has there been anyone new that checked in since yesterday?" He took Carly's hand in his, holding onto it as if for dear life.

"Not that I know of, but I was sick yesterday, and Auntie gave me the morning off today. Why?" she asked, her curiosity aroused.

He scratched his chin. "Just wondering."

"What are you thinking?" Todd asked, watching his brother closely.

"Nothing really. Something's just not right. It doesn't add up. Why would someone we didn't even know want to buy our lunch? Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

Carly watched him uneasily, a chill running up her spine. When she had those feelings in the past, she had never ignored them, knowing that an unpleasant surprise always followed. Joe squeezed her to him, giving her comfort.

"Do you want me to check before you leave?" Kelly asked, getting out. "It won't take me long."

"No, that's okay. I'm sure it's nothing. Thanks," he said quickly, not wanting to put her through any trouble.

"Well, I better get inside. Thanks," Kelly said, giving Carly a quick hug. Todd walked her to the front door, hugged her, and whispered in her ear, making her giggle. Running, he jumped back into his seat, slamming the door shut behind him. He waved as Joe started down the road to Carly's place.

"So are you going to tell me what you're thinking?" Todd asked quizzically, leaning forward to see Joe's face.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't even try it," Todd groaned. "I know you too well. I know when something's bothering you. Spill it." He waited patiently.

"I just have a feeling, that's all," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"What does the feeling have to do with?" Carly asked as he pulled into a parking space in front of her apartment.

"It's just a feeling, nothing to worry about," he said, not meeting her gaze.

"Todd," she said, turning to his brother for support. "We may have to hurt him. Will you help me?"

"Of course." Todd gleefully rubbed his hands together. "I would love to." He laughed madly, making Carly giggle. Joe smiled, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Joe, please. Just tell me," Carly said, placing her hand on his arm. "I know it's about Ian."

"It just doesn't make sense," he said quickly, turning to face them both. "I don't even remember seeing anyone sitting at the counter, do you?"

"No, but we were all laughing and having a good time," Todd said for them both. "So, you think Ian's in town?"

Joe frowned, irritated that he hadn't paid better attention. "I don't know."

"Is that who you think paid for our lunches? Why would he do that if he hates you so much?" Todd asked skeptically.

"I don't know. Did you notice anyone at the counter when we walked in?" Joe asked Carly.

"No. I didn't pay attention to anyone except for us," she said forlornly, looking down at her hands, which were clasped tightly in Joe's.

"I'm sure it's nothing," he said hurriedly, noticing Carly's distraught expression.

"Every time I've felt uneasy, there has always been a nasty little surprise behind it, so I can't just dismiss it like you can. What am I going to do?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Pray," Todd said decisively. "That's the only thing I can think of."

Joe nodded, pulling her close and giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"I don't like leaving you alone here," he said after they had finished praying. "Maybe we could have you stay with Kelly tonight," he said hopefully, looking at Todd for agreement.

Carly shook her head. "I wouldn't feel right doing that. Besides, what would I do in the morning when she had to work? I don't like putting people on the spot like that."

"Well, we could see if Mom and Dad would let her stay in the spare room at our place," Todd said halfheartedly.

"No, they wouldn't allow that before we were married. Too tempting." Joe grinned mischievously at Carly. She blushed and punched him in the arm. "The only thing I can think of is get married right away. Like this weekend. Then we could stay together in the apartment, and you could come with me when I went to work in the mornings and spend the day with Mom."

"Don't you think she'd get tired of me?" Carly asked, wrinkling her nose doubtfully.

"It wouldn't be very long," he said excitedly. "Just until I got some more of the house finished. What do you think?" He looked at her hopefully, squeezing her hand expectantly.

"Well," she said slowly. "It sounds okay to me, but I think we should definitely ask God's will to be done. I wouldn't want to drive your mom crazy too fast." Joe hugged her so tightly she thought she was about to burst.

"All right." He grinned, glancing at Todd. "You heard her. She said we could get married this weekend." Todd laughed.