Finding Home

Chapter Eight

         When Deborah got to the farm the next late morning, most of the hangover had passed.  She still couldn’t believe the ease with which Georgia had awoken that morning with little more than a twinge of a headache.  It hadn’t been fair, though Miranda had likely suffered the worst.
         The girls had gone their separate ways that morning to ease their varying levels of discomfort, but Deborah had been instructed time and again by the bride, bridesmaids, and two calls from the farm—one from Lisa and one from Laney—that she was expected to come out at noon sharp.  Since she was family, she was expected to help Georgia and the bridesmaids get ready with her other cousins.
         The Montana Kapshaws, as Deborah decided to call them, were a different lot from the Iowa ones.  Miranda and Michael were more reserved, though friendly and funny in their own odd ways.  Marissa, the budding artist was a ball of artistic, offbeat energy.  Her uncle Steven and Aunt Alex were as different as night and day.  Steven outgoing and funny while Aunt Alex was soft and calm.
         Aunt Shauna and Uncle Mark, Ella’s parents, were another set of opposites.  Shauna was beautiful and outgoing while Mark seemed quite happy to stay in the shadows.  It seemed Aunt Laney and Uncle Gabe were the only pair with common characteristics.
         But, all together, she saw that they were a marvelous family.  Together, they all rose to the occasion of Georgia’s wedding and, most amazingly to Deborah herself, they included her in everything.  They enveloped her into their world with welcoming open arms.  Never once was there a hesitation.
         Becca, Kayla and Evie were stunning in their sleek evergreen bridesmaids dresses and Georgia, usually so flashy and oddly put together, looked as traditional and sophisticated and as beautiful as any bride could hope to be.
         “You look radiant,” Laney offered with tears in her eyes.
         “Mom, don’t start,” Georgia replied, trying to act irritated but unable to take her gaze off her reflection in the mirror.  “It’s just a dress.”
         “All right, my dears, I want a picture,” Lisa instructed.  “This one is going right on my mantle.  I want all my girls in there around Georgia and the bridesmaids.  Miranda and Marissa, squeeze next to Laney and Deborah get over on Evie’s side.”
         To be a part of Lisa’s ‘my girls’ was really the finishing touch on this whole experience.  Feeling a little teary eyed herself, Deborah knew this was her new home.

         The barn was lovely.  The space heaters were neatly disguised and were doing the best job they could.  It was still a bit chilly, but Deborah felt it added all the more to the charm of it all.
         She was given a seat of honor and felt all the more proud to be a part of the wedding.  Sitting next to Miranda in the second aisle of Kapshaws, Deborah was again moved.
         The whole ceremony was as lovely as could be imagined.  Georgia was beaming and beautiful, Josh touching and nervous.  Together, they made love seem perfect.
         She knew she shouldn’t have been surprised when Kyle suddenly appeared next to her as they exited the barn.
         “Hi,” he offered, looking particularly attractive in an expensive looking suit.
         “Hi.”  Her usual curt response never seemed to make him falter.  Deborah wondered if anything would.
         “Want to drive over together?” he asked casually, matching her quick stride easily.
         “No.”
         She shouldn’t have been surprised that this didn’t deter him.
         “Oh, come on now.  We’ll save some gas.  Surely it would be worth saving our environment to be in a car with me for twenty minutes.”
         “Both of our cars being here means one of us would have to drive the other back out in order to get their car.  Therefore, it isn’t wasting gas and no environment would be saved and I am not going to be in a car with you for any minutes.”
         “Wow, can’t put one past you.”
         “Good bye, Kyle.”
         “See you there!”
         She should not have found his consistent presence and vague persistence charming.  But she did.  It was so irritating and yet as he walked away and she walked towards her car, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
         The reception, oddly enough, was being held in the basement of a church.  Deborah had yet to figure out why Georgia had chosen to have her wedding in a barn, and her reception in a church, but she supposed everyone had their own taste when it came to that sort of thing.
         Many people had told her, over and over as large families are want to do, Gabe and Laney had been married at that church and held their reception in the same place nearly thirty years earlier.
         It was decorated in the same pretty wintry theme as the barn had been.  Berries and tree limbs and crystal vases adorned tables and corners.  People were milling about, mainly family Deborah had come to find.  She’d been introduced to Laney’s mother, sister and nieces and nephews.  They were the first group of people who seemed to look at her with some suspicion.  Deborah couldn’t help but find this odd, as she wasn’t even related to them.
         Josh's family seemed equally as large as the Kapshaws and Deborah knew she’d never get any of their names straight.
         She stuck with Miranda and Becca as best she could.  They were the most like her and the easiest ones to talk to, but they also kept a nice buffer from Kyle.  Every time she saw him, he was smiling at her.  She tried desperately hard not to smile back.
         After dinner was over, tables were moved out of the way so dancing could begin.  Deborah had known that Evie and Logan’s band were going to play.  She had heard they were good, but when they began to sing, she couldn’t believe a group of sixteen-year-olds could sound so good.
         Evie and Logan’s voices were made for each other.  They had fun with the upbeat songs and were heartbreakingly melodic with the love songs.  Deborah found herself watching them in awe as Logan and Evie’s voices intertwined on Night and Day.
         “I’m going to ask you a question, Deborah, and you are not allowed to say simply no.”
         Deborah looked up at Kyle who had approached without her knowing it.  She’d been so caught up in the music she hadn’t been able to adopt any elusive get away maneuvers.
         “All right.”
         “Would you please dance with me?”
         Trying not to grin, Deborah merely replied, “Not particularly.”
         Kyle laughed, a laughed that she didn’t understand because it seemed so genuine.  He always seemed so cheerful and full of amusement.  If she were him, she didn’t think she’d be laughing at her continual turndowns.
         “You are amazingly determined to say no to me.  Which leads me to believe you’re ridiculously attracted to me.”
         “You must be delusional.  Most men realize that ‘no’ means ‘not interested,’ you missed that course in women 101.”
         “I suppose I did.  Well, if you’re so completely unaffected by me, Deborah, have a dance with me.  Show me just how uninterested you are.”
         “You can’t play mind games with a lawyer, Kyle.  I’m immune.”
         Taking the empty seat next to her, he didn’t take his eyes off of her for a moment.  “Well, then what aren’t you immune to, Ms. Stone?  I’m an eternal optimist and don’t give up easy, but I’m running out of ideas.”
         “Good.  I’m not interested.”
         “See, that’s the thing… I just don’t believe you.”
         “How incredibly conceited of you.”
         He chuckled, finally taking those soulful eyes and pointing them towards the teenage band playing on a makeshift stage.  They had changed to something bluesy that Deborah wasn’t familiar with but displayed Evie’s range beautifully.
         “Your cousin is an amazing singer,” Kyle offered, a thankful change in subject for Deborah.
         “So is yours.  They’re amazing together.”
         “Yes, they are.  It’s a shame, because Evie wants to move to New York and make something of herself after high school and Logan wants to stay on the farm.”
         “That is a shame,” Deborah replied, frowning at the happily in love young couple.  “They seem like the kind of couple who might last, even as young as they are.”
         Kyle shrugged.  “Maybe they will.  It’s hard to tell the future unless you give it a chance, which just happens to bring me back to my first point…”
         “Are you serious?”
         “Quite. It’s a shame to waste such a beautiful music sitting here.”
         “Then go ask someone else to dance.”
         Taking her arm, Kyle stood.  Deborah merely stared at him, torn between joining him and sitting just to prove a point.
         “I’m asking you.  One dance.  What’s a wedding without dancing with some charming stranger?”
         “You’re not all that charming and you’re not much of a stranger.”
         “Then pretend.”
         He wouldn’t give up.  He wasn’t the type.  It wasn’t like her to give up either, but lately she’d been learning that she couldn’t win everyone argument she’d gotten herself into.  The Kapshaws had taught her that quickly.
         “Fine.  One dance and then you have to promise to go away.”
         He merely grinned as he pulled her onto the dance floor.  “I’ll promise no such thing.”
         Kyle wasn’t necessarily a great dancer, but he knew how to create the illusion of good dancing.  He had a way of making her laugh completely against her will.  The song changed, and Deborah forgot to try to break away.
         It was Logan’s turn to sing and Deborah felt swept away by a song about taking care of each other, hurting when the other hurts, and going to sleep at night knowing that you will do anything for each other.
         “This is a beautiful song.”
         “Logan wrote it.”
         “Really?”
         “He’s got a gift.  I find myself blown away by a sixteen-year-old’s words.  I wish he’d do more than just work on a farm.”
         “Gabe does all right.”
         Logan sighed.  “I know, I know, I’m not… saying it’s…  I don’t know.  I just wish he aspired to more.”
         “I think he aspires to plenty.”
         Kyle laughed.  “You sound like Laney and you’re both right.”
         “Thank you.”
         “Have I complimented you on that dress?  It’s really fantastic.”
         Feeling completely self-conscious at his comment, she merely looked around at the small, crowded dance floor.  “Super.”
         “You know, you need to learn to take a compliment about your looks.  It’s not a terrible thing to be pretty.”
         “No, I suppose it isn’t.”
         Kyle chuckled.  “You can be a real pain in the ass, Deborah.  I don’t know why I find that so irresistible.”
         “I don’t know either.”
         “Maybe it’s something we have in common.”
         “Maybe we do.  Luckily I find it completely resistible.”
         “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far.  You’re on your third dance with me.”
         Caught off guard, she merely gaped at him.  She tried to drop her hands, but he held firm.  “Oh don’t go ruining a perfectly nice moment.”
         “Kyle…”
         “So, I have a question for you… completely off topic.”
         Giving up, Deborah stopped trying to escape.  “All right.”
         “You’ve decided to stay, haven’t you?”
         Surprised that he could see it, she couldn’t lie to him.  “Yeah, I have.”
         “Why?”
         Deborah shrugged.  “I don’t know.  It’s… It felt like home from the minute I got here and… I guess I just… I’m not ready to leave that.  I don’t want to leave that.  And, then I talked to my Mom and Dad and they could… sense it, I guess.  They encouraged me to stay.  Even my Dad whose been grooming me to be in his law firm since I was fourteen.  He wanted me to be where I’d be happy.”
         “You must have really great parents.”
         Deborah nodded, missing them hugely right at that moment.  “Yeah, I do.  I wish I could have it both ways.”
         “No chance of convincing them to move to Lilac Grove?” Kyle asked with an easygoing smile.
         Deborah laughed.  “No.  They aren’t cut out for small town life.  I didn’t think I was either, but it’s amazing what you learn about yourself when you thought you were done learning new things about yourself.”
         Kyle smiled.  “I know the feeling.  I never thought I’d be able to come back here and live with it all, but once I’d been gone I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”
         “Deal with all what?”
         Kyle looked at her in the way that had her hear skip beats and her face warm with some knowing beyond her consciousness.           
         “Family things is all.  Nothing overwhelming, just… different.”
         Deborah nodded.
         “All right all you single ladies, gather round!  The bride is about to throw her bouquet!” Evie announced into the microphone before climbing down to join the group.  Becca and Miranda grabbed Deborah as she tried to escape.  Kyle laughed, offering a wink and wave as she was dragged to the small group of young women.
         “All right girls,” Georgia began, sauntering passed the crowd.  As she passed Deborah, she gave Deb a light pinch and whispered, “I’m aiming for you.”
         Deborah merely smiled blandly and positioned herself as far away from the bride as she could.  When Georgia gave the bouquet a toss in her direction, Deborah merely ducked out of the way so it wouldn’t hit her.  Instead, Kayla managed to grab it.
         The small crowd of women dispersed, offering Kayla pats on the back.
         Kyle was waiting for Deborah as she walked back to her table.
         “Nice duck.”
         “Thanks.”
         “Although if you had caught it, I might have been freaked out enough not to continue to bother you.”
         Deborah laughed.  “Damn it.  Why couldn’t you tell me that before hand?”
         “Too late now.  If you’ll excuse me, I have a garter to catch,” Kyle said, joining the small group of men being harassed and pushed onto the dance floor for the garter throw.
         He wasn’t joking, although he didn’t exactly have a lot of competition for the superstition of impending marriage.  Kyle snatched the garter out of the air with ease.  With a grin and a wink towards Deborah, he sauntered off the dance floor, obviously enjoying the ribbing given to him by the other male participants.
         “He’s cute.”
         Deborah looked up at Miranda.  “You sound like Kayla.”
         “Sorry,” Miranda replied, taking a seat next to her.  “But he is.  And he’s barely taken his eyes off you all day.”
         “Maybe he’s a crazy stalker slash serial killer.”
         Miranda laughed.  “Maybe.  Or he’s got the hots for you and you’ve got the hots for him and you’re doing everything you can to fight it.”
         Deborah sighed, gratefully taking the piece of cake offered to her.  “Or maybe that.”
         “I’m not a proponent of romantic relationships, Deborah.  They tend to end poorly for myself, but there does seem to be a growing majority of people succumbing to romantic relationships that seem ridiculously happy at the prospect.”
         “It does seem to be part of the Kapshaw way.”
         It was Miranda’s turn to laugh.  “Indeed it does.  So, my advice to you is to go with the flow.  Chances are it all fizzles out before someone gets hurt and you’ll never have to sit and wonder what could have been.”
         “Is that what you would do?”
         “No, unless some brilliant cousin of mine came by and told me what I’ve just told you.  Then, then I might consider it.”
         “Hm.”
         “Think of it this way: what could you two possibly have in common?  You go on a few dates, bore each other to tears, and move on knowing it wasn’t meant to be.”
         “And if something sparks?”
         Miranda grinned, watching Georgia and Josh spin around gleefully on the dance floor.  “Hold on for the ride, Deb.  Hold on tight.”
         Deborah looked at Kyle who was dancing the obligatory catcher-of-the-bouquet and catcher-of-the-garter dance.  Go with the flow, she considered.  It did seem easier than fighting him off every five seconds.
         “Maybe you’re right, Miranda.  Maybe you’re right.”

         She should have known he would already be there.  Despite the fact it was Sunday, he was wearing a business suit.  She’d made it clear it was business and she had a feeling he would act completely business-like and yet somehow make the lunch seem very un-businesslike. 
         When he saw her, he stood and held out a hand for her to shake.  “Afternoon,” he greeted amiably.  “Glad you could make it.”  The smile was mischievous and she knew she’d been right.
         “Thank you for meeting with me.”
         He pointed to the seat across from him and sat.  She took the offered seat and placed her bag on the floor, placing the materials he’d given her on the table.
         “You’ve looked over the information, then?”
         “Yes.”
         “Do you have any questions or concerns I can answer?”
         She stared at him for a moment.  “Oh, cut the crap Kyle.  Business you is creeping me out.”
         He chuckled.  “I thought that’s what you wanted.”
         “I want a place.  I’ve decided to move to Lilac Grove and open my own practice.  I’ve discussed it with my parents, and looked over my financial possibilities and I’m ready to make a commitment.”
         “I don’t have to sell you, then?”
         “No, you don’t.  You sold me by taking me through the one you’ve worked on.  My concerns are time more than money.  When would this be feasibly finished?”
         Kyle scratched the back of his head.  “Wow, well I didn’t expect you to be so gung ho to start with.  So, I’m not quite sure how quickly we could get to work.  If you sign the contract, you would be first on the list of completed buildings.  However, buying gives you certain options.”
         “Yes, I know.  I am somewhat partial to the custom plan, though I do have some possible modifications in mind.”
         “Windows and backroom layout being the major two, I imagine.”
         Somewhat surprised though she probably shouldn’t be, Deborah nodded.
         “I’ll have to get with my team and see what we can accomplish time table wise.  I’m guessing we could have the office situation up and running before summer, though I’m not one hundred percent sure on the living space.  The office would be your priority?”
         “Yes.”
         “Well, then I… Quite honestly, Deborah, I don’t know what to say.  You’re our first buyer.”
         Deborah smiled.  “Good, then you can spend all your time on me… I mean, my building.”  She frowned at his charming grin.  “When do you think you can have an estimated time table?”
         Kyle tapped thoughtfully at his chin.  “I’ll try for tomorrow evening, but to be on the safe side say Tuesday.”
         Deborah nodded.  “Fair enough.  Well, I guess we’re done, then-”
         Kyle picked up a menu.  “Nonsense, you agreed to lunch so lunch we will have.”
         “I agreed to discussing business which we’ve already accomplished.”
         “Then pick up a menu and decide what you want because I’m starving and you’re not going anywhere.”
         Deborah took a deep breath.  Go with the flow she reminded herself.  It was the new mantra she’d adopted thanks to Miranda, so she would sit back, and enjoy.
         They weren’t supposed to have anything in common, yet they made conversation well into the afternoon.  Deborah had never thought much about renovations, but she found Kyle’s talk about the buildings he’d renovated fascinating.
         They shared an interest in history, though Kyle’s knowledge was far more extensive than her own.  She was beginning to think he’d be a much better match for Miranda.
         They talked about family, Logan, the Kapshaws.  They talked about Lilac Grove and about their business plans for the future.  Before either of them knew it, the dinner crowd was beginning to surround them.
         “It’s nearly four-thirty,” Deborah said, noticing the clock.  “I have to go.  I’m having dinner at the farm at five.”  She began to gather her things and Kyle followed suit.
         “I had a good time, Deb.”
         Distracted, Deborah looked up at Kyle.  “Yah, me too.”
         “We should do it again.”
         “Sure.”
         He chuckled, causing her to really look at him.
         “So, you’re not going to argue this time?”
         “Oh.  Well, I guess not.”
         Kyle laughed again, patting her shoulder in a platonically friendly manner.  “I’d love to see you during a trial, Deborah.  You’re focus is likely amazing.”
         “Unfortunately my focus somehow only comes out when I am practicing law.”
Deborah chewed on her bottom lip.  “You’ll have a time table for me tomorrow?”
         “Yeah, Tuesday at the latest.”
         “Okay, well, call me when you have it and I’ll come by and pick it up.”
         “Have dinner with me tomorrow.”
         Feeling her heart jump nervously in her chest, she looked up at him uncertainly.  Dinner meant date most certainly.  And wasn’t she supposed to be going with the flow?
         “Um, okay.”
         “I’ll pick you up at six, then.”
         “Yeah, all right.”
         He took her hand and gave it a light squeeze.  “And try not to look like a deer caught in the headlights.  I’m not trying to run you over.”
         Deborah tried to smile and took her hand back.  “See you tomorrow, Kyle.”
         “Tomorrow, six, don’t forget.”
         Deborah nodded, quickly turning the opposite direction towards her car.  She hurried to get into it, not because of the cold or the fact that she was running late, but because she needed some distance from Kyle and quickly.
         Miranda had asked what could they possibly have in common?  The answer was far too much.  Go with the flow seemed a little scary now.  She liked him.  Really liked him.  He was charming, funny, smart a melding of wonderful characteristics that she didn’t see herself resisting as easily as she might have wanted to.
         Deborah sighed, driving out of the restaurant parking lot and out towards the Kapshaw farm.  Tonight, she wouldn’t worry about it.  Tonight she would say goodbye to her grandmother who was returning to Florida the next day.  Tonight she would enjoy her wonderful new family.  Tonight she would forget all about Kyle Connelly and tomorrow, tomorrow she would figure out how to resist his charm.