A Christmas Duet

Chapter Twenty

It took several minutes for Hailey to compose herself enough to return to the diner and collect Charles.

The minute she walked in the door, he was on his feet and ready for the opportunity to convince Daisy to come back to him.

Despite all that had taken place in her own crazy, mixed-up life, Hailey knew this was the one thing she could do for her sister. She was convinced that once Daisy saw Charles, she wouldn’t be able to continue with the lie that she didn’t love him.

As if he couldn’t get to Daisy fast enough, Charles practically rode Hailey’s bumper as she drove back to the cabin. When they arrived, he seemed ready to storm straight into the house like the leader of a SWAT team.

“Hold on,” she said, stopping him at the top of the steps by tossing out both arms.

He halted abruptly, as if he had no idea what she was doing.

“We were going to give Daisy the chance to make the decision to see you or not, remember?”

He answered with a reluctant nod of his head. “Okay, I’ll wait here. You should know that if Daisy claims she doesn’t want to see me, I intend to remain outside until she agrees, even if it means I freeze to death. If I can’t have her in my life, then I…” He paused, and his shoulders sagged. “She lied. I know she did. She loves me as much as I love her. Please convince her to give me another chance.”

The poor guy had it bad. “I’ll go inside and talk to her. You stay here, understand?” He had that lost-puppy look before he agreed with a brief nod. Hailey saw how difficult it was for him to wait, and loved him for his devotion to Daisy. “I understand. I’ll do whatever you think is best.”

He stepped away from the door and kept out of sight, nervously pacing on the porch, whispering to himself. He seemed to have prepared a speech he planned on giving Daisy.

Hailey entered the house and found her sister busy in the kitchen, putting together the ingredients for homemade pasta fagioli, one of Hailey’s favorite soups.

It was a good thing her parents were occupied upstairs, as they were sure to be curious about this unknown visitor.

Hailey walked into the kitchen. “I ran into someone while in town. A friend of yours who has been desperate to find you. It’s Charles, and he’s here.”

Daisy stilled, her spoon poised over the soup pot. “Charles is here? In Podunk?”

“He’s outside on the porch. I told him you had to agree to see him before he could come into the house.” Her sister slowly set down the spoon, and tears immediately flooded her eyes. Then, without a pause, she demanded, “Send him away.”

“I can do that, if this is what you truly want. You should know that he claims he’ll remain on the porch until you hear him out, even if it means he’ll freeze to death.”

Daisy covered her mouth with both hands.

“He’s been on a search to find you ever since you left,” Hailey continued. “He’s miserable without you, and frankly, even though you try to hide it, you’re just as miserable without him. The choice is yours, Daisy. I’ll do whatever it is you want me to do.”

Swallowing hard, Daisy locked eyes with Hailey as if she were cast adrift and unsure what to do. After a moment, she dried her hands on the apron, then decided to remove it entirely before heading to the front door. She barely had it open when Charles all but charged into the cabin. Before her sister could utter a single word, Charles had her in his arms, holding her against him, as though he intended to never let hergo.

“Don’t say a word,” he insisted. “I want to do the talking this time.”

“Ah…” Daisy appeared too taken aback to speak, anyway.

Charles drew in a deep breath. “I love you, Daisy Morgan, and I hope you love me, because I want to marry you.”

Her sister remained stock-still and seemed to be stunned into silence.

“She loves you,” Hailey felt obliged to assure him.

Charles stared intently at Daisy. “Do you?”

With tears brightening her eyes, Daisy nodded. “But…I’m not smart like you. I’m terrible at math, and can’t spell worth a hill of beans, and never have been able to hold down a job for more than a couple months…I’m useless, and…”

“Do you think any of that matters to me?” he cried in protest. “I wouldn’t change a hair on your head. Stay exactly as you are. You’re my sun and moon and earth and everything in between. If you turn me away, I won’t ever be the same, because I need you in my life. You make me happy…I’ve always been too serious and something of an oddball, but when I’m with you, I feel like I’m on top of the world and nothing can stop me.”

Hailey had the impression this was probably the longest speech of Charles’s life.

He paused as if he didn’t know what more to say, then knelt on one knee in front of her. “Will you marry me? Please.”

Daisy’s hands gripped his shoulders as if his proposal had completely knocked her off-balance.

“Daisy?” Hailey urged her sister to respond.

Daisy turned her attention to her sister, as though seeking her advice.

“I can’t make the decision for you,” Hailey told her sister.

Charles remained on his knee and gazed lovingly up at her. “Do you really mean it?” Daisy asked, returning her attention to Charles. “You honestly love me and want me to be your wife?”

It was all Hailey could do to keep from shouting: He meansit!

“If you’re sure,” Daisy said, grinning broadly, with tears shining in her eyes, “then yes, I’ll marry you.”

Charles leaped to his feet and wrapped Daisy in his arms. He kissed her as if it had taken every restraint he possessed to have waited as long as he had.

Their mother came halfway down the stairs to find Daisy and Charles absorbed in each other, oblivious to anything going on around them.

With one hand on the railing and another on her hip, she demanded, “Exactly who is that young man, and what is he doing kissing our Daisy?”

“That man,” Hailey informed her mother, “is about to become your son-in-law.”