Something to talk about
1139 Words
*Callista*
"The new addition to the house seems to be coming along fine," Briony shifts the conversation away from talk of the city.
"Ought to have the first floor and most of the walls in place before nightfall," Chase says.
Briony smiles at him, "It means a lot to me that you and Blaise would give up your day of rest to build onto our house."
"That's what family is for," Chase responds.
"But we won't be able to return the favor. I can't imagine that you will ever need to add onto your house." She grins.
"Speaking of Chase's house," Blaise says. "Callie, what do you think of it?"
I snap my gaze to Blaise, then to Chase who watches me with such intensity that my breath almost stops. Meaningless words scramble through my mind.
"We need to get back to work," Chase says, setting his empty plate on the quilt.
Wade groans and rubs his stomach. "I'm too full. I intend to sit back and relax for a while."
"Thought you wanted these rooms," Chase says.
"We do, but we can finish them up next Sunday." Wade mumbles.
"It will be that much hotter next Sunday," Chase says as he stands. "I'm going back to work."
I watch my husband jerk his shirt over his head as he stomps back toward the house.
"One day, Blaise, you're gonna learn when to keep your mouth shut," Wade says.
*Chase*
I heft a board and carry it to the far side of the house, feeling tired of hammering the floor into place. Wade and Blaise can finish it when they wake from their naps. They have both fallen asleep beneath the scraggly boughs of the tree, Wade with his head nestled in Briony's lap, Blaise with Maggie curled up against him.
Callista simply sits in the shade, her hands folded in her lap, looking beautiful.
I wonder if she has given everyone, except me, permission to call her Callie. Not that I have asked... nor would I, but Callie sure rolls off my tongue a lot easier than Callista. I think Callie suits her better, is softer.
I set the board upright against the side of the house and nail it into place. Sweat rolls along either side of my spine. I'm looking forward to a good hot bath this evening.
I set another board into place and begin to pound the nails into the wood.
A good hot bath in my house. In my big house.
I spin around and freeze. Callista stands beside me, holding a ladle of water. Fear plunges into her eyes.
"Briony thought you might be thirsty." She stutters.
"Not very neighborly of her to send you into the lion's den, but I appreciate the water." I say, trying to soften my voice.
I take the dipper from her trembling hand and down the clear liquid in one long swallow. My gaze rivets on hers, I wipe the back of my hand across my mouth before handing the dipper back to her. "Thanks."
I lift another board and set it against the frame.
"About your house," she begins.
"I can build you another one," I say as I line up the board. "Makes no difference to me."
"Actually, I rather like it."
I glance over my shoulder. Sheis gripping the ladle tightly enough to make her knuckles turn white. "You do?"
She nods jerkily. "Uh, I think it's a bit stark... uh, I mean, I think it would seem more friendly if you had some decorations."
"You mean like knickknacks?" I ask.
"And perhaps some paintings or wall hangings. Maybe a flower bed in the front. I could give you a list of ideas." She sounds so hopeful.
"No need. Just do it." I crouch and set a nail against the board.
She blinks. "What if you don't like what I do?"
"Apparently my taste in things isn't to everyone's liking." I hit the nail. "I trust your judgment. I have got a catalog in my office with such things. Order what you need from there or go to Littlebeck’s general store and get it from him."
Standing to position another nail, I look over my shoulder, expecting her to comment, but she's staring, eyes wide, at the area where we had eaten our meal. I peer around the edge of the board. Wade has apparently woken from his nap, angled his body over his wife's, and is enjoying his dessert: Briony's sweet lips.
"It's not polite to stare," I say as I pound another nail into place.
She looks like She doesn’t know what to think. "But they're... they're..."
"Kissing," I say. "They're just kissing."
Callista turns away, her face red. "But they are so close to each other."
"It's more fun that way. Didn't that book you borrowed tell you that?" I ask, trying to tease her a bit, to lighten the mood.
I don't think her blush could grow any deeper, but it does.
"That book is misnamed," she says in a hushed whisper as though afraid someone might hear. "It has nothing at all to do with being a husband."
I can't stop myself from smiling. "But it has everything to do with husbandry."
Confusion clouds her eyes. "I don't understand."
"Husbandry is a polite word for breeding and taking care of livestock." I explain.
"You might have explained that to me before I took it." She huffs.
I shrug. "You married a rancher. Figured it wouldn't hurt for you to read the book. It will give us something to discuss at dinner."
Her eyes widen. "We wouldn't!"
My smile thins until it disappears into a hardened line. "Not if you can think of something else to talk about during our meals. I'm getting tired of eating in silence. If I wanted that, I would stay out on the range and eat."
"I didn't realize you wanted to talk while we ate. At home, I wasn't allowed to speak during meals." She says nervously.
"Seems your pa and mine had the same attitude: children were to be seen and not heard, but you're not a child any longer." I tell her.
She swallows. "No, she-wolves... she-wolves were to be seen and not heard."
I shake my head in disbelief. "I definitely do not agree with that. I spend all day listening to bawling cattle and the rough voices of men. In the evening, I would like to hear the soft voice of a she-wolf
“l’ll . . . I’ll try to think of something we can discuss during meals.” She says.
“Good.” I turn back to my task. “Before we leave, you need to tell Wade to let you pick out a horse. Beauty belongs to Maggie. Reckon it’s time we stopped borrowing her.”
- Writer
