Dark Angel (Casteel 2)

"Yes, we didn't have blessings or bounties, but

Granny never seemed to know that. She was always

expecting the best would show up one day. I guess

when you're not used to anything, you don't expect too

much. When she said grace, I used to silently pray

that God would take away her aches and pains." He fell into silence after that, appearing

thoughtful as we both ate our sumptuous picnic lunch.

And I myself had made the yellow cake with thick

fudge frosting in Troy's own kitchen.

"This is the best cake I've ever eaten!" He

licked the chocolate from his fingers. "Another slice,

please."

"Wouldn't-it be nice if we could always be

together like this? You and me. I could go to college,

while we live in your cottage."

His dark eyes shadowed with so much pain,

suddenly the sunny day went dark.

He didn't love me! He didn't need me! I was

seducing him, or trying to, just as Cal Dennison had

seduced me with his own needs and desires,

disregarding mine. I handed him his second slice of

cake, now too embarrassed even to look at him. With

my head lowered so he couldn't see my suffering, I

quickly cleared the tablecloth, and without washing the used plates and flatware in the stream as I'd intended doing when first I saw the water, I threw everything back into the picnic hamper in a grand heap that wouldn't allow me to close the top. Fiercely

angry I shoved the basket his way.

"Here's your basket!" I choked.

His stunned expression forced me to scramble

to my feet, then I ran toward my horse. "I'm going

home!" I cried out childishly. "I realize you don't need

anybody like me stuck permanently in your life! All