Grayson

Chapter Thirteen

"Why are we going to the church again?" Callie asked Annie as they rode up the grassy hill to the church in Annie's small buggy.

"Because the preachers wife, Mrs. Vently, wanted to see us about getting some skirts and dresses made." Annie replied. Callie crossed her arms over her chest.

"Is there any reason why she couldn't have come to us like every other person in this town does?" Annie fought to hide her smile at Callie's bad mood. It had been four days since Jack had died and been laid to rest and Annie knew that Grayson had grown a little distant from Callie during the last few days. Though she knew the real reason for Grayson's distance she was not about to let it slip to Callie. The girl would find out soon enough.

"Because she asked for us to come meet with her at the church." Annie replied. Callie didn't reply and Annie sighed and turned her attention back to the road. As they topped over the hill and the church came into view Callie's eyes widened slightly when she recognized Peter, Peggy Sue, Lauren and James standing outside the big oak doors.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"He'll tell you." Annie replied nodding toward Grayson who was riding up on his large buckskin. Callie's eyes widened as he came to a stop beside the buggy and held his hand out for her. Callie looked at him questioningly but jumped from the buggy and up into the saddle in front of him.

"You all go on in. We'll be along in a minute." he said to everybody and then he rode up to the top of the hill. He jumped down and helped Callie from the saddle as well. He walked her over to a large blooming dogwood tree and held both of her hands gently in one of his large calloused ones.

"I love you, Callie." he said and Callie could hear the nervousness in his voice. She looked up at him questioningly.

"I love you too, Gray… What's going on?"

"Callie when I left here five years ago I never expected to come back. And when I did come back I didn't expect to stay. I was going to leave the same night I arrived but the thought of seeing you stopped me. I just wanted to check on you. To make sure you were okay after all these years. I thought for sure you'd be married and wouldn't want to have anything to do with the likes of me after all this time. Then I saw your face and I saw the look in your eyes when you looked at me and I knew there was no way in this world I could leave you again..

"The biggest regret in my life this far is leaving you behind the first time I left here. I love you, Callie Logan. You are the only person in this world that I need. I've always been proud of being independent and not needing anyone but I need you. I know I said I wouldn't marry you until I was sure I deserved you again but I'm beginning to realize that no matter what I do I will never really deserve you and I'm sick and tired of waiting. We should have gotten married five years ago Callie and while I can't give you back the years that we lost, I can promise to make every single year we have left together better than the year before.

"Now I don't have a ring and I can't afford to give you a big wedding but the preacher is down there waiting and our friends and family are here to support us so…." Grayson got down on his knee and looked up at Callie as tears fell from her blue eyes and slid silently down her cheeks.

"Callie Logan, will you marry me today?" Callie couldn't believe her ears. She had been waiting for so long for this moment that it truly felt like a dream.

"Is this real?" she asked breathlessly. Grayson looked up at her and prayed that her tears were a good thing.

"Yes honey, it's real. You've got the big, brooding, tough guy down on his knees begging for you.. Please put me out of my misery, Callie." Callie laughed happily and dropped to her knees in front of him. She laid her hands on his cheeks.