Chapter 16 - The Table Turned
For eleven days, Harlan found reasons not to stay.
Timber crews.
Horses.
Fence repairs.
Snow damage.
Harriet recognized avoidance because she had practiced it professionally for years.
On the twelfth day she lost patience.
She loaded a loaf into a basket, saddled Molly, and rode to Jessup Ridge.
Harlan was splitting wood.
He saw her.
The ax stopped.
“Morning.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“No morning?”
“No pretending.”
He set the ax down.
Harriet dismounted.
“You have been avoiding me.”
“No.”
“Poor start.”
He sighed.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Harlan wiped his hands.
“Coffee?”
“No.”
“That's serious.”
“Yes.”
He sat on the porch step.
Harriet remained standing.
Finally he said, “You don't need me anymore.”
For a moment she thought she had misheard.
“What?”
“You saved the land.”
“We saved it.”
“You built the business. Town follows you now. Your father is improving.”
“Harlan.”
“I came into this because Samuel asked me to watch out for you.”
Her temper ignited.
“We burned that letter.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you resurrecting it?”
He looked toward the mountains.
“Because I don't know whether you chose me or needed me.”
Harriet stared.
Of all the foolish—
She sat beside him.
“Harlan Jessup.”
“Yes.”
“You are an idiot.”
“Possibly.”
“No. Legally certifiable.”
“That bad?”
“You paid twenty dollars for bread.”
“It was excellent.”
She fought a smile.
He continued.
“You'd been cornered when this started. Father sick. Vale coming. House failing.”
“And?”
“And maybe I became part of surviving it.”
Harriet finally understood.
Harlan was afraid of being another bargain.
Of her confusing gratitude with love.
The irony almost made her laugh.
She touched his hand.
“When did you decide this?”
“After Silver Junction.”
“Why?”
“You stood across from a man offering a hundred thousand dollars and didn't blink.”
“I blinked internally.”
“Couldn't tell.”
“That was the goal.”
He smiled faintly.
Harriet squeezed his fingers.
“You think strength means I stop needing people.”
“No.”
“You do.”
He looked at her.
She continued.
“I don't need you to rescue me.”
“I know.”
“I don't need your money.”
“I definitely know.”
“I don't need you to speak for me.”
A smile.
“Very much know.”
“But I want you.”
His face changed.
Harriet's heart hammered.
“Those are not the same thing.”
“No.”
“You taught me that.”
“I did?”
“You said a bargain leaves people free to walk away.”
“Yes.”
“Well.”
She released his hand.
“You are free.”
Harlan went still.
“So am I.”
She stood.
“And I'm choosing to stay.”
He stared up at her.
Harriet folded her arms.
“Unless you'd prefer I leave.”
He rose so quickly she stepped back.
“No.”
The word was almost a growl.
She smiled.
“Good.”
Harlan touched her face.
“Harriet.”
“Yes?”
“I've been miserable.”
“I noticed.”
“You could have come sooner.”
Her mouth fell open.
“You avoided me!”
“I was trying to be noble.”
“You were terrible at it.”
“I know.”
She kissed him.
Snow began drifting around them.
Harlan pulled back laughing.
“I wanted to ask you something before Vale ruined the timing.”
Harriet remembered.
At the cabin.
After this is over…
Her pulse jumped.
Harlan reached into his coat.
Then stopped.
“Actually.”
“What?”
He looked toward the cabin.
“Wait.”
He disappeared inside.
Harriet stood in the snow.
“One minute!” he shouted.
“What are you doing?”
“Fixing something.”
“You cannot fix romance with carpentry!”
“Watch me.”
He returned carrying something wrapped in cloth.
He set it on the porch rail.
Harriet crossed her arms.
“This had better be impressive.”
Harlan removed the cloth.
A black cast-iron Dutch oven.
Harriet stared.
Her Dutch oven.
The same one from the box social.
Except Harlan had polished it until the iron shone.
Around the lid's edge he had carved a wooden carrying frame.
On the wood were small letters.
REAL FOOD. NOT AIR AND SUGAR.
Harriet laughed.
Then cried.
“Oh, you ridiculous man.”
“I thought it was clever.”
“It is terrible.”
“That's unfortunate.”
“Why?”
“Because the ring is inside.”
Harriet stopped.
Harlan lifted the lid.
Inside, resting on a folded cloth, was a simple gold ring.
No diamond.
No enormous jewel.
Just gold.
Warm and solid.
Like bread.
Like sunlight.
Like something made to last.
Harlan picked it up.
Then he looked at Harriet.
“I had a speech.”
“What happened?”
“You insulted the Dutch oven.”
“Sorry.”
“No, you're not.”
“No.”
He took her hand.
“Harriet Bell, I loved you before I had the sense to admit it.”
Her eyes filled.
“I loved watching you scare grown men over burnt coffee.”
“It was terrible coffee.”
“I loved your bread.”
“Obviously.”
“I loved that you never asked permission to be strong, even when people made you apologize for it.”
Harriet's mouth trembled.
“And I love you now because you're you. Not because you need me. Not because I need you. Though I do.”
He took one breath.
“Marry me.”
Harriet looked at the ring.
Then Harlan.
The man who had never once asked her to become smaller.
A terrible thought occurred.
She narrowed her eyes.
“How much did that ring cost?”
Harlan stared.
“Harriet.”
“How much?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
He muttered a number.
Her eyebrows rose.
“Harlan Jessup!”
“I knew this would happen.”
“You overpaid.”
“I liked it.”
“You could have bargained.”
“I'm marrying the woman who made me pay twenty dollars for bread. Clearly I'm hopeless.”
Harriet laughed until she cried harder.
Then she kissed him.
When they separated, Harlan whispered, “Is that yes?”
“No.”
His face fell.
She smiled.
“That was punishment for avoiding me eleven days.”
“Harriet.”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He lifted her from the ground.
Harriet gasped.
Then stiffened instinctively.
Old fear.
Too heavy.
Harlan looked at her.
“Don't.”
She remembered.
Don't apologize for taking up space.
Harriet wrapped her arms around his neck.
Harlan carried her inside.
Not because she needed carrying.
Because for once, she wanted to be.
They returned to Bitter Creek that evening.
Samuel took one look at Harriet's hand.
“Finally.”
Harriet stared.
“You knew?”
“Harlan asked permission months ago.”
She spun toward Harlan.
“You what?”
Harlan backed toward the door.
“Old habit.”
“You asked my father before asking me?”
Samuel began laughing.
Harriet chased Harlan through the dining room with a dish towel.
Boarders cheered.
Pearl entered midway through the pursuit.
“What happened?”
“Harlan became traditional!”
Pearl immediately joined Harriet.
The mountain man who could handle blizzards, horses, axes, and armed men fled two furious women through the boarding house.
Samuel laughed until tears ran down his face.
For the first time in years, the old building sounded not like work.
Like home.
May you like
But Harriet was not finished changing Bitter Creek.
Because the morning after her engagement, she stood inside the repaired kitchen, looked at rows of cooling loaves, and realized the thing everyone once mocked had become larger than the boarding house could contain.
