Step 3
He watched as she stood on the raft and did a perfect dive off. He didn’t move until he saw her head out of the water. She shook the water from her curls and picked up her towel to dry herself. But she dropped it with a shriek when she saw the man walking towards her.
And a moment later she was in his arms kissing him like she never wanted to stop.
He moved her away minutes later to take a deep breath. He moved the curls from her face.
"Missed me?"
"No," she told him. "But I missed your kisses." She reached down and picked up her towel then smiling at the wetness of his shirt.
He saw her scrutiny. "I was dry before I came down here."
She moved towards him again and hugged him again. "It is a warm day. You will dry in no time."
He kissed her again. "If the sun doesn’t, your kisses will steam it dry."
She laughed. "I have missed you so much."
"Likewise," he told her. "It was the longest semester I have ever endured at college. I am so glad that I am home."
"Where is Brian?" she asked him as they walked towards the farmhouse.
"Visiting with my sister. Mother told him she was in the stables with Regan so he headed there and I followed my shamus."
"Honey was coming down for a swim later but I guess she got held up."
"I don’t think Brian will want to let her out of his sight for a while."
They walked up the steps and into the kitchen.
"I will just go and get changed and then we can talk."
He nodded. She gave him a quick kiss and hurried upstairs.
Moms walked into the kitchen. She smiled at Jim. "Was that my daughter thundering up the stairs?"
He laughed. "I thought age might have slowed her down, but obviously it hasn’t."
Moms shook her head. "When she is not delving into some mystery, or at school she is off somewhere with Honey. I wish I had some of her energy."
"So do I." Jim smiled.
Trixie was downstairs within minutes. She ran into the kitchen and then hurried over to hug her brother.
"I am glad you are home. Mart arrived last night."
He smiled down at her. "Had to get home in time to take our favourite girls to their prom didn’t we?"
"You would not have been popular if you didn’t," Honey told them and the boys both grinned.
"It is only two in the afternoon. You don’t have to start getting ready yet do you?"
Trixie shook her head. "Five minutes is all I need."
Jim laughed. "I think that you might need more time than that."
She gave him a hug. "Then how about ten?"
* * *
After trying for the fourth time to tie his tie Jim groaned with frustration.
"Need help son?"
Jim looked towards the door and smiled at his father.
"Would I."
His father walked into his bedroom and walked in front of him.
"All thumbs son?" He asked as he tied Jim's tie perfectly."
"I sure am. And nervous too. I have been to so many dances with Trixie but tonight seems different."
"Why?"
Jim was silent for a moment and then looked at his father.
"Dad when did you realise that you were in love with mother?"
His father smiled, remembering the poem.
"We were having dinner with some of our school friends. Your mother laughed at something someone said and then tossed her hair back like she does. Suddenly it was like a donkey had punched me in the stomach. I was speechless. I suddenly realised I was in love."
"What did you do?"
"Took her home that night and told her."
"What did she say?"
His dad laughed. "Before or after she burst into tears."
Jim laughed. "Women are emotional, aren’t they?"
His father nodded. "She told me then that she had been in love with me for ages and then we shared the best kiss I had ever received."
He patted Jim on the shoulder. "You will know, Jim, you will know."
"Thanks, Dad. I had better go and pick Trixie up."
They went downstairs and Brian was waiting impatiently.
"She will be down in a minute Brian." Matthew Wheeler smiled.
Brian nodded and then looked up. Jim heard him exhale loudly.
Jim smiled as his sister walked slowly down the stairs. In her deep green dress, even Jim thought she looked nice.
As she reached Brian, everyone else was forgotten. Jim smiled as he headed out the door.
The butterflies hit him again as he turned off his car. It was an effort to get out of the car and go and knock on the door.
Mr Belden answered. "Come in, Jim. She will be down in a moment."
"Thank you, Mr Belden," Jim managed to get out.
"Brian and Mart have already left."
"I saw Brian at the house."
Moms then came down the stairs and smiled at Jim. She then pointed up the stairs.
Jim tried to swallow twice and then succeeded on the third.
He watched in awe as Trixie walked slowly down the stairs. The deep blue strapless dress fitted her body to perfection. Her hair had been brushed up at the sides and clipped with tiny deep blue slides. Her shoulders had been brushed with glitter powder, which made her slightly ethereal.
She stopped just in front of him. "Took me a little longer than ten minutes," she whispered.
He smiled. "You look gorgeous, Miss Belden. You will definitely be the belle of the ball."
"Not with Honey and Di there."
"A matter of opinion, Trix."
"And yours is the only one that counts." She smiled.
After enduring the many photos, they were on their way.
* * *
"My sister scrubs up pretty well."
Jim looked over and smiled at Brian. "So does mine."
"Trixie looks so beautiful tonight but it only seems yesterday she was standing there in Ten Acres demanding to know who I was."
"And Honey was so shy and so frail I thought that I would break her if I touched her."
Jim looked over to where the three girls were huddled together. "Nothing changes though. They are still all together talking about us men."
Just then Trixie looked up and flashed him a smile.
His eyes widened as realisation hit him.
Brian watched his friend’s face and smiled. "Hits you like a ton of bricks, doesn’t it?"
"What?" he almost stammered.
"Love, Jim, love."
Jim looked at his friend for a moment and then back at Trixie. "So, now what do I do?"
"Telling her might be a good start."
Jim nodded as Trixie walked towards him.
"You have kept him long enough, Brian," Trixie said. "He is mine for the rest of the evening."
She then looked up at Jim. "Are you all right?"
He nodded and then took her into his arms. And for the rest of the evening that is where she stayed.
After the last dance, they walked back to the car. Jim was still quiet and Trixie was worried. When he went to open her door she put her hand on his. "Is there something the matter, Jim? You have been preoccupied over the last hour."
Jim smiled down at her, noticing how her hair glowed golden in the moonlight. "I am fine, honey, but I have something I want to tell you."
"Have you found someone else?" she asked with a quiver in her voice.
He drew her into his arms. "I could never find anyone else like you, Trix. You are unique."
"Then what. It must be serious."
He looked down into her eyes and the love in his heart surged into his. And Trixie saw it.
"Jim?" she whispered.
"Trixie Belden, I’m madly and utterly in love with you."
Her tears dampened the white shirt he was wearing.
When she looked up, he gently wiped her eyes.
"Back with me again."
She nodded. "I’ve been in love with you forever, Jim," she told him and his heart again soared.
"I know it will be hard being apart for so much of the time," he told her.
"But I know that we can make it work." She reached up and drew him down for a kiss that seemed to come from heaven itself.
To Be Continued