“Why don’t you use the kid Steve?  He’s right there; she’ll probably be stupid and give him a key-”

“Because you don’t take risks with something like this.  I have a plan and we’ll work that plan.  She’ll be begging for help by the time I’m done with her.”

Nick Jaros asked no more questions.  He knew when to question and when to agree.  This was a time to be very agreeable.  Instead, he’d have to invest in battery powered thermal underwear or something to keep himself from having frostbite of the derriere.

“Got it?”

“Got it.”

Steve eyed him cautiously.  “Should I be concerned?”

“About what?”  Nick ignored the trail of sweat coursing down his neck.

“Your ability to complete this job.  I have others-”

“I’ve got it boss.”  Nick turned and walked to his car.  As he opened the door, a shot rang out and he slumped to the ground.

Solari glanced at the man rounding the corner of the old warehouse buildings.  “Took you too long.  You can’t hesitate or you’ll be the one who never drives home.”

“Some kids were heading this way.  I had to scare ‘em off without being seen.”

“How’d you manage that?”  Solari rolled his eyes at the suit jacket and slacks Ben Fischer wore.  He had grandiose ideas of becoming a mafia hit man.

“Cop lights.  I flicked them on just before they came around the corner.  Ran like scared puppies.”

“Good work.”

“So, I go after the girl now?”

Eyes narrowed, Solari took two steps toward Ben and raised his sunglasses.  “Do not harm her.  If she gets a single scratch from your actions, you’ll wish you were lying there next to Nick.”  He waited for his words to sink in for a moment and then added.  “She’s an attractive girl.  With a good haircut and the right clothes, she’d turn every head in a room.  Don’t look twice.  It’s not happenin’.”

“Not interested Mr. Solari.”

Steve waited until the man rounded the corner and then slipped back into his sports car.  “That was the wrong thing to say my boy.  The wrong thing.”

***

Chad reached for the deodorant but found the shelf empty.  He rifled through his duffel bag and still found nothing.  “Must be on Willow’s sink still.  Drat,” he muttered as he pulled on his shirt.  He’d have to get another stick before his shift.  “Might as well keep that one at Willow’s-”

He stopped.  His words echoed through his mind.  For twenty-four hours, his father’s words had taunted him.  He wanted to believe his parents were wrong but every minute that passed seemed to prove the opposite.  He had made himself at home in her life and while he didn’t think Willow’s reputation was truly at stake, the rest of his father’s rebuke hung around his heart like a weight.  He tried to protest that his parents didn’t understand, and he was right.  They didn’t understand.  Some of their concerns were valid while others were based upon a reality that Willow hadn’t entered yet.

“Lord, I prayed about what to do and ten hours later my father tells me exactly what to do.  Is that You?  Is it just his opinion?  Am I crazy to want it and reject it at the same time?  The convenience alone-”

***

Friday, a heavy snow blanketed the entire Rockland area in eight inches of snow.  Chad and Willow spent the afternoon making a snowman and talking excitedly about Christmas.  Ben watched from the road with high-powered binoculars.  “Well, the boss was right; she’s not a bad lookin’ girl.”

The man flipped open his cell phone and listened with growing concern on his face.  He turned to the girl, Willow, and asked something sending her into the house.  Ben swore.  Snowmen were easier to observe.  If they went inside, he’d have to get out in the cold and that dog would probably bark again.  Step one- silence the dog.

The couple carried several boxes out to the man’s truck.  Ben watched amused as the man gave Willow a quick hug and jumped into the truck.  “Not kissing the woman goodbye.  That’s interesting.  Boss’ll be glad to hear that.”

He waited for brake lights and then started his car driving down the highway and turning into Fairbury ahead of Chad.  Once Chad passed the convenience store, Ben tore out of the parking lot and raced back to the farm.  Phase one to begin.

***

The temperature was dropping steadily.  Willow decided it was time to bring in the chickens before their crops got frost bitten.  She pulled on her coat and boots, donned her gloves and hat, and stepped out into the yard.  The sight of Saige hanging from her clothesline by the neck with blood dripping into the snow sickened her.  She raced for the sink and lost what little was left in her stomach.

Reaching for her phone, she shoved her hands in her pocket wondering why someone would do something like that.  “Get a grip Willow.  You’ve strung up deer like that a hundred times.  Well, twenty anyway.”

“Chad?  Come home.  Now.  Just-” she collapsed in uncontrollable weeping.

With a flagrant disregard for ice and safety, Chad tore down the highway, up the driveway, and slipped and stumbled his way into the house.  “Willow?”

“The back yard- clothesline.”

Uncertain as to what he’d find, Chad stopped beside her on the chaise and brushed her hair from her face.  Illogically he noticed that it had the same attractive windblown look that it occasionally had after she let it down from its customary braid.  “Be right back,” he whispered into her ear comfortingly.  “It’s going to be ok.  Whatever it is, it’ll be ok.”

One look at the clothesline and Chad whipped open his phone and called for Joe and Martinez.  “I know you’re busy but this is a crime.  Get the women from the church to dole out those candles.  It’s not a police matter.  This is.”

Chad returned to Willow’s side and wrapped an arm around her as he slid under her head.  “Oh I am so sorry.  She was a good pup.”

“Why?  Did you take her down?  I couldn’t.”

“I can’t either.  Not until the guys arrive.  They were giving out candles.”

“That reminds me, does anyone need wood?  I have plenty of wood-”

“We can let them know,” he assured her.

***

By the time dinner was over, Willow’s hurt had morphed into anger.  Someone had harmed her animal.  The officers found where a sniper must have set up his gun in order to kill the dog without sending her into a barking fit.  At this news, Willow’s sorrow began to harden into a desire to find and see the culprit pay for his crimes.

Chad watched her all afternoon.  As though detached from himself, he watched their interaction together, their camaraderie, and even a bit of chemistry.  He’d been blinded by proximity.  He saw, in nearly every thing they said or did the things that both delighted and concerned his parents.  It was time to talk.

“I’ve been thinking about things.”

“About Saige?

He groaned.  Maybe this wasn’t a good time for this.  “No.  Maybe I shouldn’t-”

“Good.  I don’t feel like talking about it.  She was just a dog but you have to be a sick person to do that to an animal for no reason.  I don’t like the idea of a sick person like that anywhere near my land and I really don’t want to talk about it until we’ve found out who did it.  I am so glad Ryder was out of town this weekend.”

He needed to do it.  Why was it so hard if their relationship was the simple friendship he claimed it was?  Why did he suddenly dread her answer?  Should he give her the option?  Maybe he should bring it up, as something neither had much choice but to agree to.

With a deep breath, a prayer, and more nerves than he knew he possessed, Chad launched into his pitch.  “You know, you’re my best friend.”

“I was thinking about that today.”

“We have kind of a unique friendship but it’s good and strong and I don’t want to see anything change it.”

Willow sat up straighter on the chaise.  Something about Chad’s tone was different.  “Is everything ok?”

“Come here,” Chad urged, his voice low.

“What-”

“Come to me Willow, we’ve got to talk.”

A sense of dread filled Willow’s heart and spirit as she rose from the chaise.  The sight of Chad’s arms ready to pull her to him released some of the air she’d held in her lungs but didn’t quell the sick feeling that grew inside of her.  “I-”

“Shh.  I need to talk to you and it’s difficult for me.  Just give me a few minutes ok?”

With his arms around her shoulders, nearly choking her at the neck at times, Chad prayed silently for strength, courage, and wisdom.  This would be the hardest thing he’d ever done since the day he acknowledged the Lord’s claim on his life.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“But-”

He laid a finger on her lips chuckling softly.  “You’ve never been so chatty!  Let me talk.

“Well you’re not exactly Mr. Orator as a general rule,” she challenged turning her head to meet his eyes.

“You know, I once considered kissing you to shut you up and if you keep it up, I might just do it.”

Her eyes widened like a child’s on Christmas morning.  She started to speak but clamped a hand over her own mouth giggling as she did.  Chad grinned.  “That’s how I keep you in line.  I’m not sure that’s very flattering but-”

He took a deep breath and tried to reorganize his thoughts.  He’d already strayed too far off topic.  “Anyway, I don’t want to lose you and yet, I have no claim on you.  I’m just your friend- and I like that,” he hastened to add.  “I-”

Willow ignored his threats and moved away from Chad looking deeply into his eyes trying to read his thoughts.  “What’s wrong Chad?  What have I done wrong?  I can’t take this suspense.  I feel like I did when I was five and Mother caught me doing something wrong but was too angry to deal with me.”

He pulled her back to him.  “Hush!  I told you-”

“Obviously empty threats so just spit it out and I’m not swapping.”

He snorted as she spoke.  “That’s a good one.  Ok.  Let me try this again.”

“Can you just get to the point?”

“I think we should get married.”

Stillness fell over the room.  Chad fought to find the words he wanted to say and Willow fought the rising panic his words had already prompted.  “Chad-”

“Shh.  Listen first.  I don’t want to say this but I must.  I’m not in love with you.  I do love you.  I mean, that’s kind of obvious.  But I don’t really feel a whole lot different for you than Aunt Libby or Cheri or any of Luke’s sisters- and yet I do.”

“You do what?”

“Feel differently about you than them,” he tried to explain.  “I mean, like I’ve told the Lord, I’m not exactly immune to you.”

“What does that mean?”

His heart sank as he realized she truly didn’t know what he was trying to say. “Well, you’re attractive Willow.  I know that.  I won’t pretend that sometimes I’m not more aware of it than others.”

Fear filled her heart as he spoke.  At that point, no words could have been less encouraging if he’d tried.  “That’s not something I am comfortable discussing.”

“I know, but I needed to be honest,” he insisted.  “Willow, my parents made a valid point when they were here.”

“What was that,” she asked curiously.  She knew she was grasping at any other topic than physical attraction.  There were times, usually when Chad was bearing some burden of hers and being particularly affectionate, when she was more keenly aware of him than she cared to consider or admit.

“Dad said I was ‘playing house’ by spending so much time out here.  He accused me of, and I confess I do see his point, of well-” Oh how Chad wished he could avoid the discussion.  He should have gone with his inclination just to decide for them and pray she went along with it.  “Well, of enjoying all or most anyway, of the benefits of a husband without any solid commitment behind it.”

Willow swallowed hard.  She didn’t like where this discussion was going.  “I-”

“In my defense,” he continued ignoring her interruption.  “I wasn’t trying to avoid a commitment to you.  I’d considered all of this before and truly thought it was wrong of me to even mention it.  I thought, ‘what happens if she meets someone else- I’ve denied her.’  You know what I thought.”

“I told you that-”

“Yes, and I believed you and allowed things to continue as they were but I see my parents’ point.  They love you.  They love me.  They want what is best for us and after considering their opinions and praying about this, I think they’re right.  I think we should get married.”

“I feel,” she began, “A little like Elizabeth Bennett must have felt in Pride and Prejudice.  You haven’t told me you care about me against your better judgment or that I’m beneath you or anything but this is a very Darcy-like proposal you’ve thrown at me.  ‘I’m not in love with you, although you don’t repulse me or anything, but to keep up appearances I think I should deny myself the rights of a bachelor and make an honest woman of you.’  My how gallant you are Chad.  Forgive me for not being overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Her sarcasm cut him deeply.  She was right.  He had bungled the discussion disgracefully.  “Willow, right now, I want nothing more than to pretend we haven’t had this discussion.”

“Well that makes two of us.  The motion is carried.”

“How did you know-”

Her impatience sent her to her feet, hands on hips, and eyes flashing.  “Roberts Rules of Order.  On the third shelf of the center bookcase, two thirds of the way from the left.  I’m not an idiot Chad.”

“You’re angry with me.”

“Brilliant observation.”

He smiled up at her.  “Come here.”

“You must be joking.”

“Willow,” he pressed, his voice growing soft and low again.  “Come here.  Let’s talk.”

“I don’t really want to talk Chad.”

“Well you don’t get that option.  Friends don’t just clam up and let things stand like this when there is a problem.  They work it out.”  Chad couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  His mother had pounded that idea into his head since childhood and he still had a tendency to run from emotionally difficult situations.

“But you’ll be all nice and I’ll get comfortable again and then-”

“Come Willow.”

“No.”

Chad stood, scooped her off her feet, and sat once more with her on his lap.  “We have to talk.”

She dropped her head against his chest, tears occasionally dropping with it.  “I don’t want to.”

“Then I’ll talk.  You listen.”

He smoothed her hair, wiped her tears, and spoke soothingly about his idea.  They were best friends, he asserted and she couldn’t deny it.  They were nearly living as husband and wife as it was.  “I’d be here more.  I could help more without feeling like I was overstepping.” He swallowed.  “I wouldn’t have to go home.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Aww Willow.  You know I’d never-”

“That’s part of marriage Chad.  It’s a part I can’t-”

“Shh,” he soothed.  “Listen.  I can’t say that a lifetime of marriage in separate rooms will work.  I’m realistic enough to know that the time would come-” He took a deep breath praying for the right words.  “But I am not Steven Solari Jr.  I would never force-”

“I know,” she whispered painfully.  “And I could never force a man into a marriage without-”

“Hey, hey,” he replied, trying to calm a fresh wave of tears.  “No one is forcing anyone into anything.  I’m asking and at this point I’ve quit begging God for you to say yes and pleading that He won’t let you say no.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“I wish.  Yes is an agreement.  A lack of a no just means maybe.”

With her arms wrapped tight around his chest and her head over his heart, she sighed.  “Well, I can’t ever tell you no but-”

“That’s enough for now Willow.  Take it to the Lord but whatever you do, or decide, or anything, we can’t let it affect our friendship.  I didn’t know how important it was to me until about thirty two seconds ago when I thought I’d lost it.”