“Why?” Liz asked.

“Just that I know Dewar is ready to settle down, and his folks are really ready for him to stop playing around,” Haskell said. “Poppa is here, and we’re watching NCIS reruns on television tonight. He likes that show, and I made him banana pudding with whipped cream. Have fun, and I’m glad you are making friends. There are good people in Ringgold. You’ll fit right in with them.”

“Uncle Haskell, I’ll take pictures of everything when the place is decorated. I love everything,” she said.

“I knew you would. Sara always wished she could’ve had you, rather than God giving you to Marva Jo. But life does have a bunch of twists and turns. Call me and send pictures when you get all that situated,” he said.

“Good night, Uncle Haskell,” she said.

A warm feeling settled around her like a tightly crocheted shawl on a cold winter night. She wrapped her arms around her body to hold it closer and jumped when someone knocked on the door.

She opened it a crack and looked out to see Raylen standing with his hands shoved down in the pockets of his jeans, then she slung it open.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want to scare you. I hopped over the fence and was in my yard before I remembered that I drove my truck over this morning and parked out by your barn. I was afraid you’d hear the engine and think someone was trying to steal your Christmas stuff,” he explained.

“Come on in,” she said.

“Can’t. Still got some chores. Just wanted to let you know about the truck. Don’t know what in the devil I was thinking,” he said.

She opened the screen door and stepped out on the porch. “Thanks.”

He cupped her face in his hands and looked deeply into her brown eyes. “You really are very beautiful, Liz, and I don’t say that to all the girls.”

She didn’t have time to answer before his lips found hers in a blaze that burned every thought of anyone or anything from her mind. All too soon, it was over, and he stepped back.

“Good night, Liz,” he whispered and disappeared into the night.

Chapter 7

The night was clear with the faintest hint of a crisp fall breeze. Wispy clouds strung out like spun strings of cotton candy over a waning moon that promised werewolves, witches, goblins, and maybe even shapeshifters later on in the evening. Across the river bridge in Terral, little children were at the community center eating hotdogs and nachos before their parents loaded them on the back of hay wagons and took them trick or treating. Some would even ride across the river bridge to Ringgold in their cute costumes to hold out their bags to aunts and uncles, grandmothers and friends. Excitement had danced in the air all day, and Liz was more excited than the trick-or-treaters as she thought about her very first Halloween party.

She wore her orange belly dancing outfit, pulled her dark hair up into a ponytail, and stretched a two-inch wide jeweled hair clip around the base. She artfully applied her stage makeup, which included extra eye shadow, liner, and a deep, dark burgundy lip liner and lipstick, then very carefully affixed the headpiece, a double row of dangling, sparkling crystals with a pear-cut topaz resting between her eyes.