“Lily. Lilaea.” He took a deep breath. “I…”
“There you are,” came a voice from behind him. He spun in the water, seeing Maggie standing on the riverbank. She made a disgusted face. “Get out of the creek and into your shirt and shoes, Charlie. Mama's been calling you for supper for the past twenty minutes.”
Swearing under his breath, Charlie turned back to Lily, but she was gone. No hint existed she had ever been there. Fuming, he swam back to the bank and pulled his clothes on roughly, furious he had lost his opportunity.
*****
From the protection of the waterfall, Lilaea watched as Charlie stomped away up the path to the farmhouse, following his sister. She smiled sadly. She suspected she knew what he had been about to say, and was grateful for Margaret's interruption. How could she e
