Things seemed to cool considerably between Mack and Lucy over the next few days as the wedding approached. She was practically living at his house full-time at his insistence, sleeping in his bed, sharing meals with him and accepting rides to and from the diner from him. But they barely spoke and when they did, he was almost never civilized. The only place they communicated was in bed where, oddly enough, his lovemaking had taken on a tender, almost desperate turn. As though he knew he was driving her away and needed to cling to her in those moments. Speaking to her through actions when words failed him.
Lucy lay awake, watching her sleeping boyfriend. Dawn edged through the drawn curtains, caressing his features. Used to farm hours, she was almost always awake before him unless he had to
