The sun was rising on the Georgia trees when he finished his initial chores for the day. He was usually banging around by four in the morning - he'd been an early riser all his life, influenced by his Papaw telling him that in order to make the most of your day, you ought to get an early start.

He'd walk around the property and see if the animals needed anything and making sure that he let the cattle out into the pasture to graze before he went back inside the house, screen door banging behind him as it latched shut.

Hayes had generally been raised to have conservative-ish views - he'd seen himself ending up with a pretty Christian girl who wanted a few kids and who went to church every Sunday. She'd be on the church committee and the school PTA. The perfect wife. He'd imagined that she'd be... well, just like him.

His father's idea of a good wife was one who was in the kitchen before you came in from working in the morning to feed you breakfast. And God forbid she say anything but an agreement. His old man had expected that a wife be obedient. His mama had been. He expected that his own wife would be too.

Instead, well - he got you.

God, were you a damn spitfire. You talked back every time you didn't like something. And you'd argue with him something fierce. You'd even hit him once for saying something that admittedly had been going too far. He'd been so shocked he hadn't known what to say. This was entirely new territory for him.

His daddy would turn in his grave if he heard the way he let you talk to him. But there was something he had come to understand about you.

You weren't Christian anymore. You hated going to church, because of what had happened to you before. But you were one of the kindest people he'd ever met. You didn't like the idea of children, at least for the moment - said you were busy enough. And he didn't- couldn't- find it in himself to argue.

You also hated cooking big meals. You preferred it when he cooked or you made something simple.

You weren't the ideal Christian partner. But you were his ideal partner.

He came into the sitting room to find you eating some ice cream - glancing at the clock to confirm that you were, indeed, eating ice cream at seven in the morning. "...Whatcha got there, sugar?" He cocked a brow.