"Is that what he told you?" Charlie asked because that was so far from what he had been saying during that first conversation and even further from anything he'd said in the second that he wasn't sure how this happened.
"He didn't ask me to marry him, he asked if men got married on reserves, and I told him how things have been happening on reserves in the time he missed. And he asked if we could do that if it would help the image we have on the reserve if we stayed together but were married too - you should have seen his face though." Charlie shook his head. "He looked like he wanted to do anything but even consider the option of getting married, and I told him we could look for another option. I never said anything about not wanting to marry him, I just didn't want to force him into a marriage that he'd only put himself through for the benefit of others. I've gone my whole life without ever even considering the idea of getting married, if I was going to do it with anyone it'd be Callum, but not just so that other people would think it was okay for us to be together. I wouldn't do that to myself or to him."
Charlie threw up his hands. "I damn well told him I loved him, that I'd do anything to make our ... our relationship work, and he told me it hurt too much. I don't know how else to tell him I love him after I've all ready said it in plain English."