There was a split-second pause, a break so small Mia couldn’t fit in a word before Sid filled her in on Martin’s offer. She clearly didn’t expect reciprocity, and it was obvious there’d been more going on in her brilliant mind than Mia had ever imagined.
“I have pieces that still need to come together, but I have a lot of support, and I really think my plan can work. For both of us. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this before now. I know I should have. I really want you—”
“Sid, where are you?”
“I’m on the path, I promise. I will make this work for us. No, we can make this work—”
“No, I mean where are you physically? Your meeting. You have to be there in twenty minutes, don’t you?”
“Crap. Yes. Hopefully New York traffic will be flowing. Okay, I have to go. I love you, Mia Jarvis.”
Again, not a split second before the phone went silent. Mia sat staring at it, thinking about what Sid had said and realizing that she had a path to follow as well.
Chapter Thirty
“Come on, Harris, haul your cute little ass out of that water!” Mia held Sid’s towel at the edge of the lake. She was already wrapped and dried from the evening swim. The time had flown. It was Tuesday night, and Sid had returned from her trip just hours before. As soon as she arrived at the trailer, Mia and the dogs were summoned into the truck.
“We’re going to the lake!” Sid had yelled from the cab. Unable to resist the joyous demand, Mia had grabbed towels and the comforter from her bed, along with a small picnic basket, before jumping in with Sid, Flynn, and Milo.
Now, Sid marched slowly from the water, reminding Mia of every kid who’d been called to shore before they were ready. “It’s warmer in the lake!” She was shivering as Mia wrapped her in the towel.
“Yes, but I missed you, and I have alternative ways of warming you up.” Mia winked and sat up on the tailgate, patting the spot beside her.
“I’m sure that’s true. But tell me what you’ve been up to while I’ve been in the Big Apple.”
“With the exception of your flights, we texted or Skyped almost nonstop the whole time you were there.”
“True. And yet you missed me. So, tell me more about this mysterious meeting you had with Jack’s daughter.”
Mia had carefully avoided texting about why she and Jesse McCann were meeting in the first place but only to keep expectations to a minimum. Since the meeting had gone so well, she had one less excuse to keep her plans a secret, but she still felt unsure of how Sid would take the news. Planting roots here might make things more difficult if Sid’s plans didn’t work out and she ended up back in Toronto.
Better to just blurt it out. “It looks like I’ll be staying here awhile.”
Mia went on to tell Sid excitedly about the ideas Jesse had for the craft dog food business and how her involvement would be consultative, based on her experience and connections with the kennel club and various breeders. She detailed how there would be a funding aspect, tying profit percentages back to humane societies and sustainability initiatives, and wrapped up by sharing Jesse’s provocative ideas for developing and marketing organic and plant-based products.
Sid’s eyes widened at the mention of alternative proteins.
“Relax, love. Jesse reminded me that we’re deep in cattle country, so maybe we keep that little tidbit under our hats until we develop a financial model that works for the whole community, including ranchers like your dad and hers.”
“Mum’s the word. And that is fantastic.” Sid put an arm around her and slid closer.
“I know! Imagine me being part of a cutting-edge craft dog food empire.”
“Easy to do. I’ve smelled your work. I would have eaten it. But that’s not what I meant when I said fantastic. What I meant was…” Sid lifted Mia’s chin and turned it to face her. “What I meant was, it’s fantastic that you’re staying.”
Mia felt herself blush, pleased at the progress they had both made. “I’m so glad things went well with the seller. Have you told Martin yet?”
Sid had texted from New York after the meeting with the seller, who opted to meet with her without his insistent “but expendable” broker at the always-elegant Gramercy Tavern. They’d come to an agreement on the terms over farmstead cheese and a unique bottle of Barolo Pira, chased with a decadent wedge of mile high peanut butter pie and blood orange jam. Now all they needed was the signed contract, paperwork he assured her would be signed and faxed in the morning.
“Tomorrow afternoon. I’ll have the paperwork, and Martin will be awake. He was on his way back from Tokyo, so I figured, given the time zones, I’d wait to tell him then.” She slipped off the end of the truck and picked up a floating dog toy, tossing it into the lake. Milo and Flynn launched after it.
“You know, my mom was a marathon swimmer when she was my age,” Sid said. “I used to sit right about here when I was a kid and watch her swim the lake, back and forth, for hours. Not that I don’t love the city…and maybe it’s because you’re here…but if I can find a way to stay, that’s what I want to do more than anything.”
“Sid, home is where my trailer parks. I’m afraid, too,” Mia said, wondering if the goose bumps creeping up her arm were because of the cool night air, the risky conversation, or the anticipation of Sid’s touch. “The horizon is a promise, but the path is beneath us right now. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to feel it because you sweep me off my feet.”
Sid smiled and squeezed Mia’s hand. “Speaking of strange perceptions, how is your head today? Any more symptoms to report?”
“Very minor swings. Aside from the meeting with Jesse, I rested while you were gone, just as the doctor ordered, and it helped. The MRI results were clear, so now it’s just a matter of time and careful symptom management.” Mia returned Sid’s squeeze. “I’m very sorry about my reaction to Aurora’s texts. I wasn’t in my right mind. The doctor explained that post-concussion syndrome sufferers sometimes notice their symptoms as instances, but the cumulative effect isn’t as obvious to them. Stubborn self-reliance apparently doesn’t help.”
Sid rolled her eyes.
“You see, sometimes I have trouble surrendering my ego, too,” Mia said. They both laughed. “And I have to admit that the fear of losing you triggered the panic I felt when Riley’s doctor broke the news to us about her prognosis.”
“That’s all very normal—”
“I know, but my reaction was not. Thank you again for understanding.”
Sid leaned in and kissed her neck, nibbling on her earlobe before pulling slightly back and locking eyes. “I love you, Mia Jarvis.”
Mia knew at that moment she’d never be good at poker. Her eyes stung, and her pulse pounded against her throat, the goose bumps spreading rapidly now to her shoulders and down to her chest. Let the cards fall where they may. “Cowboy, I love you, too.”
They sat on the tailgate, holding hands, legs dangling as if they were toddlers on a park bench. It wasn’t until they both shuddered against the mid-August night that Mia convinced Sid to abandon their towels and wrap themselves in the large warm comforter, moving up in the bed of the truck and leaning against the back of the cab.
“Did I tell you Aaron is planning to install a few cell-based cameras in behind that ridge?” Sid pointed over the tree line toward a ridge that overlooked an elevated paddock right where the mystery truck had been spotted the previous week. “And he’s going to try the drone tomorrow. They’re all app-based, so he can monitor with his cell phone.”
“I guess we’ll have to make sure we keep our clothes on, then, won’t we?” Mia said, pulling the comforter higher around her neck.
“Tomorrow.” Sid smiled and pressed her naked body the length of Mia’s. “I’m pretty sure he said tomorrow.”
Chapter Thirty-one
The morning sunlight sliced between the barn boards, creating a geometric pattern that ran the length of the stable’s interior and cross-hatched the grills of the stalls. The onl
y other light came through the alley doors and the loft windows, both of which were latched open. For that, Mia was especially grateful. It was another hot and sunny Alberta day.
“I guess it’s all hands on deck, Mia.” Aaron’s voice boomed from across the barn. “Is it all you dreamed of?”
“Well, when I agreed to help get ready for the party, I thought I’d be setting up tables or helping in the kitchen. I sure didn’t guess I’d be knee-deep in cow dung. Or is it horse?”
Aaron poked his head around the wall separating the stall he was mucking. “It all looks like crap to me. Without Sid the last few days and with all the extra time I’m spending with the cameras and drone, it did pile up a bit. Literally. Now I’m so busy getting the barn cleaned up, I haven’t even had time to check the video feeds from last night.”
“I’m starting to think Duncan is playing us.”
“I think both Harrises are. Where is Sid?”
As if on cue, Sid appeared in the main doorway, phone pressed against her ear. She signaled that she was at the end of her call and raised her voice. “Please have the shippers there by end of day, and make sure it’s crated and all the customs paperwork is done right as usual. But don’t bill the gallery…Right…Have them send me the invoice…There’s a ticket for you at the Western Airline desk. And a car at the rental desk…It’s the least I can do, Ella…See you on Saturday…So glad you can make it. Bye.”
Sid tucked the phone in her pocket and took a deep breath. Mia stood at the door of the stall, leaning on her shovel, watching as Sid’s expression turned to relief, her shoulders lowering and her head tipping back to take in the morning sun.
“Are you going to make me ask?” Mia called.
Sid walked down the main aisle, stepped in front of Mia, and wrapped her arms around her, almost lifting her clean out of her muck-mired rubber boots.
“Careful, cowboy, the ribs are not quite one hundred percent.” Sid lowered her but kept her arms around her waist. “Can I assume the news is good?”
“It’s the best. The best. And in a few hours, I can call Martin and tell him.”
Aaron stepped out of his stall and handed Sid a shovel.
“Congratulations! You’ve won this beautiful previously used shovel and the chance to use it.” He wiped his hands on his jeans, pushed his hat back, and smiled. He had all the charm and humor of a Harris. “I am off to find out where our cattle are disappearing to. Hopefully.”
When he was gone, Sid stepped into his stall, and they continued to clear each of the forty stalls and pens. Mia listened with delight as Sid talked nonstop, sharing her plans to leave the gallery.
“Clearly, the business needs brokers who possess integrity, so that’s the niche I’m targeting. I need to build clientele, of course, but I have an iron in the fire that might spark something. Regardless, I want to work from home. From here.”
Mia stopped dead in her manure-coated boots, rested her hands on the top end of the shovel, and put her chin on her hands. Watching Sid so happy and hopeful, Mia felt warmth spread through her body and she realized it was not a result of the hot Alberta sun. This was one of the rare times since Mia had known her that she seemed in place.
Two hours later, the stalls clean, and they sat on a couple of hay bales, Sid telling Mia about her dream lake house. “It would face northeast so the porch would catch the morning sun, but the mountains would still be in view.”
“You’ve put some thought into this, haven’t you?” Mia said, smiling in the knowledge that Sid probably had every detail already planned from the cellar floor to the roof shingles.
Sid, though, still had the ability to surprise. “There’s just one thing missing. And I’m not ready to break ground until I know for sure that I can arrange it.” She pulled a piece of straw from the bale, twizzled it in her fingers, and handed it to Mia. “You.”
“I come with a dog,” Mia said, accepting the straw.
“I’ll take you any way I can get you. And just so you know, I already asked Flynn, and he said yes.”
Mia accepted the straw with a kiss, knowing that more than the heartfelt proposal, it was listening to Sid’s dreams that reassured Mia about the future. Our future. “How could I possibly refuse?”
“Funny, that’s what Flynn said!”
They spent the next few hours in the barn laughing and talking excitedly about their plans. “You don’t think it’s weird, do you? Planning to live together when we’ve only known each other the better part of a month?” Mia was surprised at how sure she was about a future with this incredible woman but couldn’t help but wonder how certain Sid was. After all, she had more pieces to set in place in order to clear her path.
Sid was transferring the grain from the buckets into the feed trays when Mia noticed her stop. She dropped her bucket, removed her gloves, and lowered her head closer to the feed. She pushed her hands into the oats and began digging and sifting, the grains falling through her fingers and bouncing off the floor. Mia couldn’t figure out what she was doing but gathered she hadn’t heard the question.
“Did you hear me?” she repeated, taking a few steps closer as Sid continued to ferret through the feed. “Do you think it’s weird?”
Sid didn’t answer. She pulled a clenched hand from the grain and walked toward Mia, turning the clenched palm up and revealing the object she’d pulled from the trough. “Do I think it’s weird?” she replied, shaking her head. “Not even a bit.”
Mia plucked the silver dime from Sid’s palm and looked up through the loft window. Yes, Riley, I’m still here. I’m very much still right here.
She pulled Sid toward her and tucked the dime into her front pocket before planting a long, loving kiss on lips that never failed to stir her.
“Me neither.”
Chapter Thirty-two
The Harris kitchen was hopping. Mia was practicing her newly acquired knife skills, chopping onions and garlic for Isabel’s marinade. Beth joined them, rattling the seeds out of dried chili peppers. The party was only two days away, and she could feel that everyone’s spirits were high. Like hers.
“So, we’ll have pollo barbacoa, carne asada, and pozole rojo. Arroz al poblano con espinacas, a grilled corn and avocado salad, and chiles rellenos, of course, for the vegetarians.” Isabel listed the menu, and Mia gathered she was doing so as a mental checklist for things yet to prepare. “Cinnamon cake with dulce de leche ice cream for dessert. Do you think we’ll have enough?”
“Enough for the entirety of the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry,” Beth said. “Did you know, Mia, that we were having the Canadian military drop by?”
“Very funny, mi amiga! We’re expecting eighty, so I’m cooking for a hundred.”
“Plenty, Isabel, plenty. You have to enjoy the party, too!”
“I will. Duncan hired serving staff; that’s his contribution.” She laughed. “They’ll be here at six the night of, so we can all enjoy the evening.”
“What about tamales?” asked Aaron from the hallway. “My favorite.”
“I know, and you’ll get them on your birthday.” Isabel smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
Duncan followed, emerging from the office where they’d been since Aaron had arrived from the barn. “We have some news,” he declared. “Where’s Sid?”
“Present.” She came in from the porch, canine companions at her feet, a smile across her face, and her eyes sparkling. Mia could tell that her most recent conversation with Martin had gone as well as expected.
Once the meal preparations stopped, Duncan took the floor. “Let me start by saying that I may have doubted Mr. Technology here.” He patted Aaron on the shoulder. “But the drone and cameras really paid off. We have enough video evidence to support Mia’s water theory; turns out, there is a very extensive, very lucrative system of springs through our back property. It wasn’t the cattle these folks were after. They were trying to make their inevitable bid for the land more enticing. We talked to the RCMP again and emailed t
he videos. They weren’t surprised, but they sure were grateful. Apparently, we’re not the only victims, but we are the only ones with footage showing licence plates, vehicles, and faces clear enough to identify. Sid and Aaron both worked like dogs to fix those fences, and Sid even gave blood in pursuit of the truth.” Duncan glanced at the bandage on Sid’s arm. “I want to thank you. Sid, I hope you’re considering my offer. Aaron, you know that parcel of land on the east side is yours if you want it. It’d be a good step for you to manage your own if you were planning on staying in the area for a while. You might even consider the water business.”
* * *
Sid was on top of the world, and she loved the feel of it beneath her feet. But if she’d learned anything from the woman she loved, it was to let people see who she really was. She’d kept so many secrets over the years. The worst was when her mom passed, and she’d hid her grief so deeply that it almost swept her away. Now she wanted to take a new path, and she needed her family to see her for who she was and wanted to be. Once the cacophony of chopping and laughter died down and the palpable relief at Duncan’s news abated, she took a seat at the table beside and beckoned everyone to join her.
“Go ahead, bella, I’m just finishing up the dishes,” Isabel called from the sink.
Where We Are Page 19