by Ali Parker
I nodded. “They will.”
“Chick days are next week,” she volunteered.
I smiled at the memory of chick days. It was a big deal in farm country. It was when the chicks were delivered to the feed store. Farmers that didn’t need another chicken always showed up to buy more. It was a great place to catch up with neighbors and essentially gossip. I couldn’t wait to expose Oliver to his first chick days.
“Would you like to go with us? You can give me all your expert tips about what kind to buy.”
She grinned. “I will. However, I must say, chickens are not my thing. I don’t spend a lot of time with them. When I go to farms, the last thing on their list of things for me to fix is the chickens.”
I laughed. “Good to know. I’ll take a look at the coop and get it ready to go.”
We finished eating our breakfasts. Oliver was bouncing his legs, clearly anxious to get out to the barn. He was very interested in the horses. I figured that was normal. They were fascinating creatures.
“All right, boys,” Alex said, looking from me to Oliver. “Are we ready to get this day started?”
“Yes!” Oliver shouted, jumping up from his chair.
We both laughed. His enthusiasm was contagious. I had a feeling once the real work started, he wouldn’t be quite as thrilled. We needed to take advantage of it while we could.
“Grab your jacket,” I told him. “I’ll clear the table and we’ll meet you out there in a couple of minutes,” I told Alex.
“Don’t stand me up,” she said with a wink.
I smiled. “I wouldn’t dare.”
She left the kitchen, casting a glance over her shoulder. Once again, she caught me staring at her as she walked away. I got the feeling she wasn’t nearly as bothered by it as she had been the first time she caught me. I quickly cleared the table, anxious to get out and started with the day.
I was looking forward to hanging out with Alex. Maybe we could have lunch together. I reminded myself she was an employee. I couldn’t let myself get caught up in something that could end badly. I was back at the farm to make some changes in my life that would ultimately be better for Oliver. He was my focus. My need to spend time with a beautiful woman was secondary.
Even if the thought of touching her got me very excited.
Chapter 14
Alex
I couldn’t stop smiling. I felt ridiculous. It wasn’t like I had never had two breakfasts in one morning before. It wasn’t the food. It was the company. I had enjoyed sitting at the kitchen table and talking with Oliver and Damion. I loved watching the two of them together. I could tell Damion was a good father. Maybe a little overprotective, but good nonetheless.
It would be interesting to see how they did in the barn. We had stalls to clean and hay to haul. I had a busy day planned and hoped the boys were up to the task.
“We’re here!” Oliver exclaimed as he walked into the barn.
I smiled. “I see that. Are you ready to work?”
He nodded. “Yep!”
“All right, we need to bathe the horses first,” I told them.
They both looked at me like I had grown a second head.
“Bathe?” Damion questioned.
“In the bathtub?” Oliver asked as he turned to look at the horses. “They are too big!”
“Not in the tub. There’s a place out back we’ll use. Before we do that, we need to get all our supplies. Follow me.”
I showed them where the shampoo, buckets, and various bathing supplies were kept in the barn. I was proud of how organized it was and how easy it was to find exactly what was needed. It hadn’t been that way when I arrived.
“Where do the horses go?” Oliver asked.
“Go?”
“You said during the day they go out. Where?”
“Ah, the pasture. It’s a little early and cool to give the horses their baths. We’ll go out to the pasture now. Every time we go out there, we want to take wire and wire cutters.”
“Why?” Oliver asked.
“Because there is always a fence broken. Damion, will you carry the hammer and bucket of nails?”
“Hammer and nails?” Oliver questioned.
I loved his questions. Questions meant he was paying attention. “Because there are some parts of the fence that are wood. They fall down and need fixing.”
“Are we going on foot?” Damion asked.
I nodded. “I haven’t checked the interior perimeter in a week.”
“Works for me,” he answered.
I had expected him to complain about the walking. Usually, I drove my truck around the perimeter or used the tractor, but sometimes, it was good to walk. With our tools in hand, I led them out the back.
Oliver couldn’t contain his excitement and ran in front of us.
“The fences are really in good shape,” I told him. “I like to check now and again to avoid any issues.”
“Makes sense,” he replied. “It all looks fairly new.”
I nodded. “He redid all the fencing about three years ago, he told me. There were some kids that got a little wild on a tractor and mowed down a large section.”
He burst into laughter. “That sounds like the standard Friday night action around here.”
I laughed with him. “You’re right.”
“I took out Farmer Bill’s fence one night. Damn, did I get in trouble. I spent almost my whole summer fixing it. My grandpa did not play around when it came to owning up to my mistakes.”
“It teaches responsibility,” I agreed.
We followed behind Oliver, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the walk. He was skillful in dodging the horse poop that littered the area. He tripped over something and went sprawling onto the ground.
Damion immediately lunged forward. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
“What?” he scowled at me. “Let go.”
“Shh,” I whispered.
We both watched as Oliver got up and dusted himself off before setting off again. Damion jerked his arm out of my grip. “I get it, but you need to understand he’s my son and it is my job to keep him safe.”
“He fell down. He didn’t even fall that hard.”
He looked at me with irritation. “What is your deal with how I parent my kid? Are you suggesting I’m soft? Or making him into a pansy?”
“No,” I told him. “Not at all.”
“Then? You’re constantly criticizing my parenting.”
I blew out a breath. “I’m sorry. That isn’t what I mean to do. I guess it’s my own upbringing coming through. I see you hovering over him. You protect him very well, which is great, but he is such a curious boy. I think bumps and dings are part of growing up. You haven’t lived on the farm in a long time. I know your grandfather was old school. You seemed to have turned out pretty well.”
“Thanks, I think. I appreciate your opinion, but I’ve got this.”
I nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I was bossy. I knew I was bossy and opinionated and offered my opinion whether people wanted it or not. It was one of my many character flaws. I had no business telling the man how to raise a kid. I didn’t know the first thing about kids. Instead of babysitting like most teenage girls, I was breaking horses and herding cattle anywhere I could get work.
“It’s fine. I don’t coddle him, but well, let’s just say people in my life don’t tend to stick around very long. I can be protective. I can be a helicopter dad. I am going to try and lighten up, but I’m not going to change overnight, and it would be a culture shock for him. We’re easing into this life. It’s a lot of change.”
“You’re so right,” I said, feeling very judgmental. I had judged the man, his parenting, and his kid in a two-second moment.
“All right, with that out of the way, we better catch up to Oliver before he breaks that fence just so he can fix it.”
I laughed. “Do you think he’s ready to use power tools yet?”
He groaned. “Be gentle w
ith me. It was a big step for me to let him push the button for the elevator in the building. I can’t tell you how nervous it made me to watch him step out of the elevator or get on or off the escalator at the mall.”
“You’re a good dad,” I told him. “There’s nothing wrong with looking out for your little boy. He’s a pretty cute kid.”
“Yes, he is.”
We walked the entire fence line, fixing a few places here and there. Some of the spots were fine, but Oliver was so eager to do some fixing, I told him the boards needed to be hammered or a wire needed to be stretched.
“Now do we wash the horses?” Oliver asked as we made our way back to the barn.
“If you’re up to it,” I said, looking over at Damion.
“We’re good. We’re all in.”
“Did you bathe the horses before?” I asked him.
His eyes were on Oliver, who was running ahead once again. “I did,” he answered, turning his blue eyes on me.
There was a gentle breeze coming across the field. It blew his hair up, showing off how soft and natural it was. I liked that it wasn’t slicked down with gallons of hair product. I wanted to know what it felt like. My eyes moved back to his. He had that same intense stare of his grandfather.
“Your eyes,” I said the words on a breath.
“My eyes?” he questioned.
“They’re very much like Oliver’s, but I think yours are just a shade darker.”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I have heard that a lot. My dad had the same eyes. They are definitely a dominant trait.”
“They are very pretty,” I said, before remembering he was a guy and guys usually didn’t like to be referred to as pretty in any way. “Pretty in a manly sense.”
He laughed. “Thanks. I happen to think your eyes are stunning. I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone with such a unique shade of green eyes.”
I tried not to blush. “Thank you.”
He cleared his throat and looked away, watching Oliver run through the pasture. “Do you own your own farm?” he asked.
I smirked. “No. If I did, I wouldn’t be working this one or any of the other ones. I find myself drawn to broken things. I need to fix things. I don’t want to fix my things. I like to fix other people’s things.”
His soft laughter floated between us. It was a perfect warm day, and walking through the pasture with him was almost idyllic. If I was a girly girl like Sadie, I would have a soft, feathery dress on and flowers in my hair. But alas, I wasn’t Sadie. I was wearing jeans, boots, and a shirt that was damn near threadbare. I suddenly felt very aware of my extremely understated appearance.
I was plain. A man like Damion would date women like Sadie. Women that wore pink, did their makeup, and wore more than an inch heel on their boots. Correction, knee boots, not work boots.
“Do you want a farm?” he asked.
“Yes. Eventually. I don’t think I’m quite ready to settle down.”
He laughed again. “I get it.”
“Were you ready to settle down? When Oliver was born?”
A wistful smile appeared on his face. “I was ready. I think I’ve always kind of been a homebody. When I left for school, I had grand plans of sowing my wild oats. Once I got into the business of sowing, I realized it wasn’t all that fun.”
“I know what you mean. I was never one of those girls that liked the parties and the clubs. It just seemed so pointless. I hate hangovers. I hate being out of control.”
“I agree,” he answered. “There’s so much more to life.”
“Yes, there is,” I agreed wholeheartedly. “Yes, there is.”
We spent the next two hours washing the horses. Things got a little messy and Oliver ended up soaked. It was the most fun I had ever had doing the tedious chore.
“Do you start school tomorrow?” I asked Oliver once we were finished and cleaning up.
“Yep,” he said with a grin. “All day.”
“Are you excited?”
“I am.”
“I hope you have lots of fun and learn a lot,” I told him.
“Come on, kid,” Damion said to him. “It’s time to get you inside and cleaned up and fed, maybe even a nap.”
Oliver groaned. “I’m not tired. I’m a big boy. I don’t need a nap.”
Damion smiled. “Sure. How about you have lunch and read for a while, and we’ll see how things go?”
Oliver nodded before rushing me, throwing his arms around my waist. “Thank you for showing me how to wash the horses,” he said.
“You’re very welcome. You did a great job. Have fun tomorrow.”
“I will.”
“Go ahead and go in,” Damion told him. “I’ll be right there.”
“He’s a good kid,” I told him. “I think he is going to thrive on this farm. He’s smart and obeys and has a natural affinity for the horses. I think you have yourself a little cowboy there.”
He laughed. “I think so too. Will you be here tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“I have to take him to school in the morning and then probably hang around for a bit to make sure he’s settled, but then I’ll be back. I’d love for you to show me around more, if you have the time.”
I smiled. “First, yes, I have the time. Second, I don’t think you’re going to need to hang around for Oliver’s sake. He looks to be pretty excited.”
He shrugged. “We’ll see how it goes when the time actually comes. I can tell you the first day of kindergarten was not pretty.”
“That was in New York, in a new big school.”
“I suppose it was. I’ll get back here as soon as I can.”
“Great. I’ll see you then.”
He walked away, giving me the chance to watch him for a change. I liked the view. He had the easy stride of a confident man. Confident in his looks and who he was. That was a very attractive quality to me. I liked confidence. I hated wimps and guys that couldn’t make a decision if their lives depended on it. Damion was confident, slightly cocky, and had a way about him that said he just didn’t give a shit who liked him.
A man after my own heart.
Chapter 15
Damion
I drove down the long driveway, my eyes popping up from time to time to look in the rearview mirror. Oliver had been smiling since he had awoken for the day. He was truly excited for school. It was a first. He had never been excited about going to his old school. Not even on the first day. This was going to be a good change for him.
“This is a big day,” I told him.
“Yep,” he agreed, his eyes out the window.
“If you get nervous or have any problems, you can talk to Miss June.”
“I know,” he answered without a care in the world.
My pep talk wasn’t needed. I shut up and focused on driving and let him enjoy the ride. When we got to the school, I waited for him to tell me he was scared or changed his mind. He didn’t. He marched right up to the doors. I followed behind him as he led the way to the classroom.
“All right, buddy, I’ll be here for a bit while you get settled,” I told him, helping him hang his backpack on the hook with his name above it.
“I’m okay, Dad. You can go home.”
I smiled. “You’re sure?”
He confidently nodded. “Yep.”
Miss June was greeting the other students. Oliver walked over to her and said hello before turning to wave goodbye to me. I had been dismissed. A week ago, he’d been my shy, timid little boy, and today, he was a big boy ready for me to leave him alone.
He was growing up too fast. I watched him talk to one of the other kids and was simply amazed. It was a first. I would have loved to stay and watch him, but that would be smothering him. If Alex could see me now, she’d be lecturing me about him being a big boy and to give him room to breathe.
I waved at Miss June, who answered with a knowing smile. I walked out of the school feeling a little sad. My baby wasn’t a baby anymore. I
t wouldn’t be long before he would be asking to take the car out. Then he’d be off to college.
I stopped at the single gas station and convenience store in town and picked up two coffees before heading back to the farm. I wasn’t sure when Alex would be showing up. I hoped soon. I pulled into the driveway and didn’t see her truck. It seemed late for her, but I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions just yet.
I left the coffees sitting on the porch and figured I would get started on the work I knew needed to be done. I had noticed some limbs scattered on the ground in the far pasture. I assumed it had been from a windstorm or possibly leftover from a winter storm. It wasn’t necessarily a priority for my grandpa or Alex to take care of, but I could do it while I waited for further instruction from her.
I hooked up the small trailer to the tractor, fired up the old machine, and bounced my way out. I stopped here and there, tossing the limbs into the trailer. About half an hour into my work, I noticed a dust cloud coming down the long driveway into the farm and knew Alex had arrived. I picked up a few more limbs before heading back toward the barn.
“Aren’t you ambitious?” she said with a grin.
I cut the engine. “I figured you were sleeping in today.”
She laughed. “Not quite. How did Oliver do?”
“Great. I only coddled him a little.”
“Good boy,” she teased. “He certainly seemed excited.”
“He was. I wish he would have been that excited for his first day of school in New York. That had been difficult. Today, he walked in like he owned the place and shooed me away.”
Her laugh made me smile. “I think he’s going to fit in just fine.”
“I hope so.”
“You look very farmer-ish today as well,” she said, waving a hand at me.
I looked down at the old T-shirt and faded jeans I had put on for the day. “I don’t always wear a suit and tie.”
“I was beginning to wonder.”
I laughed. “The suits and ties are currently hibernating.”
“You plan on putting them on again?” she asked as we walked into the barn together.