“How far is Green Acres from where you’re living?”
Noel narrowed his eyes. “Less than half a mile. Why?”
“Because I’m coming up on the weekend to meet with the event coordinator at the farm, and I thought maybe I could stay with you.”
He sat bolt upright on his bed. “Uh, no. I’m in the trailer. There isn’t privacy for two of us in here.”
“Oh.”
Man, he hated when her voice drooped like that. “I can ask Jess if you can stay with her.”
“No, thank you.”
He could argue with Amber and remind her of all Jess’s great attributes, but it wouldn’t likely matter. Amber hadn’t been able to figure out his and Jess’s relationship in the first five minutes of learning about it, so she’d given up. It wasn’t that complicated, really. Half the time Noel forgot Jess was a woman. They simply worked well together.
“Uh, well, let me know when you arrive, and we’ll get together. Maybe I’ll have you over for a meal while you’re here.” He might not be a chef, but he knew his way around his little kitchen just fine.
Amber sighed. “Sure, that would be great.”
“Look, you can stay in my trailer if you want. I’ll bunk in with one of the guys.” Whoa. Where was this offer coming from? “Camp’s pretty noisy at five in the morning, though.”
“It’s fine. Really. I’ll make other arrangements.”
What did she want him to say? She was the one who’d turned into a prissy woman after being an almost-fun kid years ago. No way was Noel going to change to suit his sister.
She said goodbye and hung up.
Hard to believe the little girl in pigtails had grown up and getting married. Shawn had seemed like a nice enough guy, before Noel found out he was a rep for a pharmaceutical company. Noel couldn’t imagine that kind of a job.
If he had to quit planting trees, what would he really want to do? He stretched back out onto his bed and let the harmonica play itself. Maybe a fishing or hunting guide? He could get a little lodge at the edge of the mountains, like Green Acres, and run pack trains into the backcountry.
That wasn’t a bad idea, actually.
**
Claire double-checked her reflection in the mirror. This was worse than a job interview. Everything depended not only on her, but also on tidiness and whether Amber could see the promise of the farm’s beauty in July. End of March? Not so much.
Strange as it seemed, Amber elected to drive over alone from Missoula for this brainstorming visit. If all went well, she’d bring her mother and fiancé on a subsequent trip.
Claire set a vase filled with snowdrops and crocuses on the concrete bathroom counter. A matching posy sat in the guest room where Amber would stay. If they were going to have guests often, they’d need cabins, but that took money, too. Everything did.
“A car just turned in the driveway,” called Sierra.
Claire stared at herself in the mirror then nodded sharply. She headed for the great room where Sierra and Jo stood waiting. They watched through the window as a silver Mazda pulled in beside their old VW.
“This is it,” whispered Jo.
Sierra pulled them together. “Lord, we ask that our home might be a blessing to Amber and that You would guide our time together.”
Claire nodded at the crux of the matter. “Amen.”
A young woman with long black hair stepped out of the car and started toward the deck.
Claire wiped her hands on her gray slacks and glanced at her friends. Then she stepped forward and swept the French door open. “Hi, you must be Amber. I’m Claire. We spoke on the phone?”
“Yes, that’s me.” Amber glanced around the covered deck, with its porch rockers and swing. “Nice place you have here.”
“Come on in and meet my roommates, and we can get to know one another.” Claire held the door wide.
After introductions, they all sat in the great room. Suddenly the old leather love seats looked a little shabby. Well, they couldn’t deal with everything at once.
Amber craned to take in the space. “The website said this house is made of straw?”
“It is,” Jo answered. “We built it last summer.”
“Claire and I moved in just before Christmas,” Sierra put in. “By then Jo was married and living next door.”
“It’s beautiful. So friendly and warm. What a great atmosphere.”
They were going to be best friends. Claire could see that already. Anyone who appreciated Green Acres entered the inner circle. “We love it.”
“We haven’t done a wedding here before,” said Sierra. “Except for Jo’s, but that wasn’t planned with coordinating services for other brides in mind. Why don’t you tell us a bit about your hopes and dreams? How many guests? Any particular theme?” She opened a notebook and poised a pen over the page.
Good for Sierra being so organized. Claire would’ve tried to remember all of it until later. Except the menu, of course. Her forté.
“It’s to be a very small wedding.” Amber clasped her hands together on her lap. “Forty guests or so. My mother was an only child, and there’s only my brother and me. No other relatives in the west at all. Shawn’s family is a little larger, but not much.” She looked down, twisting the diamond that glinted as the sun’s rays hit it through the window. “We both have a few close friends, but we want an intimate gathering.”
Sierra leaned closer to Amber. “My cousin got married on the beach in Mexico, and hardly any of their friends or relatives could go. But their church had a reception for them a couple of weeks later, so folks could wish them well.”
Amber nodded. “Yes, we talked about doing something like that. My mom thinks it’s a great idea. Me, I don’t want to get married in Missoula. It’s a nice enough city, but I want a change of scenery.” She flashed a smile at Claire. “Mexico is out of the question, budget-wise. I’m a secretary and Shawn works for a pharmaceutical company.”
“Besides, the wedding is only one day,” said Jo. “The marriage is for the rest of your life. It doesn’t pay to bankrupt yourselves for one day.”
Whose side was Jo on? Claire didn’t want to break the young couple’s bank account, but they weren’t doing this as a charity, either.
“We’re going to Mexico for our honeymoon, actually.” Amber put her hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”
“It’s okay.” Claire stifled a grin. “Everything said here is confidential. Mexico sounds great. We won’t tell a soul.” She’d personally didn’t want to travel anywhere she’d need a passport. Any chance she could have her own honeymoon right here at Green Acres? She shot a glance at her roommates. Okay, bad idea.
Focus, Claire. It’s Amber’s wedding, not yours.
“My brother goes south nearly every winter, so he’s arranged a beachside cottage for Shawn and I.”
“Nice brother.” Claire smiled at Amber. Her own brothers were next best things to bums, living in a cheap apartment, earning money delivering pizzas. Possibly other ways, too, which Claire preferred not to know.
Amber’s eyes crinkled when she smiled at Claire. “Sometimes he’s great. I’m sure thankful he told me about you.”
“Me?” Claire put her hand to her chest. “You mean about Green Acres.”
“No, I meant you.”
Claire stared, and Amber’s gaze faltered. “He said you asked him if he knew anyone getting married. That you wanted to do some events here.”
Jo leaned closer. “You didn’t find us through an online search, then?”
Amber shook her head.
Claire’s brain raced in circles, latching onto nothing. “Who’s your brother?”
“Noel. Noel Kenzie.”
Heat flooded Claire’s face. He’d taken her that seriously, even when she wasn’t good enough to cook for his crew? But he was trying to do her a good turn. She supposed.
“Noel Kenzie?” Sierra turned to Claire. “Who’s that?”
“The guy from Enterprising Reforestation who didn’t hire me.”
Sierra’s mouth formed a round ‘o’ before she turned toward Amber. “What exactly did your brother say to you?”
“Just what I said.” The young woman bit her lip. “That I should contact Claire at Green Acres if I wanted help with my wedding.” She met Claire’s gaze. “That it was a beautiful spot. He said I’d be in good hands.”
Chapter 4
Noel pulled his truck into the Green Acres driveway. Why did Amber ask him to pick her up here? She had a car and could easily swing by Elmer’s place and pick him up.
This was a bad idea.
He didn’t really want to see Claire, but he’d done this to himself. Why had he bothered passing her message on to Amber? Easy. To help his sister. He squelched the niggling thought he’d been looking for an excuse to see Claire again. He’d had the chance. If he’d hired her, he’d have seen her twice a day for months.
Maybe his subconscious wasn’t on speaking terms with his brain. Like that would be a first.
A group of women sat on the deck attached to a stucco house. Amber waved at Noel, but made no effort to get out of the Adirondack chair.
Noel’s eyes found Claire then shifted to the other gals. He was so out of his element. Yeah, Jess was his foreman and females made up nearly half his crew, but that was different. These weren’t tree planters, and this deck was their turf, not his.
Amber waved again, beckoning this time.
Noel stifled a groan. She was supposed to be ready to head out. No way could he stay sitting in the truck. It would be plain rude. Bah. He yanked the door lever and swung his legs out of the vehicle, hoping he’d combed his hair, then strode up the grassy path to the steps.
If he’d been wearing a hat, he’d have tipped it. “Good afternoon, ladies.” His gaze swept the lot of them, hesitating on Claire, who sat on a porch swing with one of the others. Then he crossed to the chair Amber sat in and touched her shoulder. “Hey, sis.”
Amber jumped up and gave him a hug. “I’d like you to meet my new friends, Noel. This is Sierra.”
Noel nodded at the curvy blonde. “Pleased to meet you.”
“And this is Jo. She and her husband live next door.”
A woman no taller than Jess got to her feet and shook his hand. “Next door for now, anyway. Then it will be the other next door.” She pointed toward the mountain. “We’re building a log cabin.”
“Nice.” Nothing better than having trees encircle him.
“And you’ve met Claire.”
“Yes, I have.” His gaze met Claire’s for a long moment. “Good to see you again.”
“Likewise.” She averted her eyes.
Sierra hopped off the other end of the swing. “Let me grab a pitcher of iced tea.” She waved at the vacant spot. “Have a seat, Noel. I’ll bring out another chair from inside when I come back.”
And sit beside Claire? These gals couldn’t possibly know how uncomfortable the thought made him. His hand twitched the neck of his t-shirt. He needed more air.
Noel made a show of plopping down next to Claire and giving the swing a little scoot with his foot, setting it moving. He winked at her. Her mouth twitched as she shifted slightly away. Interesting. He turned to Amber. “Thought you wanted to go into town.”
She leaned her head against the chair’s tall back. “I do, but it can wait a bit. I wanted you to meet the team and have a look around the farm.”
Too bad she hadn’t said so on the phone. He could have put off coming until later. He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me what kind of wedding you want. No opinions here.”
Claire moved further from him. Maybe he shouldn’t have said that, though it was the truth.
Sierra came out of the house with a tray of tall glasses.
“Don’t be silly.” Amber reached for a glass. “You’re walking me down the aisle, brother-of-mine.”
Noel jerked and the swing twisted sharply, throwing Claire against his shoulder. Too bad she pulled away immediately. “Uh, no. The wedding is in July? I’ll be a long way from here by then. I may not even be able to make it back.”
Time and activity on the deck stood still.
His sister’s face fell.
Noel spread his hands. “What? You know I only have a three-month contract here. I’ll be somewhere on Montana’s east slopes by the end of July. Depending on the weather, I may not be able to get away.”
“But —” She bit her lip.
Man, he hated that. A whole deck full of women, and not a one of them would understand the way he lived. Where was Jess when he needed an ally?
“Y-you weren’t planning to come to my wedding at all?”
The total stillness around him provided everyone’s opinions. He’d blown it. This trying to care about his sister thing was a new sensation. Did it matter what all these strangers thought of him?
Maybe Claire.
Now where did that come from?
Noel reached over and took Amber’s hands in his. “Look, sis, I’ll try. I just don’t know where I’ll be or what the situation might be. You know what my summers are like. If you need an absolute commitment out of me, set a winter date.”
“Then you’re in the tropics.” She tugged her hands free.
“Well, I could work around it.” He studied her face, searching for clues. “Want to reconsider?”
Amber glared at him. “No. Shawn and I have chosen the date, and you —” She leaned forward and stabbed him in the chest with a forefinger. “You better be here, buddy. That’s all I can say.”
No pushover, his sister. He guessed that was reasonable. They did share genetics, after all. He mustered a grin. “I’ll do the best I can.”
“With a tux.”
“A what?”
“You heard her,” Sierra put in. “The bride’s the boss.”
“But it’s outside. On a farm. Who wears tuxes to events like that?”
Claire chuckled. “You do, apparently.”
He twisted to look at her, glad of the excuse to rest his eyes on her for a moment. Today she wore jeans and a plaid shirt tucked in behind a wide belt. She could’ve been in her grandfather’s overalls and she’d still look cute. “Seriously? She’s not making this up just to spite me?”
Claire met his gaze. “Not at all. She wants a formal wedding, even on the farm.”
He turned to Amber. “But that’s —” He was gonna lose, no matter what. “Never mind.”
Jo chuckled. “Good job, Noel.”
“Did you make the guys do the tux thing at your wedding, too?”
She grimaced. “My mother did, but that’s beside the point. I challenged her on all the stuff that mattered to me.”
Fighting for the guys in her life hadn’t counted, apparently. Yep, his instinct was right. In this situation, being a guy meant he lost. Unless . . . “What if Shawn doesn’t want to wear a tux? Then I don’t have to, right?”
Amber burst out laughing. “Nice try, Noel. Shawn already has his picked out.” She turned to the girls. “He wears a suit and tie to work every day. He wanted to make sure things were special for the wedding. His tux has tails.”
Figured. Noel had met the guy enough times he should’ve known Shawn wouldn’t be an ally. Thankfully Amber was Noel’s only sister. He could live through this, if he had to. Once.
If he could get away that weekend.
He glanced at Claire and caught her peeking at him through her eyelashes. She turned her face, chin jutting out, as a slight blush spread up her cheeks.
Maybe he’d rather be here than planting trees. Maybe.
**
If she ever married, Claire’s brothers would put up a bigger stink than Noel about dressing up. Amber was lucky her brother cared even this much about her. Claire wasn’t sure she’d even invite hers to her wedding. But if she did marry some day, it’d have to be some guy like Noel who didn’t want a formal affair. Casual would be fine with her.
She
took a sip of her iced mint tea, wishing it would cool off her heated cheeks.
“Is there anything else, then?” Noel asked Amber. “Or are you ready to head to town?”
Jo shifted in her seat. “If you’re from Missoula, I’m not sure what you expect to find in Galena Landing. It’s a typical small town, though Lakeside Park is pretty.”
“You gals have been so good to me, I just didn’t want to impose upon you all the time. I thought Noel and I could get a meal and give you some space.”
Sierra waved a languid hand. “Oh, not to worry. We’d love to have you both stay for dinner. Wouldn’t we, Claire?”
Claire shot a venomous glare at her so-called friend. What choice did she have? Her mind scrambled over her menu for tonight. “Sure, that would be fine. I hope you can stay.” She’d put frogs in Sierra’s bed later. Or something.
In an effort to sound like she meant it, she met Noel’s gaze. Maybe she did mean it. Maybe this would prove to him that she was an awesome cook and he should have hired her.
Maybe today would be a first and she’d burn dinner.
A slow smile crossed Noel’s face. “Really? That’d be great. I can take Amber to town for lunch tomorrow, and she can see everything.”
Jo laughed. “In twenty minutes or less.”
Claire checked her watch. Definitely too early to excuse herself for cooking. Which meant Noel Kenzie would sit on this swing beside her for far too long. She leaned forward. “Amber, what would you like for a reception menu? I know we talked about a formal garden theme for the ceremony, but how do you see that translating into food? Are you looking for a sit-down dinner or hors d’oeuvres?”
Amber’s eyes begged Noel for an opinion.
Claire turned away to hide her grin. The guy was so not going to want to get roped into this discussion.
Jo winked at Claire, glanced at Noel and back then raised her eyebrows.
Claire scowled. Her former roommate had been on a mission to find men for Claire and Sierra ever since her own marriage last summer.
Jo smirked as she leaned forward. “Most of your guests will be staying in RVs or at the Landing Pad, so it seems like a real meal might be the best option. Everyone is going to need to eat at some point anyway.”
A Farm Fresh Romance Series 1-3 (A Farm Fresh Romance Box Set) Page 29