Her Heart's Desire (Sunflower Series Book 1)

by Linda Joyce

  “Megan…”

  “If you say life’s complicated one more time, I’ll stop speaking to you.”

  “I’ll think about your suggestion,” Lia promised.

  “I’ll go clean the kitchen. Then I need to check on Lucas before heading back to Manhattan.”

  “You go,” Lia urged. “I’ll take care of the cleanup.”

  “And think about what I’ve said.”

  “I’ll give it serious consideration.”

  Megan hugged her tight. Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes watered, but she didn’t continue to plead her case. Lia walked her to the door. Jack waited patiently while Megan hugged him, too.

  As Megan drove away, Lia wondered how she’d let history repeat itself. Megan spoke with conviction. She might be younger, but she had a sense of direction for her life, one that didn’t include farming. She had every right to walk the path that suited her best, and in truth, only she could know it.

  Eyeing her birthday present from Craig, Lia placed it on the dining room table and tugged on the ribbon, releasing the bow. Tearing at the paper, she uncovered a taped, plain brown box.

  Sighing, she shook the box. It barely made a sound. The box opened when she pulled off the tape. Inside, several new brushes for oil painting were nestled in a bed of tissue paper along with a gift receipt for a new easel. “Oh, Craig, a perfect gift. Why did you have to spoil my birthday?” He could be so thoughtful to her one moment and irrational about her the next. If he were a woman, she’d think he suffered from PMS.

  Plopping on the couch, she cuddled Jack when he joined her. Silence enveloped her. Sleep pulled her under. She nestled into a comfortable position with Jack at her feet and allowed herself the luxury of a nap. The paintings could wait a few hours. When she woke, she intended to find Lucas and hash things out. She’d been way too hasty.

  Thoughts of Lucas wound tighter and tighter in her mind, thoughts twirling like a Ferris wheel spinning at warp speed. Restlessness irritated her like a rash. Any chance of her dozing ended when a truck pulled up in the yard.

  Lia jumped from the couch. Jack slipped to the floor and scowled, clearly annoyed at the interruption. Throwing open the front door, she shoved the screen door open. “Lucas!” Her heart raced. Misting tears blurred her vision. The world around her changed as though it were a wet-on-wet watercolor.

  “Amelia!” Lucas climbed out of the truck, the door left hanging open. He held open his arms. She did a quick hop and jumped at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, nearly a stranglehold. Lucas lost his balance, and they tumbled to the ground. Lucas twisted to break her fall. His back hit the lush grass, and she thudded against his chest.

  “Ahuh,” he said, air leaving his lungs.

  “Are you hurt?” She cupped his face and tried to give him mouth to mouth.

  Lucas forced her back as he sat, and she ended up in his lap. He coughed, then began to laugh.

  “It’s not funny.” She swatted his arm. “I was trying to be romantic. Two lovers, separated, and then reunited.”

  “Sweetheart, that’s fine,” Lucas chuckled. “But we’ve only been apart for a couple of hours.”

  Lia drew back and frowned. She started to rise, but Lucas grabbed her around the waist. He rolled and took her with him. A second later, he captured her mouth. His tongue found hers in a dance. The kiss deepened. Urgent. Needy. Wanting. Every nerve in her body hummed. Love was the sweetest emotion. Fluffy and sugary like cotton candy.

  She pulled at his shirt. The intense desire to feel the warmth of his skin pushed all other thoughts from her mind.

  “Whoa,” Lucas whispered. “It wouldn’t do for someone to drive by and see the proper Amelia Britton naked on the front lawn.”

  “Don’t make fun of me. You want me just as bad. I can feel that bulge.” She nipped at his lips.

  Lucas kissed her tenderly. “We need to put this on pause.” He rose and helped her up. “I’m heading out tonight.” He pulled her into his arms. “There’s an equipment issue in Salina.”

  “No. You can’t go now. Not now.” She couldn’t believe her own ears. She was whining, and on the verge of begging him to make love to her.

  “A lot has happened in a short time. I think some space will help us sort things out.”

  “I changed my mind,” she said hurriedly and hugged him tighter. She reached lower and grabbed his butt, a daring move on her part.

  Lucas reached into his jeans pocket. “There’s more than a bulge down there.” He dangled the diamond pendant before her. “I want you to consider all of the issues. All of the problems. Your wants, needs, and must-haves in life. And I want you to do it while wearing this.” He turned her around and hooked the necklace around her neck. “I meant what I said before. We’ll find a way to make it work.”

  “Let me go with you,” Lia pleaded.

  “I’d take you, sweetheart, but you have to finish getting ready for your show.”

  She hung her head. “You’re going to miss it, aren’t you?”

  “Let’s take one day at a time. Maybe is all I can say. I might not make it for opening night, but I’m sure I’ll get to see it before it closes.”

  She squared her shoulders. “Fine. We’ll take it as it comes.”

  “Will you call me if you need me?” Lucas lifted her chin.

  “Thank you for the offer”—Lia tugged him closer—“however, I’m a big girl now. Clearly on my way to dotage, in your sister’s eyes. I can handle things.”

  “Mind if I call you?”

  “That would make this woman very happy.” Lia rose on her toes and kissed Lucas’s cheek.

  “I’ve got a plan.” Lucas took a step back. She hated breaking the heat of their contact.

  “That’s one of the things I love about you. You’re the man with a plan.”

  “I’ll know more tomorrow. And I’ll call you tonight so you can tuck me in.” He winked, his innuendo sending a zinger of heat to her core.

  “Ever done phone sex?” she asked. “Wait, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know. But be prepared for a sexy conversation tonight.” She gave him an exaggerated wink.

  Lucas started the truck’s engine. “Woman, come here,” he ordered through the open driver’s window.

  She smiled coyly and sauntered in his direction. She climbed onto the running board. His arm encircled her. He pulled her against the dusty door. His lips crushed hers. When his lips released her, he hung on to her fearing she would melt to the ground. “Remember, you’re my woman. We’ll work it all out. Tomorrow, I hope to have some good news. Maybe tonight, we’ll try Skype.”

  He held her hand as she stepped down. Taking a step back, she waved. “Call me when you can.” She blew him a kiss. As he backed down the drive, she clutched the diamond in her palm.

  He was taking her heart and leaving his in her care. Breathlessly, she wrapped her arms over her chest. Joy floated her sky-high. She was light enough to walk on water.

  For once, she couldn’t wait for the day to be over and nighttime to roll in. She would show Lucas just how un-prim and un-proper she could be. Even long distance.

  Chapter 22

  When the kitchen sparkled, Lia headed for the back deck. Gentleman Jack curled on his bed beside the gas fire pit. Lia dropped into a deck chair, flung her leg over one arm, and watched birds gather at the feeders. Many would be heading south for winter soon. Others had already gone. She wondered about a life of travel. It wasn’t like she could paint in the back of a semi towing farm equipment. But life wouldn’t be that way all the time, she mentally argued. There was nothing more frustrating than not being able to paint when inspiration consumed her.

  She closed her eyes and pictured Lucas. Imagined his lips against hers. Dreamed of being wrapped in his embrace and their bodies tangled up together. All frustration evaporated. Happiness settled into her soul. With Lucas, together they could make anything work. Love would conquer all.

  Opening her eyes, she listened to the
silence. Relaxation deepened in her body. Completely calm, she could tackle anything, including battling her brother. For once, she wished for an adult discussion with him to debate options. He always called when he reached St. Louis. But four hours hadn’t yet passed. She’d wait an hour or so before calling him. Things ended so weirdly before he left. More like a bad dream. However, he was her brother, and they had to find a way to smooth things over between them…and between him and Lucas.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by her ringing cell phone. “Hey. What’s up?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” Zoë said, but the singsong tone of her voice indicated the opposite.

  Lia burst out laughing.

  “What?” Zoë demanded.

  “You lie. Lie detector test—failed. What are you really doing?” Lia managed to say between giggles.

  “Okay. You got me. I’m at the grocery store shopping. I’m gonna cook Karl dinner.”

  “Oh, my. Cooking? That’s not safe.”

  “I know. I hope I don’t poison him. However, to change the subject for a tiny second, there’s lots of murmurs about you today in town.”

  “About?”

  “I’m not sure where this came from,” Zoë said, hesitantly. “Lips are flapping about someone putting his lips to yours. Did something happen last night after the party I don’t know about?”

  “Nothing.” Lia giggled.

  “Out with it. What did you and Lucas do? Did Craig catch you kissing down at the creek?”

  “I’ll tell you when I see you,” Lia said. “I’m not talking about this over the phone.”

  “Be that way. Pork chops or bison?” Zoë asked.

  “You want to talk about meat? I have a beautiful diamond hanging on a chain around my neck.”

  “Repeat that? I didn’t copy on this end.”

  “A. Diamond. Pendant. On a chain.”

  The squeal from the phone hurt Lia’s ear. She pulled it away and put it on speaker.

  “Helen was right!” Zoë shouted.

  “Calm down. Lucas and I are taking things slow. There’s no engagement. He hasn’t asked me to marry him…yet.”

  “I’m sooo happy for you.” Zoë gushed. “But you didn’t think to call me the second after he gave you a rock? Hello! Girl, I’m your BFF!”

  Lia sighed. “Things got complicated…because of Craig. And that’s a whole can of bad news I don’t want to talk about right now.”

  “Oh! That’s the other reason I called. Have another piece of news for you. Just heard about Gus. He got hurt at a rodeo last night. Spent the night in the hospital. Bad back. Not sure if he’s going to be able to meet his contracts.”

  Those words drained Lia’s laughter. “Gotta go.” She hung up and dialed Gus’s number.

  “Hello?” A woman answered, her voice rising several octaves with just one word.

  “This is Lia Britton. How’s Gus?”

  “Lia Britton?” Toni, Gus’s wife, asked. The woman’s French accent was strong. “Brittons don’t have a girl named Lia.” The phone went silent.

  Lia called back. “This is Amelia Britton. I would like to speak to Gus, please.”

  “He rests.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear he got hurt.”

  “He said he call people to change times. In few weeks, he can do work.”

  “Give him my regards. I’ll wait for his call.”

  Lia hung up the phone. Doubt welled in her stomach and inched like a worm up to her throat. Uneasiness settled around her shoulders. What else could go wrong?

  She ran to the back deck and scanned the undulating scenery covered in green stalks of corn dotted with sections of tall yellow sunflowers, their faces tilted toward the sun. The wind had picked up since that morning. Clouds often blew in and blew out with the prairie wind. A usual day in Kansas. The harvest would net her bargaining power with Craig. Worry was an insidious monster, and she had to vanquish it from her mind.

  “No sense in getting alarmed before trouble actually arrives,” she chided herself. Heading back inside, she checked the weather reports just for added comfort. Jack scooted in through the dog door and plopped at her feet.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary. Daily temperature highs would drop a degree, and the nights would lower by several. The wind would blow. Nothing exciting in the five-day forecast,” she said, petting Jack.

  Yet, uneasiness pecked at her gut like a chicken pecking for bugs. What if a freak ice storm hit, like the one five years ago? Downed trees. Downed power lines. Cars down in ditches. The city and county shut down. Downed corn meant no harvest. Not only would her half of the crop be lost, but all of Craig’s, too. She’d be down and out for the winter, maybe forever.

  And with Lucas gone, how would she survive?

  Picking up the phone, she punched speed dial for her brother. “Craig, I don’t know exactly what to say, but I want to talk with you about what happened this morning. More importantly, I want to talk about your threat to sell the farm. Please call me.”

  She needed a distraction until she heard from him. From the wall unit in the living room housing the TV and stereo, she pulled out a drawer with CDs. Her mother’s collection. Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Trombone Shorty, Winton Marsalis, Tab Benoit. She plucked out a Christ Botti with Lucia Micarelli CD. Both musicians played passionately, and their music would boost her spirits, maybe take her to a place where she could paint while waiting for Craig to call.

  The first violin and trumpet notes sang out. Somehow, these two artists captured the emotions of love and anchored them in her heart. Lia hugged herself and glided around the room as though dancing in Lucas’s arms. Immersed in the music, when Emmanuelle ended, she cranked up the volume and headed straight for the studio. Now she could paint.

  The ever-faithful Jack followed her and curled up on his bed. Later they’d go for a run. She’d take him down to the creek and trace the letters she’d carved in the tree many years ago, just to feel extra close to Lucas.

  Reds, blues, blacks, with flecks of gold, she painted with the tempo of the music. When Jack barked, it startled her. “What?”

  She glanced outside. Dusk blanketed the sky. When a pause in the music came, she heard the phone ringing. Catching a glimpse of caller ID, she rolled the stool over and grabbed for the phone.

  “Craig?”

  “I’m returning your call.” He sounded all official and businesslike.

  “Thank you for the birthday present. I wish I could have opened it while you were here.”

  “You had the chance. You were going to open it after the party, remember?”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t want things to be strange between us.”

  “How can I help you, Amelia?” His voice was all business again.

  “Give me a chance to buy you out,” she said, cutting to the heart of the matter.

  “Fine. I’ll wait until you harvest the crop. I’m not a complete ass. But if you can’t come up with all the money, then the farm is sold. The buyer is waiting patiently. I can’t afford…you can’t afford, to lose this deal.”

  If the harvest brought in enough money, combined with what she had saved in the bank and the sales from her art, she might be able to swing it, even if it meant she only ate mac and cheese all winter.

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  “No need to thank me. This is a business deal. Nothing personal. As for the rest of your life, I won’t interfere.”

  “You’re my brother.” She worried about the direction the conversation headed. “You make it sound like you’re cutting me out of your life.”

  “No. But, I won’t lie. I’m not happy about you and Lucas. I admit I acted the fool today. I…let’s stick to business for now. In time, I hope we’ll work the personal stuff out. I’ve got to go.” The line went silent.

  Lia clutched the phone. Lucas was away, and now she’d lost her brother, too.

  Chapter 23

  Lia woke to Jack’s barking. Th
e sound set her teeth on edge. She scrunched her face and pulled the blanket over her head.

  When Jack continued to bark, she shouted, “What?”

  Then she heard the muffled ring of the phone. She lifted her head from the lumpy couch in the sunroom. The ringing continued. Her body ached as though she’d been kicked to the side of the road. She’d fallen asleep last night, same as the night before, after painting as though on steroids to replace the stolen canvases for the show. Three days. That’s all she had before the show opened to special guests and critics.

  She reached over her head for the phone. When she pushed the talk button, a dial tone rang in her ears. As she attempted to set the phone back on its cradle, it rang again, startling her. She dropped the phone on the floor. Feeling around, she grabbed it along with a dust bunny of Jack’s fur. “Hello?”

  “Lia, Gus. You been watchin’ the news?”

  Lia rubbed her eyes. Squinting, she looked through the windows to the world outside. Tumbling leaves and rustling branches. She glimpsed the power of the wind. Not a gentle breeze, but strong and stiff enough to push a dark front down from the north. Although her eyes could see, her brain had no motivation. She wanted more sleep. “Gus, is there something you need?

  “No! I’m calling because you need help.”

  Lia sat up. Nothing appeared to be on fire. She sniffed. Racing to the window, she scanned the sky for a plume of smoke. Again nothing. Curling up on the couch and pulling the blanket over her feet, she wondered if her brain was just too foggy to connect the dots. “What help do I need?”

  “I feel like I’m letting you down. With the storm coming, there’s maybe two to three days before it gets here. Everyone’s gotta rush to get their crops in, and I’m flat on my back still. I’ve called around, tried to pull some strings, but I can’t find anyone to combine for you. The rest of my crew headed out of town while I’m laid up.”

  Lia jumped up. “You mean I’m going to lose the crop?” Dread rolled into a tight knot in her chest. Nausea tried to heave its way up. “No! I can’t. No.”