by Tracey Smith
Fearfully Cassidy covered her face and backed out of the coup with images from the movie The Birds playing in her head. She scrambled backwards on her hands and knees falling back onto the ground once she was outside. She looked down at the spot of blood on her hand from the vicious chicken.
She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t return to the house without the eggs, that’s what Ben wanted, but she’d be damned if she’d crawl back into that coup again and feed herself up to those blood thirsty birds. She wandered around the structure examining it and found that the back wall had two skinny doors on each corner. She opened one and saw that it led to a narrow hall that ran behind the row of chickens. Wire fencing safely separated her from the birds so she entered the aisle. Once inside she noticed the wooden drawers built into the wire wall. She pulled one open and bingo, it was full of eggs. Proudly she reached down and plucked up four eggs putting them in her basket. She moved to the next drawer and found three more, and some more in the one after that.
She sauntered up to the house proudly carrying the eggs. First challenge completed, she mentally ticked off the scoreboard in her head “Ben 0 Cassidy 1”. She smiled as she entered the kitchen and placed the basket of eggs on the counter. Ben looked up surprised.
“Any trouble, Miss St. Claire?” He questioned innocently.
“None at all, Mr. Riley.” Cassidy met his challenge with one of her own. She was determined to show him that she was stronger than he thought.
“Good morning, children!” Mrs. Owens sang as she came into the kitchen and broke the hostile standoff. “Oh good, you got the eggs! I’ll get started on breakfast right away.” She smiled, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room and immediately began her breakfast preparations.
“Ben, why don’t you get Cassidy a cup of coffee?” Mrs. Owens suggested and grudgingly Ben stood from the table and poured her a cup.
He set the cup of black coffee in front of Cassidy and she looked up at him with a sugary sweet smile. “Cream and sugar please.” She requested coyly.
His eyes narrowed at her request but obligingly he retrieved the cream and sugar and set them in front of her on the table. She set about making adjustments to her coffee, smiling and feeling quite proud of herself for being a point ahead of him on the mental scoreboard she was keeping.
Mrs. Owens made a wonderful breakfast of veggie filled omelets, again taking hers with her upstairs to eat alone. Cassidy found it odd that Mrs. Owens and Ben didn’t eat together, but she didn’t comment.
They ate in silence. As soon as the meal was finished Ben rose from the table and washed the dishes, this time grabbing Cassidy’s empty plate as well. Once the clean dishes were put away he turned to her with that same mischievous grin she’d seen the night before.
“Hope you’re not afraid of a little work, Miss St. Claire.” He challenged.
“Not at all, Mr. Riley.”
“Good. Follow me.” He instructed heading out of the kitchen through the back door. Cassidy clomped after him. Unfortunately Mrs. Owens feet were several sizes smaller than hers so she was forced to wear the ridiculously large clown shoes that Ben had given her.
Ben led her through the backyard, past the dreaded chicken coup and around to the west side of the house. Cassidy couldn’t believe her eyes. An enormous vegetable garden sprawled before her. She’d imagined a small personal garden, this was a veritable farm. Trellises were draped with vines, and rows upon rows of plants of various shapes and sizes extended out in front of her covering several acres of land. Her eyes widened in surprise taking it all in. She hadn’t even realized Ben had left her side until he rejoined her carrying two five-gallon buckets.
“Since you demanded a bath last night the well was emptied filling the hot water tanks.” He informed her coolly. “Which meant no water was left to fill the irrigation system for the gardens.”
“Oh.” Cassidy flushed with embarrassment.
“These troughs are designed to catch rain-water and supply a secondary irrigation system.” He explained, pointing to the long metal troughs located at the far end of the garden, opposite the large water tanks. “First chore, fill the troughs.” He said smiling and handing her the buckets.
His smile was sexy and distracting, for a moment Cassidy was lost.
“The well is over there.” He turned from her and pointed to a small well house about an acre from where they stood.
“If there’s water in the well why do I need to fill the troughs?” Cassidy challenged suspiciously.
“Because the pumps to fill the irrigation system are programmed to run at night. The well was emptied last night, so the tanks didn’t get filled, but the plants still need water today.” He shrugged maintaining a bland expression except for the light that was dancing in his eyes. He was enjoying this.
Cassidy glared at him and snatched the buckets trudging in the direction he’d pointed. The extra work it took to lug the heavy boots on her feet had her winded by the time she’d reached the well. She examined it closely and saw that there was an old fashioned hand pump next to the well. It was practically medieval.
She placed the first bucket in front of it and began pumping the handle, after a few pumps water flowed from the spigot and filled the bucket. She filled the second bucket and then lifted them both to carry to the troughs. Wow, were they heavy! She had no idea water could weigh so much. She only made it a few steps before she had to put down the bucket she was carrying with her left hand. She used both hands to carry the remaining bucket across the yard to the troughs.
Her arms were already burning by the time she got there. She hoisted the bucket and poured it into the trough. It barely made a puddle. She looked dejectedly back across the field at the bucket she had abandoned. This was going to take all day.
Slowly and steadily for several hours Cassidy trudged back and forth across the long field carrying buckets of water. She felt like a child clomping along in the too big shoes. Water sloshed all over her as she became more tired and clumsy. Her white shirt was soaked through, her black slacks muddy and ruined. She was sweaty and dirty and miserable. Grudgingly she gave Ben a point on her mental scoreboard.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she took a break to catch her breath and sat down on an overturned bucket. She hadn’t seen Ben since he’d left her to her chore. Irritably she surveyed the gardens trying to find him and see what he’d been doing all morning. The sun was high in the sky now and she had to shade her eyes with her hands as she scanned the fields.
After a moment she spotted him in the distance. He’d removed his shirt and she could see his tan muscular back as he bent and worked the soil. His jeans rode low on his hips and she was mesmerized by the way the muscles in his back flexed and moved as he tilled the soil. She sat for quite some time just enjoying the view. Suddenly he stood straighter and turned towards her as if he felt her gaze boring into him.
Quickly she stood gathering up her bucket and hurrying to the well. She felt like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She hastily filled her bucket and began hauling it across the field. Her arms felt numb at this point, her hands burned with blisters. Her legs ached from lugging the heavy boots. But she wouldn’t stop. She wouldn’t give up. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
Ben reached the trough at about the same time she did. Thankfully he’d put his shirt back on, all those muscles were just too distracting. She didn’t look up at him, she just poured her bucket of water and turned to head back to the well.
“It’s time for lunch.” He told her, stopping her in her tracks.
She turned to face him, putting the empty bucket on the ground at her feet. He was staring into the metal troughs, and his expression was incredulous. She followed his gaze to the nearly full troughs. He hadn’t thought she could do it, she realized. She’d proven him wrong. One point for Cassidy. She smiled as smugly as possible in her exhausted state.
“Is it lunchtime already?” She asked casually.
He smiled a genuine smile and momentarily she forgot that she was supposed to be very irritated with him. He really did have an amazing smile.
“We can keep working if you like.” He challenged, calling her bluff.
“Well if Mrs. Owens is expecting us for lunch…” She trailed off hoping she hadn’t pushed him too far. She needed the break.
“Come on, lunch should be ready.” He said, almost kindly.
She followed him back to the house and as soon as she’d walked through the back door she realized how much she’d undervalued air conditioning up until this point.
“Oh, you poor thing! You look absolutely exhausted.” Mrs. Owens fussed as soon as they entered the kitchen. “Ben, what have you been making this poor girl do out there?” She chastised.
“She’s just helping me in the gardens.” He shrugged innocently, looking very much like a scolded child.
“Cassidy, go wash up, dear, and I’ll have your lunch on the table when you get back.” Mrs. Owens smiled kindly at her and then glared at Ben. Cassidy smiled to herself as she walked out of the kitchen, hoping that Mrs. Owens would lay into Ben as soon as she was gone.
The stairs proved to be a bigger challenge than she had anticipated, her aching legs protested with every step. Eventually she made it to her room and gazed longingly at the soft bed. It was only noon. She wouldn’t give Ben the satisfaction. She crossed to the bathroom and gasped in horror at her reflection.
Her once tidy bun was now slumping loosely to one side with more hair falling free than being kept up at this point. Her face was beet red and dirt was smudged across her forehead. Mascara was smeared under her bottom lids and her lips were chapped. She looked simply awful. She immediately washed her face, ignoring her tender skin as she scrubbed the dirt and sweat away. Then she pulled down her tangled hair and attempted to run a brush through it. It took several minutes to brush it out and pull it up again. She didn’t bother re-applying any make-up, but she did scavenge some lip balm out of her make-up bag which was a very welcome discovery.
She examined her reflection again and felt much better about it this time, until she realized that her still damp white shirt was clinging to her and in its wet state was basically transparent, revealing her lacy bra beneath. Ben had seen her this way! She flushed even redder than she already was.
She removed the shirt and searched through her drawers for another undershirt that would be acceptable enough to wear. She found a camisole that would have to do. At least it wasn’t see-through. She left on the dirty slacks, assuming Ben’s torture wasn’t finished for the day.
Finally as presentable as she was going to get she made her way back downstairs. Ben was already eating of course, Mrs. Owens had left a large bowl of vegetable soup and a delicious looking salad on the table for her. Without preamble she joined Ben at the table and dug in, she was famished.
Just like the night before the vegetables were so much more flavorful than anything she’d ever eaten before. She wondered idly if they were vegetarians by choice or necessity. She remembered Ben’s comment about how they wouldn’t eat if they didn’t have a garden, and she suddenly understood the truth in that statement. At the time she just thought he was being a sarcastic jerk, but in reality the bed and breakfast didn’t bring in any money during the “off-season” and there were still bills to pay. Not a mortgage, and no water bill since they were on a well, but an electric bill at least, which explained why they kept the house so dark. She imagined it cost a fortune to keep such a large house all lit up. Maybe she had missed the mark a bit when she assumed that Ben was getting a free ride living here at the bed and breakfast.
“Were your parents farmers?” Cassidy asked conversationally as they finished their lunch. Ben looked up at her guardedly.
“No.”
Okay…
“Where did you learn how to garden?” She tried again, hoping for a friendly conversation.
“Necessity is the best teacher.” Ben replied vaguely and then stood from the table to clean his dishes. Cassidy joined him at the sink, towel in hand silently offering to help dry and put away the lunch dishes. He eyed her skeptically for a moment before passing over the freshly washed plate.
“Done for the day?” He challenged once the final dish was put away.
“I’m good if you are.” Cassidy retorted, her muscles screamed at her for mercy but she wouldn’t let Ben win this one. Not today.
He smirked and walked past her leaving her in the kitchen for a few moments before returning with a bottle in his hand.
“You might want to use this.” He suggested handing over the bottle of sunblock.
“Thank you.” Cassidy was surprised by his concern. She squirted some on her hand and gingerly rubbed it across her cheeks, nose and forehead. She’d had more sun today than in the last several years combined since she’d moved from Florida to Chicago. She knew she was going to be feeling it tomorrow.
Nevertheless she followed him back outside into the afternoon sun. Thankfully he didn’t walk back over to the water troughs but instead led her to a relatively shaded area with several rows of short leafy plants.
“This cauliflower needs to be blanched. If you’ll go over to the shed over there and grab the twine off the bench I’ll show you how to do it.” He instructed pointing out the shed.
Cassidy nodded and headed for the shed. It was nestled into a wooded area surrounded by some pretty dense foliage. As Cassidy approached the shed she heard a rustling sound in the bushes behind it. She told herself it was probably just a really large squirrel and hurried inside the shed.
All manner of tools hung from the walls in the small wooden shed. Chains and ropes and sharp pointed metal objects loomed overhead; it was rather disturbing. Cassidy glanced back over towards Ben but he had his back to her, bent over some bushes examining them. She ventured farther into the shed looking for the workbench and the twine. She spotted it against the back wall and went after it.
In her rush she must have knocked into some precariously stacked boxes because suddenly some wooden crates came crashing down on her head. She braced her arms over herself in a protective position and dodged the falling objects. Luckily she dodged just quickly enough, because along with the crates came a very sharp looking scythe. She thought only the Grim Reaper carried those things. But this one looked very real and very sharp and had come very close to her head.
She leaned against the workbench catching her breath and gathering her wits. That had been a close call. She needed to be more careful.
“What happened?” Ben demanded charging into the shed.
“Be careful!” She shouted holding her hands up to stop him “You’ll cause another landslide.”
He looked at her oddly then looked at the mess on the floor.
“Landslide?” He questioned his face full of concern.
“I didn’t mean to knock it over.” She shrugged apologetically waiting for him to start ranting about how clumsy she was. But instead he examined the pile of debris with a strange expression.
“Where did this come from?” He half-whispered to himself as he picked up the scythe.
“You mean you don’t moonlight as the Grim Reaper?” Cassidy joked finally feeling her nerves settle.
“No.” He answered distractedly, as if she’d really been asking the question. “Come on.” He said to her, extending his hand to help her across the pile of rubble.
She took his hand and tried to keep a calm face as butterflies erupted in her stomach. What was wrong with her? She’d almost had her skull caved in by a scythe moments ago and now she was all fluttery like a teenager over holding Ben’s hand.
“Let’s get you back to the house. The cauliflower can wait until tomorrow. The sun is already off them today anyway.”
“I’m fine, really. It just startled me a little.” Cassidy assured him.
“You’re bleeding.” Ben stated and his tone left no room for argument. Cassidy looked down at her arms which were unharmed
and then reached up and felt the sticky spot on her head.
“Ow.” She said belatedly as she realized how tender her injured forehead was. Ben didn’t say a word but picked up his pace as he practically dragged her across the yard back to the house. He still hadn’t released her hand. He seemed distracted and upset. As the kitchen door came into view Ben quickly released her hand as if he’d just realized that he’d been holding it.
“Let Mrs. Owens take a look at that head.” He instructed leaving her at the back door.
He was such a confusing man! One moment he was trying to work her to death, the next he was giving her sunblock and acting all concerned when she bumped her head. She shook her head in confusion as she walked back inside looking for Mrs. Owens.
Chapter Five
“Oh you poor, sweet thing!” Mrs. Owens gushed for the millionth time as she cleaned the wound on Cassidy’s head. It really wasn’t all that bad now that the blood was cleared away. “I still just can’t imagine how that happened, Ben usually keeps that shop so tidy and organized.” Mrs. Owens said with consternation.
“I really should have been more careful.” Cassidy said again. “I didn’t even notice the stack of crates until they were falling on me.” She laughed weakly.
“Well you’re not getting back out in that yard today. Not in your condition. You can just help me around the kitchen if you’d like something to do.”
Cassidy was going to argue that her “condition” really wasn’t that bad, but then she realized she would much rather spend the rest of the day indoors with Mrs. Owens. Even if it meant missing another sexy, farmer strip tease if Ben decided to take his shirt off again.
Cassidy allowed Mrs. Owens to fuss over her a little bit longer and then excused herself to go upstairs to clean up and change. After a quick shower Cassidy slipped on a loose-fitting summer dress that she’d packed for the drive home. She brushed out her long blonde hair and braided it loosely. Her head was already aching, she just couldn’t bear the thought of pulling her hair tight at the moment.