Love Finds You in Sunflower, Kansas

by Pamela Tracy

  She’d appealed to him ever since he found her on the side of the road.

  Joe chuckled. In some ways, Annie was like Jacko. He’d rescued her, loaded her into his truck, brought her into town, and now he wanted to keep her.

  His final routine involved dumbbells. Quite honestly, he knew who the biggest dumbbell of all was. Joe Kelly, for wasting time at the Y when he could be with Annie.

  He checked his watch. If he showered now, he could make it to his dad’s in time for breakfast. Everyone would be there, including Margaret, who now thought that Max’s house was a bit more, make that a lot more, interesting than television.

  Joe had to agree. There’d not been a dull moment since Annie arrived, and she’d only been here four days.

  That’s all.

  Unbelievable.

  He wasn’t exactly sure what Annie’s morning plans were. He assumed she’d eat with her mom, his aunt, and his father. But then, so far, her mornings had been anything but typical. Just like his. Dutifully, he wiped the seat of the machine he’d just vacated and headed for the shower. He didn’t want to waste another moment at the gym.

  He could pretend showing up at his dad’s was the act of a dutiful son, but chances were he wouldn’t fool anybody. Anyone seeing Joe turning into his father’s driveway and hopping out of the truck would notice that he was hurrying toward something. They’d know it wasn’t his dad.

  It was a woman.

  The wrong woman. One who wore fancy sandals and didn’t like things to be dirty. One who obviously had been raised with lots of money and had never owned a pet.

  She was everything he wasn’t.

  And she was exactly what he wanted.

  And, honestly, it scared Joe to death.

  * * * * *

  “We were expecting you,” Dad said.

  Kansas sunlight spilled through the white and yellow kitchen curtains. Joe blinked, unsure whether his dad looked so happy because Willa was cooking breakfast or because Joe showed up.

  Of course, his dad still might be on painkillers.

  “Orange juice or milk?” Willa asked.

  “Joe’s a milk drinker,” Margaret answered, as she handed Willa a glass.

  “Where’s Jacko?” His dad almost stood but, a short grimace later, changed his mind. He looked much better than he had yesterday.

  Joe took his regular seat and tried to act nonchalant. No way was he asking where Annie was. “He’s roaming the back acre of the clinic.”

  His dad raised an eyebrow. “You never leave him behind, except for church.”

  “I’ll go get him in a little while.”

  Dad wasn’t finished with the interrogation. “I figured you’d sleep until noon.”

  “No, I’ve got the whole morning booked with patients.” Joe checked his cell phone to see what time it was. “In an hour, I’ll be with my first appointment of the day, a potbellied pig. Luckily, it’s pretty routine. I’ll be trimming his hooves.”

  “I’ve heard potbellied pigs make good pets.” Willa put a plate of pancakes in front of his father. “Like a cat or dog.”

  “Except most cats and dogs don’t get up to two hundred pounds.”

  “One of my clients has a Saint Bernard,” Annie said, coming into the room. She was pocketing her cell phone and looking quite pleased with herself. She continued, “Clementine weighs almost two hundred pounds.”

  Aunt Margaret promptly started singing. By the time she got to the third “Oh my darlin’,” Joe’s dad hushed her. Margaret, thanks to a slight hearing problem, never quite realized just how loud she really was.

  “That’s the exception, not the rule,” Joe pointed out, purposely ignoring his aunt.

  “Just sayin’,” Annie said breezily and headed over to the stove. She picked up the bowl containing the pancake batter and checked its consistency before adding some water and stirring.

  Joe’s mouth watered. Yes, he was hungry, but it wasn’t food that had him on the edge of his chair.

  Annie poured some batter on the grill and picked up the spatula.

  “You’re on vacation.” Her mother took the spatula from her and pointed toward the chair next to Joe’s dad. “And don’t think I haven’t seen that folder of work in your bedroom as well as the jewelry supplies. Did you know that forty percent of all women feel guilty when they take time off work? Stop feeling guilty. Rachel’s doing just fine. You need to have some fun.”

  “I’m not on vacation,” Annie said. “And I’m not here to have fun. I’m here to help you.”

  “I don’t need help. Now that you know I’m safe,” Willa admonished, finishing the batch of pancakes Annie had started and putting them on a plate for Joe, “you can have fun. I insist.”

  “Now that I know you’re safe,” Annie said, “I’m going home.”

  The kitchen grew quiet. Even Margaret, who’d ignored Joe’s dad, stopping singing and stood perfectly still as if movement would unleash some emotion she wasn’t willing to deal with.

  “When?” Willa asked, after a moment of silence stretched on way too long.

  “I’ve got a flight out Sunday afternoon.”

  “Only three more days? I wish you’d stay another week,” Willa urged gently, “like you originally planned.”

  “I agree,” Margaret said. “You just got here. We’ve enjoyed having you. You leave now, you’re like one of the wildflowers that sneak into my garden. You grow, amaze everyone with your beauty, and then you’re gone before anyone can fully appreciate you.”

  “I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” Annie poured herself a glass of milk and sat down. “I’m already a nervous wreck, thinking about Cathy handling the Fountain Hills show alone.”

  “Cathy will be fine,” Willa said. “She’s a natural at selling jewelry. Go ahead, stay a little longer.”

  “I am staying a little longer. I really should leave today, but I want to finish looking for the coins.” Yes, that was the reason she’d chosen a Sunday over a Friday departure. It had to be. “I need to get back to work on Monday. Rachel needs me.”

  “It would do Rachel good,” Willa said, “to run the business by herself for a while. She’ll never know what she’s capable of if you don’t give her a chance.”

  “I really hope you’re right, Mom.”

  “So, you’re leaving Sunday?” Joe asked. It wasn’t the news he’d hoped for. Things would be too quiet in Bonner Springs, too quiet at his dad’s house.

  Lonely.

  “My flight leaves at three,” Annie said. “That gives me plenty of time to help Mom find the coins.”

  “There’s no hurry to find the coins,” Joe’s dad said.

  “None at all,” Willa agreed, “and I don’t need any help, but feel free to look. If you find them, you can have my share of the reward.”

  His dad didn’t look convinced. “You don’t need to be crawling in my cabinets and getting all dusty. Why don’t you just consider your time here a vacation and have some fun? I’m sure Joe wouldn’t mind showing you around.”

  “I can do that,” Joe offered. After all, three more days might convince him she didn’t belong in Bonner Springs, wasn’t someone he needed to rescue and then keep. “Jacko and I know all the nooks and crannies that make Bonner Springs special.”

  “Where is Jacko?” Annie asked. “He’s usually with you.”

  “Back at the clinic. I left him there when I went to work out this morning.”

  “Long time since you’ve hit the gym,” his dad remarked. “You’ve mentioned starting up again, but you really haven’t gone since—”

  “I go now and then,” Joe interrupted, “when I have time.”

  “You go,” Margaret said, “when you have something in your head that you need to work out.”

  There were times, Joe thought, when he questioned his decision to settle back in Bonner Springs where everyone knew exactly what he was thinking and doing, sometimes before he did. Luckily, Annie didn’t seem to care one
way or the other if Joe regularly worked out or not.

  “Seems weird to see you without Jacko,” she remarked.

  “Where’s Boots?” Joe asked.

  “In the living room on the couch. I’ve wrapped him in a towel. He’s safe and comfortable.”

  Margaret shook her head, a Cheshire smile on her face, and asked, “How are you going to make yourself leave him behind when you go back to Tucson?”

  “Okay,” Annie acknowledged. “You were right. I’m not leaving him, I’m keeping him.” Then, giving her mother a searching look, she continued, “Mom can bring him home when she’s finished here. He’ll be older and able to go longer without food. Besides, it’s just a short plane ride.” She switched her attention to Joe. “I want to leave him here for now, while he’s such a tiny baby, just in case he needs you.”

  “Maybe you should stay,” Joe suggested. “He needs more care than I can give.”

  But Annie was shaking her head, looking both guilty and sad. “It’s hard to miss work.”

  “Work shouldn’t be your whole life,” Willa muttered, loud enough for Annie to hear but soft enough for Annie to ignore.

  “We’re a new business,” Annie said, reaching down and playing with a bracelet on her wrist.

  Joe suddenly realized this was what she did when she felt nervous, and he wondered why talking about OhSoClean would make her feel that way.

  “Every start-up company demands dedication,” Annie continued. “And really, I have to get back to it. I’m missing the bazaar in Fountain Hills this weekend. Cathy’s doing it for me, but she doesn’t know the different types of gems. And if someone were to try on a ring or something, and then just walk off without paying, she might not even notice. Me, I’d chase ’em down.”

  Willa looked like she had more to say but chose not to.

  “I’ll take good care of Boots,” Joe promised.

  Anything to put the sparkle back in her eyes. Anything to return her to that pleased-with-herself bounce from earlier this morning.

  * * * * *

  In a way, Joe Kelly made Annie long for something she didn’t have, like free time and pets. When she was young, she’d always been busy with school, church, and friends. Since she’d hit her midtwenties, she’d been busy with work.

  She’d never had a pet.

  Being too busy came with a high price tag, one that Annie hadn’t even been aware she’d been paying.

  Maybe that’s why when Annie booked the flight, she’d planned a departure date for tomorrow evening, but when the computer popped up to the reservation page, for no reason other than pure desire, she’d chosen a Sunday afternoon departure date.

  She was tired of being too busy.

  “I’ve never owned a cat.” For some reason, Annie felt almost apologetic. “But I’ve always wanted one.”

  Her mother put pancakes in front of Joe and explained. “My late husband didn’t like cats.”

  Annie nodded. “Dad was allergic to animals.”

  “All animals?” Max asked.

  Annie thought for a moment. “I never thought to ask that, but for sure dogs and cats. I’m not even sure he’d have been open to the idea of fish.”

  “Bill wasn’t allergic to animals,” her mom said softly. “He just didn’t like them around. He wasn’t fond of dog or cat fur, said it got on clothes and into food. Plus, when we went to friends’ homes and they had pets, he complained about the smell.”

  “I didn’t know that.” But in truth, Annie wasn’t as surprised as she should have been. Her dad expected a clean house, demanded it sometimes.

  “I want to take you to my museum,” Max said. “But I need to get my car back first, and, hopefully, all the tools Willa left like crumbs on the side of the road. Willa’s got some stuff in the backseat, too, that we need to fetch home.”

  “I was planning to do that today, Dad. My last appointment is at two.”

  Max shook his head. “It’s too much for one man. I’ll hire—”

  Joe interrupted. “It shouldn’t be too hard. Annie, if you want, you can come with me. You can see the land that belonged to Dad’s family. You were so impressed with Blue Sunflower Farm, you might find what’s left of my great-great-grandparents’ place interesting.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “It was smaller than the Whittakers’ place, more a gentleman’s farm. They only lived on it a year. Then they packed up and moved into town.”

  “Why?”

  “My great-grandpa was a preacher. The farm was supposed to pay the bills, because preaching certainly wasn’t,” Max answered. “However, he spent so much time in town, taking care of his flock, that his wife wound up doing the farming. Not only was she not very good at it, but they lost money.”

  “She didn’t like the farm, said it was too hard,” Margaret added.

  “I’m not sure I could be a farmer’s wife,” Annie said, getting up to pour herself a fresh cup of coffee. “From what I’ve seen and read, it’s hard work around the clock, not an eight-to-five job.”

  “Just as much today as yesterday,” Max agreed.

  “Got that right,” Joe said. “I’ve heard stories about my greatgrandfather from the time I was little. Dad not being a farmer, well, it’s a generational thing. Most of the Bonner Springs congregation think that having members of the Kelly family as preachers for more than a hundred years counts for something.”

  “I’m the first Kelly,” Max said, “to actually make a living on a preacher’s salary and not have to do a side job.”

  “It helped that he inherited this house, paid for,” Margaret said. “Plus, Elizabeth wasn’t one who needed things. She didn’t care much for the newest car or the newest technology. She was mostly happy just taking care of Max and Joey and her animals.”

  “Joey?” Annie almost spit out her coffee.

  Joe frowned at Margaret, but she just grinned in return.

  “I’d make a good preacher’s wife,” Annie’s mom said.

  For the second time in a single morning, the kitchen went silent.

  Chapter Fourteen

  When Annie finally tore her eyes away from Joe, who was carefully watching his father, she noticed Margaret—an unmoving, unsmiling Margaret. Neither her mother nor Max noticed. They were too busy gazing at each other, looking happy.

  Margaret’s reaction didn’t quite make sense. No way should Annie’s mother’s words have been a surprise. Not if they weren’t a surprise to Annie, who’d arrived on the scene a mere four days ago.

  And they certainly shouldn’t cause anguish.

  Yet, here stood Margaret, who, from almost the moment Annie arrived in Bonner Springs, had been a cheerleader, welcoming both Jamisons into her home, filling them in on the Kelly history, sometimes tagging along on Max and Mom’s outings—when her favorite show wasn’t on the television—and keeping the path well trod between the two houses.

  Joe, for his part, had stopped eating. His expression wasn’t as easy to gauge as Margaret’s. It was more guarded.

  Annie stood, silently gathered her dishes, and took them over to the sink. Margaret turned and leaned against the countertop, gazing out the window. Annie could see Margaret’s house, with its simple white clapboard and amazing yard. Annie didn’t know anyone who gardened, but just a few days with Margaret and she could already tell the Mexican hats from the bluebells. And Margaret had already started her vegetable garden with tomatoes, peppers, and beans.

  It was pretty much what Annie pictured for herself in a few years, only she pictured hers in Tucson red brick and some adobe. The yard would be desert-scape instead of lush green grass and flowers. If Annie were lucky, she’d have an orange tree as well as cacti. Maybe, just maybe, she would learn to garden when she needed to take a break from making jewelry and running a business.

  Margaret finally turned from gazing out the window and spoke to Annie’s mom. “Technically, Max is no longer a preacher. He retired. You wouldn’t be a preacher’s wife.”

&nb
sp; Max took his eyes off Annie’s mom and looked at his sister, as if just noticing she was there. His words were strong—not exactly reassuring—but more purposeful, as if he’d suddenly regained something he’d lost.

  “Once a preacher, always a preacher,” he said. “I may not stand behind the pulpit, but there’s not one ministry I’m not involved in. In some ways, I have more time now to spread the gospel.”

  “I was just kid—” Annie’s mother began.

  Margaret held up her hand. “No, please,” she said. “Really, this is great news. I’m happy for you. It just took me by surprise. That’s all.”

  Unfortunately, while her words said “happy,” her eyes glistened with tears.

  “There is no news and no need to be happy,” Annie’s mom continued. Max might have completely missed the expression on his sister’s face, but Annie could tell that Willa was starting to notice. “It was just some friendly jesting.”

  “I’m not jesting,” Max said solemnly. “And I’m very happy. Happier than I’ve been in years.”

  Margaret nodded. Her lips shaped into a half smile that Annie recognized, a smile Annie used often enough herself. It was an I-can-live-through-this kind of smile.

  Max was reaching for her mother’s hand.

  Margaret turned to the sink, her back to her brother, and started doing dishes.

  Joe stood, walked over to the sink, and gave Margaret his empty plate. She took it without looking at him. He stood so close to Annie she could feel the heat of his skin, feel the hard muscles in his arms.

  From where she stood, Annie couldn’t tell whether his smile matched his aunt’s or was more contemplative. Then he was at the back door and heading outside with a simple “Bye, everyone.” The screen door almost closed behind him when he turned to add, “Annie, I’ll pick you up sometime after two.”

  Then he managed a quick getaway.