“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Katie seemed to be in awe, and immediately Chad wondered when the last time was that someone had offered to help her with anything.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
She ignored his question, her gaze lowering to the jar of wine in her hands as she thought about his proposition. “How do you see this being done? Here at the farm, I mean?”
“We’d have to work at making Rustic Acres more noticeable from the highway, first of all. Signage, clearing out some of the trees at the end of the laneway. Even promotion in town so people know what’s available to them.”
“And what do we have available to them?” she asked, her skepticism evident.
“So much, Katie!” he exclaimed, exasperated that she didn’t see the unique opportunity at her own fingertips. “You already have some folks who come here to get eggs and milk, right? And farm fresh eggs, which would remain Mason’s specialty. We could build a sort of booth to display the fruits and vegetables available that day, or you could even have the option for folks to pick their own. And what about the pumpkin patch? In another few weeks or so, people would flock here to bring their kids and pick their own jack-o-lantern. You wouldn’t even have to harvest them on your own, families would pay to do it themselves. And we haven’t even started on the freezer packs of beef and pork we could put together, ready to be bought by the people who show up. I mean, you’ve already got some of that stuff available, but it could be so much more, Katie.”
“When you put it like that...”
“I know, I know. I’m a genius.” Chad ducked his head slightly to look into her eyes, amusement glimmering on his face. He smiled wider when she shook her head and he saw the corners of her mouth tug upwards as well.
“Easy now, Einstein. Your head is swelling.”
He chuckled at her joke, leaning back against the worn couch. “You’re not sold on the idea, though.”
Katie bit her lip as she contemplated how to respond. “It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“What makes you want to sit at farmers’ markets a few times a week and work here for the rest of it for someone you’ve only just met?”
There it was. Katie wasn’t skeptical of the idea to turn the farm into a profitable destination; she was skeptical of him and his true motives.
“Because I want to. Why is that so hard to believe?” he questioned in exasperation, leaning forward again to rest his elbows on his knees.
“You’ve only been here a week, and you don’t even know me, Chad.”
He sighed emphatically, adjusting his ball cap. “I’m not suggesting I move in and take over your business, Katie. I just want to help.” He paused for a moment, debating on whether to continue, then said in a lowered voice, “Besides, maybe I need the distraction just as much as you need the extra help around here.”
Their eyes met, a silent understanding that only two lonely souls starting over in life could comprehend. There, he’d put himself out there, but it was ultimately up to Katie whether she wanted to help him as much as he wanted to help her. And, really, why should she? The hesitation radiating from her every pore was warranted. She was right, they didn’t really know each other, and perhaps he was being just a bit pushy. He thought of apologizing in case she viewed him as overstepping some kind of boundary, but she spoke first.
“You can’t live in your truck.” It was a matter-of-fact statement, and her features evoked no expression as she announced it.
He didn’t mean to chuckle, but it passed his lips before he could rein it in. “Well, I didn’t expect that.”
“And you need to tell me who you really are.”
Her words stopped Chad’s breath. “Pardon me?” He wasn’t sure what else to say in that moment.
“I know you’re lying. You’re not an accountant who lost his job. There’s more to it.”
“Is that so?” He crossed his arms, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts.
“And, if your family was actually two hours away, you’d be there right now. Not here.”
He studied her face for any sign of anger, but there was none. Perhaps that meant she held secrets of her own and therefore understood why he would lie, but it could also mean that she’d desensitized herself from the pain that lies could cause, having dealt with far too many in the recent past. “I’ve showed you who I am over the past week, Katie. What you see is what you get.”
“So, you’re telling me you haven’t lied?”
He knew better than to continue his charade. “Only about my job. I wasn’t an accountant.”
“What did you do, then?”
“I modelled for Calvin Klein. Don’t you recognize me?” He smirked, nudging her thigh softly with his own. The corner of Katie’s mouth merely twitched.
“Very funny.”
“Ouch.” Chad held his hand up over his heart, feigning heartbreak at her obvious disbelief.
“Last chance to come clean.” She didn’t move, raising her eyebrows as she waited for him to speak.
“I worked with Liz. I’d rather not talk about it, though.” It wasn’t an outright lie, but it wasn’t exactly the truth, either. Thankfully, Katie pursed her lips tightly, mulling over his answer, then relented with a slight nod.
Thank God for small miracles. An awkward silence fell between them, and Katie filled it by gulping back the last of the wine in her mason jar.
“You can trust me, Katie.” His promise hung between them like a heavy blanket. Katie was still staring at her empty mason jar longingly, undoubtedly wishing it would magically refill itself.
“Good, because I can’t believe I’m about to do this.” She set her gaze on him, her chest rising as she inhaled deeply. “If you’re going to help me out that much with this place, you’re going to be here a lot. You may as well stay here, then, instead of in your truck down by the ravine.” Even as she said the words, she seemed unsure of her decision.
“Katie—” Chad began, holding up his hands to stop her from continuing her explanation. However, she cut him off mid sentence.
“You can stay in the office at the barn. It’s heated and has a futon and a mini fridge. I know it’s not as comfortable as being in the house, but I don’t want to confuse Mason like that.” She nodded as she spoke, seemingly trying to convince herself as well as him.
“You don’t have to offer such things to me, Katie.” He meant it, but the idea of not sleeping in a reclined driver’s seat sounded more luxurious than he was willing to admit.
“You help me, I help you. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?” Her face transformed into a wry grin, surprising Chad.
“Well, yes. But—”
“Then we have a deal?” Her grin widened, holding out her hand to shake. It occurred to Chad that maybe Katie finally wanted to feel like she’d won at something, even if it was just this unimportant conversation. After a moment, he exhaled, wearing a grin that matched hers.
“Yeah, I guess we do.” He reached for her hand, holding it in his own. The heat of her fingertips seemed to burn against his palm, and his eyes flickered up to meet hers. In the deep green of them, he could see that she’d felt it, too.
Katie cleared her throat, composing herself. “Then you’d better head out and get some sleep, Mr. Kirkwood. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” The shrill ringing of the phone cut through the room like a siren wail, and both she and Chad jumped, startled. “That’ll be Mason.” Katie was on her feet heading toward the phone, hung on the wall in the kitchen, before he even had time to register that their conversation was now over.
“Of course. Okay, I’ll bid you goodnight, then.” Chad stood up, too, closing the notebook in front of him as though to formally end their discussion.
“Bid me—my God, you can be such a gentleman at times.” She looked back at him and smiled, her hand on the phone receiver.
“At times? All the time.” As though to prove it, he motioned toward the dishes from their
dinner piled on the counter. Katie swiftly shook her head.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll do them up when I’m finished saying goodnight to Mason.”
He didn’t want to keep her from picking up the phone any longer, but felt it only right that he at least thank her for all she’d given him tonight. “Thank you for dinner, Katie. And for the offer of the office at the barn.”
“It’s beyond an offer now. There are extra blankets in the closet in the hallway. I’ll see you in the morning.” With that, Katie plucked the telephone from its base and immediately started into a conversation.
Chad couldn’t help but notice how not only her tone of voice changed, but also her entire demeanor. Mason was the only human in the world she wasn’t closed off from, and it showed. He rounded the corner and pulled a blue striped comforter from the closet in the hallway, just as Katie had instructed him to do. He was just slipping his feet back into his cowboy boots when Katie’s voice said his name, her voice closer than he’d expected. He looked up and saw that she’d come around the other side of the wall into the mudroom, the phone cord stretched tightly around the corner and her hand covering the mouthpiece of the phone.
“Yeah?” Chad asked.
“Thank you.” With that, she gave a little wave and disappeared back into the kitchen.
CHAPTER TWELVE
KATIE
She hung up the phone, already missing Mason’s voice the second he disconnected the call. She leaned against the wall, staring longingly at the phone, silently pleading for it to ring again and give her one more moment of Mason’s sleepy voice, and his tiny chuckles at her jokes. Instead, it did nothing, remaining silent and inanimate before her.
Reluctantly, she turned her focus to the stacked dishes on the counter, suddenly remembering that Chad was still there. Not technically in the house, but in the barn, so he was near. The thought warmed her, which surprised her a little. Even when she’d confided to Mason that Chad was going to stay out at the barn and help around the farm even more, she’d found a strand of happiness to hold on to when she heard the excitement that bubbled from his throat. She could almost hear his smile, and that made her smile in return.
“Chad’s going to live with us?”
Katie had been quick to stop that train of thought in its tracks, not wanting to confuse him any more with regards to his home life than he already was. “No, Mase. He’s just sleeping out at the barn on some nights so he’s close by to help me with the markets in the mornings. Is that cool with you?”
“It’s super duper!”
Katie laughed at his enthusiastic choice of words. Obviously, super duper was the fun word of the day. “I’m glad to hear it. You like him, huh?”
“He’s fun, Mom. And he listens when I tell him he’s moving too fast inside the chicken coop. He scares the chickens sometimes.”
Again, she burst out laughing. Leave it to a six-year-old to think it’s okay for Chad to be here purely because he listens to him, despite only standing about mid-thigh on him.
“I don’t think Daddy likes him, though.” Mason’s voice radiated sadness, as though wishing he didn’t have to voice the concern. Unfortunately, he already had, and the statement resulted in a harsh wave of irritation running like ice water through Katie’s veins.
“What makes you say that, baby?” She struggled to keep her voice even, not wanting him to misconstrue her edgy tone as being meant toward him.
“He told me, kind of. He said Chad isn’t my friend. Then why’s he staying at the farm, Mom?” His confusion emanated through the phone line, tugging tightly on Katie’s heart strings.
“He is your friend, Mase. Don’t you think on it anymore, okay? Daddy just doesn’t know him.” It occurred to her then that she didn’t, either, but she’d never burden a young boy with such doubts the way Jay obviously felt compelled to do. It wasn’t only unfair, it was downright cruel to do such a thing to him. And to Chad, for that matter. Needless to say, she knew very well that Jay would have something to say about Chad staying here once Mason told him. And he would tell him, but there was no way she was going to swear Mason to secrecy about it. Not just because it would entice him even more to reveal it, but mostly because it was none of Jay’s business who she had staying around the house.
A loud yawn had broken Katie from her bitter thoughts, and she heard the muffled shuffling of the phone as Mason rubbed his eyes sleepily.
“Time for bed.”
“I’m not tired yet,” he struggled to say coherently.
“And I’m the boogeyman.” She chuckled softly into the phone.
“I knew it,” Mason whispered, laughing after a dramatic pause. The sound made Katie squeeze her eyes shut as she fought to convert every octave and breath involved in it to memory.
“Goodnight, Mr. Mase. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Ms. Mom.”
There was a clatter in her ear and Mason disconnected the call, barely awake enough to hang the phone up gently.
That led her to now, this moment—the moment in which she was plagued once again by stifling silence and a lack of distraction. Hell, even the radio wasn’t coming in clear tonight. She bit back the urge to let her sobs to overtake her, and blinked away the tears threatening to slide down onto her cheeks. She could easily follow Chad out to the barn, sit there and talk to him the way they had this evening. Maybe, just maybe, she could even tell him everything about her father, about Jay’s heartbreaking decision to walk away from her. Chad might even tell her more about himself.
And she’d enjoy that. The real, raw, human interaction between two like-minded adults was what she craved, what she missed most about having Jay around. She could take a mere thirty steps across the yard and continue her plight for distraction with the easy back-and-forth she and Chad had established. But, when an image flashed across her mind—a vivid portrayal of Chad holding her against him, telling her everything would be okay as he stroked her blonde locks tenderly—she quickly moved across the room and banged her palm against the radio, the soothing sound of George Strait’s voice finally breaking through the static and dead air, filling the silence, and filling the void she’d almost allowed herself to become victim to. That was close.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAD
The crunching of gravel under tires awoke Chad from a dead sleep. His eyelids flickered, reluctant to become conscious. Then, his mind zeroed in on his surroundings, his eyes widening as he remembered where he was. The barn. He took in the striped comforter still draped over his body, still enveloping heat around his limbs. His thoughts turned to last night’s conversation with Katie. However, before he had a chance to rehash it, his gaze swung to the sunlight streaming in through the threadbare curtains hanging loosely across the window.
I must have slept in, he thought, swinging his legs off the futon. The sudden cold of the concrete floor caused a shiver to seep through his body, causing him to reach for his cowboy boots. He ran his hand through his hair a few times, hoping he didn’t look as disheveled as he felt, then he grabbed for his shirt slung over the doorknob of the office door. Expecting he was alone, he only had his shirt pulled over his head and halfway down his abdomen when he pulled the door open, coming face to face with Jay, whose expression spoke volumes over anything he could have said.
What the hell? his expression exclaimed, and Chad, although knowing it was childish, felt a hint of satisfaction as he watched Jay’s eyes scan the shadow of beard that darkened his facial features and the revealed contours of his abdomen just before he pulled his shirt down the rest of the way.
“Well, good morning, sunshine.” He knew he shouldn’t egg him on, but he had a hard time not enjoying the look of scorn plastered on the man’s face. “What brings you by my humble abode, Jay?” Inside, he was willing himself to stop being such a jerk, not wanting to upset Katie by getting into a battle of wits with her ex. He didn’t like him, but he had a hunch that the feeling was mutual, and at least one of them had to
keep Katie’s wellbeing in mind.
“I’m actually looking for Katie.” Jay’s gaze looked past Chad, eyeing up the comforter bunched up on the corner of the futon. Chad opened his mouth to reply, but Mason appeared around the corner of the barn breezeway, his face lighting up at the sight of him.
“Chad!”
“Little Man Mason!” Chad gave him an exaggerated high-five, not daring to look at Jay’s face now. The idea of him staying with Katie might not sit well with him, but Chad knew his budding friendship with Mason would irritate him even more. “Your mom’s probably in the kitchen. Let’s go see if there’s coffee.” He sent a warm smile in Mason’s direction, taking a few steps toward the house, glancing back only once to see if the boy would follow him.
He did.
Chad stepped back and let Mason enter the house first, ignoring how far away Jay actually was as he let the door swing abruptly closed behind him. Mason had already found Katie by the time he got his boots off by the door. Coffee cup in hand, she was looking more relaxed than he’d seen her yet, the newspaper unfolded in front of her and steam lingering above the mug. The same country radio station played low in the background, and the familiar twang of it caused Chad’s mouth to twitch in approval. She gasped at the sight of her son, opening her arms readily as he dove in for a hug.
My Kind Of Country: The Complete Series Page 6