I leaned into him as she drove away. “I can’t believe I’m moving to a goat farm.”
“It hasn’t even been a week since you gave the stuff back, and now you have a new place to live and a second job.” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “The goat farm bit surprised me too.”
“I’m sure I’ll learn a lot. Hopefully, I won’t start smelling like a goat.” That thought terrified me. “Let me double check that I locked the door. Then we can go.”
He caught my hand as I stepped away. The way he looked at me made my toes go numb.
“What?”
“Go check the door.” He let my fingers slip out of his hand as I stepped away.
After pulling on the handle, I met him at the passenger door. “I’m ready for my new adventure.”
One half of me was excited about the newness of it all. The other part was terrified of failing miserably.
Rather than open the door, Harper slipped an arm around my waist.
With my back against the side of the truck, I tilted my head, hoping for a whopper of a kiss.
Gently, he teased his lips on mine. I inched up, pressing into him. His fingers threaded into my hair, and if his arm hadn’t been around me, I would’ve melted onto the pavement like chocolate in the summer sun.
I gasped when he pulled away. “Wow. What was that for?”
“For luck on your new adventure.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to need lots of luck. Especially that kind of luck.”
He winked as he opened the door. “I’m happy to accommodate you.”
It took less than ten minutes to get to the farm, which was like icing on my cupcake. I’d found a second job and a place to live, and Harper was still close by.
“Thanks for all your help today. Joji said she’d ask some of the guys to help us unload.”
“Which is why I’m happy I wasn’t working today. So I could also be there to help.”
I loved how funny he was.
“I’m probably crazy for moving to a place I haven’t even seen, but how bad can it be? She said there was furniture.”
“I doubt Haley’s aunt would have offered the trailer if it weren’t livable.” Harper drove through the open gate.
I leaned forward in my seat. “This is the place. It’s pretty much the middle of nowhere. Definitely different than the little strip mall in town.”
I plastered on a smile as I climbed out of the truck. Adventure was great, but seeing the farm made it seem real in a terrifying way. I’d be taking care of goats. Goats smelled bad and ate whatever they could get their mouths on.
But braving new challenges was part of growing up.
Joji stood in the living room with her hands on her hips. “That’s pretty much it. As you can see, I left stuff up on the walls, but feel free to take it down. Isn’t this picture just adorable though? This couple lived here before Beau bought the place. Any questions?”
There were so many questions bumping around in my head. “More than we have time for. When do I meet the animals?”
She laughed. “I love your enthusiasm.”
“Right?” Harper kissed the top of my head. “I’ll just wait here while Joji shows you around outside.”
“Don’t you want to meet the goats?” I bumped my hip against his.
“There will be plenty of time for that.”
Joji stepped outside.
I turned to face him. “You’ll stay until I get back, right?”
He nodded. “Of course. But this will give you and Joji time to talk.”
I kissed his cheek before running out the door.
This was the part that made me the most nervous. Animals. And I wanted to get this first hurdle over with. Kind of like jumping into a pool to get over a small fear of water.
I could barely take care of myself, and Joji was trusting me with the lives of these four-legged creatures. And chickens. Chickens didn’t fit in the four-legged category.
A big dog sauntered off Joji’s porch and bumped my hand with his nose.
“That’s Bones. He’s new around here.” Joji opened the barn door. “He seems to like you.”
I scratched his head. “We can learn together. You going to help me, Bones?”
He wagged his tail.
“I’ve never had a dog before. Any pets actually. Mom thought they were too messy. Actually that’s not true. Not the part about Mom. She hated the idea. But she also has a phobia of cats. She thinks she’s kept it a secret, but the one time I saw her around a cat, I knew. Anyway, all that to say, I did have a cat once. I managed to keep it in my room almost six weeks before the maid discovered my kitty. You can guess what happened when Mom found out. Bye, bye cat.”
“Around here, there are lots of cats. And before buying this place, I never had pets either. So you’re in good company.” Joji pointed at the stalls. “When we have babies separated from the nannies, we keep them in here, but we’ve just weaned the only two little ones, so they are out in the outdoor pens for now.”
We continued through the barn and out the back door. Two pens held lots of goats.
“Guys and Gals.” She pointed as she spoke. “Most days I let the wethers roam. They keep the grass cut, but since I was out and about, I kept them in the pen.”
Leaves rustled in the tree at the edge of the pen. “There’s a goat in that tree! We should get him down.”
She laughed. “It’s tempting to let you climb up there. Especially since we have a fireman here to rescue you, but Boingo can get himself back to the ground all by himself. He jumps fences and climbs trees whenever he feels like it.”
“I’m surprised he isn’t out roaming.”
“Boingo is social. He likes to be near his buddies, so he stays in the pen for the most part. Unless there is something interesting outside the pen. And that one over there is Bumpo. Never bend over when he’s in the pen with you.” Joji rubbed her backside. “Don’t do it.”
I backed away from that pen. “Noted.”
“And another thing. Always close the gate when going in or out. I learned that lesson the hard way.” She led me back through the barn. “Chickens are over there. Cats are kind of everywhere. Sometimes they sleep in the house, but lately, they’ve been out and about more.”
“When do I start, you know, doing farm work?”
“In the morning. I do chores between six-thirty and seven. If you want breakfast or coffee, just knock. I’m up by six every morning.”
Six was early.
“Okay. Thanks.”
“I’ll take care of things tonight. You need time to settle in.”
“And unpack. Labeling the boxes would’ve been a good idea. Too late for that now.” Good ideas always came to me too late.
“See you in the morning.” She waved as she walked onto her patio.
I scraped the dirt off my shoes before walking into my new place.
“How was it?” Harper leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
“I learned that I’m going to need different shoes. My cute sandals are now a mess.” I scanned the stacks of boxes. “Ugh. I don’t even know where to start.”
He reached behind the sofa and picked up a box wrapped in bright pink paper. The silver bow on the top had more loops than a Houston interchange. “A house-warming gift.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything. But thank you.” I tore away the paper. As soon as I saw the corner of the box, I threw my arms around him and kissed him.
Laughing, he lifted me off my feet. “I knew you loved coffee. I just didn’t realize how much.”
“I don’t have a coffee maker. I always got coffee at Tessa’s. And Joji said I could get coffee at her house, but I don’t want to have to get dressed before coffee. I mean, I do now, but at my own place, I want to drink coffee without caring how I look.” I gave him another quick peck. “This is the perfect gift.”
“I’m glad you like it. Now, show me what to unpack.” He rubbed his hands together.
> I finished unwrapping my new coffee maker. “I think this will look perfect on the counter there in the corner. Oh, when I told Joji that I can’t cook, that is true, but I’m open to learning. I probably need lessons.”
“Cooking lessons?”
“Yes. Private lessons. And if the teacher were also trained in putting out fires, that would be convenient.”
Harper walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Why is that? Do you have plans to set the kitchen on fire?”
“No! That wasn’t what I meant.”
He laughed. “Then I assume you want me to teach you to cook.”
“That’s exactly what I want.” I sighed. “Most people have all of this figured out by now.”
He patted my hip. “Let’s get some of these boxes unpacked.”
I yanked scissors out of my purse. “I remembered not to pack these. It makes opening boxes easier.”
Using the scissors, he opened the box on the top of a stack. “Smart. When I moved to Stadtburg, I was using a key to get boxes open until I found my pocketknife buried in a box where it didn’t belong.” He peeked into the box. “And this one goes to the bedroom. I’ll let you take care of unpacking the contents of this.”
The way I’d tossed my bras and panties on the top of other clothes made it look like intimates filled the entire box.
Giggling, I sliced the tape on the top of another box. “You make me laugh.”
“That’s a plus, right?”
“A huge plus.”
Working side by side, we unpacked nearly half the boxes.
“That’s enough for tonight. I have sheets for the bed, and I can find clothes. We should grab dinner.”
“Good plan.” He stopped before pushing open the door. “Grab those keys Joji gave you. We’ll take your new wheels.”
“Are you sure? That purple monster is huge.”
He tucked an arm around my waist. “It’ll be fun. You’ll drive.”
Goat farming seemed easy compared to the idea of driving that truck.
“Today is as good a day as any. Let’s hope I don’t run over anything important.”
Harper laughed. “I vote for just not running over anything at all.”
I climbed up and buckled into the driver’s seat.
Once Harper was secured in his seat, I shifted into reverse. The rumble of the engine was oddly empowering.
“Ready or not, here I go.”
His knuckles were only a tad white from gripping the door handle. He trusted me.
I backed up, then drove toward the road. Thankfully, this stretch of the road seemed quiet. As I turned right, the truck rolled over something with its back tire.
“That wasn’t a person, was it?” I craned my neck, scanning the pavement behind me.
“It was a rock. And you are almost off the road on this side.”
I hugged the center line a bit more. “I have to get used to the size, but wow. I sort of like this.”
“Do you?”
“It makes me feel powerful.” I turned to face him. “It’s exhilarating.”
“Keep your eyes on the road.” He squeezed my arm. “And this suits you. Didn’t think so when I first saw it. But I do now.”
I grinned at him, then looked back out at the road. “It does suit me.”
The cloud of quiet worry about what my parents would think didn’t weigh on me like before. I knew what they’d think of the truck, the farm, and the trailer.
They’d hate all of it. And I’d be sure to post about those things in case they were stalking my page.
The only one of my choices they wouldn’t hate was Harper.
But I had to wait a while before introducing him. I needed them to see that I had a handle on my independence.
Chapter 15
The sun was still asleep when I crawled out of bed. I’d only snoozed my alarm once. Wearing my cute, discount-store pajamas and with my hair piled on top of my head in an unattractive knot, I padded down the hall to the kitchen.
I’d prepped the coffee maker last night, and the beep on the machine was why I hadn’t snoozed a second time. Amazing goodness awaited me.
When I opened the cabinet, the notecard sticking up out of one of the mugs caught my attention.
The handwritten note put a huge smile on my face.
Morning, beautiful. I hope your day is fabulous.
Either Harper had been extra sneaky and left me this sweet note, or some creepy person had snuck into the trailer while I was sleeping.
I preferred to think that Harper had left me the note.
He was probably awake by now. His shift at the fire station started in less than an hour.
I shot off a text. Love the note.
A kissing emoji was his reply.
After pouring my coffee, I sent one more text. Thanks for the good luck.
He didn’t answer. Surely, he got my reference to his kiss for luck.
I stared at my phone as I drank my coffee, waiting for a response.
Had I come on too strong?
He was the one who’d left the note.
Maybe using the L-word had scared him off. But I hadn’t said I loved him. Just the note.
Or maybe he was just doing adult things like eating breakfast, or fixing his bed, or showering before work. I needed to stop thinking about what he was doing.
What I needed to do was start getting dressed. It was a quarter past six, and I was nowhere near presentable.
After downing the last of my coffee, I poured myself a second cup. The first one helped me wake up. The second one would hopefully drown my disappointment that Harper hadn’t messaged back.
My mug was almost to my lips when a knock sounded, and I ended up with coffee dribbled down the front of me. Focused on wiping the front of my jammies, I pulled open the door. “Joji, give me two minutes, and I’ll be ready to do chores.” I glanced up as I said the last word.
“Thought you might need a doughnut with sprinkles to go with your coffee.” Harper held out a little white bag. “And maybe a little luck.”
“I don’t know whether to kiss you or run and hide. I look awful.”
“Want my vote?”
“Come in. Help yourself to coffee while I throw on real clothes.” I handed him my coffee before running down the hall. “Don’t drink mine. The cups are in the cabinet.”
He called out, “Don’t be too long. I can only stay for a few minutes.”
I yanked on a cute top and my overalls. That was the perfect uniform for a farm job, right? There wasn’t enough time to do anything with my hair.
“Ta-da!” I struck a pose when I hit the end of the hall. “I was fast. Just don’t look at my hair. Now, where’s my luck?” Kissing Harper was way more important than the doughnut, and admitting that out loud would hopefully not send him running. But just in case, I didn’t say that out loud.
“You look amazing. The goats will be impressed.” He took his time crossing the room, but he never broke eye contact. “I am.”
I could feel heat flooding my cheeks, and I wasn’t typically a blusher. “Tessa and Delaney went shopping with me, and we found lots of great stuff—”
Getting cut off with a kiss didn’t bother me in the least.
When he stepped back, I fell forward. He caught me because he was the type to save people.
“I’d love to stay longer, but I need to run.” He didn’t move.
I slipped my arms around his waist. “Thank you for this surprise.”
He smiled, then kissed the top of my head. “I really need to go. And your jammies are cute, by the way.” Laughing, he strolled out the door.
Not moving back to Houston was the best decision I’d ever made. Breaking off my engagement to Chase was a close second.
Wrong.
Hugging Harper on the sidewalk was the best decision I’d ever made. I couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect for me.
Joji stood in the middle of the barn with her hands on her hips. “So, you
know how to feed the chickens and to watch out for the red one with the bad attitude. You know about collecting the eggs and where to put them. We talked about feeding the goats.” She danced her eyebrows. “Ready to milk a goat?”
“I was born ready.” Not in the least, but it didn’t really matter.
She prepped the stand, explaining what was needed and how it would be used. I prayed that she’d give me another lesson before I had to do this by myself.
“So, the goats get a special treat while you milk them?” I watched over her shoulder as she dumped a cup of goat food type stuff into the mini trough.
“It keeps them happy. Let me grab Maude. We’ll start with her because she’s usually polite.”
“That sounds worrisome.”
Joji laughed as she walked out of the barn. “It’ll be fine.”
A minute later the goat was in the contraption, happily eating the goodies.
“First, we clean her off with this rag and bucket. Then we waste a squirt. I use this pan. And now we are ready for milking. You want to squeeze it. Don’t pull on it.” Joji stood up and pointed at the milking stool. “Have a seat and give it a try.”
I was glad there was no one filming me. But if ever something was social media worthy, this was it.
After pushing my sleeves up near my elbows, I inhaled. “Hello, Maude. My name is Cami. I’m going to, um, milk you. Soooo, I need to grab your teat. Actually teats, plural. Please don’t be mad.”
Joji’s giggling didn’t make any of this easier.
I reached out my hand but pulled back before touching Maude. “What does it feel like? Is it firm or squishy? Never mind.”
Maude shifted, and I jumped back.
“She’s going to run out of treats.” Joji’s shoulders were still bouncing.
“Right. Okay. Here goes.” I grabbed one teat and squeezed. Liquid hit me in the knee, and I launched away from the milking stand. “I sprayed myself.”
Joji bent over, and I worried she wasn’t getting enough air.
“Are you okay?”
Her head bobbed up and down, and she grabbed her stomach. “Yes, sorry. You make me laugh.”
“We could’ve charged admission for people to watch.” I dropped back onto the stool, determined to get milk into the bucket. “Now that I can get the milk to come out, I just need to work on my aim.”
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