Rescued by the Farmer (4 page)

This bright, comfortable feeling might not last, she acknowledged, but for now it felt good. And that was enough for her.

* * *

In a stroke of rare genius, Drew took the end seat, leaving Bekah next to his bubbly sister-in-law. They talked easily enough, and his worry about her ebbed a bit. As a kindergarten teacher, Lily was used to dealing with all kinds of personalities in her students, and she was as accepting a person as he’d ever met. She’d have to be, he mused with a wry grin. Mike was a good guy, but he wasn’t exactly Mr. Congeniality.

“So, Drew, are we gonna see you here on the farm sometime today?” the ogre in question asked from the other end of the table.

Drew recognized that he’d been pushing it all morning, even though he believed he’d been doing something more important than whatever Mike had planned for him. But he didn’t want to start one of their notorious arguments in front of their skittish guest, so he brushed away his annoyance. “I got a few more things to finish at the clinic, but they can wait till tomorrow. So I’m all yours.”

“We’re almost done with the hay,” Josh informed him around a mouthful of salad. “Then we’ll be out fixing the line of fencing those crazy ponies took down during yesterday’s thunderstorm.”

“We should replace that wire with board fences,” Drew commented to no one in particular.

“If we could afford it, we would,” Mike reminded him with a scowl. “Since we can’t, we can’t.”

Bold, blatant logic, and an everyday fact of life at Gallimore Stables. Someday, Drew hoped they could manage the farm the right way, instead of barely holding things together with their bare hands.

When Dad had been alive and training racehorses, they’d never worried about money or how they were going to keep the place going. Now, it seemed like they never quit worrying about it. As much as he loved the farm, sometimes he got tired of the constant pressure they were all under to keep the numbers from sliding too far into the red.

Those were the times he couldn’t help wondering if there might be a better life for him somewhere else. Then his innate loyalty kicked in, and he plastered on a smile while he kept trudging along, waiting for things to improve enough for him to strike out on his own.

“Then I’ll meet you and Josh out in the back pasture,” he said matter-of-factly. Stringing a mile of fence was the last thing he wanted to do, but he was confident that his brothers weren’t thrilled about it, either. Since there was no point grumbling about what had to be done, he switched topics. “On the radio this morning, I heard Tennessee’s favored against Dallas this Sunday. I’m not sure about that one.”

“Dallas is using a backup quarterback who’s never started a pro game, so they might be right.”

The comment came from—of all people—Bekah. She sounded like she knew what she was talking about, and he eyed her with new respect. “You speak football?”

“I’m from Chicago,” she informed him with a smirk. “Speaking football is a requirement.”

“Is that right?” Fascinated, he folded his arms on the table and grinned at her. “Any thoughts on the San Fran game Monday night?”

“They’ll lose. They’re playing in Seattle, which has the loudest home fans in the country. Opponents can never hear a thing in that stadium, and the San Fran front line is full of rookies who won’t be able to communicate well enough to coordinate their moves. They don’t stand a chance.”

They kept chatting back and forth while they ate, and he was amazed by how much she knew about his favorite sport. At one point, he teased, “It’s too bad you weren’t a boy. You would’ve made a great quarterback.”

“Which Drew would know,” Maggie added, ruffling his hair in a proud mom gesture. “He was an All-State quarterback all four years in high school.”

“Really?” Bekah commented, lifting a curious eyebrow. “That’s impressive.”

Normally, he’d take that kind of praise and run with it, but today something stopped him. He didn’t want her to think he was conceited, so he deflected her comment with a grin. “I had a great offensive line, and my senior year we got some sure-handed receivers. Like Josh,” he added, nodding at his younger brother.

“Won the state championship that season,” Josh chimed in right on cue. “Drew was MVP.”

“Wow,” was all Bekah said, but he picked up on something in her eyes he hadn’t seen before. It reminded him of the way Lily had looked at Mike when they were first getting to know each other, a combination of interest and amusement. Even though he knew that kind of realization should make him nervous, Drew was surprised to find it didn’t.

In fact, it was doing the exact opposite. He knew next to nothing about Bekah Holloway or why she was affecting him this way. Then and there, he promised himself that somehow he’d solve that little mystery so it wouldn’t keep on bugging him.

And then, he’d put it past him, and his life would go back to the way it was before he met her. As someone who’d made a habit of effortlessly moving from one girl to the next, that very pragmatic strategy for handling her should have comforted him.

But it didn’t. And for the life of him, he didn’t know why.

His rambling thoughts were put on hold when his mother caught his eye and gave him a questioning look. He came back with a slight nod, and very casually she said, “Bekah, I think we need to figure out where you’re going to sleep tonight.”

“It’s warm enough,” she replied in a bright tone that sounded forced to him. “My car will work until I get my first paycheck.”

Lily frowned in disapproval, and she added a shake of her head for effect. “Not for me, it won’t. Abby?” The way his niece perked up, Drew guessed her stepmother had primed her for what was coming next. “How would you like to bunk with your dad and me for a few nights?”

“You mean, like camping? That sounds like fun.”

Oh, she was good, Drew thought, barely smothering a grin. He’d have to take her for ice cream later as a reward for being such a great sport.

“I can’t let you do that,” Bekah protested, obviously uncomfortable with the idea. “Abby needs her sleep for school tomorrow.”

“And you need yours for work,” Lily reminded her in the gentle but firm tone Drew had heard her use with the students in Gallimore’s riding school. “It’s only temporary, until you can find a place of your own.”

From the concern in Bekah’s eyes, Drew knew his suspicions about her dire financial straits had been spot-on. Even with the job at the clinic, she might not be able to afford rent, much less the repairs her car needed to be driveable. Tonight when he was done at the farm, he’d go back to the rescue center and pick up where he left off.

Bekah had endured enough temporary situations to last her a while. It was high time someone stepped up and gave her something she could count on.

Chapter Three

T
he rest of her first day at the rescue center raced by in a flash. Bekah was so exhausted, she took a shower, fell into Abby’s twin bed, and slept like a corpse until morning. When she woke, the sun was fully up, and the house was so quiet, she could hear birds twittering in the trees outside.

Abby’s room was a charming combination of princess and tomboy, with pale yellow walls and pretty lace curtains fluttering beside the open windows. She had shelves full of dolls, stuffed animals and model horses whose riders were posed in a variety of daredevil moves. One set was a beautiful chestnut arching over a tall jump while the rider’s blond ponytail streamed out behind her.

Since her young hostess was also blonde, Bekah assumed Abby pictured herself doing the same thing someday. Having dreams was wonderful, she mused wistfully. As long as they had a chance of coming true. This was the kind of room she’d longed to have when she was a little girl, Bekah recalled with more than a little envy. Unfortunately, her few childhood possessions had rarely made it out of their boxes before she and her vagabond family had been forced to move from their current sketchy situation to another one elsewhere.

Growing up here would’ve been like paradise for her. One day, she vowed, she’d figure out a way to create a home like this, with a good man who would love her no matter what. Their children would always be able to collect things that were important to them, knowing they wouldn’t have to be left behind later.

But for now, she had a job to get to. She got up and made the bed, careful to put everything back exactly where she’d found it last night. After a quick shower, she pulled on a set of clean clothes and followed the scent of fresh coffee and baked goods into the kitchen. There, she found a basket of still-warm muffins on the kitchen table with a note.

Bekah—In town grocery shopping. Help yourself to whatever you want. Maggie

For a few seconds, she stared at the obviously homemade breakfast, then at the very trusting note Drew’s mother had left for her. Having grown accustomed to fending for herself in every way, she couldn’t believe that the woman had not only left her alone in the house, but cared enough about a total stranger to leave her something to eat. In her world, people simply didn’t do this sort of thing, and she had a tough time wrapping her head around the concept.

Finally, she accepted that Maggie Kinley had indeed done both of those remarkable things, and turned the note over. She honestly wasn’t sure what to write, so she went with an old standard.
Thanks so much—Bekah.

At first, she grabbed just one muffin and poured some coffee into one of the to-go cups standing next to the stainless steel double-pot coffeemaker. Then she remembered what Sierra had said about having class last night and hunted up a container that would hold four of the delicious-smelling muffins. If it weren’t for the generous vet tech in training, Bekah knew she’d still be wandering the area searching for an unskilled job where the boss wouldn’t question her background too closely. It seemed that the least she could do was bring the hardworking young woman something to eat.

When she arrived at the clinic, she found Sierra in the lobby, handing an empty birdcage back to a woman with three young children in tow. “You did a good thing, bringing that squirrel here. We’ll take good care of the little guy, and when his leg is healed up, we can set him free in the woods.”

“Can you call us when you do that?” the oldest girl asked. She looked to be about Abby’s age, and her eyes were fixed on the critter she’d clearly become attached to. “I want to say goodbye.”

Sierra glanced at the mom for her permission, and the woman nodded. “I explained why we couldn’t keep him, but I think it would be nice for them to see for themselves that he’s back where he belongs.”

“Will do. I’ve got your contact info, so I’ll call when we’re ready to release him.”

“Thank you. Have a good day.”

Adding a quick smile for Bekah, the woman shepherded her kids out to a minivan that looked like it had a lot of miles on it. The girl gazed longingly back into the lobby, then reluctantly climbed into her seat and disappeared when her mother slid the door shut.

“Wow, that was tough,” Bekah commented in sympathy. “Is it always that hard?”

“No, but the kids really get to me. They see a fuzzy friend they can play with, but he’s a wild animal, not a Disney character.” Pausing, she took a deep breath and sighed. “Are those Maggie’s fabulous jumbo muffins?”

“And coffee,” Bekah added, setting the basket on the counter. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw it was nearly eight. “I’m not sure if I’m late or not, so I thought I’d bring them just in case. How was your class last night?”

“Impossibly mind-boggling.” Blowing on her coffee to cool it, the clinic’s director took a long, grateful sip. “I’m great with all the practical stuff because I do it here every day. The biology and anatomy terms just don’t stick in my head. I desperately need a tutor, but I can’t find one whose schedule meshes with mine.”

Munching on a cranberry muffin so moist she barely had to chew it, Bekah pondered a possible solution to Sierra’s problem. Recalling what Drew had said about his sister-in-law, she said, “What about Lily? She’s a teacher. Maybe she can help get you through the rough parts.”

“That’s brilliant! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”

Bekah had never been called brilliant in her life, and it was rewarding to know she’d helped someone who’d been so kind to her. Thoughts of kindness led her to a problem she’d been pondering since she woke up. “Sierra, I have a big favor to ask.”

“Shoot.”

“I’ve only got one day’s worth of clean clothes left, and I hate to ask Mrs. Kinley for anything more. Could I do a couple loads of laundry in the machines here?”

“Sure, but ick.” She made a disgusted face. “We wash all the animals’ blankets and towels in those. I wouldn’t put my clothes in them, that’s for sure. I remember hearing they were doing some renovations at the Oaks Café on Main Street and were planning to put in a connected Laundromat. I don’t know if it’s finished yet, but you could check.”

The mere idea of going into Oaks Crossing on her own made Bekah slightly nauseous. People would ask her all manner of questions she’d prefer not to answer, which meant she’d either have to deflect them or outright lie about her less-than-glorious background. She feared the trip would end up being a complete disaster.

That left her imposing on the Kinleys. Again. Not the ideal solution, but once she’d gotten all her clothes clean, she’d have some time to come up with a better one. While they ate, they chatted about the various animals housed at the center, and Sierra gave Bekah a brief lesson on the computer system they used to track everything from food and supply orders to wildlife release dates.

She was no computer expert, but she’d used enough of them that she couldn’t miss the flashing red shield at the bottom of the monitor. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to it.

“Some kind of alert I haven’t been able to diagnose. This is a hand-me-down system from a donor, and I’d say we got what we paid for.”

“When I get some time later on, I’ll take a look at it. Maybe it’s just a matter of finding the explanation online and downloading a program that will fix it once and for all.”

“If you can get this thing running properly, I’ll owe you big-time.”

“Just part of the job, boss,” Bekah told her with a grin. “We all do what we can, right?”

That got her a short laugh. “That’s one of Drew’s favorite lines. I think you’ve been spending too much time with that troublemaker.”

“Troublemaker? What do you mean?”

“He’s one of those love ’em and leave ’em types, and he’s left a string of broken hearts from here to Louisville. He’s a good enough guy, but he just can’t seem to settle down.”

Bekah knew perfectly well that Drew’s romantic exploits were none of her business, but her curiosity got the better of her. “Why do you think that is?”

After considering the question for a moment, she replied, “Either he’s looking for something particular that he can’t find, or he’s got no clue what he wants and is hoping to blindly run into it somewhere along the way.”

“Or he’s happy being unattached,” Bekah suggested. “Some guys like having the freedom to wander from one woman to the next whenever they get bored.”

She’d known more than her share of them, she added silently. Men who told a woman what she wanted to hear, then shed her when things got too serious or she asked too many questions that he didn’t want to answer. Either way, he broke away cleanly and got on with his life, while she was left behind, wondering what had gone wrong.

“It’s like Erin always says. Boys are stupid.”

“You mean Drew’s sister?” When Sierra nodded, Bekah couldn’t help laughing. “With those three as brothers, I guess she oughta know.”

“Got that right. So, our new tenant is a dehydrated squirrel with a broken leg. Are you ready for your first lesson in squirrel care?”

“That depends. What’s the medical term for a broken leg?” She’d watched enough medical dramas to have a decent idea what the answer was, so she figured it wouldn’t be too hard for the struggling vet tech to come up with something reasonable.

“Ugh, not now.”

“Yes, now,” Bekah insisted. “Come on, you must know at least one of the words.”

“The upper bone in a leg is the femur.”

“And?”

Sierra stared up, as if she might find a clue written on the water-stained ceiling tiles. Then she snapped her fingers and gave Bekah a delighted smile. “Fractured.”

“Let’s see if you’re right.” Tapping the phrase into the search box on the computer, she angled the screen so her new friend could see that she was right. “Nice job.”

“Great,” Sierra muttered with a wry grin. “One down, forty-million to go.”

“One step at a time,” Bekah reminded her. “No matter how big or small a project is, that’s how everything gets done.”

Sierra studied her for a long moment, then smiled. “Forget Lily. I think I just found my new tutor. How much do you want?”

Stunned by the request, she firmly shook her head. “Me? I’m not a teacher.”

“Teachers help their students learn, and you just did that perfectly. I can’t afford the time or money to retake classes, which means I have to pass on the first go-round. So, are you going to name a price or make me come up with one on my own?”

Bekah didn’t have the first idea what that kind of job should pay, but the humming laptop inspired her. “Why don’t I look up what private tutors normally make, and then we can talk?”

“Deal.” After they shook hands, she said, “Now, come with me and I’ll show you how to examine our little acorn-loving rodent without getting bit.”

Not a completely even trade, Bekah decided as she followed her quirky new boss, but it was definitely a start.

* * *

At lunchtime, Bekah finally convinced Mrs. Kinley to let her help clean up the kitchen. “But you really have to call me Maggie,” she’d insisted with a bright, dimpled smile. “Everyone else does.”

That didn’t seem right to Bekah, so while they worked she simply avoided calling Drew’s mother anything at all. Unfortunately, the woman was pretty perceptive, and she laughed. “Just give in and go with it, honey. We’re all pretty casual around here, which you’ll find out soon enough.”

“It’s true,” Lily chimed in while she dried one of the large platters and put it away. “It sounds corny, but around here we’re one big, crazy family.”

It didn’t sound corny to Bekah at all. In fact, she’d felt more at home in the Kinleys’ loud, chaotic house than she had anywhere else in recent memory. She really appreciated them including her in their homey routine and offering her a place to sleep that didn’t include seat belt connectors jabbing her in the back. She wasn’t sure how to say that without it coming across as lame, so she kept the comment to herself. Instead, she said, “I like big, crazy families. There’s always room for someone new.”

“Around here, that’s definitely the case,” Lily agreed, sending a smile over to her husband, who was currently arguing with Drew about something farm-related. “When I first started coming by for riding lessons, I felt like one of the crew right off the bat.”

“Coming up with that riding school idea for you and Mike didn’t hurt any,” Maggie reminded her with a fond look. “It’s still bringing kids in here, and the money sure does come in handy.”

“How about the rescue center?” Bekah asked while she rinsed dishes and lined them up in the dishwasher. “From what Sierra was saying, I got the feeling it runs pretty close to the bone.”

“And then some,” Drew answered as he swung onto a stool in front of the large island. “We’d all like to step back and let it earn its own way, but it’s gotta prove it can turn a profit first. We don’t have the money to hire full-time staff—”

“But it can’t support itself without them,” Bekah finished for him.

She almost expected him to scold her for interrupting, but instead he nodded. “Right. Sounds to me like you’ve got a pretty good head for business.”

“I wish,” she replied with a derisive laugh. “Mostly, I understand flat-line finances.”

Moving a little closer, he eyed his mother before replying in a quieter voice obviously meant to spare her feelings. “Yeah, same with us. We’ve been treading water since my father died a few years ago. Mike came back to help out, and his wedding carriage business and riding school are helping to keep us out of bankruptcy, but it’s not fun, that’s for sure.”

“Especially since the rescue center isn’t pulling its weight. If you have to close it, what will happen to all those animals? Is there another facility like that around here somewhere?”

“Not for wildlife. Dogs and cats, they’re easy. Lots of folks will adopt an animal from a shelter as long as it’s healthy. Raccoons and deer that need attention from a vet, they’re a different story.”

“And hawks,” Bekah added, swallowing around a sudden lump in her throat. “If it wasn’t for Sierra, Rosie would’ve died yesterday.”

“That’d be a shame. I’m looking forward to watching her fly again.”