Rescued by the Farmer (6 page)

To his mind, he was better off that way.

When they were finished, he realized his truck was still parked at his house.

“Stay with us tonight,” Mike suggested. “Mom won’t mind.”

Ordinarily, Drew would prefer to be in his own bed, but he was too tired to argue. “Okay, thanks.” He’d just finished speaking when his cell phone kicked out a classic-rock ringtone that made him grin. “It’s Nolan Parks. I haven’t talked to him in ages. Wonder what’s up.”

“Tell him hey from us,” Josh said as he strolled out to his pickup and Mike headed inside.

“Will do.” Drew clicked his phone on and said, “I haven’t heard from you since you moved to Denver. How’re things going?” In reply, he got an earful of excited chatter that reminded him of his niece. “Whoa, man, slow down. You sound like a Smurf.”

Nolan took a breath and asked, “Did you check your email yet?”

“I’m still at the farm, so no. Why?”

“Just do it. I’ll wait.”

Must be important, Drew thought, putting the phone on speaker while he accessed his mailbox. When he opened the message his old buddy was so jazzed about, he skimmed it with growing enthusiasm. “You want me to be a partner in your ecotourism business?”

“Yeah. Silver Creek Wilderness Adventures is growing like crazy, and I’ve got more clients than I can handle on my own. So I thought of you. Check out the photos I sent you.”

Only half listening to Nolan’s running commentary, Drew clicked through a dozen pictures, each more stunning than the last. The final one was a sunset shot from the top of a small mountain, with nothing in sight but trees and an outcrop dusted with snow. Having grown up surrounded by some of Kentucky’s finest scenery, he was used to rolling hills and wide-open spaces. But the sprawling wilderness he was seeing now took his breath away.

“That’s incredible,” he said with humble appreciation for God’s high-altitude handiwork. “Where is it?”

“In my backyard,” Nolan replied proudly. “My cabin’s about a quarter mile to the west of what you’re looking at. It’s got two bedrooms, both with a view just like this.”

“How much land do you own?” Drew asked while he continued surfing through the pictures.

“Fifty acres, give or take, depending on how high the river’s running,” he clarified with a chuckle. “I take folks hiking, canoeing, kayaking, wilderness camping, whatever they want to try while they’re here. I’m thinking about adding horseback-riding tours in the spring, so naturally I thought of you.”

“You’re sure you don’t want Mike for that?”

“Not a chance.” Nolan snorted. “That control freak and I would kill each other in a week.”

The question had been moot, anyway, since Mike wasn’t about to uproot his family and move across the country. While they continued discussing Nolan’s fast-growing company, Drew was flattered to be considered for something more than what he often described as infantry work. He’d be a full partner in the business, and while the sum Nolan named as his buy-in wasn’t small, Drew had the money he would need tucked away in the bank, waiting for something important to come along.

This could be it, he thought, his enthusiasm for the idea escalating while they talked. He’d always wanted to do something like this, and not only would he be co-owner and trail boss, he’d finally get his chance to break free from his tiny hometown and experience something beyond the county line. He was beginning to understand Kelly’s motivation for leaving him behind and heading for the West Coast. Nice as Oaks Crossing was, it didn’t have much in the way of opportunities for expanding your horizons.

Then reality came crashing in, and his excitement dimmed. His family relied on his various skills around the farm, and much as he’d love to strike out on his own, it was more complicated than that. Dad and Granddad had put everything they had into making Gallimore Stables a success, and these days he, Mike and Josh were doing the same. It took all of them, from sunup to sundown, to keep the farm above water, and right now there was no way they could manage to pay the going rate for outside help.

Maybe next year, Drew mused, then quickly dashed his own hopes. The economy wouldn’t be any better then, and there wouldn’t be any fewer horses or acres to care for. Not to mention, every building they owned would be another year older, on the brink of another round of do-or-die maintenance they couldn’t afford to hire out.

While his mind grappled with the options, his gut was telling him that if he didn’t make a move now, he never would. This decision was the biggest he’d ever faced, and while instinct was telling him to go for it, loyalty to his family made him hesitate. “I really appreciate the offer, but this would be a huge step for me. Can you give me some time to think it over?”

Silence crackled on the line, and he thought he might have lost the connection. Then Nolan came back on with a drawn-out, “Sure, I guess. I gotta admit, with the way you’ve always talked about seeing the world someday, I thought you’d snap this up and book yourself on the red-eye to Denver tonight. Is everything okay there?”

That was a loaded question, and Drew artfully sidestepped it. “Just a few things to work through.”

“Okay, but I need an answer soon. Out here, this is the best time of year to buy horses, ’cause folks don’t wanna stable them over the winter. You ever ride a snowmobile?”

“In Kentucky?” he scoffed. “Not hardly.”

“We’ll change that real fast. Call me at this number as soon as you make a decision. We’ve got a lot of details to iron out.”

“You’re talking like I’ve already signed on.”

“Positive thinking, buddy,” Nolan replied with a chuckle. “It’s gotten me this far, and I’m sticking with it until it quits working.”

They said goodbye, and Drew hung up, staring at his phone screen until it went black. Tempted beyond reason by Nolan’s unexpected offer, he gazed up into a dark sky dotted with stars. From the barn behind him, he heard a quiet nicker and the shuffling of hooves as a couple of horses moved around in their stalls. Crickets and frogs chimed in with their routine nighttime chorus, accented by the yip of a coyote off in the distance.

Familiar and comfortable, those sounds represented the life he’d always known. Did he want to hang on to them? he wondered as he trudged up the back-porch steps. Or did he want to open himself up to the possibility of something else?

The choice was simple enough: stay or go. But he recognized that he was too exhausted to make such an important decision tonight. He was impulsive by nature, so the delay didn’t sit well with him, and he prayed that putting it off wouldn’t turn out to be a worse mistake than jumping in too quickly.

Chapter Four

T
he next day, it was still dark when Bekah walked up the lane that led to the Kinley farmhouse. There were a few muted lights on inside, so she moved quietly toward the kitchen door, which was unlocked just like Drew had told her it always was. Bekah couldn’t recall ever living in a place where people didn’t use locks, dead bolts and alarms to keep their homes safe. Quiet little Oaks Crossing was about as far from those rough city blocks as she could possibly get.

When she stepped inside, she tiptoed through the huge kitchen and back hallway to the bathroom Maggie had generously offered to let her use. When she came out, she stopped abruptly when she noticed what was seated at the breakfast bar. Or rather, who she saw there, slurping cereal from a bowl while pawing through an actual printed newspaper.

Seeing her in the dim light, Drew grinned and saluted her with his spoon. “Morning.”

“Good morning.” Clutching her backpack tighter for some reason, she recovered enough of her wits to register that he was wearing the same jeans and T-shirt he’d been in when she last saw him yesterday. “Did you sleep here?”

“Yeah,” he replied with a yawn. “By the time we got done with everything, it was almost ten, so I crashed on the couch. How was your night?”

“I haven’t slept this well in weeks,” she answered truthfully. “It’s so peaceful here, I dropped right off and didn’t move till that old alarm clock woke me.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Sometimes settling in to a new place can be rough.”

He had no idea, she thought bitterly. Catching herself headed down the same path that had led her to no end of trouble, she shook off the gloomy mood with determination. Those days were behind her, and she’d been granted an opportunity to leave them a distant memory. Somehow, she’d find a way to make things different for herself.

Because quite honestly, she didn’t have a choice.

Then she heard herself ask, “Would you like some eggs?”

“Don’t tell me you cook, too,” he teased, giving her that charmingly crooked grin that had put her at ease during their difficult first meeting.

“I’m not exactly a gourmet, but I can crack open an egg and make it edible.” Setting her bag on the floor, she opened a fridge whose contents rivaled some small markets she’d shopped in. She glanced over her shoulder and said, “Your mother’s got everything in here. What would you say to a Western omelet?”

“Howdy?”

This grin had a mischievous quality, and she laughed. “Very funny. I meant, would you like one?”

“Sure, but only if you show me how to make one. That way, I won’t be totally helpless in the kitchen anymore.”

She had a hard time envisioning this tall, capable man being helpless anywhere he might find himself, but the idea of them cooking together appealed to her for some reason. Even if it was only a simple breakfast. “Okay, but I’m in charge, so you have to listen.”

Where had that come from? she wondered, shocked by the teasing note she heard in her voice. Out of lifelong habit, she was normally a very serious person. The only explanation she could think of for the lapse was that Drew’s lighthearted nature was contagious.

“Yes, ma’am,” he promised, though the smirk he was wearing made her wonder if he meant it. She’d find out soon enough, she decided while she handed ingredients to him.

His comedy routine continued, as each time she picked something up, he narrated what it was and what she did with it. Not only was it entertaining, his running commentary helped make her feel more at ease in his mother’s kitchen. By the time they’d settled down to eat, Bekah realized she couldn’t have asked for a better start to her day than sharing breakfast with Drew Kinley.

“Water should be better at your place today,” he told her after swallowing a mouthful of omelet. “If not, let me know, and I’ll call a buddy of mine who’s a plumber and owes me a favor.”

“Meaning he won’t charge me for the repairs?” Drew nodded, and she smiled. “I really appreciate you doing that.”

“No problem. It’s the least I can do to repay you for the breakfast. Usually, I wolf down a couple of bagels or muffins on my way here.”

“Because you’re late?”

That made him chuckle. “Pretty much. Mike and Josh don’t have a problem getting themselves in gear so early, but I’ve never been much of a morning person.”

“I thought that was a requirement for people growing up on a farm.”

“It is. It’s just not me.”

He sipped his coffee, and she wondered if she should voice the question that had popped into her head all of a sudden. Then again, he knew plenty about her already, so she mustered up the courage to ask, “What
is
you?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ve always believed God had something different in mind for me than this.”

Having drifted from place to place for most of her life, Bekah had never been part of any community long enough to get any kind of religious education. She vaguely remembered some of the Bible stories her late grandmother had read to her as a child, but other than that, she didn’t have an even passing acquaintance with the Almighty. Hearing Drew speak about Him so easily made her wonder if she’d been missing something.

That was a topic for another time, so she put it out of her mind and refocused on their conversation. “Then why do you stay here?”

“Don’t get me wrong—I like the work well enough. And I love my brothers, even though they drive me nuts on a daily basis.”

“That’s only fair—” Lily’s voice floated over from the doorway “—since they feel the same way about you.”

Drew laughed, and Bekah slid her stool down to make room for Lily. “Would you like some eggs?”

“Absolutely, but I’ll take them scrambled. Thank you.” Pouring herself a glass of orange juice, she looked over at Drew. “I should warn you, Mike’s got a long list of jobs for you today. Something about making up for lost time.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What else is new?”

Footsteps creaked on the oak staircase, and Mike joined the group huddled around the breakfast dishes. He poured them each another cup of coffee and cocked his head with male interest. “Is that ham and peppers I smell?”

So, since she was the one holding the spatula, Bekah whipped up eggs for Lily and a farmer’s omelet stuffed with ham, cheese and peppers for Mike. A pudgy golden retriever that Mike called Charlie and a scruffy terrier who answered to the name Sarge ambled in from the living room, sniffing the air with canine interest. By the time Maggie and Abby joined them, Lily had fed the dogs, the humans had shifted over to the large dining table, and Bekah was moving around the big kitchen like she’d been living on the farm for years.

It was the kind of wonderful homey feeling she’d always longed for but had never known how to create. That she’d found it here, in this tiny town so far from the world she knew, was difficult to believe.

But no matter how many times she pinched herself, the image didn’t change. She still wasn’t sure what might happen to her in the future, but she’d always be grateful for the odd circumstances that had brought her to Oaks Crossing.

* * *

One night as he was driving home from the farm, Drew noticed lights on in the clinic. It was long past closing time, and the only car in the parking lot was Bekah’s sad-looking hatchback with its ruined windshield. He’d be amazed if the engine even started after sitting idle for so long. Accustomed to being on the go every day, he couldn’t imagine being stranded in one place that way.

Bekah seemed content to spend all her time on the farm, either at the clinic or with the family. Drew had gotten the feeling that her reluctance to mingle with anyone else was a clue about her very hazy background, but she hadn’t offered any more details about herself lately. Her personal history must be so painful that she didn’t want to think about it. The idea of her struggling through that kind of trouble on her own still made him angry, and as he got out of his pickup, he resolved to unravel the mystery of her someday. No matter how long it took.

When he tried the handle on the front door, he was pleased to find it locked. Bekah was scowling at the old laptop on the counter, and when she heard the rattle, her head whipped up to reveal a look of all-out panic on her pretty face. More than startled, she looked terrified.

Feeling bad for scaring her, he forced a reassuring smile and waved at her. She seemed rooted in place, and they stood there for several moments, staring at each other. It was the epitome of how their new friendship had been going, he realized: he trying to get in, she shutting him out.

Finally, she seemed to decide it was okay to let him into the lobby and came over to twist open the sturdy lock.

“You took ten years off my life,” she scolded, fastening the bolt behind him. “What are you doing here this time of night?”

“Sorry to scare you, but I was on my way home and saw the lights on. Is everything okay?”

“The animals are fine, but our system—” she flung a frustrated hand toward the computer “—is the sickest thing in the building.”

Drew noticed she called it “our system,” and he liked knowing that she included herself as one of the full-time staff. Even if there were currently only two of them. “Anything I can do?”

“Can you fix a computer?”

“Well, no, but I could distract you for a while. Maybe if you give it a rest and focus on something else, the solution will come to you.”

“So you’ve come to save the damsel in distress from the electronic dragon?”

She’d struck him as being a very somber person, so the unexpected fairy-tale reference made him grin. “More or less.”

“My hero. What did you have in mind?”

“I’m starving. How ’bout dinner? I hear the Oaks Café just put in a whole new menu I haven’t tried yet.”

“Is that the place that’s been doing renovations?” she asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

Suddenly, she looked very uncertain. Casting a look toward the back of the building, she nibbled her lower lip as if she was considering something that impacted the fate of her world. When she came back to him, some of the worry had left her features, but too much was left behind for his taste. He couldn’t imagine what was bothering her, but his gut told him that if he pushed, she’d clam up and refuse to tell him anything.

So he waited.

After several more seconds, she finally confided, “Sierra mentioned they have a new Laundromat attached to the restaurant.”

“Cool idea, huh?”

“Is it finished?”

“I think so.” Then it hit him why she was more interested in the laundry facilities than in having dinner with him. “I’m guessing you’re out of clean clothes.”

“Tomorrow is it. I was going to do them here, but Sierra nixed that idea.”

“Aw, man,” he groaned. “That’d be gross. Why didn’t you just ask Mom?”

“I really hate to impose any more than I already have. I mean, it was bad enough to take over Abby’s room that way, but your mom constantly invites me up there for meals. And she insists I call her ‘Maggie.’”

“No,” Drew exclaimed on a mock gasp. “What is that woman thinking?”

“I know it sounds dumb to you, but I’ve learned that no matter how nice people might be, it doesn’t take long to overstay my welcome.”

The soft confession blew away any thought of teasing her further, and Drew fought the urge to take her in his arms and reassure her that her fears were completely unfounded. Instead, he met her worried gaze with a smile. “I don’t know how they do things in Chicago, but around here, folks don’t have a time limit on hospitality. You’ve done more than pull your weight ever since you got here, and we’re happy to have you.”

“For now, anyway.”

That kind of pessimism was a learned trait, and it pained him to know that this bright, beautiful woman had picked it up somewhere along what must have been a difficult path. Since he couldn’t unlearn it for her, he figured the best thing he could do was prove to her that there was another way to go. And then show her how to get there herself.

“I’m still starving,” he said briskly, stepping back to give her some space. “And I’m gonna try out the new menu at the Oaks. Wanna come?”

She hesitated, then asked, “Do you mind if I do laundry while we’re there?”

“’Course not. I’ll even help you fold.”

She rewarded him with a warm, grateful smile. “Are you still trying to be my hero?”

Yes
, Drew nearly blurted before he caught himself and dialed his reaction back a notch. “Maybe.”

For the first time since he’d met her, Bekah let out a real, heartfelt laugh rather than the contained one he’d heard until now. In keeping with his new gallant status, he waited while she locked the clinic door and then followed her to her apartment. She jammed her clothing into her oversize duffel, and before she could lift it, he hefted it to his shoulder and motioned her out the door. “After you.”

“Is this the Southern gentleman thing I’ve always read about?” she asked as she locked the door and followed him out to his truck.

“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled with a grin. “We don’t just haul out these manners to impress the tourists, y’know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Drew hadn’t met many people who’d grown up anywhere other than Kentucky, and the differences between his upbringing and Bekah’s fascinated him. During their ride into town, they traded details about where they’d lived, and he learned that while Bekah had a fondness for Chicago, she and her family actually hadn’t been there all that long. Being born and raised on the rolling acreage of Gallimore Stables, he couldn’t help wondering what he’d be like if he’d had the opportunity to experience new cities and people the way she had.

While he pondered how to keep their intriguing conversation going, she looked out the passenger window with a heavy sigh. “Most places I’ve lived, it’s never really dark like this. There are so many street lights, you can’t even see the stars. And you can hardly sleep through the traffic noise, much less hear the birds.”

“Cities have parks, though.”

“Sure, but this whole area is like one enormous park,” she commented in a dreamy voice. “With all the horses and wild animals around, it goes on and on, with nothing to ruin the beauty of it.”