“I know there was Archie’s mother, but were there other girls?” I was curious about the lengths he’d gone to.
Dell nodded and shrugged.
“Other guys, then?”
Dell gave another nod. “The girls didn’t do anything for me. But I kept telling myself that didn’t mean anything. When I met the right one, I’d feel different. Then I was with a guy, and it was like the clouds parted and things felt right. But they weren’t, because it was a guy.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I was so fucked up then. I didn’t understand anything. Then I went back to a girl. I got Archie out of it, and my entire life changed.” The wistful glow in his eyes said all I needed to know. “And now, here you are after all this time, and I figured I could just do what I had to, work with you to help your dad, and then walk away. But the chance was too great. I had to know—have to know if things are possible between us. If it was all in my teenage mind.”
I couldn’t help laughing. “I thought that for years. There was a time when I wondered if I should see a shrink to get over you.”
“Nope. It seems you and I are in the same boat.”
“I guess. Both of us fools who don’t know better than to just let things go and move on. I know I’m a total idiot, but I can’t help it.”
“Then I must be too.”
I leaned into his touch. “I’ve watched you and been in love with you since I was sixteen years old. You confused me and attracted me all at the same time.”
“Is that part of why you left?” Dell asked.
“A little, I guess. I needed to try to get over it. You weren’t interested in me. Or at least I didn’t think you were. Dad and I were at each other’s throats all the time, and there was no reason for me to stay, so I took off for the city. I had friends there, and I thought a change of scenery would make everything better. It didn’t. Not really.”
“But there had to be a lot of guys there.” He sounded very tentative.
“There were. But there was this one guy back home who stuck in my mind, and he kept getting better and more perfect the longer I thought about him, so no one else could ever measure up.”
A horn honked from outside, and I stepped away. Alan always had the most amazing timing.
“My friend is here to help me this weekend. Come on and you can meet him.” I brushed off my hands and led Dell outside to Alan’s shiny red Mustang.
Alan climbed out, looked around, and seemed paler than usual. “Is this the farm?”
“Of course it is. What does it look like, an amusement park?” I rolled my eyes and then pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for coming. Dad has let a lot of things slide.”
Alan huffed in my ear. “As long as you don’t make me milk any pigs or chop the heads off chickens for dinner, I think I can handle it.”
Dell snickered from behind me. “No pig-milking. At least not on your first visit,” he teased, and Alan stepped back.
“Is he for me?” he mouthed, and I shook my head. “Really. You made promises,” he mouthed, and I shot him a glare. “Okay,” he said out loud. “I’ll keep my hands to myself. But the next tall, dark, handsome, rugged country boy that crosses my path, I intend to ride him into the sunset. Or he can do the riding—I’m versatile.”
“Good God. Dell, this is Alan. He’s a good friend of mine with no filter. So take anything he says with a grain of salt and don’t get offended if he makes a pass at you. It’s just his way.”
Dell held out his hand, greeted Alan, and then turned to me. “There’s only one guy I want making passes at me.” He tilted his head just so, his eyes burning, and my belly fluttered with excitement. “I need to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow so we can go over our detailed plan.” Dell winked at me, and I watched that tight-jeans-covered ass bounce on his way back to the truck.
“Holy shit,” Alan muttered. “That man should be sculpted in marble and placed in my bedroom.” He patted my shoulder. “You’re drooling.”
“I am not.” I still wiped my mouth on the back of my hand. “You’re such an ass.” Speaking of which. “Let’s go introduce you to my dad, and I’ll take you upstairs to show you the room you’ll be using.” I figured I might as well get the strained portion of the day out of the way.
Dad surprised me. He actually smiled and shook Alan’s hand.
“I’ve never been on a farm before. But when Clay said he needed help, I came running.” Alan looked around the room. “I don’t know much about all the crop-growing, animal-breeding stuff, but I can cook, and believe it or not, even with these nails, I know how to wield a mean hammer.” He continued on even as my father turned to me in total confusion. “So what’s the first thing on the agenda? A late lunch? Or should I just order pizza?”
Both Dad and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Alan, there is no delivery. If you want pizza, we can make them from scratch for dinner.”
Alan’s mouth hung open. “No way. Then what about Chinese? None?”
“None of that stuff here,” Dad gruffed. “Have you ever gardened?”
Alan nodded. “I used to do a lot of that with my mother growing up.”
“Perfect,” I interjected. “There are plenty of things to be harvested in the garden, so I’m going to put you in charge of picking, cleaning, and freezing for the winter.”
Alan actually smiled and rubbed his hands together. “I can definitely do that. Kitchen stuff is where I excel.” That I already knew. “Show me this room, and I’ll change my clothes and come back down so I can get started.” I took him up, showing him the plain but now clean room, and left him to get ready.
“Your friend seems… nice,” Dad said when I found him on the sofa with his foot up.
“Alan is a motormouth. He works in marketing, but he put himself through college working in restaurants.” I was relieved that Alan was willing to pitch in. I went to the kitchen, checked over the list, and scratched off the roof repair before getting Alan something to eat. The biggest jobs were still staring me down, but there was a plan, and hopefully Mother Nature would cooperate.
Alan’s footsteps sounded on the stairs, and my father’s eyes bugged out of his head and then he leaned back on the sofa, trying not to laugh. I turned and failed completely, nearly dropping the plate I held for him.
“Oh my God. What is that?”
“Farmer clothes?” Alan said.
I set the plate on the coffee table, grabbed my phone, and snapped a picture of Alan, now wearing a red shirt and denim overalls with the cuffs turned up. All he needed was a pointy hat and he could’ve been a garden gnome come to life.
“Dude,” I crooned, and he looked down at himself.
“This is how farmers dress in the movies,” Alan protested as he stomped closer. “And if it’s not, I don’t want to hear it. I put this on, and you need to stop being mean to me. I came here to help, you know.” He put his hands on his hips, and I about lost my shit. It was hard seeming indignant when you looked like a demented leprechaun. I thought of asking him where his lucky charms were, but instead, let him eat and brought him a mug of coffee.