Once he was done, I led him outside and around to the far side of the house, where Dad had his garden.
“Is that it?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s not a garden—it’s a fucking field. What is that?”
“It’s not that big, and that’s sweet corn. We need to pick the rest of it. The tomatoes are about done, but we can get the last of them. There are cucumbers and squash. A lot of the garden is already through, but we need to get anything that’s left. Some of it Dad takes to the farmer’s market in town, and they sell it for him. I’ll bring you the bushel baskets, and just fill them with everything you can.”
“I will. But you owe me, and that means hot, hunky country boys.” He turned in a complete circle. “Where do you keep them? Well, the ones besides the Mr. Gorgeous, who is apparently off-limits.” His hands went to his hips once more. “What’s the T? Are you two bumping uglies? Or in his case, bumping yummies?”
“Not yet. But maybe. That is, if I can figure some shit out.”
Alan looked at me as though I were crazy. “What’s to figure out? He’s the hottest guy for a hundred miles in any direction. What are you waiting for? Jump his bones and ride him all the way home for as long as your quarter lasts.”
“I can’t just do that. Dell has a son. He’s a sweet kid, and I like them both….”
Alan fluttered his hands in front of his face. “Oh my gawd, you’re nesting already. This guy is the husband, he already has the son, and you can see the little house with the white picket fence and the dog.” With that, Rex loped over, tail wagging a mile a minute as he leaned against Alan’s legs. Alan petted him, and Rex settled right down for all the attention he could get. “So just add a saddle to your little vision and ride the daddy for all he’s worth. The guy is definitely into you.”
“Alan….”
“He is. When I hugged you, I thought old Dell there was going to rip my head off. He wants you and you want him, so pull the stick out of your butt and replace it with something a lot more fun.”
Sometimes Alan was just too colorful for his own good.
“That’s the real problem. I’m already in love with the guy. Have been for years, but I’m only here for a few weeks. You know things are never, ever easy.”
Alan sighed and patted my shoulder. “Darling, you’re screwed, then… and not in a good way.”
Didn’t I know it.
Chapter Four
There were times when I’d get so worn out that I tended to sleep forever. I had no idea I had reached that point until Alan came in to wake me on Sunday morning. Alan, the man who never woke up before eleven on a weekend because he was always sleeping off the fun he’d had the night before.
“There’s someone outside in a big green… farm-type thing, and I think he’s looking for you.”
I cracked my eyes open and wondered if I was still dreaming. I fucking had to be.
“What? It’s cold.”
Sometimes I found Alan completely hard to believe. “I get that. It’s early morning in the fall, but….” I blinked, but the picture stayed the same. “Pink pajamas with bunnies on them?”
“And duckies—don’t forget the duckies. And I’ll have you know that I’m wearing these things in deference to your father. I don’t think he’d be happy if I wandered downstairs through the living room in what I usually wear to bed.” Alan grinned. “Besides, if I did that, my nuts would crawl so far back inside me, I’d probably never find them again. Doesn’t this place have heat?”
I growled and pushed the covers back. I had worn a T-shirt and sweatpants to bed because, well, I grew up with this shit. “Yes, it does. Let me check with Bill about the harvester, and I’ll get it warmer in here. Go back to bed where it’s warm if you want.”
“No. I’m up and I have a lot to do today. I’m going to get dressed and get back into the garden.” Alan turned away, and I couldn’t help glancing to see if those pajamas actually had a tail.
I shook my head and dressed quickly, then headed downstairs, where I turned up the thermostat. I went out to meet Bill into what turned out to be a crisp fall morning, the kind that made you want to inhale deeply and take in the world around you. Nature’s grand display before she bedded down for the winter.
“Mr. Nelson,” I said as I shook his hand. “Thank you for bringing this over.”
“Sorry, it took me an extra day. I miscalculated.” He was a good guy, and while I was a little put out, I knew these sorts of things happened.
“No problem.” I was just relieved it was here and we could get started.
“How is your dad?” he asked as he leaned his hand on a green fender.
“Doing better, I think. Dad’s less growly, and from the looks of him, he’s in less pain. So I’m hopeful about that. Though every time I ask about it, he just grumbles or holds his foot like it’s hurting. I take him to the doctor on Monday. I suppose I’ll know a lot more then.”
“So everything is normal, then.” He smiled, and I nodded. Bill had been friends with my dad for years. If anyone knew the cantankerous pain in the ass, it was him. “Do you know how to operate this beast?”
“No. Dell is on his way over, and he’s going to run it. I’ll operate the catch truck.”
“Right. It will be here soon. We had to make one last run to the elevator this morning, and just in time—the price had gone up for corn. Apparently a couple of areas of Iowa got hit with drought worse than people knew, so the price spiked. Be sure to lock in the price right now.” Bill shook his head. “Your dad held out because he said something like this was going to happen. How he always seems to know is beyond me.”
The catch truck rolled in, followed by a second. Dell climbed out of one, and Bill’s son exited the other. We greeted one another, talked a little shop, and then Dell used Dad’s truck to give the guys a ride home.
“I’ll have the coffee on when you get back, and we can start.”
Dell waved, and I went back inside.
Alan sat at the kitchen table, half asleep over a mug of coffee. “Thanks for the heat. Now I’m tired.”
“Lie down for an hour—”
Alan shook his head. “I’m going to pump myself full of this black lifeblood here, then go on out to work. I’ll be done this afternoon. The freezers are nearly full, and I’m borrowing your mother’s recipe file when I go. I’ll send it back to your dad, but that thing is pure gold. The pepper jelly recipe I got is outstanding, and the apple butter….” He rolled his eyes. “I already took the day off tomorrow—I figured I’d need it. But tonight we’re going out… somewhere… country-boy hunting.”
“You do realize it’s Sunday.” This wasn’t like Chicago, where everything was open and available almost around the clock.
“And they roll up the country boys and haul them inside?” He put his hands on his hips and glared at me. “You promised me some hotness. I’ve picked shit in that garden until my hands are rough, and I’ve cooked and canned in the kitchen all weekend. There’s enough stuff in there to keep your dad fed for months.”