“Okay, calm down,” Alison said. “I am sure it is nothing. He may have gone to get something from the store. I am sure he will be back.”
“I need to stop acting likes this.”
“You have a right to be worried.”
“No, I don’t. Every time someone leaves my house I am afraid that I am never going to see them again. It has been two years, Alison.”
“I know it has, honey.”
“When will I ever stop feeling this way?”
“I could not tell you. I have never had this happen. Take a few deep breaths, for me.”
“Okay,” I said, breathing deep, trying to calm myself down.
“Good, do you feel any better?” she asked when I was done.
“Yes, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Tell you what. Why don’t you leave a note on the door for Josh and get your butt over here? I could use a little help.”
“I am on my way,” I said.
“Great,” she said. “I will see you in a few minutes.”
“Okay, see you in a few,” I said. I hung up the phone. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. I scribbled a note to Josh telling him where I was going to be. While I was looking for the tape in the second drawer of the kitchen cabinets, I heard a vehicle pull up in the driveway. I was afraid to look up. I heard the door close.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Josh said. My heart skipped a beat.
“Good morning,” I said looking at him. He had a grocery bag and two coffees and bagels in his hands.
“You forgot to pick up coffee yesterday. I went to get some and figured I would get us a cup and some bagels from the diner.”
“I knew I forgot something. Thank you for getting it and the bagels.”
“You’re welcome. Were you going somewhere?”
“Yes, Alison needs some help. I was going to leave you a note and head over there.”
“Ah, well I could go with you and see if Bob needs any assistance.”
“That would be mighty thoughtful of you,” I said with a smile.
“I am feeling all kinds of thoughtful today,” he said with a smile of his own. He came over, wrapping is arms around me.
“And what kind of thoughts do you plan on dishing out?”
“You will just have to wait and see,” he said, kissing me. His tongue playfully danced with mine. He ran his hands down my back. Cupping my ass, he gave it a gentle squeeze. I laughed. He did, too. “I think we better go. Alison will have my head if you are not there in a minute.”
“Yes, she will,” I said. We grabbed our coffees and bagels. Putting them in the truck, we went back in the house to get his pickles and my pasta salad. We climbed in the truck, sipping our coffees and eating our bagels as we made our way to the Everett farm. We pulled in the driveway. Bob and Alison were sitting on the porch drinking a cup of coffee. We got out, bringing our dishes to the porch.
“Uh-oh,” said Bob. “He made the pickles.”
“Yes, I did,” said Josh.
“How does she rate?” asked Alison. “You were here for a month and never made them. You are with her for a week and make them. I see how you are, Joshua.”
“I didn’t make them for her,” he said with a smile. “I made them for you.”
“Oh well that just changes everything,” Alison said.
“And you are now back on her good side, just like that,” said Bob. We all laughed. We brought the dishes inside.
“What do you need me to do?” I asked.
“Well, you can start by helping me slice some onions.”
“Okay,” I said. I grabbed a cutting board and knife.
“Bob, what do you need help with?”
“Nothing,” he said. “I am just going to finish up doing some stuff before people start arriving.”
“I’ll help. The two of us will get it done a lot faster.”
“Yeah, then we can sit around and watch the women work,” Bob said, laughing. Josh laughed. I just shook my head.
“Get out of my kitchen Everett before you get something thrown at you,” said Alison. “That goes for you too, Josh.”
“What did I do?”
“You laughed,” Alison said.
“Okay,” he said. “We are out of here.”
They left the house. We looked at each other and laughed.
“Bob is going to be a bad influence on him. I can see it now,” Alison said.
“I don’t think he needs any help,” I said, laughing. Alison laughed.
“I can only imagine,” she said.
“Who all is coming today?”
“I invited Vanessa, but she has to work. She may swing by later. Dr. Russell, the young one, and his fiancé, Angelica will be here,” she said with distain.
“Why don’t you like Angelica?”
“She just seems so uppity. Her city girl attitude gets on my nerves.”
“Give her a chance. I have talked to her at the office when she is there. She really is a nice person and can be funny.”
“Okay, for you I will try today,” Alison said.
“Thank you,” I said. “Who else is coming?”
“All of our workers with their families will be here. Stacey and Nick and their kids and Susie, Mike, and their kids will also be here.”
“Sounds like it is going to be a good time,” I said.
“I am hoping so.”
“Is this enough onions?” I asked with tears in my eyes.
“It should be,” Alison said, laughing. “I am sorry. I gave you that job because I hate doing it for that reason.”
“You are so evil.”
“I know,” she said, laughing harder. “Here wipe your face after you wash your hands.”
I washed my hands and then wiped my face. “What can I do to help now?”
“Can you slice the tomatoes and lettuce, please?”
“Sure can,” I said. I grabbed the lettuce and tomatoes. “How thin do you want the slices?”
“About the same thickness as the onions,” Alison said.
“Okay,” I said. I looked out the kitchen window to see Josh and Bob setting up the picnic tables. I smile to myself.
“Uh-huh,” Alison said.
“What?”
“Oh, I don’t know what I am feeling? I don’t think it is anything,” she said in a high pitched voice.
“Shut up,” I said, laughing, the heat rising in my face.
“You really are starting to like him, aren’t you?”
“I think so,” I said.
“He is a great guy and he has one hell of a build on him.”
“You are so bad.”
“Oh, I know,” Alison said as she formed another burger patty.
“What else can I do? Do you want me to start the beans?”
“Since you know my recipe, go for it.”
“Okay,” I said with a smile. I needed the distraction. We worked in the kitchen with the music going until Bob poked his head in.
“Ladies,” he said. “The party goers are beginning to arrive.”
“Good,” said Alison. “Then you can take the pans of burgers and hotdogs out and start the cooking.”
“Okay,” he said reaching for the pan. We grabbed my pasta salad and the fixings for the burgers. We placed them on the table next to the grill.
“Can I help you bring anything out?” asked Josh.
“Sure you can, handsome,” said Alison. Josh’s face reddened.
“Okay, lead the way,” he said. We went back in the kitchen, grabbing his pickles, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, chips and a bowl of ice for the dips. We placed them on the same table as the fixings for the burgers. Making another trip, we got the buns for the hotdogs and hamburgers, along with the baked beans, potato salad, and coleslaw. We were ready for the good time to begin. The workers and their families were the first to arrive. The kids were running and laughing on their way to see all the animals. Each one of the workers coming over to shake Josh’s hand and say hello
to me. Three of them had worked for Bob and Alison for the better part of five years. I had come to know them and their wives over the years. Josh was talking to Alison when Doctor Russell and Angelica arrived. She came over to me immediately.
“Hey, you,” she said.
“Hey, Angelica,” I said. “How are you?”
“I am great, thanks. How are you doing?”
“Good to hear. I am not too bad.”
“Good, so who is the cutie Alison is talking to?”
“His name is Josh,” I said, laughing. “He is my new stable boy.”
“Oh, you go,” she said with a smirk.
“It is not like that,” I said.
“I am thinking otherwise by the way he is looking at you.”
“How do you know he is not looking at you?”
“Oh, he is not looking at me,” Angelica said, laughing. I laughed with her. Alison came over to us as Josh went to greet Doctor Russell.
“Hi, Angelica,” she said.
“Hi, Alison, thank you so much for inviting us over. How are you feeling?”
“I am doing well. Thank you for asking. How are you?”
“I am great,” she said. “I heard about what happened. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help out today.”
“Thank you, Angelica, but I think everything should run pretty smoothly for the day. I saw the two of you laughing over here.”
“Yes, we were. I asked Claire who the cutie you were talking to was and she said it was her new stable boy. I told her you go, but she claims it is not like that. I am calling bull, because the way he was looking at her speaks volumes.”
“You noticed it, too?” Alison said. “He does not seem to take his eyes off of her, kind of like now.”
We all looked over at Josh and Doctor Russell and started to laugh. They saw us and waved.
“You know they know we are talking about them,” said Angelica.
“That is okay,” said Alison. “Let them wonder what it is about.”
“I agree,” Angelica said. “A little mystery never hurt.”
“You two are horrible. You are so much alike,” I said, shaking my head. They both laughed as the two gentlemen we were talking about walked up.
“Angelica, meet Josh,” said Doctor Russell. “His grandparents were our neighbors. I have known Josh since he came to live with them when he was eight.”
“Nice to meet you, Josh,” said Angelica as she put out her hand.
“It is nice to meet you, too, ma’am.”
“Please call me Angelica.”
“He has a hard time with that,” joked Alison. “He doesn’t like to call people by their first names.”
“He is just showing his manners,” said Doctor Russell as Josh smiled, face reddening.
“While I appreciate your manners, I insist you call me by my first name.”
“I will do my best.”
“That is all one can ask for,” Angelica said, slipping her arm into her fiancé’s. Bob came over with beers in his hand for everyone.
“Thanks,” we all said in unison.
“You’re welcome.”
“Let me help you out, Bob, since your wife is picking on me.”
“Thank God she is picking on someone other than me,” he said with a laugh.
“You are next mister, so I would tread lightly.”
“Oh man, hurry, Josh, before it gets any worse,” Bob said. They went over to the grill. I watched them walk away.
“I saw that,” Angelica said in a sing song tone.
“Saw what?” asked Doctor Russell.
“Nothing, honey, it is girls stuff,” she said with a roll of her eyes. Alison and I laughed. Susie and Mike pulled in just as Stacie and Nick did. The kids were the first out of the cars. They ran to the other kids. “I didn’t know that you knew Stacie and Susie.”
“Yes, we have been friends for a long time. You know them?” said Alison.
“Yes, we do a girls night out once a month. We are going out next Saturday, are you ladies doing anything? You should come with us.”
“We have our own girls’ night taking place on the night with Vanessa.”
“I love her, she is hilarious. We should all go together. I heard that in the next town over there is free concert going on. “
“Really, where and who is going to be playing?” asked Alison.
“Over at Wilshire’s Pub. Christian Kane is going to be there.”
“We love his CD. We play it every time we go out.”
“Great, then it is settled, we will all go together,” Angelica said as Susie and Stacie walked up.
“What is settled?” asked Susie hugging Alison and I.
“I just told them about the Christian Kane concert.”
“Are you guys going to go? I saw Vanessa earlier and she said you three were going to go out next weekend and she said she would talk to you about it.”
“Well, if Vanessa is up for it, I am game,” said Alison.
“So am I,” I said.
“I am going on record now,” said Stacie. “It will be the best night ever.”
“I am going to agree,” said Angelica. “Now, I really can’t wait. We always have a blast on girls’ night, but adding you three to the mix is going to make it even better.”
“Looks like Vanessa got off of work,” I said as she pulled up.
“Great, now we can see if she wants to go,” said Alison.
“Hello all of my lovely ladies,” said Vanessa.
“Hey, Vanessa,” we all said.
“Susie said she told you about the Christian Kane concert.”
“Yes, she did,” she said. “Are we going or what?”
“We were just going to ask you if you wanted to go. We said if you were down for it, we were,” I said.
“I say let’s do it.”
“Awesome,” said Angelica as Josh approached us.
“Excuse me, ladies, but may I steal Claire away for a couple of minutes?”
“Why should we let you, Joshy?” asked Vanessa.
“Hey, Vanessa, I didn’t see you pull up. How are you?” he asked, hugging her.
“I am fine. How are you?”
“Good.”
“Always good to hear, now answer my question,” she said.
“I just need to speak to her for a minute about the farm.”
“Oh, is he working for you, now?”
“Yes, for about a week.”
“That is great. At least, you now have help,” said Vanessa.
“Yes, he has been a big help.”
“I am sure. When Richard and I used to live next door to his grandparents, we would always see him out there working the farm with his grandfather. Josh have you been formerly introduced to my future sister in law, Angelica?”
“Rich just introduced us a little bit ago.”
“Good, do you know these other two ladies?”
“I can’t say that I have had the pleasure.”
“This is Susie and Stacie. They are married to those two gentlemen over there.”
“I just met Nick and Mike. It is nice to meet you, ladies.”
“It is nice to meet you, too,” said Stacie shaking Josh’s hand.
“Nice to meet you,” said Susie.
“Now that you have met everyone, I will allow you to take Claire away.”
“Thanks, ‘Nessa,” said Josh.
“You’re welcome, but don’t keep her away too long.”
“I promise it will only be a couple of minutes,” he said as we started to walk away. He opened the door. As we went into the house, I could feel the eyes on us. He grabbed my hand and led me to the back of the house. He stopped by the back door. He turned around to face me. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed me. I let go of his hand and wrapped my arms around his neck. He hugged me closer to his hard body. My tongue danced with his until we heard the front door open. We pulled away and snuck out the back. We did not know who walked in or if we we
re seen.
“The girls have noticed how you look at me,” I said to him, standing on the back porch.
“I don’t care if they notice,” he said. “I look at you because I can’t stop looking at you.”
“Angelica already suspects something is going on,” I said.
“Let her,” he said.
“Josh,” I said, smiling. “You don’t care if everyone knows, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” he said. “I like you, Claire, a lot. I am falling hard for you and will tell the world if you let me.”
“I am not ready for that, yet.”
“I know, that is why I snuck you away to kiss you,” he said, leaning in and kissing me again. “We better get back before suspicions rise even higher.”
“Okay,” I said as we walked back through the house. Alison was in the kitchen. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she said. “We forgot to bring out the paper plates.”
“I’ll take those out for you,” said Josh holding out his hand.
“Thank you,” Alison said with a smile.
“No problem,” he said returning her smile. He walked out with a huge stack of paper plates.
“So, did he just sneak you away for no reason?”
“He wanted a kiss,” I said.
“I figured as much,” she said.
“He said he wants to tell everyone. He doesn’t care who knows.”
“What did you say?” she asked.
“That I am not ready for that to happen. Alison, what am I going to do?”
“About what, he likes you, which is very obvious to everyone, you like him, which only seems to be obvious to me at the moment.”
“I know, but I don’t know if I am ready for this.”
“Take it slow and see where it leads.”
“I don’t know if slow is an option with him,” I said, laughing.
“That good, huh,” she said hardily laughing. I could not help but to laugh along with her. Bob heard us and came in, leaving Josh to man the grill.
“Everything okay in here?” asked Bob.
“Everything is great, honey. It is just girls stuff,” Alison said wiping the tears from her eyes.
“That again,” Bob said with a roll of his eyes, walking back out the door. We laughed again.
The Stable Boy Page 8
