Sarge shook his tail and pranced with preliminary victory out of the barn.
While black thoughts slid through Mark’s mind, he jogged after the llama. The last thing he needed was for the animal to break away and terrorize the countryside. Who knew what sort of trouble Sarge could find? Yet there he was, patiently waiting near the gate of the paddock, touching noses with Pippa over the railing. “Stinking, stubborn llama.” He headed that direction just as Alice pulled up the drive.
Mark waved then tugged on the gate latch. Sarge snorted, Pippa rushed the gate, and seconds later both animals pelted across the yard and gravel drive toward Alice’s station wagon while she parked.
“Good grief. I wonder how much I can sell two llamas for online?” Or maybe the spirited animals would be abducted by aliens. Yeah right. No amount of wishing away the llamas would make them get in the paddock sooner. He followed them and reached the station wagon the same time that Alice exited the vehicle.
She gave both of them a curious glance before moving to the rear of the wagon and swinging open the back door. “Hey, Mark. I brought the flats of pansies. Just tell me where you want them planted, and I’ll start work on the flowerbed.”
“Uh, I thought about putting them along Grandma’s driveway with some around her mailbox. She doesn’t really have a flowerbed.” For one moment he ignored the antics of the farm animals to gaze at Alice. In a cheery blue t-shirt and a pair of white denim overalls, she seemed the perfect picture of innocence. She stole his ability to breathe.
“Will do. If you’ll help me turn over the soil, it’ll make the job go even faster.” She fingered a purple petal. “Your grandma will be so happy.”
“We can only hope. Let me herd the llamas then I’ll carry the flowers—”
Sarge rushed the station wagon with Pippa not far behind. Mark, in his attempt to pull Alice out of the way, tripped over his feet. She reached for him but then they both went down in a tangle of limbs. He rolled them out of the way of llama hooves, and came to a rest in the gravel with his body partially on top of hers.
“You know, I’m really not a fan of those animals.” His heartbeat accelerated. Her lips were so close to his. All he’d need to do was barely move and they’d be kissing. Was this the right moment?
Alice shifted her gaze over his shoulder and frowned. “Well, I’m not going to be a fan either if they don’t stop eating my pansies.” She slid her hands up his arms to his shoulders. Her eyes twinkled, giving him her full attention. “But, I say let’s forget about the llamas and just enjoy this cozy little moment.”
“I can do that.” Mark gave into the impulse and brushed his lips against hers. When a tiny sigh escaped her, he fit his mouth over hers in a kiss that held no urgent heat, just affection and tenderness. There was something about Alice he couldn’t get enough of but wished he had endless days to figure out why.
“Mark?” His grandma’s call speared through his consciousness and shattered his enjoyment of feeling Alice’s body beneath his and the pressure of her fingers at his shoulders.
“Mmm?” He brushed his lips over hers once more, tasting a sweetness that hinted of apples. Maybe she’d had juice with breakfast this morning.
“Mark, get off that ground right now, and leave that poor girl alone. And for heaven’s sake, get the llamas corralled.”
He lifted off Alice with a wry grin. “It’s so much fun mixing business and family.” Once he’d gained his feet, he helped her up. “Next time we do this, I’ll make sure Grandma is nowhere around.”
“I’ve got just the place.” She scooted away from him. Amazingly enough, the llamas both backed away from her and ambled toward the paddock.
“Oh yeah?”
She nodded. “Come with me tomorrow afternoon. I’m going down toward Grady Creek. I want to dig up some tiger lily bulbs. Before that, I intend to unearth some white daffodils I saw near the area.” A smile curved her pink lips and her eyes sparkled with excitement. “They probably lined a house back in the day. Only a few bricks of the house remain, but it’ll be fun to check out.”
Digging for flower bulbs didn’t sound like fun to him, but he’d do whatever it took to be with Alice. His expression must have showed his skepticism because she continued.
“It’ll be a couple of hours alone, without my dad, your grandma, or the llamas.”
“Sold.” Finally, he glanced inside her car. The two flats that had most recently held vibrant yellow and purple pansies had transformed into tiny square-shaped pots of dirt with green stalks protruding from them. Almost all of the flower blooms had been eaten by the spiteful llamas. “Sorry about your flowers. I’ll pay for them and another replacement set.”
“Sounds good.” She waved him away in order to close the back door. “Maybe try stroking the llamas’ egos. You know, tell them how handsome and pretty they are. Sometimes, in order to make a stubborn thing — people or animals — do what you want, you need to pour on a bit of flattery.” She winked. “It’s worth a try.”
“Thanks.” He looked at the llamas then his grandma. “Well, I’d better put the animals away. Plus, I’ve got the shop.” His shoulders slumped. The morning he’d had planned with Alice wouldn’t happen since they could hardly plant the remains of the flowers.
Sometimes, life in a fishbowl really annoyed him.
Chapter Seven
Alice slid her arms into a raincoat while keeping an eye out the front window. It hadn’t stopped raining since late last night, but if she didn’t go dig up the bulbs today, she wouldn’t have time since Easter orders would keep her extremely busy for the next two weeks.
“You’re going out in this weather?” Her dad bustled into the room with a mug of steaming coffee in hand.
“Yup. A little rain never hurt anyone.” She even had boots on that matched the red slicker. At least they’d keep the worst of the mud off. “Besides, Mark’s coming along to help, so the job will be done in half the time.”
“Mark, huh?”
“Yeah.” She glanced at her dad. Even wearing worn jeans and a blue Indianapolis Colts sweatshirt, he didn’t look like he’d aged since she was a senior in high school. The only thing giving away his age was the salt-and-pepper hair and the few wrinkles lining his mouth and forehead. “Why?”
“No reason.” He took a long sip of coffee then hunkered down into his worn tweed recliner. “Seems like you really like this guy. I hope you know what you’re doing jumping into things feet first.”
“Jumping?” She snorted. “I’m hardly doing that.”
“I hope you’re being smarter than you were with Frank.”
“I am.” She returned her attention to the window, hoping Mark would make an appearance soon. “And, in case you’re wondering, I’m not going down the same route with Mark that I did with Frank. I’m not getting intimate until I know a whole lot more about him.” Not that I’d mind. Every time she and Mark managed to be alone, something happened to interrupt them. Heat crept into her cheeks. Why am I talking about this with Dad?
“Good girl. That whole thing with Frank was a disaster, and you deserve way better.” He scrabbled through the stack of newspapers on the coffee table then grabbed the remote control. “Mark’s a real upstanding guy, I think. He’s from good people. Just go slow, and do whatever it takes to make sure you’re comfortable. If it’s right, a relationship should be easy. That’s how it was with your mom and me.”
A wash of tears filled Alice’s eyes. Not wanting to make her dad uncomfortable, she blinked them away. “Are you doing okay, Dad? I mean, it’s gotta be boring living here with me.” She turned to face him. “I’m trying my best.”
“I’m doing fine. Never better.” He paused on a channel and sent the volume soaring. “I think I’m driving you a little nuts though.”
“Kinda.” She smiled. Why lie about it? “I’m worried about you. Ever since Mom died, you’ve stuck around home instead of getting out and doing things like you used to.”
“Everythin
g I enjoy is right here.” He frowned. New age-lines appeared around his eyes. “It’ll be okay, kiddo. Go out with your guy and see what happens. You can’t put your life on hold because of me. I shouldn’t have depended on you for so long. It’s just without your mom, I occasionally feel a little lost. Not enough to worry about.”
“I haven’t minded, really.” When her dad lifted a shaggy eyebrow, she sighed. “Okay, you’ve been on my last nerve for a while. I need a break.”
“I’m not the easiest of men to live with. Got under your mom’s skin more than a few times. I guess going out with Mark is just the ticket for you.” He craned his neck to see around her. “And there you go. He’s here.”
A host of butterflies took flight in her stomach. “Okay, well I should be back in a few hours unless we stop for lunch.” She crossed to her dad’s chair and gave him a hug. “See you later.” She practically ran to the door where she picked up a couple of plastic buckets.
“Stop by the store and bring me back some coffee filters.”
“Sure.” She put up the hood of her raincoat and couldn’t help but think her days of living with her dad were numbered. Excitement rode her spine as she left the house and met Mark in the driveway. It was time to chase the next phase of her life. Then she met Mark’s hazel gaze and couldn’t help the tingles that raced through her insides. “Let’s go.”
****
“Thanks for going with me. It doesn’t look like the rain will let up any time soon.” She peered out the truck’s windshield. A steady enough rain came down that Mark flipped on the wiper blades.
“No problem. Tuesdays are my day off anyway, and your invitation saved me from having to muck out the barn. Matt comes back tomorrow. I’ll save that for his welcome home present.”
“Are you close to your brother?”
“Yeah. It used to be that Matt and I were a team, you know? Now he’s married, I kinda doubt things will be the same.”
Conversation halted while Alice gave him directions east of town. “The old homestead is about a mile or so past the east fork of the creek.”
“What do you want the bulbs for?”
“I’ll replant the daffodils around my house. I love the things and at least then everyone can see them and enjoy them. The tiger lilies I’ll sell to a client. She loves color and is such a cheerful person those brilliant orange bulbs will be just the thing for her yard.”
“Gotcha.”
“If you want me to do up a quick bouquet to welcome your brother and sister-in-law home, I can.”
“Uh, sure. Send me a bill. I have no idea what sort of flowers go into a bouquet.”
“That’s okay. I’ll take care of it. And Mark?”
“Yeah?”
She chewed her bottom lip. “Your relationship with your brother will change, but he won’t abandon you. Life’s always changing, and it’s never as bad as we think.”
“Getting ready to practice what you preach where your dad’s concerned?”
“I don’t know. I’m feeling restless though.” She shifted in her seat to look at him more fully. “It’s as if I can sense something new coming, but don’t know what it is.” No way would she assume it’d be a deeper relationship with Mark. Technically, they just met each other days ago, but—
Well, she’d learned long ago not to count her blessings prematurely.
Mark moved his right hand to her knee and squeezed. Tingles and tickles both ran rampant up her limb. “Don’t worry about it. My grandma says when a thing is meant for you, you’ll feel at home in it like an old shoe or a worn sweater.”
“Yeah, maybe.” It mirrored what her dad had said so perfectly her stomach quivered. It’s so not the time to think about this.
She didn’t say anything else for the remainder of the drive. Instead, she watched the raindrops on the windows, listened to the twang of the country music from the radio, and generally tried not to think about what would happen if whatever was between them hit the compost heap just like every other relationship.
By the time they pulled into the weed-choked ancient driveway, her nerves were on edge and her thoughts spun out of control with “what-ifs.” Alice tumbled out of the truck and her plastic buckets fell out after her. Grumbling about how clumsy she’d become, she grabbed them and started off in the direction of where she’d discovered the flowers. “The last time I saw the white daffodils, they were right near the river. I guess back in the day the house wasn’t as close as the property is now. Erosion and things like that have changed the landscape.”
“Alice, hold up.”
“Come on. The rain’s not getting any lighter. If we hurry, we can dig up the flowers and be back without being soaked.”
Mark caught her hand and tugged, slowing her pace. “It’s not a race. Enjoy the moment.”
When he didn’t release her, Alice sighed. “How are we supposed to enjoy the moment in the rain and the mud?” For emphasis, she lifted a boot and set it down. It squelched in the saturated ground.
“I can think of a couple of things.” His eyes smoldered. In the cloudy skies, they were browner than green, but the emotions bubbling in them started a fire in her. “Wanna enjoy the moment with me?”
Rain dripped off the bill of his ball cap. Every drop that fell on her raincoat hood echoed in her ears in time to the rapid beat of her heart, but she nodded and squeezed his hand. Finally, after days of being interrupted, she had a few seconds alone with him.
“We won’t need these.” Gently, he tugged the bucket handles from her fingers and let the containers drop to the soggy ground. “But I will need exclusive access to your lips, Miss Attler.” Then he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.
Alice sagged into his embrace. She stood on tiptoe, wrapped a hand around his neck, and held him closer. His lean strength made her feel delicate and womanly; the strong bands of his arms around her safe and protected. With each insistent glide of his lips against hers, heat built inside. Finally, she felt needed for who she was, not for what she could do for someone else.
She pressed closer. Mark slid his hands to her hips and held her steady. Her hood fell onto her shoulders, and the rain dribbled into her hair, but she didn’t care. Not when he drew a heated line of baby kisses down the column of her throat, not even when he came back up to nibble a sensitive spot beneath her jaw that made her stomach jump and sent joy bubbling into her chest. On a sigh, she parted her lips, inviting him in. Mark took full advantage of her signal. Slowly, almost reverently, he slipped his tongue inside, touching hers.
Butterfly wings brushed her insides. Heat filled every inch of her body. Her heart trembled as if on the edge of a high wall, almost falling. She wanted to feel like this all the time, but she couldn’t rush it. Hopping into bed wasn’t the answer. Being friends and spending quality time with a guy was the key to future happiness. It’s what built a solid foundation for everything else and was what would be left long after the heat faded.
And if they didn’t quit, it’d be inevitable they’d use the truck cab to take their relationship to the new, rushed level and destroy everything.
“Mark,” she murmured against his lips. He was so warm and soft, and he felt so solid and wonderful in her arms that she didn’t want to leave. When he didn’t respond, she planted her palms on his chest and pushed. “Mark, I need to go after those bulbs.”
“Not without me.” When he stooped to retrieve the buckets, his eyes twinkled with mischief. “Shall we go?”
****
Dear God, please let everything work out. Mark followed Alice over the soggy ground, skirting around clumps of weeds that choked what might have been vegetable gardens or flower beds. On a normal day, he would have been miserable, but any day with Alice was never normal. No, not even ordinary, and he couldn’t be happier. In the rain, muck and general nastiness that was a spring day in Indiana, he’d gladly go wherever she led just to spend another minute or two in her company. “Good grief, I’m as daffy as she is.”
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Alice glanced over her shoulder. “Are you talking to me, because if you are, I didn’t understand your mumble?”
“Never mind.” The property sloped toward the river, but she headed parallel to the closest bank. “Where are the flowers you want?”
“The daffodils are at the back so I thought we’d go after the tiger lilies first.”
“Sounds good. Afterward, let’s grab lunch somewhere. I ran late to the bait shop this morning and didn’t have a chance to eat breakfast.” When she stumbled, he latched onto her elbow until she steadied.
“You always run late. Maybe it’s time to train your body to wake up earlier.”
“I guess so.” He frowned. He’d never had cause to think about his daily habits before now. “Is that a problem for you?” Some people were anal about being on time.
“I’ll admit it’s not my favorite thing when people are late, but it hasn’t grown into a pet peeve. Don’t test me.” She shrugged. “Oh look, here they are.” Alice plowed into the midst of an unruly clump of green shoots and leaves. Apparently, she knew what they were, but to him it resembled a tangle of weeds.
“Here’s what?”
“The tiger lilies. Looks like some of the greenery has come up but not the flower shoots yet. That’s good.” She wiggled one hand. “Give me the trowel. If all goes well, I’ll be able to locate the bulbs right away.”
Mark did as instructed then could do nothing else except watch as she crawled on the ground. Every once in a while she’d dig through the plant life and exclaim when she found a bulb. Those she chucked into one of the buckets he held. Through it all, he couldn’t help but smile. She got so excited when she found a bulb. Some she’d hold up and inspect. Some she rejected, explaining those were dud bulbs or ones that simply wouldn’t bloom. He didn’t know how she knew this, but it fascinated him. I’ll have to ask her about it later.
The time passed in companionable silence after that. The rain didn’t seem to bother her or dampen her spirits. Alice dug up bulbs as if she’d been born for that exact purpose while he held the bucket and just admired her for the person she was. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her in my life. He wanted to know so much more about her. What made her laugh hysterically? What trait in people did she absolutely hate? What was her favorite food, color, perfume?
Coming Up Daffy Page 7
