“Are you?”
“Okay, I will be. Honestly. But it does make me feel better as I leave.”
“Feel better?” Shouldn’t this news break her heart?
“You guys need someone so much.”
Mason would be offended if it weren’t such a relief. He leaned back and crossed his arms, trying to give off a serious image. “We were only a project?”
“Well, at first. Kind of. I mean, I really like you, but...”
He chuckled. “It’s okay. See? It’s better this way.” He took a bite of his sandwich and glanced at the clock. Not much longer until he had to be back at work.
“Thanks. I feel like a fool for throwing myself at you.”
“No worries. Tell me about the bakery.”
She straightened in the chair, eyes wide. “Oh, no! I forgot the twins’ birthday. I promised them cakes.”
“It’s okay. I’ll find a cake.”
“No, Mason. I promised, and I can’t do that to Avery or Christopher. Not after they spent so long telling me what kinds of cakes they wanted. I have time to make them this afternoon. Come by tomorrow and pick them up? They’ll be fine in the freezer until their party Saturday.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Totally. I’ll run them through the till and pay for them today. My gift.”
“Okay. Thanks.” He leaned back in his chair. “You really are leaving tomorrow?”
“I am. Once I decide to do something, I don’t usually wait around. It worked out fine here as Rylee is the owner’s niece, but they didn’t want to take my hours away for her. They’ve been great to me.”
“Cool.”
“It’s been raining the past few days, so the highway should be in good shape. It might turn to snow again tomorrow. I don’t want to wait.”
“You’ve got good tires, don’t you?”
She laughed. “Always the tire man. Yes, they’re good.”
Mason stood, wiping his mouth with the paper napkin. “Stay safe, then. I wish you all the best. Keep in touch.”
Kass came around the table and pecked his cheek. “Thanks for everything. And remember I make wedding cakes, too.”
* * *
Liz glanced up as Keanan tromped into the straw bale house. Any break from the animal husbandry syllabus open in front of her was welcome. Claire puttered in the kitchen while Erin grouched from a stool at the peninsula.
“Everything coming back to you?”
Liz grinned over at him. “I’m learning stuff I didn’t know. How are things in the barns?”
“It's raining.” He flicked moisture from his nylon parka. “Looks like our first lamb is on the way.”
“Really? It’s not like them to give birth in the daytime. I seem to remember a lot of knocks on my door at two in the morning from my dad.”
“We switched up the feeding schedule and hope that helps.” He jerked his head toward the door. “Want to come see?”
Liz stretched. “I’d love to.” Those middle of the night times with her dad had been the best. Even when they’d had to assist a difficult birth. Even on the rare occasion they’d lost the lamb.
“I’m coming, too.”
Keanan looked past Liz. “Dress warm, and make sure to wear barn boots.”
“Barn boots?” echoed Erin. “What are those?”
“They’re not high-heeled leather, but something you can hose off.”
“I guess I’ll stay inside.”
Liz shoved her feet into insulated rubber boots and, heeding Keanan’s warning about the rain, grabbed a slicker from the hook. She followed him out onto the deck and glanced at the gray sky. “Wow, it looks like it's going to rain forever.”
“God promised Noah it wouldn’t.”
She chuckled. “Good to know.”
A few minutes later she entered the dimly lit barn where the expectant sheep had been corralled at one end. She breathed in the pungent air and felt the tension Erin brought drift away. If she closed her eyes, she could be thirteen again, sitting on a bale over there, watching her dad shuffle through the flock as he murmured to them.
She belonged here. This farm held her roots through three generations. No wonder Zach had been tugged back. She was, too.
The man with her was Keanan, though, not Dad.
“Can you help me get this one into the solo pen?” He pointed at a ewe standing, head down.
Liz swung her leg over the corral. “Sure.”
It only took a minute then Liz got water for the laboring animal.
“Shouldn’t be long,” Keanan murmured. “I caught a glimpse of hooves.”
Gabe's quiet voice came from the shadows. “She’ll be fine.”
The ewe strained.
For a few seconds Liz saw tiny dark hooves and mucus that likely covered the lamb’s nose, then the sheep relaxed.
A moment later she pushed again and, before Liz knew it, the lamb had been expelled in a rush of blood and liquid. The ewe struggled to her feet as Keanan knelt beside the wiggling lamb, wiping its nose with a handful of straw.
“She’s got it, bro,” said Gabe.
Keanan retreated to the planks where he leaned back between Liz and Gabe. “Wow.”
A grin spread across Liz’s face. “Amazing, isn’t it?”
“It never gets old.”
A shift in the air told Liz Gabe had walked away. Soon the barn door opened and shut. Oh, no. He and Sierra couldn’t have children. Even watching the birth of a lamb must bring pain.
“He’s okay,” said Keanan quietly. “Just tough sometimes.”
Keanan would likely know. Their wives were sisters.
Liz swung her legs back out of the pen. “Thanks for getting me.”
“Glad you came.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Just in case it didn’t go so smoothly.”
The ewe licked the lamb as the newborn struggled to stand.
New life.
Liz felt like she had new life, too, and a new direction. Green Acres was where she was meant to be.
* * *
“You know I can’t stay long.” Mason stood in his parents’ doorway, coat still on. He’d dumped the boots in the entryway though. His mom would never stand for puddles.
“When will we meet Erin?”
The twins scuttled around the living room, putting toys away. Mason turned to the kitchen. “The party on Saturday?”
“But—”
“Mom, don’t start. She’s not staying. She’s not a part of the family. She’s a visitor with biological ties to my children. That’s all.”
“What’s bi-bilogal?” Avery wrapped her arms around his waist.
Great. Mason gave his mother a significant look over Avery’s head. “Biological. It means she’s the person who gave birth to you.” And that’s all. But he couldn’t say that.
“My mother.”
He stroked her back, noticing she hadn’t said mommy this time. “Are you done cleaning up?” The answer was clearly no from how many toys remained out.
Avery sighed, disengaged, and went back to help Christopher.
“Little pitchers have big ears,” Mason said to his mother.
“You never come without them. When are you bringing Kass again?”
Mason held her gaze. He needed to tell the twins about the situation, not let them overhear Mom pick Kass’s decision apart. “I’m not.”
Mom sighed. “Mason, you—”
“Don’t start.” He held up a hand. “I’m twenty-eight years old, Mom. No more matchmaking from you. You’re welcome to talk to God about it, but not me, and not anyone else. Please.”
Her lips pressed into a tight line. “Fine.”
He had no idea whether his mom would be happy about Liz or not, but today wasn’t the day to find out. “Come on, you two. Let’s get going. We’re going to Green Acres for supper.”
“But I—”
“Mom. Things are easier to diffuse with a dozen people around. Okay?” Especially when two of them weren�
��t his parents.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine.”
“See you Saturday. Why don’t you and Dad come for lunch? The party starts at two.”
Chapter 34
Liz looked up as Avery, Christopher, and Finnley clattered in the door after school.
“That was so cool,” yelled Christopher, putting his palms together and swishing them from side to side like a fish. “The bus went like this on the road. Whoosh. Whoosh.”
Avery took off her boots. “It was scary.”
Allison, who’d been working at the large plank table with Liz, crossed to look out the window. “When did it turn to snow again? No wonder the roads are a mess.”
Erin turned from the stool at the peninsula. “Hi, kids.”
Christopher ignored her, but Avery glanced over. “Hi.” Then she came to Liz and slid her arm around Liz’s neck. “Will you read to me?”
She’d been staring at the farm school notebooks long enough. Liz stood and stretched. “I’d love to, but maybe you kids would like a snack first.”
“A snack! Yay!” Christopher ran over to the table and slid into a seat, Finnley beside him.
Allison laughed. “I’ll get it, Liz. Today is Avery’s turn to pick.”
Christopher slumped and crossed his arms. “But I want cookies.”
Avery looked at him. “Me, too.”
The boys both brightened. “What kind is there?” asked Christopher.
“Oatmeal huckleberry.”
Christopher scowled. “What?”
“Finnley, you remember, don’t you?” asked Allison from the kitchen. “We picked lots of huckleberries on the mountain last summer. And then we dried some for cookies.”
Finnley nodded. “They taste like raisins.”
Erin made a gagging sound. “Sounds like a lot of work. Why not just buy raisins?”
Allison met Liz’s gaze across the peninsula and table. “That’s what we’re all about here at Green Acres. Growing as much of our own food as we can.”
Liz’s parents had always had a large garden. Mom had canned fruit and frozen vegetables. They’d raised animals for meat. Lots of farmers didn’t go to all that trouble anymore, but Liz was glad she’d experienced the full lifestyle as a kid. Going through the class material for the farm school had reignited her interest. “I’ll pour milk. Want more tea, Erin?”
“Sure.” Erin shrugged. “Going to all that extra work sounds silly when the stores have everything.”
Allison said nothing but set a plate with two cookies beside Erin then brought a larger mound to the table.
Liz was right behind her with three glasses of milk. Then she topped off the chamomile tea for the women.
Christopher eyed the cookies. “How many can I have?”
“Two each,” Allison said firmly. “See, they’re big ones.”
Avery nibbled the edge of hers. “This is so yummy, Aunt Allison.”
Erin sighed. “That’s another thing. She’s not your aunt.”
Wow. Someone was grouchy. Cabin fever already after only three days?
Allison turned a placid smile at Erin, but Liz could see the tension in her friend’s eyes. “We are like a big family, and this is one way the children feel part of it. Having all these honorary aunts and uncles reminds them they belong, and there are many adults who care deeply about their wellbeing. Everyone needs a place to belong, Erin, and this system has been in place for years already. It works for us.”
Erin opened her mouth and closed it again before biting her lip. Then she broke off a corner of a cookie and put it in her mouth.
Liz didn’t miss the slight widening of Erin’s eyes and the intensity with which she polished off the rest. Not that Erin seemed capable of giving a verbal compliment. Liz caught Allison’s eye and gave her a quick nod and smile. Yep, good cookies.
Jo and Claire came in from a trip to town with their children. Claire set her keys on a hook then started stripping Ash’s snowsuit off. “Nasty out there. I’m glad I don’t have to go anywhere again for a few days. The rain didn't last long enough to melt off all the snow.”
Jo set John free, and Ash toddled after him. Maddie ran to the table for a cookie.
Another storm was on its way according to the forecast, and the guys were stacking extra bales inside the barn to make feeding easier. Keanan had been testing a solar pump for the animals’ water in case Mason’s power went out again. Of course, the sun hadn’t shone in days.
Liz glanced at the clock. It wasn’t as late as it seemed from the dull sky. “Come on,” she said to Avery. “I think we can read a couple of chapters of Little House before suppertime.”
“What are we having today? It smells good.”
“Roast beef, I think. Aunt Allison is today’s cook.” Liz turned to Maddie. “Do you want to listen, too?”
Maddie nodded and curled up against Liz’s other side on the sofa. The same place she and Mason had talked briefly the other night. He’d asked for patience. Liz had agreed. Did he just mean because of Erin’s visit, or was there more to it? Because this farm would never be a calm backdrop for quiet, romantic conversation. Yet somehow they’d managed during Christmas week.
“Miss Liz?” Avery tugged at her arm. “Here’s the book.”
Liz smiled down at the little girl. “Okay. I think we were on chapter seven.”
* * *
Mason glanced in the window as he crossed the deck then came to a halt. The fireplace flickered, causing a golden glow on Liz’s beautiful face and blond hair as she sat on the sofa facing it, a little girl wedged against her on either side. Maddie’s brown curls tumbled across her face as Avery’s hand traced a picture in the book they were reading. Liz’s lips moved, her face full of expression, and then she turned the page.
His heart pounded erratically. How long should he wait to declare himself to Liz? He ached for a few minutes alone with her. He hadn’t even kissed her properly yet.
Maddie slid off the sofa and ran out of view, probably to join the boys at play. She couldn’t sit still long, that one. Liz looked down at Avery as they discussed something on the page. They shared a smile then Liz bent slightly and kissed Avery’s hair.
“What’s going on?” Brent came up the steps behind him.
Little pellets of ice flicked against Mason’s face as he turned from the view. “Nothing.”
Brent looked past him. “That doesn’t look like nothing. It takes a special woman to love someone else’s kids. I should know.”
“You’re right.”
His friend poked his chin toward the window. “Question is, are you going to do something about it?”
“Yeah, I think I am. Soon.”
“Good. Now let’s see what’s on the menu. I’m starving.” Brent headed toward the door before glancing back. “You seen Zach?”
Mason shook his head. “He can’t usually get the clinic locked up until closer to five-thirty, I think. He should be here anytime.”
As one they turned and peered into the darkness. No headlights.
“He’ll be fine. He’s driven on worse.” Brent opened the door and entered the house.
Mason followed, his gaze heading straight for Liz as though he hadn’t just spent five minutes watching her. This time she glanced up and the smile she gave him sank deep into his heart, warming him.
Avery looked up even as she tugged on Liz’s arm. “Hi, Daddy. Read more, Miss Liz.”
Mason hung his coat. “Looks like we need more hooks behind this door,” he said to Brent.
“Good call. I might not drive out to my build tomorrow. Maybe I’ll carve some pegs instead.”
“What's up?”
“Didn’t you see how high the Galena River is? Made me a little nervous coming across the bridge tonight.”
Mason frowned. “I didn’t notice.”
“I haven’t lived here for many winters, but this is the most snow and rain I’ve seen yet. I looked it up, and it’s breaking records all over t
he panhandle.”
“Yeah, they were talking about that on the radio today. At least we’re getting a good snow pack up high. That should keep the danger of forest fires down this summer.”
“Always a good thing.”
Mason glanced over at the kitchen. Erin perched on a stool at the counter, watching him. Not in a predatory way, but with a bit of panic. He could imagine how overwhelming this gang could get to the unsuspecting. He lifted his hand in greeting but turned to the scene in the great room. His kids needed a hug, and so did Liz.
Tonight. He’d find at least five minutes.
* * *
A cell buzzed, and the house fell silent. Liz glanced up. It wasn’t her phone, for sure.
Jo looked out the window at the unrelenting darkness as it rang a second time then reached for hers. “Zach?”
They’d been waiting dinner on him for twenty minutes. Not that long in the great scheme of things, but the weather was ugly. Really ugly.
Jo’s face paled. “Are you okay?” She sank into a chair, her knuckles white around the device. “Thank God you’re okay. And your parents? ... Ed and Mona? Of course. No problem ... See you in a few.” She lowered the phone and stared at it.
“Jo?” Sierra crouched beside Jo’s chair and slid her arm around her shoulders. “What happened?”
“He’ll be fine.” Jo’s voice choked.
“I’m glad. What happened with your parents? And the Graysens?”
Jo took a deep, shaky breath. “There was an avalanche on the south edge of town. Snow. Mud. Trees. Right behind Rosemary and Steve’s house.”
Liz shot to her feet. “Is it gone?” Her parents’ retirement home. Mom’s workroom where she sewed quilts for Romanian orphans. It couldn’t be.
“No, but it could be if more comes down. Steve called Zach as he was locking up the clinic, so Zach said he’d bring them out to the farm for a few days until things settle.”
“Of course.” Claire rubbed circles on Jo’s back. “We’ll make room.”
“Rosemary was worried about Mona and Ed. Their place backs that ravine, and the creek's rising. So Zach said he had room in the truck for them, too.”
Berry on Top (A Farm Fresh Romance Book 6) Page 24
