by Tanya Hanson
“What’s your major?”
“Agribusiness.”
“Aw, thank God you’re a country boy. All righty then, let’s get this hoe-down started! Let’s meet some farmers’ daughters. Here’s your love choices, Mr. Landry Mills.”
On stage giggled three young women dressed like Kelsey’s senior year in high school.
Landry, perched on an elevated stool, looking taller than ever, addressed the three. “What’s your best attribute?”
Green heart: Rising Star.
Yellow heart: Heart of Gold.
Blue heart: Girl Power.
Kelsey was laughing too hard to pay much more attention and simply enjoyed the man onscreen. Who seemed amazingly at home. He looked straight on and right into the heart of any woman watching. She almost felt nanny-cammed and wrapped tighter in the granny squares.
Well, obviously none of them had made it to spouse level. And now, she had the perfect reason to find him again, and tease his head off.
That’s all. Tease him about why she found him familiar. And he could tease her back about wasting her time watching dorky reruns.
Hmmm. How to find him? Without, you know, being stalkery.
She made a quick call.
“Mom, is there any chance you guys can come this weekend? Saturday? I’ve got a hankering for a farm-to-table meal.”
Her mother hooted a big ripe laugh. “Funny you should ask. I just got off the phone with your brother. Was ready to call you back. Honest. He suggested Saturday, too. The kids have hotshots soccer weekend after.” Her voice sobered. “Does this mean you’re cooking?”
Kelsey shrugged off the insult. While not known for her culinary prowess, she could read a recipe.
“Yes. There’s a little artisan farm nearby and…” She halted. Anymore and Mom would suspect. “Love you. See you Saturday. Five-ish? I’ll be at the rescue most of the day. You can let yourself in anyway.” At first, it had staggered her, nobody locking their doors in Ten Oaks. “Drive safe.”
They both kissed into the phone before ending the call.
Next, she texted Maggie to stop by quick after handbell choir for a glass of wine. But four minutes later, her friend called.
“No wine. It’s a school night.”
“Mmmmm, a glass of wine is good for the heart.” Heart!
Maggie laughed out loud. “I know, but thing is, I’m already home and in my jammies.”
“You’ll never guess who I just saw on a Heart-to-Heart Talk repeat.” Kelsey could hardly contain her excitement but tried to sound casual.
Over the cell waves, Maggie’s tone lowered about two octaves. “Oh dear God, no. Gunnar.”
Kelsey thrilled herself by having no vile reaction to the bad-boy name. Seems meeting Landry was already working wonders. “Noooo. It’s the guy who runs the organic farm. Only he’s older and hotter now.” She filled her in about Landry. Then and now.
Maggie all but drooled through the phone. “All righty, then. A good ol’ country boy for you practically in your back yard.”
“What do you mean?” Kelsey asked, suspicious. “Gunnar lived here, too.”
She practically heard Maggie’s hands flap in impatience. “He also had a fancy-Dan condo and a big-whig daddy who introduced you to fancy-Dan people. I’m saying this Landry fella is a farmer. Down to earth charmer. Now…” She launched into deadly schoolteacher mode. “You get your rear in gear and get back to the farm. All he did was ask you to coffee. He didn’t ask you to marry him!”
****
Friday afternoon brushed his face, and Landry peered up at the sky in gratitude. He liked working with his hands. Laying down a river-rock fence at his new place was right up his alley. In his wheelhouse. Cut from his silhouette.
Gag. Whatever the current cliché was. At his feet, McClintock moaned in pure dog empathy. At least Landry’d had some alone time to think about…Kelsey. All day long.
And thinking about how to see her again without being, as Amy said, too stalkery. Ten Oaks was indeed a small town. They were bound to run into each other soon or later. Problem was, Landry wanted sooner.
It was February already. That meant Spring Break was happening soon. She might be traveling somewhere. Worse, what if she…what if she did intend to go back to L.A. when school let out for summer?
He set the last rock of the day, pulled off his camouflage ball cap, and wiped his forehead. Mounting up Big Jake, he called McClintock and headed down the hill the mile and a quarter to Amy’s. Kelsey. Ah. A girl who helped rescue animals and stopped by an organic farm to learn about carrots would have to appreciate his eco-friendly house, wouldn’t she? His great dog? Appreciate the trees he’d left standing? Heck, the deck had been built around a massive pine.
Not to mention his very own horse. Turning in the saddle, he grabbed one last peek at his place. A decent-sized but not monstrous house of twenty-two hundred square feet. Solar panels, energy-efficient windows, recycled bricks and doors. Any vegetation removed for the foundation had been replanted and tended. Any and all rocks, boulders, even pebbles used in landscaping. And the trees…he looked up an alder to the hawk’s nest. Ground hadn’t been broken until nesting reason was over.
Winsome Hill. Sounded a tad girly because Amy had thought it up.
Would Kelsey mind?
Big Jake, a gorgeous paint-Saddlebred mix named for a favorite movie, meandered down the trail like he had done so a thousand times. Because he had done so a thousand times, and more. Surefooted, loyal and strong. Never a heavy hand or harsh word…the horse had learned trust the old fashioned way, through patience and compassion. Not a bad combination for getting to know people, either.
McClintock, a brown speckled mutt named for another favorite movie, ran off to chase some noise in the shrub.
Did Kelsey trail ride? She’d said she didn’t, couldn’t ride the horses at the rescue. Did that mean horses in general? Hmmm. Landry was a good teacher, and Amy’s cremello mare Pearl was easy on a new rider. More than anything, Landry ached to help Kelsey up and down the stirrups, especially down so she could slide against his chest before her feet hit the ground. Ah…he heated where he met the saddle.
He ducked under the long branch of a California live oak. Across the ground, its shadows spread like angel wings. Friday had warmed up nicely, too warm for February, but big gray clouds hugged the hilltops now as late afternoon loomed on the horizon. Maybe he ought to do a rain dance. Around him, the hills wore a thin coat of green—didn’t take much rain to liven things up, and they’d had a few inches. Not enough, but anybody living in drought took what they could get.
White sage hunkered along the trail blowing its aroma to the sky, and monkey flower smiled up at him. Amy had taught Landry everything anybody ever needed to know about native plants. Big Jake picked a careful way through rocks and small boulders. The ocean a dozen miles away drew silver lines on the horizon and sent Pacific breezes snaking up the dry hills. Satisfaction thrummed in Landry’s blood at the sight of—everything. He’d traveled the world but there truly was no place like home.
He rounded the stand of sycamore hiding Milk and Honey from view. Yup, Amy had told him there was an underground spring somewhere near to keep the trees green and growing. Felt like he was the last person in the world and laughed out loud. McClintock had reached him, looked up with honest question in his brown eyes. Awesome dog. He’d loved the mutt since he first met the five-week old pup. Busted him up realizing he couldn’t take him on the planes to everywhere and had to leave him behind.
The real asphalt road to Winsome Hill just a hundred yards away pretty much proved he wasn’t all rustic mountain-man pioneer. But it sure beat out all the oxymoronic places Tall Timber Jeans had photographed him when the company had decided to go global and leave the Wild West. Beaches in Bali. Casinos in Monte Carlo. Snow-clogged Himalayas without a tree in sight…
He shook his head. His contract was up for renewal and…
Kelsey. Up ahead. His heart pounded
as he reined in Big Jake at Amy’s round training pen. Leaning against the fence, Kelsey chatted it up with his sister. If seeing her in hardy jeans yesterday had almost done him in, here she was in school clothes and driving him crazy. Professional but not stuffy. Casual but elegant. Kitten heels, black skirt just short enough. Black and white striped top with a hoodie lined in green.
“Hi, Landry.” Her voice trilled on the wind. How on earth did her students make it through the day? Well, they were only nine. “Where’s the Stetson, cowboy?”
“Hey, Kelsey. Oh, it’s a work day for me. I’m finishing up landscaping the house I’ve got going on up the hill.” Was his voice shaking? Landry dismounted and looped Big Jake’s reins over the fence.
She came over like she walked on air. “A home builder. Wow. Great horse.” She rubbed the gelding’s nose.
“Meet Big Jake. Well, I’ve had a lot of help. A college buddy is an architect and a frat brother owns a construction company. It’s uh…” Was he going to start stammering now?
“It’s good to see you again.” Kelsey’s voice softened.
Amy batted eyelashes over eyes wide with pretend innocence. “Kelsey’s here for some farm-to-table vegetables.”
There was a God. Whew. “Good to see you, again, too.” And so soon. Like his all-day daydreams had merged with reality. He wiped his hand on his jeans, wondering if he dared hold it out to her. “I’m afraid we’re out of heart-shaped carrots just now, though.”
Kelsey laughed. His heart stopped when she shook his hand, and Amy’s forehead wrinkled.
“Long story.” Kelsey grinned at Amy, then glanced quick from the toes of his boots to his eyes. Her cheeks pinkened. The plastic flower earrings brought out green glints in her eyes. Wow. They’d been gray like rain clouds yesterday. “The fam is coming for dinner tomorrow, and I’ve promised them something fresh and local. I stayed after school to finish up progress reports and decided to stop by on my way home. My friend Maggie has a ratatouille recipe she promises I can’t mess up.”
“Oh, a vegetarian, are we?”
Her eyes twinkled, and he figured his had done the same first. “Well, I will admit it. Working with animals we’ve saved from slaughter has changed my viewpoint somewhat. But I just wanted to sss…serve them Ten Oaks’ finest. Wow.” She scrunched down eye-level with Clint and hugged him despite his fuzzy fur and her black fabric. “Great dog.”
Landry hardly heard. Had she started to say, or at least wanted to say…to see you…? He could live on that for a while.
Amy grinned like a mother at the two of them. Landry wanted to gnash his teeth. He might be interested in Kelsey, but he sure didn’t need any matchmaking or hovering. “I’m explaining to Kelsey that I don’t actually don’t grow everything I sell. All the growers on the Oxnard plain co-op with each other. I guarantee the hothouse eggplant. My friend Enzo grows it down the hill.”
“I’m on board with everything.” Kelsey stood up, held out a biodegradable, reusable cloth bag with the logo of a biggish natural food grocery chain. From the bulges inside, she’d made a pretty big haul. Then her brown hair swiveled over her shoulders as she peeked around. “Everything. This place is unimaginably beautiful.”
“Would you like to take a closer look?” Landry jumped right in, took the chance. “After I…” He tossed his shoulder at Big Jake, but Amy grabbed the reins.
“I got Jake.” She winked. “You go show Kelsey around. She was just telling me about a rerun she watched last night. I’m sure she’d like to discuss it with you.
Kelsey’s face bloomed with laughter. Had to be Heart-to-Heart Talk and Landry groaned, cheeks hot. That stupid show, the show that had started everything. Cable channels couldn’t resist endless reruns around Valentine’s Day.
“Come on.” He offered the crook of his arm.
“Wait, Kelsey.” Amy’s free hand touched Kelsey’s. “You won’t make it far in those shoes. Plus you’ll wreck ’em.”
“Oh, I have my mucking boots in the car. I’ll get them.” She turned toward the dirt road to the parking lot.
“No, no, no. I’ve got lots of extra boots in the barn. Landry, find her a pair.”
Whew. Landry’d found the mother lode. A girl in boots was already hot, and now he got to put them on her.
Heat nestled deep in his belly.
Chapter Three
Good heavens, if Kelsey had thought Landry just walking toward her on that horse would do her in, how about him getting her in boots?
Talk about a country boy who fit his environment like a hand wore a glove. Nothing like Gunnar…No matter he claimed to have grown up in Ten Oaks, she looked back now and saw Hollywood sparkling on Gunnar like second skin.
She sat on a hay bale, and Landry did the rest. The late afternoon had started to cool down, but just his touch sent her temperature skyrocketing. So she busied her hands, burying them in the dog’s fur.
“What’s his name?”
“McClintock. Clint for short if you want.”
“Oh, and Big Jake. A John Wayne fan, are we?”
Landry chuckled. “The Duke’s the best in my book. Amy and I were raised on him. I suppose I need to admit to the tomcat we call Quiet Man. Boots fit okay?” he asked, voice soft. Eyes soft, too.
She got up, feeling like Cinderella. “Yes. They feel fine.”
They walked out of the barn, his arm ready to grab her elbow, but her footsteps were sure. And his hand dropped down to his side.
Reluctantly? She could only hope and dream.
“Very well, in fact.” At least she hadn’t wasted time, going home to change. She’d been running late as it is, thanks to another round of progress affirmations for Homewood’s helicopter parents. But…why did the boots fit her so well? If they didn’t, and she wobbled, or they hurt, she might have reached for his hand. “So…
“I know.” His cheekbones burned a handsome burgundy. “The show.” He rolled his eyes. “It was a frat initiation prank. Pledges had to try out for Heart-to-Heart Talk. A few of us got picked.”
They headed down a flagstone path, and she laughed. “I cracked up last night. I have got to admit. I mean, what are the odds I’d see you on TV the same day we met? In my teens, it was my favorite show. I was too young to apply, but gosh, a girl could dream. All those cute guys. These days I love watching the repeats. It’s a brainless way to decompress from school and…” No, she wouldn’t mention Gunnar, now or ever. The past was done and gone. “And, well, I’ve been watching reruns every night on a cable channel.”
“Ah. I figured.”
She shook her head. “Sorry?”
“Happens every year about now. Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh, no. You don’t like Valentine’s Day?”
“Well, of course. I send the right people red roses.” His eyes twinkled. “And this year, I get to figure out heart-shaped carrots.”
Definitely flirting. Kelsey remembered Maggie’s reminder, he’d asked her for coffee, not her hand. “Well, that’s why you seemed so familiar yesterday. Apparently, I’ve seen your episode a lot lately.”
“Yeah. Crazy, uh.” He stopped for a second, shook his head like he might be wanting to say more. But… “It was the sexy hook-up show at the time. But it’s so darn mild now. No overnight dates or whoopee suites. Always a chaperone. At least we didn’t have to deal with smart phones taking videos and going viral all over the internet. Dang…” He chuckled. “I think our high-tech accessory back then was the pager.”
Shade from avocado trees dappled the ground around them. She burst out laughing. “My brother had one. At least you don’t have to relive the date forevermore on YouTube.”
“Yeah, the date went nowhere.” He shrugged. “Nice girl, but I was already dating somebody at college. Neither of them happened to be Mrs. Right, anyway. Francie, the girl on the show, we went to the House of Blues.” Another shrug. “Don’t even remember who performed. We lost touch, although she did ask me to Friend her on Facebook a while back.�
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“Did you?”
“Nope. The past is in the past.” He peered off into the grove of avocado trees.
Was he reliving a memory? Regrets? Did Francie actually mean more than he was letting on? Or the college girl? Maybe she’d dumped him? No matter. Her past was long gone, too.
She changed the subject, the conversation starter over. “So, how long have you lived here?”
“Ten Oaks? All my life. Well…other than work stuff, college.”
“Right here? At Milk and Honey?”
“Oh, no. We lived in town. My mom worked for Dr. Ortiz, everybody’s dentist. Unless you needed orthodontia or oral surgery.” Landry laughed. “You had to go down the hill for that. Milk and Honey, well, Amy named the place. Long story.”
“I’m not in a hurry.” Although she ought to be. Four more progress reports. Their boots kicked up dust that made little twisters in the wind. He didn’t mention a father, but it seemed nosy to ask. “So where was college? What was work?”
“Cal Poly. And then I worked for a western-wear company.”
“PR?”
He grinned. “Some. Mostly modeling.”
“Ahhhh.” Her eyes twinkled as they traveled the length and breadth of him. “Yeah, I can see that—oh, goats! Oh, that one’s so tiny!”
“Baby girl. Only seven days old.”
They passed another pen. “And a donkey. Oh, I’m in love. Can I pet ’em?” She rolled her eyes. “Darned if I don’t sound like a pre-schooler.”
Landry’s laugh warmed her through. “Of course you can pet them. They’re used to kids of all ages. Amy has the necessary permits and insurance to hold educational fieldtrips. You can bring your class.”
“I just might do that.” The soft gray fur of the little Sicilian donkey tickled her hand.
His eyebrows rose playfully. “Well, you can help me feed the critters after the tour. You’ve got a lot of experience feeding livestock, I hear.”
“I’m sorry.” Kelsey paused, a little embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to interrupt back there. Amy’s done such a beautiful job. It’s like…her dream came true.”
