“Oh come on, Emma. You haven’t even heard all that I got to tell you. Why don’t you try to stop being so defensive all the time? Remember, I’m just trying to help you, okay?” He smiled and then tossed back the last sip of his water.
“You want more?” I stood up and took away his glass. He reflected for a minute and then gave me a wry grin.
“You got any beer?” He looked at me with a timid, doubtful expression. I gave him a dry laugh and then opened the cellar door.
“I think there’s some down here from when Paul used to store them in the cooler.” I tightened the cinch around my apron and then started to walk down the steps. I was already suspicious of Jake’s plan, and I wondered what he was really going to end up asking me to do. Knowing Jake, there would be some trade-off for him involved, as well. Jake wasn’t a selfish man, but he was always making sure that he walked away with his cut of the pie.
I rummaged around in the cellar, moving over heaps of Paul’s old clothes, boxes of his fishing gear, and crates filled with hunting arrows. I looked around and suddenly felt overwhelmed. I hadn’t moved on at all since Paul’s death. I was just as engulfed in it now as I had been two years ago. I stared at the wall and then moved toward the fridge, tripping over a box filled with old milk bottles. Jake must have heard me making noise, because he peered around the doorway and then started to inch his way down the steps.
“You okay down here?” He looked at me and I crumpled down to the floor, landing in a pile of old wool blankets that Paul used to keep in the horse barn. I buried my face in my hands and wept, only stopping when I felt Jake’s hand on my back. “Emma. Come on upstairs. Forget about the beer.” He reached for my hand and helped me up. I wiped the tears away from my face and then grabbed a wadded tissue from my apron pocket.
“The beers aren’t the problem, Jake.” I finally got to the fridge and pulled out a frosty ale from the back. I handed it to Jake and dabbed my eyes, then threw my arms up in the air. “The problem is me. I need to do something. Look at his place. It’s a catastrophe. I’ve done nothing but wallow in self-pity and sorrow for the last two years. I need to pick up the pieces and move forward.” I sniffed and then looked at Jake.
He cracked open the beer and took a sip, then eyed me with concern. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and then set the beer on the railing post. “Emma. None of us can really imagine what it feels like for you, but…” Jake paused and then lowered his head. “I miss Paul, too. I mean, he was a good guy.” He nodded his head and then looked at me with a frown. “But he ain’t coming back, and life is just rolling on without you.” He picked his beer up from the post and took another sip. Then he spun around and headed back up the steps.
Chapter 3
I closed the windows in the kitchen to keep the rain from careening inside. Jake and I both watched in silence for a few minutes. It had been weeks since this part of Idaho had received a good downpour, and we surely needed it. I was relieved that the soil would be softened now for planting, hopeful that some of the sadness from the day might be washed away with it, as well.
“I’m ready to hear what you want to tell me, Jake.” I sat down in the same checker-padded kitchen chair, and waited to hear Jake’s plan. He tossed back the last sip of his beer and then hiccupped.
“It’s a simple plan, Emma. All you have to do is agree to get married again.” Jake spoke and I felt my stomach tighten. Get married again? I might have been ready to accept a new idea, but I was in no way ready to get married again. And to whom? The thought was ludicrous.
“You must be kidding, right?” I pulled my hair back into a pony tail and then waited to hear what else he had to say.
“I’m not kidding. I’m completely serious. All you have to do is agree to get married again, and all of your financial woes will dissolve. Yours, and mine.” He winked and then I chuckled. I knew there had to be a catch. “Here’s how it works. You agree to marry a certain Matthew Devine. He’s a handsome, wealthy rancher from out in Pocatello, and he’s been on the search for a mail order bride. You fit the bill.” Jake cocked his head and waited for me to interject. I simply stared at him.
“A mail order bride? I’ve never even heard of such a thing.” I frowned, already not keen on the idea, but still convinced that I needed to do something that would drastically change my current course. Jake smiled and then ran his hands through his hair.
“Emma, it’s like a dream. This guy has money- lots of it. He’s good looking, and there are a handful of women ready to throw themselves at his feet. But see, that ain’t his style. He’s like, this romantic at heart, and he has some hang-up about women who just want him for his cash. I could tell you a lot more about him if you think you’ll listen.” Jake raised his eyebrows and gave me an optimistic smile.
I had to admit that I was curious, not so much about Matthew, but about how Jake apparently knew so much about him.
“You said he’s a rancher?” I wanted to see if Jake knew as much about him as he led on to. Jake emphatically nodded his head.
“Cattle rancher, down off of Fountain Highway, near the resorts.” He continued nodding and then reached his hand into his back pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of paper. “I got all his stats, right here.” Jake scanned the document and then tossed it onto the table. I frowned, still unconvinced that I could really trust him wholeheartedly.
“Look, Emma. I got connections, you know? I see a lot of people in town, I go to a lot of community meetings, and I do a lot of favors for people. I know this guy is legit. And the only thing he’s trying to get out of life, right now, is a good woman.” Jake smiled and then sighed. “Who knows. Maybe the two of you will actually hit it off.” He shrugged and then pushed back his chair.
“Where are you going?” I watched as he stood up and pressed his hands against the glass on the door. The rain had tapered off, leaving an orange hue on the dirt road beyond the back door.
“Well I know Ethan will be getting home soon, and I actually need to go drop off some feed over at Bower Farm. Why don’t we continue this conversation sometime tomorrow? Maybe you can come out to the house in the morning.” Jake shrugged and then let himself out. I didn’t have anything planned tomorrow except for some knitting and some baking.
“Sure. Will ten work?” I stood up and walked behind him, glancing up at the sky to view the clouds that were slowly disappearing from our view. I closed the door and sat down on the step, wondering if this was such a good idea. Jake ambled slowly to his truck and then climbed in behind the wheel.
“Ten works for me. Sue has to teach around nine, and the kids will be off to school by then.” He nodded his head and then gazed out at the corn fields. “Boy, Paul sure did a hell of a lot of work when he was alive, didn’t he?” He shook his head and then closed the door and started his engine. I nodded my head in agreement. Paul had been the hardest worker I ever met, and he never complained about it.
I watched as Jake slowly reversed out of the driveway, his truck rolling along the dirt road that now resembled softened clay. He waved goodbye and then I wandered back toward my laundry basket. The clothes that hung on the line were now sopping wet form the rain, but I just didn’t have the wherewithal to take them all down and haul them in to the dryer. I was line drying most of our clothes to cut back on the electric bill, but sometimes it just got to be too much work. I scratched my head and thought about what Jake had said about Matthew. Maybe he was the answer to all of these problems, after all.
Chapter 4
“Hey, Mom. I’m home!” I heard Ethan’s voice ring out from the kitchen just as I finished a stitch on a scarf I was knitting. I was glad to hear him because he was the one bright spot in my otherwise gloomy days. I slowly got up and then started to walk toward the hall. I stopped in front of my full length mirror and looked at my refection. My shiny chestnut colored hair hung to my shoulders. It was my one feature that made me feel attractive. Otherwise, I felt like my looks left a lot to be desired.
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p; Losing Paul had left me with many restless nights. The circles under my eyes were pronounced, and I seemed to have a lifeless energy. I stared at myself for a few minutes and then told myself that it was time to change. I had to move on with my life and try to get it together. I started to feel like maybe Jake’s arrival was sort of like an angel’s. What if this ended up being a plan that we could both benefit from in miraculous ways?
“I’ll be right down, honey.” I called to Ethan and then closed the bedroom door. I walked down the hallway and looked at all of the pictures on the wall- many were of Paul and I after we had been married. I smiled when I thought back to all of the happy times we had shared, and I realized that my life would never really be the same. It would always be a life that had been drastically altered. It would always have a missing piece. Yet, even with all of that, I figured that it could still be a life worth living.
“How was school, buddy?” I threw my arms around Ethan’s shoulders and then stood back to look at his face. He looked so much like Paul, with his deep set green eyes and his high cheekbones. I smiled and then opened up the refrigerator. We had fresh eggs and fresh goat’s milk, but not much else. I didn’t want to complain, but I sometimes wished that we could get away from the farm life. Maybe we could move into the city and try to integrate a new lifestyle. Then I sighed. We’d never have enough money to make a move like that.
I had creditors calling every week because we still owed on the house. Worse, I had applied for credit cards for the first time in my life after Paul passed away because I needed to buy Ethan school clothes, and I needed to fix the truck. The bills were mounting, and I was beginning to feel like we’d soon be buried in debt. I ran my hands through my hair and then took a deep breath. Then I pulled out two eggs and a quart of milk. I watched as Ethan ran outside with his football, and then cried when I realized that he had nobody to throw it to.
Jake’s arrival had stirred up a flurry of emotions. On the one hand I really didn’t have much interest in actually dating anyone. It was hard to even think about having romantic feelings for anyone besides Paul. But on the other hand, I couldn’t deny that his mention of financial freedom gave me hope. I felt like maybe I could finally get out of the hole I was in, both emotionally and financially. I tried to think of Jake’s idea as a ticket out of hell. Maybe I would finally be happy again one day.
“Hey, Mom. My school is planning a trip to Sun Valley. Can I go?” Ethan came inside and sat down at the table. I had just set down a plate of eggs and some milk. He dug in with enthusiasm and I lowered my head. Sun Valley was the big ski resort just outside of town. I knew that Ethan’s high school planned an annual trip there for the high school kids, and it broke my heart to think that I wouldn’t have enough money to let him go with his friends.
“Sweetheart, I’m not sure if you can go. I don’t like to tell you that, but it’s true.” I shook my head and then sighed. Ethan took a sip of his milk and then gazed out the window.
“Mom, are we always going to be poor?” Ethan turned back around and looked at me, his fork teetering on the edge of his plate. I didn’t know how to answer him so I remained quiet. Then, I felt a twinge of courage rise in my veins.
“No. We aren’t always going to be poor, Ethan.” I stood up and gave him a wry smile. “One of these days, and it might be soon, our luck is going to change.” I walked toward Ethan and gave him a squeeze around the shoulders. Then I cleared the dishes from the table, and filled the sink with soapy water. Ethan sat quietly at the table, then after a long period of silence, pushed his chair out and left the room.
When I went to bed that night, I imagined waking up with optimism. I thought about having enough money so that Ethan could go on his ski trip, and I thought about one day experiencing happiness again. I tossed and turned a few times before finally settling on my right side so that I could gaze out the bedroom window. A gentle breeze swept through the room and I closed my eyes, hopeful that tomorrow might bring something better than today. Then I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 5
“Hello? I’m here.” I stood on Jake’s porch at ten o’clock the next morning. His horses were out galloping around the field, and a flock of sheep huddled nearby in the adjacent corral. Jake appeared from the back of the house, his hands covered in grease and his shirt coated with dirt.
“One sec’, Emma. I had to fix Andy’s car.” Jake hustled to the side of the house and opened up one of the shed doors. He grabbed a few rags form a wooden crate and started to wipe off his hands, just as a huge Collie came bounding from the yard. “Hey. Queenie. Go around back so Patty can get you fed.” Jake gave the dog a pat on the rump and she spun around on her heels and ran in the other direction. I smiled at all of the commotion, glad to be in another setting so that I could take my mind off my own worries for a bit.
“Looks like you’ve got your hands full this morning.” I laughed and then sat down on the steps, watching as Jake’s cows munched on grass and listening as his chickens squawked in their coop. Jake’s farm was one that had reached the heights of near sustainability in all aspects. He was almost completely solar powered now, and his animals kept the family fed through the seasons. Yet Jake still had financial problems of his own from taking out a string of loans years ago to get the business started. Now that his oldest was getting ready for college, he would be faced with even more debt, I was sure.
“I’ll be right there.” Jake called from behind the shed door and then tossed the dirty rags back into their bucket. I smiled and got up as he rounded the corner and met me on the steps. “You ready to talk some business?” He gave me a wink and then opened the porch door and let me inside. I took a deep breath and then walked inside the house. “Here, have a seat.” Jake swiped a mound of clean laundry off the couch and patted it for me to sit.
“I just want to tell you, Jake. I’ve been kind of excited about this idea ever since you left.” I bit my lip and then nodded my head. “I mean, if this whole thing has the potential to offer me freedom from money worries…” My voice trailed off and I looked out the window. From my seat on the couch I could still see the horses tossing their heads and flicking their tails.
“Emma.” Jake threw off his dirt covered shirt and grabbed a clean t-shirt from the pile. Then he darted off to the kitchen and I listened as he ran the water and clanked some glasses around. “You want a coffee? Or a tea?” He called out and I nodded my head.
“Sure. Coffee sounds great.” I rubbed my hands together and then laid my head back on the head rest. I was exhausted and the day had just begun. I thought about Ethan being in school, sitting inside his homeroom and watching as the rest of the kids turned in their Sun Valley permission slips. Then I sighed and leaned forward. I was going to follow through with Jake’s plan. I had made my decision.
“Here you go.” Jake handed me a mug of steaming coffee and then sat down in the floral upholstered chair across from me.
“Thanks.” I took a sip and then looked at Jake. I was ready to talk business.
“So. Here’s the deal. Like I was telling you yesterday, the guy’s name is Matthew Devine. He owns Grace Valley Ranch, which I told you is just off Fountain Highway. He’s been in the news lately for all of these big charity contributions and what-not.” Jake frowned and then threw his hand up in dismissal. “I don’t give a crap about any of that, because I know the guy’s just doing it for good publicity. He needs it with his track record.”
I looked up with suspicion. “Track record? Oh, geeze, Jake. What kind of guy are you trying to set me up with?” I put my hands on my hips and then tilted my head.
“The guy’s not innocent, Emma. That’s part of the hitch. You see, Matthew has been married before. In fact, he’s been married three other times.” At that point Jake chuckled and then covered his mouth. “I don’t approve at all, Emma. The guy has some history.” He eyed me with apprehension. “He’s a murderer, Emma. And he’s kept it all under wraps.” Jake took a long sip of his coffee and then s
et his mug on the table.
My eyes were the size of saucers. “Let me get this straight, Jake.” I looked around his house to ensure that Andy and Patty had left for school. Then I whispered. “You want me to meet some rancher named Matthew who killed his previous wives? And pretend to fall in love with him so that he’ll ask to marry me?” I sat back on the couch, my head swirling with anger and confusion. “Are you crazy? I mean, seriously. Are you?” All of the optimism that I had slowly nurtured over the last day vanished. I was now angry and confused.
“Emma, listen.” Jake leaned in and looked me square in the eyes. “Ain’tnothing perfect. You know it, and I know it. Life is tough, and sometimes you gotta roll with the damn punches. I’m offering this plan to you as a way for both of us to finally get free. Look at his place. I got a roof that needs to be re-shingled, a corral that needs fencing, and a kid whose three months away from college. Not to mention a wife who needs a new car so that she can still get to her teaching job all the way in Pocatello. I need the cash just like you do.” Jake looked serious now. His playful demeanor had dissolved, and I knew that he meant every word that she said.
“Well I never said that you didn’t have your own issues, Jake. I get it. But why the hell are you roping me into them? I got enough to deal with at home with my dilapidated house and a barn full of goats that need food. Not to mention all the debt I’m in from the truck and then the mortgage…” I wanted to ramble on but I cut myself short. Jake looked at me for a second and then covered his mouth.
“Emma. Can you trust me? For once?” Jake clasped his hands and then narrowed his gaze. I wanted to trust him, but it would take a lot of courage. The horses neighed outside and I took a deep breath. Then I took a sip of my coffee and slowly nodded my head.
“I’ll try.” I sat back and folded my arms across my chest, feeling just as disappointed as I had yesterday.
Romance: Luther's Property Page 8
