Farraday Country

by Chris Keniston

  The puppy jerked his head left then right, looking to her, then the cow and back before finally following orders and prancing up to her side.

  “Good boy.” She patted the top of his head and gave an extra scratch behind his ear. At least one member of this family was staying out of trouble.

  Finding a small plastic bottle in the kitchen to use was easy, the pebbles to shake was another story. The idea of substituting pennies occurred to her, but she wasn’t sure if it would have the same affect. Empty bottle in hand, she stepped outside making sure Buddy didn’t follow and pulled the back door shut behind her at the same moment her cell phone went off. Her heart did a little dance when she recognized the number as Ian’s.

  The other night at the clinic the two of them had stayed for hours sitting with Buddy, talking, and visiting as though they had been close friends for years. By the time the tech had finally arrived, he’d griped and grumbled and mumbled so often about what a loser, idiot, and all around jerk Brett was for letting her go, and how he didn’t deserve her, for the first time in months Ian actually had her believing the problem really was Brett. Her head had known that all along, but her heart had been slow to get with the program. Not a single day this week had she looked in the mirror and had second thoughts about anything.

  It hadn’t hurt any that Ian had come to town Friday afternoon to pick up some supplies at the feed store and invited her dancing at the Boots and Scoots. She had so wanted to say yes, but with her mom away, she wasn’t comfortable leaving the old men alone at home for too long. She had however agreed to a rain check, and seriously hoped he would take her up on it.

  “Hello.” She sucked in a calming breath and crossed the yard to her grandfather.

  “Hi,” Ian said lightly. “Thought you might be joining us for supper today.”

  “No. I hope Becky explained why I couldn’t go to Aunt Eileen.”

  “She did. Which is why I come bearing leftovers from my aunt. Enough to feed all your distant relatives for a fortnight.”

  Kelly giggled. She should have expected as much.

  “I’m turning the corner now.”

  “Now?” Not that she didn’t want to see him, but she didn’t want to explain a cow in the yard. Ian already knew about the fence, the chickens, and the fire, she wasn’t up to pretending a grandfather bringing a cow home was normal.

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No. Not at all.”

  “Good. See you in a minute.”

  The call disconnected and she slid the phone into her pocket and hurried the last few steps up to the cow and her grandpa. “We’ve only got a few minutes.” Hiccup. “Uncle Ralph, you move the golf cart into the garage.” She turned back to her grandfather. “You gather some pebbles from the footpath, load them into the bottle, then shake them behind the cow. That should get it to move.”

  Both men nodded. Her grandfather scurried off to the path, Uncle Ralph untied the cow from the cart, and she debated between helping her grandfather and taking a minute inside to at least put on some blush or lipstick, but she didn’t have time for either when she heard the short loud beep signaling Ian had arrived and locked his truck. He must have literally been halfway up the street when he called her.

  “I have to go inside,” she shouted to her grandfather, a little more frantically than she’d intended. “Please hurry. I don’t want Ian to see the cow.” Hiccup.

  “Ian Farraday is calling on you?” Her grandfather stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.

  “The rocks,” she yelled over her shoulder, already hurrying toward the house, “the cow. And put away that cart!” There was no way she was going to discuss Ian Farraday now, she just wanted the cow out of sight.

  She’d made it to the kitchen door in time to hear the front bell ring and see her grandfather grudgingly returning to his task of gathering stones. Uncle Ralph had the cart parked inside the garage and was pulling the door down to hide the evidence, but the cow still stood in place, back slightly hunched, head down, and she prayed they moved the poor thing before he plopped on the ground where he stood and took a much needed nap.

  Buddy beat her to the door, tail wagging and making noises that sounded more like a conversation than a bark.

  “Hang on,” she told the puppy, took a deep calming, and hopefully hiccup smothering breath, and swung the door open wide.

  Standing with a shopping bag in each hand, Ian stretched them out in front of her. “In the kitchen?”

  “Oh, uh.” That was the last place she wanted him with a birds eye view of the circus in her yard. “Let me.”

  “I can take them.”

  “That won’t be necessary, uh,” she sucked in another breath before a hiccup escaped. “Buddy here is going to jump out of his skin if he doesn’t get some one on one ear scratching from his rescuer.”

  For all of two seconds she thought he was going to object, but instead Buddy, bless him, tail still swishing frantically back and forth, pawed anxiously at Ian, bringing a smile to the man’s face. “Okay, boy.” He nodded at Kelly, handing over the two bags before squatting to scratch the puppy.

  Glancing quickly at each one, Kelly spun around, and hurrying to the kitchen, called back to Ian. “You weren’t kidding. Aunt Eileen must think I’m feeding an army.”

  “You know how she is.”

  “Yeah,” Kelly chuckled, “I do.” Placing the bags on the table, she sneaked a peek out the kitchen window, relieved to at least see the golf cart was gone. So startled at the sight of a cow, only now did she stop to wonder what the heck they were doing with a golf cart. And that would have to be a concern for another time.

  Puppy nails clacked against the wooden floor. The sound growing closer tripped Kelly’s heart rate into double time and a soft hiccup escaped. Before she could work her way around the table, Ian and Buddy were standing in the doorway.

  “He’s doing really well.”

  “Yes. Yes, he is.” She maneuvered quickly around the table and placed herself between Ian and a view of the window. Not that it would do much good, with him being a head taller than her. “Let’s have a seat in the other room.”

  Not in line with the plan, Buddy slipped past Kelly making a beeline for the back door.

  “Buddy.” Kelly shifted again snapping her fingers at the dog. “Come here, Buddy. Come on.”

  “Looks like he wants to go outside.”

  “Yes well, he’s not allowed to run around for at least a couple more days. You go on and sit down inside, I’ll bring him along.” Placing her hand on Ian’s arm she gently nudged him away from the kitchen, but the man was built like a stone statue. It would take much more than a gentle nudge to move a Farraday.

  “If he’s that anxious to go out maybe we can keep an eye on him.”

  “Better safe than sorry.” Kelly smiled up and considered another nudge when Ian turned toward the bank of rear windows and she swallowed another hiccup.

  “And look.” He pointed to the first corner window. “Here comes your grandfather.”

  Two more windows and he’d be staring straight at the cow.

  “He loves being outside. Why don’t we go into the living room?”

  Ian shifted another few inches to his right and Kelly knew any second he’d see the cow.

  Mortification laced with panic seized her. She had to make him move. Throwing one arm up by his shoulder and splaying her other hand, palm open across his chest, she pushed up on her toes ready to shove a little harder when his startled gaze latched onto hers. Suddenly the room seemed to shrink around her. The thwacking of Buddy’s tail against the floor and his paw scratching at the door faded into silence. Fear of her grandfather and the mysterious cow coming into view melted away.

  She needed to move him forward or step back, but all she could do was stare at the most beautiful sea green eyes she’d ever seen.

  “Kelly,” he murmured softly. His fingers curled around her arms. Whether hanging on or holding her steady, she wasn’t
sure and didn’t care. Standing a breath apart, there was only one thing she knew. Ian Farraday was about to kiss her and she wasn’t going to do a damn thing to stop him.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  When Kelly placed her one hand on his shoulder, Ian had no idea what she intended. By the time her second hand landed squarely on his chest he was more than confused. Not till her eyes locked on his did he not give a flip what she was doing. The only thing he could think of was pulling her into his arms and tasting those rosy pink lips.

  He wanted to say something. Words hardly ever failed him, but now, the only thing he’d managed to mumble was her name. Drawing on every ounce of honor and chivalry his family had drummed into him, he waited, searching her eyes, wanting to be absolutely sure the electricity heightening his senses wasn’t one sided.

  Afraid to let go of her, and even more afraid to let his hands fall to those well-rounded hips, he dared to inch closer. Leaving her time and space to step away, to say no. Bracing himself for a slap in the face if he’d misread the look she gave him, close enough to count the golden flecks in her eyes, he lowered his mouth to hers for the barest of caresses, softly repeating her name one more time before letting his lips meet hers.

  “What in blue blazes?” Brows buckled with irritation, Kelly’s grandfather stood anchored by the back door until his brother slammed into him, shoving him two feet forward and closing the door behind him.

  Kelly sprang out of Ian’s grasp in a single leap. Not since Ian had been sixteen and caught making out with Natalie Franks at her pool house by Natalie’s grandmother had he felt so completely embarrassed. Apparently neither being a full grown legal adult, nor barely getting a touch of Kelly’s soft lips, made getting caught any less awkward.

  “Pops.” Kelly stepped around the table and busied herself unloading the bags of leftovers. “Did you get everything put away?”

  “Pretty much.” Kelly’s grandfather crossed the room and turned on the kitchen sink to wash his hands, his brother a step behind him.

  Ian had no idea what everything entailed, but her grandfather’s demeanor had shifted on a dime from scowling protector to contrite subordinate. Wasn’t that as much of a surprise as getting caught too close to a woman who by most people’s standards he barely knew, and yet somehow he felt like he didn’t know anyone better than he knew her. “Anything I can help with?” He figured volunteering might go a long way to getting him out of the doghouse with Kelly’s grandfather.

  “No,” three voices barked.

  Again, not the reaction he’d expected.

  Drying his hand on the dishtowel, her grandfather stared out the window as though searching for something before turning around to face them. “I’m heading up to my room. It’s been a busy day and I’m ready for a nice, hot shower.”

  “I’ll second that,” Ralph chorused.

  Kelly’s grandfather paused in front of Ian. “You remember, I’m just up the stairs.”

  “Yes, sir,” Ian nodded. He and Kelly were certainly old enough to kiss. Technically they were well above the age of consent for a lot of things, but Ian had been raised, like his cousins, with an old-fashioned set of standards. A standard as common in small town USA as mom’s apple pie and the American flag.

  Neither he nor Kelly moved a muscle until her grandfather and great uncle were down the hall and halfway up the stairs. The air in the room was thick and tense and he was pretty sure it had little to do with his impromptu attempt at a kiss. Turning to face her and taking a long stride in her direction, Ian stopped where Buddy sat midway between them. “There’s more going on here than just a kiss, isn’t there?”

  Kelly resumed her task of putting away the leftovers. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “Neither do I, but something seems off.” He gave Buddy a quick pat on the head and closed the distance between him and Kelly. “Are you okay?”

  Her hands stilled from unpacking. She took in a long breath and nodded. “I will be.”

  “Your grandfather is giving you more trouble?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Anything I can help with?”

  Her head turned from side to side. “Nothing I can’t handle,” she repeated.

  “Would you tell me if it were something you couldn’t handle?”

  “Of course…” Her words stilled a moment, her head tipped slightly to one side and her gaze shifted from casual to intense, and then with the slightest of smiles, she nodded. “Yes, I think I would.”

  He couldn’t help but smile back. In little more than a week they’d developed a sincere camaraderie and he liked it. A lot. “I’d better be on my way before I do something your grandfather will really get mad at me for.”

  With that, he gave her a quick peck on the temple before the temptation to aim for her mouth took over his good sense.

  Kelly accompanied him to the front door. “Please tell Aunt Eileen I said thank you.”

  “I will.”

  At the door she pulled it open and stood almost barricaded behind it. He hoped he hadn’t made a mistake kissing her. But if he had, he hoped he’d get a better chance to do it again.

  ****

  Regardless of having finished putting away the leftovers, tidied up the kitchen, and played with the dog, Kelly couldn’t stop thinking of the cow her grandfather had brought home, but couldn’t bring herself to go outside and look at it. She’d tried the out of sight out of mind thing, but it wasn’t working for her. Finally running out of things to do, she was about to head out to the garage when her grandfather came downstairs.

  As was his routine late every evening, he poked his head in the fridge looking for a snack most people would call a meal. Except this time he didn’t say anything to her. As a matter of fact, she got the feeling he’d intentionally talked to the dog on his way to the fridge to avoid facing her.

  “Pops. We need to talk.”

  “I was thinking the same thing.” He emerged from looking into the fridge with a large pan of Aunt Eileen’s leftovers. “You’re a pretty sensible girl.”

  “I’d like to think so.” At least she knew she was sensible enough not to bring a five hundred pound calf home for some TLC.

  Pops peeled the foil back from the tray, reached behind him for a dish, and holding a large spoon, scooped a mound onto the plate. She must have inherited her metabolism from him. As full figured as she was, she’d never been as heavy as she should be based on the amount of food she could eat.

  By the time Pops had dawdled and stalled by adding corn on the cob and green bean casserole to the already full plate, irritation mingled with impatience had Kelly nearly tapping her toe. “Pops.”

  He held a finger up to her, slid the plate into the microwave and turning around, pinned her with a sharp steely look that almost made her take a step back. “I like the Farradays.”

  That hadn’t been the opening she’d been expecting.

  “I like them a lot. Good, honest, hardworking people. Even if they do raise helpless animals for food—”

  “I’m in no mood for a lecture on the benefits of a vegetarian diet.”

  He bobbed his head. “And this isn’t the time to give one. You know Ian Farraday is a grown man.”

  Surely her grandfather didn’t think she was stupid and blind.

  “A man doesn’t make it to his age and stay a bachelor without having enjoyed a few oats along the way.”

  Oats?

  “You’re still pretty young and I know most women find the Farradays easy on the eyes. Ian is no exception, but I don’t want those boyish good looks fooling you. Ian Farraday is going back to his life and world as soon as Finn and his bride come home—”

  “Pops—”

  “Don’t Pops me.” He pulled the dish out of the beeping microwave and pinned her with another serious glare. “I’ve seen the pretty little things men like that dally with. Even if he is a Farraday, he’s still a man and you’re not that type.”

  “Pops.” An unexpect
ed ache pinched in her chest. Whether it was hearing the words straight out that nothing could come from a relationship, okay maybe not a relationship but at least another kiss, or two, or more with Ian, or the implication that she wasn’t pretty enough for a Farraday that stabbed at her, she wasn’t sure, but her grandfather’s words stung nonetheless. Sadly, both were probably true. All the Farraday wives were varying types of striking and attractive women, and all were smart as whips. Hell, Allison was a world famous doctor and Catherine had run legal circles around some of the best lawyers in the Midwest.

  Pops came around to her side, a softer gleam in his gaze. “You’ll find the right man, one who appreciates and loves you for the amazing beautiful person you are, but don’t be thinking that’s Ian Farraday.”

  Understanding her grandfather’s intent more clearly, she hated to admit that as interesting, in a whole lot of ways, that getting to know Ian Farraday a whole lot better, held a whole lot of appeal, her grandfather was right. She needed to remember this wasn’t about her being good enough or pretty enough, and about Ian not sticking around long enough.

  But even more critical at this very moment, the real issue at hand she needed to deal with now wasn’t her love life or lack of one, but her grandfather and his crazy cow ideas. She gave her grandfather a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks for worrying, Pop, but there’s nothing going on with me and Ian. I was just trying to distract him from looking out the window and spotting you and Uncle Ralph with the cow.”

  At least her grandfather had the good sense to look a tad repentant. Whether about the cow itself, or her finding it, she couldn’t tell.

  “Which brings me back to the real problem. The cow.”

  Pops bristled before stabbing at his mashed potatoes. “You don’t need to worry yourself about that. Ralph and… my friend and I will handle it.”

  “That’s what worries me.” She turned away heading for the back door. Someone had to be the sensible one around here and it appeared she was the one with the most experience around animals and illness. “Why would any rancher give two greenhorns a sick cow to care for?”