Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
A nnie
Since all the guys were away this weekend, I hung out with the girls at the hockey house. We ordered pizza and watched movies Friday night. Saturday night Briar was working and I was scared to bump into Ford at Black Jack’s, so I stayed back and got some work done while Ruby and Charlie went to get dinner. I knew it was a problem that I was avoiding places because of Ford, but I couldn’t get the night he grabbed hold of me out of my mind. Ford had never been that way with me. In fact, he was always a charmer. He’d spoil me, especially after doing something he shouldn’t have done, like hook up with another girl. He wasn’t upfront about it either. I always heard about his indiscretions through talk at school.
My cell rings and Daddy’s name lights the screen. “Hey, Daddy.”
“Hi, Annie girl.” He sounds tired. It is a Sunday night. I’m sure he must have been out working most of the day.
“How are you?” I ask.
“Tired,” he yawns.
“You sound tired.” He chuckles that deep throaty chuckle of his.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“Oh yeah?” I reply, wondering where this is going.
“I’ve been sitting in my office every night, trying to figure out how we pay the fine and fix what needs fixing.” He has my attention now.
“It’s been weighing on me too,” I admit.
“I went to the bank to see if we could get a second mortgage, but I was rejected,” he states, which isn’t surprising. Daddy had taken a large mortgage on the property when he transferred to organic based farming. A bank wasn’t just going to hand over more money now.
His harsh exhale sounds through the phone. “This is hard for me to say, Annie girl, but I think we need to close down the dairy and sell the cows. With the money we make we can pay the fine and fix up the place. You’ll still have a home to come to and we can keep some of the animals.”
My stomach turns. A part of me knew this day might come, but I was hoping for a miracle. “We still have the four months, Daddy. That takes us to the end of May. Maybe we can find another solution. I’d hate for you to have to sell. You’ve worked so hard.”
“I have, but I had too many animals and dealing with the waste became a problem,” he confesses. Selling the animals would put Daddy out of a job. He is too young to retire, and he loves working the dairy. “If we sold, it would help pay for any expenses with your master’s degree.”
“I don’t want you worrying about me,” I counter.
“That’s all I do, Annie girl.”
“Daddy, what if I said I want to go to veterinary school? I could become a veterinarian and work with the farms in the area,” I suggest. “I’d make good money and. . .” It doesn’t really solve the problem with paying the fine immediately though. If we don’t pay on time there will be lots of interest to pay. Things would get out of hand for us.
“Is that something you would want?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I was trying to help come up with a solution, but it isn’t really a solution. I just wanted you to know that if we lose the farm, there is something else I could do and love.” I want to be reassuring, but I don’t think I am helping much.
“You know I’ll support whatever you want. Have you put in an application for veterinary school?”
“I did, as a silly backup plan,” I admit.
“Nothing silly about living out your dreams. I know how much you love taking care of the animals. You love it more than taking care of the dairy. I’m not blind.”
“But I wouldn’t want to see generations of hard work going to waste,” I counter.
“Me either. I told your grandfather, back in the day, that I’d do my best and I’ve failed him,” Daddy says.
“You haven’t failed him. The market has changed and there are so many factors that just aren’t the same as they were back in Grandad’s days. You shouldn’t be so harsh on yourself and accept that some things are out of our control.”
“When did my kid become so wise?” He laughs.
“You mean you didn’t think I was always wise?” I joke.
“Thank you, Annie. You’re being kind, but I made mistakes too. Hearing you have other options does take off the pressure somewhat. I’m glad you’re finally figuring out what you want out of life. I’d never want you to settle.” I know what that meant. He settled with Mom because of me. “How is Cade doing?”
I laugh. “That question just came out of left field.”
“He’s a good guy, a dad can inquire. I thought I saw a spark there over Christmas.”
“Until I lost it on him and he bailed,” I remind.
“You said his mom needed him.”
“She did. Things just feel complicated,” I confess.
“The good things are,” Daddy replies.
“We’ll leave the Cade thing. Back to the farm, I want you to do what will make you happy. You’ve given up so much of your life for me. I want you putting yourself first for once.”
“You make me happy, but I know you’re talking about your mother. You should know we’ve been floating the idea of divorcing. She wants the farm sold if we do, but I’ve told her how much this place means to you. She seems to be conceding.”
Hearing Mom would sell the farm hurts. It has been in her family for generations and even though she never felt a connection, it’s hard to believe she’d give it up so easy. Even though nothing she does should shock me at this point.
“We aren’t in any rush though. I’m still trying to find a solid way out of this mess,” Daddy adds. “I don’t want you worrying.”
“I can’t help but feel frustrated about Mom,” I admit.
“She loves you. She just has a different way of showing it. I think she will agree to keep the farm.”
“I hope so.”
“’Kay, you have a good night now. I have a little more clarity on what I have to do,” he says, sounding vague. “Have yourself a good night.”
“You too.”
When we end the call, I see a text from Cade.
Cade: Can I come see you?
I look at my phone. It’s a quarter to ten. I have school tomorrow and need sleep.
Me: Is this a booty call?
Cade: If you want it to be, but I need to talk to you.
Me: Okay, come over
Talking sounds serious. I wonder what he wants to talk about. He called me Friday night and told me he had a deep conversation with his dad on the bus on the way to St. Louis. I texted him Saturday and wished him good luck on his game. This morning he sent me a funny face selfie of him at breakfast in the hotel and that was it. What is so important he needs to come here at this late hour to tell me?
Being apart from Cade this weekend made me realize I miss him when he isn’t around. He has also become such an important part of my life. I don’t know how we managed not to have sex until this point, but it is something I decided I want to do with Cade. Even if things end with us soon after because he is leaving school, or Scarlett finally takes the hint and backs off. I want to have sex with Cade Price. That in itself should tell me something because giving myself to someone isn’t easy, but Cade is so kind and sexy, my restraint has come to a point that it feels nonexistent.