CHAPTER FIVE
JJ—
“And?” Rebecca asks when I return.
“They’ll give me until Christmas, but I have to return anytime they hold Church.”
“Church?”
“The club’s meeting. We call it Church.”
“When’s that?”
I shrug. “Depends when prez calls it. I’m sure I’ll get a heads-up since it’s about a five or six hour ride.”
“That’s a lot of traveling back and forth.”
“It will be. You still sure you want to do this?”
“Absolutely.”
We return to the cabin, and I dig my pack out of my saddlebag.
“What are you doing?”
“Unpacking my stuff.”
“You’re staying here?”
“Of course I’m gonna stay here. I can’t afford a motel for three months.”
“Fine, I’m staying here, too.”
“You live like an hour away.”
“If you’re staying, I’m staying.”
I cock my head. “You don’t trust me?”
“No. I think you’ll burn the place down the first chance you get.”
I shake my head and go inside, noting she veers toward her car before carrying a suitcase in. I hold the door for her and arch a brow. “Someone came prepared.”
“I’m always prepared, and I’m taking the bedroom.” She hurries past me like she’s going to race me for it.
“I’d planned to let you have it, ya know, so don’t act like you won something.” I head up the narrow staircase to the loft. The twin beds are still there; the same navy-blue quilts lie across them. I toss my bag on one and plop down on the other, memories flooding me.
The ceiling is a steep pitch, and a window between the beds faces the rear of the property.
I remember watching the moon through that window on many nights.
No matter how cold and snowy it got outside, this loft gathered all the heat and was always warm and toasty.
David and I used to sneak snacks up here and tell ghost stories until Grandpa would bang his walking stick on the ceiling, telling us to quiet down and go to bed.
A smile almost crests my face at the memory, but I shake it off and rise from the bed, making my way down the narrow staircase.
As I reach the bottom step, Rebecca comes out of the bedroom.
“I thought I’d check out the office. See what he had going on in there.”
“That’s a good idea.” She follows behind me and I lead her to a room in the rear of the cabin across from the kitchen.
Flipping the light on, my gaze scans the room and the stacks of papers and piles of boxes.
“Well, this should be fun.” I pick up a piece of mail from over ten years ago. “Do you think he kept every piece of paper since they opened the place?”
“At least we’ll have a good idea of profits over the years.” She tries to see the bright side, but I don’t miss the grimace on her face as she moves through the room to the roll-top desk. “I bet this desk will have the more recent information.” She tries to open the top, but it’s locked.
“Is there a key for it in that envelope?”
“I’d have to check.”
A few moments later, she returns with the envelope and digs through until she pulls out a small ornate brass key. “Got it.”
We roll the top up, and it looks like it’s frozen in time from when my grandfather was here last. His watch sits on top of a notepad, the second hand still ticking.
I pick it up and brush my thumb across the gold-colored faceplate.
Then, slide the brown leather strap around my wrist, latching it in place.
Underneath is a calendar still flipped to last month.
“What are these?” Rebecca pulls two business envelopes out of a drawer. She hands one to me, and I see my name scrawled across the front. I glance at the one in her hands, and it too has her name written on it.
We both flip them over and tear the flaps open. My eyes fly across the letter.
Dear James,
If you’re reading this, then I’ve gone home to Trudy.
It’s been too long since I’ve seen you. When you left, I
thought time would heal the wounds between you
and your parents and brother, but I think all it did
was let it fester. I should have gone after you. I
should have told your parents what was what, and I’m
sorry for that.
I know you are more than capable of running my
farm and a better person than your parents
believe. Prove them wrong. Show them just what
kind of man you are and what you can do.
Love you, little Jim.
Grandpa
P.S. Rebecca is a good girl. Don’t let your opinions
of your brother dictate your thoughts on her.
I fold my note and clear my throat, a lump suddenly forming within it. “What’d his letter to you say?”
Rebecca begins to read hers aloud,
“Dear Rebecca,
“I’ve seen the way you look at this farm. It’s the same way my Trudy did. There’s a light in your eyes I recognize. She always had a new idea to improve the old farm, and people would just flock to it. I see it in you, too.
“You’ll do this place the justice it deserves—the justice I failed to provide the last couple of years.
You see, people always thought I was the backbone of this farm, but that’s a bald-faced lie.
Trudy was the glue of this place. She was the engineer behind all the running parts.
I was just her grunt worker. Without her, everything fell apart.
“I know you can get it up to her high standards again. You can turn this place around, and just maybe it will turn your life around, too. I think you may need this place as much as it needs you. Even though I was just the muscle, I know I’ll need to be replaced with someone you can trust to be that muscle for you.
Someone who cares for this place even if everything they say and do tells you different.
“Give James a chance to prove to you he’s the right business partner and don’t believe everything you’ve heard about that boy. He was always my favorite, and we all know I’m a great judge of character. After all, I like you.
“Do me and Trudy and yourself proud.
“With love, Grandpa.”
Her eyes raise to mine, and she blinks away tears. “What’s yours say?”
I shove it into my breast pocket. “Basically the same thing.” I clear my throat again when my voice cracks on the words.
She nods and returns her letter into the envelope as if it’s the most precious thing she owns.
“Look,” I say, “I know I’ve been a pain in the ass.”
“You could say that.”
“But if I’m here until Christmas, I’m willing to give this a shot—a real shot. I’m not promising I won’t be a Grinch, but I’ll give it an actual try.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” She rubs her arms. “Is it just me, or has it gotten a little cold in here?”
“Yeah, it is a bit brisk. Let me go check the thermostat.”
I move out to the living room where it sits on the wall. “The temperature is set to seventy, but I’m not hearing any sounds. Furnace probably needs to be relit. Go grab a flashlight out of the kitchen junk drawer and meet me in the garage.”
“Be right there.”
It doesn’t take long to locate it and, sure enough, it’s not lit.
When she makes it out to me, I try several times to light it before I give up.
“I’m not sure what’s going on. I think we’re going to have to wait until the morning when I can look at it better.” I run a hand through my hair. “Is it too late to take back everything I said about giving this place a real go of it?”
“Not a chance.”
“Well, in that case, you want to come to bed with me?”
Her eyes flare wide, and I can see her pulse quicken just above her collarbone. It seems to be beating a hundred miles a minute.
My mouth turns up at the corners. “For body heat, of course.”
She rolls her eyes but can’t hide the red flush that’s tinged her cheeks. If I didn’t know better, I’d say this sweet thing just might be as attracted to me as I am to her.
“I think I can manage with a few extra blankets.” She turns her back on me and heads to her room.
“But what about me?” I call after her just to see what she’ll say. She’s fun to play with and might just make this experience enjoyable.
“You’ll live.” Then she stops just inside her doorway. “And if you freeze to death, I guess I’ll just have to throw your body in the pond.”
I can’t stop the rumble of laughter that bursts from me. I catch a small, satisfied smile cross her face, and damn, if it doesn’t make my heart stutter.
Agreeing to the farm might not be the worst of my troubles.