Chapter 37
McDonald
Mateo
The whole family and most of the town have gathered together for the afternoon. I spent the morning working on the farm and catching up on paperwork. I was finally able to skip out on farm duties to pick up Holly from Stan and Momma T’s.
She’s been quiet all afternoon, but hasn’t stopped watching me.
It would be creepy, except she’s my wife, and I’m not going to complain about her watching me.
Hopefully, it has something to do with what she and Momma T talked about earlier today.
Momma T came up earlier, gave me a hug, and whispered, “Love her fiercely.”
I’m not quite sure what that was about, but I’m taking Momma T’s words of wisdom to heart. She’s yet to steer me wrong.
And this evening, it’s like Holly's heart is calling to mine. I can’t look away from her, ready to help the minute she expresses a need, and waiting until a twitch of her brow betrays what she desires.
Am I a goner for my wife?
You bet I am.
Seeing her here in Oregon feels so right, and seeing her with my family feels perfect.
But right now, her smile is looking a little weary, and let’s be honest; I’m tired of sharing my wife. We need to escape.
I grab a brownie from the dessert table and head over to where she’s talking with Hudson, at a side table away from the crowd of people in the backyard who surround my mami.
I wave the napkin holding the brownie in front of her nose as I step up behind her. “Want a brownie?” I whisper in her ear.
She looks up at me, her smile wilting. “Thanks, but I’m good.”
“You sure? They’re delicious.”
This time, mischief tints her smile. “I may or may not have eaten three while I made them with Momma T.”
Hudson pats his stomach. “Hand that brownie over here, boy. I’ll eat it for you.”
I shake my head and take a bite. “Get your own, old man. Don’t you need to get your steps in today?”
Hudson guffaws. “Holly, when Mateo gets old, you better remember this day and tell him to get his own brownie when he asks one of your grandkids for one. It’ll be the best entertainment for me while I’m up in heaven.”
Holly lets out a strangled laugh, her cheeks pink. “I think you’re counting your chicks before they hatch.”
Hudson winks. “I think I’ve counted right. Now I’ll leave you two lovebirds. Mateo, you need to be wooing your wife, young man,” he says as he stands and grabs his cane.
I hold my hands up. “Will I ever be free of your meddling ways, Hud?”
Hudson looks at me like I’ve lost my marbles. His white eyebrows are quirked, and his wrinkled face amused. “Not today, boy.”
I shake my head, and then I wink at the same time Hudson does, making both of us chuckle.
“Go woo your wife, boy,” Hudson says before slowly walking toward the refreshments table.
“Don’t have to tell me twice, old man,” I say, just loud enough for him to hear.
I turn back to Holly, happy to see the mirth in her eyes.
“I want to take you on an absolutely romantic walk to go feed peaches to my pet cow. It’ll be the most romantic thing you’ve ever done.”
“Really?” Her voice is filled with sarcasm.
I shrug. “Okay, maybe not, but I do want you to meet my pet cow, McDonald.”
Her nose wrinkles, but she hasn’t said no yet.
“I can do the feeding. You can just watch.”
She tilts her head as she considers my compromise. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Yes!” I hop up and shove the rest of the brownie in my mouth before grabbing her hand, pulling her up from her chair.
We walk around the house and I hop on one of the ATVs we drive around the farm.
Holly hops on behind me and wraps her arms around my waist. I drive the few minutes to the pasture where we keep our small herd of cattle.
I park next to the bucket of peaches I picked and pitted earlier and left here for this very purpose.
I look around and spot McDonald a few yards down the fence. We hop off and I hold the bucket in one hand and Holly’s hand in the other. As we approach McDonald, Holly’s nose scrunches.
“Your nose is wrinkling again.” I tease.
She grimaces. “I can’t help it. It stinks out here.”
I inhale deeply, the smell of manure so familiar that it doesn’t bother me anymore. “Ah yes, the sweet scent of fertilizer.”
She bumps her shoulder into mine. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand the appeal, farm boy.”
I squeeze her hand. “That’s okay, Buttercup. You’re mi princesa, you don’t have to.”
Her small smile warms my heart and before I can kiss her, the lowing of a cow breaks the moment. Holly steps back, her eyes wide as McDonald approaches. I take him in, all thousand plus pounds and golden red hide lumbering toward the fence.
Her wide eyes are almost comical. “This is the first time I've seen a cow. I mean, I’ve seen them from the car, but I’ve never been this close before.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “It’s so big it could eat me.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. “Buttercup, a cow will never eat you. They might step on ya, but no way could they eat you. They’re pretty gentle creatures and they love peaches—as long as you take the pits out.”
I drop her hand and walk with the bucket up to McDonald.
I set the bucket down and reach out to scratch his head.
“Hey boy, I brought my wife for a visit. She’s never seen a cow up close before.
You be a good boy, and maybe she’ll pet ya and give ya a little scratch.
I brought your favorite treat today: peaches. ”
McDonald moos, and I reach down, palming a peach and holding it out to him. I stroke the hair between his eyebrows as he lips up the juicy fruit. Slobber and peach juice cover my fingers, which I wipe off on my Walmart jeans. Ain’t no way I’m taking the fancy jeans Holly got me out on the farm.
“Eww.”
Holly stands five feet away, her gaze riveted on my hand, which now has another peach in it. McDonald grabs it, and Holly gags as she spies the slobber covering my fingers again.
Okay, so maybe my hopes she would come pet McDonald were a little too high.
I wiggle my fingers at her and she shudders, her eyes closing as if I just puked in front of her and she has a weak stomach.
Uh oh. Maybe she does have a weak stomach.
“This is not romantic, is it?”
Holly squints at me. “Definitely not. He’s a nice-looking cow, but I think I’ll keep my distance. If you have any other pets to show me, please let it be a cat. I think I can handle a cat.”
I chuckle. “Noted.”
I dump the bucket of peaches over the fence and make sure to thoroughly wipe my hands off on the grass and then my jeans. I walk toward Holly and she tucks her hands under her armpits, fully avoiding my outstretched hand.
Laughter bubbles up inside of me. “Okay, princesa, you win. Can I take you somewhere else?”
Her eyebrow quirks. “Um, can you?”
I chuckle as I walk to the ATV, hooking the empty bucket on the back before turning around and leaning against its frame, my arms folded. “My bad, English teacher. May I take you somewhere?”
She smiles. “Yes, you may. But first you need to wash your hands.”
“As you wish, Buttercup.”
I climb on the ATV and she steps up, gingerly wrapping her arms around my chest, avoiding my hands and my slobber-covered pants.
“Let’s stop at the house so we can both change.”
I turn the ATV on and rev the engine.
“We’re not doing anything crazy, right? I think I’m all pranked out.”
I shake my head. “No pranks, mi vida, I just want to show you somewhere special.”
Her arms tighten around me. “Okay, I’ll trust you.”
My heart swells, and I smile the whole way back to my house.