CHAPTER NINE
“It’s a miracle you found Henry.” Theresa Logan, Elisabeth’s best friend since kindergarten, leaned against her brother Gabriel’s pickup truck parked outside the barn while Abby and Caitlin played on the hay bales being unloaded. “Sounds like he’s the answer to your prayers.”
Elisabeth pushed a bale of hay to the edge of the tailgate. She thought about what Henry had done on his first day working at the farm and blew out a breath. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Neither would I.” Gabe lifted the bale as if it were a bag of feed. Sam was right next to him, as usual. “I still don’t understand why you hired this Henry guy. You had lots of people offer to help you when Manny left. Me, Dad, the entire town.”
Elisabeth hopped off the truck bed. “People have their own farms and businesses to take care of. I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re not a burden.” Gabe brushed hay from his navy-blue T-shirt. “Friends help each other. That’s how it works. Unless one friend happens to be too stubborn for her own good.”
Though she loved Gabe like a brother, she’d heard this speech before. Too many times. She wiggled the hay bale halfway off the tailgate, only to have Gabe take it. “Henry will only be here until Manny returns.”
“You don’t know when Manny will be back,” Gabe said without missing a beat. “Henry is a total stranger. He could be anyone.”
She climbed back into the truck bed. “I checked his references.”
“The guy knows nothing about farming,” Gabe countered.
He wasn’t wrong, but thanks to Cynthia Sterling, it didn’t cost Elisabeth anything to have Henry work there. Except her food stores, the paint on her kitchen ceiling, and her favorite pan. Oh, and their vegetable garden.
She pushed another hay bale toward the edge. “He’s doing fine. Henry was a big help with the irrigation equipment.”
“I heard he let the chickens out,” Gabe said.
She ignored the niggling doubt that had been creeping up all afternoon. It added to the ones she’d had after arriving home from church. “I didn’t warn him about the gate.”
Gabe stuck his thumb through the belt loop of his jeans. “What about breaking the spray nozzle?”
“Henry offered to pay for the damage with his next paycheck.” But as she said the words, she knew money couldn’t buy back the time they’d lost after lunch.
She was more behind than ever, but she hadn’t even told Theresa what had gone wrong.
That left the usual suspect. Elisabeth glanced at Sam. “What have you been telling Gabe?”
Sam jutted out his chin. “The truth.”
All she needed was Gabe’s doubts to add to her own.
Still, she felt the need to defend Henry.
He might not have known what he was doing—and he didn’t—but he was trying.
That had to count for something. Not everyone grew up on a farm.
“It’s Henry’s first day on the job. Everyone needs time to adjust.”
Gabe’s gaze narrowed. “That sounds like an excuse.”
It was, but she didn’t dare admit it—not to Gabriel or anyone. Even if she feared Henry would never adjust. He didn’t seem cut out for farming. He also didn’t seem cut out for cooking, cleaning, or anything else. Trouble followed him indoors, outdoors, everywhere.
“Henry will figure things out.” She said that for her benefit more than anyone else’s.
Twenty-five thousand dollars bought a lot of extra chances.
Maybe she should ask Abby to run a cost-benefit analysis to see where the money and Henry’s mistakes met.
That point might be closer than Elisabeth realized.
Theresa glanced through a pair of binoculars the girls had found in the cab of Gabe’s truck. “I know why you hired Henry.”
“Why’s that?” Gabe asked, visibly curious.
Theresa grinned. “He’s gorgeous.”
“I want to see!” Caitlin bounced up and down. Theresa handed her the binoculars.
Elisabeth forced herself not to sigh. “That’s not why I hired him.”
“Sure.” Theresa winked. “I’m so happy to see a good-looking single man who isn’t from here. The pickings are slim in Berry Patch.”
“There are more than enough single women,” Gabe joked.
Theresa rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Henry will give you serious competition for the most eligible bachelor title, big brother.”
“I doubt that.” Gabe glanced toward the field. “He’s homeless and penniless.”
“But with a face like that, I don’t think any woman will mind.” Theresa sighed.
Uh-oh. Warning bells clanged in Elisabeth’s head. Theresa was a die-hard romantic who dreamed of finding her Prince Charming and one for Elisabeth, too. That’s because Theresa fancied herself a modern-day version of Jane Austen’s Emma. But what if Theresa wanted Henry for herself?
An unexpected heat surged through Elisabeth’s vein. She wasn’t the jealous type, but for some reason, a part of her wanted to get territorial over her temporary farmhand.
Caitlin giggled, staring through the binoculars at the berries. “Henry’s so funny.”
Elisabeth glanced over to the crops. Henry, sans tractor, ran with his arms flailing and swatting at the air as a dark cloud followed him.
Oh no. “Bees.”
“At least he can run fast.” Gabe shielded his eyes from the sun as if to get a better look.
“That’s about all Henry can do.” Sam snickered. “Except snore.”
Gabe laughed.
“This isn’t funny.” Elisabeth hopped to the ground. “What if Henry’s allergic to bees? We have to help him.”
“Not much we can do except upset the bees more,” Gabe said.
“He’ll outrun them,” Caitlin said confidently, still staring through the binoculars.
“What if he gets stung?” Abby asked. “We don’t have an EpiPen.”
“I have Benadryl in the truck,” Gabe offered nonchalantly.
Henry slapped his arm and stumbled but managed to keep moving forward.
Gabriel grimaced. “I think he just got stung.”
“Cool,” Sam said.
It wasn’t cool. Not at all. Elisabeth felt so useless, watching Henry try to outrun the bees. But Gabe was right. They could do nothing to help him.
“Even running from bees”—Theresa pinched her cheeks to give them color—“Henry looks attractive.”
Gabe snorted. “He looks like an idiot.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Elisabeth said, even though most other men did look like idiots compared to Gabriel Logan, who was ruggedly handsome with beautiful blue eyes and a grin that made women, except for Elisabeth and his five sisters, swoon.
“I agree. Not an idiot.” Theresa combed her fingers through her short brown hair. “It’s more of a run-for-your-life, I-think-I’m-going-to-die kind of cuteness.”
Abby took a step forward. “The bees are slowing down.”
“They must be tired of chasing him.”
Henry continued running after the bees stopped. A part of Elisabeth wished he would run off her property and keep going.
“I can’t believe he hasn’t slowed down.” Theresa sounded impressed. “He must be in really good shape.”
Henry raced toward the barn. Sweat dampened his hair, beaded on his face, and drenched his shirt. Dirt covered the thighs of his jeans. His cheeks were red and his breathing ragged. He skidded to a stop, braced his hands on his knees, and leaned over to catch his breath.
“Are you okay?” Elisabeth asked, concerned.
He nodded. “Talk about a workout. They should add a swarm of bees to the Olympics. Bet we’d see a new world record.”
She glanced at his face and arms but couldn’t see any red marks. “Did you get stung?”
Henry stuck out his hand. Two spots were red and swollen. “They’ll be okay.”
She moved closer and took his injured hand in hers. He smelled of sweat, dirt, and fresh grass. The scent appealed to her more than it should. She released his hand. “What happened?”
“I cut a corner too close.” Henry straightened. “The mower knocked over a stack of hives. I didn’t see any bees flying around, so I thought I’d put them back.”
“You never touch a hive,” Abby said, reciting the rule the beekeeper had taught them.
“Never ever,” Caitlin added.
He grinned. “I know that now.”
Today had been nothing but one lesson after another for Henry. Talk about a learning curve. Elisabeth hoped he improved tomorrow. She handed him a spare bottle of water. “Is the tractor okay?”
He nodded and drank half the bottle. “The hives don’t look damaged either, but I couldn’t see all of them. They’re still on the ground.”
“Just leave them.” Elisabeth didn’t want him near the bees. Near anything. Maybe it was time for that cost-benefit analysis. “I’ll call the beekeeper.”
As Henry glanced around, his eyes widened, and the red on his cheeks deepened. “I didn’t realize you had company.” He managed a smile, and Elisabeth respected that after having made a fool of himself with the bees in front of everybody. “I’m Henry.”
“Theresa Logan. Best friend and sometimes babysitter.” She wet her lips. “This is my brother.”
“Gabe Logan.” His tone was wary, but he extended his arm.
Henry wiped his hand on his jeans and shook Gabe’s hand.
Henry winced at the contact. No doubt the bee stings hurt. Still, he kept smiling. “Nice to meet you.”
The two men were a stark contrast. Even dirty and sweating and wearing jeans, Henry would be more comfortable in the city. Anywhere but on a berry farm. Gabe was outdoors and country-living personified whether in jeans or…
Elisabeth realized she had never seen him in anything dressy except on his ill-fated wedding day. After his divorce, Gabe swore never to wear a tuxedo again. But no matter what either wore or didn’t wear, both men would be popular with the women of Berry Patch.
With women everywhere.
Theresa batted her eyes. “So, what brings you to Berry Patch? The bees?”
“The bees were a first and, I hope, a last.” Henry stared at Theresa as if she were the only woman on the planet. “I’m here because a friend heard Elisabeth needed help, and I needed a job.”
Yes, he was here to help her. Elisabeth’s muscles tensed. Not flirt with her best friend.
“Sounds like fate.” Theresa’s voice sounded wistful.
Gabe frowned. “More like dumb luck.”
“Probably a combination of both,” Henry said. “Are you a farmer?”
“Contractor,” Gabe said. “I have a remodeling business, but I help my father with his hops farm.”
“Gabe fixed Old Yeller, too,” Sam offered.
Lines creased Henry’s forehead. “Are you also a vet?”
The kids giggled. Gabe and Theresa managed not to laugh.
Elisabeth frowned. Poor Henry. He wasn’t having the best day. “Old Yeller is a pickup truck on its last legs.”
“Rather, wheels,” Theresa added with a flip of her hair.
Henry laughed. “Let me guess, the truck is old and yellow.”
“Henry graduated from Harvard,” Abby announced proudly.
Elisabeth cringed. Henry had to be humiliated. She caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, but the moment their gazes met, it disappeared. She gave him an encouraging smile, and Henry laughed. Laughed?
“Too bad my studies concentrated on romance languages and literature. Harvard doesn’t teach you how to drive a tractor or outrun bees.” Henry was so animated, his voice upbeat, his smile dazzling. “Wonder if I could get a refund.”
Everyone laughed.
“I’m sure you could get whatever you wanted,” Theresa said, almost breathlessly. Subtlety had never been one of her strong points.
“You think?” Henry asked Theresa.
Uncomfortable, Elisabeth ground the toe of her work boot into the dirt. Gabriel rocked back and raised a brow.
“Pretty smooth,” he murmured to her.
Too smooth. Henry wasn’t only a screwup. He was also a flirt. A charmer. A player. The job didn’t matter to him. The farm didn’t matter to him. She didn’t matter to him.
He had to go.
But Elisabeth needed the money. And then she remembered.
If Henry quits, you can keep the money.