Chapter 11 #3
I hated taking things from people. I’d much rather be the one helping.
“Then that’s even easier, so who cares? Friends don’t keep score,” Webb informed me. “You do nice things for me because I’m your friend, and I do nice things for you because you’re mine.”
I ran my tongue over my front teeth, considering. I knew I was being stubborn, but… gosh, it made me feel weird to accept his help.
“Let me do this, Luke,” he pleaded. “You don’t know how many times I’ve replayed your mom’s call in my head. When she talked about how she felt better knowing my family would be there for you… That’s what it should have been like. It’s my fault that it wasn’t.”
“But… why wasn’t it?” I still didn’t understand why he’d held a grudge against me for so long.
He blushed red. “I don’t know. I was… wrong. About a lot of things. And it would mean a lot if you’d let me do this, in the name of friendship.”
“Ugh.” I rolled my eyes. “Porter is not the only snake charmer in your family,” I informed him.
“Does that mean yes?”
“Yes, it means… yes. Thank you, Webb. I can’t believe you’re doing this.” I huffed out a breath. “Please tell me you negotiate better when it comes to your apple prices, or else I’m gonna seriously worry about your profit margins.”
His deep laughter rang around the empty yard. “Trust me, I’m a shark when it comes to my apples. You’re getting the friends and family deal because the idea of you getting hurt…” He broke off with a head shake. “Not okay.”
I melted. I really, really liked the idea of being his friends and family, and I wanted to bask in his protectiveness for as long as it lasted.
“It’s been a week,” I blurted.
“Hmm?”
“A week today since we were at the Bugle. That means there’s only seven weeks left of our, you know, handfasting.”
“Oh, wow. Right. Feels like longer. Seven more weeks of making a concerted effort not to go swimming together. It’s been rough.” Webb toed a line through the icy sludge of my driveway pointedly. “In seven weeks, we can go ‘drink sweet water’ side by side and celebrate not being betrothed.”
“Having a drink side by side was what got us into this mess,” I reminded him mock-severely.
Webb laughed out loud again. “Fuck, you’re funny.”
He pulled me against him more tightly… which was the precise moment when I realized that we’d remained standing, stock-still, with his arm holding me firmly to his side, even though Jerry had to be halfway back to town.
My heart stuttered. I doubted Webb even noticed he was doing it, and it was probably taking advantage or something for me to let it go on now that I had, but…
God, it was so nice to be held like that.
To feel someone’s arm around me. To be close enough to see the corners of Webb’s eyes crinkle when he laughed and to notice the little spot at the base of his jaw where he hadn’t shaved very closely. To feel… cherished.
But despite how badly I wanted to stay right where I was for as long as possible—or maybe because I wanted it so badly—I stepped away. There were certain things a positive attitude could not bring about, and Webb Sunday returning my feelings was one of them.
“Come meet Eliza and her sisters,” I said, pointing toward the rock wall where the sheep stood staring at us. “Webb, meet Eliza. Eliza, this is Webb. He’s taken an irrational dislike to sheep, but don’t lose hope. He might decide to be friends with you yet.”
“I changed my mind,” Webb said wryly. “You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are.
” But he stood beside me and scratched Eliza under her chin.
“And I’ll have you know that I have no problem with sheep under normal circumstances.
I just don’t want to get all slicked up, sling them over my naked shoulders like a feather boa, and parade them through a sun-drenched field while giving you a come-hither look. ”
I turned and gaped at him, slack-jawed. “That’s… incredibly specific, Thomas Webb Sunday.”
Beneath his beard, his cheeks turned red. “I… I may have seen your calendar the other day. Back in your trailer. The Barnyard Beefcake one.”
It was my turn to blush. “It’s called Farmers and Friends,” I said in a strangled voice. “It was a gift from my mother. Proceeds benefited the county animal adoption organization. And there was no… come-hithering. There was no hithering of any kind.”
“Oh, there was hithering,” he said decisively. “I felt very, very… hithered.”
By the big, sweaty men? And what had he thought about that?
I opened my mouth to ask, then shut it quickly.
“Okay, then.” I cleared my throat and tried desperately to turn the subject. “So. Wow. How about this weather, huh? Brr.”
Suave. So suave.
Webb made a sound of disagreement. “This is downright mild. And you’re gonna miss these temperatures when your car gets stuck on your own driveway come mud season,” he promised.
I laughed. “Great.”
“But first comes maple sugaring season. Warmer days, chilly nights.”
“Drew mentioned that when he picked Aiden up from spelling bee practice. He said you’re taking the Nature Scouts out this weekend.”
Webb rolled his eyes. “Murray and Olin’s mom, Maryanne, is one of the Nature Scout Herd Leaders, and she asked me as a favor, so I couldn’t say no.
Besides, now that Amanda is taking Aiden to Nature Scouts, I haven’t gotten to be involved as much, and I miss it.
Aiden begged me to take them all skating afterward on Pond Pond, too.
” He pointed toward the water at the edge of his land. I’d never known the name of it before.
“It’s called Pond Pond?” I asked, amused. “Like, the Pond family’s… pond?”
“I come from a long line of very literal people, Luke.” He raised an eyebrow in mock challenge.
I grinned back at him. I couldn’t help it. He was bossy and sometimes surly, but goodness he was fun.
“You should come,” he said suddenly, and I felt my smile falter.
“Oh, I don’t know. Me on skates…” I winced. I would take suave to entirely new levels if I got out on the ice.
“You might like it. Skating is always fun, but skating outside is just… better. Aiden would love it.”
“Yeah, he maybe invited me,” I admitted. “After school. He volunteered you to teach me.”
Webb grinned. “He’s probably hoping you’ll be on Team New Puppy and can convince me.
” He pondered this for a second, then frowned.
“Actually, you’d probably have some kind of convincing argument at your fingertips, complete with scientific research to back it up.
So you’re Team No Puppy Until Spring, got it? ”
I could tell you his words didn’t make my chest squeeze and my fingertips tingle… but that would be a lie. “Got it.”
“And come on Saturday. Really. Aiden needs caring, responsible adults in his life.”
I hesitated. “How is the visitation thing with Amanda going?”
“It’s going.” He shrugged.
“If you need to talk…”
“Thanks. I appreciate the offer. “ He gave me a half-smile. “There are worse people I could have to pretend to be in love with for the next seven weeks.”
“In… l-love?” I sputtered. “What?”
Webb shrugged. “Well, if we want that discount, we have to make a good show, at least in front of Jerry Walcott.”
I groaned. I hadn’t thought that through all the way. Crap. “But aren’t you worried we’ll confuse Aiden?” Or me? “We can’t exactly claim it was an accident if we’re going along with it. Are we just going to wait until the end of the eight weeks and say, ‘Psych!’”
“I was thinking more like, ‘Things didn’t work out.’ And then we’ll stun everyone with our incredible maturity by managing to stay friends.”
I huffed out a laugh.
“And as for Aiden… I’m gonna have to explain this to him anyway before he hears rumors.”
“True. Do you want me to help? I could—”
“No, I’ll take care of it,” Webb said with such finality I knew better than to argue. “But will you come on Saturday?”
Ughhhh. “I’m afraid you’re greatly underestimating my lack of coordination,” I warned him. “The maple sugaring part sounds great, but maybe I can cheer you on from the sidelines during the skating part.”
“I’ll take care of you,” he promised. “Trust me.”
I did trust him, I realized. At least, with ice skating.
“Okay,” I agreed, forcing a smile. “I’ll give it a try.” Though I firmly believed it would end in disaster.
“Saturday’s going to be the most fun ever,” he promised.
As it turned out… we were both right.