14. Brooks
14
Brooks
I can’t remember the last time I felt this exhausted. It is almost 6:30 a.m. and I am still in bed. I overdid it for sure last night. But it isn’t just that. These long days of working in the fields in the mornings, helping Gemma in the afternoons, and helping my mom at night are really starting to kick my ass.
Gemma tries to help where she can most days. Of course, she isn’t familiar with most of the tasks, so it slows me down in the long run. But I take the time to teach her anyway. She keeps saying she feels bad for taking up all my time for her wild goose chase. I wish she would quit saying that. I like hanging out with her even if she does make it a point to drive me crazy.
It really is a wild goose chase though. I am starting to doubt that she is from anywhere around here. No one has a memory or record of any baby or mysterious pregnancy twenty years ago. But Gemma refuses to give up. She keeps taking notes and coming up with new plans. I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Her hanging around sure isn’t helping me any. I am worn out and constantly distracted. I really don’t know if I am coming or going anymore.
But something about her is intoxicating and addicting. And honestly, I just like who I am when she is around. It is like I am able to enjoy the here and now for a bit instead of just striving for my future. I guess I am just enjoying it while it lasts since I know it can’t last forever. Soon reality will have to set in, and she will go back home, and I will have to go back to working my ass off to buy this ranch.
I know deep down that sooner is probably better. I’m not even sure what got into me last night. Well, I know a lot of alcohol got into me, but it was more than that. I am sober as a judge today and I can’t stop thinking about way she had reacted to me pressing her against the wall. Fuck, she had come at me like she was just as hungry for me as I was for her. I was ready to scoop her up and carry her to her room. I wanted to know just how hungry she was and what else she could do with that pretty little mouth.
But then her phone rang and fucked it all up. I couldn’t sleep worth shit last night because Gemma and that worthless asshole she’s hung up on were on my mind. I wish she could just see how shitty he is. No, not even that. I wish she could see how amazing she is. She should be worshiped not left as a second thought.
I grunt and roll out of bed. I throw my shirt on, and an idea hits me. I look at the time. If I get out to the field in the next thirty minutes, I will have a couple of hours to get work done and still be able to make breakfast at the main house. We’ve spent days visiting townsfolk and asking questions but always in the heart of the town. Well, the physical heart of the town. The real heart of the town is the sunflower farm at the edge of town.
Gemma has mentioned it a couple of times since she passed it on the way in to town. I’m not surprised. The sunflower farm is an attraction worth seeing for a lot of people. But the sunflowers are just starting to bloom so the farm doesn’t open to visitors for another week or so. Gemma has mentioned being bummed about it more than once.
I don’t know what this girl is doing to me. But I really don’t care anymore. I will make her feel special if it kills me. And it’s not like I’m completely slacking off. This will give her some new people to question too. Sure of my decision and determined to make this happen, I pull out my phone.
Brooks: Hey Lor I need a huge favor. Call me when you get up?
For good measure, I decide to add to it.
Brooks: I’ll love ya forever if you can pull this off.
Satisfied with what I’ve done so far, I finish getting dressed and hop in the truck to head across the ranch. Knowing she gets up as early as I do, I give my mom a quick call and ask for her help too. Talking to her at breakfast would give me away too quickly.
After a couple of phone calls and some time on the back of my mare gathering calves, it is time for breakfast. The guys have all been instructed on what each of them need to get done today before storms roll in tonight. My main guys each know where I will be and what constitutes an emergency should they need to reach me. I don’t want my phone going off all day for little shit.
I try to fight the smile that threatens when I get to the main house and realize Gemma isn’t up yet. My banging on her door acting annoyed and her flirting and showing off her tits every morning has become something I look forward too. But she doesn’t have to know that.
Once we are settled into the big dining room with plates of biscuits and gravy in front of us, Gemma huffs out a sigh.
“What?” She looks so frustrated. Where the hell did that come from?
“I don’t even know where to start today. I feel so bad that you keep wasting your days on this pointless goose chase.” God, she looks like she could cry. I can’t take that again.
“Don’t worry about it. I have things handled on the ranch. And I have something lined up for today. Someone new you haven’t gotten to question until they’re uncomfortable yet.”
That gets a giggle and a smile, and I instantly feel more at ease.
“I don’t mean to make everyone uncomfortable I just have a lot of questions!” Gemma starts. “But who have I not questioned? I feel like we’ve gone to every place in town.”
“You’re right. But these people technically live on the outskirts of town. This is their farm’s busy season, so they haven’t been out and about downtown like most of the others have.” I shrug and take another bite hoping she doesn’t ask too many other questions. To my relief, she doesn’t, and we finish breakfast with some casual small talk.
As we drive the bumpy gravel roads on the outskirts of town, I look over to see the wheels turning in her head.
“Wait. This is the way I came into town. You said that it’s the farm’s busy season. Do you mean the sunflower farm?” she asks cautiously.
“I do,” I say, hiding my smile. “The sunflower farm is sort of a staple around here. The Riggins family has passed it down for generations. I know Lorelai pretty well, so I explained your situation and asked for a favor. She and her mom are gonna meet with us and answer any questions they can. But neither can spare too much time today, so they have given me permission to show you around the farm if you want.”
Gemma’s face lights up. “Oh my gosh Brooks, really? Yes! Thank you!”
I expected a bit of smug satisfaction for pulling this off but that smile on her face does something to me. And the smile only gets bigger as we start down the dirt road driveway of the farm. It winds through a couple of the sunflower fields. These are the fields you see on your way into town.
“They’re even more beautiful up close,” Gemma breathes.
There are rows and rows of the giant yellow sunflowers that stand taller than a house, so it’s pretty cool to see them up close. But these fields have nothing on the ones they have deeper into the farm. These fields are meant to catch your eye and draw you in. But Lorelai has told me that their purpose is also to hide the best parts of the farm from the road. Each year they change up the feature fields and photo and event areas, so they like to keep people guessing until opening day. Lorelai’s job here is to provide the guest experience and she never disappoints.
I nod. “I’m not a flower guy but this place is pretty important to the town. It is pretty cool to see how many different types of sunflowers there are too.”
I’ve been here more times than I can count over the years but I’m already thinking this might be the most memorable visit I’ve had. We pull up to the house and Gemma is all but bouncing in her seat. I’m not sure if her excitement is about meeting new people or the flowers. I’m enjoying it either way.
The Riggins house is your typical run-of-the-mill Sunflower Springs farmhouse. Nice and homey but nothing too fancy. Just like us, their time is spent out on their land, not in the house. Lorelai greets us at the door and hugs us both despite never having met Gemma before. She leads us to their kitchen where a jug of sweet tea, a bowl of fresh fruit, and a platter of sunflower cookies sit on the table.
“Mom got everything set up and said to apologize for not being here. She ended up having to leave last minute. We’re getting close to opening day, and she got notice this morning that the flower pales we order every year are on backorder. There’s a warehouse a couple towns down the road we use sometimes so she decided to see what they have in stock. You know how she is Brooks. She can’t just send someone.”
I nod and laugh. Mrs. Riggins has always been a bit of a control freak. But it’s not a big loss. Lorelai loves to talk, especially about herself so I’m sure she can answer the questions.
Gemma and I both have a seat, and she places her little notebook on the table in front of her. For some reason, it’s taken me this long to realize that the notebook has sunflowers on the cover. Has she always loved sunflowers or was it just for this trip? Hell with the way this town is, it could be a souvenir item she picked up around here.
Gemma asks her normal questions and gets pretty similar answers as she has every time she asks them. Lorelai hasn’t heard anything about a secret baby who was adopted out and she knows most of the town gossip. But she answers what she can and promises to ask her mom about what she can’t answer and get back with us.
Lorelai pushes her chair back and stands up. “Alright. I’ve got to get back to work. Those bouquets aren’t gonna make themselves and they’re one of our biggest opening day sellers. Y’all hang out for a while and enjoy the farm. I’ll be in the workshop if you need anything. Gemma, I left shears and a pail at the entrance for you. The shears have a little tag attached that shows the best way to cut if you aren’t used to it. Cut what you like and stop by the workshop on your way out so we can find you a nice vase and get them arranged. Brooks has to stop by and pick up his mom’s order before y’all leave anyway.”
I don’t know if Gemma’s smile can get any bigger.
“Thank you so much Lor,” I say. “For everything.”
She winks at me and smiles. “Of course.” And then a mischievous grin spreads across her face. “Although I never thought I would see the day when Brooks Sterling brought a girl to stroll the flowers with.”
I know it was going too smoothly. I look over to Gemma to explain. “Lorelai is an only child, so she hung out with me and my brothers a lot growing up. Unfortunately, she became one of us and gives us as hard a time as we give her.”
Lorelai shrugs and strides out of the kitchen. I hold out my hand to Gemma and try to sound nonchalant even though I think I’m actually nervous. “Wanna go see some flowers and shit?
She laughs and takes my hand. “Such a gentleman you are. Flowers and shit sound wonderful.”
Each row of flowers makes me more and more antsy. Gemma is starting to get a good selection of flowers in her little pail and is almost skipping to each plant. I’m enjoying this childlike carefree version of her. As we near the end of the row, I take a deep breath and hope she doesn’t think I’m a complete asshat for this.
“Okay you’ve seen all the main flowers. You ready to see the best part of the farm?”
“The best part? Isn’t this the best part? Brooks these flowers are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”
“Ahhh, but you haven’t seen Lor’s pride and joy. There is a gazebo here they use for events and photo ops. Lorelai spends her whole offseason planning how to make it special each year. It’s never the same and people come back each year just to see what magic she’s worked.”
We turn the corner out of the sunflower rows and follow a stone pathway until a huge circle of what Lor calls mammoths comes into view. There is a wooden sign that says “No picking past this point” and that tells me she must be extra proud of this one. Gemma gasps as we follow the pathway into the break in the circle. Lorelai has done it again.
Flowers of all different shapes, sizes and colors are planted in the same circle formation as the sunflower walls. We continue to follow the path until it leads to the gazebo steps. In the middle is a sunflower printed blanket and an old-fashioned picnic basket. Just like I asked.
Gemma takes it all in and looks at me with wide eyes. “Is this for us?”
I shrug. “I know it’s cheesy. If you tell the guys, I might deny it. But after last night and the way that piece of shit talked to you–” She opens her mouth as if to speak but I hold my hand up to stop her. “I just wanted to show you that I meant what I said. It wasn’t the alcohol talking. You are a fucking amazing woman, and you deserve to be treated like it.”
“Brooks I don’t know what to say. I’ve never...no one has ever…” Gemma starts.
“You don’t have to say anything, Sunflower. I had a point to make and I knew you had been wanting to visit the farm. So, I called Lorelai up this morning and asked for a favor.”
“Did you just call me Sunflower?” Gemma’s confused look is at contrast with her tear-filled eyes.
“I did.” I smirk. “Lorelai always says sunflower farming is better than ranching because you never know what a cow is gonna pull on you, but you can always count on the sunflowers to follow the sun until it sets for the day. Even on the dark dreary days they look for the light, stand tall, and bloom. You do that too. Some of the dead ends you’ve hit would have knocked anyone else down. But not you. You just keep chasing the light.”
“Like a sunflower, chasing sunsets,” Gemma says softly.
I’m afraid I’ve gone too far and she’s about to bolt. Hell, I wouldn’t blame her. Maybe Lor can do me one more favor and give her a ride back to the B&B for me, so she doesn’t have to ride with a crazy person.
As I open my mouth to backtrack and try to save the day, she leans toward me and says “I love it” before kissing me. It’s softer than last night but it makes me want her just as bad.
She pulls away with the smallest smile and looks down. “If your goal was to make me feel special today it absolutely worked. I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since breakfast.”
“You haven’t and I’ve loved every minute,” I say too honestly. But I don’t regret it because it makes her smile brighter. And that sexy ass smile stays on her face all day as we cut more flowers for her bucket. We eventually make our way to the workshop and Gemma and Lorelai chat and laugh for a good hour or so.