Chapter 15 Colton
COLTON
“All right, everyone, we’d like to welcome you all to the forty-third season of Cedar Creek Farms,” Lucy says through the microphone, causing the crowd in front of her to cheer.
I couldn’t believe it when I looked outside the kitchen window this morning at the crowd already forming in front of the gate leading into the farm.
“Please watch your step as you make your way through the patch, and have fun. Our store is open over to your right, and there are several local musicians who will be here playing music throughout the morning. There’s also a photographer set up by the check out counter so you can grab pictures with your family. ”
At the end of Lucy’s announcement, Amelia swings open the gate, and the crowd cheers again as they pour into the pumpkin patch and the shop.
Walking over to Lucy’s side, I wrap her in a side hug that seems friendly enough and squeeze her to me. “Congrats, Lulu. Are you ready for all this?”
“Ready or not, right?” she says, gesturing to the crowd that’s continuing to pour into the pumpkin patch.
“I guess so. So I’ve been thinking about that list of yours, and I wanted to see if you’d be ready to knock off the next one tonight?”
Her eyes widen in surprise before she laughs. “You mean I didn’t scare you off last night by forcing you to be my pretend boyfriend?”
Hell no, I think, still kicking myself for not using the pretend boyfriend card as an excuse to kiss her. But I’ve promised myself I’d behave, and even if I decide to break that promise, I want her to know how much I care about her. How I actually feel about her.
“Nope, not even a little bit, Darlin’,” I tease. “So what if we went with the movie night tonight? I have a feeling that we’ll both be dead on our feet after all this, so I thought we could order pizza and watch a movie. I’ll even let you choose.”
Lucy nods before agreeing, “Yeah, I think that sounds like fun.”
I feel a rush of relief at her words, relief that I didn’t push her too far last night.
Having her in my arms felt so right, but after we agreed to just be friends, I can’t figure out where the line is between us anymore.
I can’t imagine my time in Mills Corner without her friendship, and I genuinely enjoy spending time with her.
“Great, I’ll meet you out back around eight,” I tell her just as Miss Charleen sticks her head out from the shop.
“Are you two gonna stand there yapping all day, or are you gonna get to work?” she calls out, hobbling out to the porch and nearly losing her balance in the process, causing Lucy and me to laugh.
“We’re going, we’re going,” Lucy yells. “I need you to take yourself back inside, though, before you wind up breaking something else.”
“Yeah, yeah,” her mama yells, turning and making her way back in the shop.
Lucy turns back to me, pointing towards the exit. “Are you still good being on loading duty today? A couple of the older ladies who come through here need help getting things in their cars.”
“Feeding me to the wolves, huh?” I tease, and Lucy laughs.
“I’m sorry, okay? But it’s the job my brother usually takes, and I didn’t spend enough time in the gym this summer to be ready to take it on.”
“No worries. I’m just giving you a hard time. I’m happy to help out wherever you need me.”
“We’ll see if you change your tune by the end of the day,” she says hesitantly.
“They can’t be that bad. They’re just some little old ladies.”
Lucy grimaces. “Okay, I want you to remember this conversation tonight, though.”
“Sure thing,” I tell her, heading out towards the exit.
Surely, she has to be exaggerating. This should be the easiest job I’ve ever had.
This is, in fact, the worst fucking job I’ve ever had.
I think to myself after loading what has to be the hundredth pumpkin of the day.
But the job itself isn’t what’s really making me want to throw my hat at the ground.
It’s that every single older lady who comes through this line has tried to set me up with various women in town.
One of the first ladies who came through the line this morning said her name was Miss Audrey, and she asked if I had a girlfriend.
After telling her no, it must have triggered some sort of alert system to the rest of the whole damn town because within a few minutes, everyone was trying to push me into dating their neighbor’s best friend’s cousin’s sister in law.
“Hey, sugar, can I get your help loading these things?” another older lady says, making her way over with one of the wagons from the farm.
“Sure,” I tell her, pasting on a smile and following her out to her car.
“So, you must be Mr. Colton Harris. I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Miss Bernice,” she says, holding out her hand for me to shake.
“Nice to meet you,” I tell her, offering her a small smile.
“Yes, dear. So, I heard you’re single. I have a cousin whose stepdaughter would be just perfect for you. You two would be just darling together. She has a great job working as the head of marketing down at the Mini-Mart downtown.
“Oh, as nice as that sounds,” I tell her, trying not to cringe as we make it to her old sedan. “I’m not really looking to date right now. I’m still working on getting settled.”
“Hm, well, if you change your mind, her name’s Susan Smith,” she says, and I nod, making quick work of depositing the two small pumpkins in her truck.”
“Alrighty, well, Miss Bernice, you’re good to go. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too, dear. And don’t wait too long, I bet she’s a hot commodity around here,” she says seriously, waving her wooden cane at me.
“I’m sure,” I say, smiling as long as I can before scowling at her car driving away.
Pulling out my phone, I send a quick text to Lucy.
Colton: Are you trying to kill me?
Lucy: Laughing emoji
Lucy: I tried to warn you.
Lucy: What happened?
Colton: A woman named Miss Audrey came through here first thing this morning,
Lucy: SHIT
Lucy: Let me ask Mama if she’s checked her book club group chat.
I look down at my phone, confused at what her mom’s book club has to do with the weird day I’ve had, just as it pings again with another text.
Lucy: Oh Colton I’m so sorry.
Lucy: Miss Audrey is the town busybody. Once she talked to you, she sent out a message to their bookclub that the man helping load the pumpkins was new to town, single, and handsome.
Lucy: I thought I noticed more elderly ladies than we usually have around here today, but I figured it was just my imagination.
Shaking my head, I let out a small laugh as I type out a reply.
Colton: Definitely not your imagination.
Lucy: Now that you say that, I’m definitely looking at a minimum of ten ladies who are over seventy coming your way.
Colton: Great.
Lucy: I’ll ask Mom to remind everyone about our delivery option.
Colton: Delivery?
Lucy: Yeah, usually one of us just drops their order off at their house. They don’t actually come here to pick anything out.
Colton: So you mean they don’t come out here to torture Hayes like this?
Lucy: Nope.
Lucy: He may load seven or eight cars all day.
Lucy: I think that’s why that position’s his favorite.
Colton: Lucy…
Colton: I’ve loaded at least a hundred cars today.
Colton: And I’ve turned down fourteen potential blind dates.
Lucy: Oh my gosh.
Lucy: I’m sorry, but I’m dying
Lucy: I can’t stop laughing.
Colton: Glad I could entertain you.
Lucy: I’d offer to switch with you, but I’m pretty sure that they’ll find you no matter where you are.
Lucy: These ladies may be old, but they’re pretty determined.
Colton: Great.
Lucy: Sorry! I’ll make it up to you tonight.
Colton: I’m counting on it…
Tucking my phone away, I grimace as I see the group of elderly ladies heading my way.
“Hi, dear. You must be Colton. I’m Miss Louise. We’ve heard so much about you!” the one in the front yells, just as she steps in a small hole in front of her, and crumples to the ground with a loud thump.
I run over, eyes wide as she waves her cane around in the air.
“Damn, cane ain’t good for nothing,” she complains, gesturing for me to help her up.
“Are you okay, Miss Louise?” I ask, genuinely concerned about the frail elderly lady at my feet.
“I’ll be a lot better when you get me off the damn ground,” she mumbles, and I hesitate.
“Are you sure you’re not hurt?” I ask, trying to check her over for injuries.
“Ain’t nothing hurt but my pride, sugar. Now get me off the damn ground. I’m getting sand in all my crevices.”
Grimacing at that mental image, I lean down, gently helping her rise back to her feet. She stands and moves around, adding a little bounce to her step to prove that she’s not hurt. I start to smile, just as she hobbles over to me, wrapping her arm around me.
“Oh, dear. Thank you for your help. Anyway, I need to tell you all about my granddaughter's best friend’s sister. I think she’d be just perfect for you.”
Yeah, Lucy, you fucking owe me one.