When I reached him, I asked again. “What are you doing here?”
He stopped suddenly. “You’re a mother?” His tone held an awe or reverence. It surprised me. And it told me he hadn’t guessed as to who the father was.
“Yes.”
He started walking again and I followed. When we reached the tree he said, “I don’t see a ring.”
“Her father isn’t in the picture.” That was the moment I knew I’d burn in hell.
He studied me for a moment and then nodded.
“You still haven’t said why you’re here.”
He smiled sheepishly. “I was planning to make a grand gesture to convince you to go along with this…fake…marriage.” He seemed to stumble over the word “fake.” He thrust the flowers at me. “Sorry, I was distracted by the fact that you had a daughter. She’s beautiful, Sinclair. Just like you.”
I took the flowers. “Thank you. I thought we decided the fake marriage idea was nuts.”
He shook his head. “You decided it was nuts. But now I understand why you’d be so resistant. Still, I think it’s something to consider.”
“Why?” The flowers were lovely. He’d never been romantic when we were together before. He’d never courted me, really. I’d been the one to do all the chasing back then. It was nice to see the effort he was making. A part of me wished it meant something more than just saving his family farm.
“I was at the farm store, and I heard Jasper and a man named Sam talking. Sam is thinking of selling. When I told them about what you were doing, they didn’t have any faith in the mayor’s office. In fact, they seemed to think there were kickbacks from Stark to the mayor and maybe the board of supervisors.”
That wasn’t good.
“They also believed the mayor’s office was abandoning them to pursue progress and jobs, especially since there was no one in the office any longer with ties to a farm.”
I hadn’t thought of that. “Florence retired last year,” I said absently as I realized he was right.
I walked toward the water, my mind in a whirl. Things were worse than I thought. “Did you tell them how we were trying to garner support?”
“I did, but they felt like it was on them and they don’t have the time. Running a farm doesn’t allow a lot of time for protesting. With the mayor touting jobs, I think they feel the community will be behind that and willing to sacrifice farming, even for a prison, although I don’t know why anyone would want that in their backyard.”
“I hate that.”
“What?” He came to stand next to me.
“That farmers feel abandoned. Mo is always cautioning me to avoid taking sides. The mayor’s office needs to look neutral and the citizens need to decide. But from what you’re saying, the farmers feel he’s taken sides against them.”
“That’s the feeling I got. I think I could rally them, Sinclair, but they had a point about no farmers in the government. There isn’t anyone representing them.”
I looked up at him. “I am.”
“Yes. I know that. But they don’t. And you’re not a part of a farm. But you could be.”
The ridiculous idea now seemed like the only solution. “I can’t believe I’m considering this.”
“You are?” He sounded shocked.
“I like progress, but getting rid of farming would be like taking the soul out of our community. It’s our history and heritage.”
“So, what are you saying?”
I turned to him. “I’ll do it. I’ll accept your fake proposal and fake marriage.”
A flash of annoyance appeared in his eyes, but then quickly dissipated. I wondered what it was about. I was agreeing with the ridiculous plan.
“Good. I brought you this.” He pulled a ring from his pocket. “I guess that makes it fake official.”