“Plus, Emmy’s not the only one working this land now,” Ruth Ann continued. “It wouldn’t be right for me to take away an opportunity for someone else based on how I feel about Emmy.”
“The two of them alone won’t be able to make a go of it,” he said. “Not with two kids to take care of and a house falling down around their ears. Emmy’s not as spry as she used to be.”
And she was getting worse by the day. He’d seen her limp more often than not throughout the weekend, her moods were growing more unpredictable, and she’d called Sadie Carrie on more than one occasion since he’d arrived.
Those things taken individually might not have bothered him too much, but taken as a whole . . .
“I’m worried about her,” Mitch said, wincing when he realized he’d voiced the thought aloud.
“As any good grandson should.” A suspicious wetness lined Ruth Ann’s lashes. She put her sunglasses on. “Emmy is lucky to have you.”
She turned and headed toward her car.
“My grandpa’s been gone for over thirty years now, Mrs. Ruth Ann,” Mitch said. “And when this farm goes under, Emmy is gonna need a friend. Do you think you could find a way to forgive her?”
Ruth Ann stopped, then asked quietly, “Can you?”
He stiffened. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t you?” She looked over her shoulder, her expression unreadable behind the thick sunglasses. “Emmy and I were as close as sisters for years. We were family by choice if not by blood. When I realized we’d both fallen in love with Joe, I decided not to pursue him and asked her to do the same for the sake of our friendship. Sounds selfish and stupid, and it was. But I was young, Joe was my first love, and Emmy, for all intents and purposes, was my sister. I loved Joe enough to know that I couldn’t be around him and Emmy together and not hurt. And I didn’t want her to go through that if Joe looked my way instead of hers. Our friendship was more important. I told her all of that, but she threw me over instead. Just tossed me away for the love of a man.” A sound of dismay left her lips. “That hurt far more than losing Joe ever did.”
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with me,” Mitch said gently.
“The way I see it, Emmy did the same to you, didn’t she? Worse, even.” Her voice softened. “Your father was a troubled man, Mitch. Everyone could see that, even Joe. He loved his son every bit as much as Emmy did, but he was willing to admit David had problems, whereas Emmy wasn’t. Had Joe still been alive, things would’ve been very different for you and Carrie growing up.” She lifted her chin. “Emmy had a choice. David was a troubled man. You were an innocent boy. Who deserved her love more?”
Mitch thrust his hands into his pockets and swallowed past the thick lump in his throat. “It wasn’t that simple.”
“No. Neither is forgiveness, no matter what those delightful childhood fables tell us. Which might be why I haven’t heard you say you’re staying to console Emmy when she fails.” She tilted her head. “Or have you changed your mind?”
When he didn’t answer, Ruth Ann thanked him for seeing her, said her good-byes and left.
Mitch watched her drive away, her tires stirring up a red cloud of dust, which drifted over the field. The ground was drying rapidly, the sun shone bright, and it wouldn’t be long before the soil would be ready for planting. He looked up the red driveway toward the house, where he imagined Emmy had already begun gathering her things for the afternoon meeting in neighboring Peach Grove, favoring her good knee and urging the kids to get ready. Sadie would be all smiles, but Dylan would probably give her a hard time.
He glanced over his shoulder.
Kristen had finished attaching the hooks and had added two small chains. She hung the sign, straightened it, then stepped back and looked it over. A hesitant smile, similar to the one she’d sported the night he’d met her, slowly appeared.
Before he could rethink it, Mitch pulled his cell phone from his pocket, dialed a New York number, and waited for Brad to answer.
CHAPTER 5
“And that’s where the Andrews used to live.”
Kristen eased her foot off the pedal and slowed the truck around a curve, glancing toward the single-story house Emmy pointed at from the passenger seat. “As in Heather Andrews?”
Emmy’s brows rose. “Thought you weren’t from around here. How do you know the Andrews family?”
“Oh, I don’t.” Kristen’s mouth twitched as she refocused on the sedan traveling in front of them. “I think Mitch might have mentioned the name earlier today.”
Roughly an hour ago, in fact. Right after he’d told her she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen up close. Then he’d smoothed his rough thumb over her chin in a tender caress that still lingered. A smoldering look of hunger had darkened his blue eyes when he’d studied her mouth, and she could swear she still felt his warm, husky whisper sweeping over her skin.
As for the kiss, I can’t say how that’d compare without firsthand experience.
Cheeks scorching, Kristen rolled her lips to stop the mouth twitch from stretching into a full-blown smile. Had it all been just a line? Possibly. But the man sure could deliver one. Either way, she really hadn’t cared right then. Just so long as that slow, delicious tingle in her middle—one that hadn’t emerged in what seemed like forever—hung around a bit longer.
And there was a good chance it would, seeing as how Mitch had decided to stay. For a little while at least. Though she wasn’t altogether sure that would be a good thing.
Sunlight glinted off the back bumper of the sedan as Mitch eased it to the left to avoid a pothole. Kristen followed his lead.