Page 24 of Sweet Surprises

Charlotte smiled at the idea that the big flirt was too eager for his lunch to take his boots off. Tag only scowled and laid out the napkins in their rings.

“Hey, Ma,” Tripp said, heading for the sink. “Smells good.”

She reached up and tousled his hair as he passed.

Tag ignored him and grabbed some silverware from a big buffet in the corner of the dining area.

“What did you think of the farm, Charlotte?” Tripp asked, wiping his hands on his jeans as he strode over to the table.

Tag put the silverware down on the table a bit too forcefully and Charlotte jumped a little.

“Easy, tiger,” Tripp teased his brother cheerfully.

“It’s wonderful,” Charlotte said quickly, before Tag could react. She had no idea what had gotten into him, but she certainly didn’t want to see him prove his brother right about his grumpy behavior. “I love that the cows have names.”

“That’s the fun part,” Tripp agreed. “They’re a lot of work, but they love you back.”

“They’re like pets,” Charlotte said, nodding.

“No,” Daniel put in as he carried the crock over to the table. “Pets take resources away. Our girls put the roof over our heads and the food in our bellies.”

“We love them,” Maggie said, setting down a folded towel so her husband could place the crock on it. “But they’re here to do a job, and that means we have to treat them like the workers they are.”

“What does that mean, exactly?” Charlotte asked.

Tag gestured for her to sit, and she complied, watching the rest of the family move around to gather the rest of the lunch things.

“The cows have regular veterinary visits, of course,” Maggie explained. “But we also test their milk regularly.”

“Zane was talking about that in the creamery,” Charlotte remembered.

“That’s right,” Maggie said, looking pleased that Charlotte had been paying attention. “Each cow eats and drinks so much each day you’d be amazed, Charlotte.”

“You’d be amazed at how much they poop, too,” Tripp grumbled.

“But our neighbors can use that as fertilizer,” Daniel explained. “And having Stone Creek running through our property helps a lot with the cows’ water consumption. We talked earlier today about how we move around to get the best grass when it’s not covered in snow.”

“We have to think about the cow’s whole world,” Maggie said. “It’s not just about how much milk each cow produces, it’s about the grass she eats, the water she drinks, the shelter she has in bad weather—all of those things have to be in balance for good quality milk.”

“Happy cows mean sweeter milk,” Zane said as he strode into the kitchen. “That’s what Grandpa always said, and it’s true.”

“Zane,” Maggie said fondly as he headed to the sink to wash up.

“So really,” Daniel said, smiling at Charlotte, “it’s all about keeping the cows content. We do all we can to give them a happy life, and they give back the only way they know how.”

Zane headed to the table, wiping his freshly washed hands on his jeans, just like his brother had done.

“This looks amazing,” Zane said.

Maggie was ladling out bowls of fragrant stew and passing them down as Daniel sent the basket of biscuits around the table in the opposite direction. And Charlotte hoped her stomach wouldn’t start grumbling before they were all ready to eat.

Once everyone was served, they all bowed their heads for a moment of silence.

Charlotte felt a pang of longing for her grandfather, who had always done the same. When she bent her head and closed her eyes, she found herself overcome with gratitude for the people who were welcoming her into her new life.

Charlotte was standingin the main pasture a few hours later, taking turns forking hay into the feeders for the happily mooing cows when she heard the sound of something big coming up the drive.

“Go on,” Tripp told Tag.

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