Page 70 of Big Island Neighbors
He was quiet for a moment, and his expression turned serious. “Mitch still on the mainland?”
Her throat went dry, and all she could do was nod.
“I’m here for you if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
“I mean it, Tara. You were a godsend to us when Laura was sick… and after. I know this isn’t exactly the same thing, but if there’s anything that I can do to support you, please call.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
He nodded and just stood there a moment, looking down, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Then he looked up and seemed on the verge of saying something, but he stopped himself.
“I should head next door,” he told her. “See you at the ranch in a few days?”
“Yeah, see you then.”
Tara watched him go, her face set in a quizzical frown. But she had too much on her mind to dwell on Liam acting a bit odd. She hefted the cooler and carried it up to the house.
She had left the cooler inside and was headed out for her morning milking when Emma caught her attention over the fence.
“Hey, Tara! Do you have a minute?”
“Sure.” She started over, but Emma waved toward the street.
“I’ll meet you around front!”
Ignoring the bleating of goats who were eager to get up on the milking stand for their daily ration of grain, she set her milk pail down and walked back up to the front gate.
Emma let herself in and paused to pet the dogs.
“How’s it?” Emma greeted her as she scratched the head of a half-grown goat that was competing with the dogs for her attention. “Liam’s over at our place putting the pond liner in. Won’t accept help or money.”
“He’s a good man.”
“He is.” Emma gave her a significant look. “Do you know that every time he comes over to help with the pond, he’s craning his neck for a glance of you the whole time he’s there?”
Tara looked away. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Okay, I’m going to let that slide, because there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a big one. Could we sit down for a minute and talk it through?”
Tara’s brows pulled together involuntarily, but she nodded and gestured for Emma to follow her inside. The kitchen waswarm with the smell of a fresh pot of coffee. Cody stood at the kitchen counter, pouring a tall mug for himself.
“That will stunt your growth,” Emma teased.
“We can only hope,” Cody shot back. He was already six foot four. He smiled wryly and settled back at his dinner table workstation.
“Coffee?” Tara asked her neighbor.
“Sure, thank you.”
She poured each of them a cup and added a splash of cream.
“Thank you.” Emma wrapped her hands around the coffee mug. “Okay. So. You know how I’ve been helping Mrs. Rasmussen with her weekly soup kitchen?”
