Page 37 of Love Off-Limits
“I actually hadn’t thought about his previous job creating an issue for him, but if the attention starts to get in the way of work—”
Kelly held up her hands. “I already talked to the rest of the crew. It’ll be fine. They’re settling down.”
I nodded.
She leaned forward. “The real reason I brought him up, aside from just wanting to see the expression on your face when I talk about him...” She paused and looked at me expectantly.
I rolled my eyes. “What is that even supposed to mean?”
“Oh, come on. He told me the two of you werefriends.And I’ve seen the way he watches you when you’re anywhere within a hundred yards of where he is. I’m just reading the writing on the wall.”
I took a deep breath. At least Kelly hadn’t noticedmestaring athim.“We are friends,” I said simply. “But that’s all.”
“That’s all...for now?” she said, suggestion strong in her tone. “Because he works here and you’re technically his boss and that would be inappropriate but maybe in September you’ll reconsider?”
“That’s all, period,” I said, ignoring the twinge of longing that pulsed through my gut. It wasn’t that I couldn’t be honest with Kelly. She’d been with the farm a long time; she’d started as a summer farmhand six years ago, then returned every summer until she graduated with a degree in agricultural science and came back to work full time. We were close to the same age and had always gotten along, and I was pretty sure her allegiance would fall to me should there ever be a divide on family opinion.
But I couldn’t let myself think about September. Or Tyler. It was a slippery slope—one that I was pretty sure would lead me right into his arms.
Kelly huffed and crossed her arms. “I’m not sure I believe you.”
I shrugged. “Believe what you want. It’s still the truth. Was there another reason you brought him up? One that has something to do with the actual farm and not my love life?”
She smirked and tapped her lip. “Youarehiding something from me.”
“I’m not.”
She chuckled. “Yes, you are.”
“Oh my gosh. Fine! Yes. We met at Rosie’s wedding, and we kissed and then we talked all night long and it was amazing.”
“I knew it!” Kelly said, her fists clenched in victory.
“But that’s not why he’s here,” I insisted. “He needed to get away from Charleston for a while, and Idon’tneed the distraction of a relationship when so much is going on with Dad.”
“How is your dad? I haven’t seen him in a couple of weeks. Perry’s been taking the farm reports over. Is he doing okay?”
I shook my head no. “He fell a couple of days ago. On the front porch steps out at the house. He didn’t break anything, but it’s a setback in his physical therapy. Mom’s keeping him on an even tighter leash now.”
“I’m sure he loves that,” Kelly said, sarcasm clear in her tone.
“He’s so grouchy about it.” I fiddled with the edge of the folder still sitting on my desk. “And still so sensitive aboutnotbeing able to make decisions about the farm. I mean, Perry’s letting him help as much as he can. But Dad’s not an idiot. He realizes it’s mostly to make him feel better. There’s too much that requires instant decision-making for Perry to run everything past him.”
Kelly studied me closely. “How areyoufeeling about this? About Perry still being around?”
Kelly knew what my expectations had always been, but it was important to me that the staff not think the family was in conflict.
I shrugged. “I’m glad he’s here. He’s good with Dad. Steady. Patient.”
“Wait.” Kelly pressed a hand to her chest. “Did you actually just pay your incredibly grouchy brother a compliment?”
“I know,” I said with an overly dramatic eye roll. “It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?”
“Do you think he’ll stay for good?”
I wasafraidhe’d stay for good. I was doing my best to take Lennox’s advice, to pour myself into my work and prove my worth, but I was having a hard time thinking of anything but Dad’s rejection whenever I looked at Perry. It felt a little like I had an open wound, uncovered, exposed to the air and every little irritant. But I couldn’t admit any of that out loud.
“I guess we’ll wait and see. We’re mostly just trying to keep our heads above water right now, you know? Until Dad starts to make a little more progress with his recovery.”
