Page 22 of Forever with the Farmer's Daughter
His gaze flicks to mine before returning to the churn. “Yeah? What did she say?”
“Well, first she said she took ours with her when she got married. Then she said you were right, Warren married her strictly for her ice-cream-making skills.”
Cameron laughs. “I doubt that. Warren has been smitten with Christine since the first grade. He used to threaten any guy who got within three feet of her.”
I laugh, shocked by this revelation. “Really?”
Cameron grins and nods. “Tell me about you. What did you do after high school?”
I feel a heaviness creep into my chest as I contemplate his question. “After graduation, I went to Auburn and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in accounting.”
He nods. “Impressive. So, it was always your plan to come back here and help with the farm?”
A sad smile touches my lips as I decide to tell him my story. After all, it’s best to be honest in the beginning and give him all the information rather than keep anything from him. This way he can either continue to pursue me or walk away. I take a deep breath to ready myself and begin. “Not exactly. I met my husband my freshman year. He was studying law. We were married the summer before my junior year. He had one year of law school remaining by the time I graduated. I took a job at an accounting firm while he finished school. Before he graduated, he was offered a job at a law firm in Montgomery, so we moved there. Once we were settled, we started talking about having a family. We both went for physicals and when Alan’s bloodwork came back, the doctor asked to meet with us. Turns out he had stage four liver cancer.” With tears in my eyes, I glance up at Cameron. “I lost him six months later.”
“I’m so sorry, Samantha.” He whispers the words roughly as he brushes away a stray tear rolling down my cheek.
I take a steadying breath and blow it out slowly as my eyes find his again. I swallow hard as I apologize. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break down on you. It’s been a while since I’ve told anyone.”
Cameron’s hand cups my cheek as his thumb gently caresses my skin. “Hey, you have nothing to apologize for. Thank you for telling me.” We sit quietly for a moment, before Cameron breaks the silence. “How about we check and see how the ice cream is coming along?”
I smile at the way he tries to lift my mood. “I think we’re close; it’s getting harder to crank.”
He unlatches the lid, and we peek inside to see the ice cream still has a little way to go. Cameron adds more ice and salt and then secures the lid once again. “Want me to take over?”
“Yeah, we might as well put those muscles of yours to work.”
Cameron laughs as he turns the churn so he can turn the crank for a while. We make small talk while he churns the ice cream. When it becomes obvious the ice cream is finished, Cameron looks up at me. “Ready to try this?”
I nod excitedly, “I’ll get the spoons!” I jump up, run into the house, grab two spoons, and then run back outside.
Once I’m seated on the step again, Cameron removes the lid, scrapes the ice cream off the paddle with one of the spoons, and then sets the lid aside. My mouth waters as I eye the frozen treat. We each dip our spoons into the ice cream and take a bite.
My eyes close as the flavor hits my tongue. “Mmm, I think this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had.”
Cameron glances up at me before he goes back in for another bite. “I haven’t had ice cream this good in a very long time.”
I dip my spoon back in for a second bite. “I can’t believe how good it is. I also can’t believe my sister didn’t share this with me.” Savoring the next few bites, I check the time on my phone. “As good as this is, it took us almost an hour to hand crank and it’s only enough for the two of us. We’d never be able to make enough to share at the fair. Not even if we started tonight.”
Cameron chuckles as he goes in for another bite as well. “Good point. I guess we’ll have to think of somethin’ else.” He takes another bite, “Think we should share with your parents?”
I look up and grin, “Maybe next time.”
He glances up at me as he loads another bite on his spoon. “Does that mean I get to see you again?”
I take another bite of ice cream. “Yeah, I think I would be okay.”
Cameron
The sadness I saw inSamantha’s eyes haunted me on the drive home. Burying a loved one at any age is hard, but to bury the person you expect to spend your life with after only a few short years would be devastating.
I’m still sitting on the porch hearing her story play on repeat in my mind when Craig pulls up. He hops out of his truck and closes the door before making his way up the steps to the house.
“Hey brother.” He grins as he takes a seat in the rocking chair next to me. “How was the ice cream?”
I grin as I think of the smile on Samantha’s face when she first tasted the ice cream we made. “It was the best ice cream I’d had in a long time. The company was even better.” Craig smiles but remains silent. “You could have told me she was a widow; you know.”
Craig shakes his head, “You needed to hear it from her.”
