Page 30 of Forever with the Farmer's Daughter
“Well,” I start as I place the wrench on the offending bolt. “I think engines are like people.” I pull on the wrench adding a little extra elbow grease trying to get it to budge. “If they don’t get the attention they deserve they hold a grudge.” After another attempt, the nut moves and I’m able to remove the hose. I hop down to the ground and present Samantha with the object of her struggle. “She gave me some trouble too, but I couldn’t let her embarrass me in front of a beautiful woman,” I confess with a wink.
Samantha rolls her eyes as she tries to suppress a smile. “Heavens no, we wouldn’t want that.”
I chuckle at the sarcasm dripping from her words. “Want some help putting the new one on?”
“I don’t want to keep you, I’m sure you have plenty to do.”
“Nah, Craig and Kenny run the farm like a well-oiled machine. They probably haven’t even noticed I’m gone.”
Her brown eyes swing up to mine giving me an incredulous look. “I know that’s not true, but I would appreciate the help. On one condition.”
I raise a brow at her. “What’s that?”
“You let me say thank you by staying for dinner.”
I can’t resist teasing her a little. “Will there be banana puddin’?”
She laughs. “No, but there will be blackberry pie.”
A wide smile takes over my face as my mouth waters. One of the things I love about living in the south is that dessert is considered part of the meal. “You drive a hard bargain, Samantha Kincaid, but you’ve got yourself a deal.”
When we finish dinner,much to Mrs. Kincaid’s dismay, I stand and begin helping Samantha clear the table. “Cameron, I can get those.”
“No ma’am, you cooked a delicious meal and shared it with me, the least I can do is help clean up.”
Samantha hides a smile and I wink at her as her mother concedes. “Okay, if you insist.”
I follow Samantha into the kitchen. When she places her dishes in the sink, I step up beside her and place the dishes I’m carrying on the counter. She looks up at me and smiles. “That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen anyone charm my mother.”
I lean in next to her ear and whisper, “Who says I was trying to charm her? Maybe I was trying to get some time alone with you.”
She turns her head bringing her mouth so close to mine I can feel her breath against mine. Her eyes dart to my mouth before her tongue slips out to wet her plump bottom lip. Samantha closes her eyes to clear the tension between us and takes a step back. “Dessert?”
I straighten as a satisfied grin teases my lips. “Yeah, that would be good.”
Samantha hands me a stack of dessert plates topped with fresh silverware, while she grabs the pie off the counter. “Who’s ready for dessert?”
Mr. Kincaid moves his glass of iced tea out of the way. “I’ve been waiting all day for this.”
Samantha smiles as she hands her dad a plate with a perfect slice of blackberry pie. “Daddy, you say the same thing every night no matter what we have for dessert.”
Samantha hands a plate to her mom and then one to me before cutting a slice for herself. I take a bite and nod my appreciation. “I agree with you, sir. If you asked me what I missed most about home while in the Army, dessert would be in the top five.”
Mrs. Kincaid runs her fork into the pie to get another bite. “You boys didn’t get any type of dessert with your meals?”
“We occasionally had cake, but it was nothing like this.” I point to my almost devoured slice of pie with my fork. “This is delicious, by the way.”
Samantha looks up at me from across the table. “Thank you.”
“You made this?”
Mrs. Kincaid speaks up. “Samantha makes most the desserts.”
Samantha shrugs. “I enjoy baking, especially for others.”
“Well anytime you feel the urge to bake, keep me in mind.”
A light pink colors Samantha’s cheeks as she smiles and glances up at me. “I will.”
