Page 14 of Forever with the Farmer's Daughter
Not seeing the downside of having a woman as beautiful as Samantha to call mine, I grin . “I’ll keep that in mind.” Once I’ve wiped off as much grease as possible, I toss the rag back on top of the truck.
“Okay, enough about hooking my brother up with Sam,” Craig says as he claps his hands. “Let’s roll boys, I’m starving.”
Kenny pullshis truck into a parking space in front of the Blossom Creek Diner, turns off the engine, and the three of us hop out. Craig opens the door and I lead the three of us inside.
“Cameron Hutchinson,” Theresa says as she walks out from behind the counter. “I wondered how long it was going to take you to get in here and see me.”
Back in high school, I used to come into the diner with some of my teammates after football practice. Theresa was always sweet to us, and I would tease her about running off with me. I open my arms as she approaches and wrap her in a tight hug. “Theresa, you know I had to see my best girl. Now that I’m back, are you ready to leave Eddie and run away with me?”
“Ask me later tonight and I might give her to you,” Eddie hollers through the kitchen window.
“Oh you,” Theresa says, swatting my arm and then wagging a finger at her husband. “You hush over there.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Good to see you, Eddie.”
“You too Cam. Welcome home.”
“Thanks, it’s good to be home.”
Theresa waves her arm toward the dining room, before patting Kenny and Craig on the back. “You boys find a table, and I’ll be right over to take your order.”
Craig claps me on the shoulder as we make our way to an empty table. “Wow Kenny, I didn’t realize we would be having lunch with a celebrity.”
I take my seat and Kenny settles into the chair across from me. “I don’t know if I’d call him a celebrity, but hometown hero has a nice ring to it.”
“Okay you two, knock it off. You know I’m neither one of those things. You’re just jealous I’m getting a little attention.”
Craig laughs and gives my foot a nudge. “You know we’re just giving you a hard time. I for one and pretty damn happy to have you home.”
Kenny grins. “We’re all glad to have you home.”
As promised, Theresa delivers three glasses of water to our table and takes our order. While we wait, we discuss what my role on the farm will be.
Kenny speaks first. “Now that we’ve let you settle in a bit, we’ll get you caught up on the regulations of running an organic farm.”
“Regulations?”
Craig takes a drink of his water and then sets his glass back on the table before looking up at me. “There are very specific regulations to be followed so we don’t lose our organic status.”
I nod in understanding. “Makes sense.”
“If you’re not opposed,” Craig says. “You could take over maintenance of the equipment?”
Being a master mechanic, it makes sense I take over maintaining the equipment and vehicles. I laugh at his uncertainty, “I’d be happy too.”
Craig sighs in relief. “Good, I don’t have your patience when it comes to working on engines.”
“Don’t think this means you’re getting out of planting and harvesting though,” Kenny teases.
I laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Good,” Craig says. “We’re going to need you in about a week or so to help bring in cucumbers. We have five hundred pounds going to a local organic distributor, the rest Aunt Jane and Aubrey will can.”
I’ve seen the crop of cucumbers they’ve planted, and it seems to me there’s far more than what they’re expecting. I chuckle. “I hope Aunt Jane has enough jars.”
Kenny laughs. “You can bet if she doesn’t, one of us will be making a run to the store.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Craig mutters before taking a drink of his water.
