Page 7 of Pumpkin Patch Cutie
It sounded like a lot for only a few days, but it was my first year helping out. That side of the family had been running the pumpkin patch for nearly twenty years and obviously knew what needed to be done.
“Go on,” he urged. “Spend tonight relaxing. Maybe tomorrow ya can call a few people and start building your client list. We’ll always have things for ya to help out with around here, but the community needs ya more.”
I smiled. “You’re right.”
“Good. Now stop by the house on the way home. The greenhouse is producing like crazy, and your aunt Annabel has some fresh produce for you. There might be some meat too, depending on how much the Romeros brought over for trade.”
“You don’t have to give me anything.”
He scoffed. “You’re family. We take care of our own.”
I smiled. “Thanks Robert.”
He nodded and nudged my shoulder.
I took the hint and stood, and—as if to make sure I left—he dropped into the chair as soon as it was empty.
I chuckled and headed towards my truck. A little while later I had a bag of fresh vegetables and a few cuts of meat in a cooler on the passenger seat.
I decided to stop by the store on the way home. A bottle of salad dressing and some beer would round everything out for a good meal. Then I could spend the rest of the evening going over all the legalities of starting my own business.
I was browsing the dressing selection, trying to decide what sounded best, when I heard the sound of a cart stopping behind me.
“Sorry,” I started. “Am I in the…”
I turned, and, like a vision, the omega I’d spent the last day-and-a-half thinking about was there, eyes wide and lips parted in shock.
“It’s you,” I breathed.
Chapter 3 - Scott
Itrudged along, pushing my shopping cart through the grocery store. I loved Madison, but I’d been glad to give her back to Tyler and Lee. I wasn’t used to dealing with her exuberant energy for more than a few hours at a time, and two days had worn me out.
Her visit had also left my pantry decimated in terms of anything resembling snacks or quick foods as I had thoroughly underestimated the amount of fuel a child her age required.
I stared at the rotisserie chicken I’d grabbed, and decided that I could at least pretend that it would be in a healthy meal. I put a bag of mixed greens in my cart for a chicken salad.
My feet were on auto-pilot as I made my way to the dressing aisle, but there was an alpha standing in front of the one I wanted. I stood to the side to wait, trying to decide if I wanted to buy or bake cookies to take to the pumpkin patch to thank the staff for helping to find Madison.
“Sorry,” drawled a smooth voice. “Am I in the…”
The alpha turned and our eyes met. My breath caught in my throat. It was the gorgeous man from the pumpkin patch.
“It’s you,” he said softly.
I smiled, suddenly not quite as tired. “Hi… um… I wanted to thank you… for finding Madison in the maze.”
A lopsided smile spread across his face. “It was nothing.”
I shook my head and took a step towards him. “But it wasn’t. I couldn’t find her and was panicked and…”
He chuckled and edged closer. “I was just doing my job.” He paused. “Besides, I’m sure that you would have found her eventually.”
“No, I couldn’t even get going in the right direction. Every time I tried I ended up further away.”
“You should give yourself more credit. You’d have figured it out soon enough.”
“If you say so…”
