Page 70 of Stick Side
“Is your family’s farm organic?” Shawna asked. It was a logical question given what he’d just shared.
“It’s not certified organic, no,” he explained. “My parents seem to be moving in that direction, but they’re not fully there yet. It’s a lengthy process.”
“I imagine,” Melody commiserated.
“They’ve recently built some greenhouses to test out organic farming practices. It’s still in the early stages, but my parents are feeling out the possibilities.”
“Do you raise any cattle?” Cassidy asked.
“That’s right,” Ben thought out loud, “your family owns a farm, too.”
“A cattle ranch, yeah,” Cassidy said.
“My parents keep a small herd for personal consumption,” Ben explained, “but most of our cows are dairy.”
Given all of the dark looks Cassidy had been shooting his way, Ben was pleased to observe they could still enjoy pleasant discourse on neutral subjects. That definitely boded well for their weekend.
“If your parents own a cattle ranch, Eric,” Shawna mused, “why do I rarely see you eating red meat?”
“For one thing,” Eric scoffed, “I can’t cook worth a damn. For another, I’m picky because I know what good beef should taste like.”
That answer seemed to satisfy Shawna.
Cassidy turned his head to look at Ben before asking, “Did your parents flood part of the property so you could have your own personal skating rink during the winter months?”
Ben smiled nostalgically. “They did, actually.”
“I think I’m going to like your parents,” Cassidy said approvingly.
“I certainly hope so, but you’ll find out momentarily since this is us,” Ben said as he turned onto his parents’ driveway and drove toward the large two-story farmhouse he’d grown up in.
Chapter 35
Melody
AsBenstoppedthecar and they all piled out, Melody couldn’t help but blink at the picturesque scene before her.
A large, well-kept house sat on a beautiful pastoral landscape. Most of the surrounding property appeared to be tillable, but there was a nice wooded area not too far away. Cattle grazed on gently rolling acres. A soft breeze, punctuated by the periodic moo of a cow, rustled through the grass.
November was a drab, colorless month in Illinois, but she could imagine the vivid colors of the spring and summer months. Verdant grass. Wildflowers adding splashes of yellows, pinks, and purples. Birds flying overhead. The land appeared to be settling down for the colder months to come, but its life force was still a real, palpable thing.
Ben popped the trunk of his car and started pulling out their bags as the rest of their party pulled up the driveway. John Richards stopped his Maserati sedan a few feet behind Ben’s more understated luxury SUV.
Brendan O’Rourke whistled as he stepped out of the car. “This is quite the piece of land your family has.”
“Thank you,” Ben responded proudly. “You should see it when all the crops are ready for harvest. I love this place no matter the time of year, but things definitely look less exciting when the landscape is made up of dull shades of bay, fawn, and ecru like it is now.”
Hearing Ben echo her earlier thoughts made Melody smile.
“Nice color descriptions, Ivy League,” John Richards ragged as his nose twitched, “but what’s that smell?”
“Do you mean nature, Richie?” Ben teased.
Melody took a conscious sniff. It was subtle, but now that she focused on it, she could pick up on the subtle scent of manure. But she really had to try for it since damp earth was by far the dominant fragrance. To her nose, at least.
“Come on, city boy,” Brendan said as he slapped Richie on the back. “Let’s get you and your delicate sensibilities inside.”
Ben laughed softly and she could understand why. Of all the Challengers, John Richards was the one with the biggest reputation for being a party boy. She’d always found him to be polite enough whenever they’d had occasion to interact, but it hadn’t escaped her notice that he was nearly always surrounded by women in his off time, and rarely the same one.
