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Copyright 2004
Monday afternoon was uneventful and somewhat disappointing to Jenny. Doc told her to stay at the clinic and work with Lucy again, to be sure she could run the computer and front desk. Mitch had already left on a call before she arrived, so she didn’t even see him until the end of the day.
He certainly didn’t sneak up on her this time, because he came in through the front door reeking of some unidentifiable odor that sent both she and Lucy running for cover. Doc immediately hurried to the front, ushering Mitch out and sending him home to shower.
When Jenny went to the stable Tuesday morning, Rob was nowhere to be seen. She started into her morning routine and wondered if Paula still had him standing in a corner somewhere wearing a dunce cap. The thought made her giggle to herself.
“What’s so funny?” A somewhat familiar voice startled her.
She turned around to see Bill standing there, looking like an older version of his son. The silent approach must be genetic, she thought.
“Nothing, really,” she grinned, “Just wondering about something. What are you doing out here so early?”
“Rob asked me to check on you,” he told her, “He’s over at Terry’s already. They’re cutting wood. He took the boys with him, too. I guess we’re supposed to get a big snow later this week, so he and Terry want to be ready.”
“Oh,” she said, “I hadn’t heard that. Guess I’d better check our wood pile.”
“They’re cutting at Terry’s today,” he explained, “And here tomorrow. I’m sure if you need them to cut some for you, they’d be glad to.”
“I’ll check and see,” she nodded, “Thanks. And, I’m fine out here. Thanks for checking on me.”
“No problem,” he smiled, “I’m going to take ButterScotch out. Do you want me to take a radio with me?”
“That’s OK,” she smiled, “Is Paula up at the house?”
“No,” he shook his head, “She had to take Hazel into town for a doctor’s appointment. Chelsea’s there, though.”
“Well,” Jenny cocked her head, “In that case, maybe you should take a radio. Never know what might happen around horses.”
“OK,” he grinned, “I’ll grab one. You might grab one too, just in case I need you to come and rescue me.”
“You bet,” she winked, “I’d be glad to come and rescue you.”
Jenny’s week continued on an even keel. Mitch was friendly as they worked together, but he wasn’t flirting with her like before. She decided to be happy having him as a friend. It also meant feeling safe when Doc retired, knowing Mitch would be her boss. At least she didn’t have to worry that he would put her in a bad situation.
Her mornings were fairly solitary, with all the wood cutting preparations for the coming storm. She’d barely exchanged glances with Rob since Monday. If she hadn’t known better, she would have thought Paula invented the snowstorm to keep him busy.
Friday morning rolled around and still there was no snow. Jenny was working on the stalls when she heard something rattling and clanking behind her. She turned around to see Rob holding an old cowbell and waving it around, a huge grin on his face. Jenny started laughing so hard, she almost fell over. He joined in, his laugh the deep rumbling kind that shakes the whole world.
“Didn’t sneak up on you that time, huh?” He finally stopped laughing.
“Can you give one of those to Mitch?” She teased, “And your dad, too. I’ve noticed it’s hereditary.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he put an arm around her and squeezed, “So, do you and your grandma need some wood?”
“We probably have enough for the weekend,” she reported.
“You want us to bring you a load or come there and cut some?” He wondered.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged, “Maybe I’d better ask Grandma. Can I call you tonight and let you know?”
“Sure,” he nodded, “I doubt if I can get away tomorrow, but I think Sunday would work.”
“When’s this big snow supposed to hit?” Jenny asked.
“Don’t know,” he confessed, “It’s just looming out there.”
“I haven’t heard anything on the radio about it,” Jenny told him.
“You don’t have the same kind of radio I do,” he told her.
“Oh?” She gave him a strange look, “What does that mean?”
“You won’t believe me if I tell you, Squirt,” he wagged his finger at her, “You’ll think I’m nuts.”
“I already think you’re nuts,” she giggled, “That’s why I love you…Daddy.”
He smiled bigger than she had ever seen him smile before. He obviously liked the sound of that word, coming from her. Whatever Paula had done or said, it hadn’t changed his feelings.
“I love you too, Squirt,” he told her, “And my radio is named Paula. She’s the one who says there’s a bad snow coming. I don’t pay attention to the weathermen.”
“Paula?” Jenny chuckled, “Oh. Now I get it.”
“Get what?”
“Never mind,” she shook her head, “I’ll call you tonight and let you know about the wood. Sunday will be fine, I’m sure. If you can’t make it over, don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine.”
“Oh,” he assured, “I’ll make it. And I’ll bring Mitch. We’ll make him do all the hard work.”
After discussing wood with her grandmother, Jenny called the Jackson house Friday night. She braced herself for Paula to answer, knowing they had recently added caller ID to their services. Instead, she was greeted by Mitch.
“Hello, Fair Maiden,” he answered, “May I be of service to you?”
“What if it was my grandma calling?” Jenny giggled.
“I’m guessing your grandma would love to be called a fair maiden,” he chuckled.
“You’re probably right,” Jenny agreed, “I was supposed to call your dad about wood tonight.”
“Hey,” he teased, “You leave my dad’s wood alone!”
“Mitch!” Jenny gasped, blushing, “I can’t believe you said that!”
“I’m sorry, Jenny,” he was laughing, “I couldn’t refuse. You should see the look on Mom’s face right now.”
“Get off the phone, Mitch,” Rob’s voice cut in, as he picked up another extension, “Hello, Jenny. I apologize for my rude, immature son’s behavior. He may not be able to join us on Sunday. He may still be sitting in a corner with a bar of soap in his mouth.”
“All right,” Mitch was still there, “I said I was sorry. May I please stay on the phone?”
“Only if Jenny approves,” Rob answered, “Are you still there, Squirt?”
“I’m here,” she was still laughing, “Grandma says she has a dead tree back by a fence that needs to be cut anyway. Can you cut it on Sunday, do you think?”
“Sure,” Rob answered, “Can we show up around 10:00?”
“That’s fine,” Jenny agreed, “And Mitch?”
“Yes?” He responded.
“I’m pretty sure Grandma has some bars of lye soap around here somewhere,” she warned, “So watch it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, and she could hear Rob chuckling on the other phone, “I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“We’ll see you on Sunday, Squirt,” Rob told her, “Bye.”
“Bye,” she said, waiting to hear the click on the other end. She only heard one. She grinned. She knew Mitch was still there, “I’ll get you back for that, Mitch.”
“Promise?” He asked softly.
“Bye,” she smiled.
“Bye,” he hung up this time.
Jenny sighed as she hung up the phone. Maybe there was hope after all. Perhaps she should make a run to the store Saturday and get something good for lunch on Sunday. Grandma kept saying she needed to feed him. Just maybe Grandma was right.
Jenny was up early Sunday, working on the beef vegetable soup. She had taken her grandma’s advice on what to make for lunch. Something to warm them; something to fill them; but something that won’t make them want to sleep all afternoon. That’s what Grandma had said.
She looked through her closet. She had never worried much about clothes in the past. Now she realized a shopping spree was in her future. Maybe she’d invite Chelsea along. She had excellent taste in clothes. Jenny finally grabbed the green sweater. It wasn’t exceptionally soft, but it did accent her eyes and hair. Since they weren’t going to be alone, how it looked outweighed how it felt.
“They’re here,” Bessie called.
Jenny threw on her sweater, fluffed her hair and ran out. Rob’s truck pulled up and she saw he was alone. Her heart started to sink until she saw a black Ford truck coming up the road. Her smile returned. Her two favorite men and no Paula. Perfect.
“Hey, Squirt,” Rob got out, “Hi, Bessie.”
“Hi,” Jenny ran down the steps and hugged him, “No snow yet.”
“Tomorrow,” he told her, “Now the weathermen know about it too.”
“Really?” She raised her brows, “Whatever you say…Daddy.”
He grinned down at her, his arm still around her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, “I like the sound of that.”
Mitch was getting out of his truck, Panyon with him, “Hello, Mrs. Harmon. Hello, Jenny.”
“Hi, Mitch,” Jenny smiled, “I didn’t recognize the truck…is it new?”
“No,” he shook his head, “It’s mine. The other one belongs to the clinic. I just drive it most of the time because I’m usually on call. Can’t haul wood with a vet-bed, though.”
“Oh,” she said, “Well, are you guys ready for me to show you to the tree?”
“Lead on, Fair Maiden,” Mitch teased, “Let me grab my sword to slay the dragon.”
He reached over into the bed of his truck and pulled out a chainsaw. Bessie started giggling like a schoolgirl. Jenny and Rob both rolled their eyes.
“Is he always like this?” Jenny asked.
“No, Squirt,” Rob shook his head, “I think you bring out the worst in him. How far is this tree? Should we drive?”
“See that fence line back there?” She pointed across a field, “It’s back there. I think driving is a good plan.”
“OK,” he nodded, “Mitch let’s just take my truck for now. Jenny you can either ride in the backseat or I’ll make Mitch ride in the truck bed.”
“Panyon and I will ride back here,” Mitch jumped over the tail gate, “You can ride in front, Jen.”
“Thanks,”
she smiled and climbed in, “Be back for lunch, Grandma.”
Jenny showed them the dead oak tree and they started working on it
immediately.
She and Panyon sat in the back of the truck and watched. When she
realized that
she hadn’t grabbed her coat, Rob pulled out one of his from behind the
seat. It
was denim, lined with fleece and it swallowed her. She loved the feel
of his
coat wrapped all around her, his smell surrounding her. She was
surprised Paula
hadn’t come along to supervise today.
The morning went quickly and when she saw it was almost noon, she jumped out of the truck and went to get their attention. Mitch, who was splitting the bigger pieces, stopped first. He wiped his brow with his sleeve.
“Yes, my dear?” He asked.
“It’s lunchtime,” she informed, “I started a pot of vegetable soup this morning. Don’t you guys want to take a break?”
“I know I do,” he smiled, “Come on. Let’s see if we can convince Superman.”
Superman was still hard at work with the chainsaw, chips flying in every direction. After a brief session of waving and shouting, joined by Panyon barking, he looked up and saw they wanted his attention. He shut off the chainsaw and set it down.
“What is it?” He asked, breathing hard.
“Lunch,” Mitch rubbed his stomach, “Some of us are human and still need to take in nourishment at regular intervals.”
“All right,” he nodded, “I guess we can stop for a little while.”
After she got back in the truck, Jenny asked, “Don’t you usually break for lunch?”
“Not when I’m doing this kind of work,” he shook his head, “But Mitch isn’t used to this. He’s probably starving. I just need something to drink.”
“Well,” she assured, “We can provide that too.”
“So, what’s for lunch?” He asked.
“Vegetable soup,” she told him, “I started it when I got up this morning.”
“Are you a good cook, Squirt?” His eyes were dancing.
“I guess we’ll find out,” she grinned.
“You want to know a secret?” He whispered.
She nodded.
“You could feed him glue and he’d like it,” Rob shared.
“He’ll eat anything, huh?” She laughed.
“No,” he shook his head, “but he’ll like anything you make.”
She raised her brows and he nodded and winked. They were back to the house, so she had no chance to ask any more questions.
She led the way in, shedding Rob’s coat on the couch. She took them down the hall to the bathroom, washed her own hands, then left them to wash up. She then darted into her room so she could brush her hair quickly before serving lunch.
“Smells good,” Mitch complimented, walking into the kitchen.
“Thanks,” Jenny smiled, pointing to the small table, “Have a seat. What would you like to drink?”
“Actually,” he confessed, “Water sounds good.”
“We have that,” Jenny laughed, “Squeezed it fresh this morning.”
Rob sat down next to Mitch, “That’s what I want too, Squirt. And just a small bowl of the soup, OK?”
“OK,” she obliged, serving them.
Bessie sat down opposite Mitch and next to Rob, leaving Jenny the seat next to Mitch. Of course, Jenny thought, as she sat down.
“I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your help,” Bessie told them, “I think I’ve completely lost the young man who used to do this for me. First he was sick, and now it seems he may be moving.”
Jenny almost choked; she’d never heard her grandmother lie before. She was very smooth at it.
“You OK, Squirt?” Rob asked.
“Fine,” Jenny smiled, nudging her grandmother’s leg.
“Well,” Mitch told Bessie, “Don’t worry. We’ll get you enough wood to make it through the winter. And sometime this summer, we’ll build you a good woodshed so you can store more up here close.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful!” Bessie beamed.
“I want her to get a gas stove,” Jenny told them, “So we won’t need wood any more.”
Mitch shot Jenny a mischievous look and she glared back. He kept his mouth shut like a good boy. Rob obviously caught the looks they were exchanging because he changed the subject.
“Listen, Squirt,” he told her, “Let Mitch drive your truck back there before we leave. We’ll throw some of the big pieces in back to put some weight in it. That’ll help you drive in the snow.”
“OK,” she nodded, “I wish I would’ve put gas in it yesterday when I was in town. I didn’t even think about it.”
“Well,” Rob informed her, “I was going to tell you to take tomorrow morning off. Tuesday morning, as well. And if the weather is bad, you don’t need to be out driving in it. Let Mitch come and pick you up if he has any calls.”
“I can drive in snow,” she assured, “It does snow in Kansas, you know.”
“Dad’s right,” Mitch agreed, “It’s supposed to be really bad. We may not even have any calls. Why don’t you call the clinic in the morning and talk to Lucy, OK? Doc may just want you to stay home if nothing is going on. You know he hates to see people standing around with their hands in their pockets. And if we do have calls, I can come and get you.”
“I’m sure I can get to the stable…” Jenny started to protest.
“Well,” Rob stopped her, “the weather isn’t the only reason I want you to take a couple of days off.”
“Oh?” Jenny wondered if Paula had arranged this.
“I’m hoping you can work next weekend for me instead,” he explained, “I need you there both Saturday and Sunday, probably all day.”
“Oh, sure,” Jenny smiled, relieved, “Any special reason?”
“He doesn’t think I can handle it alone,” Mitch smirked.
“Huh?” Jenny scrunched her face.
“Mitch is staying there next weekend with the boys,” Rob explained, “Chelsea will be there too…and of course the grandparents. I’ve asked Dutch to help you out in the stable. Weekends can get busy, even this time of year.”
Jenny gave them both a questioning look.
“Dad’s taking Mom away for the weekend,” Mitch divulged, “So I’m keeping the boys.”
“Away?” She asked, looking at Rob.
“We haven’t had any time alone for over a year,” he confessed, “I’m cashing in on a promise Mitch made Christmas before last. You’ll be fine.”
“Where are you going?” She tried to be nonchalant.
“That’s top secret,” Mitch teased, “but I’ll have his cell phone number and the secret password for security clearance in case of emergency.”
“Top secret, huh?” Jenny repeated.
“It’s a surprise,” Rob smiled, “That’s the other part. Don’t tell Paula. She doesn’t know yet. I don’t plan on telling her until we’re ready to leave Friday.”
After lunch, Jenny started to go back with them, but Rob stopped her.
“It’s cold, Squirt,” he said, “You stay in here where it’s warm. We’ll take both trucks this time and start loading. I’ll send Mitch back with a load and he can get your truck in a little bit, OK?”
“I don’t mind helping,” Jenny told him.
“He’s right, Jen,” Mitch pitched in, “This is one of those ‘man’ jobs.”
“All right,” she agreed, “Go be men then and slay the dragons for us.”
It was about an hour later when Mitch came in the front door, Panyon at his side. He looked tired, but he was smiling.
“Want a drink?” Jenny offered, going to get him a glass of water.
“Thanks,” he took it, “Let me have your keys, Jen, and I’ll take your truck back for wood.”
“Keys are in it,” she shrugged, “Pretty safe around here.”
“OK,” he handed her the empty glass back and headed outside.
Bessie was watching him out the window, “Wonder where he’s going?”
“To put wood in my truck,” Jenny answered.
“Down the road toward town?” Bessie pointed.
“Huh?” Jenny ran to the window. She could just see her truck heading away. “What in the world…?”
The truck reappeared about half an hour later and Jenny ran out to greet him. He slowed down as she ran up to the driver’s side.
“I don’t see any wood in back,” she accused, but in a pleasant tone, “Where have you been?”
“On a secret mission,” he answered, “Want to ride back to get wood with me?”
She went around and jumped in, noticing Panyon was in back, “So?”
“You have gas now, Fair Maiden,” he smiled, “So you don’t have to get it in the snow.”
She glanced at the fuel gauge, “You filled my truck up for me?”
“Yes,” he was driving toward the pile of wood Rob was splitting.
“Thank you,” she was amazed, “I’ll pay you back for it.”
“You’re welcome,” he winked, “And no you won’t.”
“But Mitch…” she started to protest.
knight in shining armor. It totally ruins the story.”
“Are you my knight in shining armor?” She smiled.
“I don’t know,” he shut the truck off and got out, “Am I?”
“I guess we’ll see,” she got out too.
“Hey, Squirt,” Rob greeted, “Where’s your coat? Or my coat? Why don’t you ever wear a coat?”
“You’re not wearing a coat,” she pointed out.
“I’m splitting wood,” he wiped his brow, “I’m plenty warm. You’re already shivering. You’re going to get sick running around out here without a coat on.”
“I’m OK,” she laughed, but she rubbed her upper arms.
“Here,” Mitch took off his suede coat, “I won’t need this now. Let’s put it on you, Princess.”
Jenny let him put his coat on her and she was greeted by his aroma, quite similar to Rob’s, yet different. She felt herself blush as he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in next to him.
“There,” he said, “Warmer? Mine fits you better than his does, anyway.”
Jenny gave him a strange look, brows raised, and she saw him blush this time as he caught the double entendre that he hadn’t really meant. She heard Rob chuckling from behind. He obviously caught it too.
“I think you need to get back to work,” Jenny suggested.
“Good idea,” he let go of her and went to put wood in the truck.
Jenny watched as the wood went from the ground to the trucks. Rob and Mitch worked well as a team, even though she suspected it was the first time they had ever done anything like this with just the two of them.
“That’s it,” Rob announced, lifting the chainsaw to put it in his truck, “Let’s go unload it now.”
“You riding with him or me?” Mitch opened the door for Jenny, as Panyon jumped on top of the wood.
“You,” she walked to her truck, “Want your coat back?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he reached out and took the lapels in his hands and gathered the coat closer around her, “I kind of like the way it looks on you.”
She felt herself blush again, as she smiled up at him, “I kind of like the way it feels.”
He leaned down and spoke softly in her ear, “I have lots of coats. Keep it as long as you like.”
“You’re dad’s already half way to the house, you know,” she observed, getting into the truck.
“Yeah, I know,” he closed her door, “We’d better go finish our job, hadn’t we?”
“So,” she asked when he got in, “You really don’t know where your dad’s taking Paula this weekend?”
“Nope,” he shook his head, “He said if no one knows, then no one can tell her.”
“Must be some surprise then,” she remarked, “Hope she likes it.”
“She will,” he assured.
“How can you be so sure?” She wondered.
“Because Dad’s doing it,” he chuckled, “Mom would be happy if Dad took her to the Sahara Desert or the South Pole. As long as he’s there, she’ll be happy.”
Jenny giggled at his reasoning, “So what brought this on? Do you know? I mean, January’s not exactly peek vacation time.”
“Well,” he confided, “This isn’t exactly a vacation. He just wants some time alone with her, that’s all. I’m sure he has a reason for doing it this way.”
“Mmm,” she muttered, “like getting out of the dog house…”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she smiled, “Here we are. Can I help unload?”
“Nope,” he got out, “Damsels don’t unload wood, either.”
“So what do they do?” She giggled.
He opened her door and gave her a hand out, “They stand by and look beautiful…Something you should be very good at.”
“The standing around part?” She challenged.
“The beautiful part,” he smiled, eyes dancing, “You are very beautiful, my lady.”
“Thank you,” she blushed, “But I think you’re really full of it, you know.”
“Come on, Mitch,” Rob called, “Stop flirting and do some work.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he mumbled and went to comply, “You’re a slave driver, Dad.”
“So I’ve been told,” Rob remarked, “but I want to finish this today.”
Jenny watched them stack the wood neatly on her grandmother’s front porch. When that was full, they began stacking it next to the house. It was definitely enough wood to finish the winter. Bessie came out and stood next to her, watching for a few minutes, then shivered and went back inside. Panyon lay at her feet.
“All done, Squirt,” Rob came up to her, “You’re in good shape now.”
“Thank you,” she hugged him, “Oh, I’d better go get your coat. It’s in the house.”
“I’ll grab it,” he told her, “I’ll go in and tell your grandma we’re done.”
He left her standing there alone with Mitch. She started to take his coat off to return it to him. He shook his head and gathered it back around her.
“I want you to keep it,” he told her in a sincere voice, “I hardly ever use it. It suits you much better than it does me.”
“Thank you,” she spoke softly, “for everything. The wood, the gas, the coat…I really don’t know how to thank you…”
“Just smile at me, Jen,” he stepped close and looked down into her eyes, “That’s thanks enough. I just want to see you happy.”
She smiled and felt herself blush again. She thought he would lean down and kiss her. She hoped he would. She almost reached out for him. He only smiled back and Rob came out of the house, shattering the moment.
“Ready to go?” Rob asked.
“Yep,” Mitch nodded.
“If you need anything, Squirt,” Rob put an arm around her, “Give us a call, OK? We’ll see you Wednesday morning. If it’s too bad, don’t you try to drive, all right? Call one of us and we’ll come take you wherever you need to go.”
“OK,” she nodded, “Thanks.”
“Call the clinic in the morning,” Mitch told her, “if I don’t call you first. I don’t want you driving in bad weather, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” she grinned, “I got it.”
She stood and watched them drive away. Feeling the emptiness return. She realized she was cuddling into Mitch’s jacket to help relieve the feeling. She walked back inside and went into her room. It was a long time before she took the coat off.
Monday morning Jenny awoke to a thick blanket of snow. Huge flakes were still coming down and the scene from her window looked like something from a Christmas card. She pulled on her robe and went into the kitchen.
“Morning, Grandma,” she kissed Bessie on the cheek, “How much do we have so far?”
Bessie had the radio on, “They say ten inches in Springfield with drifts up to eighteen. It looks like more than that to me. We always get more here, you know.”
“Mmm,” she nodded pouring herself a cup of coffee, “the drifts are always worse, I know. Sure am glad our heroes cut wood for us yesterday, aren’t you?”
“Heroes is right,” Bessie agreed, “We’d be in sad shape otherwise. There’s no way we can get out of here…May be days, you know.”
“Have you got kerosene lamps if we lose power, Grandma?” Jenny wondered.
“Oh, yes,” Bessie nodded, “And I don’t think we need to worry for water. We can always melt snow if we need to.”
“How about we start a pot of chili?” Jenny suggested. “This is chili weather, don’t you think?”
“Already put the meat out to thaw,” Bessie grinned, pointing to the counter, “I’m one step ahead of you.”
“You always are, Grandma,” Jenny laughed, pulling a donut out to eat.
“Like with that young man of yours,” Bessie reminded, “I told you he’d be a good one.”
“He’s not my young man,” Jenny corrected.
“Oh yes, he is,” she assured, “I saw him leave his coat here for you. You may not think he’s yours and he may not even think it…but mark my words, Jennifer, he’s the one.”
It was almost 10:00 when the phone rang that morning. Jenny had just been thinking about calling the clinic, so she picked it up.
“Hello?” She answered.
“Good morning, Princess,” Mitch greeted her, “Is Mom good at predicting the weather or what?”
“Amazing,” Jenny agreed, “I was just about to call the clinic.”
“Don’t bother,” he told her, “No one’s there.”
“No one?” Jenny was surprised, “Doc closed it?”
“Yep,” Mitch informed her, “He called me early and told me not to come in. Said he’d call Lucy and Sheila. He’s got a Jeep, you know, so he said he’d go in later and take care of the few animals that are there. I told him I’d call you.”
“Well,” Jenny confessed, “We’re pretty snowbound here, that’s for sure. No plows have been down our road yet, either.”
“My road’s the same way,” he told her, “I talked to Dad and he said to tell you if you really need something to call him. He could get there in the Jeep if you need him.”
“I bet he’s got his hands full with the farm and stable,” she reflected, “I wonder if they’ll still get to go on their trip?”
“They’ll go,” he assured, “I don’t think he’d let anything get in the way of this trip. Listen, Jen, if the power goes off, are you two OK there?”
“I think so,” Jenny told him, “It won’t affect our heat and Grandma says she’s got plenty of kerosene and lanterns.”
“OK,” he offered, “I’ll probably try to get to Dad’s if I lose power, so I could try to get you two over there if you need me to. He’s got a generator and lots of room.”
“Thanks,” she smiled, “But I think we’ll be fine. You don’t need to be out driving around in this either, you know.”
“Why, Jen,” he observed, “You almost sounded concerned about me.”
She blushed, but didn’t reply.
“Are you still there?” He asked.
“Yes,” she said quietly.
“OK,” he agreed, all signs of teasing gone from his voice, “You be careful too. And if you need anything, you call me, OK?”
“OK,” she said, “Thanks for calling.”
“I’ll call you when I know something about tomorrow,” he informed.
“All right,” she didn’t want to say goodbye, “I’ll wait to hear from you.”
“Enjoy your day off,” he advised, “Go play in the snow.”
“Not much fun to play in the snow by yourself,” she admitted, “And I don’t think Grandma needs to be out in it.”
“True,” he chuckled, “Then curl up and read a book or something. I’ll talk to you later, OK?”
“OK,” she agreed reluctantly, “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Curl up and read a book. She’d much rather curl up with him, she thought. She sighed and looked into her room. There was his suede coat. Was Grandma right? She realized how much she was hoping that he was indeed ‘the one’, as her grandma called him.
She went into her room, looked through the boxes and found a book. She pulled Mitch’s jacket around her shoulders and curled up on her bed to read.
The snow stopped around noon and the snowplow came down the road in the middle of the afternoon. Jenny took a yardstick out to measure. Twelve inches in most places, drifts ranging from twenty to twenty-five, and the pile left at the end of the drive after the grader went by almost swallowed the yardstick. Her truck would never make it out.
“Grandma,” Jenny called, coming in, “Do you have a snow shovel?”
“I think there’s a regular shovel in the shed,” Bessie told her, “But you’ll never get the shed open with that big drift in front of it.”
“Well,” Jenny shrugged, “Then I guess we’re just marooned for a while.”
“Maybe your young man will bring his shovel over and dig us out,” Bessie winked.
“I’m not asking Mitch to shovel our drive,” Jenny told her.
“I bet he’d do it,” Bessie predicted.
“Grandma,” Jenny scolded, “That’s not the point.”
Just then the phone rang and Bessie picked it up, “Hello? Oh, hello! We were just talking about you!’
“Grandma!” Jenny snatched the phone from her, “Hello?”
“Talking about me, were you?” Mitch teased, “I think I need to talk to your Grandma again.”
“I don’t think so,” Jenny frowned, “So did you hear from Doc?”
“Yes,” Mitch reported, “He said he made it there and got stuff handled. He told me not to come in tomorrow.”
“Really?” Jenny was surprised.
“He said he’s going to swing by and pick Lucy up,” Mitch explained, “And they’ll handle things. He’ll let me know if they have any calls. I’ve got the truck here anyway.”
“So I don’t need to go in, either, I guess,” she assumed.
“No,” he informed, “If I get a call, I can swing by and pick you up.”
“They did finally plow our road,” Jenny told him, “but I don’t think I can get out of the drive.”
“Do you need out?” He asked.
“Not really,” she answered.
“OK,” he offered, “If you do, then call me. I can get out now.”
“All right,” she agreed, “I guess you’ll call me first, if you get a call and need my help?”
“Yeah,” he teased, “I might even call you if I don’t get any calls.”
“Not bored, are you?” She teased back.
“Nope,” he answered, “Just like talking to you.”
She was silent.
“Are you there?” He asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
“I’m here,” she answered softly, “You said something right…very right.”
“Good,” he confessed, “Sometimes I say way too much…I missed seeing you today, Jen.”
“Really?” She asked.
“Yeah, really,” he confided, “I’m kind of hoping we get a call tomorrow…so I have an excuse to come and get you.”
“You don’t need an excuse, Mitch,” she confessed.
“I’ll remember that,” his voice was low and gentle. It made her want to crawl through the phone.
“Did you play in the snow today?” She asked, trying to lighten things up.
“Panyon did,” he laughed, “It’s her first snow and she loves it. I shoveled my drive so I could get out…Jen, do you need your drive shoveled?”
She sighed, “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“Why not?” His tone was almost scolding.
“Because it seems like all you do is rescue me,” she moaned, “I’m really not helpless…I’ve always been able to take care of myself…”
“Hey,” he stopped her, “Haven’t you figured something out yet?”
“What?”
“I like rescuing you,” he divulged, “I’ll bring a shovel over tomorrow and dig you out, OK?”
“Mitch,” she protested, “I really…”
“OK?” He repeated, “And then we can play in the snow together.”
“OK,” she gave in, excited by the prospect, “If you let me help shovel.”
“We’ll work something out,” he teased.
“OK,” she smiled, “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Jenny was up early Tuesday morning. She was anxious for Mitch to arrive. She put a roast in the crock pot with some vegetables, just in case he was there all day. They could have what was left of the chili for lunch. She sighed. Silly to think he might come this morning and stay until after dinner. Still, it was always good to be prepared.
Jenny put on a soft green sweatshirt and jeans. She didn’t want to look dressed up, but she wanted something that accented her eyes. She debated about a bra. She usually didn’t wear one with a sweatshirt, but maybe she should today. She put one on…then she took it off. She paced around and watched out the window. Then she checked her hair and put the bra back on.
“He’s here,” Bessie called.
Jenny took the bra back off, shoved it in her drawer and glanced in the mirror. She took a deep breath and went out to open the door.
“Hi,” Mitch stepped in, Panyon at his side, “Shake, Panyon…don’t drag snow in.”
“Hi,” Jenny smiled, “She’s OK. I’ve been dragging it in.”
He was in jeans and a red flannel shirt over a thermal shirt. He had on an old down coat that was a faded red. He held gloves and a stocking cap in one hand. Jenny felt her pulse increase at the sight of him.
“Did you come to be our hero again?” Bessie came in from the kitchen, “I told Jenny you’d shovel our drive for us.”
“Oh you did?” His eyes danced, “Well, that’s exactly what I’m going to do right now.”
“I’ll come and help,” Jenny offered.
“No,” he shook his head, “The snow is too deep and heavy. You don’t need to be doing that kind of work. Besides, I only brought one shovel.”
“Mitch…” Jenny started.
“No, Jen,” he stated firmly, “You can feed me lunch when I’m done, how about that?”
“OK,” she acquiesced, “How about chili?”
“Perfect,” he winked, and headed out, “Come on Panyon, let’s get to work.”
Jenny set the chili out to warm and then watched out the window. Panyon jumped and danced around her master, trying to get him to play with her. He talked to her occasionally, but he kept shoveling in a steady fashion. Jenny could see his breath in the cold and it made goose bumps on her arms. She had never been so attracted to a man before in her life.
“Shall we heat the chili up?” Bessie broke into her thoughts, “It’s almost noon.”
“Oh yes,” Jenny ran to the kitchen, “What do you think, Grandma? Should I slice some cheese up too?”
“Yes,” Bessie pulled a box from the cabinet, “I’ll set out the crackers.”
They were busily getting the table ready when they heard stomping on the front porch. Mitch was obviously knocking the snow off his boots before coming in. Bessie raised her brows and smiled at Jenny, as if to say she approved.
The door opened and Mitch and Panyon came in. He pulled off his hat, gloves and coat and hung them on the rack by the door. He slipped his boots off and set them on the porch. His jeans were wet from the knees down, and so were his socks, where snow had gotten into his boots.
“Need taller boots, huh?” Jenny grinned, “Why don’t you take your socks off and put them on the wood stove. They’ll dry quick that way.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he sat down and pulled his socks off, “That chili sure smells good.”
“Jenny made it,” Bessie offered, “She’s been cooking up a storm since she came to stay with me.”
Mitch smiled, “I bet she gets some pointers from you.”
“Oh,” Bessie waved a hand at him and blushed a bit.
Jenny chuckled at the sight, “What do you want to drink, Mitch?”
“Water’s fine,” he told her, sitting back down, “You should be able to get your truck out now if you absolutely have to…but I’d rather you call me if you need to go somewhere.”
“Why?” Jenny sat a bowl of chili in front of him.
“Because some of the roads are treacherous,” he informed, “If Doc wants us tomorrow, I’ll come pick you up.”
“OK,” she sat down next to him, “I’ll let you.”
He smiled and started eating his chili. They had a pleasant lunch, mostly engaged in small talk that included Bessie. Jenny had begun to feel very comfortable with Mitch and she even reached out and touched his arm and shoulder a couple of times during the conversation. Each time she did so, his eyes met hers and he smiled.
When they finished, Jenny got up to clear away the dishes. Mitch rose and carried his own to the sink.
“I’ll get that,” Jenny told him.
“I can help,” he offered.
“Both of you,” Bessie came through, “Clear out. I’ll clean up in here. You two go bundle up and build a snowman or something.”
Jenny and Mitch looked at each other and started laughing.
“Go on!” Bessie insisted, “It’s my kitchen. Go play!”
“Well,” Jenny shrugged, “She’s the boss around here, you know.”
“Then we’d better go out and play,” he grinned, checking to see if his socks were dry.
Jenny grabbed her old coat, a pair of gloves and a hat, “Shall we?”
“You’d better put some boots on,” he pointed at her tennis shoes.
“Oh,” she giggled and ran to her room. She grabbed a pair of snow boots and came back out, “Better?”
“Better,” he grabbed her hand and led her outside, “Come on…let’s build a big snowman!”
It was a big snowman…and then they built a snow woman to go with him. Then they made snow angels, which Panyon really enjoyed because she could jump in them and crouch down to hide, then spring up and bark to surprise Mitch and Jenny.
Jenny was having so much fun she hardly noticed the cold air. She hadn’t played in the snow like this since she was a little girl. Even then, she hadn’t had anyone to play with her. Mitch made it much more fun.
Panyon sprang up at Mitch and barked, getting his attention. Jenny seized the moment and while his back was turned, hit him squarely with a snowball. He spun around and she ran. Panyon joined in as they chased each other around in a major snowball fight.
Jenny was almost out of breath when she got her feet tangled up trying to avoid Panyon and fell flat on her back into a big snowdrift. Mitch caught up with her and she thought he was going to help her up. He stood over her for a moment, huffing and puffing, then he dropped to his knees.
“I surrender,” he conceded, “How about you?”
“Let’s call it a truce,” she giggled, still lying in the snow.
The next thing she knew, he was above her, hands on either side of her shoulders supporting his weight. She was staring straight into those deep blue eyes. He gently brushed her lips with his, his mustache wet with snow.
“That seals the truce,” he whispered, then he got up and reached his hand down to help her to her feet.
She took his hand and let him pull her up, “I guess we should go in, huh?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, “It’s getting late. I should call the clinic. I probably should get going.”
“Don’t leave,” she took both of his hands, “I mean, why don’t you stay for dinner? I put a roast on this morning. You can call the clinic from here.”
He smiled and put his arms around her, pulling her close, “I don’t want to wear out my welcome, Jen.”
“You won’t,” she looked up into his eyes, and slipped her arms around his neck, “Please stay. I can’t remember when I’ve had this much fun.”
“Your grandma won’t mind?” He asked, pulling her closer.
“Are you kidding?” Jenny giggled, “Grandma loves you!”
“OK,” he reached down and kissed her lightly again, “I’ll stay.”
Panyon started barking and dancing around their feet. They laughed at her and let go of each other. As they started toward the house, Jenny realized how much snow had gotten into her boots and how cold her feet were getting.
“I need to get some dry clothes on,” she remarked, “You probably do too.”
“Dancer taught me a lesson a long time ago,” he chuckled, and headed for his truck, “I always carry spare clothes now.”
Bessie smiled at them as they came in, trying not to trail snow in the house, “You two get dried off. I’ll make you some hot cocoa.”
“Thanks, Grandma,” Jenny grinned, “Mitch, you can change in the bathroom. I’ll go in my room.”
“OK,” he headed down the hall.
Bessie winked at her grand daughter before heading into the kitchen to make the hot cocoa. Jenny laughed and went to change her jeans and socks. She tried to get the static out of her hair and made herself look as presentable as possible.
When she came out, Mitch was hanging his wet jeans and socks over the wood stove. He had on fresh jeans and a blue flannel shirt, minus the thermal. His hair was damp and freshly combed and when he turned around, Jenny was keenly aware of the tantalizing chest hair peeking out above his top button.
“Here’s your cocoa,” Bessie sat mugs on the kitchen table, “Jenny, we need to work on something to go with the roast for supper.”
“Yes, Grandma,” Jenny picked up her cup, “Mitch, if you want to call the clinic, the phone’s right there on the wall.”
“Thanks,” he grabbed his cup and picked up the phone.
Jenny busied herself in the kitchen, fixing vegetables to go with dinner. She listened to him talking to Lucy, then to Doc. Bessie began setting the table and laid out three places without being told. Jenny smiled at her and got another wink.
“Well,” Mitch hung up, “Sounds like they didn’t really miss us today. He wants me to come in tomorrow, though.”
“What about me?” Jenny asked.
“I’ll call you if we get anything,” he told her, “then I can swing by and pick you up. I’d better call Dad and see how things are going there. I need to tell mom I won’t be there for dinner.”
“Do you usually have dinner there?” She asked.
“Pretty much,” he grinned, “Her cooking is a lot better than mine, and it’s a lot better than spending every night home alone.”
“Well,” she was stirring some corn, “ask your dad if he wants me to come in tomorrow, OK?”
“OK,” he started dialing, “If he does, I’ll give you a ride over there in the morning.”
Jenny stopped herself from protesting. It might be her only chance to see him tomorrow, so she’d let him drive her there if he wanted. She didn’t want a day to pass without seeing him.
“Hey, Mom,” Mitch spoke, “Yeah, that’s why I’m calling…no, I’m going to have dinner here tonight, so don’t wait for me…Um-hmm...Um-hmm…I will…Can I talk to Dad for a minute?”
Jenny listened to every word and tried to figure out what was being said on the other end.
“Hey, Dad,” Mitch greeted, “Before I forget, Jenny wants to know if she should come to work tomorrow morning? OK…No, I dug her out today…That’s OK, I’ll bring her over…I guess this weekend is still on? Mom still doesn’t know? Need me to do anything for you? OK…Well, if I drop Jenny off in the morning, you can tell me then. Is that soon enough? OK…See you then.”
“Well?” Jenny started putting food on the table.
“He wants you to work tomorrow,” he answered, “And he needs to talk to me out of Mom’s earshot, so it’s just as well I drop you off in the morning. He can talk to me then and she won’t suspect anything.”
“Sounds like he has a secret mission for you,” Jenny teased.
“He probably needs me to get something,” he told her, “I think he usually gives Mom presents or flowers or something when they go away. He’s kind of trapped and can’t get out without her knowing it right now.”
“Mmm,” she sat down next to him, “You don’t suppose he’s in trouble and trying to make it up to her, do you?”
Bessie sat down, “Doesn’t sound to me like he’s in trouble. Sounds like he’s a good husband to me.”
Mitch smiled at her and started passing the food, “I think you’re right, Mrs. Harmon. I don’t think Dad ever really gets into trouble with Mom. He just likes to spoil her.”
“Call me Bessie,” she offered, “Or Grandma.”
Jenny smiled and kept silent. She had a distinct feeling this trip was to appease Paula. No one else had seen that look in Paula’s eyes when she found Jenny in Rob’s arms a week ago. She was quite certain he was trying to get back into Paula’s good graces.
After a pleasant dinner, Jenny started cleaning the table and Mitch got up to help her. This time she let him. Bessie disappeared and left them alone to wash the dishes.
“You wash,” Mitch suggested, “I’ll dry.”
“OK,” she started the dishwater, “Thanks for helping. And thanks for coming over today.”
He reached over and turned the water off, then wrapped his arms around her, “You’re welcome. I had a great time today.”
“So did I,” she put her arms around his neck, “I wish this day would never end.”
He sighed and pulled her close, so she buried her face in his chest. Then he said softly, “I do too, Jen, but I’m going to have to go home soon. Poor Panyon needs her supper, you know. I really didn’t plan on staying this late.”
“I know,” she snuggled closer, “But I’m so glad you did. You don’t have to help with the dishes…I can do them. I know you need to go home.”
He pressed his lips close to her ear and spoke softly, “I’ll help with the dishes. I’m not ready to end this day yet, either.”
She pulled back, sliding her hands down his shoulders and over his chest. He eased his grip on her so she could step back a little. She was aching for him to kiss her again. He smiled, looking down into her eyes and she knew he wasn’t going to. She almost asked him to kiss her or reached up to kiss him, but she stopped herself. She didn’t want to push her luck.
“I guess we should start washing then,” she smiled and turned back to the sink.
“Guess so,” he sighed and grabbed a towel to dry with.
They worked on the dishes quietly, almost as if in separate worlds. Jenny could already fell herself starting to miss him, and he hadn’t even left yet. She realized that if he didn’t return her feelings, she was going to be in big trouble. She still had to work with him.
“Are you OK?” He put the last dish down and stepped up behind her, wrapping her in his arms, “You got awfully quiet.”
“So did you,” she leaned back into him and felt herself shiver as his arm brushed across her breast. She had forgotten that she wasn’t wearing a bra, but now she was keenly aware of it.
“I was just thinking,” he turned her around so he could look into her eyes.
“About what?” She asked, running her hands up his chest and resting them on his broad shoulders.
“About how nice it feels,” he confessed, “to just do simple things like wash dishes with you. I hope it feels as comfortable to you as it does to me.”
“That’s kind of what I was thinking too,” she admitted, “I was thinking how much I’m going to miss you as soon as you walk out the door.”
He leaned down and kissed her, gently at first, then he pulled her closer and kissed her more firmly. Jenny’s head was spinning and she felt her hands heading toward his hair, her fingers running through the thick locks. She was melting when he let her go and backed away.
“I need to go home, Jen,” his eyes were dilated, and she knew he was as affected as she was, “I’ll come by early in the morning to pick you up. Probably around 7:00.”
“That’s fine,” she answered, taking a deep breath, “I’ll be watching for you.”
“I’d better gather up my things and get out,” he headed for the stove and started picking up his clothes, “Tell your grandmother goodnight for me, will you?”
“I’ll tell her,” she followed him to the door, “Be careful going home…I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”
He smiled down at her, slowing his pace to get away a bit, “Don’t worry, Jen. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Mitch,” she reached up and touched the side of his face. She saw his jaw tighten and he swallowed hard, as she said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He turned and walked out to his truck. Panyon jumped in and Jenny watched him drive away. Emptiness swallowed her. She went to her room and picked up his suede coat. She might just have to curl up in that coat to sleep tonight.
Mitch arrived at promptly 7:00 Wednesday morning and Jenny rushed out to get in. She had a duffel bag with her and he took it and put it behind the seat for her. Panyon was all tail and tongue, happy to see her.
“Good morning, Panyon,” Jenny giggled, “I’m happy to see you too.”
“That’s enough, Panyon,” Mitch scolded, “Sit down and let Jenny alone. What’s the bag for?”
“I brought clothes to change after I get done with the stables,” she told him, “I figured I could just shower there and hang out in case you need me. It’s closer to the clinic.”
He nodded, “Sounds like a plan. Will your grandma be OK alone all day?”
“She’ll be fine,” Jenny assured, “She has the number to call if she needs me. I don’t think Rob and Paula will mind if I stay there, do you?”
“I’m sure they won’t,” he told her, “And Mom’s used to lots of people at lunch, so I’m sure she’ll feed you.”
“We’ll see,” she smiled, “Is it supposed to warm up enough today to melt anything?”
“Not really,” he answered, “Maybe tomorrow is what they said on the radio.”
“Don’t you hate driving in it?” She asked.
“I’m used to it,” he shrugged.
She looked out the window, “I think I could get around in my truck now if I had to.”
He was silent and she wondered why. She had meant to tell him she was glad to see him and had missed him, but already there was distance between them.
He pulled the truck up to the stable and they both got out. Rob was there to greet them. He motioned for them to come into the new stable. Jenny took her bag to the office and put it down.
“Hey, Squirt,” Rob hugged her, “Missed you around here. You bring clothes to change into?”
“Yeah,” she nodded, “Is it OK if I hang out here when I’m done today?”
“You bet,” he smiled, “You go ahead and get started…I need to talk to Mitch about something.”
“OK,” she headed out, “Mitch…you’ll come pick me up if you need me this afternoon, right?”
“Sure thing, Jen,” he nodded and shut the office door.
Jenny felt emptiness again, and realized tears were stinging her eyes. She took a deep breath and headed off to start cleaning the stalls. What had she expected? Certainly not this. He wasn’t being cold or mean or rude…but he wasn’t like yesterday either. She should have known better.
She was busy cleaning stalls when Rob came up behind her. As usual, she didn’t hear him coming and jumped when she turned around and saw him standing there.
“Sorry,” he grinned, “I forgot my bell. You OK, Squirt?”
“Sure,” she went back to work.
“Looks to me like you’ve been crying,” he observed, “You want to talk about it?”
“No,” she said softly, “I might get you in trouble again.”
“In trouble?” He walked over to her and took the shovel out of her hand, “What makes you say that?”
“Never mind,” she turned away, “I just need to keep my mouth shut and stay out of everyone’s way. Sometime I’ll learn that lesson.”
“All right,” he reached out and took her arm, “What’s going on? Come here and tell me.”
She let him pull her into his arms and she started crying. When she realized how much she wished the arms were Mitch’s, it only made her cry harder. Rob smoothed her hair and kissed the top of her head.
“Shh,” he whispered, “It’s OK. Tell me what’s wrong, Honey.”
“What if Paula comes in again?” She sobbed, “I’ll get you in trouble again.”
She felt him chuckle, “Is that what you think, Honey? That you got me in trouble with Paula?”
“Didn’t I?” She pulled away and wiped her face, “Isn’t that what this trip’s all about?”
He smiled and took her hand and led her to a bale of hay. He sat her down and then he sat down next to her and put his arm around her.
“Jenny,” he told her softly, “Paula and I have been married for a long time. We’ve been through a lot together. Sometimes it’s just nice for us to get some time alone, away from here and everyone else. We haven’t had a chance to do that for way too long. That’s what this trip is about. You didn’t get me into trouble.”
“She was mad when she found us together last week,” Jenny reported, “She made sure I knew that after you went to the house.”
“We weren’t doing anything wrong,” he reminded her, “And Paula knows that. I told her you wanted to call me Dad. She’s fine with that.”
“Are you sure?” Jenny asked.
“I’m sure,” he squeezed her shoulders, “Now is that what you were upset about?”
“No,” she sniffed, “I was upset because I think I’ve really screwed things up.”
“What things?” He asked, taking his arm away.
“With Mitch,” she confided, “I thought he…but now I’m not sure…I mean, today…Oh, I just should have stayed in Kansas.”
“Whoa,” he rubbed his face, “Wait a minute. You thought he what?”
“Are you sure it’s OK if I talk to you about this?” She looked up at him, “I mean, he’s your son…”
“It’s OK,” he assured, “talk to me about it.”
“Well,” she explained, “that day of the barbecue, you know, when he and I went for a ride, we had a long talk. He told me a lot of things about himself and I told him a lot of stuff about me and…he said he wanted us to be friends.”
“OK,” Rob nodded.
“So,” she went on, “I figured that’s what he meant…just friends. I decided I was OK with that because I’ve had my heart broken enough and I could use a friend…I guess I should say that before that, he was flirting with me a lot and I was kind of brushing him off. I wasn’t sure quite how I should react, because Lucy said he just flirts with everyone. I mean, I have to work with him, so I didn’t want to mess that up.”
“Right,” Rob commented.
“Then,” she told him, “this weekend, he started flirting again…I’m sure you noticed it Sunday.”
“Yes,” he smiled, “I noticed.”
“Well,” she started crying again, “Then yesterday he came over…He was there all day long…he shoveled our drive and he had lunch with us and then we played out in the snow all afternoon and…”
“And what?” He prodded.
“Well,” she confessed, “He wasn’t treating me like I was just his friend. He stayed for dinner and…but this morning…He’s just back to business as usual…I don’t know what to think…I mean…”
“Hey,” he took her into his arms, “Come here…Shhh. It’s OK. Jenny, do you want more than friendship with Mitch?”
“Yes,” she confided, “but I don’t want to mess things up where we can’t work together.”
“Well,” Rob sighed, “I’m sure he doesn’t either. Listen, I don’t know what Mitch told you, but he’s been hurt quite a bit himself. His whole world has been turned upside down over the past few years…several times.”
“He told me,” she nodded.
“Jenny,” Rob cuddled her, “I think he wants more than friendship from you too. I don’t know that for a fact. He hasn’t talked to me about it. We don’t usually have those kinds of talks. But he appears to be very interested in you, OK? And he doesn’t flirt like that with just everyone, not really. I think he probably just doesn’t want to rush things.”
“I don’t either,” she told him, “but I’m afraid I’m going to start to really care about him and then…”
“Sounds to me like you already do,” Rob observed, “It wouldn’t upset you like this if you didn’t already care.”
“What should I do?” She asked.
“Talk to him,” he advised, “Just tell him what you told me. That you don’t know if he wants to just be friends or if he wants more. Tell him you just want to know because you have to work together and you don’t want any misunderstandings.”
“I can’t say that to him,” she protested.
“Then you have your answer,” he told her, “If you can’t talk to him about this now, then you have no business in a relationship with him.”
“What do you mean?” She wondered.
“Jenny,” he explained, “It’s just like I was telling you about me and Paula. We can talk about anything with each other. We trust each other completely. If everyone else on earth told me one thing and Paula told me differently, I would believe her. And she’s the same way with me. It doesn’t matter how it looks or sounds, if I tell her something, she’ll take my word for it. If you can’t go to Mitch now and trust him to handle this, then you won’t ever be able to trust him.”
“Were you and Paula always that way?” She asked.
“From the moment we met,” he confessed, “She had all sorts of people telling her to stay away from me, but she came to me about it and asked me. And because she asked me, I told her the truth. I figured if she could trust and respect me enough to ask me, then I could trust and respect her enough to be honest.”
“So you think if I ask Mitch what he wants from me,” she wiped her eyes, “he’ll be honest with me and not think I’m crazy for asking?”
“I don’t think Mitch has a dishonest bone in his body,” Rob told her, “And I think if you lay it in his lap, he’ll fix it for you. I think he’s the only one who can. He’s the only one who knows how he feels, so he’s the one you need to ask. Show him you trust him, Jenny. OK?”
“OK, Dad,” she hugged him, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Punkin,” he squeezed her, “Now, come on…Let’s get these stalls cleaned.”
Jenny finished the stalls and went up to the main house. She wasn’t sure what to expect from Paula, but she received a warm welcome. She was shown to the shower and Paula offered to make her a sandwich and soup with everyone else.
“Mitch called,” Paula told her as she walked into the kitchen, feeling fresher, “He said he’ll pick you up about 12:30. He’s got a call he may need some help on.”
“OK,” Jenny smiled, “Thanks.”
“Hi, Jenny,” Chelsea came in to the kitchen and sat down for lunch, “I bet you’re glad to finally get out of the house.”
“Kind of,” Jenny nodded, “Although it wasn’t really bad.”
“I’m not used to this stuff,” Chelsea laughed, “Not sure I’ll ever get used to it. I know I’m never going to like driving in it.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Jenny remembered, “You’re from California. I bet this does seem crazy to you.”
“Dutch told me the only way he’d let me drive in it,” she giggled, “was if I’m in a Hummer…then I can’t hurt myself.”
“Well,” Jenny sat down to eat, “When all of this clears up, would you like to go on a shopping spree with me? I really need some new clothes.”
“I’d love to!” Chelsea squealed, “I haven’t been shopping for ages!”
“Great,” Jenny smiled, “Let’s hope this stuff melts soon, then.”
“Hey, Squirt,” Rob came in and squeezed her shoulders, “Did you ladies leave anything for me?”
“Not a bit,” Chelsea teased, “You’ll have to starve.”
He patted his stomach, “I could stand to miss a few meals.”
“Oh, no,” Paula sat a plate in front of him, “You missed enough last week when you were on your woodcutting spree. Now I’ll have to fatten you up all over again.”
Jenny gave him a funny look.
Rob grinned and pretended to whisper, “I think she’s planning on butchering me for Easter Dinner.”
Paula sat down with her lunch next to him, “If I butcher you, Dear, it won’t be for Easter Dinner, I assure you. Are the boys coming in?”
“I told them to come in and clean up,” Rob informed. “They were into a pretty intense snowball fight.”
“Mitch is driving up!” Jason came running in, snow all over him.
“Jason!” Rob shouted, “You know better than to come in the front door all covered with snow! Now go back out and come in the right way. And clean up the mess you trailed in before you come for lunch. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” Jason hung his head, “I’m sorry.”
Jenny looked at Rob. She had never heard him use that harsh tone before. He was always sweet and gentle with her, never shouting orders like the captain of a ship. He noticed the expression on her face and smiled.
“Sorry, Squirt,” he apologized, “I didn’t mean to shout in your ear. When the pups get too rambunctious sometimes I have to growl at them to remind them of their manners.”
Chelsea grinned, “You’ll get used to it, Jenny. Until he growls at you like that.”
“Don’t scare her, Chelsea,” Rob frowned, “I don’t growl at you, do I?”
“Only when I deserve it,” she admitted, and winked at him.
“Hey guys,” Mitch came in through the back, his brothers behind him, “Hi, Jenny.”
“I thought you weren’t coming until 12:30,” she greeted.
“I came to beg for lunch before we leave,” he pulled up a chair.
Paula was already up fixing him something before he asked. She sat a plate in front of him and then sat back down herself.
“Thanks, Mom,” he acknowledged, “Looks like you already cleaned up, Jen. You may want to switch back into your old clothes.”
“Why?” She asked.
“This call sounds messy,” he confessed, “Cow stuck in a ravine. Not sure how we’ll get it out. If I thought I could get a trailer out there, I’d take a couple of horses with me.”
“Tell you what,” Rob suggested, “After you get there and assess the situation, if you want me to haul out a pair of horses give me a call. I can pull the two horse trailer with the Jeep and then I could help you.”
“Thanks, Dad,” he nodded, “I may have to do that.”
After lunch, Jenny changed back into her other clothes and climbed into the truck with Mitch. She decided to put other matters aside for the moment and concentrate on the job at hand. If he needed her help, she wanted to be able to give it to him.
When they arrived at their destination, Jenny got goose bumps. Something told her this was not going to be fun. The house was run down and the barn looked unusable. The cattle she could see didn’t look well cared for.
Mitch got out to talk to the farmer who met him at the front door. Panyon started a low growl and Jenny tried to quiet her. The farmer was pointing off to the east and Mitch looked in that direction. She saw him rub his face and could tell he wasn’t happy with their situation.
He came back to the truck and got in, “Listen, Jen, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you. This is a real mess.”
“What’s wrong, Mitch?” She could tell he was worried.
“This place is off down in some hollow that can only be reached on foot,” he explained. “I’m going to grab a few things and take them with me. I want you to stay here in the truck.”
“Mitch…” she started to argue.
“No, Jen,” he was adamant, “I can’t do this and be worrying about you. Stay here and run the truck if it gets cold. I’m leaving Panyon here with you. Lock the doors. Do you understand?”
She nodded, “Mitch, be careful.”
“I’ve got my phone,” he reminded her, “I’ll call Dad if I get into trouble.”
“How long should I wait here?” She asked.
He looked at his watch, “If I’m not back in three hours, go get Dad. Can you do that?”
She nodded, “That’s a long time…a lot could happen in three hours.”
“I know,” he told her, “Promise me you won’t get out of the truck.”
“I promise,” she reached for his hand, “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise,” he smiled, “Take care of her, Panyon.”
He got out, locking the door behind him. She watched him grab some ropes and a medical bag, and then he walked off with the farmer. A chill ran down her spine. She wondered if this was how her mother felt watching her dad walk back into their burning house. She heard Panyon growling again and followed her gaze. Someone was watching them from a window in the house.
“This is going to be a long afternoon, Panyon,” Jenny put her arm around the dog, “I’m glad you’re here with me.”
Time passed slowly and Jenny ran the truck intermittently to stay warm. Panyon kept watching the house and Jenny kept watching for Mitch to return. She was about to give up and go for help when she saw movement on the horizon.
“Panyon!” She exclaimed, “It’s him! He’s coming!”
Mitch was walking like he hurt all over and as he got closer, she could see that he had gotten wet. The farmer was following at a distance, trying to keep a lone cow going in the same direction. Jenny started the truck and turned the heat up full force.
Panyon started barking excitedly as her master approached. He was shivering from the cold. Jenny jumped out and took the bag and ropes from him, tossing them quickly in the truck.
“You’re freezing,” she observed, “We’ve got to get you warm.”
“I know,” his teeth were chattering.
“Get in,” she ordered, helping him into the passenger side, “I’ll drive.”
He didn’t argue. Panyon started licking him in the face and crawling all over him. Jenny pulled his wet gloves off and he plunged his cold hands into the warm dog’s fur. Jenny backed the truck up as if she were used to driving it and headed out. She turned in the opposite direction of the clinic.
“Where are you going?” He stuttered.
“To your house,” she told him, “It’s the closest and you’ve got to get out of those wet clothes. It’s this way, right?”
“Yes,” he answered, “Like you’re going to Dad’s, only turn left. It’s the second house.”
“Are you warming up yet?” She asked.
“A little,” he nodded.
“What happened?’ She wondered, “How did you get so wet?”
“The so-called ravine,” he told her, “was a creek bed. It was a nightmare, Jen. Good thing you didn’t go.”
She turned on his road and slowed down in front of a small rock house, “Is this it?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed.
She pulled the truck in and jumped out. Panyon and Mitch got out and Jenny went to open the front door. She helped Mitch get his coat off and when he sat down to pull off his boots, she knelt down and slid them off for him. Then she pulled his socks off. She was relieved to see that his feet weren’t blue.
“You gonna undress the rest of me too, Jen?” He quipped.
She looked up to see him smiling, “You must be thawing out now. You’re back to your old self.”
“I’m going to go take a hot shower and put some dry clothes on,” he got up, “Just make yourself at home.”
“Is there somewhere I can change?” She asked.
“You can use my bedroom while I’m in the shower,” he pointed.
She ran out to the truck and grabbed her bag. When she returned, she could hear the shower running, so she darted into his bedroom to change. As soon as she was in fresh clothes, she decided to have a look around the house.
It was an old house, but it was in good condition. The hardwood floors looked like they had been restored and the walls had fairly fresh paint on them. There were mini-blinds, instead of curtains, and a few pictures on the walls.
The bedroom was small, with only a bed, nightstand and dresser in it. The bed was made, with a simple blue spread on it. There were no piles of clothes or shoes, everything seemed put away nice and neat in its place. She moved into the living room and glanced around. A simple sofa, a recliner, a coffee table, an entertainment center with a television, DVD player and stereo. There was a stone fireplace and some pictures on the mantle.
She heard the shower shut off, so she hurried into the kitchen. A small table with chairs. The normal appliances. One dirty cup in the sink. Coffee. She opened the cabinets and looked for coffee. She saw the coffee maker on the cabinet and put water in it. He might like a cup to warm him right now.
Jenny could hear him moving around in his room now. She left the coffee to brew and went back into the living room. She was looking at a picture of a couple on the mantle when Mitch reappeared. He was in jeans and a fresh red flannel shirt. He had dried his hair and he was looking much better.
“Do I smell coffee?” He asked.
“I thought you might like a cup,” she smiled, “Is this a picture of the Martins?”
“Yes,” he walked over to her, “Very polished people, aren’t they?”
“Interesting way of putting it,” she reflected, “What did they do for a living?”
“He was a cardiologist,” he answered, “And she was a dentist.”
“No wonder they were always working,” she turned to him, “So, do you feel better now?”
“Yes,” he nodded, “Think that coffee’s done yet?”
“I’ll go see,” she went to pour him a cup. When she returned, he was sitting on the couch, resting his feet on the coffee table, “Here you go.”
“Thanks, Jen,” he took it, “Come here.”
She sat down next to him. He was leaning back, one arm on the back of the couch, one hand holding the coffee. She resisted the urge to snuggle up next to him. Instead, she sat close, but leaned forward, resting her head in her hands, elbows on her knees.
“Thanks for taking care of me, Honey,” he smiled at her, “And thanks for doing exactly what I told you to do. I know you weren’t very thrilled about me leaving you in the truck.”
“Hey,” she gave a wry smile, “You’re the boss. Doesn’t matter if I agree or not.”
He pulled his feet from the table, sat the cup down and leaned on his knees like she was, “Is that it, Jen? I’m just the boss, so you’ll do whatever I say?”
She felt tears coming to her eyes, “Mitch, I don’t know what you want from me. One day you’re telling me you want us to be friends, then another day you’re kissing me like no one’s ever kissed me before, then today you’re back to treating me like I’m just someone you work with…I need to know what you want from me…Whatever it is…that’s what I’ll be.”
He closed his eyes and sighed. She saw his jaw tighten. For a fleeting moment she wanted to run, then he opened those big blue eyes and she saw a tear in the corner of one.
“I’m sorry, Jen,” he spoke, “I didn’t mean for it to seem that way. Last night when I came home…I was afraid I was pushing you into something you didn’t want. We have to work together and I didn’t want you to be afraid of me again…I didn’t mean to be cold to you today.”
“I’m not afraid of you, Mitch,” she told him, tears streaming down her face, “And I know we have to work together. So if you want to just be friends, I understand. I can do that…Really, I can. If that’s what you want. You just have to tell me.”
He reached up to brush the tears from her face and she grabbed his wrists, holding his hands there. She was falling apart and she knew it. She wanted him to hold her so badly.
“Come here,” he pulled her into his arms and she buried her face in his chest, “Oh, Jenny. I don’t want to just be your friend. I can’t get you out of my head, Jen. I think about you all the time. I dream about you every night. I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first day I laid eyes on you.”
She pulled back enough to look up at him, “You did?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, “But after what you told me…well, I was afraid I’d scare you off.”
She smiled through her tears, “No, Mitch. I can’t stop thinking of you, either…I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I was afraid I’d mess it all up.”
He lifted her chin and kissed her, softly, then firmly. When she put her fingers into his hair this time, he pulled her closer and parted her lips with his own. As he kissed her deeply, she was trembling all over.
He pulled away and whispered, “I’m sorry, Jen. Don’t cry. It’s OK. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’d never hurt you on purpose, Honey…Never.”
She reached up and touched his face and he pulled her up to kiss her again. This time he kissed her with even more passion and she thought she might actually pass out. She had never truly desired a man before, and now she found herself full of hunger for Mitch.
He pulled away and smiled at her, “Well, I’m certainly not cold anymore.”
She started laughing and so did he. Panyon jumped up and started barking.
“Oh, hush, Panyon,” he scolded, “This is none of your business.”
“Do you have any Kleenex?” Jenny asked, sniffing.
“Yeah,” he got up and went into the bathroom, returning with the box, “Here you go. Are you all right now?”
She blew her nose and nodded, “I’m sure I look a real mess.”
He knelt down in the floor beside her, “You never look a mess, Jen. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Do you forgive me?”
She reached over and caressed his face again, “There’s nothing to forgive.”
“Do you want…” Mitch started, but his cell phone rang, “Hello?”
He got up and paced around as he talked, “Hey, Lucy. What’s up? OK…Yeah, we’re OK. We’ll tell you all about it tomorrow…OK, see you then.”
“Lucy,” Jenny smiled, “Do we need to go to the clinic?”
“No,” he shook his head, “Not today. I didn’t realize how late it was. I should take you home.”
She looked at the clock and saw it was after 5:00, “Oh dear! I’d better call Grandma!”
“Phone’s in the bedroom,” he motioned.
“Do you want to come for dinner?” She invited.
“How about I fix us something here,” he suggested, “If you’re grandma can do without you a little longer.”
“I’ll see,” Jenny smiled and went to call Bessie.
Mitch was rattling around in the kitchen when she came in. He had out some pans and had already set the table for two. Jenny came up behind him and put her arms around his waist. He turned around and reached down to kiss her.
“You assumed she’d tell me to stay,” Jenny observed, still wrapped in his arms.
“She loves me, remember?” He grinned, “I’m no gourmet chef, but I do make a decent omelet. Sound OK?”
“Sounds wonderful,” she smiled, “Want some help?”
“Why don’t you fix the toast?” He pointed to a loaf of bread and the toaster.
“OK,” she went to work.
They had eaten and cleaned up the mess and Mitch was about to take Jenny home when the phone rang. He went to answer it and Jenny tried to listen.
“Hello?” He answered, “Yeah, I’m fine…Sorry I didn’t call. I lost track of time…No, actually, she’s here with me…Long story. Can I call you back later? OK. Bye.”
“Who was that?” Jenny asked.
“Mom,” he smiled, “She was worried because I didn’t show up for dinner and I didn’t call either.”
“Just like a real mom, isn’t she?” Jenny chuckled.
“Yeah,” he smiled, “Closest thing to a real mom I’ve ever had. It’s kind of nice having someone worry about me like that. Now, let’s get you home before your grandma decides she doesn’t love me anymore.”
“OK,” she got up to follow him out, “Mitch?”
“Yes, Honey?”
“Since I was able to drive your truck here,” she told him, “Well, I’m sure I could drive myself to work tomorrow…but will you come and pick me up anyway?”
He smiled at her and pulled her into his arms again, “Yes, Princess, I’d be glad to give you a ride tomorrow. It means I get to see you first thing.”
“That’s kind of what I was thinking,” she played with the lapel of his shirt, “A kiss in the morning to start the day off right.”
“And one to end it,” he leaned down and kissed her, “Oh, but I still have to take you home, don’t I? I guess that means I’ll be forced to kiss you again before I leave.”
“Mmm,” she nodded, “Torture, right?”
“Um-hmm,” he kissed her again, “Of the finest variety…”
Go To Chapter Four
Valentine's Day