Page 20 of Daydreams at the Farm on Muddypuddle Lane
‘Which means you will be seeing him again.’ It was a statement, not a question, and despite her humour of amoment ago, Dulcie didn’t sound happy about it.
‘Saturday.’
Dulcie pressed her lips together. ‘You’ve got a shift in the restaurant on Saturday, remember?’
‘I haven’t forgotten. We’re going to the cinema in the afternoon.’
‘Hmm. Just make sure you’re not late for work.’
‘I won’t be, I promise. And I also promise not to dump him until your shed is finished.’
‘That means you’ll be staying here for at least another week.’
Maisie’s heart sank. ‘Is that a problem?’ She had been hoping to stay longer than a week: a lot longer.
‘Actually, it isn’t. You’ve been very helpful.’ Dulcie sounded surprised, which got Maisie’s back up a bit, although she did her best to hide it.
‘I’ve tried to be,’ she replied mildly.
‘Cocoa?’ It was a peace offering.
‘Hell, no! I’m not eighty. A glass of wine would be nice.’ Then she heard Otto’s car in the farmyard. ‘Or maybe not. I think I’ll go to bed.’
Dulcie gave her a knowing look. ‘You don’t have to.’
Remembering what their mother had said, Maisie shrugged. ‘Otto could do without me hanging around. He sees enough ofme at the restaurant. I’ll just grab that glass of wine and go upstairs. There’s a film I want to watch anyway.’
Maisie was heading up the stairs when she heard Otto come in, and she smiled. With Dulcie admitting that Maisie was useful around the farm, and Maisie making herself scarce so Dulcie and Otto could have some time to themselves, Maisie had put two of Mum’s arguments to bed. All that was needed now was for Maisie to try to be the best server Otto ever had, and Mum would have no more objections to Maisie being at the farm.
There was still the matter of being guilt-tripped though, but Maisie couldn’t do anything about her mum missing her. Maisie was bound to move out of the family home at some point. She couldn’t live with her mum forever, and neither didshe want to. It was time Maisie grew up, and she was hoping that the farm on Muddypuddle Lane was the place she would do it.
CHAPTER FIVE
Maisie hurried through her chores on Saturday morning. Not that Dulcie had given her any explicit instructions – Maisie had taken it upon herself to do things, such as collecting the freshly laid eggs from the chicken coop and checking the goats over before ushering them into the paddock.
This morning she also cleaned out the coop, in addition to collecting eggs and feeding the hens their daily grain. Mucking out was a stinky job, and she hoped a hot shower would successfully wash away the whiff of chicken poop. Anyromantic notions she’d had about farming had gone the same way as her idea of goat milking. Farming was a mucky, smelly business, but she loved it. Although, when Adam arrived to pick her up just before midday on Saturday, she was still surreptitiously sniffing her hands in case there was a vague hint of hen lingering on them.
Maisie climbed into the van with a smile and a ‘Hi,’ and as soon as she was settled into the passenger seat Adam stretched across and brushed his lips lightly against hers, before putting the van into gear and pulling out of the yard.
‘Hi, to you, too,’ he said. ‘I hope you didn’t mind me suggesting a quick bite to eat first, but I thought you mightn’t have time to grab anything before you had to go to work.’
Maisie didn’t mind at all. She had been pleasantly surprised at his thoughtfulness. In her experience it was a rare commodity. ‘Where were you thinking of?’
‘Will Mexmax do you? It’s next door to the cinema.’
Maisie loved the spicy chicken and huge burgers that the restaurant chain was renowned for, so she was more than happy, and half an hour later the pair of them were seated in a corner booth, perusing the menu.
‘Are you sure you want to see a rom com?’ she asked, deciding to have a hot and spicy burger with fries, and an ice cream sundae to follow. The film she was referring to was the latest hilarious blockbuster, and although she wanted to see it, she guessed Adam mightn’t be as keen. However, her choices had beenlimited due to the start times and film length, as she had to ensure she was back in Picklewick by six-thirty.
‘It sounds like fun,’ he replied gallantly, and if she hadn’t liked him before, Maisie seriously liked him now.
‘Your choice, next time,’ she said, then winced as she realised she was assuming a lot.
‘Deal. How do you like working at The Wild Side?’
‘It’s good as far as waitressing goes. I can’t see myself doing it long term though, even if Otto is practically family.’
‘Ah, yes, goat herding,’ Adam teased gently.
