Page 29 of The Biker's Virgin
CHAPTER SIXTEEN – BLAINE
Blaine’s bike tires crunched on the gravel as he inched toward Steve’s barn. He felt terrible about how he’d left things with the old hippie and wanted to clear the air between them. The sun was already blazing hot and he was sweating through his t-shirt. He took off his leather vest and left it on the seat of the bike. The last thing that he wanted to do was to force Steve into holding the AGM at his property against his will. It didn’t make a lot of sense to antagonize their weed man. Blaine had tried to talk some sense into Zeb, trying to appeal to the businessman in the President, but Zeb remained resolute.
He caught a glimpse of Steve’s straw hat bobbing up and down the rows of corn and strode toward him.
“Steve!” Blaine yelled.
He saw the rise and fall of Steve’s shoulders as he exhaled heavily, before turning to face Blaine. “Hey Blaine. What can I do for you today?”
Blaine ran his hands through his tangled hair, “I need to apologize for the other day,” Blaine said after clearing his throat.
Steve set down the wheelbarrow he had been holding and kicked at a straw pile with his rubber boots. “Yeah man, this isn’t cool. You guys are really stepping on my toes here.”
As much as he wanted to, Blaine couldn’t throw Zeb under the bus. When he approached Zeb about the possibility of finding another location for the AGM he shot him down. The only thing he had to offer Steve was a potential change of date.
“Right now, the AGM is scheduled for September tenth. What is the earliest that you can harvest the big field?”
“Well, mother nature has been good to me so far this summer, but it’s still only July. If things keep going the way that they are I could wrap things up by the first of October.”
Blaine exhaled and smiled. “So, if we change the date of the AGM to the first weekend in October, that would work for you?
The old hippie smiled at Blaine and wrapped his arms around him in a huge bear hug. “You would do that?”
“Well, in truth, it’s a little self-serving. With the supply of our other products in limbo, we are going to need to rely on your grass for the fall.”
“It’s going to be a lot of work for me. Like, hours a day more work man.”
“I know, I thought about that. It’s quiet this summer, so I could bring some of the prospects to help you out; some young bucks who still have good backs!”
“That’s great, brother. But, I don’t want to supervise a bunch of wannabe farmers.”
“What if I oversee them? Keep them in line?”
“I suppose that could work. It would really help me out here.” Steve picked up the wheelbarrow and trudged away.
“So, we’re good?” Blaine followed behind Steve.
“A certain young lady that hangs out here isn’t influencing your decision?”
Blaine was thankful for the hot sun blazing down, masking the redness that flushed his face. Spending time at Steve’s farm was the best way he could think of to see Olivia. “Nope,” Blaine lied.
“That’s too bad,” Steve said. “She’s really something.”
“She certainly is,” Blaine muttered under his breath.
Steve may have been old, and his hearing impacted from years of jamming with the band, but he heard Blaine and smiled to himself. He had witnessed a pretty magical moment between the two of them. He knew an energetic connection when he saw one.
“So, you and the guys will be out here tomorrow. six a.m. sharp?”
“There’s a six a.m.?” Blaine joked.
“If your boys want to play farm hand, they better be here and ready to work.”
“Roger that, boss.” Blaine saluted.
“Enough of that nonsense. See you tomorrow,” Steve said, walking off in his light-footed, stoner hippie trot.
