Page 25 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
“Shit,” Sawyer said. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring him up.”
“It’s fine,” she lied. “Really, Sawyer.” Leah touched his arm. “I’m starting to get the house in shape now.” At least that wasn’t an outright lie. She was making it a home for her and Hudson, even if the roof still leaked, and the place was run down, and it would take years to fix. “My dad was a hoarder, so there is going to be a big bonfire soon.”
“We’d like to help you with that,” Birdie said.
“We talked about this at breakfast. I don’t need your help, but I’ll let you know if I do,” Leah said.
Three Dukes subjected her to their stares, their faces showing differing degrees of frustration.
Leah had often been pleased they’d chosen to like her, because you really didn’t want to have them as your enemy—well, not Zoe and Sawyer, at least. Birdie was a pussycat.
“Here’s my problem with that,” Zoe said. “You won’t ask, and then you’ll suffer, trying to sort things that go wrong out for yourself.”
That was true, but she didn’t acknowledge it, instead changing the subject. “Actually, I want to ask you guys something, and please be honest.”
“We’re always honest,” Sawyer said, which had his sister and wife howling with laughter.
“Okay fine.” He raised a hand. “If a lie will help me get one over a sibling, I’ll take it, but I’m honest with everyone else.” He looked at Sadie. “I’m pleased she doesn’t understand any of this yet.”
“What did you want to ask us?” Zoe said.
“I’m going to grow some produce in the shade houses. I did an online market gardening course, and?—”
“You didn’t tell me that.”
“I’m not sure why I would, or when, for that matter,” Leah said to Birdie. “I did it the first year I left, and I wasn’t really sure why, as I lived in the city, but it’s something I’ve always felt like I wanted to do, and now I could put some of what I learned into practice here.”
“Friends tell each other stuff,” Birdie muttered.
“I’ve been gone seven years, Birdie.”
“Honey, we all know you have big emotions, but Leah will always be your friend. Things just change in friendships,” Sawyer said to his wife. “She’s back now, and that’s good, right?”
“Who are you and what have you done with my brother?” Zoe asked.
“What?”
“My big brother was the most unaware person I knew, and now you’re talking about emotions. It’s unsettling, I tell you,” Zoe said. “Like the earth has shifted slightly off its axis.”
“Whatever,” Sawyer said. “What help do you need, Leah?”
“Can you tell me where the best place to purchase supplies for planting is?”
“Talk to Birdie’s mom and dad. They’re all about sustainability.”
“Not everything they say makes sense, but some will,” Birdie added, hugging Leah. “I am glad you’re back, but now you have to tell me stuff, okay?”
“Okay,” Leah lied.
“Jed Knox grows stuff too. He’d be good to ask,” Zoe added.
As she stood there talking to her friends, Leah felt a stirring of excitement in her belly. Growing things would be hard work, but she wasn’t scared of that. Could she make a go of this? Maybe, but she knew that for the first time in a long while, she really wanted to try. Part one of her dream was going to be implemented. Part two would come when she had more money.
Chapter 8
“You need to clean out those barns. I remember going out there once and seeing four of them. Three small and one bigger,” Sawyer said. “You’ll need one to store your supplies, and then when you get stuff to sell?—”
“Whoa, I’ve only just come up with the idea,” Leah lied. She’d actually been thinking about it for ages, but the first step had been coming back here to the farm where she could.
