Page 26 of Where It All Began
“It’s a first impression,” she said, waving away his bubbling temper. “My dad’s the same way. You both open doors, you carry things, you don’t think I can pull my own weight—”
“Let’s get that one cleared up right now,” John said briskly. “Me questioning your ability to help out here has nothing to do with your gender. Many of the men I know wouldn’t be helpful out here. It’s not necessarily a physical ability. This is hard, back-breaking work with the constant looming possibility that Mother Nature could turn on you and ruin your year. Day in and day out, you have to be strong enough to face that and still keep going, still find an appreciation and a respect for it. And if the physical work isn’t enough to be its own reward to someone, then they’re not going to last a summer out here let alone a lifetime.”
Phoebe picked at the label on her beer and nodded. It was the longest speech he’d ever given her. “I totally get that. Is that what attracted you to farming?”
He shook his head. “Hang on. Before we dig into me, let’s talk about you. Tell me about your family.”
Phoebe blinked. “My family?” Okay, she hadn’t been prepared to shift gears that quickly.
John nodded. “You mentioned your dad.”
“Well...” How could she sum up her family and what they meant to her? “My parents are wonderful people. They married right out of high school and are still best friends. My dad is overprotective to the point that he had to be talked out of all-girls private schools for me and my sister. Rose is a year younger than me. She graduated college last year.”
“If your dad’s so overprotective, why did he agree to let you spend the summer on my farm? Alone.”
Oh, boy.Phoebe cleared her throat. For an innocent little lie, it sure came up a lot. “Education is important to my parents. My sister and I were the first Allens to finish college,” she said with pride. “My parents know they can trust me.”
“And they can trust me to keep our relationship purely professional,” John said with a little too much enthusiasm for Phoebe’s liking. “What do your parents do?”
Phoebe hesitated. “My mom is a housewife and volunteered for about a hundred organizations. She just started working outside the home part-time this year. My dad was a lineman for the power company.”
“Did he retire?”
She took a deep breath and wrinkled her nose. “I’m not exactly sure how well you want to get to know me,” she confessed. “Some of this is a little messy.”
John was quiet for a moment. “I’d like to know if you’re okay telling me.”
She nodded and took a fortifying sip of beer. “Dad had an accident a few months back. He was working on a line, and the lift—in the bucket truck—failed. He fell from twenty feet, and it was touch-and-go for a bit. Really scared us.” Her voice quivered.
She cleared her throat. “Sorry,” she said. “Still scary to think about it. Mind if we walk and talk? I do better if I’m moving.”
John nodded and pushed away from the door.
“He had to have emergency surgery. His leg was badly broken. He’s doing a lot better now. He’s home and in physical therapy. But the medical bills are astronomical, and he lost his job. The company said he was going to be laid off anyway, but it would be a long, expensive legal battle to prove that they were just trying to wiggle out of financial responsibility.”
She kicked at a rock, sending it skittering up the path in front of them.
John remained quiet, but he took her hand and squeezed. He didn’t let go. Just walked by her side, his hand covering hers.
“Are you sure you want to hear all this?”
“I am.”
Phoebe sighed. “Anyway, that’s why my mom started working again, and my sister took a second job. Every spare cent Rose makes goes back to them. Things are tight. Really tight. But as soon as I get this degree and a job, I’m paying off whatever I can for them. They’re a month behind on their mortgage already, and I’ve loved school, but I need to start giving back. They’ve done so much for me.”
She fought back the tears that made her throat burn. John released her hand and just when she thought she’d gone too far with the confession, he slid his arm around her shoulders and tugged her into his side. Her body sang. The casual touch set off a flood of heat in her system, and she glanced up at him to see if he noticed that she was now on fire.
But he kept his gaze locked on the horizon as they walked. “You miss them?” he asked.
She nodded and cleared her throat to loosen the lump. “Yeah. They’re pretty much the best people I know, and I feel like I’m costing them more by finishing school instead of dropping out and helping them. I guess that’s why I’m coming on so strong. It’s not just me and my ambitions. I’m ready to repay them, and I’ll be able to do that with this degree and the jobs that open up for me.”
His fingers stroked her upper arm.
She blew out a breath. “Bet you’re sorry you asked,” she joked.
“Why didn’t you say all that when you got here?”
“It’s not the kind of shit you dump on a complete stranger, John.”
