Page 17 of Out of Place

I’m silent for a minute before I say, “But I could do it, you know.”

He turns to look at me. There’s a smirk pulling at his lips. I’m readying myself for him to tell me all the ways I can’t do it, but he says, “I know you could.”

He knows I could? That’s. . . unexpected. I’m not entirely sure I believe I could do it, but I can’t back down now.

“Well, good.”

He doesn’t apologize for what his friend said. He just sits there silently, looking out to the land before us.

He takes a swig of his water bottle and then stands. “I gotta get back to it, but don’t let Cam get to you. He doesn’t do well with change, but he’ll get over it. Prove him wrong, Olivia.”

Like I care what Camden does or doesn’t do well with. He can kiss my little rich girl ass for all I care. But I will prove him wrong. Not about taking over the farm but doing the best job I can while I’m here and making him eat his words.

I don’t say anything as Landon walks off the porch, but I do sneak a peek at his backside as he goes. It’s impossible not to. I’ve never seen a pair of jeans fit someone so well. I quickly look away when I hear the back door open again. I don’t want to get caught checking him out. That wouldn’t be a good look.

Camden and Bennett file out. They don’t look at me as they head down the stairs and back to whatever they were doing.

I take my plate inside. Aunt Dottie doesn’t ask if I heard anything. She doesn’t ask if I’m ok. I’m glad. I don’t really want to talk about it.

She nods to the sink as she turns to leave. “Dishes are all yours.”

Then it’s just me and a sink full of dirty dishes.

* * *

After finishing the lunch dishes, I go back to the blueberry bushes. I almost beg to be sent anywhere else, but then I see one of the guys throwing a giant square of hay and figure picking blueberries might be easier.

The high schoolers eventually show up. They tell me their names, but I don’t care enough to remember them. I don’t need to know these people to do what I’m supposed to. I’m not here to make friends with children.

By the time my name is called again at the end of the day, I just want to crawl into my bed and die. Or at least sleep for forty-eight hours straight. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in my life.

Before I make it to the main house, Landon meets me with a basket.

“I’ll take the berries.” He reaches for my bucket. “You take the basket and check the chicken coop again for eggs.”

“Again?” I groan. I just want to sit down.

“Yep. We check them twice a day.”

I snatch the basket from his hand and stomp off towards the chicken house. I grab the eggs I can see and put them in the basket. I go around twice, making sure I didn’t miss any for Landon to find before I go back to the house. I’m almost there when my foot hits a rock or a tree stump or something hard, and I trip. The basket drops as I fall to my knees, the hard ground catching me.

I wince at the impact.

The next thing I know, Landon is at my side, grabbing my arm to help me up. “Are you alright?”

I brush off my hands on my pants. I will not cry. I will not cry. “I’m fine.”

“Great. Look what she did. She cracked the eggs.” This, of course, comes from Camden, who is looking down at me from the back porch. I hate that he saw me fall. My one moment of weakness.

Landon looks inside the basket. “They’re not all cracked. And we got most of the eggs this morning anyway.”

“It was an accident.” My voice comes out soft and a little shaky, which I fucking hate. I’m tired and gross. Now my knees and hands hurt. I just want to go home.

Camden scoffs at me. “An accident? You just lost the farm money. Good one.”

Landon steps in front of me. “Calm the fuck down, Cam. You know it’s not that big of a deal, and you know it was an accident. You’re just trying to be an asshole right now.”

“Whatever, man. I’m out.” Camden throws his hands up and walks off.