Page 47 of Out of Place

“A little.” I smile against his lips.

“Good. I missed you too.” Gah, this man makes me swoon. Dottie was right. I am a love-sick puppy.

We walk back to the kitchen, hand in hand. Aunt Dottie is finishing dinner, so we take a seat at the table. Landon and Aunt Dottie talk about the farm, and it’s easy to tell that he truly cares about this place. He always wants to know how everything is going, even on his days off. He lives and breathes this place. So do Camden and Bennett. Even though Camden doesn’t like me very much, I can’t lie and say he isn’t a hard worker.

Landon holds my hand as he talks, absently rubbing his thumb along the side of my hand. Dottie brings over a large pan of some sort of cheesy pasta bake. Something I wouldn’t have eaten only months ago but have kinda gotten used to. After working all day, I’m usually starving, so there’s no way I’m turning it down.

We each take a heaping spoonful of the pasta for our plates with some garlic bread. It’s a nice, pleasant dinner. We talk, we laugh, we have fun. Live, laugh, love and whatever. It’s like a real family dinner.

It makes me miss the way my family used to be. We used to have family dinners all the time when Rhett and I were younger, but as we got older, everyone got busier. At that point, we stopped having them all together. Before I left, we barely had dinners once a month. I was always in a hurry to go do something after. I should’ve slowed down. I should’ve enjoyed my time with them.

Maybe when I get home, we can have those dinners again. If they still want me.

After dinner, I wash the dishes, and Landon dries them while Aunt Dottie works on her puzzle and watches Wheel of Fortune in the living room. I’ve kind of picked up this nightly routine as well. More often than not, I find myself sitting next to her, looking for the next puzzle piece. It’s oddly satisfying to match a new piece to the big picture. We’re currently working on a beach landscape.

“Do you want to stay and help us with the puzzle?” I ask Landon after we’ve finished the dishes.

He tilts his head and studies me. “You’re working on a puzzle?”

I shrug. “Yeah. Dottie is really into them, and there’s not much else to do around here.”

He chuckles and pulls me into him. “I’d love to work on a puzzle with two of my favorite ladies.”

“Aw, shit. Am I competing against Dottie, too?”

He smirks. “She does make a mean mac and cheese.” I laugh and playfully hit his stomach.

We crowd Aunt Dottie in the living room on the ancient blue couches that I’m convinced have been here since this house was built, and we work on the puzzle. We get a good bit done before Aunt Dottie excuses herself to bed.

Landon and I sit on the porch swing for a bit. The lightning bugs are out tonight, making the front yard glow. He tells me how he and his sister used to run around their yard, catching them in Mason jars. The thought of getting anywhere near a bug grosses me out, but I can just picture a small Landon running around barefoot, chasing bugs.

Life is so different down here than in the city. It’s hard to believe my mother used to live here. She probably ran around catching bugs, too. Nowadays, she wouldn’t be seen not wearing the latest designer shoes, even in her own home.

We swing until I start to get sleepy. Landon gets up to leave since we both have to get up early. I reluctantly let him go, kissing him a few more times before his truck disappears down the drive.

CHAPTER 18

Landon

Olivia is the first thing I think about when I wake up each morning. Today is no different, even if I wake up before dawn to get to the farm. I love my days off, but I’m looking forward to seeing Olivia. She always looks so adorable when she’s tired. I just want to pull her into my arms and keep her there. . . Actually, I’d rather take her back to bed with me. But I’m sure Ms. Dottie wouldn’t be happy with that option.

I throw on my standard uniform of permanently stained jeans and a cutoff T-shirt. I used to wear shirts with sleeves, but they weren’t kidding about the whole farmer’s tan thing. After my first summer working at the farm, I cut the sleeves off all my work shirts. Learned my lesson.

Cam, Benny, and I pull up to Underwood Farms at the same time. After all these years, we have our routine down. We get there at the same time every morning; if someone’s late, something’s wrong.

“Morning, boys.” I greet them when I get out of my truck. I get two groggy “Mornings” back.

Benny jumps onto an UTV and takes off for the stables while Cam and I start herding the cattle for milking.

Olivia walks up after we’ve gotten most of the cows into the milking parlor. She looks sleepy, but there’s a soft smile on her face, which is new. I walk right over and kiss her. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

She smiles against my lips. “Good morning.”

As much as I want to kiss her all morning, Cam will get pissed if we waste too much time. It’s bad enough that I see him roll his eyes when we walk in holding hands.

Olivia puts on her gloves and gets right to work. She’s come so far since first starting. She doesn’t even gag when she cleans the udders now.

She does her job and gives me a little wave as she walks to the chickens.