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“No reason,” I answered, taking a huge, deliberate taste of chili. “So, how’d they meet?”
“She was visiting one of her cousins around here and met up with Blaine at the bar, I believe,” Dad answered. “It’s too bad she doesn’t live any closer. If they’d at least stayed around the area and not gone all the way off to Plainville, Blaine could’ve at least continued to work for me. Now I’m going to have to find a new hand to hire.”
My back straightened. “Hire a new hand?”
He gave a worn-out sigh as he nodded. “I’m going to have a hell of a time, too. Not a lot of people have farming experience these days.”
“Hire Beck!” I blurted without thinking my words through. I just knew he needed work and my dad needed a new employee. It made perfect sense in my head.
But the other three people at the table gaped at me as if I’d lost my mind.
I flushed, hoping Beck wouldn’t care that I’d spoken for him. But he needed this. And I knew my dad would be a good, decent boss, who’d probably give him room and board too.
“He was a frat boy, sure,” I started on his behalf, growing more excited about the idea the longer I thought it through. “But he grew up on a farm. I’m sure he’d catch on quick.”
I met Beck’s gaze across the table and nodded encouragingly. He merely blinked back. I swallowed, saying nothing as he darted a glance between me and my dad.
“But I thought…” My dad shifted his gaze from Beck to me. “Well, I guess I made another assumption that you and Beck went to school together. Doesn’t he have to return to Granton for classes?” His eyebrows drew together suspiciously. “How exactly do you two know each other if you didn’t meet at college?”
“Oh, we met at Granton,” I assured, nodding quickly, while inside I cringed. I hadn’t planned on telling Dad Beck’s story until later this evening, after supper was full and warm in his belly and he’s stretched out comfortably in his lazy boy. “Beck was a…junior?”
When I turned beseechingly to Beckett, he quickly supplied, “Senior. I was in the middle of my second to last semester there.”
“But you’re not attending anymore?” Dad asked slowly.
“Um, no,” Beck flushed, meeting my gaze before turning back to my dad. “Due to, uh, unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, I won’t be returning to Granton University again.”
That answer only made my dad blink as he obviously grew more confused. “What was your major?”
“I was working toward an environmental science degree, specializing in land management,” Beck rattled off.
It took me a moment for that to sink in. When it did, I swerved a gasp his way. “Wait. That’s an agricultural degree.”
Beck nodded slowly. “It is.”
“But…” I shook my head, lost. “But you were in a fraternity.” This made no sense.
Beckett broke out into a grin, looking amused. “Yeah, the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.”
“Holy hell, were you really?” My dad seemed suddenly impressed. “I was in AGR when I went to college.”
My mouth not-so-literally dropped to the floor. “You were in a fraternity?”
My own father? I couldn’t believe it.
“You went to college?” Booth exclaimed, just as surprised.
Everyone ignored Booth, and Dad nodded to me. “I was. AGR is an agricultural-based fraternity, you know.”
No, I hadn’t known that at all.
Shock.
“But…But…” I whirled back accusingly to Beckett. “You never told me you were a real, true-blooded country boy.”
He shrugged as if confused by my shock. “You never asked.”
“But…but…”
