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“Some days.”
She broke the cookie into tiny pieces on the plate. Mae reached out for a chocolate chip and put it in her mouth.
“I’ve only left Prairie Valley once, back when I was a kid.”
He took another cookie. “Afghanistan’s a really pretty country, with golden mountains and deep valleys. There’s a lot of green farmland, with snow in the higher elevations, but lots of barren desert, too.”
“I’ve always wanted to go somewhere, anywhere.” She stared at the container of cookies. “Someday.”
“So, you’re going to be watching Mae during the week?” he asked.
“Monday through Friday.”
He liked the idea of Hannah being just down the road.
Their conversation flowed as they nibbled cookies.
“How many animals do you have?”
“I have six cows right now. A dozen chickens, and a nasty rooster. Millie.” He looked down at the pig who sat patiently at his feet, waiting for a dropped crumb. “I’d like to get a dog, to run with.”
“No horse?”
He shook his head. A horse really wasn’t necessary for ranch work anymore, but he loved the romantic element, the feeling of being part of the organic flow of the herd as you worked cattle from horse back. He’d experienced it at the Gunderson ranch. Moving cows on a noisy 4-wheeler or snow machine just wasn’t the same. But for Jake’s tiny ranch, a horse just didn’t make economic sense. “I’d love to have one someday, though.”
“I’d love to get Emma one. She’s wild about horses.”
As soon as Mae finished her last drop of milk, she stood and said, “We should get back to the farm.”
“Sure.” He picked up the plate and got up from his chair.
Hannah adjusted Mae on her hip and brought the cups to the sink. “Say thanks to Mr. Malloy.”
“Please, call me Jake.” He waved to the baby. “Thank you for stopping over with those delicious cookies.”
Hannah’s cheeks blushed pink as he held her gaze.
“I’ll probably go on a walk tomorrow afternoon, if you two would like to join me and Millie?”
A small smile grew on her face. “We’d like that, wouldn’t we Mae?”
Mae clapped her tiny hands and pointed to Millie, who eyed the baby’s sticky hands. “Piggie!”
He opened the screen door for them and walked them back to the stroller.
He knew he should go back inside and check out that computer software she’d mentioned. If not that, then he should get back in the fields. He had no business wasting any part of his day. There was too much to do.
“Why don’t I walk you back?” he asked.
She smiled as she opened the shade on the stroller. “Sure.”
He grabbed Millie’s leash and walked beside her down the road, stopping at the end of the farm’s driveway.
“Thanks for the cookies,” he said again.
He was about to ask for her number but felt that might be too forward. So, he just watched as she walked away.
He looked forward to their next outing, and ignored the fact that he hadn’t mentioned Allison, and that she hadn’t mentioned Troy. What was he doing, getting involved in Hannah’s life? Sure, Troy wasn’t good for her, but neither was a messed-up soldier who couldn’t go a night without praying for some help.
