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He looked at the ceiling and regretted everything about that moment.
The first person he saw when he walked into the reception was Hannah. She stood behind the serving counter, wrapped in an apron and looking like a Rembrandt angel.
Allison dropped his arm, suddenly noticing the direction of his gaze. Under her breath, she said, “I guess that’s why your mother was the one who invited me.”
The hall was full of farmers and ranchers. Pastor Anita welcomed the crowd and thanked those helping with the meal and prep. Jake looked at Hannah, and her eyes were on him. Allison squeezed his arm, nudging closer to him.
“Dear Father,” Pastor Anita began the blessing. Hannah’s head bowed, and Jake finally looked away. He felt a bit rattled, shaken and uncomfortable as he stood there, praying for a good season. “Give these men and woman a spring of equal rain and warm sun, a summer free of drought and disease, and a harvest so bountiful it will feed our community. We give thanks to you, oh Lord, for providing the rain and the sun, the earth and the seed, and the patience to get through all our hardships.”
The room was completely silent as people listened and prayed. But all Jake could think about was the fact that Hannah had smiled at him.
When the blessing was done, everyone got in line for the meal. The closer he got to Hannah, the closer Allison clung to him. He wished he had never come. He wished a lot of things at that moment.
“Hi.” She smiled when he greeted her, a warm, welcoming kind of smile. “It’s nice to see you.”
Allison squeezed his arm and pointed to the tables. “We should sit, before there are no spots left.”
He smiled back at Hannah and said to Allison, “I’ll meet you there.”
She gave him a look, and Hannah another. Her eyebrows were raised in annoyance. “Fine.”
He just wanted to do the right thing, and that was to apologize. “Look, Hannah, I just want to say I’m–”
“It’s fine,” she interrupted him. “Allison’s right, the seats fill up fast, you should go.”
She scooped up another serving and turned to the next person in line.
“Hannah.” He didn’t move, and Mr. Anderson went around him.
She lifted an empty serving dish. “I should go get some more food from the kitchen.”
With that, she was gone.
During the meal, he listened to the old timers tell their horror stories about farming. The ’69 flood, the drought of ’84, and the millennial beetle infestation. Allison didn’t say a word and his mother never stopped talking, ignoring the disaster right in front of her.
As the meal ended and people started to leave, he turned to Allison when his mother was distracted by another conversation. He was a dirty rotten scoundrel.
“Is there something going on between you and that girl?” she asked.
How could he explain that there wasn’t anything between them, but he hoped someday there might be? He was a fool, and he knew it.
“I think I may have feelings for her.”
She let out a short, shocked laugh, then tears sprang into her eyes before sliding down her cheeks.
“I’m really sorry.”
“No, you’re not,” she hissed, jerking her head around to see who might be watching. “You always just think of yourself. You’re the most selfish person I know, Jake Malloy.” She stood up dramatically, grabbing her purse. She stared down at him, her face red with anger. “How could you just lead me on like you did?”
She was right. He had been a flat-out jerk for not doing this sooner.
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“Whatever. You’ll never be happy, you enjoy being miserable too much.”
Elaine sat open-mouthed, watching Allison stomp away.
“What just happened?” she asked.
