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“She actually seems like a nice girl,” Miles said.
It made Peter pause. That was a lot more than Miles normally said. Ever since his wife walked out, he’d been soured on the female gender in general. It had been a whole year before his wife contacted him and demanded to be able to see her little girl. Like Miles had been keeping her from her or something. Which hadn’t been the slightest bit true.
Peter thought about what Miles had just said—that Norma Jean seemed like a nice girl. A light bulb went on Peter’s head. The first time, quite possibly, he had an idea about getting two people together in a romantic way.
Maybe desperation was the mother of invention, because if he did this, it would not only guarantee that Norma Jean wouldn’t be in his house trying to push Sally out of a nursing position, but it might actually get two people together who...could be quite compatible.
“Do you think she would be able to learn to do some things on the farm?” Peter asked, trying to sound casual and not desperate.
“Um... What do you mean?” Miles said, his brows drawn down. “She’s already doing the accounting. Do you mean ordering stuff?”
“No. Although, she could.” A lot of times that involved being around the animals and just seeing what was needed. Making a list and having it be delivered. There were some things they ordered in bulk, and they had grain bins and bulk storage, but there were other things they didn’t use a whole lot at a time and just ordered small quantities. Like minerals and certain types of grain that they fed to several of their older horses. Hog feed, since they only had three pigs, and bedding that they used with the horses when they needed to be on stall rest. Those types of things.
“I suppose she could. It’s not that there’s anything we do that’s rocket science.”
“Could she drive a tractor?”
“Probably. She apparently drives a car. There’s one parked at the office, and I assumed it was hers.”
Peter mentioned the color and make and model of her car.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Well, maybe she could...not take over for me but give you a hand. I will continue to pay her, since I’m putting you out.”
“These things happen. I know you’d do the same for me. You don’t have to feel like you owe me anything.”
“No, really. I insist. If she’s actually a help, she can go over with you and do the things that I have over there.”
“Well, that might be possible, but if Wanda doesn’t show up, I’ll end up with Holly.”
“I’m sure we can watch Holly here some. Sally is going to be around taking care of me, and she might be okay with Holly giving her a hand occasionally.”
Miles glanced over his shoulder. “I think you might be a big enough handful for Sally. I wouldn’t want to overburden her.”
“It would not be a burden. Holly is as sweet of a child as I’ve ever seen. She makes everyone she meets smile.”
Miles smiled a little, and Peter hid his satisfied smirk. Miles’s one soft spot was Holly. He loved her beyond measure and would do anything for her.
“I suppose I could try. But the first time Norma Jean takes a tractor through the fence, I’m done.”
“As long as it’s your fence,” Peter said, feeling better than he had the last hour. This could be the best idea he ever had.
Of course, it could end up exploding in his face and be the absolute worst idea he ever had too. It was hard to tell. Until a person actually lived through it, he couldn’t really tell what the results were going to be. Especially when it came to matters of the heart.
“I’ll go pick Holly up and see what Norma Jean says. She doesn’t exactly look like the truck-driving type, but you can’t always judge a book by its cover.”
“You can never judge a book by its cover,” Peter said, thrilled that it sounded like Miles was going to go along with his crazy scheme.
It wasn’t a “crazy scheme.” It was a help.
Help for both of them, possibly.
“All right. I’ll call you later, let you know what I find out. And I’ll tell you what Norma Jean says.”
“All right.”
They talked for a couple more minutes with Miles telling him what all he did that day. Although Peter paid attention, he wasn’t really listening. He felt like he had solved his problems, and he might have actually done Miles a favor.
