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She arrived, coffee cup firmly in hand, and walked to the door, feeling very determined and hoping the look on her face was appropriately determined, as well.
He opened the door and regarded her with suspicion. “Morning.”
“Good morning.”
He looked down. “I thought I put a moratorium on those shoes.”
“You did. For outdoor work. But I would like to take a look at the paperwork.”
“Quinn...”
“Let me see it. It’s not going to kill you.”
Except he had a look on his face like it might.
“You know I can’t make you do anything. You really could uproot me like a carrot and drop-kick me, and we both know it.” She said it very gravely, which she thought he’d like. “But you let me come around. And I know you haven’t agreed to anything. I know that it’s been me talking over you and running over you, and I know that you think I’m a pain in the ass. Well, I am a pain in the ass. I have always been a pain in the ass. Just ask my dad. Or maybe you could ask my dad if he didn’t leave because I’m such a pain in the ass.”
She had been meaning to be funny, but her own words hit her with a strange sort of sharpness, and it made her heart ache. “Whatever. The point is, I get it. I am difficult. I have always been difficult. And I know that I kind of weaseled my way into this. But I really will help you, regardless of whether or not you help me.”
“Why?”
“To show you that we are committed to the community. To show you that I do just care.”
“You still think you’re going to get your way.”
And she stopped, sloshing coffee over the top of her little white shoe. And she howled. “Yes. I want my way. Dammit, Levi. Because my way is not unreasonable.”
“Quinn...” He slammed the door behind them. “Get in the truck.”
“What?”
“Just get in the truck, Quinn.”
And she was so stunned that she found herself turning and obeying him. Because he wasn’t angry now. He sounded...something else altogether.
Deeply, gruffly resigned to something she couldn’t quite figure out.
It wasn’t light out yet, and it was a little bit earlier than they had taken off on any of the other days, but he did have his work boots on already. He did not, however, have his coffee, and that made her feel like her life might be in danger.
“Levi...”
“Do what I said.”
So she did, climbing up into the passenger seat of the truck and closing the door behind her, buckling up.
It was weird to think that she hadn’t known this man just a few short days ago. Not at all. And now she felt like she knew him, and was currently caught up in one of his moods, and yet it felt somehow like...like it wasn’t wholly unfamiliar, and she wasn’t sure how that worked out.
She couldn’t do this math equation. It was frustrating.
He started up the engine and began to drive down the dirt road, the easement road, the one that she wanted access to.
“You need to see it. You need to see what my problem is. First of all,” he said, pointing out at the fields, where the cows were grazing, “these were all soybeans. For ten fucking years, Quinn. Tied up because...because of me. Because I made the decision that I made. Because I...I acted in haste. So keep that in mind as we go.” They kept on driving for a minute, and then he stopped, right in front of an oak tree. “Get out.”
She got out of the truck and walked over to the oak tree, where he was gesturing, but she did so slowly. And then she looked down. And saw them. The gravestones.
Belinda Granger, beloved mother. Miles Granger, beloved father.
His parents were buried here.
