“We’re not socialist here. You’re not supposed to try to help everyone else at the expense of yourself.”
“No. But I’m a Christian. Christianity is an individual thing, socialism is something that’s forced on a society by their government. I definitely do not believe in socialism at all. The government doesn’t have the right to tell citizens what they may and may not buy or what they may or may not have, or to institute controls regarding those things. However, me as an individual is completely different.”
“But it sounds to me like you feel comfortable that you’re doing what God wants you to do, and I told you, you lifted the burden of stress and worry off my shoulders and have given me the best of both worlds. I think it’s turned out perfectly. By the way, these pancakes are amazing,” she said, waving her fork around before she put it in her mouth.
“Thank you. The kids didn’t seem to have any trouble eating them, but they didn’t tell me that they tasted okay. So I was left wondering if they’re just bottomless pits, or whether the pancakes just tasted that good.”
“I can’t really speak to the anatomy of your children’s stomachs, however, I do believe it’s a genetic thing, so perhaps you can think about your own stomach and answer that question without my help. As for me, the pancakes are amazing.”
He smiled and nodded, and they ate a little bit more.
“I guess, now that you brought it up, if there comes a point where I get serious about someone, I’ll have to talk to them about you. Because you’re here. And I’m not making you go anywhere. The offer stands.”
“Well, we did say that you would give me two months’ notice if I had to vacate the premises. It makes sense that if you get married, your wife probably wouldn’t appreciate having me around. So maybe I can just plan on moving out if you get married.” It would be awkward to stay. Especially with the way she was fighting her feelings. He obviously was completely oblivious, but the idea of getting married to someone else was something that he was considering.
Something told her that she wasn’t going to be able to stay here if he was with someone else. Maybe it was a woman’s intuition, or maybe it was just her being realistic, but regardless, she was almost one-hundred-percent sure that was true.
“Maybe by the time I find someone, we can have the apartment over the stable finished, and that might be an option as well.”
“Possibly,” she said, and she maybe would be able to do that. If she lived above the stable, she wouldn’t have to come to the house at all, although it would be hard to see Gilbert with someone else, enjoying his family and being affectionate with another woman.
She was an adult though. She could handle it.
She wanted to think that, but she wasn’t entirely sure it was true.
They finished the pancakes, gobbled down the scones, and got up to do the dishes themselves.
The trash was where she always had it, in the most obvious place between the sink and the refrigerator.
It was funny how things changed but didn’t.
“It looks like we’re going to have another gorgeous fall day, which probably is the best time for fixing fence.”
“I agree. I’ve fixed fence in some inclement weather, and it’s not fun at all. In fact, the last time I did it, I’m pretty sure I smashed my thumb and lost my nail over it.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. It’s the hazards of the job, I suppose.”
They finished up the dishes and walked out together, with Summer feeling torn. On the one hand, she was having a great time and possibly falling in love with this man who didn’t seem to notice her in that way at all. Maybe their discussion about how much older he was than her, and how she didn’t have any children and was from a different age group, who couldn’t understand people who did have kids, had made him decide she wasn’t worth looking at.
Regardless, that feeling was tempered with the enjoyment she felt being with him.
Chapter Twenty
“And then the mother told me that it was the father who needed the therapy, not the kids!” Summer ended her story, and Gilbert barked out a laugh.
She was funny, she knew how to poke fun at herself, and she didn’t mind him laughing at her too.
They’d fixed eight or nine places in the fence that needed some attention, and together they were walking back through the far end of the pasture toward the house.
He wanted to find a few more holes in the fence to fix, but as much as he searched, he couldn’t find anything. He just wanted their time together to never end.
“I really appreciate you coming out with me today.”
“Of course. I appreciate you telling me that you were doing it. After all, it’s my horses that are going to benefit.”
“That might be true, but?—”
