I dismount and get on Cane’s left, holding the reins. “Let’s just walk it together.”
I take him to where we’d start racing if we were doing it for real. We walk, and I give him soothing words all the way. We go through the cloverleaf pattern two, then three times before I decide that’s good. I give Cane plenty of pets and a mint as I untack him, muck his stall, and put him in his spot for the day.
It was hard, but we did it. Cane had shit to work through and so did I.
The deeper I get into this summer on this peach farm, the more sure I am that this is exactly where I’m meant to be right now.
FORTY-FOUR
DARCY
A fish leapsout of the pond and Caleb tugs his line.
“I honestly didn’t believe you that there are fish out here.”
Caleb just smirks. “Told you.”
I survey the area surrounding it, swinging my legs off the dock. “I just don’t get it. The little bit of the creek that feeds into this is so narrow. I don’t see how any fish eggs could float down here.”
He chuckles under his breath. “Fish eggs are pretty tiny, Darce.”
“I guess,” I say, then hook my arm around his shoulder. “I don’t like that summer’s already half over and then I have to lose you. You sure you don’t want to farm forever?”
He sucks air through his teeth. “I am so sorry to say that plumbing has a far higher income potential.”
“But there’s poop,” I try.
He glares at me. “There are actual barrels of poop in the barn. At least with plumbing, it’s in the pipes.”
“And overflowing toilets,” I argue.
He laughs. “I guess there’s that. Wish I could say I was going to do all new builds, but there’s not as much of that these days.”
“You mean, not as many new things getting built?”
“Yeah. Not a lot of people moving to the area, you know.”
“Yeah. Makes me wonder what I’m doing signing up to live here again.”
Caleb shrugs. “Progress isn’t always a good thing. Nothing wrong with working with what you’ve got. I’m sure your family’s happy to have you close again.”
“They are. And if you think you get to abandon me after this summer, you are mistaken. I will plague you for the rest of your days.”
I lean back and spy Jake approaching the house. I call his name and clap a few times until he sees us. Caleb scowls at me. “Scaring off all my fish.”
“It’s high time I got to work anyway.”
“Can’t believe Mr. Lover didn’t stay with you last night.”
I stand, dusting my hands on my jeans. “When he gets back late, he doesn’t want to disturb me. Plus, it’s not like we’re married.”
“Yet,” he grumbles.
I stick my tongue out at him. “Sorry for making the most of a challenging time in my life.”
He sticks his tongue out right back. “We don’t all have that privilege.”
I squint at him. “I’m digging into that more later, Caleb Gibson.”
