Susan ignored the demand. “Do you think Maggie and Connor would come for dinner with us?”
“What am I? Chopped liver?” Julia demanded. “Ryan and Caleb are due home in two days. What if I organize Christina and Caleb to look after the club? Ryan and Connor would love to help chaperone.”
“I demand a secret in exchange,” Christina’s eyes twinkled behind her glasses. “That’s fair. And I get to tell Caleb the secret too.”
Susan huffed out a sigh. “Deal,” she said. “But you don’t get your secret until Tyler confirms he’s coming up to Auckland. I’ll email him back and see if he can visit next weekend. That will give him time to arrange a sitter, and we’ll have time to sort things out here.”
“Tell him not to book a hotel,” Julia said. “Caleb won’t mind Tyler bunking at the apartment with him. I think Caleb gets a bit lonely now that Ryan and I are renting our own place.”
“Go and email Tyler back right now,” Christina said. “I want my secret tonight, so I can gloat to Julia and Maggie. If I have to put up with the handsome, sexy Caleb, I want compensation.”
Her friend’s comment had Susan chuckling as she hurried back to the office. Christina and Caleb had become good friends, and they were continually trying to fix each other up. They entertained themselves and everyone else by telling outrageous stories about their blind dates.
Dear Tyler,
I’d love to meet you in person. Would next weekend work for you? My friend Julia said you can stay at Caleb’s apartment—that’s her husband’s best friend—so don’t bother booking a room anywhere. Julia and Maggie plus their husbands have offered to chaperone me. You’d better be on your best behavior because both Maggie and Julia are protective mother-hens. Don’t tell them I told you that or I’ll have to break a part of your person. I’ve done a self-defense class, so you’ve been warned.
The date was another disaster. I embarrassed myself, yet again. When it comes to your brother, I seem to develop foot-in-mouth disease. It was a bit different this time though. I mislaid my verbal filter. I hope the director decides to cut my portion because I’m still cringing at the memory. Yeah…are you sure you want to meet me?
Anyhow. Movin’ on… Does your brother have a thing for blondes? I wondered because I’m the only woman left with dark hair.
At this stage, I’m not sure who made the next cut. Jennifer decided to up the suspense and film the guys making their choices at a separate location. She said she didn’t want to take the chance of a leak and it gave them a bit longer to weigh the pros and cons of each woman. Her assistant is going to ring the successful applicants a couple of hours before the show airs.
I hope next weekend works for you because I’m looking forward to meeting you.
Susan
Thursday was sale day, and Tyler rose early to check on the cattle they’d mustered the previous afternoon. The truck to cart them to the sale grounds arrived half an hour late. A puncture, the harried driver explained.
With the cattle safely loaded, Tyler took care of shifting a paddock of ewes and fed the chooks for Josie. Katey had already departed for kindergarten when he arrived back at the house for a quick breakfast.
“Trouble?” Eric asked. “I was about to come looking for you.”
“The truck had a puncture. No point both of us getting up so early,” Tyler said. Eric and Josie had done so much for him. Taking care of the early morning chores was nothing in exchange.
Eric checked his watch. “I’m going to head off and meet Jock and Buck for a late breakfast before the sale.”
“Sorry, Tyler,” Josie said. “You’ll have to eat on your own. Eric is dropping me at Janet’s. We’re going shopping.”
The elderly couple departed with hurried farewells, leaving Tyler to himself. He’d catch up with them tonight and ask about looking after Katey during the weekend.
Hours later, Tyler settled in front of the television alone. Katey was in bed and Eric and Josie had decided to have dinner with friends before heading home. The opening credits came on forFarmer Seeks a Wifeand anticipation swirled within him.
“Welcome to the second installment ofFarmer Seeks a Wife.” Hailee bubbled, her words punctuated by her trademark bright smile. “I don’t know about you, but I’m eager to learn what happened during our farmers’ second date. Let’s see, shall we? Over to our first farmer, Ray.”
Tyler watched impatiently. He heard a car outside, hit live pause and jumped up to make a pot of tea.
“Farmer Seeks a Wifeis on now if you want to watch,” he said the moment Josie walked into the kitchen. Tyler reached for her shopping bags, several of which were emblazoned with the emblem of a local department store, and relieved her of their weight. “Where do you want these? In your bedroom?”
“Yes, please,” Josie said. “Oh, good you’ve started to make tea.”
“Does Eric need a hand?” Tyler asked on his return.
“Yes,” Eric said, depositing a box of vegetables on the counter. “This woman shopped today.”
Josie elbowed her husband. “Shush. Stop complaining. We received top dollar for our beef at the sale.”
Grinning, Tyler trotted out to the garage to grab the rest of the shopping. It took two trips and by the time he’d finished, the tea was ready to pour.
