“Tuck’s been texting about it nonstop,” Momma added. “I’ve been praying so hard for both him and Rosie.”
Deacon hadn’t been doing that, but he made a mental note to add Tuck and Rosie and Bobbie Jo to his prayers that evening.
“All right, well, I better go,” he said. “It’s not a good idea to show up late on the first date when she lives next door to you.” He chuckled, glad when his momma and daddy did too, and the call ended.
Deacon silenced his phone and stowed it in his back pocket as he left the bathroom of the generational house where he lived. Hunter and Molly and their kids lived in the main farmhouse, and if Deacon ever got married and had children, he knew that place would become his one day.
“Lord,” he sighed out as he left the house and took quick steps down to the front sidewalk. He turned right and headed across the lawn toward the family barns and stables. On theother side of that ran the dirt road that led straight through the cabin community where the hired help at the farm lived.
Alaska shared a cabin with another woman from the staff—Ruth. Deacon hoped he wouldn’t have to go through a rigorous round of roommate questioning before he could take Alaska to dinner. His legs felt especially tired as he went up the front steps and knocked on the door.
Ruth opened it and stepped back, her face alight with a healthy glow. “Hey, Deacon,” she said. “Alaska just ran down the hall to grab her earrings.”
“I’m right here,” Alaska called, bursting out of the hallway in the small cabin with both hands still fiddling at her right ear. “I’m ready.”
She wore an enormous smile to go with her little black dress, and Deacon was really glad he had put on a collared shirt with buttons down the front and his best brown leather jacket.
“Wow, you look great,” he said.
She tipped up onto one toe and cocked her red cowboy boots. “It’s the boots, right? They really make the look.”
Deacon grinned at her, his heart sending out an extra beat, though he hadn’t really felt anything romantic for Alaska before now. “Oh, it’s the boots, all right,” he said.
She came over to him, and Deacon put one hand lightly on her back as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Are you ready for dinner?”
“I amstarving,” Alaska said, her usual exuberance on display. “And I hope you packed your platinum credit card, cowboy, because I want the surf and turf.”
Deacon chuckled and offered her his arm. “I’ve only got the one card, Alaska, but I think it’ll cover your surf and turf.” He nodded to Ruth. “Good to see you, Ruth.”
She giggled. “You too, Deacon,” and he finally escaped the cabin with Alaska on his arm.
Normally that contact disappeared pretty quickly as they had to go down steps and navigate back over to his house to get his truck. But Alaska slipped her hand into his the moment they reached the bottom of the stairs, and Deacon glanced over at her.
Heat filled his face, because he wasn’t sure how he felt about holding hands with Alaska, and he didn’t want to give her the wrong impression. He also didn’t want to yank his hand away and make everything awkward before they’d even left the property.
So, while his discomfort continued to stream through him, and he second-guessed even asking her out, he continued to hold her hand as he led her back toward the generational house and his truck.
Why does dating have to be so hard?he thought, glad at least that Alaska seemed able to carry a conversation almost entirely on her own with only an occasional nod or hum from him.
At the same time, that wasn’t the kind of relationship he wanted to have, and after he got Alaska situated in the passenger seat of his truck and walked around the hood to get behind the wheel, he knew he would not be the one to ask her on a second date—and he would have to turn her down if she suggested it.
Talk about awkward,he thought.And this is why you should not date anyone who works and lives here on the farm.
Hadn’t he learned that lesson yet?
Apparently not.
fourteen
Tarr padded around the kitchen in the mansion, putting together a quick and simple breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon.
After all, his momma always made him this breakfast on his birthday. He snapped a picture to send to his parents before pouring maple syrup over his pancakes.
His momma had texted him at 3:14 that morning—the exact minute he’d been born, thirty-three years ago—to say happy birthday.
He’d chatted with her already that morning, and now he sent the picture of pancakes and bacon, along with the words,Love you guys. I hope you have an amazing day today.
You too,Daddy said.And happy birthday.
