I hold my hands up. “Will I ever be free of your meddling ways, Hud?”
Hudson looks at me like I’ve lost my marbles. His white eyebrows are quirked, and his wrinkled face amused. “Not today, boy.”
I shake my head, and then I wink at the same time Hudson does, making both of us chuckle.
“Go woo your wife, boy,” Hudson says before slowly walking toward the refreshments table.
“Don’t have to tell me twice, old man,” I say, just loud enough for him to hear.
I turn back to Holly, happy to see the mirth in her eyes.
“I want to take you on an absolutely romantic walk to go feed peaches to my pet cow. It’ll be the most romantic thing you’ve ever done.”
“Really?” Her voice is filled with sarcasm.
I shrug. “Okay, maybe not, but I do want you to meet my pet cow, McDonald.”
Her nose wrinkles, but she hasn’t said no yet.
“I can do the feeding. You can just watch.”
She tilts her head as she considers my compromise. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Yes!” I hop up and shove the rest of the brownie in my mouth before grabbing her hand, pulling her up from her chair.
We walk around the house and I hop on one of the ATVs we drive around the farm. Holly hops on behind me and wraps her arms around my waist. I drive the few minutes to the pasture where we keep our small herd of cattle. I park next to the bucket of peaches I picked and pitted earlier and left here for this very purpose.
I look around and spot McDonald a few yards down the fence. We hop off and I hold the bucket in one hand and Holly’s hand in the other. As we approach McDonald, Holly’s nose scrunches.
“Your nose is wrinkling again.” I tease.
She grimaces. “I can’t help it. It stinks out here.”
I inhale deeply, the smell of manure so familiar that it doesn’t bother me anymore. “Ah yes, the sweet scent of fertilizer.”
She bumps her shoulder into mine. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand the appeal, farm boy.”
I squeeze her hand. “That’s okay, Buttercup. You’re mi princesa, you don’t have to.”
Her small smile warms my heart and before I can kiss her, the lowing of a cow breaks the moment. Holly steps back, her eyes wide as McDonaldapproaches. I take him in, all thousand plus pounds and golden red hide lumbering toward the fence.
Her wide eyes are almost comical. “This is the first time I've seen a cow. I mean, I’ve seen them from the car, but I’ve never been this close before.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “It’s so big it could eat me.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. “Buttercup, a cow will never eat you. They might step on ya, but no way could they eat you. They’re pretty gentle creatures and they love peaches—as long as you take the pits out.”
I drop her hand and walk with the bucket up to McDonald. I set the bucket down and reach out to scratch his head. “Hey boy, I brought my wife for a visit. She’s never seen a cow up close before. You be a good boy, and maybe she’ll pet ya and give ya a little scratch. I brought your favorite treat today: peaches.”
McDonald moos, and I reach down, palming a peach and holding it out to him. I stroke the hair between his eyebrows as he lips up the juicy fruit. Slobber and peach juice cover my fingers, which I wipe off on my Walmart jeans. Ain’t no way I’m taking the fancy jeans Holly got me out on the farm.
“Eww.”
Holly stands five feet away, her gaze riveted on my hand, which now has another peach in it. McDonald grabs it, and Holly gags as she spies the slobber covering my fingers again.
Okay, so maybe my hopes she would come pet McDonald were a little too high.
I wiggle my fingers at her and she shudders, her eyes closing as if I just puked in front of her and she has a weak stomach.
Uh oh. Maybe she does have a weak stomach.
