“Barney?”
“Short for Barnabas.”
“Of course.” She smiled. “Both the girls were still asleep when I snuck out, but that’s been almost an hour now.”
He reached for his phone, then put it back. “I’d remind her but letting her do this on her own is part of growing up.”
“When does the auction start?”
“Ten. But prospective buyers start checking out the livestock at nine, so you want them at their best.”
Now Jewel felt nervous for Anna’s sake. But she understood what Miguel was saying about the girl learning responsibility. Still, she pulled out her phone. “I think I’ll check how Mom is getting along.” She sent a quick text and was reassured that all was fine and that Marta had actually spent the night in Honeymoon Cottage.
Jewel laughed as she relayed the text. “She said they had a slumber party.” And there’s a text from Cooper too, saying they’re with Barney.
Miguel looked relieved. “I could use another cup of coffee. How about you?”
“You’re reading my mind.” She watched as he went for more coffees. He looked so handsome in his blue-and-white plaid snap shirt, Wranglers, and a sharp black felt hat. As he talked to the older woman in the booth, her eyes lit up, and Jewel could tell he was saying something pleasant. He was always so polite to everyone.
They were just finishing their second coffees and getting ready to check on the girls and the calf when a couple of fellow farmers came over to chat with Miguel about harvest time and whose crops would be ready first.
“I’ll go check on the girls in the barn.” She gathered their empty cups. She knew this harvest talk was important since neighboring farms shared combines and bailers and other machinery to allow them to use state-of-the-art equipment for a fraction of the cost.
“Meet ya in there,” he told her.
She dropped the empty cups in the trash barrel, then headed toward the stall area where Miguel had pointed out Anna’s calf yesterday. She didn’t see Cooper around, but she spotted Anna. Like her dad, she had on a crisp blue-and-white shirt and Wranglers, and her hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail. She was talking to a tall man whose back was to Jewel. Hopefully an interested bidder.
“Mom,” Cooper hissed in Jewel’s ear, making her jump. “Come this way.”
“Huh?” Jewel was confused. “What’s—”
“That’s Anna’s uncle,” Cooper whispered as she led Jewel out the back door.
Jewel blinked. “Aaron? Seriously?”
“Yeah. He just showed up and started asking about her calf, and I thought maybe I should disappear.”
“Interesting.” Jewel glanced at the nearby manure heap. “Can we go someplace else to wait?”
“Oh, Mom, don’t be a wimp.” Just the same, Cooper led her around to the side where some benches were set up.
“So he was asking about her calf?” Jewel prodded. “Is he going to bid?”
“I don’t think that’s why he came.” Cooper sat down, crossing her arms in front of her with a wrinkled forehead.
“Was he being nice to Anna?”
“I guess. I mean, he wasn’t being rude or anything. But it was sort of weird. And I could tell Anna was pretty shocked to see him.”
“I can imagine.” Suddenly she remembered she’d told Miguel she’d meet him there and felt concerned. Despite Miguel’s resolve to forgive his brother-in-law, she knew that Aaron could be a real piece of work. What if he said something and the two men got into an argument?
“I, uh, think I’ll check on Miguel,” she told Cooper. “He might be caught off guard to see Aaron here. I’ll give him a heads-up.”
“Good thinking. That could be awkward.”
Jewel hurried back to the coffee kiosk, but Miguel wasn’t there. So she headed back to the barn in time to see Aaron and Miguel in what looked like a conversation that could become heated, with Anna standing by with a slightly helpless expression. Feeling protective of Miguel, she hurried over and, linking her arm into his, looked at Aaron.
“What are you doing here?” Aaron asked with a furrowed brow.
