“Yeah,” he replied, stifling a cough. “Do you need anything?”
I licked my bottom lip and stared at his boots instead of his penetrating gaze that I could feel burning my face with its warmth.
“I was wondering if I could come out with you. Give you a hand.”
“You don’t need to?—”
“I want to. It’s the least I could do.”
I looked up at him and his lips curved into a smile.
“I’m not going to say no to a couple of extra hands. But only if you really want to. And if you promise to tell me the moment you get tired and want to head back.”
“I pinky promise.” I raised my little finger in the air to drive my point home.
I didn’t expect Dare to actually lock his own pinky with mine. The sudden contact almost made me lose my balance and my common sense.
But I ground my teeth, swallowed the frog in my throat and steadied my body despite the tidal wave of shivers along my skin before I made a complete fool of myself.
“Okay, let’s go.” Dare pulled back and clapped his hands together, getting Lookah’s attention as the goats rushed into the living room bleeping incessantly.
I put my shoes and jacket on and just before we left, Dare handed me a scarf, and we were out the door.
I helped him load the goats in the back of the pickup truck and Lookah cozied up between us in the front seat. As Dare drove us to the fields, I snuggled into the scarf.
It smelled of him. A scent I couldn’t quite define but that was so distinctly his, that it soothed my soul with each inhale. By the time the car came to a stop I was drunk on his smell, and my body was covered in goosebumps that made me feel both weak and on edge.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I used all my strength to nod and jumped out of the car with Lookah on my tail.
All around us there were nothing but fields, the sky, and an endless supply of cool winter air. It helped kick my body into gear and I followed Dare around as he let the goats loose.
“It’s so pretty here,” I told him.
“You should see it when it’s in bloom. It’s even prettier.” He smiled.
“I bet. I’ll have to come back in the spring.”
Or maybe I’d still be here, but that was a thought I couldn’t even begin to entertain.
“So, what do you have to do when the plants are in hibernation?” I asked.
Dare leaned against his car and puffed up his chest as he took a deep breath.
“Lots of things. I start by checking if the irrigation system is working properly. I look to make sure there are no punctures or gaps, and all the plants are watered right. Then I start pruning dead branches, offshoots, and stunted branches. I’ll also prune if the bush is too dense, to ensure there’s good airflow and they’re not packed too tightly when they start blooming again, and to make sure each plant isn’t wasting too much energy. It can stunt the size of the crops if there are too many. Then I check the ground’s pH and lime, if necessary. Then I keep an eye on everything.”
“Oh wow. That sounds like a lot. And you do it all on your own?”
Dare shrugged and coughed softly.
“I have some part timers, but I can’t afford full help in winter so it’s mostly just me.”
The more I got to know this man, the more in awe of him I became. Was there anything he didn’t do? From pies to jams to tending to his farm, I was surprised he had any time to sleep or eat or, hell, even breathe.
And I’d been sitting on my ass all week, using his resources and baking cakes like a princess.
“Right. Put me to work, boss. What do I need to do?”
