“Don’t worry about that,” I said quickly.
Sydney crossed her arms, looking skeptical. “What do you mean?”
I swallowed. “I mean, our farm broke your car, so we can fix it.”
She was silent for a long moment, and I could tell everyone was tense. Everyone except Matilda, that is. She was fully focused on her meal. “I can’t just pass you because you’re fixing our car.”
Though he tried to hide it, I could hear Blake turn his snort into a cough. “I wouldn’t even dare dream of it, darlin,” I said, turning up the charm a bit.
And though Matilda’s cheeks did redden when I did, Sydney’s stone-hard resolve never wavered. “Fine, I accept. We should probably get to work.” With that, she took the final chug of her coffee and stood, walking toward the door.
I got up and followed obediently, even though she hadn’t said anything. I was quite shocked at her nonreaction. The Hoffmans were notorious charmers, and I had gotten that gene is spades, but none of that seemed to matter to her.
"Shouldn’t you wait for your colleague?" I asked.
She looked back at Matilda, who was reading the newspaper in front of her, still eating. "I think we can come back for her."
"Sounds good."
"Don't worry," Mom said. "I'll send her your way when she's done."
"Great. We're going out to the western barn; I still need to fix that fence."
She nodded, and Sydney and I made our way towards the door. Before we exited, she paused and turned. “Thank you for breakfast.”
My mother smiled. “You’re welcome dear. Anytime.” I'd dropped all the tools I needed out there last night, so instead of taking the truck, we walked our way over.
As we went, she looked around, seeming to take interest in everything. It was hard to tell, because her face didn’t change much, but her eyes were shining.
“First time on a farm?” I asked.
She faced me suddenly, and it felt like being under a microscope. I’d never had anyone look at me in such a critical light, and it made me almost nervous. I’d never been nervous talking to anyone. Not when I gave farmhands who had been here my whole life instructions, or when I argued with my father before I took over the farm.
Sydney made me nervous, though.
“Maybe,” she finally replied. “But I’m very competent at my job.”
“I wasn’t questioning that. You just seem more like the city type.”
“Born and raised,” she said in a no-nonsense way that made my cock threaten to rise.
I opened the barn to see the cows were back where they should be. They all looked antsy to get out, so I opened it up to allow them to graze. I’d be standing in front of the hole patching it up so we wouldn’t have any more escapees. I didn’t see Milkshake, but when she got out, she was always the hardest to track down.
“Is there anything I can get you?" I asked.
She pulled out a tablet from her bag, and her eyes were suddenly glued to it. “You know that won’t work out here right? No internet?” I asked at her non-response.
“I knew there wouldn’t be internet, this is just for my notes and photos, which don’t require that. And I’m fine, just want to get started.”
"Oh-kay."
With that, I got to work and left her to her observation.
Though my eyes never wandered far.
Chapter four
Sydney
