Page 8 of Bales and Brawn

“Why do I feel like I’m being guilt tripped into this?”

“You should go out and relax. It’ll do you some good,” Arlene says firmly. I don’t agree. I don’t find bars relaxing places, and I’m still of the same mind when I follow Nova and Sandy into the bar an hour later. Thankfully, I spot Hudson and Tig almost immediately. Despite being born and raised in Foggy Basin and knowing almost everyone in the town, I don’t have any friends. Hudson and Tig are about the closest. I didn’t have time for friends when I was younger. I had a baby brother to look after. I was also working on the farm while still at school and full time once I graduated. So I’ve never developed the skills necessary to make friends.

“Hi, Zane. How’s the feed store?” Hudson asks as soon as I reach them. I’m sure Jack and Issac can’t be too far away either.

“Yeah, alright thanks,” I reply, which is about the extent of my small talk.

“We met your new guy the other day. We played pool with him. He seems like a sound guy.”

“He’s not my guy,” I say gruffly. Why am I reminded of Devin everywhere I go? I can’t even go to the bar in a town I grew up in without his presence haunting me, and he hasn’t even been here a week. I grit my teeth as I imagine them all playing pool, enjoying themselves. Probably laughing about me. Maybe it was a mistake to come here. Perhaps I could leave now. I stand, and Nova appears from nowhere and grabs my arm.

“They’re doing karaoke,” he says excitedly. “You have to come and join in.”

“I was thinking about going home,” I reply.

“No, you can’t leave now. I’m going to sing. Please watch me sing.” Nova tips his head to one side and gives me his most winning smile. He knows I’ll never refuse him when he does that.

“Okay, I’ll stay to watch you sing,” I reply and receive a quick, crushing hug.

“You should sing too. Some Dolly. I know she’s your favorite.”

“No,” I reply sharply, thankful that he doesn’t press me and scampers away to confer with Sandy about what they’re going to sing. There’s absolutely nothing in this world that is going to make me get up there and sing in public.

CHAPTER FIVE

DEVIN

I stare at the pastries in the cabinet with indecision. Both the cinnamon rolls and the apple fritters look so good.

“Which would you suggest?” I ask the short, slim guy behind the counter.

“That’s a very personal choice. It depends what you’re in the mood for.” He laughs, and I can see I’m not going to get any help from him.

“I’ll just have to try them both, then,” I reply and see him smirk slightly. Maybe this was his tactic all along and I totally fell for it.

“Can you add five assorted donuts in as well, please?” I ask, and he grins. “They’re not all for me,” I say hastily, and he chuckles.

I start on the cinnamon roll first as I walk the road north to Dawson’s farm. Then the apple fritter completes my breakfast. Not the healthiest, but I’ll probably work it all off again, and I was too late this morning to go to the diner for breakfast. I’m not sure why I decided to buy donuts for everyone at the farm, though. Today is the end of my trial period, so maybe it was to soften the blow if Zane lets me go. Or to celebrate if he hires me. It’s certainly not a sweetener to help him choose. I don’t think that would work with Zane.

When I reach the farm I can see there are a couple of customers waiting, even though it’s early and the feed store isn’t open yet. Zane is already unlocking the door, so I put the donuts in the office and help him.

“Busy already,” I say to Zane, as he pulls his truck up and I start loading it for deliveries.

“Yep,” he agrees but doesn’t offer anything more. I keep glancing at him, trying to work out from his expression whether he’ll hire me or not. He stays as impassive as ever, though, so I give it up as a lost cause.

“Hi, Devin,” Nova calls as he appears across the yard.

“Hey, Nova.” I grin in greeting and receive one back. He helps me load the last of the feed sacks onto the truck.

“We had fun last night. You should have joined us,” he says.

“Why? What did you do?”

“We went to Pints and Pool and they were having a karaoke night.”

“Really? I didn’t know they held them.”

“Yep, every month. Do you like karaoke?”