Resisting Rose, page 3
Tate pulled the pizza from the small oven and set it on the cardboard box to cool. Tonight, there would be no alarm at three o’clock. A full night’s sleep would do him well, but he couldn’t regret the hours spent in the barn with the animals. And Rose.
She was really something. The whole family was special. Before this job, he hadn’t stayed anywhere longer than a year. But there was something about the Bloom family that pulled you in. He remembered his first interview with Laura Bloom. Her kind eyes and genuine smile brought back memories of his own mother—memories from before she’d lost her shine.
They’d chatted casually over coffee in the dining room, the rolling green hills with neat rows of produce painting the perfect landscape out the window. He’d been eighty percent sure he would be turned down for the job based on the interview. She’d asked about his work history and gently probed further when he mentioned his family ranch. A phone call from his father earlier in the week had all his feelings raw and exposed again, and his answer to Laura had been less than kind.
When he got the call from Poppy about the next steps for the job, he’d been shocked. He could still feel Laura’s urge to mother him when he joined the family for dinner, but mostly she was kind and supportive and left him alone. Though he knew if he needed anything, the Blooms would step up and help him as though he were family. That was hard to find in a job.
The following weekend, he knocked on Hawthorne’s door. Josh, who had married Lily Bloom three years ago, opened the door and waved him in.
“Hey, man, come on in. I thought you might be the pizza.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” Tate joked. He took off his coat and slipped off his boots. Lily had a reputation as a neat freak, and he was not going to invite her wrath.
He followed Josh back to the living room, where Hawthorne and Emmett were waiting. Emmett was married to another of Hawthorne’s sisters, Lavender. He glanced around. “Lance coming tonight?”
Hawthorne shook his head. “No, apparently Daisy is under the weather.”
Tate looked to Josh for an interpretation of Hawthorne’s pointed tone.
Josh shrugged. “We’re guessing pregnant, but they haven’t announced yet.”
Tate smiled. “Nice. Laura will be thrilled, I’m sure.”
Hawthorne laughed. “No kidding. She’s been subtly hinting that Magnolia and Henry should have cousins by now.”
“We’ve been trying,” Emmett admitted quietly from his place on the sofa.
A look of surprise crossed Hawthorne’s face. “Whoa, that’s huge!” Emmett nodded, but his smile was tight.
“It’s been almost a year, but no luck.”
“Oh, man. That sucks.” Josh laid a hand on Emmett’s shoulder. “Can we do anything?”
“It’s been really hard on Lavender. We don’t know yet if there is anything wrong, but pretty soon we’ll start talking to doctors. Apparently, there is something about trying a full year before they’ll help you.”
“We’ll be praying,” Josh said firmly.
“Thanks.” Their conversation was interrupted by the doorbell and Hawthorne stood up.
“That’s the pizza. Help yourself to the drinks in the fridge while I go grab it.”
Video games weren’t exactly his scene, but Tate enjoyed his time with Hawthorne and the others. It was always a bit unexpected for him when they talked so openly about their faith. When he was growing up, church was something that they did as a family, but only on Sundays. The rest of the week, Jesus wasn’t even an afterthought.
Even though he’d been going to church with Rose and her siblings for a year or two, it felt like he was missing something. Rose helped with the high school group during the week, and Lavender was apparently some big author and speaker. Tate believed in God. There was no way he could see the way his crops grew and the way the animals were created without believing that there was a Creator. But other than church on Sunday, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do.
There was something different about his friends here though. They talked about Jesus like He was their friend. Like He cared about their lives and helped them through stuff.
Maybe he could ask Rose about it. He shook the thought away as quickly as it came. She wouldn’t understand. Her life had been worlds different from his own. Maybe their deep faith was just another way the Bloom family legacy was different from the Russell’s.
5
Rose woke up early to finish chores and stole downstairs to grab a shower before everyone showed up. Brunch at Bloom’s Farm was a family tradition and the one time each week when the family got together.
When she emerged upstairs, the peppery scent of sausage gravy hit her nose. Magnolia and Henry were sitting on Keith’s lap as he did an animated reading of Wonky Donkey in his recliner by the fireplace. Rose grinned at their little giggles. She never knew if Poppy and Harrison would be there, but it was always a welcome surprise.
Rose ducked between conversations, heading for the coffee maker. She tapped her brother Hawthorne on the shoulder, then passed him on the other side. She grinned when he spun in a circle, looking for the culprit.
“Good morning, Mom.”
“Good morning, sweetheart. Everything okay with the animals?”
“All good. We even had some eggs today.” In the winter, their chickens laid far fewer eggs. There were enough for the immediate family, but no extra. Come summer, they would have enough to sell at farmers’ markets or with the CSA baskets Tate managed.
She looked around the kitchen, despite knowing that Tate wouldn’t be there. Brunch was for family only and always had been. Tate had come to Sunday dinners or Thanksgiving celebrations over the years, but not to brunch.
It felt like he should be here though. Every week, she looked around for his familiar face and crooked smile, expecting him to raise his coffee cup to her in greeting. Instead, she grabbed her own mug and leaned back against the counter.
Daisy sat on a barstool, her hair in a messy bun. She looked exhausted but smiled up at something Lance said to her. Poppy and Harrison were deep in conversation with Lily and Josh near the table.
“Do you need any help, Mom?”
“Would you set the table for me? Hawthorne,” she turned to him, “help your sister set the table.”
Avery snickered as Hawthorne objected, protesting that he was talking to Emmett. Avery shoved him toward the fridge. “I’m sure Emmett will survive without that additional knowledge about the Purdue basketball team.”
Emmett gave a good-natured chuckle. “Unless you tell me they suddenly created a quidditch team, I’m probably not going to remember anything about what you said.” Emmett was a best-selling author of fantasy books, and he and Lavender were far more likely to be caught at a bookstore than a football game.
“No worries, Emmett,” Avery assured him. “Hawthorne sometimes forgets that not everyone cares like he does about sportsball. She pointed to herself. “Case in point: his lovely wife.”
Rose listened to their exchange while she pulled dishes from the cupboards and carried them to the tables. Lance and his construction crew added the additional dining room off the kitchen last year as a present for Laura from the whole family. As five of the seven children had gotten married, the large kitchen table hadn’t been enough room for everyone. Now, the group split across the two rooms.
A few moments later, Laura gently rang the cast iron triangle. “Everyone find a seat. Harrison, would you say grace?”
Rose tried not to roll her eyes. Whenever Poppy and Harrison managed to show up for an event, her mother asked him to say the blessing. Apparently, she thought it might be offensive to have the governor of Indiana over for a meal and not have him say the prayer. Harrison took it in stride and said a quick blessing.
After the chorus of amens, Laura passed biscuits and gravy around the table, along with fresh fruit and sausage links.
Lance stood and cleared his throat. “Excuse me, everyone.” The commotion slowly settled and Daisy rose to her feet next to her husband. Rose watched in anticipation. Family brunch was when all the big announcements happened. Engagements, babies, even Lily’s cancer three years ago. What could this announcement be?
Hawthorne leaned over to Rose. “Twenty bucks says she’s pregnant.”
Rose leaned over and nudged him back. “No bet.” Daisy was already caressing a hand over her completely flat stomach. Only a fool would take that bet. Plus, knowing Hawthorne, he had insider information.
“We’re super excited to share the news that we are expecting! We’re due in August.”
Cheers erupted around the table, and her mother stood up and rushed over to wrap Daisy in a hug. Rose grinned. Being Aunt Rose to Magnolia and Henry was already super fun. Daisy’s son or daughter would be around the farm even more.
Magnolia looked around, trying to figure out what all the excitement was about. Poppy explained, “Aunt Daisy is going to have a baby too. Won’t that be fun?”
Magnolia’s sweet little voice chimed in. “I’m not a baby. Henry is a baby.”
Poppy leaned over with a smile. “That’s right. You’re my big sweet girl, aren’t you?”
Magnolia nodded, but didn’t look convinced. Her brother Henry was only eight months old, and Maggie had a hard time adjusting to her parents’ attention being split between the two of them.
Hoping to distract her niece, Rose spoke across the table. “Hey, Maggie, I’ve got something amazing to show you later if you eat all your food!”
“What is it?”
“We’ve got new baby goats at the barn!” Rose let the excitement fill her voice and Magnolia responded in kind.
“Oh, baby goats. Can I go, Mommy? Can I?”
“You heard Aunt Rose. Eat your food and we’ll go see the animals later.”
In response, Magnolia promptly stuffed an entire apple slice in her mouth. Rose pressed her lips together to keep from smiling when Poppy admonished her to take a bite instead. At nearly three, the precocious young girl kept the whole family on their toes.
It would be fun to have another baby around. Hawthorne nudged her with his elbow and she nudged him back. Did he and Avery want to have kids? Avery was pretty focused on her career and her research. Perhaps they were still waiting. Even though she and Avery got along well, Rose had never been comfortable enough to ask. She knew enough to realize it was a sensitive question. It didn’t matter to her one way or the other, so Rose merely left the curiosity unsatisfied and figured she would know when they were ready to share anything.
Not every woman wanted to have kids. Andi had made it perfectly clear that it wasn’t in her plans. Which brought up another question. Rose got Daisy’s attention. “Have you told Andi yet?”
Daisy smiled. “We video chatted with her last night. She said congratulations, and that if I name it Dandelion, she’ll disown me.” Rose chuckled. Dandelion, more commonly known as Andi, had always hated her name. The only ones who got away with calling her Dandelion were their parents.
“That’s so exciting, Daze. Congratulations!”
“Thank you. Right now, I’m mostly tired and wishing my stomach didn’t revolt at the thought of a Dr. Pepper.”
By late morning, the sun had warmed the day enough to make a walk to the barn a possibility, though everyone was bundled up against the still icy air. Magnolia ran ahead of Rose, Hawthorne, and Poppy. Henry stayed back at the house with Grandma and Grandpa.
Rose picked up Maggie and carried her into the goat pen. The goat kids were jumping around and playing with each other, so Rose pointed them out to her niece. She handed Maggie to Hawthorne and went to pick up Harry. When she brought the small animal over, Hawthorne knelt down so Maggie could pet it. She giggled loudly when Harry’s nose nudged her. Poppy snapped photos with her phone.
After the goats, Maggie had to visit the piglets, who had more than doubled in size since she’d last visited. She was upset that the piglets were no longer small and burst into tears. While Poppy tried to explain that animals grow up just like people, Rose saw Tate watching them from the other side of the barn.
“Hey, Tate.”
He raised his coffee mug in greeting.
“What brings you down here?” It obviously wasn’t unusual to see Tate at her barn. But it was Saturday and he was technically off-duty.
“Just tired of the inside of my trailer. Figured I’d come make myself useful. Maybe take Cappuccino out for a ride.”
“Need some company?”
He glanced back at her family. “Sure, if you’ve got time.”
“I’ve always got time for a ride.” That wasn’t exactly true. In fact, most of the time she felt bad that the horses didn’t get more exercise. They were mostly content in the field, but she loved riding.
“I’ll go see if I can get Capp and Mocha to come in from the pasture while you finish up here.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Tate.”
6
The horses quickly greeted him when he strolled into the pasture, and he bribed them with sugar cubes to follow him back to their stall. He missed the horses on the ranch back home, and riding the ones at Bloom’s Farm was a perk of the job.
When he and Rose were out on the pasture, Tate was wishing he’d worn a winter cap instead of his usual baseball hat. But the sun was shining, and the wind wasn’t even whipping across the field like it usually did. He glanced back at Rose. Was she warm enough? Her long, blonde braids disappeared into her stocking cap, and though her cheeks were pink, she looked as happy as he was to be on horseback.
They rode the fence line, checking for broken or sagging barbed wire. The job was easy enough to accomplish from the front seat of a pickup truck or a side-by-side. This was how his father had always done it at home though, and it seemed the Blooms had the same tradition.
“Can I ask you a question, Cowboy?” Rose had started calling him Cowboy when he first arrived on the farm. At first, it had niggled at him. It reminded him of home. But around here, a cowboy wasn’t exactly a common sight. When he left Montana, he traded his traditional cowboy hat for a baseball cap, and worked in the oil fields of North Dakota for a season. He’d never gone back, though the hat still rested on top of the refrigerator in his small trailer.
“Depends what it is,” he answered honestly.
“Why don’t you get a house?”
Tate shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. What do I need a house for? My trailer serves me fine. And if I—” He cut off midsentence.
“If you what? If you leave?” He could hear the hurt in Rose’s voice and it cut like a knife.
“Well, I don’t know, Rose. Yeah, I guess. I’ve never worked anywhere this long. I love it here, but can I really stay forever?” In all honesty, the idea was tempting. Since he’d left home, it felt a little like his soul was searching for that place to dig in and grow roots. Maybe Bloom’s Farm was the place.
She was quiet, and he would give anything to know what thoughts were rolling around in her head.
“Is it just a job for you?”
He sighed. “It might have started that way, but I love it here. I love the crazy Midwest weather and all the crops we grow. I love your ridiculous family and your flower names. I even enjoy losing bets to you and being duped into doing the chores you don’t want to do. So no, I don’t plan on leaving any time soon, Rose.” The very thought of leaving sent a wave of pain through his chest. Not seeing Rose every day? He didn’t want to examine why the idea bothered him so much. He’d said goodbye to friends before.
“Well, that’s good.”
“Would you miss me?” he teased.
She swung her leg at him in a half-hearted attempt to kick him from her saddle. “Maybe a little,” she admitted.
“You’re stuck with me for a while. I just don’t see the point in buying a big ole house just for me. You get it, right? I mean, you still live with your parents.” He gave a pointed look.
“Yeah, I guess. I’ve been tossing around the idea of getting my own place, but I don’t want to be too far from the animals. Did you know we each own a piece of the property?”
Tate shook his head. He wasn’t exactly surprised. It was a family farm, so he assumed the kids would someday take over the farm. But he didn’t realize Rose already owned something.
“Yeah, they gave us each a plot of land a few years back. I’ve been thinking about getting a trailer like yours.”
Tate coughed in surprise as the breath caught in his throat. Rose wanted to live in a dinky travel trailer like his?
“Are you crazy, Rose?”
“What? It’d be nice to have my own place.”
“I get that, but you should talk to Lance about building you a little house or something. Have you even seen my trailer? It’s not exactly some glamourous tiny house like on those dumb cable shows. It’s a camper.”
“And?”
“Rose, your bedroom at the main house has more square footage than my entire trailer. You grew up in that big house with the granite counters and the leather couches. You really think you’re going to be happy with a pullout sofa bench and a one-burner stove?”
Rose’s eyes narrowed. “So, you must have grown up in a pretty rough place to make do with the trailer and all, right?”
Aw, man. She had him there. Growing up on the ranch hadn’t been all that different. Big house, comfortable bed. Never went to bed hungry. “It’s not the same, Rose.”
She pulled Mocha to a stop, and he quickly did the same. “Why? Tell me why the trailer is good enough for you, but not for me.”
“Because you’re a woman! You should have a couch with too many pillows and a bathroom with a tub for bubble baths.” He cut himself off from continuing, because the thought of Rose in a bubble bath was somewhere that his mind did not need to wander.
She blinked at him. “That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard, Tate Russell. For all the years you’ve known me, have you ever heard me say anything about throw pillows or a bubble bath?”
