Hart's Hollow Farm (New Americana 4)

Kristen laughed. “Very.”

Sadie turned to Mitch. “Can we put the swing up today? With the cushion, too?”

“Sure we can.” Mitch motioned toward the crowd milling about the property. “But I need to help your nana out with these customers for a while, then check the fields.”

“I can do that,” Kristen said. “I’ll help you unload the porch swing and chairs, and then I’ll check for weeds while you help Emmy. That way, we’ll be able to tackle installing the swing before dark.”

Mitch tilted his head, his warm gaze roving from the top of her head down to the tips of her toes. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

A slow grin spread across his face. After leaning close, he cupped her cheek with a broad hand and nuzzled the shell of her ear. “You’re a dream, you know that?”

She lit up on the inside, and her breath caught as she whispered back, “A good one, I hope?”

“Heaven.” His lips brushed her temple as he murmured her answer from yesterday, the hunger deepening his husky tone, making it all the sweeter. “Pure heaven.”

A throat cleared, and Kristen pulled back, returning Mitch’s grin.

“When you’re ready for introductions and small talk,” Ruth Ann said, mouth twitching, “just let me know, Mitch. In the meantime, I’m going to assist Emmy.”

With one last knowing look, Ruth Ann left to join Emmy. Sadie, however, hovered nearby. Her wide eyes moved slowly from Kristen to Mitch, then back, her expression lifting and her smile widening.

“Can I help you check the corn, Ms. Kristen?” she asked, blinking up at her.

“Sure. I’d like that.”

Blushing, Sadie hopped in place with excitement, then, hesitating, reached out and lifted her hand toward Kristen.

It wasn’t an easy gesture. Kristen knew that. Since the ride home from Peach Grove after Emmy’s episode, when the little girl had fallen asleep in her arms, they’d grown closer, but Sadie had continued to carefully keep her distance, and so had she. But now, looking into Sadie’s cute face, full of hope and happiness, she found herself unable to take a step back.

Instead, she took Sadie’s hand in hers. Sadie’s small fingers curled, the warm fingertips pressing snugly against Kristen’s skin, their gentle squeeze flooding her with so much warm comfort, it spilled over her lashes.

Kristen looked away, dragged her cheek over her shoulder, and glanced at Mitch. He was watching her closely, and the kind, admiring look in his eyes deepened. He walked to the other side of Sadie, took her other hand in his and led the way back toward Emmy’s truck. Sadie skipped between them, swinging their hands back and forth and humming a happy tune, and Mitch met Kristen’s eyes several times along the way.

I’ll make a place for you, Kristen.

“Heaven, indeed,” she whispered, heart swelling.

After unloading the porch swing, rocking chairs, and cushion, Kristen and Sadie climbed into the truck and left to check the fields. It took two hours to drive around and scout the soybeans. The small plants were thriving, the leaves green, healthy, and clear of pests. Light but frequent steady rains over the past couple of weeks had encouraged rapid growth in both the soybean plants and the cornstalks.

When Kristen reached her field and parked the truck, a small gasp escaped her.

“They’re getting bigger,” Sadie piped from the passenger seat, craning her neck to peer at the field.

“They certainly are.”

The midafternoon sun, a bright golden sphere, sat comfortably a few feet above the horizon. Rays of heat beamed over the three-foot-tall stalks, and Kristen could almost feel the powerful streams of light coaxing the strong green leaves out of the red earth, beckoning each tip to unfurl and lift itself higher to the flawless blue sky tinged with a blushing pink.

Kristen climbed out of the truck and walked to the field’s edge. She stood there, savoring the heat seeping into her skin, the light breeze that ruffled her hair, and the impressive green growth, which had transformed the once barren ground into a well-nourished cradle of new life.

She tipped her head back and smiled at the sky. “Gorgeous.”

Kristen walked each block of rows, carefully checking green leaves for pests, taking soil and leaf samples, and monitoring for weeds. Sadie stayed close by her side, and after a while, though Kristen’s legs, back, and shoulders ached, she followed Sadie’s energetic lead and skipped to the end of one row.

“Wanna race to the end of that one?” Sadie asked, pointing down the last row of corn, to where it met the tree line.

Kristen grinned. “You’re on.” After crouching into a runner’s position at the starting mark, she shot a sidelong glance at Sadie and waited as the little girl mimicked her posture. “Ready, set, go!”