She spins around, almost trying to see the whole place at once. “That’s so cool.”
“Really?” I push, she needs to understand I’ll never been a wealthy man.
She nods, her eyes meeting mine. “I moved here to take a step back, live more simply. I love what you’re doing here.”
I look away, suddenly embarrassed by her praise.
“I see you found, Beau,” Bess calls out from the front porch.
“I wouldn’t have made her come and get me if I knew you had invited her,” I retort.
Glancing around, I look for her car. “Where’d you park?”
Bess tsks. “I went and picked her up. Didn’t want her to have to drive at night on our dirt roads.”
“I told her she didn’t have to,” Bethany adds.
Shaking my head, I stop her from saying anything else. “She’s right though; these country roads can be tricky at night.”
Bess leans slightly over the railing toward us. “I hoped you would drive her back. You know how my eyesight gets in the dark.”
Puppet master all the way.
She smiles sweetly as she opens the door for us. I take over for her and kiss her cheek as she passes by me. Meals on the farm are a well-oiled machine at this point. Everyone helps out in one way or another. Bess and two other families currently live in the main house.
The kids set the table and clear it before dessert. The older kids and adults all take turns preparing meals. I’m not much of a cook, but put in my time on a regular basis doing food prep. I do dishes most nights as well. Washing dishes is safe. I’ve never burned one or undercooked one.
Everyone is sitting when we walk into the dining room. After introductions are made, we all sit and dig in. I had planned to skip dinner earlier, thinking I was full. One look at the roasted chicken and mashed potatoes proves I was wrong. Over dinner, it’s nice to learn more about Bethany through other people’s questions.
She is an only child. Glancing around the table, she explains she always wished for a big family. Her parents are still living; they retired and moved to Florida a couple years back. She had no desire of moving that far south but figured Tennessee was closer than Maryland when she decided to move.
Money was the main reason she researched moving here in the first place. Tennessee has no state income tax. There is still a tax for investment related income but not income she earned through her business. Florida is another state without income tax, but the idea of living there never appealed to her. Once she spent some time online researching communities, she could see herself living here.
The Wilson place had been on the market for a while and fit her budget.
The reason it was in her price range though were the updates needed to it. That didn’t deter her; she had a plan and it involved doing some of the work herself. All I could picture was her underneath that table, and her all by herself if something else like that happened. That’s the only excuse I have for opening my mouth. “I could help you.”
She shakes her hand and her head at the same time. “No, I’m perfectly capable of—”
Bess cuts her off before she can get any farther. “Beau, that’s a wonderful idea. Bethany, he is so good with his hands. He’ll get you taken care of in no time.”
I'd like to show her just how good with my hands I can be.
Bethany looks back and forth between us, clearly debating my offer to help. Her gaze finally rests on me. "Are you sure?"
I'm not, but I won't let her know that. "Wouldn't have offered otherwise."
Her lips pull tightly, a wise smile settling in. "That would be amazing. I've watched ‘how to’ videos but never tackled anything like this on my own before."
"I'm happy to be of assistance."
The look of sheer delight on Bess's face was not lost on me. As much as I give her grief for trying to set me up with any available woman near my age, I get how lucky I am that she cares. Bess might not be blood, but she's family. Someone loves you, and tries to do a kindness for you, that is something you acknowledge. I do this by giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze on my way to the kitchen. I’m on dish detail and figure Bess and Bethany can gab. I am elbows deep in hot suds when Bethany comes up beside me.
"Can I help?"
"You're a guest. I can take care of this," I reply, waiting for her to argue.
She grabs a towel and reaches for a plate. "I don't mind."