Chapter Eighteen
After diner Calem brought Evelyn back to the hotel to collect her things. He hefted her bag into the back of the truck and opened the door, giving her a hand up, in order to help her get in.
"I see you haven't lost your good ol' country boy manners."
Calem tipped his baseball cap. "No, ma'am." He shut her door and ran around to the other side of the truck. When he climbed into the driver's side he turned to see Evelyn's indignant look.
"Ma'am!" Evelyn shuddered and Calem chuckled.
"Spoken like a true city girl."
Evelyn wrinkled up her nose ever so adorably. "It makes me feel so old."
"Alright. What should I call you? Young miss?"
Evelyn knew she should be mad that he was teasing her but she did love how his eyes crinkled at the corners when he grinned.
"Evie is fine."
"Evie? Okay." Calem shrugged and got them back on the road to home.
Calem's lack of response made her wonder. "What? Don't you like my name?"
Calem kept his eyes on the road. "I like Evelyn. It sounds more..."
Evelyn shifted in her seat, her curiosity bursting at what Calem might say.
"Romantic."
"Ha! Romantic? I think it makes me sound as old as ma'am."
Calem turned to her in surprise. "Seriously? Well, I guess I can see your point. It may be my own preference then. I like old fashioned things. Your name seems like it belongs on the pages of some historical romance."
"It that so? And would you be the dashing young Lord who's going to save me from all my woes?" Evelyn's come-hither look, made Calem squirm in his seat.
"I see myself more like the farm boy whose love is unrequited. Doomed to only admire her from afar."
Evelyn's hand pressed against her heart. Excitement filled her eyes. "Oh, a forbidden romance then?"
"So, it would seem as when I get you home you will be venturing into the house and this good ol' farm boy will be moseying himself to the farm hands quarters to sleep, perchance to dream of his darling young miss."
Evelyn giggled and the sound was musical.
Calem kept up a steady conversation all the way back to the farm. They talked about everything and anything. Evelyn found Calem so easy to converse with. Almost as if she were friends with him as long as she was Dina.
"So, let's see we covered food, family, friends... what next?" Calem asked as they pulled through the gates to the farm. It was the first time Evelyn took note of the sign.
"Almosta Farm. Seriously? That's the name of the farm?"
"My mom's sense of humor. It was Decker Family Farm but then my dad left us. Financially things went from bad to worse. We had to downgrade and sell a good portion of the land. Now we have maybe little over 230 acres. So, since we weren't a large or even considered a midsize farm anymore, she changed the name to 'Almosta Farm'."
Evelyn laughed. "Perfect! Simply Perfect!"
"She thought so too. Still, I gather a Dorothy in Kansas City with almost a farm is a little sad really."
Evelyn hated the forlorn look in Calem's eyes. "Why did you leave?"
A heart felt sigh escaped his lips. "Long story."
Evelyn unfastened her seatbelt and turned to give him her full attention. "I've got all night."
"All night? I'm sure my mother will be out with a pitch fork long before sun up if I don't get you inside soon."
Evelyn didn't move a muscle. She only stared at him. Willing him to continue. Realizing she wasn't about to relent he gave in.
"Okay. Short version - work. I never wanted to be a farmer. An opportunity came up and I took it. Now my mother feels abandoned by both of the men in her life."
"Work? You know we talked loads about me being a chef. I never asked what is that you do."
Calem unclipped his seatbelt and opened the door, suddenly feeling trapped. He faced a confused Evelyn at her door when he opened it and offered her a hand to get down. He knew he should tell her about his job, working at the tabloid, being Sasha Miller but it didn't feel like the right time.
"I'm between jobs at the moment." He guessed that wasn't an entire lie.
Concern filled Evelyn's features. "Please tell me you didn't get fired because of all this. Because of me?"
"No, not fired. Just a temporary... time out."
"Oh, Calem!" Evelyn hugged him ever so tightly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean... I never meant to... if I'd only thought..."
Calem looked down at Evelyn and smiled. "It's not a problem for you to solve. It'll be alright. It only needs a little time and things will sort themselves out."
"Really?" Evelyn begged, wanting desperately for his words to be the truth.
"Really." Calem tucked some stray hairs behind her ear. Evelyn's eyes sparkled in the moon light. Calem thought he could lose himself in them.
"Calem?" Evelyn kept her hold on him in fact she tightened it ever so slightly.
"Hmmm?"
"What if the farm boy's feelings aren't unrequited. What if they are very much reciprocated?"
"Then he would be the luckiest man in the world." Evelyn smiled and Calem felt compelled to capture that sweetness. His mouth lowered ever so slightly to hers. In return, Evelyn tiptoed up to reach his and then...
"Calem Decker, don't make me get my shot gun."
They both turned towards the now lighted porch to see Dottie standing behind the screen door. Calem, sighed. "I stand corrected. Still, the most unluckiest man in the world. Unrequited he remains."
Calem stepped away from Evelyn and grabbed her bag from the bed of the truck. He escorted her to the porch where Dottie was waiting. "I guess I can leave my young miss in your charge, madam?"
"Of course." Dottie's stare was intense, "I'm keeping watch, mister. Don't even think of trying to sneak in here in the middle of the night. The doors will be locked up tight."
Calem nodded solemly. "May I pack a bag before I go?"
Dottie opened the door and handed an overnight bag to him. "Already taken care of."
"Of course."
Calem took hold of the bag with one hand and Evelyn's hand with his other. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss upon it. "Until the morrow, young miss."
Evelyn giggled and Dottie rolled her eyes. "Inside, "young miss". I'll show you to your room."
Evelyn followed Dottie inside but then turned to say, "Good night, farm boy. Sweet dreams." And blew him a kiss before closing the door.
Calem immediately started to think of ways to circumvent his mother. He had a few good ideas before reaching John's place. He knocked on the weathered green door.
"Got a call, you'd be coming," John said walking away after opening it, allowing Calem to let himself in.
"So, what got you kicked out of the hen house this time?"
Calem bristled slightly. "I did not get kicked out."
"No, then you can go back and sleep there then. I like my solitude."
John Winters was the farm's manager however, not exactly on the books as a hired manager because they were still considered a family farm even though none of the people working here were actually family.
He was only a year or two older than Calem's mother. He had been with the farm since childhood. However, due to his years working the land, John appeared much older and a bit weather beaten in comparison.
"Okay, fine. We have a female guest and my mother prefers me... in a not so close proximity to her."
This caused a boisterous laugh to come out of John. "Well, you've been holed up here for worse things."
Calem had to agree to that. He was a handful when he was a teenager. After his father left, he seemed to make it his life's ambition to vex his mother in some way, making him John's roommate often.
"I set up the spare room for you. How long you staying?"
"Don't know. Guess that depends on our guest." Calem walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. He brought a second one for John.
"Don't expect me to be thank you for bringing me my own beer," John said taking it and sitting down in the leather lounge chair. Moments later he kicked up his feet, popped the cap with his keychain bottle opener and took a swig.
"I do apologize for intruding, John. But you know there's no fighting with Dottie when she makes up her mind on something. Well, you can try but there's no chance of winning."
John snickered at this. "You got that right. You'd think after all these years you'd know better. Must have forgot on account of being away from home so long."
That's one thing Calem could continually count on. John always found a subtle way to reprimand him without coming right out and saying the words. Most likely because he knew it wasn't his place. John wasn't his father, and in fact worked for his family, but it never stopped him from putting Calem in his place.
"You know why I left." Calem said, flopping on the couch and kicking off his boots, before putting his feet on the coffee table. Something he wouldn't dare do at home.
"Yep. I reckon I do. Just like I know all the reasons you should have stayed."
Calem rested his head on the back of the sofa. "John, please? A night's reprieve. It's been a weird and wonderful day and I don't want to ruin it. Tomorrow... tomorrow you can feel free to run me over with the tractor. Just give me tonight."
"Alright. Want to watch the highlights of tonight's game?"
"Sure."
John switched on the television but despite him not saying another word Calem's good mood left him. He had always felt guilty over leaving his mother to pursue his own dreams. Maybe all this was karma. Or maybe his luck was about to change.
Evelyn was free. She was here and she came for him. Thankfully, those were the thoughts that took Calem off to sleep, perchance to dream of his lovely young miss.
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