The City Girl's Homecoming. Kathy Douglass
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happiness. It was as if they’d wanted her to be as miserable as possible. Some had gone out of their way to make her so.
Well, she was in control of her life now and she wasn’t going to let anyone determine what she should feel or how she should react.
The man grabbed a plaid shirt from the bumper of the truck and used it to wipe his sweaty face and torso before shoving his arms into the sleeves. He buttoned the bottom four buttons and jerked on the fabric as if trying to remove the wrinkles. He wiped at a huge grass stain a couple of times before dropping his hand, apparently deciding there was no sense fighting a losing battle.
When it became obvious that the man wasn’t going to introduce himself, she took a step in his direction, hand extended. Before she could reach him, the back door of the house opened and Bunny Whitaker, one of the women she’d come to see, came down the stairs. “Yoo-hoo. Did you get Little Piggy into the truck, Cade?”
Little Piggy? Megan shook her head at the name. That pig was anything but little.
“Yes, ma’am.”
If only Bunny knew that her friend had threatened to take that Little Piggy to market, she wouldn’t be smiling at him right now.
“He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”
“No, ma’am. Not even a little bit.”
Megan felt her eyes widen at his falsehood. If that fight hadn’t been trouble, she didn’t know what was.
“That’s because he’s such a good boy, aren’t you, Little Piggy?” Bunny leaned into the back of the truck and rubbed the pig, who snorted.
Bunny straightened. “I really appreciate you taking him in for us. We hate to part with him, but Birdie and I don’t have the room to keep him. I know you’ll give him a good home.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Bunny looked up. When she noticed Megan, she smiled. “Hello. Is it time for our meeting already?”
“I’m a little bit early,” Megan said, closing the distance between them. “I’m still trying to get used to small-town traffic. When I leave my office I still factor in time for traffic jams that have yet to materialize.”
“We don’t have many of those. Not unless geese are crossing the road or somebody’s cows get out. And don’t worry if you’re a little bit late. People around here aren’t ruled by the clock. When you tend animals, you understand that things beyond your control can happen.” She dusted her hands on her denim skirt. “Have the two of you met?”
“No.” Megan said.
Bunny smiled and waved for Cade to come closer. He dragged his feet as he walked over, clearly reluctant to join them. Since he’d smiled at Bunny, Megan decided she was the reason for his reticence.
Once he was near, Bunny put her arm around Megan’s waist. “This is Megan Jennings. She’s new to town. Pretty as she is on the outside, she’s even prettier on the inside. She’s the new lawyer that Daniel Sutton hired to help him.”
Megan felt her face and the tips of her ears grow hot, but she managed a smile that she hoped hid her embarrassment. She hadn’t known Bunny long, but she knew the sweet older woman wouldn’t deliberately hurt or embarrass anyone. Still, looking at the expression on the man’s face, it was clear he didn’t find Megan’s looks or anything else about her appealing.
“And this is Cade Battle,” Bunny continued. “He’s a great friend of mine and Birdie’s. He’s part owner of Battle Lands Farm and one of the best people I know. If you ever need help with anything, Cade is the man you should call. He’s completely trustworthy.”
Megan noticed that Cade seemed embarrassed at Bunny’s effusive praise and color crept beneath his light brown skin. Knowing she wasn’t the only one who was ill at ease made Megan feel slightly better. She held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Cade.”
He wiped his hand on his shirt, then shook hers. His grip was firm, but not the too-tight handshake men often gave when trying to intimidate her. Of course, those men had been opposing counsel, who—if they were any good—would have known squeezing her fingers didn’t scare her. It pissed her off.
Cade’s palm was covered with calluses, no doubt a by-product of the hard work he did on a daily basis. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Jennings.”
His voice was even sexier when he wasn’t out of breath, and it sent shivers dancing down her spine. What was that about? She smiled. “It’s Megan.”
“Megan,” he repeated, although he didn’t return her smile.
“Well, good. Now you’ve each made a friend.” Bunny beamed with satisfaction and turned her attention to Cade. “I came out here to let you know lunch is on the table. And Megan, you’re more than welcome to join us. We have plenty.”
Cade shook his head and backed up. “I won’t be able to stay after all, Bunny.”
“No? Why not?”
The deliberate way he didn’t look in her direction gave Megan a sneaking suspicion. She wasn’t the paranoid type, nor was she so conceited that she thought she was the driving force behind everyone’s actions, but in this moment, based on his behavior, she believed she was the reason Cade didn’t want to stay.
“I need to get going. There’s a lot of work waiting for me. And getting Little Piggy settled may take longer than I had anticipated.”
“Okay,” Bunny looked crestfallen for a moment, but then she rallied. “At least let me give you a couple slices of cake.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he said, but Bunny had already made her way up the stairs and into the house.
Neither Cade nor Megan spoke for a moment. She’d seen Cade around town a couple of times, but they’d never actually interacted with each other. Every time she’d gotten near him, he’d frowned at her like he was doing now. She’d heard that everyone had a twin somewhere in the world, so she’d comforted herself with the thought that he’d mistaken her for someone else. Someone who’d done him wrong. But now that Bunny had introduced them, it had to be clear to him that they’d never met. Yet he was still being incredibly unfriendly to her. He had to be the grumpiest man in town.
The silence stretched out, and neither of them made a move to break it. They were engaged in a strange battle of wills that Megan was determined to win. She didn’t know why it mattered, but it was important that she let him know that she wasn’t going to fall at his feet. Even as gorgeous as he was, she wasn’t inclined to tolerate his unpleasant attitude.
“Here you go,” Bunny said, coming back down the stairs. She handed him a paper bag and winked at him. “I added a couple of pieces of chicken just in case you get hungry on the way home.”
“Thanks,” he said. He smiled at the older woman. “I appreciate it.”
Bunny stood on her tiptoes to give Cade a kiss on his cheek. He was so tall that he needed to lean over so she could reach him. Cade glanced at Megan, tipped his hat, then without a word got into his beat-up truck and drove away.
“Well now,” Bunny said, taking Megan’s arm. “I hope you’re hungry. We have a feast.”
Megan smiled, determinedly putting Cade Battle out of her mind. “I’m starved.”
“Good,” Bunny said as they climbed the stairs.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Megan asked as they stepped into the kitchen. The aromas of fried chicken, fresh rolls, corn on the cob and pound cake greeted her as she stepped inside. The delicious smells reminded her of home. Or at least the home she’d had the first fourteen years of her life.
“No. I have it all under control,” Birdie said stepping into the kitchen and going immediately to the stove. “Just have a seat and make yourself at home.”
Megan