Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About (Pumpkin Patch Mysteries Book 1) (12 page)

“It’s about time. Where have you been?”

Sarah sat beside her. She didn’t know how long her mother had been there, but this wasn’t her first bottle of champagne. “I was at the Popes eating dinner. I didn’t remember how nice they were—I’m not sure I remember them at all. Their grandson was there.”

“That’s very friendly of you. Are you thinking of staying?”

“No, of course not. Why are you here? I’m sure whatever you have to say could’ve been on the phone or text.”

Sandra lifted her glass to the property before them. “I thought I’d have one last look. I grew up here, you know.”

“And hated every minute of it. Yes, I know. I hope you have a driver.” Sarah knew from her mother’s slurred words that she’d had too much to drink.

“Of course, dear. I brought Charlie with me. At least I think his name is Charlie. It’s something like that.” Her mother brought out another glass and poured champagne with an unsteady hand. She gave it to Sarah.

“What are we celebrating?”

“Getting rid of this albatross that’s been hanging around my neck for the last sixteen years. And for a nice profit too, I might mention. Thanks to you. Dusty is hopeless at this kind of thing. I swear sometimes that boy is going to end up in the Peace Corps or something. He has no head for business.”

Sarah carefully sipped from the overfilled glass. “Thanks for the champagne and for coming out to tell me about Dusty. Now, why are you really here?”

Jack started up the tractor, and Sandra jumped, clinging to her daughter’s arm. “What in the world is that?”

“The tractor. I imagine Jack is taking it back in the barn.”

“You’ve been using a tractor? What were you doing with it?”

“Taking pumpkins to the Popes for their barn-raising tomorrow.”

Close up now, her mother stared at her as though she were a stranger. “What are you doing out here, Sarah? And who is Jack? Don’t tell me you’ve become infatuated with some local farm boy. Nothing good can come of it. I know from experience.”

Sarah let that information go, but she was curious. She’d never heard about her mother’s farm boy romance.

“Jack has been here since Grandma and Grandpa lived here. They took him in for a while to get him away from his abusive father. Now he lives out here and takes care of the place.”

Sandra sat up straight and squared her shoulders. “You’ve gone off the deep end. Maybe you should go home and I’ll take care of the rest of the problem.”

“I’m not infatuated with Jack—or anyone else. My divorce was only recently final, remember? I’m not in any frame of mind to think about anyone romantically. You don’t have to worry about me. I know why I’m here, and I’m not Dusty. I’ll take care of it.”

Her mother sighed and sipped more champagne before she leaned her head against Sarah’s shoulder. “Yes. You are my levelheaded, ambitious daughter. Thank you.”

“So why are you here?” Sarah repeated.

“There’s another snag in selling the land. I’m sorry. I can’t find the deed. It doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It just means that you’ll have to get a copy from the courthouse.”

“At least that makes sense. Don’t worry. I’ll get a copy of the deed. I should have everything wrapped up Monday and be able to head home.”

“You’re such a good girl.” Sandra’s words were fading as her head slipped lower on Sarah’s shoulder.

“Don’t pass out on me. I can’t move you. Get up, Mom. Let’s get you out to the car. Come on.”

But it was too late. Her mother had passed out, her head slipping to Sarah’s lap. She was gently snoring in the next few seconds.

“Thanks, Mom.” Sarah sighed. She’d have to get out from under her and get Charlie to put her in the car. “I’m sure glad we had this visit.”

“Problems?” Jack asked though she couldn’t see him in the shadows.

“This is my mother, Sandra.”

“We’ve met. Want me to take her upstairs?”

“No. I’d hate to think how that would end. Her head might explode in the morning. Her driver is in the car. I just have to get her out there.”

“Allow me.”

He stepped in front of her and gently put his hands under Sandra’s back and legs, lifting her like a child.

“Thanks. I’ll run ahead and alert her driver.”

But when Sarah reached the car two steps ahead of Jack, Charlie was snoring, his head thrown back, mouth open, in the driver’s seat. She couldn’t wake him when she called his name and shook him.

“Smells like he’s had a few too many. I think your mother needs a new driver,” Jack observed. “Upstairs then?”

“Sorry. Yes. Thanks. We’ll leave him here. He can sleep it off in the car.”

Sarah tried to get ahead of him and turn on the lights but Jack was in the house before her. Nimble-footed and knowing the way, he reached her grandparent’s old bedroom in the dark without her help. He lay Sandra gently on the bed and backed away.

“I hope her head doesn’t explode in the morning,” Jack said. “Why does she hate this place so much?”

“I don’t think she hates it. I think she’s just afraid she might have to live here again.” Sarah removed her mother’s shoes and pulled the quilt over her.

She and Jack went downstairs together.

“Guess that means you’re spending the night?”

“I guess so.” She put her hands in her pockets and looked up at him. “I’m sorry you’re going to lose your home. I know you don’t want me to say that, but I wish it could be different.”

“It’s your life. It can be however you want it to be.”

She watched him walk out the door before she went upstairs to her mother’s old room and fell asleep in her clothes.

Chapter Eleven

It was still dark when Sarah felt a hand at her shoulder and heard a voice telling her it was time to wake up.

In that instant, she realized that she’d forgotten to set the alarm on her phone.

“It’s five-thirty,” Jack said. “You don’t want to be late. Mary makes a great breakfast.”

She rolled over with a groan. “Really? You eat breakfast at this time of day?”

“I think most people do. Do you want me to wake your mother?”

“No!” She sat up, completely awake at the suggestion. “Don’t do that. Let’s hope she wakes up while I’m gone.”

“Okay. Your call.”

Sarah was going to thank him for waking her, but he was gone.

It was going to be another day scrounging for clothes. At least she had the tennis shoes, even though she had to scrape mud off them. She switched on the overhead light and started searching for another pair of jeans and a top.

Thirty minutes later, she was ready to go. She’d looked in on her mother, who hadn’t moved all night. She wrote her a brief note and left it on the bedside table. It included a line about hiring a new driver.

It was still too early for breakfast, but she wanted to participate in the barn-raising and had promised to meet Ron there. She’d heard the tractor start up before she was ready and guessed that Jack had already left. Luckily, her mother’s car wasn’t parked behind hers. She got in her rental car and crept out of the driveway.

She hadn’t been joking when she told Jack that she didn’t want to be around when her mother woke up and discovered she’d spent the night in her parent’s old home. There was bound to be fireworks and recriminations. Since her mother’s visit had also come with news that there were other legal documents that weren’t ready for the sale, Sarah felt like she had enough on her plate.

Her mother’s actions still puzzled her. It wasn’t like Sandra to get drunk. She wasn’t against having a few drinks, but overindulging in anything wasn’t her style.

Did she regret the sale of her home but didn’t feel like she could say anything about it? That would make sense of the champagne and coming here to tell Sarah about the deed. Maybe there was still some part of her childhood that she didn’t want to let go.

Dusty would laugh at that. Their mother loved living in the city and stayed away from anyplace that didn’t have paved roads and coffee shops.

The intersection was empty as Sarah turned to go to the Pope’s house. Apparently not everyone in Misty River was up at five-thirty. But there were enough people out and about that there were dozens of cars and pickups at Mary and Gray’s house. The sky was getting lighter, banishing the shadows to beyond the trees.

“There you are!” Kathy found her right after Sarah had parked her car. “You overslept, didn’t you? City folk. I can’t believe you can sleep past six a.m.”

“How long have you been here?”

“I’ve been here since four helping Mary get breakfast ready. It’s the most important meal of the day, you know. Especially when you’ve got a bunch of men ready to help put up your barn. I don’t think I’ve ever made that much grits.”

“I hope you made some protein bars too,” Sarah said. “That’s all I usually eat until dinner.”

“Protein bars?” Kathy hugged her. “Just eat some sausages and pretend they’re protein sticks. You’ll be fine.”

“I hope there’s coffee.”

“You know it. You gotta have coffee for all those hungry men too.”

They walked up to the house together. The tables out front were loaded with eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and grits. Some of the men were already eating, sitting on the grass or steps. A few tree stumps made good tables.

Even Sarah had to admit that everything smelled delicious. She couldn’t remember when she’d eaten food like this in the morning—or at any other time for that matter.

Ron found them as Kathy kept putting food on Sarah’s plate. “Morning, ladies. Nothing like a good breakfast before the hard work kicks in.”

“Good morning,” Sarah said. “Kathy, I’m not eating grits. I didn’t like it as a kid. I don’t want it now.”

“But I stirred it. That has to mean something.”

“Does it have cheese in it?” Ron asked. “I only like it with cheese.”

“You two are just not any fun. Eat what you want. I can eat enough grits for the three of us.” She popped a big biscuit on Sarah’s plate. “You have to try these too.”

Sarah waited with her heaping plate in her hands as Ron filled a plate for himself. She didn’t recognize most of the people around them at the table, and the chances were that she looked too different to be recognizable.

“Coffee?” a voice said from behind her.

She recognized Jack’s voice—it was very distinctive—and the first thing she’d heard that morning. She turned and reached for the coffee he was offering and then stopped to stare.

“Jack?”

“Coffee.” He put the large cup in her hand when she didn’t take it from him.

“Is that really you?” Sarah had wondered what he really looked like since she’d met him again. To suddenly see him with no beard and dressed in decent jeans and a T-shirt was amazing.

“You said you wanted to know what I look like under the beard. Here I am.”

She couldn’t stop staring. He was actually very good-looking. Without the huge beard, he had high cheekbones and a lean face. His dark eyebrows and thick lashes framed his intensely blue eyes. He’d cut his hair short too.

“You know, it’s not nice to stare.”

“Sorry.” She managed to smile at him. “I’m just—surprised.”

“Jack?” Ron said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t have recognized you, man. Was it time for the spring thaw or something? I’ve never seen you without the beard.”

“You’re handsome!” Kathy exclaimed. “Don’t stand around here talking to them. I have some ladies who are dying to meet you.”

Sarah started to say something to keep him from leaving, but no words came out. She had a dozen questions she wanted to ask. Maybe it was for the best that Kathy took him away. It already felt like he was too entwined in her life.

Jack shrugged as Kathy put her arm through his and led him away. Sarah smiled at Ron and made small talk as they ate. She thought there was a good chance that her friend might be interested in Jack. The way she’d talked about the man she liked made it sound as though it could be someone she worked with. Maybe she had wanted to be with Jack even when he’d looked like a mountain man.

As soon as breakfast was over, everyone was put to work doing something. Roosters were crowing as the sun began to move through the trees that separated the Pope farm from Sarah’s. Saws began buzzing, and hammers were loud as nails were tapped into wood that would create the frame for the barn.

Sarah didn’t have any skills that related to barn-building. Mary gave her easy things to do such as making sure everyone was hydrated and being an errand girl if someone ran out of nails or other small items.

Kathy was actually helping with the frame, laughing with Ron and Jack as well as a tall man in a brown Stetson. Sarah made sure the water bucket was passed around but kept her eyes on them, envious of her friend’s ease around the men and tools.  

Most of her time was taken staring at Jack as he worked. She hated to think that she was so shallow that he’d turn her head now that he was cleaned up. But he had looked really bad, in all fairness. And he was a squatter—even though he was a protective squatter with a purpose.

It wasn’t like she wanted to date him or anything, she argued with herself as she kept looking around for him while she passed out water. She was just really surprised that he cleaned up so well. And maybe this would be good for him. Maybe someone would see him this way and hire him to do something besides hang around a farm that was about to be sold out from under him.

Her phone rang in her pocket. It was her mother. She was embarrassed and angry about passing out on the porch last night.

“You didn’t have to prod me to look for a new driver,” Sandra said. “As soon as we get back to Richmond, he’s out. Where are you?”

“At the barn-raising next door.”

“Why? You don’t know anything about building. You’re letting your emotions run away with you on this. I understand. It happened to me too when I got here last night. That’s why it’s such a good thing that the land will belong to someone else on Monday. We have to put this behind us. Neither one of us is cut out to live on a farm.”

“I don’t know anything about building. You’re right. I’m just helping out because Mr. Pope has been kind to me. It’s not going to stop me from selling the farm. I know where I belong. I’ll see you when I get home Monday—or if there’s anything else you’ve forgotten to tell me about the property.”