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Gillian sighs, rolling her eyes, fully aware we might throw down in the middle of a funeral.
Years ago, this would’ve turned into a fight that would probably end up with Dad pulling one of us off the other, but I won’t add more stress to Sadie’s life right now.
“Fuck off, Ben. You’re not going to be the hero and save the day.” I turn on my heel and stalk back to the kitchen.
“Because you want to be Sadie’s hero?” Ben calls after me.
I hear his laughter ringing as the back screen door slams shut behind me. Fuck him, but I’ll never tell him how right he is. I’ll do whatever it takes to help Sadie out of this shit situation.
Chapter Five
Sadie
I’m not sure how to start the process of making my family farm profitable. Now that we’ve buried my dad, I need to figure it out. My mom is deep in her grief, so I check on her extra, but she seems to want her space. The last thing I want to do is stress her out by talking about where we’ll live if we lose the farm.
I have to keep my eye on the prize here. I have to set aside the devastation of losing my dad and figure out how to save this farm. There will be time for mourning later. We’re almost down to seven weeks for me to get this debt paid off. Which is why I’m getting ready to head over to the bank.
I step out of the shower and dry myself off, going over in my head my plan for the land and how to secure a loan from the bank.
“Sadie!” Jude shouts, and I hear him walk into my small cottage.
Any other day, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but I’m still mad at him for doubting my ability to do something to help this farm. I get his point—he’s been the go-to guy at Plain Daisy Ranch for more than a decade, and I can’t exactly harvest the soybeans myself—but had my dad listened to me, I wouldn’t be on my way to the bank.
I wrap a towel around myself, and steam rushes out the bathroom door when I open it. “Give me a second,” I say, but he’s there standing in the entry of the small hallway from my living quarters that leads to my bathroom and bedroom.
“Oh.” He shoves his hands into his pockets and shifts his weight. “It’s noon, I figured you were done with…” He pulls one hand out of his pocket and motions to me. “That.”
“Showering?”
He gulps and turns his gaze away from me. “Yeah.”
A part of me likes that he’s uncomfortable that I’m naked under this towel, although Jude is as complicated as the exceptional corn maze he plows every October. I have no idea if his discomfort is just because I’m his best friend, and he’s trying to be respectful, or if it bothers him because he’s attracted to me.
“Why are you here, Jude?”
“I wanted to apologize.”
I scoff and head to my room, needing space. I shouldn’t want him to be antsy around me because I’m naked. I shouldn’t want him to tear the towel off my body, pick me up, and toss me on my bed. Especially the way he’s all dirty from the farm in his worn-in jeans covered in dirt with even some smeared on his face. He must be coming over during his lunch instead of eating with the rest of the crew.
I give my head a shake. I have bigger things to worry about right now than whether Jude finds me attractive.
He remains in the small hallway. “Don’t give me the silent treatment.”
I peek my head out of my room. “I’m not.”
“Then you accept my apology?”
“How apologetic are you?” I shout now that I’m in my bra and panties, changing into a sundress that will hopefully let the bank see me as a woman they need to invest in.
“I’m here, aren’t I? C’mon, Sadie.”
I slide the dress over my body, my hair wrapped in a towel still. “Zip me up, and you’re forgiven.” I walk out of the room, holding the back of my dress tight with my fist, and turn my back to him. “Jude?” I say when he still hasn’t zipped up my dress after a moment.
“Yeah.” He croaks, and one finger touches the small of my back, igniting a rush of goose bumps to spread on my bare skin as he slides up the zipper. “There.”
“Thanks.” I take the towel from my hair, scrunching my blonde curls.
“Where are you going?” He leans against the wall across from the bathroom as I continue getting ready in front of the mirror.
