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“Oh good. I’ll feed you guys some lunch. Sit.”
“We weren’t going to stay. I just wanted to check up on you.” I remain standing because now that Jude and I have admitted our feelings, I really want to keep him to myself.
“Sit,” Bruce says.
Jude groans, but we both know we’re staying for lunch now. Jude walks around me and slides a chair out for me.
“We do have some news though,” Bruce says as I sit down.
“What?” Jude acts like an annoyed teenager.
“Rhea is going to move in with me for a little while.”
Jude sits in the chair next to me, and we share a look.
“Why?” I ask.
“I’m going to do some more intensive work on the house here. We’re going to move her to the main floor, so she doesn’t have to take the stairs, and I’m fixing the floor in here as well as on the porch. No point in her living downstairs if she falls through a loose board.”
“Oh.”
“I told Bruce I was fine, but now with you moving in with Jude…”
I don’t love my mom being on the ranch all by herself with no one else around. I’m close enough I suppose, but I still don’t love the idea.
“Are you sure, Mom?” I ask.
“Bruce offered me a permanent spot on the land now that you’re married. There’s a parcel of land we could build a house on, but I want to stay on the farm.” She puts a few slices of bread in the toaster. “I don’t want to leave.”
“But maybe you should.” I give her a look I hope reads as “at least consider it.”
“You’re welcome to move in with us,” Jude says.
I don’t do a good job of hiding my shocked expression.
My mom laughs. “I would never intrude, but thank you for the offer. I’ve been feeling really good lately. Maybe the stress of the farm finances being lifted is helping me. How is the chicken farm idea going anyway?” She hands Bruce his sandwich and pops another two slices of bread into the toaster.
“We went to the bank today.” Jude eyes his dad, and Bruce nods. “Once we get the money and pay off the back mortgage, it’s really just making the chicken coops and finding the chicks to start the first batch in late February or March. It might take a little while, but Sadie’s done her legwork on what we need to do.”
I reach over and Jude meets me halfway, holding my hand on the table.
Bruce’s eyes land on our hands, and he smirks. “That’s good to hear. We’ll harvest the soybeans next week, I think.” His eyes focus on Jude since Jude’s probably going to be the one managing it.
“That will help with start-up costs,” I say. “Thank you.”
There’s a beat of silence, then Bruce says, “I’m going to have Emmett do the corn maze this year.”
Jude’s hand goes limp over mine. “What? Why?”
“You’re a newlywed, and you have a lot on your plate.”
My mom brings another sandwich over, putting it in front of Jude, who keeps his eyes on his dad as he slides the plate over to me without even looking in my direction.
“I do the maze every year. Emmett’s going to do a penis or something.”
“Give me some credit. I’d do a vulva.” Emmett shows up through the doorway from the family room.
I startle, but I’m the only one.
