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Opal turned and walked over to her blow-up couch and sat. Gerty took the spot next to Mike, and she let him take her hand in his and work her fingers out of the fist they’d curled into. Maybe she was a little bit too tense.
“Let’s say Tag and I get married,” Opal said. “And I take you up on your five-acre gift. Is that going to be enough for Tag?”
Gerty caught on quick, and she threw Mike a worried look. “I don’t know. That’s something you’ll have to ask Tag.”
“I think he wants his own place someday,” Opal said.
“Sissy, you can’t predict every step before you take it,” Mike said quietly.
“I’m not trying to do that,” Opal barked at him.
“You like your plans,” Mike said. “That’s all I’m saying.”
“Everyone likes to have a plan for where they’re going to live,” Opal said.
“Okay.” Gerty held up one hand. “Sweetie, this isn’t us attacking you. We want you close. I want you here. I know you love West, and I know you think you’re in the way, but you’re not.”
“I need my own space,” Opal mumbled as she looked down at her hands. “There’s something about being self-reliant and having something to take care of that human beings need.”
“We agree,” Gerty said quickly. “If you want to take some time to think about it, that’s fine. If you decide to buy that hideous place in Willow Springs, I will swallow my ire and support you.” She grinned at Opal as she looked up. “Okay?”
“You will not,” Opal said with a dry laugh. “You’ll be so salty, and you’ll stomp around the house and bang closed cabinets in the morning just to wake me up.”
“You’re right.” Gerty laughed too. “That’s totally what I’ll do.” She sobered, and Opal’s gaze turned intense again. “Just think about it. If you only want an acre, that’s fine. We can identify some great places, and this place is eighty-two acres. We can spare a few for you.”
“Might as well make it a whole Hammond compound,” Mike said. “Call Jane up and give her five acres too.”
Gerty whipped her head toward Mike to see if he was joking. He was, but…. “That’s not a bad idea,” she said.
“Are you kidding?” Mike asked.
“No,” Gerty said thoughtfully. “Why can’t this farm be a Hammond Family compound? We’re at capacity for horses, and we grow plenty to feed them. If we lost ten acres, it wouldn’t be a big deal. We’d just buy what we need in the winter.”
With three Hammonds living here, that was six billion dollars worth of hay and feed they could afford.
“Baby, it’s your farm,” he said. “Tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.”
Gerty looked back to Opal. “I want you to tell your sister to think about it. Really think about it. And then take the offer.”
Mike sighed as if she’d asked him to drink fruit punch. The man hated the stuff, and he made this seem like the same kind of torture. “Sissy, just think about it. Really think about it, okay? Pray over it. Talk to Tag, and Momma and Daddy.” He squeezed Gerty’s hand. “We’re sure you’ll get to where we are in knowing that this is the right thing.”
Opal wouldn’t give in easily, Gerty knew that. “I’ll think about it,” she said. “And if I decide it’s a good idea, I will be purchasing five acres from you.” She scooted to the edge of the wobbly couch and stood up. “Now, I promised my hot boyfriend I’d make brunch at his place. It’s the only reason I’m up so dang early this morning.”
“It’s eight-fifteen,” Mike said as she headed for the hallway, presumably to get dressed.
“Don’t remind me,” Opal said over her shoulder as she disappeared into the depths of the farmhouse.
Gerty looked at Mike, and Mike looked back at Gerty. “All things considering,” he said. “That went really well.”
“Yeah.” Gerty chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then forced herself to stop. She leaned into Mike’s chest. “What do you think she’ll do?”
“With Opal, she always does what she thinks is right.” He touched his mouth to the side of her jaw. “Once she leaves, we’ll have the farmhouse to ourselves.”
Gerty smiled at his flirtatious tone. “Yes, we will,” she said. “I have to admit, I am looking forward to it just being us again.”
“Me too.” Mike gently turned her head and kissed her. “West is gonna be one tomorrow. Are you thinkin’ you want another baby?”
Gerty had thought no such thing, so she couldn’t say she had. “I don’t know,” she said. “I love the farm, Mike, but…I love being a mom too.”
