Once the kids were off, Joni and Reggie walked out to the art studio in the back yard. “Are you sure you want to take these pictures with you? They aren’t that good. Your friend might not—”
“Believe me, they are wonderful.” Reggie only wished she could paint half as well. If she could, she might have chosen art over the law as a career. Jeffrey was going to love them. Hopefully, he could ease Joni and Richard’s financial worries. “And I’m sure my friend can sell them. In fact, I’m going straight to his art gallery after Dylan drops me off at my car. One of the things that amazes me is the different styles you use. And you do all of them well.”
“A matter of opinion but thanks for the vote of confidence.” Joni’s face flushed but she smiled.
Using towels to cushion them, Reggie and Joni packed five paintings into Joni’s minivan, and then headed out to Dylan’s farm. Turning left at the square of Fredericksburg, they passed the town’s only factory. A few minutes later, they turned right and went further in the country.
Reggie studied the countryside of harvest colors from the car window. Fields of dry grass rippled over open space. Barren trees planted in narrow rows separated one field from another. It was her life. Dry and empty like the scenery before her.
Her throat burned and the tears came. Please let Joni keep her eyes on the road. Could she really walk away from Dylan and go back to her life in the city? How could she give up the only person she’d ever felt safe with? Ever loved. What a ridiculous thought. She’ couldn’t be in love; she’d only known him for a week. Her mind agreed, but her heart dissented.
It was time to get back to work, to her life. She should feel excited, but instead, she felt sick to her stomach.
They turned down a bumpy lane. Her head bounced in rhythm to the music on the radio. An old white farmhouse stood among several barns. The largest was painted red, but the others were old weathered wood. Cows stood grazing in the fields. It looked just the way she expected. Dreary.
“What kind of cows are those?”
“Dairy. Dylan has a few beef cows, but those are for personal use. He’s working on a couple of other things that seem promising.”
Joni pulled up beside Dylan’s truck, already parked in front of the large red barn, and shut off the motor. By the time, Reggie was out of the van, Dylan was walking out of the barn and towards them, trailing some of the biggest, ugliest looking chickens Reggie had ever seen. Not that she’d seen many.
“Those turkeys are a nuisance but Dylan insists on having them and he lets them go wherever they want. But you’ve got to admit they do taste good.”
Feeling stupid, and more than a little grateful she hadn’t uttered the word chicken out loud, she nodded.
Then Joni’s words sank in.
Reggie swallowed hard. “You mean we ate some of them the other day?”
“Sure.”
Reggie repressed a shudder. She knew the meat she ate came from animals, but seeing them face-to-face was more intimacy than she cared for.
“Morning.” Dylan wore a red plaid flannel shirt and his hair fluttered in the wind, in spite of the baseball cap he wore. He looked well-rested. He must have slept better than she had.
He turned and shooed the turkeys. They gobbled and scattered in several different directions.
“So, this is where you live?” Reggie asked, with more cheer than she felt.
“Not really. That’s where the folks live. My place is on the other side of the farm.”
“Mom and Dad wanted Dylan to move into the house, but he bought a manufactured home and put it on the other side so they couldn’t keep track of him.”
“A manufactured home?”
“Like mobile homes and double-wides.” Dylan explained. “I thought about building a house, but this was easier and it took a lot less time.”
He lived in a trailer. She would never be able to admit that to her friends. You’ve become a snob, Reggie Myers. Growing up, she’d have been ecstatic to have a trailer to call her own.
“Help me put these in your truck.” Joni pointed at the paintings piled up on her minivan’s floor. “Then I’ve got to be going. I’ve got things to do.”
“Put what?” Dylan took a step towards the van.
“It’s the craziest thing. Reggie thinks she can sell some of my paintings to a friend who owns an art gallery in Cleveland.”
“What’s so crazy about that? We’ve been telling you for years how talented you are.”
“I don’t have time to be talented. I’m a mother.” She wagged a finger at Dylan.
Reggie laughed. After seeing the morning commotion at Joni’s house, Reggie knew Joni spoke the truth.
After the paintings were transferred to the truck, Joni gave Reggie a big hug. “I’ll be praying for you. In the meantime, don’t be a stranger. You’re welcome to stay with us anytime. I’ll call you in a few days.” Joni walked to her car and gave them a small wave as she left.
Reggie turned to Dylan. “Your sister is so sweet.”
“Yes, she is, but don’t tell her I said so. Do you really think you can sell her paintings?”
“Absolutely.” She nodded. “Jeffrey will go bonkers over them.”
“That would be great.”
“In fact, after you take me back to Alexis’s and my rental car, I’m just going to head straight down to his gallery.”
“Mmmm. Why don’t I just take you there, myself. I’d like to hear what he has to say about them.”
She looked at Dylan in his flannel shirt and old jeans, and thought of him meeting Jeffrey. She winced inwardly. The two of them would be like oil and water. “Not necessary. You’ve done so much already. I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you.”
Dylan’s eyes turned soft as he looked at her. For a moment, it was hard for Reggie to breathe. He took a step towards her, but she turned towards the barn. “Are you going to show me this farm of yours or what?”
She smiled, but she saw the hurt in his eyes.
He touched her arm. “Hold up, Reggie. We need to talk.”
Her stomach clenched. Dylan was a wonderful guy, but he wasn’t the guy for her. He’d been so wonderful to her, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but it wouldn’t be right to lead him on.
“Dylan, I’ve been through a lot the last few da—” She pasted a smile on.
“I know and I’m not trying to make it harder for you, but I need to know.”
She swallowed hard. “Need to know what?” Her gaze traveled up to meet his sweet blue eyes.
“You can’t deny the attraction between us, but I’m not a lovesick teenager. I know it takes more than a little chemistry to make a relationship work. What I want to know is, do you want to take some time to explore the possibility of us? To see what happens?”
In spite of the chill of the morning, his hand felt warm even through her coat sleeve. She longed for him to take her in his arms. To feel his lips on hers. She stepped towards him and his arms tightened around her. She laid her cheek against the softness of his flannel shirt. His heart beat softly against her.
He cupped her chin with his calloused hand and lifted her face. Their lips met with a sweetness she’d never known. The possibility of us? He isn’t talking about casual dating. He’s talking about something more permanent. Her heart fluttered in fear.
Love didn’t last. You could love someone for a while, but not forever. They always left. No matter what they said or how hard you tried, they always left. Sooner or later, Dylan would leave, and then she’d be alone again.
If she gave Dylan her heart, and he left, she wouldn’t be able to survive.
She laid her hands on his chest and pushed away from him. His gaze locked on hers. She knew he saw the answer.