Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
“Sparks? That was pure hate Pippa, which brings up the most pressing problem with Bella being my fake girlfriend. She hates my guts.”
“So does most of America right now. But you know who they would love? Bella.”
She wasn’t wrong. Bella was strong and beautiful without really trying, and hell, it didn’t get more normal and admirable than being a farmer did it? “I don’t know, Pip.”
“All you have to do is make it worth her while,” she said with a smile, as if it really were just that easy.
“I guess you weren’t paying attention a few minutes ago,” I shot back.
But I gave it serious thought as the waitress came to take our orders, and I realized Pippa was right. Bella was perfect. She couldn’t stand me, so I wouldn’t have to worry about her trying to keep me around after our staged relationship was due to end, and I had the perfect leverage to get her to agree.
Chapter 13
Bella
“We’re doing good Mom, and so is the farm.” I hadn’t talked to my mother in a few weeks, which was unusual, especially since Nicola died. I called at least once a week to catch up and be a good daughter. “How was California?”
“It was wonderful,” she cooed into the phone. “We took the RV and spent the month traveling from south to north, taking in all the sights. There was a lot of traffic. So much traffic, honey, but damn if that state isn’t gorgeous.”
I smiled. “Good. I can’t wait to see the photos.”
Mom sighed. “Honey, they’re up on Facebook and Insta, get with the times will you?”
I rolled my eyes, thankful she couldn’t see me. “I don’t have time for social media. Between Ev and the farm, there’s so much to do. I’ll check it out through the farm’s social media account.”
“Which I love,” Mom interrupted excitedly. “The photos of the crops when they bloom, the branded content and the announcements about which markets you’ll be attending. Just wonderful.”
‘Thanks,” I murmured, slightly embarrassed by her praise. “I told you I’m going to make this place what it used to be.”
“Bella honey, you don’t have anything to prove to anyone, least of all me or your father.”
I wanted to believe that, but it was hard. “You sure you don’t hate me for leaving and forcing you to shutter the farm all these years?”
“Of course I don’t hate you, you’re my daughter and I love you to pieces. More than that, I understand why you left. You were so miserable it was heartbreaking, and if you hadn’t made the decision on your own to take that scholarship, I would have strongly encouraged you to do it. You needed to get away. You needed time to miss what’s special about Carson Creek. You needed the distance to grow into your own person, with your own identity, an identity that wasn’t forced on you, one that you came into on your own.”
“This farm is what’s special about Carson Creek for me. But thank you for not hating me. And for giving me space all these years. Is Dad still upset about the vertical farms?” He thought it was cheating, not real farming, but the yields so far told me this was going to pay off long term. I sat in my truck and stared at the buildings that had made it easier to farm with a skeleton crew, wishing my dad could understand the benefits.
Mom laughed, and I could almost see her with her head tossed back, salt and pepper hair hanging down her back. “He’s still griping about it, but now that he’s seen the profits, he wants you to keep them and hire a few extra hands to help when the profits come in.”
I smiled. “That’s progress.” My relationship with my dad still hadn’t recovered from my decision to go to college and learn the business and technology side of farming in the twenty-first century. I hoped one day things would change between us, but it didn’t look good right now.
“Your father is as stubborn as you are, where do you think you inherited that particular trait?”
“You, I assumed,” I joked half heartedly.
“What’s wrong Bella, you sound sad and exhausted.”
“Farm work is exhausting,” I shot back automatically, but I knew I couldn’t keep this from her, not if I wanted to improve our relationship. “Nicola’s parents have petitioned for custody of Everest.” I told her all about my meeting with the lawyer, my chances of success, and what that meant for me and Everest going forward. “It’s just another thing I don’t have the time or energy to deal with.”
“Say no more,” she said with the authority of a woman experienced in wrangling five children. “I’m coming to the farm, and I will stay there as long as you need me. Besides, I’m sure Everest could use a grandma around to spoil him and show him how to fight back.”