Sunflower Farms Redemption
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Stacie Strong
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Chapter One
“Are there any volunteers to milk old Betsy here?” Rose McFarland asked the small crowd gathered in the barn for her talk on farm animals. Weekends at Sunflower Farms in sunny Florida were busy, and this Saturday was no different. A number of hands flew up, mostly kids, as the adults stood by and watched. She scanned the room for someone old enough to follow instructions. Her eyes landed on a familiar face in the back. One she hadn’t seen in a long time.
Jesse.
His dark eyes held hers for a heartbeat. She was the first to break the contact and glance away.
Rose sucked in her breath as she calmed herself. Everyone was waiting for her to pick a volunteer, not turn to a pile of mush...
Ex-boyfriends had a way of doing that to a girl.
Rose cleared her throat and quickly selected a young boy for the task. She led him to a stool next to Betsy, then explained to the group how to milk a cow. The whole time she spoke, she was aware that Jesse watched her every move. It was hard to concentrate, but somehow, she managed to get through her speech. Whether she rushed through it or spoke clearly, she had no clue. All she could think about was her unexpected guest.
Betsy lowed at the boy’s clumsy attempt to milk her. Rose reached down and helped him with his hand placement, giving him more direction until finally he was successful. Milk streamed into the bucket. With a snaggletooth smile, the boy grinned up at Rose.
“You did it. Great job. Just a few more squirts, and we’ll let someone else try,” Rose said absently. She pushed her long ponytail off her shoulder. Even though she was dressed in a short-sleeved gingham top and shorts, she suddenly felt hot.
When she ushered the boy off the stool, the small audience gave him a round of applause.
“We have time for another volunteer,” Rose offered.
Again, many hands went up and a chorus of “Me! Me! Me!” filled the barn.
Rose shot a sugarcoated smile Jesse’s way. It only took him a second or two to catch on that he’d just been volunteered. He slowly shook his head.
Rose ignored him, marched through the audience and pulled him up to the front of the group. He wore blue jeans and a polo shirt, and his black hair was shorter than he used to wear it. Somehow, he was more handsome than she remembered. How could that be?
“Hello, sir. What’s your name?” Rose asked as she pulled him toward the stool.
“You know my name,” he countered. His voice was deeper, more mature. He’d always been more than a head taller than her petite height. That hadn’t changed. He stared down at her, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement.
She lifted her chin. “I think I’ve forgotten it. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. Something like ten years, you know.” She said it loud enough for the crowd to hear, as if it were all part of the show.
Jesse played along and sat on the stool. “My name is Jesse.”
“Ah...that’s right. It’s Jesse. Well, Jesse, go ahead and try milking Betsy. Or do you need me to show you how first?” she challenged.
“Nah,” he drawled. “I think I have it.” Jesse expertly milked Betsy, as if he’d milked a thousand cows before. The rhythmic sound of milk hitting the stainless steel bucket filled the room. Jesse glanced up at Rose. “There. How’d I do?”
“Great job. It’s like...like you’re an old pro,” Rose stammered.
Come on, Rose, spit it out, she thought. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to call Jesse out. Now that he was next to her, it was harder to think.
“I’ve done my share of milking cows, if you’ll recall,” he said under his breath, loud enough for only Rose to hear.
Nearby, a little girl begged to try. Rose realized she needed to get on with the talk and send Jesse away. When was the last time a guy had made her this nervous? Reluctantly, Rose said, “Th-thank you so much, Jesse. We’ll give the next person a turn.”
The crowd clapped when Jesse stood, and he gave a good-natured bow. Rose rolled her eyes. Really? Why did people always love him?
Jesse waggled his brows at Rose and treated her to a lopsided grin, then took his place in the back once again. Rose’s traitorous stomach did a little flip-flop, which was completely irritating. This was the same guy who’d broken her heart once. She shouldn’t give him a second thought.
Rose rushed through the rest of her lecture about cows, skipped the chickens and goats portion, and dismissed her small audience early. She had to admit, Jesse’s unexpected appearance had rattled her.
A minute to collect herself was necessary. This was the same guy that had left her ten years ago. They’d been young and in love...and he’d just left. How could he do that to her? And now he shows up after all this time and expects her to be excited to see him?
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jesse head toward her. She ignored him and abruptly turned to lead Betsy out of the back barn door, toward the corral. Rose wasn’t ready to talk to him.
“Wait up,” Jesse called. He pushed his way through the crowd and followed her out.
Rose heard him but didn’t stop until she reached the corral gate. She swung the door open with a shaky hand, then closed Betsy in. When Rose turned to leave, Jesse was in her path. His broad chest blocked her way.
He smelled clean like fresh soap. She hated that she liked it. Rose tipped her head back to look him in the face. “What are you doing?” she asked, exasperated.
“I’m getting your attention, since you’re determined to ignore me.”
“I’m not ignoring you. I’d like to point out I let you help milk Betsy. Now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do,” she countered, even though he was right; she was totally ignoring him.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Now’s not a good time. Weekends are our busiest days, and Justin called in sick, so I’m short-staffed.” Rose stepped around him and headed back to the barn with a determined step. She let the door close in his face.
Jesse was nothing if not persistent. He opened the door and walked in behind her. “I’m here. Let me help?”
Rose came to an abrupt stop, turned and glared at him. “Now you’re offering to help? Where have you been the past year, since your father passed away? And may I ask, where were you when he was sick? You’ve been gone for ten years.”
“I came back for the funeral,” he protested.
“Whoopee. You deserve a medal,” she said, annoyance obvious in her voice.
“I know you’re angry, but you of all people know my history with him.”
She knew Jesse had left to get away from his father, but Rose was the casualty of that decision. His leaving broke her heart. Then after his father passed away, he should have come back to help with the farm that he inherited. But he still chose to stay away. She couldn’t help that it was a sore subject for her.
Rose shook her head. “I’m not having this conversation right now. I have work to do.”
The crowd had mostly dispersed from inside the barn, but there were still a few patrons nearby who openly gaped at them. Jesse pulled Rose to a corner and lowered his voice. “If you’re that busy, let me help today.”
She really did need the help if she wanted the day to run smoothly. She’d be a fool to let him go. But deep down, she knew she’d be a fool to let him stay.
Finally, she gave in. Putting her hands on her hips, she stared up at him. “Against my better judgment, I will take you up on the offer. That is, if you think you can find your way around. We’ve made some changes over the years.”
“I think I can handle it,” he said dryly.
“Fine. You can help. Do you remember how to drive the tractor?”
He let out a low chuckle. “I spent more hours than I’d like to remember on a tractor. I’m sure it will come back to me. Kind of like riding a bike...or milking a cow. Right?”
Rose ignored the joke. “Great,” she said. The word came out a little shrill. She cleared her throat. “Justin was supposed to run the hayrides today. It’s one of our most popular activities. You can take over for him. Let’s get you a schedule, then I’ll take you to the tractor.”
Again, she left him in her dust as she walked out the front of the barn and threaded her way through the crowd. The gift shop was located on the first floor of the garage, and Jesse followed Rose inside. She noticed him scanning the room. They’d recently redecorated. A large counter with the cash register took up one wall, and the other three were loaded with shelves and souvenirs. The room was painted a cheerful yellow and the black Sunflower Farms sign, that Rose had designed, hung behind the counter.
“This is new,” Jesse commented. “I like it. It’s very nicely done.”
Rose smiled. She hated to admit it, but his praise meant a lot. Even though she hadn’t inherited the place like Jesse, she’d put her blood, sweat and tears into it. It was her baby. “Thanks. I’m glad you like it. The visitors park their cars out front and have to walk through the gift shop to pay for their entrance into the farm. Most end up walking back through at the end of the day to purchase something.”
“Clever.”
“Yes, I thought so.” Rose led him to the counter. “Let me introduce you to Lolly. She works in the gift shop.”
Lolly’s blond head was tilted down as she counted out change for a customer. When the guest left, Lolly smiled at Rose and Jesse. “Hi!” She was always in a good mood, making her the perfect person to greet arriving guests.
“Lolly, this is Jesse. He’s Mr. Cooper’s son. He owns Sunflower Farms now.”
“Nice to meet you.” Lolly reached across the counter and shook Jesse’s hand. She seemed a little starry-eyed as she gazed up into his handsome face.
“Nice to meet you, as well,” Jesse said. He’d always been oblivious to the attention he attracted from the opposite sex.
“I am so sorry about your dad,” Lolly offered. “We all miss him terribly. He was a wonderful person.”
Jesse shuffled uncomfortably, but to his credit, he didn’t get into his difficult relationship with his father. He politely answered, “Thank you.”
Rose jumped in. “Jesse has offered to fill in for Justin today with the hayrides. Can you hand him a schedule?”
Lolly pulled out one of the brochures. “Here you go. The first hayride starts in a few minutes, so you may want to head out there.”
Jesse perused the brochure. “This is impressive. The farm has come a long way. Are you open to the public every day?”
“Just the weekends. People come out to see the sunflowers and for a glimpse of life on a farm,” Rose said.
“I see there are a few other classes this afternoon. Rose, do you give those classes, too?”
“I do, and speaking of which, the gardening class starts soon. We need to get a move on. Let me show you to the tractor you’ll be using.”
Rose directed Jesse down an out-of-the-way dirt path that led to the warehouse. Her nerves were starting to calm, so she didn’t rush ahead but walked next to him.
“You’ve been gone for a long time,” she said finally. “Why did you come home?”
“That’s something I want to talk to you about,” he said.
She glanced up at him. Even in the bright afternoon light, his eyes were nearly black. She’d always envied him for his long lashes. Rose caught herself and looked away.
“Well, you came at the worst time,” she said. “Saturdays are our busiest day.”
“Yeah, I see that now. Sorry. I thought it’d be a good time to catch you.” He kept his hands tucked in his pockets as they walked.
“You should have called ahead.”
“I didn’t think about it.”
“Well, think about it next time,” she chastised. Then immediately berated herself. What was she thinking? The guy owned the place. He was her boss.
But he was also her ex-boyfriend. Didn’t that give her the right to call him out?
What was the real reason he’d shown up today? She’d been running everything for years. Even when Mr. Cooper was healthy, she’d taken over management of the farm. As he grew more ill, he’d put her name on the bank accounts and she’d started paying the bills and the salaries. It was almost like the place was hers.
At the warehouse, she checked her watch. They were running behind. “We’ll have to talk later. For now, we need to get the hayride going.”
The tractor was hooked up to a flatbed trailer covered with fresh hay. Jesse circled the tractor and trailer, examining them. He kicked a tire or two in the process. He picked up a piece of hay, twirled it between two fingers, then stuck the end in his mouth.
It reminded Rose of his dad. She’d seen James Cooper do the same thing countless times. She kept the observation to herself. No doubt Jesse wouldn’t appreciate being compared to him.
“I can’t remember. Did you guys ever offer hayrides when you lived here as a kid?” Rose asked.
“No, and I’m surprised that you do now. Maybe it’s the firefighter in me, but this doesn’t look all that safe.” He tugged at the trailer’s tailgate to check its security.
“Firefighter, huh?” she asked.
He looked over at her, “Yeah. Why?”
Rose shrugged. “No reason. Just didn’t know that’s what you’d ended up doing since you never stayed in touch with me or your dad. Anyway, the hayride is safe enough,” she said. “We don’t let the kids get on without an adult, and you’ll need to drive as slow as the tractor will go.”
She entered a security code on the warehouse keypad, reached inside and grabbed the tractor keys. She gave Jesse the code in case he needed to get back in, then instructed him about the hayride route.
As Rose handed Jesse the keys, their hands brushed momentarily. She ignored the goose bumps that went up her arm. Jesse seemed unfazed.
“Thank you. It’ll be in good hands, I promise,” he said as he jumped up into the seat.
“Better be.”
He waggled those eyebrows at her again. “Trust me, you won’t be sorry.”
She had the uncomfortable feeling she would be very sorry. What did his unexpected appearance mean?
He cranked the noisy tractor. “You want a ride?” he offered over the hum of the engine.
“No, thanks. I’ll walk back.” She watched the tractor and trailer disappear down the dirt path, kicking up a trail of dust.
Time for her gardening class to start. Inhaling deeply and blowing out a steadying breath, she set out on her trek to the main house and garden. It was a long walk back, but her thoughts were consumed by Jesse.
Back when they dated, he was a good guy, and now he was probably quite the catch if he was still single, but Rose had her heart broken by the man once. It had devastated her. So, whatever this visit was about, she’d have to keep her distance. She was sure he’d leave again...maybe for another ten years.
The tractor rumbled along, causing Jesse to bump and sway with each dip of the trail. From the high seat, he stole a parting glimpse of Rose and was reminded of the day he’d left her long ago.
She’d been a skinny eighteen-year-old girl, standing outside her house with tears in her eyes. He’d ended things between them and left, breaking both their hearts.
He hadn’t allowed himself to think about that in years. But being back on the farm had created a tidal wave of memories. He’d stayed away from Sunflower Farms because of the bad memories of his mom’s death and how his dad treated him after that. Now that he was here, it wasn’t his mother or father he was thinking of.
Memories of Rose flooded back. He’d loved her, even if it was only puppy love. He’d always felt guilty for breaking up with her the way he did, so suddenly. One day they were high school sweethearts, the next he was on his way to the University of Kentucky, with no plans to look back. She’d stayed in the small town of Eagletin, Florida, to get her degree in agriculture sciences at the local university, while he had wanted nothing more than to escape from home.
Jesse shook his head to clear it. He needed to pay attention and figure out where he was going. The dirt trail ended, and he found himself in a field behind the main house and barn. The grass was short and dry, as if it hadn’t rained in forever.
He followed the signs to the hayride pickup area, passing several picnic tables with families sitting in the cozy October sunshine, eating their lunches. As he passed the garden entrance, he noticed a small crowd was gathered inside. Were they waiting for Rose to give her class on gardening? Since she was on foot, they’d be waiting awhile.
Jesse rolled up to the hayride staging area. A line of people waited behind two brightly colored orange cones. He greeted them and started helping the first group aboard. The flatbed filled up quickly, and he set off on the well-worn path.
They rode through acres and acres of sunflowers, an impressive display of God’s beauty in the fall, with its sea of yellow against a powder-blue sky. The blossoms had faces as large as plates and stems as tall as a man.
As Jesse drove them to the citrus grove at the back of the property, he recalled how his parents had planted seedlings when he was a small boy. Now the trees were tall and full of oranges, lemons and limes that would be ready to pick in the next few months.
The last leg of the ride had them going through the strawberry fields, finally ending in a full circle back at the hayride staging area.
By the end of the day, he’d made several trips around the property, and he’d barely seen Rose. When he did spot her, she was busy helping guests or giving classes. After only one day of observing her, he could tell she was the glue that kept the place together. But was it too much to manage by herself with his dad gone?
He’d been surprised to see her lead the talk on the farm animals. The Rose he’d known in high school had always been smart and outgoing, but now she was a self-assured, confident woman.
Later, the last of the guests drove off as the afternoon sun moved lower in the sky. Long shadows ran across the yard, and the warmth of the day was replaced with the cooler air of autumn. Jesse put away the tractor and went in search of Rose. As he walked, the scent of the land brought back vivid memories of his childhood on the farm, both good and bad.
He passed Lolly emptying trash cans near the picnic tables. “Have you seen Rose?” he asked her.
Lolly greeted him with a friendly smile, “You can try the barn. She’s probably putting the animals away and feeding them.”
“Thanks.” Then Jesse thought to add, “Do you need help with the trash?”
Lolly seemed surprised by his offer. “No, I’ve got this. You go on. Thanks, though.”
Nodding, Jesse strolled over to the barn. Two horses had already been put away in their stalls. They hung their elegant necks over the doors, and Jesse paused long enough to pet one of them, a brown horse with a white blaze. It nuzzled Jesse’s hand, but nickered when it saw Rose round the corner with a bucket of feed.
“I know what you want, buddy,” Jesse said to the horse eyeing the food.
“Try again.” Rose pulled up next to him. “She’s not a buddy.”
Jesse chuckled. “Whoops. Sorry, old girl.” He scratched her neck. “What’s her name?”
“That’s Missy, and over there—” she nodded toward a black horse “—that’s Moe.”
“They’re pretty friendly.”
“Yeah, well, like the rest of us, they’ve gotten used to entertaining the crowds.”
Rose opened Moe’s stall door, went in and dumped feed in his trough. Missy was next. Jesse stepped back and stayed out of the way. When she came out with the empty bucket, she stopped beside him. “I’m surprised you’re still here. I would have thought the hayride would have scared you away for another ten years.”
“I guess I deserve that.” Seemed like she was still angry at him for leaving.
“I’d say you deserve more than that.”
“I need to talk to you. It’s important,” Jesse said.
Rose stood with her shoulders squared and her head held high, like a woman in charge. She tossed her ponytail over a shoulder. Little wisps escaped and fell loosely around her face. Back in high school, she’d always kept her hair highlighted blond. Now it was her natural shade of light brown. She was prettier than he remembered. In his time away from Eagletin, she’d grown up. He was sorry he wouldn’t be here long enough to get to know the woman she’d become.
“It’s been a long day, and I need to clean up and get some rest. We have to do it all over again tomorrow,” Rose said.
“I know you’re busy. Let me help you put things away, then we can talk.”
Rose bit her lip as she studied him. “Fine. Did you put the tractor in the warehouse?”
“Of course.”
“That’s a start. Come on, you can help me with the rest of the animals.”
They moved the cow—Betsy, he remembered—into a stall and fed her. Then Jesse followed Rose outside, and together they fed and watered the rest of the animals.
“What do you think of the farm now? Is it different from what you remember?” she asked him.
“It’s something else. I’m dumbfounded by the changes. I had no idea I’d find it this way.”
She grinned at him. “I know. It’s come a long way.”
“I can’t get over how many visitors were on the grounds today. When I lived here as a kid, we only had the strawberry picking open to the public. We sold the sunflowers to florists, but they were never the main business for the farm,” he mused aloud. “A busy Saturday back then meant a dozen or so families would come out to pick strawberries just during the season. Today, I’m sure I saw several hundred people come through. It felt more like an amusement park attraction than a farm at times.”
“I can’t tell if you think that’s good or bad.” Rose handed Jesse an armful of hay and led him to the goat pen. He scattered the fresh hay for the goats while she refilled their water troughs. The four goats followed her around bleating until she stopped long enough to pet them.
Jesse watched her give each of them attention. “It’s just different from what I remember.”
She straightened up and led Jesse out of the pen. “We had to do something. Your dad was going to lose the farm if we didn’t figure out another revenue stream. We still sell the sunflowers and citrus, and we have the strawberry picking, too, but there’s a market for the farm experience. Petting the animals, learning about agriculture, and most of all, people want to see and pick the sunflowers when they’re in season. You have to admit, it’s one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen.”
“It is. And you’ve been strategic planting flower fields near the front of the farm where the guests are. Back in the day, we never had this many fields.”
“It was a learning process. We’ve definitely adapted over the years. Next weekend is the fifth annual Sunflower Festival. Now talk about impressive, we’ll have twice as many people here for that.”
“It’s hard to believe this place could be more crowded. I’m surprised my dad let you make changes or have a festival. He was always so set in his ways.”
They were headed toward the chicken pen, but Rose stopped and turned to study him. “I know you had a strained relationship with him, and he was the reason you left. But you have to know, he changed.”
Jesse shook his head. “It’s hard for me to imagine that. You have no idea how awful he was to be around after my mom died.”
“I remember. I know you tried to hide it from me when we were dating, but there were times I caught glimpses of it. Especially when I worked weekends here. And then after you left, he needed my help even more. I agree, he was a difficult man to be around back then, but I’m telling you, he changed.”
Jesse held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t. I didn’t come here to talk about him. He doesn’t get off that easy.”
“Fine. Not today, but one day, you need to hear it. Come on, we’re losing sunlight.”
They checked on the chickens and filled their water dish. With the coming evening, they had moved to their coop for the night. She shut them in.
Jesse followed Rose back to the gift shop. “Where are you living now?” he asked.
“I’m living on the farm. I moved into the second floor over the gift shop, what used to be the garage years ago. Turned it into a small apartment.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t move into the main house after my dad passed.”
“It never felt right. Truthfully, it belongs to you. It wasn’t my place to take over. Besides, my apartment is comfortable.”
Lolly walked out of the gift shop and stopped when she saw them approach. “Hey Rose, everything’s clean, the day’s sales are in the safe, and I restocked the shelves. I’m heading out now. Will I see you at church tomorrow morning?”
“I’ll be there. Save me a seat.”
“Will do. It was nice meeting you, Jesse. You’re welcome to come, too,” she offered.
“I thought you all had the farm open to the public tomorrow.”
“We do, but it doesn’t open until one. So, there’s time for church in the morning. Really, you should come. Everyone would love to see you again,” Rose said.
“I think I’ll pass this time.”
“Okay, maybe next time, then. Good night, you two,” Lolly said.
They watched her get into her car and drive away, then Rose turned to Jesse. The sun had set, leaving them in the evening twilight. A nearby floodlight sensed their movement and switched on. Fingers of light wrapped around them in the darkness.
“Thank you for helping today,” she said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make time for you earlier, but you took me by surprise. So, what was it you wanted to talk about?”
Jesse stuck his hands into his pockets as he picked his words. Perhaps blunt was best.
“I want to sell the farm.”
