An Unlikely Place for Love Read online

“I’m going to motivate Tim and Jeff to finish those shelves you told them to put up after I talk to you.”

  “What do you want to discuss?”

  “I decided not to mention Georgia to Kate, but if she finds out about Georgia from the Montgomeries, what do you want me to tell her?”

  “Just tell her that Georgia passed away a year ago and I have no attachment to her.”

  That sounded promising. Kate suspected that he might feel an attraction to her but wondered how his past experience with Georgia would affect how he reacted to it.

  “You should warn her about those men,” he said.

  She knew he was referring to Georgia’s relatives. “Oh, I already did that. I told her what they’re all about. She isn’t interested in men like that. It’s almost funny that they actually think they have a chance with her.”

  He looked relieved.

  “Believe me, they have no chance with her.”

  He hesitated for a moment before saying, “Be sure to tell Kate to not ride Star.”

  “I will.”

  “Is there anything else?” he asked her.

  “I thought you should know that Lacy’s still interested in you.”

  His eyes grew wide. “What? Did she say that?”

  “No. In fact, she denied it but I can tell she was lying. I thought you might want to be careful.”

  “Why? She’s not coming back out here, is she?”

  “I hope not. I tried to be as gross as possible but she’s relentless.”

  He shook his head. He turned to her and placed one hand on his hip while the other one held the fence. “I thought she was interested in you.”

  “She likes both of us. It seems that either one of us who shows her the slightest interest will get her attention.”

  “Well, I’m not going to encourage her. I avoided her like the plague the whole time she was here. You were the one who talked to her.”

  “And I was purposely being disgusting. My sister wouldn’t even go near me with the way I was acting today.” She rolled her eyes. “I thought for sure it would send Lacy running out of here.”

  “What did you do?” He seemed amused.

  She explained how she burped, farted, scratched her crotch, sneezed everywhere and loudly sniffled.

  She noticed his soft laughter. “I’m almost sorry I missed it. That must have been quite a show.”

  He has such a nice laugh. He definitely needed to laugh more. “I thought it was until she said that she’s familiar with how her male relatives act. She made it clear that she is willing to overlook all my gross habits.”

  “I don’t think anything you do will work. Like I said, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I imagine she’ll be a lot like her sister if she does get married.”

  She cringed. “Sounds lovely,” she sarcastically responded.

  “Just watch out.” He sobered up. “Make sure you don’t drink anything around her. If she can, she will get you to sleep with her since she won’t be able to get you any other way. Then if she gets pregnant, you’re stuck.”

  “Well, that would be impossible since it definitely won’t happen.” Since she wasn’t a man, she was very safe in that department.

  “Good luck with that.” He turned back to the fence.

  “What would she have accomplished by sleeping with you? I mean, you were already married.”

  He paused. “I think she wanted to rub her sister’s nose in it. She did ask me if it would be funny if she had my kid when Georgia couldn’t. I was so drunk at the time, it didn’t even register what was going on.”

  “Did you used to drink?”

  “I did for awhile. It’s not something I’m proud of. I used to purposely get drunk to forget about my life with Georgia. But after I lost it one night, I avoided alcohol altogether. Even now, I won’t touch it. It’s a quick way to lose control.”

  “Do you mind if I ask what happened that night?”

  He paused. “I don’t like to think about it. I don’t remember everything about it. That’s what happens when you get so drunk you pass out. You forget things.”

  “What happened?”

  “Billy, if I told you, you wouldn’t like me.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. Was it really that bad?

  “But I suppose you have a right to know in case you want to warn your sister about me.” He was silent for a moment. Then he simply said, “I hit her.”

  She hadn’t expected this. She couldn’t imagine him actually hitting a woman. He didn’t even hit a man.

  He continued, “I was ready to leave Georgia because I discovered that she had pretended to give birth to our stillborn child. The truth was, she lied about even being pregnant. I was so mad that I went to town to get drunk. I drank until I was ready to collapse. I know I rode Reliable back here but I don’t remember leaving the bar. I can only remember bits and pieces of that night. I was packing and yelling at her. She said something but her voice sounded distorted. One minute I was packing and the next thing I remember, I was slipping on the step on the front porch. Everything else is a blank. I woke up the next morning with a hangover and laying in a puddle in front of the porch steps with a suitcase in my hand. Apparently, it had rained the night before and I slipped on the wet steps. When I saw Georgia, she had a black eye. She said I hit her. I don’t remember doing it but there was no one else there that night who could have done it.” He took a deep breath. “After marrying Georgia, I slid far in my walk with Christ. After that night, I went back to Him and I haven’t steered off the path since. I became aware of how weak I really am. The good news is that I rely on Him to be my strength.”

  “When we come to Jesus Christ, we are new creations. Our past is cleared as if it never happened.”

  “I can assure you that I’m a different person than I was back then.”

  “I believe you, but I don’t think you did it.”

  He looked at her.

  “You didn’t even hit me and you were furious with me when I called you weak. I think you don’t remember it because you didn’t do it.”

  “I’d like to believe that, Billy, but I’m afraid to in case you’re wrong. So many things can go wrong when a person is drunk.”

  “Well, whatever really did happen isn’t an issue anymore. The point is that you don’t drink anymore and won’t hit anyone now.”

  “Thank you, Billy.” He looked relieved.

  What I think really matters to him. She was surprised that she had such a profound impact on him. She couldn’t help but fall in love with him. He was the first man who seemed real to her. It was ironic that such a thing would happen in the midst of her own deception. She only hoped that when the time came for her to reveal the truth, he would understand. She took a deep breath. “I should go back and check on Tim and Jeff. I’m going to catch an early dinner and rest for the night. I hope you don’t mind. Kate will be your only company tonight.”

  She sensed that he was happy at the announcement. She smiled to herself. She would rather be with him as Kate but was learning a lot about him and the type of man he was when she was Billy. The more she learned about him, the more she liked him. She turned away and went to take care of her new clothes and wig before she went to Tim and Jeff.

  Chapter Ten

  Chad took his time finishing the fence for two reasons. He wanted to do a good job so he wouldn’t have to repair it for a long time. Also, he was nervous about seeing Kate. It had been a long time since he had talked to a woman, and he felt out of practice with what to say or what to do. When he returned to the shed to put his tools and some barbed wire away, he noticed that Tim and Jeff were talking to Kate who stood by the barn door. She wore the same clothes as before, but for some reason, she looked even nicer than she had that morning. He knew he would have to compete for her. He wondered if he had a chance with her. He turned his attention to putting his things away.

  When he came out of the shed, he pleasantly noticed that she was walking over to him. He si
ghed when he saw Tim and Jeff following close behind.

  “Good afternoon, Chad,” she greeted.

  “Hello, Kate.” He returned her smile.

  “I want to thank you for letting me rest in your bedroom.” She glanced back, uncertainly, at Tim and Jeff who were standing nearby. “Anyway, I wanted to ask you a question but I guess it can wait.”

  Chad figured that they would be just as attracted to her as he was so he wasn’t surprised that they gave her their undivided attention. He sighed. “Did you two finish putting up the shelves?” he asked them.

  “We did,” Jeff said.

  “Do you have any other work for us?” Tim wondered. “A hard day of work is good for a man.”

  Chad’s jaw dropped. Since when did Tim want to work?

  “The Lord says that it’s good for a man to work,” Jeff added.

  “You read the Bible?” She turned to him in interest.

  “I sure do. Every day. I never miss church on Sunday morning either.”

  Chad stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He knew what they were doing. Billy had told them that she was an old fashioned woman who honored the Bible, so they were trying to win her over by lying to her. They aren’t much better than Georgia. Except they’ll probably actually want sex.

  “Are you serious about wanting more work?” Chad looked at Tim and Jeff. He could play along with their game.

  “Sure,” they agreed.

  “Alright. I need to put in a couple more stalls in the barn for the cows. It qualifies as hard work and will most likely take a day or two to complete,” he stated. “Still interested?”

  Tim and Jeff hesitated.

  “I would ask Billy to work with you but he’s resting after not getting much sleep from last night, and I’d hate to disturb him after he worked so hard today.” That much was true. Chad didn’t want to overwork his best farmhand.

  “Would you be putting up the stalls with us?” Tim asked him.

  Was he actually afraid that Chad would win Kate? Chad didn’t think they would consider him competition since they seemed to be so confident that he wasn’t worth a woman’s attention. They must want me to help them so I’ll do most of the work while they take the credit for it. As much as he wanted to spend time alone with Kate, he didn’t trust them to do a good job if they were unsupervised. “Yes, I’ll be putting them up too.”

  “I’ve never seen stalls put up,” Kate said, her eyes wide with interest. “Do you mind if I watch?”

  “We would love to show you how much we can do,” Tim eagerly replied.

  Chad hid his agitation as he went into the shed to collect the supplies they would need for building new stalls. He put pieces of wood into the wheelbarrow and added the nails and hammers he would need. He added several latches and screws with screwdrivers since they would need those to secure the stalls so that the cows wouldn’t escape.

  “Chad, you should let us help with that,” Jeff kindly admonished him.

  He stared at the shorter man, bewildered.

  “It wouldn’t be right for you to do all the work by yourself,” he added.

  He gritted his teeth as Jeff took the wheelbarrow and pushed it out of the shed. He reluctantly put more boards into the second wheelbarrow. To his shock, Tim came into the shed and politely offered to wheel it out. He stood in the shed. He didn’t appreciate the fact that Jeff and Tim were lying in order to please Kate.

  “Are you coming?” Kate’s words brought him out of his thoughts.

  He silently nodded, closed the shed door and walked with them to the barn.

  “You know, your hair reminds me of the noonday sun,” Tim told her. “It’s radiant.”

  “Oh, well thanks,” she slowly replied.

  “I must admit that you are the prettiest woman around,” Jeff added. “Considering your brother is a good friend, it’s not surprising to find that his sister has a good personality as well.”

  “You don’t even know me. I might be a shrew,” she joked.

  “I find that hard to believe. Someone as pretty as you has to be a good woman.”

  Tim spoke up. “Your brother is a lot of fun. He rides a horse better than anyone else in town.”

  “He prides himself on his skill with a horse,” she commented. “He can handle any horse.”

  Except Star. That horse will kill anyone who gets on her. Chad suddenly wondered if he should shoot it. Was it really safe to keep a dangerous horse on his property, even if it did kill his horrible wife for him? “Did Billy warn you to stay away from Star?” he asked her.

  “Yes, he did,” she told him. “But he wouldn’t tell me why.”

  “Did Billy also tell you about the potluck?” Jeff quickly asked to get her attention away from Chad.

  “He did,” she replied.

  Chad was secretly relieved that Jeff spoke up so he wouldn’t have to make up an excuse as to why Star shouldn’t ever be ridden. As long as she understood that the horse was off limits, he felt much better.

  “Will you be going?” Tim asked her.

  “I don’t know. I just got here,” she responded. “Who’s going to be there?”

  “Most of the town folk will be there. You can get an idea of who lives here, in case you decide to stay.”

  She looked startled. “Stay?”

  “You might find someone to your liking.”

  “Oh, I fully intend to return home. I just came here to visit Billy. I hardly see him. He’s always running from one place to another.”

  “Where is your home?”

  “I live in a big city in Virginia, but I was born in a small town in Kentucky. I am familiar with how close people can be in a small place.”

  “Yes. We are like one big family here.”

  And some of us are the black sheep of that family. Chad led them over to the empty spot in the barn where he intended to build the stalls. “We will start on this one today and do the other one tomorrow,” he said.

  He walked to the level that was on the shelf in the corner of the barn and walked back to them. When he returned to them, he frowned. “You weren’t supposed to start yet.” He tried to hide his irritation when he saw the board they had already nailed into the wall. He walked past them and put the level on the board. “Look. It’s uneven. If you’re not careful, then the work you’re doing won’t last.”

  He shook his head as he went back to a wheelbarrow and picked up a hammer. He went back to the board and pried the nails off so it came off the wall. He really wished Billy was there to help. Billy might be weak, but he was thorough and deliberate in his work. He considered getting Billy but didn’t want to wake him in case he was asleep. Billy had a long night and worked hard that morning and early afternoon. He deserved a good rest.

  “We’re sorry, Chad,” Tim apologized. “Just tell us what to do and we’ll do it.”

  He nearly pounded the hammer at the wall. It was one thing for them to treat him badly on a regular basis, but he couldn’t handle their being nice to him just to impress Kate. It was the same thing they did in front of Georgia and her parents. “You know what, I’m going to wait until tomorrow,” he finally said. “Billy and I will do this. Why don’t you two collect the remaining hay from the fields and bring it to the horses’ barn? Be careful not to wake Billy. He’s asleep.”

  Tim and Jeff looked disappointed.

  He crossed his arms. “Did you want to work or not?”

  Kate looked at them and waited for their response.

  “We don’t mind putting this stall together,” Jeff said.

  “No offense but I prefer Billy’s work to yours. He takes great care in his work.” Chad no longer cared if she found his words to them upsetting or not.

  “Alright.” Jeff didn’t hide his hurt.

  Chad knew it was all a ploy to gain Kate’s sympathy.

  “We didn’t realize we were being so careless,” Tim replied. “We’ll try better next time. Come on, Jeff. Let’s get the hay.”

  “Do you w
ant to check out the fields?” Jeff asked her. “You can ride on the horse with me.”

  Chad forced himself to gently set the hammer down in the wheelbarrow and quietly left the barn. He couldn’t take it anymore. If she wanted to go with them, he would get Billy to go with her, whether Billy was tired or not. Billy could make sure she was safe from anything Tim or Jeff might try with her out in the fields.

  “Where are you going?” She ran after him.

  He was surprised that she followed him. He glanced behind him and noticed that Tim and Jeff were right behind her. They’re like a bunch of puppies. “If you’re going with them, I’m getting your brother to take you on Reliable.” He continued walking.

  “No. There’s no need. I don’t want to go out to the fields,” she quickly argued.

  He stopped.

  “Don’t you trust us, Chad?” Jeff asked him as he and Tim reached him.

  He pointedly stared at them. Jeff and Tim already knew the answer to that. He knew they didn’t mind sleeping around.

  “I’m sure Lacy would be interested in this conversation,” Tim said. “Kate, you would like our sister Lacy. She’s a sweet girl who wouldn’t hurt a fly. It’s too bad that not everyone treated her so well.” He looked over at Chad.

  Chad tensed. He took a deep breath and held it as he willed himself to relax. He didn’t appreciate them bringing up his past in front of Kate and they knew it. Lord, help me calm down so I don’t say or do the wrong thing.

  “I’m sure I would like her,” Kate told Tim. “Billy mentioned that she was here earlier today but I slept through her visit. How old is she?”

  She didn’t know how much he appreciated the fact that she spoke up when she did.

  “She’s twenty-four,” Tim replied, turning his attention to her. “You and her could probably be good friends. It just isn’t the same for her since Georgia died.”

  “Who’s Georgia?”

  He blinked in surprise. “Chad didn’t tell you about his wife? She passed away a year ago. She was just as sweet and lovely as Lacy is.”

  At least Tim got that part right. Chad couldn’t argue with that. Lacy was just as bad as Georgia.