Chapter Three
Carmen trudged through the sticky mud toward the chicken shed. There was no point in getting all worked up. Obviously Alex was showing off for Katie. After all, he had less than two weeks to convince her to move back to Houston. How he expected to achieve that by feigning interest in the goats was a mystery, but at least he cared enough to make an effort. A month ago, before the letter announcing his visit, she would have said otherwise. Why the sudden interest in Katie? Did it have anything to do with the fact that she would be twenty-one soon, and gain control of her inheritance? How much of his wealth actually belonged to Katie? Now there was a thought - not a very nice one, either.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a cacophony of squawks and wings beating against the chicken coop walls. She broke into a run, screaming for Katie. Something was after the chickens - probably that dad-burned skunk again.
Her foot slipped on a large wet rock, spilling her face first into the mud. For a long agonizing moment her knees and elbows took turns at the ground. Finally she made it to the chicken coup door. She turned the wooden latch and threw the door open, ducking as a chicken flew over her head. It took an instant for her eyes to adjust to the dim coop interior, and then she found herself staring into the desperate eyes of a red fox.
He cowered in the corner, clutching a white hen in his mouth. The rest of the chickens were flogging all over the tiny coop, bouncing off the walls in a state of panic.
Carmen pulled the coop door shut and the fox snarled around the hen, backing deeper into the corner. As Carmen glanced around the coop for something to use as a weapon, one of the chickens ricocheted off the wall and hit her head. Her knees hit the floor with a grinding jolt, and the fox seized the opportunity. He grabbed the hen by the wing and headed for a sliver of light shining through the coop door. Carmen lunged at him and he leaped straight into the air, dropping the chicken. He hit the floor on all fours and snapped at the hen as she rolled by. The hen scrambled, dragging a broken wing and squawking her anguish. Furious at the loss, the fox made a snarling lunge at Carmen.
This time Carmen backed away. It was a mistake. Sensing her fear, he moved closer, his teeth bared in an ugly snarl.
The coup door swung open and Alex assessed the situation quickly. In an instant he entered the coop and pushed Carmen back, putting himself between her and the fox. Waving his hands, he yelled and the fox darted out the coop door - without the hen.
“Are you all right?” Alex asked, holding out a hand to help her from the floor.
She nodded, loosing the breath she had been unconsciously holding.
“I was expecting to find a skunk, and when I saw it was only a fox, I thought . . .” her voice trailed off at the amusement in his eyes.
“You look a sight,” he said, as he plucked a feather from her hair. “You look like you’ve been tarred and feathered.”
She glanced down at her clothes, covered with mud, and realized her face was also caked with slime. She could blush all she wanted. He’d never see it. She grinned as her face warmed the mud.
“I bet that fox thought this old hen was more than he bargained for.”
“Yeah,” Alex responded dryly. “It looked like you had the upper hand. Why didn’t you simply let him escape?”
“He had one of my chickens.”
Alex shook his head in wonder. “Is one chicken worth your life?”
What would one chicken mean to someone like Alex?
“Don’t you think that’s getting a little melodramatic? He might have bit me, but he’d . . .”
“And how would you be sure he wasn’t rabid? You’d have to take shots . . .”
“Oh, give it a rest, Alex.”
Her voice was sharp enough to parry his verbal onslaught. How could he possibly understand? She stooped to gather the wounded hen.
“Thanks for your help, but around here we’re waging a constant war against nature. If it isn’t the skunks and opossum killing the chickens, it’s the weeds taking over the garden. You do what you can and get on with life. The fox is gone. That’s the end of it.”
She lifted the wing and examined the bloody breast.
“She probably won’t live, anyway.”
Alex reached for the chicken. “Can I look at it?”
Why not? He couldn’t do the chicken any more harm. Let him play vet if it made him feel better. She handed the hen to him and stood.
“I have some supplies in the barn, if you want to mess with it. I’m going to get out of these wet clothes.”
Her teeth were beginning to chatter. Was it the fact that the danger was now over, or the cold? Probably a little of both.
She left him in the coop with the chicken and marched across the yard to the house, her boots making sucking noises each time she lifted her foot from the mud. Somehow he’d managed to best her again. He must think she was a pansy. But what did it matter? Why let it bother her? Maybe Katie was right. Maybe she was too competitive.
She glanced up at the sky. A bank of clouds was building to the northeast. Good. The rain would pack down the mud and melt the rest of the snow. It was unseasonably warm for the end of February, but this was the time of year that they might expect a few nice days. Maybe tomorrow would be warm.
“Carmen?” Alex called after her.
She stopped and turned. He tucked the chicken under his arm and hesitantly joined her at the porch steps.
“I don’t know when Katie intended to tell you, but we made arrangements to take you out for supper tonight.”
Carmen stared at him, warmth flooding up her neck again.
“That was nice, but . . .”
“We’ve already invited Bill, Lori and Josh. They’re supposed to meet us at the restaurant. Nothing fancy.”
“I really wish you hadn’t done that.”
It would be awkward enough talking to Josh, without having an audience. Alex glanced away uncomfortably, but she didn’t miss the hurt in his eyes. She smiled encouragingly.
“I suppose I could use a few hours away from this place, though. Thanks for giving me some warning.”
His attention swung back to her and the dark eyes brightened as he noted her smile.
“Yeah, well I didn’t want you to go in and start supper or something.”
The excitement at the coop had cost Alex his chance to watch a birth, but he accepted the loss in good humor. He seemed to have an even nature, but maybe he was on his best behavior.
Carmen dressed in the nicest slacks that she owned and was relieved to discover that Alex and Katie were both dressed casually. She stopped at the door on her way out and grabbed her work boots.
Alex whisked them into the car, making sure their doors were securely closed before he slipped into the driver’s seat. Evidently he was in his element now. He probably ate out all the time, and had a female companion to look after as well. Life on her farm must be immensely boring for him. This evening outing was a perfect opportunity to show Katie what she could gain by moving back with him.
At the restaurant, Alex whipped the car in between Josh’s gray truck and Lori’s little red sports car. Carmen had her door open and was exiting the car when she glanced up to find Alex ready to help her out. Her cheeks warmed again. She smiled up at him.
“I figured how to get the door open by myself.”
His lips twisted into a smile as he helped Katie out. “I’m forever amazed at your ingenuity.”
He must think she was the biggest hick he’d ever seen. She lagged behind so he could open the restaurant door for them, but once inside he surrendered their care to Josh and Bill. Lori was odd-man-out, so she inherited the benefit of his manners. Lori would appreciate him.
“Come on,” Josh said curtly to Carmen, and led her to the table with a stride she couldn’t hope to match. At the table, he slung a long leg over a chair and dropped into it, kicking out the chair next to him for Carmen. Smoky gray eyes glanced up to determine her response to the crude invitation. She sat down and pulled her chair up to the table, glancing to see how Bill would react. Bill and Katie were in deep conversation and sat down in unison, completely oblivious to what was going on around them. Alex held a chair for Lori, and Josh glanced uncomfortably at Carmen, running a hand through unruly red hair as he spoke under his breath in a sarcastic tone.
“A real lady’s man. Who’d have guessed?”
Alex glanced at Josh as he lowered himself to the chair beside Lori. If the displeased look on his face was any indication, he must have heard Josh.
Carmen shrugged. “Women like to be treated like ladies now and then, Josh. You ought to try it some time.”
Her tone was light, but Josh scowled at her. It wasn’t a nice thing to say, and at the moment she wished she could take it back. What was the point in antagonizing him?
“Pretty words and fancy manners don’t mean anything. You know how I feel and I’ll be darned if I’m going to grovel at your feet. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but I wish the old Carmen would come back.”
The old Carmen? Had she changed so much? Certainly she was more independent, but hadn’t Josh become more assertive?
Lori came to her rescue. “Knock it off, Josh. This is her birthday, not a debate team meeting.”
Lori always did have a way with Josh, even back when they were kids and she had a monstrous crush on him. Josh dropped the subject, baring beautiful white teeth in a smile that bore closer resemblance to a grimace.
“That’s right, she’s one year older today. Tell me Carmen. How does it feel to be a quarter of a century old?”
She made a face at him. “I’ll let you find out next month.” This was no place to bring up the issue that time was slipping away from them.
Alex cleared his throat. “Well, lets get this thing on the road. I’m about to starve to death. Everybody order what you want - my treat.”
Josh shot a disgusted look at Alex. “I can take care of my own feed bill.”
Alex smiled tolerantly. “Suit yourself.”
Lori wrinkled her nose at Josh. “If you want to enjoy this evening, you’d better get that chip off your shoulder. It’s been a long time since we all went out to eat together. Too long, don’t you think?”
“Too long,” Katie agreed with an elbow into Bills ribs.
“Yeah,” Bill chimed in. “We’ve all been keeping our noses too close to the grindstone. A good way to get it knocked out of joint.”
He was rewarded with an adoring smile from Katie and a chuckle from Josh. Lori and Alex both looked relieved. They made an attractive couple, both so sophisticated in appearance. By the end of the meal, it was obvious that they had hit it off well together.
It was past nine when Alex and Josh paid their bills, and the faint sound of thunder met them at the door. Katie begged Alex to let her drive, and he caved in. She could play him like a fiddle - or was Alex merely that amiable? In any case, Katie managed to get the car stuck less than a hundred yards from the gate. To her credit, the little car wasn’t meant for rough country, but Katie let up on the accelerator when the car started to bog down.
“Keep it going,” Alex warned her in a conversational tone, but it was already too late.
The little car slowed to a standstill, but Katie continued spinning the tires.”
“Easy, now,” Alex spoke gently, and reached for the door handle. “Let me give you a push.”
Carmen slid out of the car, thankful she had thought to bring her boots and coat. As she followed, Alex glanced back at her.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to get Josh.”
He shook his head. “No, I can handle it. The car isn’t that heavy. You go ahead and get back in. No need in two people getting muddy.”
“I’ll help. No point in adding my weight to what you already have to push.”
His teeth flashed pink in the red glow of the taillights. “Yeah, you must weigh all of fifty pounds.”
She eyed his lean build. “Ninety-five, and you’re no heavyweight, yourself.”
He positioned his hands on the trunk. “I weigh nearly twice as much as you.”
She positioned her hands on the opposite side of the car and grinned back at him.
“With or without your ego?”
He chuckled and called to Katie that they were ready. Katie hit the accelerator and the wheels spun wildly, instantly coating Carmen and Alex with mud.
“Ho!” Alex yelled as he jumped away from the car. And then they were both laughing. Carmen stepped around him.
“I’d better go get the gate. When you push this thing out of the mud, she’s going to be plumb through the gate before we can get to it.”
“Good idea.”
He explained the situation to Katie and added. “Easy this time. And keep going once you get started.”
Carmen sloshed through the mud, and by the time she opened the gate, the car was out of the mud. Alex waved Katie through and closed the gate. Caked with mud, they both decided to walk to the house while Katie parked the car.
“I’m sorry your birthday turned out this way,” Alex said as he fell into stride beside her.
She shrugged. “Oh, don’t worry about it. This has been a typical day for me - with the exception of a nice evening out. Thanks.”
Thunder rumbled again and a cold drop of rain gnawed at the mud on her cheek. Maybe Katie was right. Maybe she needed to get out more. In spite of the mud and weather, she felt much better.
“Do you like living like this?”
“Like this? If you mean cold and muddy, no, but it isn’t always this way. When you live on a farm you learn to expect days like this and roll with the punches.”
“No, I wasn’t talking about the mud and cold. I meant living out here in the middle of nowhere with questionable transportation and no way to get help. I admire your courage.”
Courage? She shrugged. “It’s not all that bad. Not when you grow up with it. Shoot, Dad put a bathroom in the house the year after I graduated. I can remember more than one time with a case of flu in the dead of winter - running back and forth to the outhouse. I have it made, now.” She shrugged again. “I made the decision to work the farm instead of selling the place and getting a job at some factory. The farm doesn’t pay as much, but it’s more rewarding. Anyway, I always figured I’d raise my children on this place. It’s a wonderful place to grow up. There’s a spot down yonder on the creek where all us kids used to swim in the summer. Me, Lori, Josh and Bill.”
He was silent for a few minutes as they sloshed toward the house. The only sound was the sucking sound their boots made in the mud and the soothing sound of flowing water down at the creek. The raindrops were heavier now, working the mud on her face into a slimy mess. Yet she was disappointed when they reached the porch steps. Alex was a delightful companion. He had such a cute personality. Was that what Katie meant all those times she indicated his looks weren’t his strongest point? It was strange he hadn’t ever married.
“I imagine this is a lot different from where you live in Houston,” she prompted.
“Like another world,” he responded with a sigh as he followed her up the steps. The screen door squealed as he opened it. “It was nice of you to let me visit.”
He was gazing down at her, their faces illuminated by light coming through the window in the door. Something about his expression started an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Where was Katie?
He reached out and touched her face, his fingers sliding in the mud. He grinned. “Is this how you keep that beautiful complexion?”
She pushed his hand away and her laugh sounded nervous.
“If it is, you’re going to have the prettiest face around.”
He laughed and pushed the door open for her. Let’s get cleaned up and see if there are any more baby goats.
She shook her head. “Not me. I’m beat. I’m going to take a shower and go to bed. I’ve got to leave them sometime. I can’t watch them twenty-four hours a day, you know. If you want to check on them, go ahead.”
The feel of his warm fingers on her cheek, the uneasy stomach - they were all warning bells. She was feeling rejected and he was lonely and experienced. Those factors went together like sulfur and a spark. Now was not the time to be in the barn alone with him this late at night.