Rescued by the Farmer (16 page)

Without another word, he pivoted on his heel and stalked from the café. He hadn’t been gone more than a few seconds when Drew came over and settled into the vacant chair on the other side of the table. Taking her hands, he pinned her with a worried look. “You okay?”

“I am now.”

And for the first time in a very long time, she meant it.

Chapter Eleven

T
oday was the day.

After weeks of preparation and nervously crossing off the days on their countdown calendar, praying they’d be ready in time, Animal Palooza was finally here. Bekah woke up long before the sun, cleaning and arranging things before going through the clinic’s morning routine as efficiently as humanly possible. The critters were more cooperative than usual, which helped tremendously. Then she took another tour, making sure everything was ready for the onslaught of visitors they’d have throughout the day.

When she was satisfied that everything was in the best shape that could be expected, she headed for the area that was quickly gaining fame as their Birds of Prey sanctuary. Long ago, she’d gotten over what they ate for breakfast, but this morning she felt a knot starting to form in the pit of her stomach. Pausing in front of Rosie’s enclosure, she rested her palms on the outside of the bars and stared in at the magnificent creature that had inadvertently brought her to the rescue center so many weeks ago.

If it hadn’t been for the wounded hawk, Bekah was fairly certain she’d still be on the run, constantly looking over her shoulder instead of in this charming town, working at a job she loved.

“I know this doesn’t make any sense to you,” Bekah whispered as her eyes welled with tears, “but I’d still be lost if it wasn’t for you. I’ll never forget you, Rosie.”

The bird cocked her beautifully sculpted head and squawked softly. Crazy as it seemed, Bekah couldn’t help thinking the bird had understood what she’d said and replied in her own way.

Hanging on to the bars, Bekah closed her eyes, trying to stem her tears. She’d known all along that one day, Rosie would go back to the wild skies where God meant for her to be. But it had always been at some point in the nebulous future. Now it was today, and thrilled as she was for her hawk friend, Bekah couldn’t deny that she was going to miss her terribly.

Behind her, a door closed, and she heard familiar boot steps coming up behind her. When Drew’s arms came around her, she gratefully turned into his embrace.

“It’s stupid,” she mumbled into his soft flannel shirt. “I knew she was going to be leaving someday.”

“It’s always hard to let go of someone we care about, even if we know it’s gonna happen.”

Bekah angled her head to look into the cage again and let out a deep sigh. “I’m happy for her, though. She’s strong and healthy, and it’s time for her to go home.”

“She’s got pretty distinctive markings,” Drew said quietly, kissing the top of Bekah’s head. “It wouldn’t surprise me that if you keep your eyes open, you’ll see her around.”

Tilting her head back, Bekah smiled up at the kind, generous man who’d done so much for her. “That makes me feel a lot better. Thank you for thinking of it.”

“Anything for you,” he assured her, sealing his promise with a quick kiss.

“You really mean that, don’t you?”

“Wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.”

Gazing into those warm hazel eyes, she felt the depth of that truth with a conviction she’d never experienced with anyone else. Drew had come to mean more to her than she could have dared to hope for, and into her mind came the words that would best tell him how she felt.

“I love you, Drew.”

A slow grin drifted across his tanned features. “You do?”

“Yes.” More than a little surprised by his reaction, she laughed. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard that before.”

“Too many times,” he confided with a grimace. “Usually right before things got ugly and fell apart.”

She could only recall a handful of times she’d seen him being anything other than optimistic, and the current of doubt in his voice definitely got her attention. “Are you worried that’s going to happen with us?”

“You really feel like there’s an ‘us’?” he asked, clearly amazed. When she nodded, the grin came back even brighter than before. “That’s awesome, ’cause I’m pretty sure I love you, too.”

“Pretty sure?” she echoed, giving him a mock glare.

Obviously, he’d caught on that she was teasing, because he laughed as he pulled her closer. “Y’know, when you get mad, those pretty eyes of yours spark like fireworks.”

He dropped in for a long, leisurely kiss that she honestly wished could have gone on forever. Unfortunately, the rest of the staff would be arriving any minute, and she reluctantly untangled herself from his arms. “We’ve got a lot to do today. Why don’t we make dinner at your place tonight to celebrate?”

“The fund-raiser or us?”

“Both.”

“Sounds good to me.”

He drew her in, plainly angling for another kiss, and she pushed him away with a laugh. “The food or the celebrating?”

“Both,” he echoed her, eyes twinkling with mischief as he turned and headed for the door that led out to the side yard.

When he was gone, she glanced over at Rosie with a dreamy sigh that was totally unlike her. “Isn’t he incredible?”

Bobbing her head, the hawk squeaked her opinion before getting back to preening her feathers. Their exchange made Bekah smile, and she decided it was best to leave now before her melancholy mood rushed back in and ruined the moment.

Before much longer, she was far too busy to think about anything but welcoming visitors, directing them to the various areas they were most interested in, and answering a million questions about everything from what alpacas ate to where the bathrooms were.

She was in the middle of delivering a Puppy 101 lecture to a family adopting an adorable beagle when Sierra came up and put a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t say anything, but the understanding look on her face said it all: it was time.

“So, guys,” Bekah said, forcing a smile and a chipper tone. “We’ll have this little cutie-pie all ready for you before you head home. If you want to get a good spot for seeing our red-tailed hawk take off, you should get outside and find a place along the back fence rail by the woods.”

Suddenly, her feet felt like they were made of lead, and they dragged a little slower on every step between the kennel and the large birds area. To her great relief, Drew was already there, lifting Rosie’s temporary home onto a wheeled cart. Clearly, he meant to be right beside her when her beloved feathered friend took off, and if there hadn’t been a dozen other people milling around the barn, Bekah would have kissed him on the spot.

He really was her everyday hero, she mused for the countless time. Not only because of his down-to-earth manner, but because he was there for her day in and day out, ready for anything that came along.

Because he loved her.

That comforting thought buoyed her sagging spirits, and even though she knew he could manage the cart on his own, she put her hand on one side of the large handle and smiled up at him. “Okay. Let’s go send our girl back into the wild blue yonder where she belongs.”

He gave her an encouraging smile, and together they hauled the cage out the back door toward the woodsy area their wildlife rehabilitator had chosen for the release. A quick glance showed Bekah a huge crowd had assembled along the rail near the clearing, along with the visionary reporter Connor Wells, who’d returned as promised for the big day. In the past, being presented with all those people would have sent her running for cover. But today, Bekah proudly marched forward, delighted to see that so many folks had turned out to support the rescue center and the critical work it was doing for creatures large and small.

When they had Rosie’s cage in place, Sierra climbed onto a picnic table and held up her hands to get everyone’s attention. After they quieted, she greeted them with a huge smile. “On behalf of the entire staff of the Oaks Crossing Rescue Center, I want to thank all of you for spending part of your Saturday here with the animals. After our recent fire, I wasn’t sure we’d be ready for business anytime soon, so I’d like to get a round of applause for everyone who helped us get back on our feet and those of you who will be contributing to our cause in the future. Thanks to your donations of time and funds, we’ll be able to continue fostering animals for many years to come.”

The gathering erupted into enthusiastic clapping and cheering, punctuated by several whoops from the Kinley clan standing with Erin near the back. Her delighted expression showed just how much this day meant to her, and Bekah felt honored to be a part of it.

“And now,” Sierra called out, “I’d like you to join us in saying a fond farewell to Rosie the red-tailed hawk.”

She jumped down and picked up a leather gauntlet she’d left on the table. Then, to Bekah’s astonishment, Sierra held the heavy glove out to her. Completely stunned by the offer, Bekah glanced at Drew, but he grinned and shook his head.

“This is your show, sweetheart. You saved her. You should be the one to set her free.”

So, because she couldn’t come up with a polite way to refuse, she pulled on the gauntlet and eased open the door of the cage. Rosie eyed her with interest and cautiously stepped onto her protected hand. Bekah gently clamped the hawk’s talons to keep her under control on her way through the opening. For a brief moment, the two of them locked gazes, and the bird cocked her head in the intelligent pose that made Bekah think that birds were a lot smarter than most folks gave them credit for.

And then, Bekah lifted her into the air, and with a few beats of her strong wings, she was gone. Climbing into the cloudless November sky, she did a few lazy loops overhead and then disappeared from sight behind the trees.

As the crowd cheered their approval, Bekah didn’t register that she was crying until Drew put an arm around her for a quick hug. “Man, she was beautiful soaring around up there.”

Wiping away tears, she did her best to smile. “She looked happy, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, she did.” Taking Bekah’s shoulders, he gently turned her to face him. “You okay?”

“I will be. We’ve got a beagle going home with a new family today, and another’s on the fence about a pair of kittens. With all these people here, Sierra’s hoping to clean out the kennels in the next week or so.”

“Sounds doable to me. Who doesn’t like puppies and kittens?” Holding out a hand for her, he gave her a confident grin. “Let’s go make it happen.”

His upbeat attitude was contagious, and her own spirits rose in response. They worked their way through the crowd, answering more questions and planting pet suggestions in people’s heads. While they mingled, she was impressed by the easy way he dealt with everyone, making them feel as if they were his friends even if he’d never met them before.

That was Drew, she thought fondly. Handsome as he was, his other qualities were even more special to her. His confidence and quick wit, not to mention his willingness to put in extra effort when he felt that it was necessary.

His great big wonderful heart. If there was another man on the planet she could possibly love as much as this lanky Kentucky farm boy, she couldn’t imagine him.

* * *

That evening, Drew and Bekah were making lasagna when his cell phone rang. It was Nolan, and he knew it was finally time to fish or cut bait. “That’s my buddy Nolan, who lives in Denver. I really should talk to him.”

“Go ahead and answer it,” she told him while she closed the oven door. “We’ve got a while before it’s ready.”

He put the phone on speaker, figuring she had as much right to hear this conversation as he did. “Hey there. I’m guessing you need an answer.”

“In case you’re still on the fence about going into business with me, I’m texting you some pics I took five seconds ago.”

Glancing over at Bekah, Drew took in her baffled expression and smiled to reassure her. He angled the screen so they could both see and moved through another round of photos even prettier than the ones he’d seen earlier. “They’re incredible, that’s for sure. I’ll call you tomorrow or the day after at the latest. ’Bye.”

Once Drew hung up, he quickly filled her in on the opportunity he had to become a partner in Silver Creek Wilderness Adventures. When he was finished, Bekah stared at him in astonishment.

“What on earth are you doing, putting him off like that?” she demanded. “Being involved in something like this is your dream. Beyond that, you’ve always wanted to be your own boss. This is your chance.”

“I know.” Taking her hand, he absently rubbed the back of her knuckles before folding her fingers inside his. Meeting those beautiful eyes, he tried to explain what he was feeling. “It’s just that I’m not sure it’s a good time for me to leave.”

“The farm work is winding down for winter,” she pointed out in her practical way, “and donations are flooding into the rescue center. What’s keeping you from flying to Colorado to check out Nolan’s operation?”

“You.” His short, simple answer got him a grateful smile. Bolstered by her reaction, he was inspired to ask, “Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes,” she answered quickly, then frowned. “But I can’t.”

“I’ll buy your ticket. There are all kinds of airfare deals right now if you don’t mind traveling in the middle of the night.”

“That’s not the reason.”

“Then what?” Hearing the near-whine in his voice, Drew steadied it before continuing, “I don’t understand the problem.”

“My family moved around constantly when I was growing up, and after I left my parents’ house, I kind of drifted around, looking for a place that felt like home.” Pausing, she sat up a little straighter as if she was summoning the strength to forge ahead. “I found it here in Oaks Crossing, and at the clinic. Now that I have what I’ve been missing, I don’t want to leave it behind for something I’ve never even seen that may or may not work out.”

“So, come with me and see what you think,” Drew all but begged, willing this very stubborn woman to agree. “No strings, I promise. I might hate it there, anyway.”

“You won’t,” she predicted with unnerving confidence. “I saw your face when you were flipping through those pictures. You love the property already, and you haven’t even seen it in person.”

She had him there, Drew had to admit. He could only imagine the full effect of the mountains with a cool breeze blowing through and the wild sounds of the river and animals that must echo through the valleys full of trees. Even the early snowfall didn’t faze him, which was really saying something for a guy who’d only seen it in movies.