wouldnât go there.
Itâd be selfish to wish her grandmother back. For the past few years, Grandma had made no secret of the fact that she was ready, as she put it, âto get on to the next thing.â Once sheâd reached her eighties, she said that the good Lord had tarried long enough.
Emily was thankful that her grandmotherâs earthly journey had ended peacefully, but Sadie Elliott had sure left a big hole behind her. Emily sighed. Then she firmed up her lips, squared her shoulders and got busy. She had enough sorrow under her belt to know that the best way to fill up this kind of empty spot was with hard work.
There were some benefits to growing up with a mother whose idea of a meal was nuking a frozen waffle in the microwave and who couldnât have cared less what kind of mess her daughter made in the kitchen. Emily had started cooking as soon as she was big enough to reach the oven controls, and sheâd spent the last few years baking and waitressing in the hectic environment of a busy coffee shop. She might be clueless about managing a farm, but she knew her way around a kitchen. By the time Abel came through the back door, she had the coffee dripping fragrantly into its carafe and her children eating snacks in front of Grandmaâs ancient television.
âAnimals are all settled for the evening,â he said, crossing to the sink and beginning to lather up his hands. Emily noticed that he left the dishwashing liquid alone in favor of the little orange-colored bar of homemade soap in its dish.
âI sure wish we were,â Emily muttered under her breath. She had the three-hour trip back to Atlanta in front of her, and the twins were already exhausted. It wasnât going to be a fun drive.
And there was still this conversation with Abel to get through. She might as well get that over with. âHave a seat,â she invited. âIâll pour the coffee.â
âI was hoping youâd think to make some.â Abel pulled out a chair at the immense table that filled the center of the kitchen and slid his long legs under its checkered cloth.
âI donât know about you, but I think itâs necessary.â She poured two mugs, black. She remembered that Abel had never doctored his coffee with cream or sugar, and sheâd had to learn to drink hers plain because black coffee was cheaper. âItâs been a long day, and if Iâm going to stay awake for the drive back, Iâm going to need all the help I can get.â
Abel nodded. âIâm sure youâre ready to get on the road. I wonât stay long, but I thought your mind might rest easier if we went ahead and got a few things settled between us.â He accepted the cherry-red mug of coffee, flashing his crooked smile at her in thanks.
âYouâre probably right.â She wasnât looking forward to it. She hated negotiations when she was the one needing favors. The incident with the rooster had really scared her, though. It would be too easy for the twins to get hurt on the farm. She was going to have to keep one eye on them all the time, and that meant she had to have some help. Stalling, Emily turned to the counter and opened a green-striped bakery box. âI hope you like muffins.â
âI like pretty much anything I donât have to cook, but you donât have to feed me. The coffeeâs plenty.â
âI brought these from the coffee shop where I work. Itâs not any trouble to share them.â Emily took down two of her grandmotherâs thick white plates and set an oversize muffin on each one. Casting a quick look back at the tall man sitting at the table, she considered, and then added a second muffin to one of the plates. Abel Whitlock had always been lean, but if her memory served, he had a hearty appetite.
âThanks.â Abel picked up one of the muffins and toyed briefly with the thin silver paper on its bottom before setting it