Milk Money by Cecelia Dowdy Read Free Book Online Page B

“You’re kidding,” she mumbled.
    “Sweetheart, I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
    The endearment rolled off his tongue and settled into her heart. She ignored the feeling, again focusing on the news he’d delivered. “Well, you’re wrong. My dad would not sell the farm. I’ve never met a person who loved dairy farming more than Paul Cooper. Plus, my dad inherited our farm from his father. My grandfather was one of the first African-American dairy farmers in Baltimore County. Dairy farming is in our blood, and I can’t imagine my father giving that up.”
    He gazed at her with his warm, dark eyes. “You’re probably right. You seem to know your dad pretty well. He may have been contacting a Realtor for a different reason.”
    A horrible thought occurred to her. “Do you think my stepmother wants to sell, and she just hasn’t told me?” The thought sickened her. When her plate of jambalaya arrived, Emily pushed it away, her appetite gone.
    Frank massaged her fingers. “Are you sure you’re okay?” She didn’t answer his question, finding comfort in his touch. Reluctantly she pulled her hand away.
    “You didn’t answer my question, Frank.”
    He sampled his shrimp before responding. “Emily, I honestly don’t know. Maybe you should call your stepmom tonight and try and talk to her about all of this.”
    “Yeah, I just might do that.” She stared at her food, suddenly wanting to go home and place the call in private. Frank continued to eat, and Emily prayed before she sampled her meal. When they finished, Emily requested a take-out box for her leftovers.
    Afterward they walked around Harborplace before they returned to Frank’s car. He drove her home and cut off the ignition when they arrived at her farm. “Do you mind if we sit on your porch?”
    The thought of sitting with Frank on the porch on a star-filled night made her feel warm and cozy. “No, I don’t mind at all.” They walked to the porch and sat on the swing.
    As they gently swayed, Frank spoke. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    She nodded. “I’m okay. I just don’t know what kinds of things my stepmother is hiding.” She looked at him. “I also don’t like what you told me about my dad. I feel like I’m being lied to.”
    He sighed. “Emily …”
    She shook her head. “I guess you’ll be back next week to continue working in my dad’s office?”
    “Yes, I’ll be back next week. I’m not sure what time, though, because I have some meetings to attend.” Crickets chirped in the hot summer air. Emily’s stomach flipped when Frank held her hand. Sparks of warmth shot up her arm, and she couldn’t gather the courage to pull her hand away. “Can I ask you something?”
    She looked at him. “What?”
    “I really had a good time tonight. I also enjoyed having dinner with you when we went to Michael’s Pizza.”
    She smiled, her belly curling with warmth. “Yeah, I had a good time, too.”
    “I wondered if you wanted to get together again sometime next week. Maybe we can go to a movie or something.” He squeezed her hand. “I like spending time with you, and I want to get to know you better.”
    She pulled her hand away. “I’ll be honest with you. I like spending time with you, too, but there are things about you that bother me.”
    “What kinds of things?”
    “Well, for starters, when we went to Michael’s Pizza, I noticed the liquor bottles in your car.”
    He grunted. “I saw you frown when you saw the alcohol, but I didn’t give it much thought.”
    The swing rocked as she gathered her thoughts. “Do you drink every day?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why? When did you start doing this?”
    He threw his hands up in the air, frowning. “Why is it such a big deal? Why are you asking me these questions?”
    “You just asked about us going out. These are things I need to know about somebody before I agree to a date.”
    He sighed. “When something heavy is on my mind, I drink to forget. I’ve been doing