Chapter Two
When she left the dairy on her way to the house, Carmen was further convinced of Alex’s love of fine things. Parked beside her truck was a sporty looking rental car. If he found it embarrassing to ride in her truck, what would he think of the little room upstairs?
She sighed. At least the room was clean. She glanced down at her clothes. More than she could say for herself at the moment. Warmth crawled up her neck at the thought of the impression she must have given Alex. He probably thought she was a hick.
Fortunately, Alex was nowhere in sight when she entered the house. She cleaned up as much as possible without changing clothes. In less than an hour she would be out in the barn again. Combing her hair, she was thankful for the natural curls that softly framed her face. Leaning forward, she examined a suspicious looking line at the side of her eye. A wrinkle? She wiped it away and breathed a sigh of relief. Only an eyelash, this time. Tossing the brush on the dresser, she turned away from the mirror. There was no sense in fretting over it. There was only one way to keep from getting old, and life in an old withered body still sounded better than the alternative.
Katie was alone in the kitchen when Carmen entered. She turned excitedly.
“Well, what did you think?”
“About what?”
Katie rolled her eyes. “Alex, of course.”
Carmen shrugged. “He seems like a nice guy.”
“That’s all?” Katie frowned. “I thought I was picking up on some major vibes out there.”
Carmen dropped into a chair at the table. “You were picking up on my surprise. I wasn’t expecting someone so elegant.”
“Elegant?” Katie practically spit the word out. “He just came from the office. What did you expect, overalls? I thought he looked nice.”
“Sure, but I don’t think the goats were impressed - by him or his fancy rental car. I guess he couldn’t picture himself in my old jalopy. And by the way, where did he see a picture of me?”
Katie’s expression and tone were caustic. “He got the car because he wanted to do a little sightseeing while he was here. He didn’t want you to feel obligated to drive him around.”
Carmen eyed her suspiciously. “And the picture?”
Katie busied herself setting the table. “I sent him a picture of you.”
Carmen eyed her back suspiciously. “What Picture?”
Katie examined a spoon absently and tossed it in the sink. “The one of you at the county fair . . . with Tessa.”
Carmen stared at her. “Why? Of all the pictures . . . I thought you were going to throw that picture away. It was sweltering hot and my tank top and shorts were displaying too much cleavage and bare leg - remember? We both agreed. If you wanted to send him a picture of me . . .”
It hit her like a sack of corn. Of course. How could she be so blind?
“You are playing matchmaker.”
Katie blushed. “I am not,” she declared hotly. Anyway, that picture wasn’t so bad. Even Josh thought it was a good likeness of you.”
There was no point in arguing, but what about Alex? Did he suspect? She gave Katie a level look. “Don’t start playing cupid on me. I’ve got enough to do on this farm without looking after a pretty boy.”
Katie gasped. “Alex isn’t a . . .” She flounced into a chair, elbows on the table and chin in her hands. “What’s the use? Once you get something into your head, dynamite couldn’t blast it out.” She stared sourly at Carmen a moment. “Anyway, being good looking doesn’t disqualify him from physical labor. I seem to remember you moaning one time that Josh viewed you as nothing more than an arm ornament.” She shook a finger at Carmen. “I sure hope you like crow, ‘cause you’re going to be eating a bunch of it before Alex leaves.”
Carmen glanced around the table and shook her head. Maybe Alex was no pretty boy, but he was certainly accustomed to more lavish surroundings. Maybe it was time they started paying more attention to the aesthetic value of things. She stood and scooted her chair up to the cabinets. Using it as a ladder, she climbed on the counter, stretching from her knees to reach the top shelf.
“Now what are you doing?” Katie asked, hands on hips.
“Getting some serving bowls. Those pans are all black on the bottom and . . .”
“So who cares? I thought we agreed there was no point in using your mother’s old dishes when we could just serve our food from the pans we cook it in? Why dirty up more dishes? Who are you trying to impress?”
Carmen frowned down at Katie. “I’m not trying to impress anyone. It’s fine to skimp on manners when it’s just the two of us, but we don’t have to look like complete rednecks in front of our guests.”
She stretched to capacity and gripped the edge of the bowl. The heavy bowl made an uncontrolled dive off the shelf into her hand, flipping before she caught it with the other. In her clumsy attempt to catch it, she teetered for a moment before regaining her balance.
“Careful there,” a deep voice commanded
Her concentration during the balancing act had been so focused that she hadn’t seen Alex enter the kitchen. Her face felt warm again. How much of their conversation had he heard, and what did he think about finding her on the counter.
She glanced down at him and felt her face flush. In his absence, Alex had changed into clothes more suitable for farm work. Until that moment, she would have sworn he couldn’t look better. The indigo jeans hugged his lean hips in a tantalizing way and outlined the long muscles in his thighs. A western cut shirt made the most of his broad shoulders. As his square toed western boots clicked across the floor, a large belt buckle traced the graceful swing of his stride. Strong warm hands gripped her arm, guiding her down to the chair. He threw a stern look at Katie.
“Couldn’t you get that for her?”
Katie’s brows shot up. “For starters, she didn’t ask.” She eyed the bowl skeptically. “And I didn’t think we needed serving bowls. We don’t normally use them.”
Carmen climbed off the chair and squirmed out of his lingering grip on her arm. She cast Alex a scorching look. “If I had needed help, I would have asked for it.” Her unfriendly gaze shifted to Katie. “And this is a special occasion.”
Katie’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes grew large. “Oh, I forgot. It’s your birthday.”
Carmen’s face flamed. “I wasn’t talking about my stupid birthday. I was talking about having your brother as a guest for lunch . . . and you know it.”
Katie glanced at Alex and laughed. “The old spinster is in a bad mood today.”
Alex dragged the chair to the table and held it for Carmen.
“Twenty five, I hear. That’s a tough age. Old enough to think you should have accumulated more by now, and young enough to feel challenged to do something about it while you have the time. Been there - done that.”
If he hadn’t been so accurate, it might have been amusing. She had planned to be married by now and starting a family, but the prospect was looking farther away with each day she and Josh avoided each other. Normally it was Josh who showered her with wisdom. It was somehow unseemly for this newcomer to take up where Josh had left off. She left the bowl on the cabinet and settled into the chair, treating Alex to a wry smile.
“I see Katie has filled you in on everything you’ll need to know on this farm. She has an uncanny way of sticking to pertinent details.”
Alex tousled her hair as if she were a child. “So give me some pertinent facts.” He pushed Katie’s chair forward and seated himself at the table. “Like, why you decided to start a goat dairy?”
Carmen passed him the pan of meat and vegetables. “Actually, it was Katie’s idea. I agreed because I figured goats would be easier to handle than cattle.”
He nodded, forking some of the meat onto his plate. “You seem to have it all in control - both the dairy and the house. A genuine home cooked meal. It looks delicious.”
She dished up some vegetables and glanced at Katie, who was attempting to pile more food on Alex’s plate. How much had Katie told Alex, and why?
He held up a hand to Katie. “No, thanks. I don’t eat the way I used to.” He took a bite of food, obviously savoring its flavor before he swallowed. “It is delicious - especially the venison. It’s been a while since I had a good deer roast.”
Carmen glanced up as Katie handed her the potatoes. “It’s not deer. It’s chevon.”
Alex paused with the fork half way to his mouth and studied the meat uneasily. “Chevon?”
“Goat,” Carmen said, barely suppressing a smile as she plunged a spoon into the bowl of mashed potatoes. “One of last year’s wethers, to be exact.”
He turned his fork over, examining the meat more thoroughly. Finally his attention shifted back to Carmen. “I’m afraid to ask, but what’s a wether?”
Katie laughed. “A fixed billy goat. You know, like a steer?”
His attention never wavered and Carmen kept her expression bland as she slapped the potatoes on her plate and then returned the spoon to the bowl.
The dark eyes began to twinkle and the smooth lips slowly twisted into a wry smile.
“Are you pulling my leg, Heidi?”
Such a disarming smile. She poured gravy over her mashed potatoes.
“You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, no. I like it.” He sampled the meat again and shrugged. “It still tastes like venison.”
The conversation drifted from farming to the weather. There was work to do in the barn and Katie could use some quality time with her brother, so Carmen left them in the kitchen, doing dishes. With any luck, she would have the chores done before Alex was free.
Inside the dairy, Carmen filled two buckets with warm water and heaved them out of the sink. Taking mincing steps so that the water wouldn’t slosh out of the buckets, she worked her way toward the barn door. Some day she was going to pipe water into the barn.
The dairy door swung open with a blast of cold air and Alex paused in the doorway. He glanced at the buckets and shut the door. Striding across to her side, he reached for them.
“Let me get those.”
Carmen continued at a snail’s pace across the floor. “I can carry them. I’m used to it.”
The smile on his lips charmed, but the dark eyes mocked her. “How do you get used to carrying something half your size?”
She hesitated, trying to think of a good comeback. The pause allowed him time to commandeer the buckets. Looking up into his face, it occurred to her that he was considerably shorter than Josh, and yet he didn’t seem short. She forced a smile.
“Thanks, but I’ve been doing this for a long time now. Just because I’m small doesn’t mean I’m inefficient.”
His expression became guarded. “Nor did I think so. I merely wanted to help. Now, where do I put these?”
Maybe she was being over-sensitive. She pointed down the row of stalls.
“One of them goes in the Toggenburg’s stall and the other one goes in the Lamancha’s.” Behind her, she heard Katie enter the barn. At least she wouldn’t have to explain every move to Katie.
Alex glanced down the line of stalls and quirked a brow at Carmen. “Which one is the Toggenburg?”
“The brown one with the white stripes on its face and white belly. The one I was working with when you arrived.” Some vet he’d make.
He nodded and started for the last stall. “And the LaMancha?”
“The one with no ears - right next to the Toggenburg.” Two occupied stalls and he couldn’t figure out where to put the water. What was he going to do when the barn was teeming with goats? She checked the first stall to see if more hay was needed and called instructions without looking in his direction.
“Be sure to put the bucket in the corner so it won’t get knocked over.”
No hay needed here. She stepped away from the stall and her gaze was instantly drawn to Alex. His broad shoulders swayed gracefully with the swing of his stride. Something about the way he moved was captivating. He stopped at the last stall and deftly lifted the bucket over the gate, placing it on the floor with ease.
“What are you doing?” Katie spoke in a low voice over Carmen’s shoulder.
Carmen jumped. “Nothing,” she answered too quickly, her face growing warm.
Katie lifted her brows. “You’re ogling my brother, aren’t you?”
There was little point in denying the fact that she was watching Alex - and enjoying what she was seeing. “If you knew,” she snapped, “then why did you ask?” She turned to the next stall. Now Katie was going to think her cupid act was working.
Katie followed Carmen, her voice a mixture of surprise and humor. “To see if you’d admit it, I guess.” She continued to watch Carmen thoughtfully. “Come on, he’s not that good looking.”
Carmen’s face burned even hotter. “I didn’t say he was good looking at all. I was just trying to make sure he put the water in the correct stalls.”
It was one thing to covertly admire Alex, but quite another to stand here discussing him as though he were high dollar merchandise at a low bid auction . . . and why was Katie so concerned? Shouldn’t she feel victorious? Carmen shrugged off an uncomfortable feeling that something was amiss.
“Are there any more goats in labor?”
“I don’t know,” Katie answered, dropping the subject as Alex approached. “It’s supposed to rain tonight. It’s so warm out there - like spring. That’s probably what brought the kidding on.”
Alex paused beside them. “Will the Toggenburg kid develop markings like its mother when it matures?”
Carmen sighed. Finally, a subject she could discuss by the hour without feeling uncomfortable.
“No, I used a Saanen buck. That’s why the kid is all white.”
“What about the Lamancha? What happened to its ears? Did they freeze off?”
Katie giggled. “No, that’s just a characteristic of the breed. It’s a descendant of the Mexican earless goat.”
Alex nodded, soberly absorbing the information. Was he actually interested, or was he already bored? He glanced around. “What else do you have?”
“Follow me.” Carmen led him through the dairy. If he wasn’t genuinely interested, he was going to be as bored as Josh was with the dairy. Now there was a thought. Bore him completely out of her hair. Maybe then she could get some work done. They left Katie behind in the dairy and entered the other side of the barn.
“We have a barn on each side of the dairy.” Carmen began the tour as if it were a documentary. “We bring the goats in from this side and let them out the other when we’re milking, but during the inclement days they stay in this barn.”
Things didn’t stay dull for long, though. As soon as Brutus saw them, he lunged to his feet and growled at Alex. The huge white dog lowered his head and bared his teeth at the stranger.
Alex halted, watching the dog cautiously. If he was frightened, he gave no indication. But then, why should he be afraid? It wasn’t as if she was going to allow Brutus to attack their guest.
“Hush, Brutus,” She said, stepping around the dog. Brutus ceased his snarling, but he continued to keep a wary eye on Alex. Behind her, she heard Alex let out a long breath.
“Now that’s a dog - Great Pyrenees?” At her nod he continued. “Do you have a coyote problem?”
She glanced up at him and smiled. “Not now.”
He chuckled. “I’ll bet.”
He moved through the herd, feeling a shoulder here, looking in a mouth there. “Teeth on the bottom only in the front, just like a cow. How much milk does a goat give?”
She plucked a piece of twine from the hay on the floor. This wasn’t working out exactly the way she had planned. The worst of it was she was beginning to enjoy it. She wound the twine around her finger. “It depends on heredity, what you feed them, time of the year and a lot of other factors. I have some that give over two gallons a day and I’ve sold some that only gave a quart each milking.”
He stopped beside Tessa. “Is this the one you took to the fair?”
She nodded. At least he noticed there was a goat in the picture. In fact, he must have given the goat a good deal of attention to be able to identify her from the other Toggenburgs.
“Her name is Tessa.”
He glanced up sharply. “Tessa?”
Something about his tone put her on edge. “I know. You guys think it’s silly to name farm animals, but it’s easier for Katie and me that way. Anyway, I always liked that name.”
The dark eyes searched her face suspiciously for a few more moments and then he shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with naming your animals. I have a horse named Ed.”
She stared at him. “A horse? But I thought you lived in Houston. Where do you keep it?”
He rubbed Tessa behind the ears and his expression became distant.
“I board him at a stable and ride him on weekends. I’m afraid I’ve been neglecting him lately, though. I thought about selling him, but sometimes he’s the only one I have to talk to.” His attention shifted to the barn again and he glanced up at Carmen. His dark features brightened and his eyes twinkled with humor. “You’d be surprised at the things he’s told me.”
Carmen tore her gaze from his face again. “Mr. Ed, the talking horse,” she said casually. “I know what you mean, though. Animals seem to sense your mood. And they accept you no matter what.”
He laced fingers behind his head and stretched his back, glancing around at the herd as he spoke. “I never knew there were so many goat breeds.”
What was it about him that served as a magnet for her eyes? It wasn’t as though she ogled every good-looking man she saw. She eagerly latched on to his comment, hoping to divert her own mind to something less disturbing.
“Oh, there are a lot more breeds. Let’s see.” She held a hand up in front of her face and started naming them. “Oberhasli, Pygmy, Nigerian Dwarf, Angora . . . that’s the one everybody confuses with a sheep . . .” her voice drifted off as she realized she had finally lost his attention. Why didn’t she feel victorious? Wasn’t this what she was trying to achieve? The truth was it was nice having someone even act interested.
In the next instant she realized a doe standing away from the herd had attracted his attention. He moved toward it cautiously.
“I think this one is getting close to delivering.”
Even from a distance it was obvious that his calculation was accurate. Years might have elapsed since his last formal training, but Alex certainly had an instinct for veterinary medicine.
As they approached, the goat pawed the ground and called softly. On each side of her tail were deep hollows and her stomach was low and distended. It was time to put her into a kidding stall.
The friendly herd followed them, crowding the expectant mother. Carmen left Alex with the doe and ducked into the dairy, returning with a scoop of alfalfa pellets she distributed in the long narrow feed trough along the wall. Dodging a caprine avalanche, she joined Alex again.
“We need to get her to a kidding stall.”
A cacophony of bleats, chomping and scuffling of hooves drowned out her words. Alex leaned down, resting a hand on her waist as he tried to separate her words from the noise of the feeding goats.
Maybe it was the faint smell of expensive cologne, or the feel of his warm hand through her blouse, or even the fact that it had been so long since anyone had taken an interest in her work. Whatever the cause, her heart did a flip-flop and warmth flooded her face. She gently removed his hand from her waist and stepped away from him, repeating the statement in a voice close to a shout.
He nodded and leaned down, encircling the goat’s legs with his arms. Straightening, he turned and carried the goat through the dairy. Katie glanced up as he walked through, and winked at Carmen.
“Chow down. Lots more crow where that came from.”
There was no point in responding, so Carmen merely shrugged and followed Alex to one of the kidding stalls. If Alex hadn’t been here, the goat would have walked. Big deal. It was probably better for her anyway. She opened the gate for Alex and he deposited the goat on the hay. Straightening, he met her gaze.
“If you don’t have anything else for me to do, I’d like to stay here and watch.”
If she didn’t have anything else? Who asked him to do any work in the first place? She swallowed a bitter response.
“You’re welcome to do as you please. You’re a guest, not a hired hand.”
A slow smile twisted his lips and added a twinkle to his eyes. “I’ll try not to get in your way.”
Her cheeks flushed hot with blood. Had Katie been blabbering again? She shrugged.
“Suit yourself. Let me know if anything goes wrong.”
She turned on one heel and left the barn. It was time to feed the chickens. That was one place he wouldn’t be trying to show her up.