Chapter 7

Cameron

“Well, damn,” I hear Kenny say as he steps into the barn. “Looks like I’m buying lunch today.”

I chuckle as I pull myself out from under Uncle Ken’s old pickup truck and get to my feet. “What bet did you lose?’

I grab the rag laying on the edge of the hood and wipe the grease from my hands.

“Craig said you’d be working on an engine; I was betting Aubrey talked you into having lunch with them.”

I raise a brow at my cousin. “What makes you think that?”

Craig gives me a shove. “Come on man, we all saw how you looked at Sam your first day home.”

I shrug sheepishly, surprised I was so easy to read. “Nothing wrong with appreciating a beautiful woman.”

“Didn’t say there was,” Kenny says, agreeing with me. “Just try to be more subtle about it or Momma and Aubrey will have you engaged by Christmas.”

Not seeing the downside of having a woman as beautiful as Samantha to call mine, I grin . “I’ll keep that in mind.” Once I’ve wiped off as much grease as possible, I toss the rag back on top of the truck.

“Okay, enough about hooking my brother up with Sam,” Craig says as he claps his hands. “Let’s roll boys, I’m starving.”

Kenny pullshis truck into a parking space in front of the Blossom Creek Diner, turns off the engine, and the three of us hop out. Craig opens the door and I lead the three of us inside.

“Cameron Hutchinson,” Theresa says as she walks out from behind the counter. “I wondered how long it was going to take you to get in here and see me.”

Back in high school, I used to come into the diner with some of my teammates after football practice. Theresa was always sweet to us, and I would tease her about running off with me. I open my arms as she approaches and wrap her in a tight hug. “Theresa, you know I had to see my best girl. Now that I’m back, are you ready to leave Eddie and run away with me?”

“Ask me later tonight and I might give her to you,” Eddie hollers through the kitchen window.

“Oh you,” Theresa says, swatting my arm and then wagging a finger at her husband. “You hush over there.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Good to see you, Eddie.”

“You too Cam. Welcome home.”

“Thanks, it’s good to be home.”

Theresa waves her arm toward the dining room, before patting Kenny and Craig on the back. “You boys find a table, and I’ll be right over to take your order.”

Craig claps me on the shoulder as we make our way to an empty table. “Wow Kenny, I didn’t realize we would be having lunch with a celebrity.”

I take my seat and Kenny settles into the chair across from me. “I don’t know if I’d call him a celebrity, but hometown hero has a nice ring to it.”

“Okay you two, knock it off. You know I’m neither one of those things. You’re just jealous I’m getting a little attention.”

Craig laughs and gives my foot a nudge. “You know we’re just giving you a hard time. I for one and pretty damn happy to have you home.”

Kenny grins. “We’re all glad to have you home.”

As promised, Theresa delivers three glasses of water to our table and takes our order. While we wait, we discuss what my role on the farm will be.

Kenny speaks first. “Now that we’ve let you settle in a bit, we’ll get you caught up on the regulations of running an organic farm.”

“Regulations?”

Craig takes a drink of his water and then sets his glass back on the table before looking up at me. “There are very specific regulations to be followed so we don’t lose our organic status.”

I nod in understanding. “Makes sense.”

“If you’re not opposed,” Craig says. “You could take over maintenance of the equipment?”

Being a master mechanic, it makes sense I take over maintaining the equipment and vehicles. I laugh at his uncertainty, “I’d be happy too.”

Craig sighs in relief. “Good, I don’t have your patience when it comes to working on engines.”

“Don’t think this means you’re getting out of planting and harvesting though,” Kenny teases.

I laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good,” Craig says. “We’re going to need you in about a week or so to help bring in cucumbers. We have five hundred pounds going to a local organic distributor, the rest Aunt Jane and Aubrey will can.”

I’ve seen the crop of cucumbers they’ve planted, and it seems to me there’s far more than what they’re expecting. I chuckle. “I hope Aunt Jane has enough jars.”

Kenny laughs. “You can bet if she doesn’t, one of us will be making a run to the store.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Craig mutters before taking a drink of his water.

“Good thing we all like pickles because I have a feeling there’ll be plenty in the cellar.”

“Is Jane already starting her canning?” Theresa asks as she returns with our order.

Kenny smiles as he takes his plate from her. “She is and she’s teaching Aubrey how to as well.”

“How is that sweet girl of yours?”

I smile as Theresa places my plate in front of me. Seems Aubrey has made an impression on everyone she’s met.

“She’s doing great. Six weeks until she reaches her due date.”

As Theresa places Craig’s meal in front of him she says, “Well you say hi to her and your folks for me. You boys enjoy and let me know if you need anything.”

Each of us offers Theresa our thanks before digging into our meal.

While the guys and I eat lunch, several people stop to say hello, but on our way out of the diner, we run into the man who started me on the path I took after graduation. Sergeant James Franklin, the father of one of my classmates and my recruiter. Sergeant Franklin had spoken to our class about the benefits of joining the service. I was so excited about everything he said, I went home that night and talked to my parents and brother about enlisting after graduation. It was one of the most serious discussions we had ever had as a family, but in the end, they could see it was exactly what I needed to do. Yes, being in the military took me away from them, but the skills I learned and the opportunities I had are something I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.

As Sergeant Franklin approaches he smiles and offers me his hand. “Cam Hutchinson.”

I grip his hand returning his greeting. “Sarge, it’s good to see you.”

“You too,” he says as he takes on his military stance, feet grounded, arms crossed over his chest. “You in on leave?”

“No sir, I’m home for good.”

“Is that so?

“Yes, sir. How about you? You still running the recruitment office?”

He waves his hand. “Nah, I officially retired a couple of years ago. The wife and I spend most of our time travelling to see the kids and grandkids.”

“Good for you. Say hello to them for me next time you see them.”

“I will,” he says before moving the conversation along. We talk for a little while catching up on family and things that have happened in both of our lives. “It was good to see you, Cam. If you get a chance, stop by the American Legion sometime, I’m sure there are plenty of guys there who’d like to see you.”

I smile at his invitation. “I just might do that. You take care, Sarge.”

“You too. Cam, boys,” he says as he throws Craig and Kenny a wave.

As Sergeant Franklin steps inside the diner, Kenny, Craig, and I climb back into the truck and head back to the farm.

Sittingon the front porch I move the rocking chair back and forth at a leisurely pace as the sun begins to set in the western sky. The screen door creaks as Craig steps outside and joins me taking a seat in the empty rocker on my left. We sit silently for a few minutes, each taking time to reflect on the day in our own way.

“You know, I’ve seen the sun rise and set in different places all over the world in the last eight years, but there’s nothing quite like watching it from our front porch.”

Craig nods in agreement. “Can’t argue with you there.”

After much internal debate, I ask Craig the one question that’s been on my mind lately. “So, you and Samantha never…” I let the question linger in the air unfinished as he tilts his head, brow raised in question.

“Dated?” Not exactly what I was thinking, but I give a single nod of my head, and he continues. “No. I’ve gone out with her a few times when she needed a plus one for an event or someone to keep guys in check when she wanted to go out for a drink or listen to the local band, but it was all perfectly innocent. Are you thinking of asking her out?”

“Maybe, but I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything between the two of you first.”

Craig shakes his head. “Nothing to worry about there.” We sit a few more minutes in silence before Craig gets to his feet. “I think I’m going to turn in.”

“Yeah, I’m not far behind you.”

As Craig pulls open the screen door, he stops. “Hey Cam, if you do decide to ask Sam out, be good to her, she’s had a rough couple of years.”

He disappears into the house before I have a chance to ask him what he means or let him know he doesn’t have to worry, if she gives me a chance that is.