Stealing A Farmer's Heart

Stealing A Farmer's Heart Part 3

Farmer pulled up in front of her home then shut the engine off. She turned to see Brynn looking out the window at the house with nothing but the sounds of the ticks from the settling truck. She kept quiet in the silence feeling a sense of comfort and ease washing over her. Farmer didn't think too hard as to why sitting quietly with a strange woman was comforting. Finally, Brynn looked over at Farmer with a smile lighting up her face. For the first time, Farmer could see her teeth and they were beautiful and white, a huge contrast to the rest of her appearance. Which clearly told Farmer that Brynn wasn't as lost or broken as she appeared.

"Your home is beautiful."

Farmer's proud smile couldn't be helped. "Thank you, but it's actually my grandparents... or was my grandparents."

Brynn's smile faltered. "Was?"

Farmer nodded, but when she saw the sadness enter Brynn's eyes, she quickly spoke up. "Oh, no, they're not dead. They live in town and are very much alive." She huffed at herself. "Sorry, I wasn't clear. This house was given to me as a family heirloom when I was twenty-six."

"How long ago was that?" Brynn quietly asked.

"Ten years this year."

"Wow, you're so much older than me." Brynn scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head. "I'm sorry, that sounded rude. Thirty-six is still very young."

"Thank you... I think?"

Brynn laughed, and as she laughed, Farmer realized how sweet it sounded to her ears and wouldn't mind hearing it again.

Farmer waited for Brynn to stop laughing before asking, "Shall we?"

Brynn nodded and they both climbed out of the truck. When Farmer heard a gasp followed by a shriek from Brynn, she quickly made it to the other side of the truck to find Brynn standing back up and brushing her dress off.

"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" Farmer grasped Brynn by the elbow and guided her over to the front porch stairs.

"Yes, I'm okay. I forgot the truck sits high and I misjudged when I stepped out."

Farmer felt bad and she mentally kicked herself in the ass for not acting more gentlemanly. "That's my fault, I should have told you to wait and I would have helped you." Brynn simply smiled up at her with a small shrug. Farmer accepted that small response then led the way up the stairs and to the front door. She opened the creaky screen door then opened the main door and walked inside with Brynn following, or she thought. When she turned around, Brynn was still outside, looking in. "You can come inside."

"Are you sure?"

Farmer tilted her head at Brynn. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have offered back on the road where I found you. Come on, I'll show you around."

Farmer watched Brynn tentatively take a step over the threshold and into the front foyer. She stayed at her side as Brynn's gaze peered up the oak wood staircase leading to the second floor, then watched as her gaze swept over to her right and into the sitting room. Instead of asking, Farmer moved farther into the house in hopes Brynn would follow. She swept a hand out and said, "This is the sitting room. It's a little more formal than the living room. It hardly gets used." She bashfully rubbed the back of her neck and said, "And it's clearly outdated." The furniture was outdated by fifty years at least, but since Farmer hardly spent time in the house, besides sleeping, she never thought to redecorate. She turned and walked into the kitchen with Brynn right behind her. "This is obviously the kitchen, and it's probably the most used room other than my bedroom." She patted her stomach. "I like to eat."

Brynn blushed and smiled. "Me too. Well, when I'm healthy, that is." Her eyes fell away and she went back to hugging her middle again.

Farmer noticed, but instead of shedding light on Brynn's discomfort, she instead asked, "Are you hungry? I got lots of food. Actually, I have a truck full of food that needs to come in."

"Oh, well I'll help you."

Instead of arguing, Farmer nodded then gestured for Brynn to precede her. Farmer quickly skipped down the porch stairs and opened the back door to her truck. She made quick work of redistributing heavy items into some bags and lighter items into others. She handed two light bags to Brynn and took the remaining four bags of the heavier items, then closed the door. "Ladies first," she said. For a quick second she caught herself staring at Brynn's backside as she climbed up the stairs. Mentally smacking herself, she averted her eyes and joined Brynn at the top. "It's okay, you can go on in, I'm right behind you." She waited for Brynn to disappear into the kitchen so she could take a moment to calm her heart and to take a breath. This was the first time she had a woman inside her home who wasn't family or a worker of hers. Why does she have to be beautiful? Even under the crud and unwashed, Farmer could tell Brynn was a striking woman. Her type, too. Blonde, small but with curves, seemingly nice and friendly. Even with her lack of experience with women, Farmer always found herself drawn to blondes.

Pushing herself off the door, she made her way into the kitchen. What she found was not what she expected. Brynn had found the rotisserie chicken she picked up for dinner tonight and was double fisting parts of the carcass with chicken grease all over her mouth. The bags in Farmer's hands slipped to the floor along with her jaw.

Brynn froze as soon as she saw Farmer. Hands full of chicken and cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk, she swallowed what was in her mouth. "I don't know what happened." She glanced down at the remaining chicken in the plastic container then lowered her hands to her sides, chicken falling out of her hands and onto the floor. "I'm so sorry. I was just so hungry and it smelled incredible. I'll go." She started to make her way for the entryway between the kitchen and sitting room where Farmer was standing.

Farmer snapped out of her shock and stepped in Brynn's way. "Hey, hey, look at me." When Brynn wouldn't make eye contact, Farmer reached out and tipped her chin up. She smiled sweetly at the starved yet adorable woman. "I'm not mad. I was just taken by surprise, is all. I would love for you to sit down and maybe a share a meal with me?"

Brynn smiled back at her and said, "Preferably with plates and utensils."

Farmer chuckled. "Hey, now, I don't judge. I've been known to use my hands on occasion." Suddenly, she felt like they were bordering on dirty talk. Shaking the inappropriate thoughts from her head, she said, "Would you like to take a seat at the table while I prepare us something?"

Brynn nodded then glanced at her hands. "Can I wash up first?"

"Of course." She led the way over to other side of the kitchen to a second entrance that sat between the kitchen and the living room. "The bathroom is down this hall, second door on the right. Use whatever you need."

"Thanks," Brynn said sweetly as she moved past Farmer and down the hallway.

Farmer stayed rooted in the spot she was standing in watching until Brynn disappeared into the bathroom. Blowing out a big breath and running her hands through her short, dark brown hair, she walked back into the kitchen and stared at the mess of chicken on her floor and all over the counter. "Poor girl," she muttered to herself. She wanted to badly ask what had happened to Brynn. The woman looked as if she hadn't seen a bath in days and she was eating like she hadn't eaten in weeks. Setting to work on cleaning up the mess, Farmer made a promise that she was going to help Brynn in any way she needed it.