Favorite Poison

New Season New Feelings

-*Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for your support on the first book! I didn't think it would blow up like it did but here we are. More shenanigans this time around and hopefully you guys will enjoy it :).*-

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Stardew Valley has awaken from another sleepy winter. Giving Adella the opportunity to utilize her land to its fullest extent. With her new steel tools in hand, her morning duties consisted of prepping, tilling, planting, and feeding.

Her extremities started to throb by the time she got done tilling the small sections by the sprinklers. Once it reached mid afternoon, her back locked and burned whenever she attempted to stand up straight. What a winter can do to a body when it's not attending to crops for three seasons.

Somehow, Adella manages to get inside her house to finally take a break after her body nearly gave out on her. Plus it's not like her boyfriend isn't the village doctor who can easily nurse her back to health. Besides, that would be a waste of a copayment to see him when she can see him any other time.

After taking a cold shower and having some leftovers, the farmer is rejuvenated enough to not have the weight of a prize winning pig on compressed on her spine. Adella grabs her grandpa's old guitar she found while moving furniture and heads out to the barn yard. Marnie had given her advice way back when she got cows that they love hearing music, so when's a more perfect time to bust out the old six strings?

"Alright ladies," Adella exhaled making herself comfortable on a hay bale, "It's time for the daily jam session."

She places the instrument in her lap and strums a few cords to listen if it was out of tune. Adella strums the beginning cords to the song "Valerie" by Amy Winehouse as a playful jab to her cows which are named after the song and artist.

"Well sometimes I go out by myself, and I look across the water." The farmer sang noticing her dog Demeter sit by her, "And I think of all the things of what you're doing. In my head I pa— AH!" Adella shrieks hearing her dog bark at someone walking onto the farm.

"Hey there Dee," Shane smiles reaching over the fence to scratch behind her ears, "Relax pop star, I didn't mean to interrupt your concert." He quickly glances at her before turning his attention to the gate latch.

He carefully pulls a wagon stacked with bales of hays into the barn yard being watchful of the chickens.

"I know but I wasn't expecting anyone," Adella set her guitar off to the side and got up to Shane with the wagon, "So what's with the hay?"

"Oh you know, I like to take my bales of hay out for a walk every now and then." Shane quipped causing them both to chuckle, "But really though, my aunt wanted to give this to you."

"Aww," she grinned bashfully, "That's awfully nice of her. I might return the favor with milk or eggs."

"Oh you don't have to. We have more milk and eggs than we know what to do with." Shane commented, "So where would you like these?"

"In the barn would be great."

Adella leads him into the barn to the stalls and helps him unload the wagon. It was common knowledge that Shane lived with Marnie and help tend to her ranch while having a job at Jojamart, but despite the fact he is on the shorter side than most men and has what most people classify as a "dad bod" he can freaking lift! Shane flung those hay bales with such ease they might as well be made out of styrofoam. She didn't know whether to be impress by that fact, or jealous.

"Alright," he grunted throwing the last one, "Your animals are all set." Shane softly smiles at her.

"Thanks again for doing that," Adella affirmed, "Honesty didn't think you were that strong." She playfully punched his arm immediately getting taken back on how firm his bicep is.

"And I honesty didn't expect you to sing so well." He mirrored her punch.

"Thanks I guess?" She nervously chuckles confused.

"It was a compliment," Shane assured her, "I guess I kinda saw it coming since it surprised me how good of a kisser you are." He teased with a smirk creasing his lips.

Heat radiated from Adella's cheeks from embarrassment. Her eyes dart around the barn trying to find something to get her out of this situation. The more time she wasted trying to find an escape, the butterflies from that moment fluttered more and more.

"We uh— did-didn't we agree to... not talk about it?" She stuttered playing with her fingers.

Adella glances up noticing Shane's face is flushed also. He's staring off towards the wall with his jaw clenched like he had something he wanted to say.

"Well... yeah," he finally admits meeting her eyes, "But I can still tease you about it, right?"

She shot a glare at him and senses her cheeks get more red, "No. You can't Shane." Adella commanded, "I don't want you to blurt it out in front of the wrong person. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

In the height of her embarrassment, her attention quickly turns to Demeter barking frantically. The dog sprints into the barn excitement and uses her size and speed to knock Adella over, which causes a chain reaction for her to bump into Shane and the two fortunately fall back into a pile of straw. Straw debris settles around the them as they assess what just happened.

"Are you okay?" Shane asked noticing the straw covered farmer.

"I'm fine, how about you?" Adella asked looking up from his chest. She could barely contain a laugh seeing bits of straw poking out of his hair, "You look like a mess."

"Speak for yourself." He chuckled and started picking some bits out of her hair.

Off in the distance they heard a man call out for the farmer. It wasn't too difficult to figure out that it was Harvey. The two quickly got up and dusted themselves free of the debris before Adella headed out of the barn to greet the doctor.

"There you are darling," Harvey smiles at her, "Looks like you had a busy day today." He jokes pulling one last straw out of her hair.

"Yeah, Shane brought over some hay for the animals and he was helping me a bit." She smiles and they quickly share a kiss, "What brings you over here, dear?"

"I took it upon myself to bring you some, wine, a home cooked meal, and offer a back massage after your long day of planting." He beamed showing her the bag, "And I didn't realize Shane was here." Harvey spots him coming out of the barn with the wagon and he waves over at him.

Shane waves back and walks over with the wagon in tow. "What's up doc? Anything interesting happen with you?"

"Not as interesting as all this." Harvey mentions looking around the farm.

Shane nods sympathetically then turns to Adella, "I'll see you around then, farmer." He states before heading back to the ranch.

"See ya later," she calls out before turning her attention back to the doctor, "Let's crack open that wine."

The couple make their way back to the farmhouse and chat about their days. In the back of her mind, Adella couldn't help but ponder on what Shane said about their mistletoe kiss. Was there something more to it? Whether it was an stupid innocent tradition or an action with ulterior motive Harvey cannot know about this. Like he said before, what Harvey doesn't know won't hurt him.