Kathy Douglass - The City Girl's Homecoming

And she couldn’t help wonder why it bothered her so much that he didn’t.

Chapter Two

As Cade turned from the driveway onto the road, his stomach growled in protest. He’d looked forward to lunch with the Whitaker sisters all morning. Birdie and Bunny were fabulous cooks and baked the absolute best desserts. While he’d been knocked around as he fought to get the pig into his truck, it had been the thought of the delicious meal waiting for him that had kept him going. And then Ms. Susie Sunshine in her power suit had come along and ruined it all.

Cade had seen her around town a few times over the past month. Who could miss her? Tall, with a curvy body and a stunning face, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. Their eyes had met and locked on one of those occasions and his mouth had gone dry. He’d ignored the reaction. It had only taken one look at her impeccable makeup, gorgeous hair, perfectly manicured nails and stylish clothes to instantly know the type of woman she was. He’d once been in love with her type. He’d been left heartbroken by her type. He needed to avoid her type.

She had city girl written all over her. There wasn’t the slightest doubt in his mind that she’d moved to Spring Forest because she was running from something. Perhaps she thought that a change of scenery would fix whatever was wrong with her life. But once she’d recovered from her broken heart or lost job or whatever it was that had sent her here, she’d hightail it out of North Carolina so fast she’d leave a trail of smoke behind her.

Just look at her clothes. She dressed as if she was still living in the city. He knew she was a lawyer, but Daniel Sutton was, too, and he didn’t walk around wearing three-piece suits. No, he dressed like he was a member of the community, not someone who was passing through on the way to someplace better.

Cade had made the mistake of believing his former fiancée could be happy living a quiet life on the Battle Lands Farm. Deadra had sworn that she loved him and that sharing her life with him was all she wanted. Then she’d left him for a slick Chicago lawyer and hadn’t looked back. He’d been fooled once by a pretty city woman. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Despite knowing the danger she presented to his emotional well-being, there was something about Megan Jennings that appealed to him. He’d heard her gasp when Little Piggy had charged him, and knew it was because she’d been afraid for him. Though clearly her fear was rooted in her concern for a fellow human and not him specifically, her reaction had warmed his heart. It didn’t change the fact that she was a city girl. And it certainly didn’t mean he would let down his guard with her. Still, it was proof that a caring heart beat beneath that designer suit.

Frowning, Cade turned on the radio, hoping the music would erase all thoughts of Megan and the sound of her laughter from his mind. It didn’t work. Despite the singer’s voice and the sound of the drums and bass, he could still hear Megan’s sexy alto voice. Just hearing her say his name had been enough to set his imagination racing in the wrong direction. And he could still picture her sparkling eyes. But none of that mattered. He didn’t have time for a woman, even if he met one who would be happy living here. He had plans.

Cade switched off the radio and drove the rest of the way home in silence. When he reached the farm, he signaled and turned into the driveway beneath the iron sign announcing the Battle Lands Farm. Rather than stopping at the front of the house, he continued to the back to where the barns were located. The pig, which had been relatively quiet, suddenly began to snort and move around as much as it could in the truck bed.

The back door of his father’s house opened and he stepped outside. Although his dad was in his midfifties, he was still strong as an ox. With his father’s help, it would be a lot easier to get the pig out of the truck than it had been to get it in.

“So, this is our new guest,” his dad said, with a smile. Reginald Battle took being a good neighbor to new heights. If there was someone he could help, he did without hesitation. If he couldn’t help, he didn’t rest until he found someone who could. Never once in his life had Cade seen his father reject anyone’s request for assistance. While their farm wasn’t an animal rescue, they constantly took in animals that the Whitaker sisters were unable to accommodate. The pig was just the latest in a string of goats, chickens and geese that had come to reside on their farm. This was their first pig. And given how difficult it was to get it into the truck, Cade hoped it would be the last.

“This is him.” Cade shook his head and grinned. “Bunny called him Little Piggy.”

Reginald roared at the name. “She didn’t think that one through.”

“Not at all. Anyway, I want to get this pig settled in the barn. This little trip has set me behind on the work I planned to do for the day.”

“Then let’s get this one into his new home.”

Cade backed the truck up to the barn, and then he put the ramp in place. He and Reginald exchanged looks and at his father’s nod, Cade lowered the tailgate. The pig wasted no time in going from the bed of the truck into the barn. Once they got the pig inside, Cade heaved a sigh of relief. His father had already filled the feeding troughs with food and water. Reginald always claimed being a good neighbor didn’t cost a thing, but Cade knew that wasn’t true. In this case, it cost valuable time on top of maintenance costs, such as extra feed. Battle Lands Farm was profitable and could easily absorb the cost. Cade, on the other hand, got the same twenty-four hours as everyone else, so he would have to work faster and harder to make up for lost time.

“So, how are your plans going?”

“Not bad.” Cade was developing a farm-to-table business. He’d convinced his father to go organic several years ago, believing it was better for their customers as well as the environment. The business was what he should be focusing on instead of how sweet Megan Jennings smelled. “I’ve just finalized the marketing plan and I’ve determined how much produce I’ll have available for this year’s trial. I’m also working on a delivery schedule. But, none of this will make a bit of difference if I don’t have any customers. Then I’ll end up selling everything to grocery stores again.”

“I know you don’t like doing that.”

“No.” Cade worked hard to produce the best fruits and vegetables. He wanted the people who ate that food to get the best flavor and the maximum amount of nutrients. That meant dining on the food within a day or two of it being harvested, not after weeks. In order to accomplish that, he needed to have local clients in the restaurant business who shared his vision. He would continue to provide produce at the farmer’s market that was held at the Granary’s parking lot from late spring to early fall. But he wanted to move the business in this other direction, as well. Until he had enough clients for his farm-to-table produce, he would continue to supply grocery chains.

“It’ll work out. I’m sure of that. Once you put your mind to something, Cade, you always find a way to make it happen. You’ll figure this out, too.”

Cade appreciated his father’s support. Of course, it would be easier to pull this off if his mind was focused on his plan and not the very beautiful and oh-so-wrong for him Megan Jennings.

* * *

When Megan was finished with her meeting at Whitaker Acres, she returned to her office. The drive had enabled her to clear her mind. There was something so peaceful about driving on roads that weren’t so congested that traveling three miles took nearly half an hour. The scenic countryside was an extra added bonus.