Twice the Trouble by Sandra Dailey

skirt. “I guess I’d better get started on my chores.”
    Bella walked down the steps and toward the side of the house. Buck remained in place staring at Alex.
    “I’ll help,” Alex offered as he stood to follow Lacey inside. If that dog could handle a small herd of cattle without supervision, he didn’t want to be alone with him. Not until he had a change of attitude.
    Yeah, you’d better,” Lacey laughed, “before someone sees you outside in your underwear.”
    In the kitchen, Lacey pulled a bowl of diced potatoes from the refrigerator and drained off the water. Next, she began peeling boiled eggs. Now here was something Alex knew about, potato salad. He drained a portion of relish to add, along with a huge dollop of mayonnaise, and a spoonful of mustard.
    “Lacey, maybe we should talk about the wedding plans before the kids get home. They definitely put a new spin on the situation, especially Jerrod. I see now that it may take more than a month to work this out.”
    “I absolutely agree,” Lacey said.
    Alex wondered if she really did. The smile she wore looked less than genuine.
    “As a matter of fact, I’ve been thinking about the cutest Victorian house on the corner of Main Street and Osceola Lane. It’s near the school. The kids would be able to walk every day. It’s only a little smaller than this one and has a fenced back yard for Buck and Bella. I’d be able to find a job in town. The only work I’ve ever done has been this farm, but I’ve always kept good books. I should be able to do the same for another type business. Once they finish putting on the new roof on that house, it’ll be ready to rent. I figure I could move into it before the end of the month. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have free time.”
    Alex was surprised by how much thought she’d put into this. “Is that really what you want? Are you ready to give up so easily? You’d be willing to walk away from this farm after all the work you’ve put into it? You’d be ready to give up on me after just finding each other again? I understand that you don’t want to marry me. You made that clear thirteen years ago, but what about the friendship we had growing up? Doesn’t that mean anything?”
    “Of course it does.” Lacey wiped her hands on a dishcloth that had been covering a glass bowl. Then she rolled a fluffy ball of dough out of the bowl and onto a floured board. “I’ve learned to be independent. That means doing whatever I have to, to make ends meet. I can’t borrow the money to buy this farm. I have to give it up. No hard feelings. Business is business. I respect that. We can still be friends.”
    Alex couldn’t help but admire her strength and resolve. Why couldn’t her cantankerous old grandfather see her worth and help her? The Double J was who she was. She needed this farm, but she also needed her dignity.
    “Maybe something could be worked out,” he said. “Let me take your books home to look them over. I’d like to think this over and talk to you about it next weekend. I could come back again next Friday evening, if that’s okay with you.” Alex riffled through the spices until he found paprika, parsley, garlic powder, and white pepper.
    “Wait a minute,” Lacey exclaimed. “I’m making that salad with your mother’s recipe. I thought you’d like it that way.”
    Alex shrugged. “She never mentions that my dad adds his own ingredients. My mom is not the great cook she pretends to be, but Dad covers for her. Trust me. You’ll like it better this way.”
    If he couldn’t charm her out of her panties, he’d at least impress her with his cooking.

Chapter Ten
    Alex slammed the tailgate after the supplies had been loaded. He hoped they had everything they needed. Jerrod had gathered five fence posts, three spools of wire, two large bags of cement, a couple of empty plastic feed containers, a posthole digger, a shovel, and an old wooden box with assorted hand tools. It felt weird to let