Page 31 of The Payback Adventure
Henry winced at the contact. No doubt the bee stings hurt. Still, he kept smiling. “Nice to meet you.”
The two men were a stark contrast. Even dirty and sweating and wearingjeans, Henry would be more comfortable in the city. Anywhere but on a berry farm. Gabe was outdoors and country-living personified whether in jeans or…
Elisabeth realized she had never seen him in anything dressy except on his ill-fated wedding day. After his divorce, Gabe swore never to wear a tuxedo again. But no matter what either wore or didn’t wear, both men would be popular with the women of Berry Patch.
With women everywhere.
Theresa batted her eyes. “So, what brings you to Berry Patch? The bees?”
“The bees were a first and, I hope, a last.” Henry stared at Theresa as if she were the only woman on the planet. “I’m here because a friend heard Elisabeth needed help, and I needed a job.”
Yes, he was here to help her. Elisabeth’s muscles tensed. Not flirt with her best friend.
“Sounds like fate.” Theresa’s voice sounded wistful.
Gabe frowned. “More like dumb luck.”
“Probably a combination of both,” Henry said. “Are you a farmer?”
“Contractor,” Gabe said. “I have a remodeling business, but I help my father with his hops farm.”
“Gabe fixed Old Yeller, too,” Sam offered.
Lines creased Henry’s forehead. “Are you also a vet?”
The kids giggled. Gabe and Theresa managed not to laugh.
Elisabeth frowned. Poor Henry. He wasn’t having the best day. “Old Yeller is a pickup truck on its last legs.”
“Rather, wheels,” Theresa added with a flip of her hair.
Henry laughed. “Let me guess, the truck is old and yellow.”
“Henry graduated from Harvard,” Abby announced proudly.
Elisabeth cringed. Henry had to be humiliated. She caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, but the moment their gazes met, it disappeared. She gave him an encouraging smile, and Henry laughed. Laughed?
“Too bad my studies concentrated on romance languages and literature. Harvard doesn’t teach you how to drive a tractor or outrun bees.” Henry was so animated, his voice upbeat, his smile dazzling. “Wonder if I could get a refund.”
Everyone laughed.
“I’m sure you could get whatever you wanted,” Theresa said, almost breathlessly. Subtlety had never been one of her strong points.
“You think?” Henry asked Theresa.
Uncomfortable, Elisabeth ground the toe of her work boot into the dirt. Gabriel rocked back and raised a brow.
“Pretty smooth,” he murmured to her.
Too smooth. Henry wasn’t only a screwup. He was also a flirt. A charmer. A player. The job didn’t matter to him. The farm didn’t matter to him. She didn’t matter to him.
He had to go.
But Elisabeth needed the money. And then she remembered.
If Henry quits, you can keep the money.
CHAPTER TEN
