Page 27 of The Payback Adventure
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Cleaning up his mess wasn’t so easy to do. Especially when Henry had to use rags. Dirty, disgusting rags. He tried and failed to find a clean spot on the one he held.
“Do you have any paper towels?” he asked.
Elisabeth stopped putting sliced vegetables into a slow cooker—that was what she called it—and tossed him another rag. “These are more cost-effective.”
That might be true, but they were also gross. He could buy a lot of paper towels with his twenty-dollar bill.
Maybe paper towels would bring a smile to Elisabeth’s face.
She was upset with him. He might not know farming, but he knew women. The way she kept glancing over at him and pressing her full lips together were telltale signs. No problem. He’d gotten off to a rocky start, but he’d learned his lesson—no more cooking. Before the day was over, she would have a different opinion of him.
Henry scrubbed at the stovetop, but the burn marks wouldn’t come off. At this rate, he would be there all day. Of course, that didn’t surprise him. The only thing he knew how to clean was himself.
Until this morning, Henry hadn’t realized how much he relied on his household staff. He was totally dependent upon them yet had taken them for granted his entire life. He didn’t have to cook or clean or even pay his bills. Someone else did that for him. Someone else did everything for him. Whatever Henry wanted—from fresh towels to late-night snacks—was there when he wanted it. If he were at home, freshly ground coffee would be brewing, a three-course breakfast would be waiting for him at the dining room table, and Mrs. Zimmer would make his bed and tidy up his room. Even Frank kept the cars full of gas and running perfectly.
His life was so easy and carefree. Fun. Life on the farm seemed precarious and worrisome. A way to grow old before one’s time. Not fun.
Elisabeth grabbed a bottle from underneath the sink. She squeezed the trigger twice. “Now wipe.”
He did, and the marks disappeared. Henry couldn’tbelieve it. All that scrubbing for nothing. “This stuff is amazing.”
“It’s vinegar and water.” She handed him the bottle. “You’re not used to doing this, are you?”
He never had before. “No.”
The expression in her eyes softened. “I’m so sorry, Henry. I forgot you don’t have a home to clean right now.”
“That’s…okay.” Henry felt anything but. He wasn’t exactly lying to her. He didn’t have a home to clean right now, and if he was there now, the last thing he’d ever do was clean it. He looked at the stove, at the sink, at everything except Elisabeth. “I’ve never been much of a housekeeper.”
“I’ll help you finish. We have a lot to do today.”
Not only today. Henry had a month to make the Wheeler family’s life better. That wouldn’t be an easy task.
He stood on a step stool and wiped the spot where the flames had smudged the ceiling. The cleaner took the marks right off.
She handed him another rag. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” His gaze met hers. She was lovely. If only she would smile more. But smiles and laughter seemed to be rare commodities around here. At least Caitlin seemed less affected than the others. He hoped the little girl remained that way. “Did I miss any spots?”
Elisabeth looked up at the ceiling. “To the left.”
“I see it.” After another spray of the vinegar-and-water combo, he wiped the spot away. “Got it.”
She rinsed her hands in the sink. “Now we can really get to work.”
Henry couldn’t wait. Domestic chores weren’t his strong suit. He followed her outside. “It might be better if my job assignments don’t involve the kitchen.”
Elisabeth’s eyes twinkled. “I was thinking the same thing.”
She showed him the irrigation equipment, and they moved it to a different part of the farm together. It was more physical work than anything and took longer than he thought it would. His hands sort of burned, but completing the task gave Henry a needed burst of confidence. He wasn’t used to manual labor, but he was strong thanks to his personal trainer. If she needed muscle to help her out, he was her man.
Fairy godfather, he corrected himself.
Next up was mowing. Standing by the small tractor, Elisabeth explained what the various levers did and how the two brake pedals could be unlatched for use in the fields.
Sunlight glimmered off her hair as she bent over to double-check the hitch connecting the mower to the tractor. Once again, her beauty struck him.
