Page 35 of The Payback Adventure
But that wasn’t going to happen. Not now.
Elisabeth’s shoulders slumped.
She had nothing left to use to discourage him or try to make him quit. And that left one course of action—to fire him. But thinking about firing him made her feel awful.
Elisabeth sagged against the counter. Not that she wasn’t justified in letting Henry go. He had made mistake after mistake. She still couldn’t believe he’d cut back the wrong row of berries, planted all the vegetable seeds wrong, and let the chickens escape again.
Farming clearly wasn’t his thing. But even though he hadn’t a clue about what he was doing, he was trying hard. That counted for something. She sighed. Twenty-five thousand dollars’ worth of something?
She might be down on her luck, but so was Henry.
Maybe she could convince him to accept Cynthia’s help—even take the money Elisabeth had received. No, he didn’t want charity. That was why she couldn’t ask him to quit. She didn’t want him to know what his friends had done for him.
As she removed the lid from the pot on the stove, the scent of the Mexican stew with cinnamon, oregano, cumin,and jalapeño chilis filled the air. She stirred the simmering broth, added diced chicken, and replaced the lid.
The whine of a lone four-wheeler caught her attention.
She glanced at the clock. Henry had worked later than she expected.
Perhaps she misjudged him. Okay, he’d flirted with her best friend, but he hadn’t destroyed the farm. At least not yet.
Maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he would learn. Maybe he could stay.
Her chest tightened. That reaction alone told her it was time for Henry to pack his bag and go. She couldn’t afford to have feelings for a charmer like him. Not that she had feelings. But it could happen, and that would be a huge mistake. Henry might be here now, but she couldn’t count on him to stay in the long run. Of that, she was certain.
The kitchen door opened, and Henry stepped inside with Ruff panting at his heels. He had removed his work boots outside and wore white socks on his feet. Dirt covered his jeans and jacket. A jacket sleeve had been ripped. His face had smudges, and his hair was damp on the ends. He smelled like he looked—as if he’d been working hard since dawn.
Attraction slammed into her. Elisabeth swallowed around the blackberry-sized lump in her throat.
“Did you see the sunset?” He stared at her. “Beautiful.”
He was beautiful. Gorgeous. You name it. The simple richness of his voice made her pulse speed up. Another reason to fire him. “I—I didn’t notice.”
“I finished tying the rows you wanted.”
“All of them?”
He nodded.
“That’s good.” Incredible. She thought it would take him longer. A lot longer.
And then it hit her. Henry had done a good job. He hadn’t screwed up. He had been helpful today. Yet the last thing she felt was relief. Not when her insides reacted to his every word, glance, and movement.
Ruff nuzzled his nose against Henry. As he petted the dog, Henry grimaced.
Elisabeth took a step toward him and stopped. “Is something wrong with your hand?”
“A blister. It’s nothing.”
“You’re not used to this kind of work. I’d better check it.” She reached for his hand. A jolt of electricity shocked her at the contact, and she ignored it. He had two small blisters on his left hand and three larger ones on his right. “Why didn’t you stop working? This has to hurt.”
“The canes needed to be tied.” His gaze met hers. “We can’t afford to get behind. Isn’t that what you said?”
She nodded.
“I know I’ve messed up, but I’m finally getting it. I won’t screw up again.” He paused. “At least not intentionally.”
Yes, his hands were a mess, but that hadn’t mattered to him. He’d put the farm first. And her.
