Page 9 of Do It Yourself
I’m stomping my way to the education center, thinking Patrick might be able to pull me out of my funk so I can do my damn job. He should have an hour or so available before any tours start today.
I can only hope some of his positive attitude can rub off on me.
Despite my typical silence, Patrick and I have become pretty good friends. We bonded over working at the Farm, enjoying nature, and being head over heels for a Warren sister. The only difference was Patrick’s a lucky bastard and his Warren sister was head over heels for him right back.
I don’t hold it against him.
Most of the time.
A thought flits through my mind that has my breath catching for a moment. I think about how Elle and Patrick never would have gotten together if not for them being forced to share an office space with each other for weeks when Patrick first startedworking here. Similar to what Mabel and I would be…no. Nope, I needed to get those thoughts gone before they could take root.
“Yo, Rick, you here?” I call out as I push my way into the education center. It’s still early, too early for him to start his tours, but I did almost walk into some NSFW activities by not making my presence known as soon as possible before. I won’t be making that mistake ever again.
“Jude the Dude!” Patrick’s voice rings out from inside Elle’s office.
Yep.
Glad I said something before taking another step. Patrick walks out of Elle’s office, cradling Honey Cat like a baby. He’s rubbing a paw and making stupid faces that seem to only be annoying the tabby.
“Stop infantizing our fucking cat!” Elle’s voice calls from her office and despite her words there is no heat in her tone. Patrick’s attention is pulled from the cat, our gazes connecting and this asshole winks.” I’ll stop once you let me put a baby in you !” Patrick tosses over his shoulder.
I’m regretting my decision to visit Patrick already.
A very un-Elle-like squeak comes from her office before the door is slammed shut.
“What can I do for you, friend?” Patrick asks, chuckling around his question. He strides across the room to let Honey Cat out for her daily prowl. I keep my eyes on the feline as it weaves its way into the fruit field.
Honey Cat, so aptly named as she was a cat who lived on a honey farm, had been sort of a myth around Warren Farms until Patrick showed up. Previously, the cat would only come out to visit Elle or when Henry was around.
Even working here for the last ten years, I could have counted Honey Cat sightings on one hand with a finger or twoleftover but Patrick is the freaking cat whisperer, the little thing follows him around the farm unless he’s giving a tour.
During that time, she lazes around in Elle’s office while she does all the paperwork required to keep the farm running.
“Jude?” Patrick waves his hand in front of my face, pulling me out of my thoughts. I push his hand away and he dramatically ‘stumbles’ back a few steps. “You’re such a weirdo. I’m not that big, if anything you’re just a weakling.”
Sometimes I feel like Patrick has made it his life goal to tease me about my size. Just because I may have put a little extra effort in my handshake when Lola first introduced us. He was new to the Farm and I may or may not have felt a sort of misplaced need to assert my dominance on the new guy.
The fact I’d overheard Lola and Mabel talk about what a cutie he was had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
“I don’t deny my weirdness but that’s besides the point.”
“And what’s the point, again?”
“Any particular reason you’ve ventured into my neck of the Farm this morning?”
Ah, shit. Yeah, there was but I wasn’t going to tell him why I was visiting, especially after his comment to Elle about babies. I shake my head.
“Negative. Just doing my job of checking on things, making sure people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. You know, work stuff.” I can feel my cheeks heat as my answer gets away from me.
Thankfully, I’m outside almost everyday, and despite my ball cap’s greatest efforts, I have some type of sunburn or tan that hides my embarrassment.
“Sure. Sure. Always on top of everything, boss man.” Patrick’s giving me a look that has me feeling apprehensive, he’s leaning in now and raises a hand to the side of his mouth. He looks like an idiot, telling me a secret when we’re the only twopeople in this giant building. “Wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain Warren sister stopping by for a meeting with my fiancee in the next, oh, five minutes. Right?”
No.
No, that was most definitelynotthe reason I stopped by.
That was like the exact opposite reason I came here. “Are you joking?” My voice comes out deep, I’m panicking. Patrick starts to shake his head just as the door that’s open for the public starts to open.
