Page 67 of Hope After Loss

Wanting to run back outside and jump in his arms yet wanting to run to my room and pull the covers over my head at the same time.

The sound of his truck engine roaring to life snaps me out of my thoughts.

Shit. I’m in trouble.

Weston

Iwake up to the sound of my alarm.

Shit.

I fumble for my phone on the nightstand and shut it off.

Soft sunshine blankets the room as I sit up. I got a fitful night’s sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Anna’s flushed face.

What the fuck was I thinking, trying to kiss her last night?

One minute, I was helping her to the door, and the next, my lips were on hers.

Her soft, sweet mouth.

I should call her and explain.

It was only for a second. Hell, she probably won’t even remember it happened. I barely do, I lie to myself as I stand and head to the bathroom.

It’s all I thought about all night.

I jump into the shower, and halfway through, I turn the knob to make it an ice-cold one.

I berate myself out loud the entire drive out to the farm. “She’s my employee. She’s a mother. She lost her husband.”

She’s also beautiful and funny, and I like being in her company.

I shake my head. “Dammit, Weston. No. You will not hit on Anna,” I shout into the empty cab.

When I pull into the office parking lot, Pop’s truck is already there. He and Graham are standing beside it, drinking from a thermos.

I park and make my way to them.

“Sorry I’m late. It’s been a rough morning,” I grumble as I approach.

Pop raises an eyebrow. “Long night?”

“Something like that,” I mumble.

“Did you go out after you left my house?” Graham asks.

I shake my head. “No. I dropped the girls off at Anna’s and went straight home. I just didn’t sleep well for some reason.”

Pop chuckles and clasps my shoulder. “Well, son, when I have trouble with insomnia, your mom gives me this magical elixir that helps me fall right to sleep. You might have heard of it. It’s called Balsam Gold CBD Oil.”

“Yeah, I know,” I quip.

The three of us head out to the field and spend the next four hours seeding.

Pop packs up and heads back to the campground to help Mom and Taeli prepare for the evening cookout that he hosts every year to celebrate Easter and welcome the campers back for the season. Graham and I finish up the last of the work and run the irrigation system to make sure everything is watered well before we call it a day.

“You sure you’re okay? You’ve been awfully quiet today,” Graham asks as we lock the equipment up in the barn.