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“What is it?” Gloria asked. “What’s Floyd’s surprise?”

“I can’t. I’ll have to call you back.” Liz dropped her phone on the counter and hustled outside. “What is this?”

Floyd beamed, watching as a pig squealed loudly. It trotted down the ramp and made a mad dash toward Liz.

She stumbled back. “It’s coming after me.”

“He’s trying to say ‘hello.’ Pepper’s a friendly pig.”

“Pepper?” Liz’s eyes widened in horror. “You named the pig?”

A second pig scurried down the ramp. He made a snorting sound and then a beeline for Pepper, whose snout was now firmly planted on Liz’s bare leg.

“He’s doing something to me with his nose.” Liz clutched her throat and began gagging as Pepper’s wet snout traveled toward her kneecap.

“Pepper is not going to hurt you,” Floyd said.

Liz squeezed her eyes shut, praying the pig would leave her alone.

Squeal. Her eyes flew open.

Both pigs crowded around, sniffing her two-hundred-bucks-a-pop Tony Borbonne sandals. “They’re trying to eat my shoes. Please make them stop,” she begged.

“C’mon, you rascals.” Floyd made a half-hearted attempt at calling off the swine. “It’s gonna take some time for Liz to warm up to you.”

Liz jerked her foot back, and the pigs advanced. “He’s licking me. ”

Floyd grabbed a small rod hooked to the side of the trailer and began coaxing the pigs away from his wife. “Let’s go check out your new home.”

The pigs obediently followed Floyd across the open field toward the pens he’d been working on for several weeks.

It suddenly dawned on Liz that Floyd’s plan to bring pigs to the farm had been “in the works” for some time. She clenched her fists and marched after him, watching as he led them inside the pen and closed the gate.

He backtracked and joined her. “Aren’t they cute as buttons?”

“Cute as buttons?” Liz swallowed hard, choking back the wave of nausea threatening as she pointed to the slimy imprint on her knee. “I think Pepper was marking his territory.”

Floyd laughed. “You should be flattered. Pigs aren’t always that friendly. ”

“Please tell me this is only temporary and you’re taking them over to the farm.”

“They’re all ours. I figured we would start with two. I think they’ll like living here on our farm.”

“They might, but I won’t.”

Floyd’s face fell. “I thought we talked about turning this into a working farm and having our own animals.”

“ You talked about bringing animals here. I listened.”

“I…” For the first time since Floyd’s return home, he appeared uncertain. “You really don’t want pigs?”

Liz softened her tone. “I would have preferred we discussed this beforehand. They’re smelly and disgusting. I can’t be responsible for their care.”

“That’s okay. I’ll take care of them.” Floyd gave her a peck on the cheek. “I knew you would come around.” He began whistling loudly, making his way to the rear of the trailer. He removed several buckets from the back and carried them to the pen.

Liz trailed behind. “Are you sure you can’t return them?”

“I could send them to the slaughter, if that’s what you want.” Floyd cast his wife a side glance.

“I’m not asking you to…kill them. I have my hands full managing the renovations and don’t have the time, energy, or inclination to take care of farm animals.”

“I already told you I would do it.” Floyd balanced the bucket on the fence rail, causing the pigs to snort even louder. “This is going to make a mess.”

“You’re telling me,” Liz muttered.

“No, I mean the slop.” He set the bucket back down. “I need my other barn boots in case it splashes on me. I’ll be right back.”

Liz, curious to find out what pigs ate, inched closer .

The pungent aroma of rotting fruit and vegetables assaulted her nostrils. Liz clamped a hand over her mouth and spun around. She lost her footing and fell on her backside, which is where Floyd found her.

“What are you doing?” He extended a hand.

“I made the mistake of smelling the slop.”

“It stinks to high heaven.”

“Now you tell me.” Liz clutched her gut, watching as her husband dumped the bucket’s contents into the empty trough.

Pepper and Piper grunted loudly, happily slurping up the goodies. Liz swallowed hard and looked away, willing her stomach to stop churning.

“They’re as happy as two pigs in a pocket,” Floyd said. “I think they’re going to settle in nicely. Once they become acclimated, we can talk about fixing the barn and adding cows. ”

“Please, no,” Liz begged him. “The cows should stay over at the other farm. We don’t have the staff to care for farm animals.”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about the pigs or cows. I have a plan.” Floyd outlined his vision for the future farm, which included not only the pigs and cows but also a flock of chickens.

Liz’s oceanfront dream condo was sounding more appealing by the second and for the hundredth time, she wondered what had ever possessed her to agree to fix the place up. But she didn’t have the heart to complain. After all, farming was in Floyd’s blood and it wasn’t fair to ask him to give it up.

Rules would have to be in place. Rules about who would care for the stinky, nasty creatures. There was one thing she knew for certain; it would not be her.

Lucy, along with Margaret, emerged from the house and made their way over. “We’re wrapping things up for the day. The kitchen counter quartz pieces came in. Before we sign off on them, we want to make sure they’re exactly what we ordered. We’ll be swinging by the warehouse before we head over in the morning.”

Margaret pinched her nose. “What is that smell?”

“What are you talking about?” Liz sniffed.

“It smells like ammonia.”

“This?” She stuck her hand in Lucy’s face.

Lucy clutched her throat and gagged loudly. “What in the world? Please tell me this isn’t one of your expensive French perfumes, because if it is, you got ripped off.”

“It’s eau de toilette.”

“Eau de what?” Margaret asked.

“De toilette as in pig scent.” Liz jabbed her finger in the pigpen's direction, where Pepper and Piper were still happily gobbling up their stinky goodies.

Margaret’s jaw dropped. “You have pigs! ”

Floyd joined them. “Meet Pepper and Piper, the friendliest pigs in West Michigan,” he said proudly.

“I didn’t know you planned to start a livestock farm,” Lucy said.

“Neither did I. I mean, I knew Floyd wanted a farm.” Liz briefly closed her eyes. “Yes, we have pigs.”

“Better you than me.” Margaret patted Liz’s arm and leaned in. “You do smell a little funny. You might want to get cleaned up,” she whispered in her ear.

“I plan to scrub every inch of my body with rubbing alcohol.” Liz accompanied her friends to Lucy’s Jeep. “Echo and I are going shopping tomorrow. She’s making a Greek feast for Treece tomorrow night and I offered to help.”

“You’re helping Echo cook?” Lucy grinned.

“Make sure she has a fire extinguisher handy,” Margaret teased .

Liz playfully punched her in the arm. “You’re hilarious.”

“Did you mention Sheriff Nelson’s visit to her?” Lucy asked.

“Yes, and Echo promised she would take care of it.” Liz thanked them again and joined Floyd, who was still unloading supplies from the trailer. Back and forth they went and the more they unloaded, the more Liz’s concern grew. “Are you sure this is only for two pigs?”

“Yes. Only two. They’re healthy eaters.” Floyd stacked the last bucket on top of the others. “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding and I promise I won’t bring any other animals to the farm without running it by you first.”

“Thank you.” Liz slipped her arm through Floyd’s. “We should take Duchess for a walk.”

“I’ll go get her.” Floyd and Duchess caught up with Liz. They strolled toward Echo’s place and found their tenant and Teddy out on the deck .

Echo stepped over to the railing. “I see you got the pigs home safely.”

“Yeah. They’re happy to be here.”

The trio made small talk, and Echo mentioned dinner the following evening. “Liz has graciously agreed to help me cook for Treece, since my cooking skills are dismal.”

Floyd arched an eyebrow and gazed at his wife. “You’re going to cook?”

“I am.” Liz straightened her shoulders. “We’re making chicken souvlaki with tzatziki sauce, along with a sampler dipping platter.”

“That sounds mighty tasty.”

“Why don’t we double the recipe?” Echo suggested. “You and Floyd can join us for dinner.”

Liz shook her head. “You and Treece should dine alone, although since we’re going to all the trouble, it won’t be any extra work to make enough for Floyd and me. ”

“I’m sure Treece won’t mind if you join us.”

“He might not, but we would.” Liz elbowed her husband. “Isn’t that right?”

“It’s not much of a date if us old folks show up.”

“Maybe next time.” Liz called Duchess, and she and Floyd strolled toward the back of the property. The couple made it to Cash Creek and wandered along the water’s edge. “This is my favorite place.”

“It would make a nice building spot,” Floyd said.

“But not for us,” Liz added.

“Not for us. We’ll have the fanciest chateau in Montbay County before we’re done.” Floyd grasped Liz’s hand. “I’m sorry about springing the pigs on you.”

“It’s…all right. I should’ve known you would eventually want to add farm animals.”

“And I should be more considerate. You’re not a country gal.”

“But I’m trying,” Liz said .

“Yes, you are.” Floyd turned his wife to face him. “I love you, Liz. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I figured I was going to live the rest of my life lonely and alone until you showed up at the farm looking for a job.”

“A job I didn’t want.” Liz chuckled. “God had a hand in us meeting. There’s no way I would’ve been there on my own. Between God and Gloria, we were destined to meet.”

“We were.” Floyd placed a light hand on Liz’s face and tenderly kissed her lips.

Liz could feel her pulse tick up a notch as she leaned in. The kiss deepened, and all thoughts about Pepper and Piper disappeared.

Floyd pulled back, his eyes smoldering. “I guess we should head home and figure out what we’re having for dinner.”

“Dinner?” Liz lowered her lashes. “I was thinking we could head home and spend some quality time alone…right after I shower in sanitizer.”

“Lead the way, my dear. Lead the way.”