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CHAPTER FIVE

ROZ

Two black baby goats wobbled on their feet under the watchful eye of their mother.

Jim smiled, his eyes hazy. “They were only born a few hours ago.”

New beginnings. For the goats and for me. I pursed my lips. Good god, Roz. Don’t get sappy.

“So, what do you think?” Jim asked as we walked back from the petting zoo to the main farmhouse.

The scent of freshly cut grass wafted through the air. The large white two-story farmhouse, well over one hundred years old, was far too big for one person. Over three hundred acres of farmland, spanning Christmas trees, flower and strawberry fields, orchards, a corn maze, a petting zoo, and a café, was a lot for one person who knew nothing about farming. But I thrived on a challenge and I was a fast learner. I’d also learned from years at Saunders & Company that you were only as good as the people you surrounded yourself with. And Jim had some good people on his team. I was confident that, with their practical expertise and my business skills, we could make it work. I exhaled, my body buzzing. There was so much potential here. And unlike the matters I’d worked on at Saunders & Company, I wouldn’t just be stepping in, fixing the business, and then walking away and washing my hands of it. I’d be here for the long haul.

I turned to Jim, who was patiently awaiting my response. “I’m in.”

Jim’s face broke into a broad grin. “That’s great! And you’ll keep it going as a farm, and keep all the employees on?”

I nodded. “Yes. I’ll have to make some changes to ensure it is financially viable, but I’ll keep it running as an agritourism business, and I don’t see any need for layoffs.” I’d spent the last few days poring over all the farm’s finances and had formed the view that, to make it profitable, some of its operations would need to be streamlined while other areas would need to be expanded. But keeping Jim’s team of employees was critical to the farm’s success. They had the farming knowledge and skills that I lacked. Especially Dana Hoffman, who Jim had brought on last year to manage most of the farm’s day-to-day operations.

Tears welled in Jim’s brown eyes. “Well, in that case, we’d love to sell to you.” He held out his hand. “And the price I mentioned before still stands.”

Jim’s grip was so hard I thought I might lose circulation in my fingers.

“Penny and I have a cottage in Sapphire Springs we’re planning to move into, so we can fit in with your timing. If you want to move in early, we can get out of your way. Rip the Band-Aid off, and all that.” Jim looked wistfully at the fields stretching out in front of us. “And you’re welcome to most of the furniture in the farmhouse as well. We won’t be able to bring it with us.”

“I’m excited to get going, so the earlier, the better, from my perspective.” I gazed at the stunning farmhouse. I was more than ready to move out of my parents’ place. After living apart from my parents for over twenty years, with only short visits back, spending the last two weeks in close quarters with them had been more than enough. “And I’ll happily take any furniture you don’t want.” I had far more important things to focus on than interior decoration. Like getting the farm back in the black.

“Excellent. We’ll move out this weekend then.”

I blinked. This weekend. That was fast. “I’ll ask my lawyers and my accountants to expedite the closing of the sale, but I’m not sure we’ll be able to finalize the paperwork and get you the money by then.”

Jim waved his hand through the air. “Once you sign the contract, it’s a done deal from my perspective. I trust you.”

I stared. I couldn’t imagine trusting a stranger enough to hand over my farm to them before I got paid.

A cow mooed loudly nearby, and I flinched, jerking my head in the direction of the noise. Two sets of large brown eyes stared at me over a fence. One of the gigantic brown cows stomped, sending up a flurry of dust. The other gave a loud huff. I flinched.

“Don’t mind Thelma and Louise,” Jim said.

“I don’t think they like me.” I hadn’t told Jim I’d keep all the animals. Perhaps these two could be rehomed— to the abattoir.

A twinge of uncertainty hit me as we went to sign the papers. Buying the farm was an enormous financial commitment. I was using all my savings, which were significant, to purchase it, and I’d need to get a bank loan or find an investor to make the changes I needed to ensure the farm’s financial success. I’d turned around hundreds of businesses over the years, but it had always been someone else’s money on the line. This time, if I failed, it would have significant repercussions for my future. At forty-two, losing all my savings would mean having to start again. I shook off my doubts. I would make this a success. For both my sake and Lottie’s.

God, Lottie will be so thrilled she hears I’ve bought the farm.

“Is everything okay?” Jim asked as he ushered me into his study and handed me a pen.

“Yes, yes,” I said, signing my name on the contract that I’d had my lawyers review yesterday.

Fear was for the weak. And Roz Kennedy was not weak.