Life starts early on the farm. Already Calem was up, dressed, had mended a fence, fed the animals and checked on the tractor that was giving John trouble, and it was only 9 a.m.

Calem grumbled about things being too old. 

"What's that? You calling me old?" John asked coming into the barn.

"No, just out dated," Calem taunted. "It needs a new water pump back plate gasket. I'll go into town this afternoon and pick one up."

"Sure, is nice having a second set of hands to help out around here." John handed Calem a rag to wipe the grease off of his hands.

"Don't go getting used to it. You know the farm has never been the place for me." Calem shoved the rag in his back pocket and started collecting the tools. "Things here are falling apart. How bad has it been in the last few years I've been gone?"

"Kinda figured she hadn't told you anything. It's been pretty bad. We barely made it through some of the droughts. The worst of it is, it's getting harder and harder to find help during harvest time. Seems no one wants to be bothered anymore."

To Calem, that confession seemed to take a lot out of John. He obviously didn't want to admit that farming and farmers were a class of citizens that were slowly dying out. Many of the droughts had farmers encouraging their children to look to other avenues for money and careers, it broke the lines of tradition and some never made it back.

"You still think this place has some life in it?" John only shook his head and shrugged in answer.

Calem's mother was struggling when they had to sell most of their land and she's been struggling ever since. That's why Calem took the out, by accepting the chance to do something different. He didn't want to go down with the ship but he also hoped to save his mother by taking her with him. However, she refused to go. 

"Dottie has breakfast ready. Go on. I'll put the rest away. Get yourself cleaned up. She's waitin' and so is the new girl."

Upon mention of Evelyn, Calem picked up his pace, and sprinted from the barn causing John to laugh at him as he exited. All spruced up and decent enough to enter the house Calem couldn't wait to see Evelyn again.

He found her giggling with his mother. The two of them were as thick as thieves, with their heads together, and their hands busy plating the food for breakfast. Calem's mother shushed Evelyn as she saw him entering which left Calem with no doubt that he was the subject of their conversation. God only knew what stories his mother was telling Evelyn to cause such giggles.

"Good Morning, Ladies. I see you've been busy gossiping about me."

"Gossip! Bite your tongue. I'd never. The truth is always far more interesting."

Dottie gave Evelyn a little hip check and wink and Evelyn started giggling again. Now Calem was nervous on several levels.

John came in the back door, and Dottie smiled warmly at him. "Have a seat at the table you two. Breakfast is ready."

The two men sat at the table and Dottie and Evelyn brought out a feast of biscuits, fried eggs, potatoes, bacon and a course a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes. Fresh squeezed orange juice  was added to the table, followed by a carafe of coffee, and some fresh cream.

Calem missed eating his mother's cooking. Food from the farm was so fresh it was impossible to get a bad meal. He wondered if Evelyn made any additions to his mother's usual recipes as she had with the honey butter.

He discovered the difference was with the bacon, thick cut, baked with what tasted like orange juice and a brown sugar glaze, made the bacon taste like candy. Evelyn reveled in the looks of pure delight that showed on the men's faces as they devoured the food her and Dottie made.

"Working the farm must work up an appetite. I was wondering if you were a vegan but I guess not."

A third piece of bacon dangled from Calem's mouth in disbelief. "Vegan!" he said swallowing a bite. "Why would you..."

"The portobello mushroom burger," Evie stated.

"They have those there?" Dottie interjected with surprise. "They were always your favorite whenever I made them for you."

"They were nowhere near as good as yours but yeah it was a little taste of home," Calem admitted.

Dottie seemed happy about this little peak into her son's life and getting a bit of evidence that he hadn't forgotten her completely.

John and Dottie talked farm business while, Evie stole glances at Calem over her cup of coffee. He would jump into their conversation adding his ideas on how to improve the place. Both John and Dottie welcomed anything he had to say. Both looked at him with pride in their eyes.

Evie wondered what such a life would be like. She never had breakfast around the table as a child. Her mother left when she was young and her dad was always working to make ends meet. They rarely got to share a meal together.

Even her time with Jackson wasn't like this. She would prep his meals for him. Jackson would eat before she got up so he could hit the gym, lunch was on the move, dinner they would sometimes go out to eat but most of the time she was on her own grabbing something at Raphael's.

"What do think?" Calem reached out and touched Evie's hand causing her to jump. Calem chuckled.

Evie shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I have to go into town to get a part for the tractor, I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me?" Calem asked her.

Evie smiled. "I'd love to."

"It's settled then," Dottie said collecting the empty plates from the table. "And you'll meet me at the restaurant I mentioned for lunch?"

"We'll meet you there," Calem agreed. "I need to get changed. I'll meet you back here?" he asked Evelyn.

"Okay." Evelyn helped Dottie clear the dishes and Calem left to change his clothes.

After only a short while, Dottie nudged Evie. "Go on. He's eager to get some time alone with you. I doubt he'll be that long. John will help me with the dishes."

"Me?" John asked indignantly but one look from Dottie and he relented. Dottie smirked at him when she heard him mumble something inaudible.

Evelyn put the towel down she was using to dry the dishes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, but remember what we talked about this morning. What happens on the farm stays on the farm, but?"

"What we do out in public is public," Evie finished for her.

"Good, girl. Off with you now," Dottie said shooing her away with one soapy hand.

Evelyn scooted off to find Calem. She walked the dirt path that led to the John's house. Her hand ran across the leaves of the large stalks of sunflowers that lined the one field she passed. It was so beautiful here she wished she didn't have to leave.

Evelyn let out a squeal of surprise when someone grabbed her and pulled her through the flowers and into the corn field.

"Are you trying to scare me to death, farm boy?" Evelyn could feel her heart racing but she wasn't entirely sure if it was from the scare or finding herself now alone with Calem.

His teasing eyes shimmered as he pulled her closer. "Sorry but I couldn't resist when I saw you walking down the path. "You looked so beautiful."

Evelyn blushed. "Thank you,"

Calem tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "You say that like you're not aware of just how beautiful you are?"

Evelyn shrugged and shyly looked away. Calem lifted her chin so she'd be forced to look at him.

"I dreamt of this very thing last night, being her with you, doing this?"

He tilted her chin up higher and claimed her lips, teasingly. He taunted her with a slow caress of his lips over her hers. She sighed into his mouth, and he took it as an invitation to take the kiss to next level.

Evelyn would not be out matched. She ran her hands into his hair like she had the first time she kissed him and they found themselves locked in a battle for domination, each wishing to please the other more. Breathless they broke apart only for the lack of air.

"However, did you learn to kiss like that?" Evelyn wished to know.

"What can I say? You inspire me." His response caused Evelyn to giggle. "Are you ready to go?"

Evelyn nodded and Calem laced her fingers with hers before leading her out of the corn field.

They had quite an enjoyable day in town together. Calem, however, wondered why, ever since they came to town, Evelyn seemed to keep her distance. She held her purse in the hand he was closest to, so he couldn't hold it. Whenever he stepped close, she took a few steps way so they aways had space between them. He found it all quite contradictory to the way they started the day together.

"Have you decided to play hard to get?" He whispered in her ear when he caught her unaware in a cookware shop. Evelyn jumped as his murmured breath brushed her ear. Evelyn smacked him and Calem laughed.

"Would you please stop startling me," she complained but Calem knew Evie wasn't really upset with him. "I'm just being careful is all. What happens on the farm, stays on the farm but what happens in public is..."

"Public," Calem finished with a frown. He knew his mother's words when he heard them. No wonder Evelyn has been acting so standoffish all day.

"Look my mother, she has her reasons, but I..."

Evelyn reached up and touched Calem lips with her finger causing him to stop talking. "She's not wrong, Calem. You're in this mess because I wasn't careful. The simplest thing can be taken out of context, no matter how innocent it is. I forgot that, and your mother was right in reminding me."

Calem sighed but knew Evelyn had made up her mind so he abided by her wishes and kept his distance. When they got to the Market he took her to the local cupcake shop.

Evelyn's demeanor changed immediately upon entering the cute little bakery. She ooo'd and ahh'd over each confection behind the glass. The owner couldn't help but notice her enthusiasm.

"First time here?"

"Yes!" Evelyn looked at her with childlike wonder causing the woman to laugh.

"See anything you like?"

"Umm, everything. I don't how I could possible choose one. They not only look delicious but each is a work of art."

The woman beamed with pride. "Thank you."

"We'll take a dozen," Calem said, and chuckled when Evie stared at him in surprise.

"Perfect," the woman said and pick up a pink pastry box from the counter behind her.

"She'll pick them out," Calem told the woman and walked away to let Evelyn take her time.

"Oh, how am I to decide," Evie fretted.

"I don't know but that man there is keeper."

"What?" Evie said looking to where the woman's gaze fell on Calem, who pick up a stuffed toy a child dropped from their coach and made it dance. The toddler giggled in delight.

"I'm just saying any man that would allow me to have a dozen cupcakes of my choice would be coming home with me. In fact, I think I'd marry him on the spot."

Evelyn looked back at the baker, the dreamy look on her face, and was surprised at the immediate pangs of jealousy she felt towards this woman. Calem joined them at the register to pay for the cupcakes.

The bakery woman stared at Calem with open appreciation. Calem however seemed unaware and unaffected by the woman's banter and attempts to flirt with him. So, it took him completely off guard when Evie took the box from him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"I thought we decided..."

Evelyn linked her arm through his. "Thank you for the cupcakes, but we best hurry if we are going to meet your mother for lunch."

Calem smirked as he took note that Evie's voice rose some when mentioning his mother. Was she jealous of the woman behind the counter? Just the thought that it may be true brought a smile to his lips. He covered Evie's hand with his own.

"Of course, you're right. We mustn't keep my mom waiting." Calem too, raised his voice when mentioning his mother, clueing Evelyn in that he was on to her, making her blush shamefully.

The moment they step away from the shop she dropped her hand and covered her face. "Was I that obvious?"

"Yes," Calem teased, pulling her hand away from her face. "But it was rather adorable to see."

"Ugh. I'm so mortified I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's rather flattering to be the center of so much attention."

Calem no sooner said this, a woman came running up to him and threw her arms around his neck. Because of the woman's short stature Calem had to grab hold of her to lower her back to the ground or she would have been literally hanging on him.

The cute little blonde, let go and punched Calem's arm. "How dare you not tell me you were back in town? I was so mad, when I heard your mom needed me to come in today so she could go out to lunch with you."

Calem looked at Evie to explain. Evelyn's one eyebrow rose and she smirked at him, "You were saying..."

"Ah...um... this is Kelly. She works on the farm and at my mom's place here at the Market. She called you in on your day off?" Calem said turning back to Kelly, not wanting to bear the scrutiny of Evie's gaze any longer.

Kelly immediately took Calem's arm in hers and started dragging him away towards his mom's stand. Calem was oddly impressed. She was deceptively strong for such a little thing. Evie had no choice but to follow behind them.