CHAPTER 4
Dana had just gotten out of the truck and started getting things ready to water the fields when she found Sassie wrapping herself around Dana's legs.
"Hi Sassie, did you find that darn fox?" She asked trying to step around the cat but not succeeding, "buzz off Sass. I've got work to do!" She demanded before finally getting away.
As Dana got back to work Sassie went over to sniff around the truck, jumping in the open window she popped back up with Dana's sweater in her mouth. Jumping back down she ran past her victim, sailing down one of the trails into the woods.
"Hey Sassie! Come on, stop playing games!" She yelled, running after the troublesome cat. "Come on Sassie, I don't have time for this!" She lost track of the animal as she walked into the wooded area. She noticed the glow of a fire and decided to head toward the light to investigate, wondering who would have a campfire going on her land. Getting closer she observed a man in jeans pointing a gun at Sassie. She couldn't make out his face because the fire wasn't bright enough.
Sensing someone coming closer to the fire Calon yelled. "Stay back!" Waving his other arm.
Staring at the gun Dana charged toward him without thinking, "NO!" She screamed, knocking him over landing on top of him with a grunt, making the gun discharge into the woods.
"Hey!" He yelled back, "What the hell did you do that for?"
"To stop you from killing Sassie." She bit out, getting up quickly. Brushing herself off, "What are you doing on our property anyway?" She asked bending over to pet the large cat, taking the sweater from the animals’ mouth.
"Your property." He stated more than questioned as he stood up, shoving his gun into the back of his jeans. "I was looking for the Tallon farm but I must have missed it. So I put up camp here to wait for morning." He moved a little closer trying to get a better look at the girls’ face in the dim light. Her husky voice was really intriguing.
She wondered why he was looking for her farm, "You still haven't really answered my question." She asserted, with her hands on her hips, "Why are you here?"
"Katie at Kelly's sent me. The Tallon's are looking for someone to help out on their farm." He then asked curiously, "Who are you, may I ask?"
"Dana Tallon." She answered offering her hand, as she wondered why her mother hadn't told him who she was.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Calon Fields." He said taking her hand, he felt a strange tingling start in his hand slowly crawling up his arm.
Dana let go quickly feeling as if she'd just been burned and took a step back. What did he do to her, she wondered, should she be afraid of him? No, her mother wouldn't send someone like that out here. She sure wished she could see his face more clearly. Then spying the motorcycle she wondered again why her mother would send someone like that out here.
"How did you get a Bobcat for a pet anyway?" Calon asked, still feeling the strange sensation of her hand in his and almost liking it.
"I found her hurt as a kitten and took care of her until she was better. She's been around ever since." She said feeling kind of jumpy with him staring at her through the low light. There sure was enough light for her to see he didn't have shoes or shirt on, she didn't know why she hadn't noticed sooner. "Well I gotta go." Suddenly wanting to get away from the weird feelings she started back down the path.
"Hey, wait a minute! Won't you show me the way?"
"I don't have time. Just follow this path, it leads right to the house," she replied over her shoulder. She couldn't seem to get away fast enough, she felt like someone was chasing her. She was short of breath and her pulse seemed to be going a mile a minute, she just couldn't figure out what was going on.
Shaking his head he spoke, "Boy, she's definitely a very interesting little lady." Out of the corner of his eye he saw the large cat start snooping around his tent. The feline then stepped inside to make herself comfortable in his sleeping bag, Calon smiled as she actually crawled in it. He decided not to bother the unusual animal.
Calon put on his clothes and boots then packed up the rest of his gear except for the tent and sleeping bag which was now occupied. After dumping his canteen on the fire he put everything in his saddlebags and brought the bike loudly to life. Following the path Dana indicated he saw headlights as he came out of the woods and drove toward them. As he drew closer he saw Dana there dragging some hoses into a field of tomatoes. Calon pulled up next to the familiar truck smiling slightly, "Need some help?" He yelled over the loud machine.
"Not really, I'm just about done." She then thought maybe he could, "You could ride over to the house and when I flash my lights you can turn on the three faucets. Two are on the house. One on each side and one is by the cottage next to the barn."
"Sure," he shrugged, "No problem." He gunned the machine and followed the path to the house.
The truck lights were in her eyes and Dana was disappointed that she still hadn't gotten a good look at him. She did notice he had light blonde hair and was wearing a leather jacket now. But she wondered why he made her feel so edgy, maybe she was just over tired, she thought as she finished laying the hose.
She heard him shut off the motor so she slid in behind the wheel and flashed the lights. She watched as one went on then the second, and the third. "It sure didn't take him long." She commented as she turned the truck around to drive back to the house.
Walking into the kitchen she found he was just putting the phone down. “What do you think you are doing?“ The anger was clear in her voice. Who does he think he is? She couldn't believe the gall of this guy. He walked into her house and made himself totally at home.
"Answering the phone." He said, "but no one was there. Does that happen a lot?" Boy is she short, but a tough little thing at that, he thought as he grinned watching her.
"You think it's funny? It could have been someone important!" She shouted sounding totally irritated. Dana wondered if she should just tell him to leave. His attitude and presence was making her very uncomfortable.
"Then why didn't they say something?" He asked, still smiling as he watched a pretty shade of red slowly creep up her neck into her beautiful face. There was so much electricity in the air around them. He could almost feel the hairs on his arms standing on end from the static.
God how she would love to wipe that darn smirk off his face, "People aren't used to a man answering the phone here, except for Uncle Ralph. And you definitely do not sound like a seventy eight-year-old man!" She remarked.
"I'm sorry," he replied, trying to look it. "Maybe they'll call back." He then looked away because the redness was getting darker. Her face looked like you could fry an egg on it. He was trying so hard not to let her see him laugh, ooops too late.
"Now what's so funny?" She demanded.
"It's just...," still laughing, "that your face gets so red when you're mad. You can practically see the steam coming off of you," he choked out. His smile grew even brighter as he grabbed his sides with a roaring laugh.
Dana's eyes widened, "Now you sound like my mother." She said starting to smile. As he straightened she looked at his bright honey-gold eyes because they were so unusual. This was the first time that she was able to get a really good look at him. His blonde hair was streaked almost white in places, probably by a lot of time out in the sun. He had a mustache that hid his upper lip, the full lower lip she noticed had a fresh cut. He was awfully tall too she thought, but his eyes were fantastic!
"Should I get that?" He inquired grinning.
"What?" She asked shaking her head slightly.
"The phone, it's ringing again," he said still smiling, almost laughing again.
"Oh!" She squeaked before walking over to answer it. "Hello?"
"Dana, it's me." Lynn excitedly continued, "I must have dialed the wrong number before but boy do I wish I could get it again. He had one of the sexiest voices I've ever heard!"
"You didn't get the wrong number." She stated looking at the object of their conversation. "There's a guy here about the job." Then turning away from Calon's steady gaze. "I wasn't in the house when you first called."
"Oh yeah?" Her sister exclaimed full of questions, "What's his name? What's he look like? Is he as cute as his voice sounds?"
"You'll see when you get home." She hoped he couldn't hear all of Lynn's questions.
"But I won't be home until tomorrow." She whined.
"Alright, I'll tell Mom," she said knowing she was avoiding her sisters’ questions, "or I'll leave a note."
"Okay." Lynn said sounding very disappointed. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," Dana said. Hanging up she turned to Calon again. He still had that darn smirk on his face. She wished he'd stop smiling like that, it was making her feel really strange.
"Well, I guess I should get you some bedding. The cottage next to the barn is where you'll be staying. Sorry we haven't had time to get it straightened up yet." She walked down the hall to the linen closet. "I just hung the sign up today and I didn't expect to get someone so soon." Why was she rambling on? He'll think she is some kind of dingbat. But she was so uptight and he was just standing there in the doorway smiling.
Calon had never seen anyone so jittery, unless they were afraid or hiding something. Was she afraid of him? Or was she possibly hiding something? She was kind of cute he thought, she was probably only five-foot but she was filled out nicely in all the right places. He didn't know what it was but she seemed to be different from most of the women he knew. And that long hair of hers, he sure would love to take it down and bury his face and hands in its brown silkiness which was tied back. A few loose strands of hair framed her flawless face, curling from the humidity. Enough of that mister! He scolded himself. You're here to work, not get involved.
Dana stepped past him with the bedding, walking toward the door. "Are you coming?" She asked, turning to watch him.
"Huh? Yeah sure," he shook himself as he picked up his duffel bag and trailed after her out the door.
They walked across the driveway and yard to the cottage in silence. Dana wondered about the odd look that had been on his face just a few moments ago as she opened the door and turned on the light. She felt so edgy and wanted to get it over with quickly, she headed straight for the bedroom to make up the bed.
Calon liked the place right away, it was small but comfortable. The living room had an old leather recliner, an over-stuffed sofa with a beat up coffee table in front of it. Real basic except for the artwork on the walls, some were paintings in frames, other work was painted right on the walls themselves. There were some very interesting and beautiful pieces. He saw the kitchen was a little corner off the living room, with the bathroom in-between.
As he looked into the bedroom he saw Dana struggling to put the sheet on the big old bed, it looked like she was getting quite frustrated.
"Darn it!" She muttered, still fighting with the sheet.
"Need some help?" He asked grinning, as he moved closer to the doorway.
Startled Dana jumped up turning around, losing her balance she fell back on the big bed. Boy what a beautiful picture she made, he thought.
"You scared the hell out of me." She exclaimed turning red again. "Do you always sneak up on people?"
"Not that I know of," he answered as he stepped into the small room still grinning. "But you looked like you were having problems and could use a hand."
Dana just stared at him and his darn smile, she'd never seen anyone smile so much. It was like he was a little kid with a new toy or had this fantastic secret he was dying to tell. She didn't know how to handle this situation, she had never been in such close proximity of someone with so much electricity. Dana stood up from the bed, then contemplated a way to get out of there. "You can finish the bed yourself. I have to get some sleep. Breakfast is usually at all different times, but the coffee is ready at six thirty. We'll discuss your work then." She headed for the front door then turned to ask, "Where's Sassie?"
Calon had followed her into the living room he regarded her with laughing gold eyes, "She's in ’my’ tent, in ’my’ sleeping bag all nice and comfortable."
"Oh," she answered shortly, not knowing what else to say. "Good night," came her words as she left.
"Good night sweet Dana," he replied, knowing she couldn't hear him. He ambled back into the bedroom to finish what she started. The room was considerably small, just big enough to fit the antique bed and matching chest of drawers.
This was going to be a very interesting stay he thought. A beautiful girl who had a bobcat for a pet, besides at least three other people he has yet to meet. He wondered what they had for pets. A cougar? He smiled thinking that little Dana seemed intriguing, lots of fire hidden in that package. He wondered how old she was, she only looked about nineteen. Well he'd find out soon enough. Calon knew he better get some sleep, crawling into a bed for the first time in over two months he sighed loudly and fell asleep quickly.
After returning to the house in a semi-daze, Dana asked herself aloud, "What's wrong with me? I've never been so nervous and uncoordinated before. I think I better just go to bed and worry about this tomorrow." Once in her room she changed into an oversized T-shirt and sat down at her table to brush out her hair. She ripped through the mass with all the emotions of the day. Realizing she'd never get to sleep being all up tight like this, maybe if she wrote for a little while she'd be able to get some sleep.
Thurs. July 8th 12:47 a.m.
Dear Diary,
This has been one Hell of a day, actually yesterday and this morning. First of all Mom and I decided to get someone to help out around here. Mom took the sign I made and put it up at Kelly's. And of course we had an argument about the taxes, like I knew we would.
After I got home from work someone was already here. And get this, Mom sent him out here but didn't tell him who she was. His name is Calon Fields, a very good-looking man. But there's something strange about him, I can't explain it. When ever we've had contact or even in the same room I've had these strange sensations. Like when he shook my hand, it felt like it had burned right through me! And he can get me so angry! He also seems to be a smart-ass or something, plus that Damn SMILE! But he has these eyes of honey-gold, they're fantastic!!! They seem to glow and notice everything. I've never been around a man who had such an impact on me. I can't understand these weird feelings. Could he maybe be dangerous? No, I don't think so. You know why? Because Sassie seems to like HIM! Can you believe it? You know how she feels about men. Now that's really strange I mean because you know how she even just tolerates Uncle Ralph as it is and she'll even avoid Bryan.
I wish I knew what was happening around here and especially to me. And there's something else I noticed, this Calon doesn't seem to fit the image of a biker either. Something just isn't right.
I'll tell you more later.
I'm going to see if I can get some sleep now. 1:08 a.m.
Dana slid between the sheets and turned out the lamp. A couple of hours later she woke up with a start, to sit up in the dark. Glancing at the digital clock she noticed it was after four a.m. Hearing some noise in the kitchen she realized it was her mother. "I sure wish she wouldn't work so darn much." She mumbled before rolling over to go back to sleep.
