Lindsay: Party tonight at Rob’s. Pick me up?
Living ten miles out of town on a farm, Maizie had learned how to drive at twelve so she had graciously conferred her knowledge to her best friend when they were only fourteen. Lindsay’s parents hadn’t been too happy when Lindsay had driven their BMW into a fence a week later.
Even though Lindsay had her own car, a brand-new Honda compared to Maizie’s diesel-chugging pickup, Maizie always did the driving. Probably so Lindsay could snap a selfie or touch up her makeup at any given moment.
She put her phone back down, leaving Lindsay’s message unanswered, and went to unhook the milkers.
She’d milked cows so many times the job had become mindless. Bring the cows into the barn, clean off the udders with iodine, put the milkers on, wait, take the milkers off, clean the cows again, spray out the milkers and repeat. No matter how many times she’d milked the one-hundred-plus cows by herself, she always underestimated how tiring it was. Her arms shook as she unhooked the milkers from the batch of cows. She needed food. A steak and her grandma’s homemade rolls, preferably.
A cow kicked at her, and she dodged back. She must have known Maizie was thinking about steak.
“Not now, Lucy,” Maizie said, weaving in between the cow’s legs to remove the suction cups.
“Hey, Maiz.” Jayce’s boisterous voice echoed through the small barn.
“Of course you would come at the end of the hard work,” Maizie threw over her shoulder as she finished pulling off milkers. She raised the iodine spray to the cow’s udder, but the cow’s tail lifted with an all too familiar flick.
She pulled her hand back and tried to step back, but her pants were stuck to a milker.
It was too late. Poop rained down like warm mud, covering every visible body part.
Wonderful.
“Well that’s one way to use your head,” Jayce said. His obnoxious laugh was joined by an unfamiliar snort.
Maizie’s heart stopped, and her toes curled in her milk boots. Someone else was with Jayce.
Please let it be one of my brothers.
She turned toward the door, swiping at the manure on her cheek with the only clean spot on her palm.
It was not her brother. It was so much worse. Her cousin had brought a friend. A very tall and very attractive friend.
Her mouth fell open, and she hurried to clamp it shut before the poop on the end of her nose could drip inside. The stranger’s startling blue eyes sparkled with humor.
Maizie glared at Jayce, who was doubled over and oblivious to her humiliation. The brunette next to him didn’t bother to hide his amusement either.
City boys.
“I wish I had caught that on video,” Jayce said.
“Awe, I missed you too, cuz.” Maizie walked right to him and gave him a hug, sharing her gift with him.
“I deserved that.” He patted her back once then twice before he pushed her away.
Maizie grinned at the sight of his shirt, now stained with greenish-brown manure.
“Maiz, this is my friend Christian,” Jayce said.
She tucked her matted hair behind her ear, as if it made a difference, and looked at her cousin’s friend. He was taller and way more attractive up close. She wished she could say the same about herself currently.
“Hi.” Christian stuck out his hand in greeting and Maizie stuck hers out as well. Christian’s gaze darted to the mess running down her arm, and he snatched his hand back, giving her a sheepish smile.
Maizie’s face burned.
Rude.
“The city boys can stand over there.” Maizie glowered at Christian in his tight-fitting shirt and skinny jeans. He was not dressed for the farm.
