“Is he comfortable farming too?”
“Yes. He’s only uncomfortable around a woman he’s not related to. But you can see how he is when he’s focused.”
Jessica returned her gaze to Tom and saw him take the rebellious cow back to the group. It did impress her to watch how the men worked as a team. While a couple kept the herd moving, the third would hunt down and retrieve another one they found. More often than not, Tom would be the one to chase it down and bring it to the group. She supposed she should have gotten bored with the process, but she was too fascinated as she watched Tom. His movements were fluid, and it intrigued her that a man could be so in tune with his steed. If only Margaret and the other women could see him now. They might not react so poorly to his offer to dance.
She frowned. It was better they didn’t find out. She definitely had to talk to him because if that kiss he gave her was an indicator of something he might feel for her, then she needed to find out before she proceeded further with her engagement.
“It looks like they got everything under control,” Jenny said. “Let’s head over to Neil’s home and make them something to eat.”
Jessica nodded and joined her, leaving the men to lead the herd back to Neil’s property. When they arrived at Neil’s house, she hesitated. She heard of sod houses but hadn’t seen one. It seemed to her that a house made of straw and dirt couldn’t be too comfortable.
She glanced at Jenny as they got down from their horses. “Do farmers live in this kind of house?”
“Most of them do, but we have one made of lumber.”
“Tom still lives with you...at your parents’ home, right?”
“Yes, but he’s talking about getting his own home before December.” She laughed. “He’d better get a move on it though. It’s already the second of October.” Jenny took Jessica’s horse’s reins. “I’ll take care of him. Why don’t you go into the house and get things ready.”
“Is Tom going to have a sod house?”
“Yes. He can’t afford to make one out of wood.” Jenny shrugged. “He’s been holding off on getting his own home because he isn’t married yet, but with the way Joel bothers him, I think he’s itching to get out on his own.”
Jessica watched as Jenny took the horses to the pasture behind the barn. She tried to visualize herself living in a sod house. Peter had already set out a cute little home in town. How much different would her life be if she were to marry Tom instead? She sighed and rolled her eyes. Tom gave her one kiss and she was thinking of marriage? It was ridiculous. Who knew what his motives were or even if it would work out between them?
She slowly made her way to the sod house and opened the door. It was small. She only saw enough room for a bed and a small cookstove with two shelves along the wall. Would this be something she could get used to? But as she thought about it, the sod house didn’t look so bad. It didn’t come with a man who did his mother’s bidding all the time. Or would it? Just what was Tom’s relationship to his parents like? There were so many things to consider in this whole thing.
Well, there was nothing to consider until she talked to Tom, and she decided she would talk to him before the day was over because this cycle of wondering was going to drive her insane.
Chapter Ten
“Hey Tom,” Neil began as he, Tom, and Jimmy walked back to their horses after having a light lunch, “are you courting Jessica?”
I wish. “No,” Tom replied. “She’s engaged to Peter what’s-his-name.”
“You mean, Connie James’ son?” Jimmy asked.
“That’s the one. Peter James is his name,” Tom said. He followed the other two to the barn and got his horse out of one of the stalls. “Neil, you seem to take better care of this barn than you do your own house.”
Neil shrugged as he gathered his bridle to put on his steed. “I just sleep there.”
Jimmy looked at Neil. “You do take good care of this barn. Why don’t you take care of your fence the same way?”
Neil groaned. “I’m getting to that. Right now I’ve been putting all my time into the harvest. That takes a full day, you know.”
“I do know, but we just lost half the day in chasing down your cattle.”
“I’ll check the rest of the fence for anymore tears, but that means I won’t be coming out to your place tomorrow until afternoon.”
“It’s worth it.”
While the two rambled on, Tom glanced over his shoulder and saw Jessica and Jenny laughing as they sat on their horses. For a moment—just a moment—he imagined what it would be like if Jessica was always with them, helping the other women make food for the men during the harvest, always giving him kisses on the cheek, always being by his side... He sighed. Okay. So he got it. She hadn’t been making him the butt of a joke when he went to see her a couple days ago. He understood that now. But why was she here? Didn’t Peter even care that she was gone?