“Why do you keep some in the barn and some outside?” she asked.
“The ones in the barn are due to give birth at any time. The ones outside have either already given birth or aren’t going to this year.”
“Can you milk a cow while she’s pregnant?”
“Yup. In fact, cows need to have babies every year to keep giving milk.”
“I didn’t know that.”
He smiled. He liked being able to teach her little things about his life here. They walked a lot of the land. It was a huge farm spanning over 200 acres. He grew his own feed for the cattle that he raised, so the summer months were busier than the winter months.
He talked steadily about the business of farming as they walked. He explained how the small dairy farm was going the way of the dinosaur. He obviously loved his farm and his job.
“I grew up working this farm. My younger brothers and sisters have all moved off. None of my brothers wanted the farm. I was the only one who did, which is probably good. Mom and Dad moved off to Florida several years back. Dad’s arthritis couldn’t handle the cold or the work anymore, so he’s down there selling life insurance now.”
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“Three brothers and two sisters. Only three of us are still in Wisconsin. One of my sisters married a farmer down near Madison. The other is living over in Wausau. She’s married, but doesn’t have any kids yet.”
“Big family! I’m an only. It must have been fun growing up with all those playmates on a farm like this.”
He laughed. “It was. I’d like to have kids to pass the farm down to.” He stopped and looked at her. “Do you want kids?”
She nodded. “I’d love to have a dozen kids.”
He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist starting to walk again. “Sounds good to me.”
They walked along in comfortable silence for a minute before she asked the question burning in her mind. “Why were you interested in getting to know a woman from another state that you’d never met?”
He thought for a moment about how to best phrase his answer. “Honestly? There were several reasons. I wanted someone who had an impeccable character to start with. Stephanie vouched so highly for you that I was able to trust you before I ever met you.”
She could understand that. “Okay. What were the other reasons?”
He sighed. “I’m ready to have a family. I thought I’d found the perfect woman, and she took off. I didn’t want to have to start over from square one. I wanted to meet someone else, who felt they were ready to start married life, and would be more amenable to a quick wedding.”
“Stephanie told you I was willing to get married quick?” she asked. She knew she’d talked about how unsettled she felt, and how much she wanted kids in some of the emails she’d sent Stephanie, but she hadn’t realized just how much Stephanie had read between the lines.
“Yeah. Does it bother you she told me that?”
Amanda shrugged. “I’m not sure. I mean, it’s true, but it feels funny to know that you knew that before we ever spoke.” She kicked at a clump of dirt on the ground. “What other reasons?”
“I don’t really have time for a real courtship to use an old-fashioned word. I work a whole lot of hours, and don’t want to have to drive somewhere to see a girl all that often. I mean, I know every girl in these parts. I don’t want to have to drive all the way to Madison three times a week to see some girl. Does that make any sense?”
She nodded. “It makes a lot of sense. With me, you can talk if you have time, or not talk if you don’t. You have to pick up the phone, but don’t have to make the long drives. Well, except this weekend, of course.”
He stopped walking and turned to her. “This weekend was necessary for me. I needed to meet you and find out if we were compatible. I think we are. What do you think?”
She looked up into his big brown eyes. She was already half in love with him. What could she say? “Yeah, I think we are.”
He smiled. “I’m glad.” He cupped her face in both hands and leaned slowly toward her, brushing her lips with his. When she leaned toward him, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her more firmly against him. His tongue traced the line of her lips, and she parted them, giving him access to her mouth.
She wrapped both arms around his neck and pressed herself up against him. How had she lived all her life without his kisses?
After a moment, he broke off the kiss. Both of them were breathing heavily as they faced one another. Her cheeks were tinged pink with embarrassment, but she wouldn’t turn away from him. “What would you think about getting married this summer?” he asked.