“Mornin’, Edwin,” Jim called out as he and Coop made their way up to the porch. “Netta,” he added with a nod and a smile.
“Hope you’re coming to tell me the crops are looking good,” Edwin asked in his down to business fashion as his wife gave a quiet smile and wave.
“Absolutely,” Jim confirmed. “We’re looking at a solid haul this year. Weather’s cooperated and harvest should come early.”
“Good to hear.” Edwin nodded before leaning back. “Something on your mind, Jim?”
Coop could tell his dad was nervous about asking for the advance. He watched him dig his hands into his pockets and rock on his heels the same way Coop did when he thought about confessing his feelings for EJ. Netta Prescott must have had the same observations, because before Jim could say a word, she excused herself to the house.
“I’ll let y’all talk business,” she smiled sweetly, letting the screen door fall shut behind her.
Jim leaned up against the porch railing and took in a deep breath. Coop looked up as the screen door creaked and the one person he was hoping like hell wasn’t around stepped out.
“Gran asked if I’d bring this tea out,” Hayden said as he set the tray down on the small table between the rockers.
“Thanks, kid.” Edwin grabbed a glass of tea and took a drink.
Coop couldn’t help but roll his eyes when Hayden sat down in the empty chair beside his grandfather. This was just freaking perfect. It was bad enough that his dad had to ask for a handout, but now Hayden was going to witness the entire thing. The two Prescotts sitting on their high and mighty thrones.
“Out with it,” Edwin said to Jim.
“I was wondering if there was any way we could get an advance on the crops this year. Like I said before, we’re looking at a solid profit, and it seems I’ve hit a bit of a rough patch. I wouldn’t be asking if I had another option.”
Edwin rocked in his chair and nodded, letting Jim’s proposal sink in. Coop held his breath, right along with his dad. The cocky little smirk that crossed Hayden’s face when he looked from his granddad to Jim made Coop want to put his fist through a wall. Or at least bust up that pretty little face of his.
“I wish there was something I could do to help you out, Jim, I really do, but my funds are pretty tied up,” he finally said.
“Yeah,” Jim sighed. “Don’t worry about it. Recession’s hit us all hard. Thanks anyway.” He started to walk away with the first answer he was given.
Thanks anyway? He couldn’t believe his dad was just going to let it go that easily. Coop stepped forward and words started coming out his mouth before he even had a chance to think it through. His dad might have been okay with Edwin’s answer, but Coop sure wasn’t.
“Excuse me, sir.” He addressed Edwin as politely as he could, considering he was steaming mad. “But my family has worked your land for how many years now? Thirty? Forty? We’ve never once asked you for an advance. Isn’t there something you could do to help us out?”
Coop knew the old man was sitting on a fortune. Anyone who looked at Calumet County plat book knew that Edwin Prescott owned more than his fair share of the land. Probably had bundles of cash and bars of gold buried out on his property somewhere. He’d seen the desperation in his father’s eyes, heard it in his voice when he’d asked the question, and it pissed him off that Edwin had brushed him off without a second thought. Barely even blinked an eye. It wasn’t fair.
“Brantley.” Jim tugged on his son’s arm, warning him not to say another word with his stare.
“I’m sorry, Dad, but it’s not like we’re not good to repay him. You said it yourself that the crops will be profitable this year.” He tried to reason his outburst to his father, but he could tell it wasn’t working.
“Boy, you better get in that truck,” he gritted between his teeth.
“You might want to listen to your old man,” Hayden added as he stood from the chair and took a step forward, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked like an idiot. Trying to show off for Edwin. Oh, look at me, Grandpa. I’m defending you. Dumbass.
It took every ounce of self-control Coop had not to bum-rush City Boy right then and there. Let’s see how impressed your grandpa is when I’m pummeling your ass.
“I apologize, Edwin. Damn kids.”
“I know how ya feel,” Edwin nodded. “This one’s been giving me hell this summer, too.”
Coop pulled his arm free of his father’s clutch and, with one last death stare at Hayden, stomped back to the truck. Edwin and his grandson could kiss his country ass.
By the time his dad joined him in the cab, Coop was cracking his knuckles and thinking about how good it would have felt to just knock that rich little bastard out.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” Jim asked as he turned down the lane and on to the road.
“Me? What the hell is the matter with you? You didn’t try very hard to convince that stingy old bastard to help us out.”
Jim let out a sigh of frustration and anger hardened his voice. “There’s a couple things you need to learn, boy. Namely, how to read people. I could tell what Edwin’s answer was going to be as soon as I asked the question. No use beating a dead horse.” He rested his arm out the open window and looked over at his son. “Bottom line is we work for him, and you need to be respectful of that. There’s a hundred other farmers around here that he could rent to and your bad attitude could have cost us that.”
“Sorry.”
“And whatever is going on between you and his grandson better get ironed out quickly. I better not hear about you stirring up trouble with that kid.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“I don’t care what he is. Stay away from him.”
Coop nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Second of all, I’m going to give you a free pass this time, because I know you think you were trying to help, but if you ever speak to me or another adult the way you did back there, you’re going to regret it. You’re not too old to turn over my knee.”
Coop fought back a chuckle as he imagined his dad trying to whip him. He was a head taller than him and probably had a good twenty pounds on him.
“Better wipe that smile off your face,” Jim cautioned.
“Yes, sir,” Coop replied when he saw the seriousness flash in his dad’s eyes. He might have been bigger than his dad, but he knew what was going on between them at that moment was no laughing matter. Besides that, images of his dad tossing hay bales across the barn ran through his mind. Probably wasn’t a good idea to underestimate his dad’s strength.
“I know you think you’re a man, and hell, in some ways you are, but sometimes things aren’t fair, and the sooner you learn when it’s the right time to walk away, the better off you’ll be.”
FULL of angry energy and nowhere to put it, Coop was looking forward to seeing the only friend he felt like he had. Kyle had plans for the Fourth—something with his mystery chick—so this year it would be him and his Ellie May. Just the two of them. He really needed to get his mind off the situation with the farm, and he knew exactly where he wanted his focus to be.
Tonight was the night. He pulled over at Thompson’s Grocery and bought a dozen multicolored wild flowers. The bouquet was a bit more than he could really afford but he wanted to do this right.
It wasn’t every day you told the girl you’d wanted forever that you loved her. He knew from his parents that relationships were about friendship, trust, and compromise. He was ready for that. He and Ellie May already had that. He was even ready for whatever beating Kyle Mason would put on him. The bruises and possible broken bones would heal. He grinned at the image of Kyle being his best man at the wedding one day. They’d laugh about the day he’d got his ass kicked for finally manning up.