YES! It's finally begun! This story is for all of those who begged me for a sequel to Green Eyed Girl. I'm trying my best to keep it as Harvest Moon-esque as I can, just like I did with the first story. I am SO excited about this new one! Okay, read on!

NOTE: If you haven't read my other story Green Eyed Girl you will probably be quite lost.

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She felt him leave the bed and heard him sigh as he stood beside it and stretched. She listened as he grabbed his overcoat and stepped out onto the front porch. Glancing over at the clock, she saw the hands form 6:00. Funny how he thought she was still asleep or that she could sleep without him beside her. How did she ever sleep before he came along? She pulled a pillow closer and rubbed her head into it, all the while imagining what he was doing outside. She could see him now. He was wearing his pajamas under his overcoat, and his big clunky boots left prints in the dirt. Goofy was the only way she could describe it to herself. He was one big, goofy, adorable man. A satisfied smile appeared on her lips without her consent. The mere thought of him twisted her mouth into it.

Outside, he lazily trudged toward the mailbox. Two weeks into summer and he couldn't believe how cold the mornings were still. He glanced over at his fields to see that all of his tomato plants were ready for harvest. Yawning, he pulled open the mailbox door and peered inside to find several letters. He assumed they must be wedding congratulations from his friends who lived in the city. A month after the event, and they were still showing up, randomly shuffled with town announcements. He peered down at a square envelope and on the front, painted delicately in black ink, was Best Wishes, Jack and Karen. It made him smile to know that he was no longer simply "Jack" but was part of a unit; part of "Jack and Karen."

Remembering that he had left her sleeping soundly in the house, he put the mail under his arm and headed back inside. The sun was peaking above the mountain just slightly, and when he entered the house it was shining right across Karen's face.

"Now I know why you hate that window," she said, propping herself up on one elbow.

He went over to it and closed the shutters. "Guess I forgot to close them last night," he said. He walked over and leaned on the table across from where she lay on the bed. "Harvest day," he said.

She frowned and plopped down on the bed. "I suppose I can share you with tomatoes," she said. "I'll come out and help you later."

"I'd definitely enjoy the company," he said.

"You better." She smiled at him, and got up to get dressed.

"I'll fix some breakfast," he said. He went out and picked a few eggs from his hen house and walked back into the house to cook them.

Only a few hours later, Jack was sweating as he picked tomatoes off the vine. In the past month he'd taken on nearly fifty tomato plants. On harvest days, he rarely got them all into the shipping bin before Zack came to pick them up. Today looked like it would be another one of those late, late days. Instead of spending the evening walking in the mountains with Karen, he'd be stuck in the fields, getting his hands dirty and stained red. Just as he was trying to figure out how long it would take to finish the rest of the plants, he saw Karen leave the house and walk in his direction.

"How's it coming?" she asked as she approached him.

"A lot better now that you're here. Come here," he said, smiling and taking her hands. He wrapped his arms around her and they kissed.

"I was wondering where my good morning kiss was," she said.

"A little late," he whispered, kissing her again. After they parted, he said, "If you help me out, we could be done in no time."

"I'll help until five, and then I'm going to try my hand at cooking again," she said, and they were off.

Even with her help, he was still working to the very last minute. He threw the last tomato in just a few minutes before Zach was expected to come pick them up. He sighed and looked up to see Karen standing on the porch. She smiled and gestured for him to come closer. He ambled up the porch steps and stood in front of her. She took his hand and softly kissed his knuckle.

"I burned dinner," she said, turning her face, woefully, in the direction of the kitchen window where the charred remains of a large fish sat airing out.

He laughed. "Again?"

"Yes," she said, turning away from him, shoulders slouched. "I'm starting to think I'm just not cut out for this housewife thing."

"Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "I don't see any smoke, so you must've improved a little." She cracked a smile. "I'll go by Elli's and pick up something to eat," he said, letting go of her. He was about to call his horse when Karen's slender fingers wrapped around his. She pulled him around and gave him a light kiss. Running her fingers through the back of his hair, she said, "Go later."

"Oh?" he said smiling and leaned down to kiss her again. They stood on the front porch kissing sweetly in the six o'clock sun. After a while, Jack pulled away from her lips and stared into her green eyes – those sparkling eyes that had captivated him from the very start. "I love you—" he said.

She smiled cleverly and released a small "Mmmhmm."

"—and your burnt food." They laughed together and then he nodded his head toward the house, whispering subtly, "You want to go inside?"

She flashed him a sly little grin and, teasingly, said, "Oh, I don't know…"

Without another second's thought, he picked her up in his arms and said, "Well, whether you want to or not—"

"Don't mind me!" Jack nearly dropped Karen at the sound of the voice. He turned around and saw that Zack had arrived to pick up the tomatoes.

Jack sat Karen down softly. His face was completely red, and he stepped down the stairs to greet Zack.

"Hi," said Jack, still red from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry about, um, interrupting you," Zack said.

"Oh, uh, that was nothing. You didn't interrupt anything."

"Right. Well, I'd ask how you are, but it looks like you're doing pretty well." He took the tomatoes out of the shipping bin, and pulled a stock of money out of his pocket. "Okay, forty five tomatoes at 100G a piece… comes to 4500G."

Jack was stunned. "4500G? Are you sure?"

"Positive." Zack smiled as he handed over the cash. "I'm proud of how well you're running the farm, Jack."

"Thank you," he said, beaming. He shook Zack's hand.

"Good evening, Karen," he said as he left.

Jack stood still, staring at the money in the palm of his hand. Karen eventually left the porch and went to stand beside him. "How much?" she asked.

"4500G," he said, still not believing it. He had never brought in that much money in one day.

Karen gasped and kissed his cheek. "I think this calls for a celebration! I'll go open up a bottle of wine!"

"Wine, burnt fish, and you by my side. What could be better?"

They ran hand in hand into the house as the sun set on another glorious day.

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Well, how's that for a start? Let me know what you think!