That Monday morning seemed to dawn unusually chilly for Spring.
Ella sat on her bed, wrapped in her blanket, and sighed. Dusk was curled up at the foot of her bed, purring contentedly, and for once even River seemed reluctant to get up and start the day. He had hidden himself under the blankets and was snoring softly.
"Okay, boy. Up time," she sighed. River whined in protest as she unfurled herself from the blanket and swung her legs onto the floor. Her muscles, too, seemed to groan; she had worked far too late into the night chopping and sorting lumber for the barn renovation. "Oh, no..."
One quick survey of her farmhouse revealed two puddles spreading freely across her floor. Evidently, it had rained overnight. With a groan, the farmer rushed to her pantry and scrambled to find a couple of pots or bowls or anything that could serve as a bucket. She grabbed two as-yet unused pots from a shelf, threw some towels over the puddles, and placed the pots beneath the leaks.
It was a good thing that Ella had been living mainly off peanut butter sandwiches, wild berries, and fish; she wouldn't be needing those pots for a while.
The farmer scrutinized her shack again to ensure she hadn't missed any leaks. Her small table with its lone cushion was dry. Her sink was empty, and the plate and knife from last night's supper were still on the counter where she had laid them to dry. Ella was very careful to keep all her dishware clean as she had no room for a stack of dirty dishes. Her kitchen consisted of a little sink, one cramped cupboard, a minifridge, and a tiny square of countertop where she kept a hot-plate.
She tried not to linger on the table too long. It reminded her most of all of how starkly different her new house was from the home she grew up in, with its spacious table and six chairs. Enough for Ella, her mother, and a few guests. She had never before realized how much an eating space really spoke for the love and bond of the family within a home. A table suited for only one person shouldn't exist, she decided.
While she had always considered herself to be such an independent, self-sufficient problem-solver, it took only a couple of weeks on her own to come to terms with how much she had always relied on the company of her loved ones. Only people who have never been totally on their own are confident in their ability to handle loneliness.
Clad in her trusty denim overalls with her work boots laced up, Ella opened her door prepared to step into a muddy field and get to work. Instead, she gasped in surprise, coming face-to-face with a plump, pleasant-looking woman holding a casserole dish and a young man rocking blond curtain bangs.
The woman looked equally startled but recovered quickly. A warm smile spread across her face. "Oh, my! We didn't mean to frighten ya, poor dear! We just trotted ourselves on over to say hello!"
"Oh," Ella said, blushing in surprise. She took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. "No, no, don't worry. I'm so sorry. My name is Ella, I'm the new farmer." Her cheeks went from pink to red. They know you're the new farmer. They came to see you ON YOUR FARM.
The woman smiled kindly and gently clasped Ella's arm. "It's lovely to meet ya, dear. I'm Ruby. I run the Inner Inn just on the other side of the road with my son, Rock." She gestured to the grinning young man. "I thought it was about time we came and welcomed ya to our little Valley. So nice to have ya."
"Well hey, nice to meet you. Name's Rock," said Rock, unnecessarily.
"It's so nice to meet you," Ella said, grasping for something else to add. Thankfully, Ruby took that opportunity to offer the casserole dish to the farmer.
"We wanted to bring a teensy house-warming gift. I love to cook, so I whipped up a little something for ya to have some night when you're just too bushed to make dinner. It's my specialty cheese casserole. I hope ya enjoy it, dear."
"Wow, thank you so much," Ella breathed, truly taken aback as she accepted the dish. Her stomach practically growled at the delightful smell wafting up from beneath the lid. Unexpectedly, she felt her eyes prickle with tears at the kindness of the gesture. "You are so kind. I—I really appreciate this. Thank you."
Rock chuckled. "Aw, it was nothing. Maybe I'll see you around, hey? The Valley doesn't have much of a nightlife, but I know how to have a good time. Maybe I can show you around sometime!" He finished with a wink and Ella smiled politely.
Ruby, however, noticed the subtle shine in the farmer's eyes and gave her another motherly squeeze on the arm. "I do hope you'll like it here, Ella. Please come see me if you ever need anything, okay, hon? All of us in town are so curious about ya and would love to get to know ya!"
Ella felt her cheeks burning in shame. "Yes, I'm a little late in making my rounds, huh?"
Ruby chuckled. "Oh, we know you've been busy. Whenever ya have time, people would love to meet ya. I'm sure you'll get around to everyone eventually. Well, dear, we won't hold you up any longer! We hope to see ya around, don't we, Rock?"
Rock grinned lopsidedly. Ella wondered if it was his natural smirk or if he was doing it for effect. "Come by the Inn and we'll get breakfast sometime! Ma is an awesome cook."
Ruby's face took on the forced pleasantness of someone who would have sighed if they possessed less patience than she. "Well, goodbye now, hon. Good luck today!"
"Thank you so much!" Ella called after them as the small woman and her son carefully picked their way through the wet lawn and back towards the Inn.
The blonde stood in her doorway smiling until she remembered she was holding a fresh casserole. She placed it in her minifridge, then realized she hadn't had breakfast yet – and who was to say she couldn't have cheese casserole for breakfast?
River whined at her side, watching as she inhaled a rather generous portion of the dish, until she gave in and fed him a small piece. Dusk sniffed at the food with mild interest before stalking back to the bed.
"That went really well, didn't it?" River barked and wagged his tail, panting. He seemed to agree. She smiled and rubbed his ears. "I'm feeling very good about that, actually. They were so lovely... Well, Ruby was, anyway. Her son seems like he might be a bit of a flirt. Do you think I should push my luck and go introduce myself to someone else today? It would be a good day for it," she mused. "There's no need to water with the ground this wet, and I can't plant, either. Though I do have lots more wood to clear off of the field..."
River barked again, looking up at her.
"Yes, I know," she sighed. "I've hidden long enough and they're starting to notice. Not introducing myself is just being rude at this point, isn't it?"
This time River didn't reply, only stared up at her with his tongue lolling out happily. "Imagine that, me asking you about manners, you barky thing. Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy who wants some fish for breakfast?" she asked, turning back to the refrigerator. At the sound of the minifridge opening, Dusk stirred and began sniffing the air.
Her pets fed, Ella ventured out again, this time not running into any well-meaning neighbours. Hood up and light blue raincoat tightly fastened, she examined her field, and was gratified to see tiny green sprouts beginning to poke their heads shyly out of the earth.
By the time Ella had loosed Oakley into the field, the cloudy skies had cleared to reveal a somewhat cool, damp late morning. With her chores done and the rest of the day to herself, Ella grit her teeth and resolved to go introduce herself to more of the townsfolk. She might not have another opportunity like this for a long time, and by then, the entire Valley was sure to think of her as snobby and mannerless.
Now, to dress – Ella didn't want everyone's first impression of her to be of a somewhat soggy, limp-haired girl in muddy overalls. She rummaged through her suitcases, which remained largely unpacked; the little farmhouse only contained one small dresser, and Ella used it to store things like socks and panties that she would need every day. Thus far, she had worn little else besides her work overalls and flannel.
There was an oval mirror mounted above the dresser. Ella examined herself in her first outfit: a forest-green hoodie and a pair of dark blue jeans. Too casual, she thought, turning in the mirror. What if the girls here all wore nice neat dresses like Celia, or impeccable little skirts, and she just looked like a slob in comparison? Off went the hoodie, and on went a navy tee printed with little white flowers.
She fastened a belt around her waist and frowned into the mirror. Modest, practical, put-together. She hoped.
Ella had been dreading the moment she settled on an outfit because the next step was to go out there and introduce herself to a bunch of total strangers who had all been eyeing her for almost a week. She exhaled deeply and met her reflection's eyes.
"You've got this. Farming is much harder than meeting people, and you can do both," she told herself. Her reflection stared back, blue eyes blazing. A little brown blob over her reflection's shoulders barked and wagged his tail. Ella turned, softening, and scratched the pup behind his ears.
He yipped delightedly and ran in blissful circles as Ella laced up her trusty brown boots. Before she could talk herself out of it, she walked outside—closely followed by the pup—and shut the door behind her.
They're just people, she reminded herself.
The Valley seemed pretty quiet in the late morning. Ella glanced down the bridge to the east of her farm and saw Vesta kneeling in her fields, Marlin and Celia at her side.
As Ella watched them, a young, comely blonde appeared from the path alongside her farm that led to the north of town. Her hair hit to her waist and bounced as she walked, coiling itself in perfect golden ringlets. She wore a frilly scarlet dress and dainty black kitten heels.
Ella was just considering turning back to change into something else when the woman caught sight of her. Immediately, her eyes lit up. "Hi!" she called, trotting over as quickly as her heels allowed. A dazzling smile lifted her rosy cheeks, which the farmer tried to return. The other blonde grasped Ella's hands warmly. "So here you finally are! Ella, right?" she asked, but without a hint of doubt. Either the Valley never got visitors or word simply got around fast in this small town. "I'm Muffy. It's a pleasure to meet you! And my goodness, aren't you a pretty little thing!"
Ella wanted to laugh. Not compared to Muffy! Everything from the immaculate eyeliner to the light perfume, carefully curled tresses, and black lacy edging on her figure-hugging dress screamed glamour. Ella felt like a shrinking violet straining for sunshine beside a vivid red rose.
"Thank you," she said, laughing a little and still taken aback. There was no one this glamourous in Mineral Town; the farmer had nothing to compare this woman to. Was this normal here? Should she go back and change and put a little makeup on? "Yes, I'm Ella. It's nice to meet you, too."
"Oh, it's so nice to have another girl in town!" Muffy cried. "I think we're going to be good friends!" Suddenly, Muffy was hugging Ella.
As she released her, Ella found herself smiling more naturally at the other girl. "I think you're beautiful," she admitted. "If I had a dress like that, I'd wear it every day."
Muffy laughed. "I just love you already. Let's do something! I want to know more about you. Well– why don't you drop by the bar tonight? I'll be working, and we can have a few drinks, and I'll introduce you to all our regulars!"
Ella surprised herself by nodding. "Oh, you work at the bar! What time should I go? And...where is the bar?"
"Oh, I'm there anytime after 3 pm! And you bet, I'm the town bartender! Well, with my boss, that is. His name is Griffin, and he owns the bar. He's real nice, don't let his gruff exterior fool you." She winked. "Now, where are you off to today, missy? If you have time, I can show you to the bar."
"Well..." Ella felt childish. "I haven't met many people in town yet, so I was just going to see if anyone was around to introduce myself to. I figure it's a bit overdue, you know?"
Muffy's emerald eyes glittered. "That sounds like fun! Can I come? I'll show you around! Trust me, this is gonna be more fun than you think. The Valley is full of weird people."
Ella laughed easily. It felt good to laugh with a friendly soul. "Weird, I can handle. Aren't we all a little bit weird?"
"Oh, you don't know the half of it. First off, since we're right here, have you met that guy Rock yet?"
"Oh, he and Ruby are actually what prompted this," Ella nodded. "They came by my farm this morning and brought me a casserole. Really, really nice of them."
"Aw, Ruby is a doll. But her son thinks he is such a smooth operator! Don't let him make you think you're special. I mean – oh, that sounded bad. You are special, and there's someone great for you out there, and ech, maybe it's even him, I don't know. But what I'm saying is he would flirt with a tree if he thought it might go somewhere."
Ella laughed uneasily. She felt a little uncomfortable talking poorly about someone behind their back, even if Muffy was just putting words to thoughts she'd already had. But Muffy had already changed the subject, and Ella could see that her effortless conversation probably made her a spectacular bartender.
"Down this path is the Blue Bar. See the big ol' sign? Can't miss it. We're the only place in town with neon. That's where I work, with Griffin, of course. We're open every day except Wednesday!" She pointed to a charming little brick building with the unmistakable neon. Ella followed her further down the cobblestone path, looking to the left and the right as Muffy gestured and talked.
"That's old Dr. Hardy's place. You can go see him anytime he's in there, even if you don't have an appointment. He's good like that, even though he hasn't lived here very long. Only a few weeks, actually. Last week, I went to see him at 1 in the morning because I thought I had food poisoning, and he was real nice about it, even if he looks a little scary. No one even bats an eye at his face. He's got a robotic eye, see. Part of his charm, I guess. See what I mean by weird people?"
"I like weird," Ella insisted. "Why be bland when you could be colourful?"
"You get it," Muffy said approvingly. "Let's knock and see if he's home."
Ella grinned. "Muffy, you're not going to believe this, but I know Dr. Hardy really well. He was my hometown doctor before he moved here. Now, I guess he is mentoring the new doctor and nurse who replaced him. I saw them here last week, too."
"Oh?" Muffy turned to look at her. "Where you from, doll?"
"Just Mineral Town," Ella shrugged. "What about you?"
"Hey! That's not too far away! Pretty nice for visiting. You should go see your family sometimes," Muffy smiled. "Goddess knows I would if I could. Hmm, I think I've seen that doctor of yours around. He's cute! He travels with a nurse in a blue dress, right? I've been dying to ask her where she got it, but I'm afraid she made it herself, and I can't sew. Oh, I'm sorry, doll. I'm from a little place called Westown. It's pretty far from here. I moved out when I was eighteen and travelled a bit before settling down in good ol' Forget-Me-Not. There's just something about it, you know?"
"Eighteen?" Ella gasped. "You were so young! What made you do it?"
Muffy rolled her eyes. "Ugh, a boy, if you'd believe it. Then we broke up, and I needed something new, so I kept moving. I don't have much luck with men. What about you? Got a boyfriend back home?"
"No, no boyfriend," Ella half-laughed. "I lived in Mineral Town my entire life and grew up with all the same guys and girls. I guess I see most of them as brothers." She tried not to stare, wondering how a girl as beautiful as Muffy could possibly have trouble with men.
"Oh, come now – you never had a saucy ol' crush as a teenybopper?" Muffy teased, elbowing her. Ella blushed and laughed again, recalling the crush she had developed on a young Kai when the wayfaring restauranteur had first shown up one summer day.
"Well, maybe once," she admitted. "It feels like ancient history, now." Muffy smirked.
"That's a story I'll get out of you yet. And be sure you'll hear all my tales of woe as well. Now, this is where Grant and Samantha and their kid Kate live. Kate's cute but she's a brat. Samantha's nice but she's kind of uncomfortable. Grant's a good guy but really nervous. They might be home. Well, not Grant, but Samantha maybe." Muffy marched up to the door and knocked confidently. After a moment, it cracked open, and a round, sweet-looking face peered out.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Samantha! Is this a bad time? I'm just giving our newest resident a tour, and we were passing by!"
"Oh." The housewife opened the door fully. She wore a long dress with a wrap waist, and her hair was tied in a tight bun. "Hello."
Ella stepped forward. "Hi, it's nice to meet you. My name is Ella. I moved into the farm down the road."
"Yes, of course." Samantha bowed slightly. "A pleasure to meet you. I'm Samantha. I live here with my husband Grant, who is an accountant in the city, and our daughter Kate." She frowned. "Kate's not home, I'm afraid."
"She's never home," Muffy giggled, and Samantha's frown deepened. "I'm sure we will run into her. Well, see you later, Samantha."
"Bye," Ella said, waving. "Nice to meet you."
Samantha nodded and waved politely, closing her door as they left.
"See what I mean?" Muffy muttered under her breath. "She's nice and all, just really – stiff. I swear to the Goddess I've never even seen her at the bar."
Ella pondered. "She seems stressed to me."
"Then that's more reason to have a drink!" Muffy laughed. "Oh, here's Chris and Wally's house. Wally is a coach or an athlete or something, he goes to the city every morning with his wife Chris, who's a reporter. And she's such a snappy dresser, let me tell ya. Just wait to you see her little tweed skirt suits, you'll die. They have a cute kid too. His name is Hugh and he wants to be an athlete like his daddy! I'm sure none of them are home right now. Hugh and Kate hang out a lot during the day. I bet they'll get married one day."
"Oh, to be young and have your life so simply laid out for you by older townsfolk," Ella mused playfully. "I remember when the older generation in Mineral Town had us all paired up like this when we were kids. I think they had me matched up with the little boy at the poultry farm down the road. Because we both lived on farms? Real creative. I should have dated the surfer boy, just to throw them off."
"Ooo, there was a surfer boy? I must admit to being a terrible gossip when it comes to other people's love lives," Muffy winked. "And just up this hill here is Lady Romana's manor."
"Did you say a manor?" Ella repeated. "Here?"
"I know, isn't it delicious?" Muffy asked, correctly interpreting Ella's surprise. "Come on, you'll love it."
The manor was a grand stone construction with a wrought iron gate and front gardens exquisitely kept by the elderly butler, Sebastian. He had sugar-white hair slicked neatly back and wore a friendly, genteel smile.
Sebastian gladly led them into the manor, having warmed up completely to Ella the moment she exclaimed at the beauty of his gardens. The foyer was elaborately decorated, with its chandelier and grand staircase, gleaming piano, and polished antique furniture. Flowers blossomed everywhere; Ella's eyes followed them from the pattern of the wallpaper and carpet to the perky little blooms standing proudly in stylized vintage vases.
There wasn't anywhere like this in Mineral Town.
"Miss Ella and Miss Muffy, may I present Madam Romana and my lady Lumina." Sebastian gestured with a flourish to two women – one young, one old – who had appeared from a side room and were watching them with interest.
"Hi," giggled the young one. She sported shoulder-length nut-brown hair and wore it with a yellow headband. Her brown dress was neat and layered over a sensible, crisp white blouse, but her thick-lashed eyes, round and hazel, twinkled mischievously. "I'm Lumina, and this is my Auntie Romana. Welcome to Forget-Me-Not Valley."
"Thank you, Sebastian. Welcome, ladies," Romana greeted them in a stately tone. Her hair, fluffy and white as a cloud, was piled atop her head like a monument to cotton candy. She wore a fussy purple dress with an embroidered shawl draped over her shoulders. Small, round, golden-framed glasses perched upon her rather long and pointed nose. She held an impressive golden-handled cane in her right hand. "I am Romana. But who's this? I know Muffy when I see her."
"I'm Ella, the new farmer, ma'am." Ella offered a small curtsy to the gentlewoman, thinking that a handshake might offend her, and smiled warmly to them both. "Thank you for welcoming me into your lovely home."
"I'm always happy to meet more people my age!" Lumina chirped. "Er... no offense, Auntie."
"Would you ladies care to sit a spell? Sebastian, be a dear and put the kettle on, if you please? Thank you." Romana settled herself into a cushioned armchair and gestured for the girls to sit on a cozy-looking brocade couch opposite her. "Lumina, darling, why don't you play your latest piece for our guests?"
Lumina sighed barely audibly and sat at the miniature grand piano. Muffy and Ella exchanged glances – it looked like they would be spending the afternoon here. It was a good thing that neither of them had any duties to attend to for a few hours.
After listening to all of Lumina's latest pieces, Romana treated Ella to a barrage of interview-style questions: about her family, her hometown, her plans for the farm—everything. Finally, Muffy announced that she had to get ready for work. She and Ella bowed politely to Romana and thanked her and Lumina for their hospitality, and Muffy led the way out of the manor.
"Yeesh," Ella said. "She sure grilled me. Now that you know all my deepest secrets, I think we're obligated to be good friends."
Muffy beamed back. "I'm so glad you see things my way!"
As they neared the bar, Muffy pointed to the farmer. "You, me, bar, tonight. Be there!"
"You have my word," Ella smiled. Muffy waved and went inside, and Ella headed back to her farm. She passed Dr. Hardy, who seemed to be on his way home, and he greeted her with a familiar nod.
So maybe this wasn't so bad after all.
˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•٠·˙
"Ella! You made it!"
Ella smiled as she stepped into the Blue Bar. Muffy waved enthusiastically to her from behind the stein-laden counter. It was just after 7pm, and the tiny establishment was already getting crowded.
Several patrons turned to glance at the newcomer, but most of them were too occupied with their drinks or companions to look. Ella made her way to the last available stool – not everyone was sitting; some stood or leaned on the counter – and sat. Marlin sat to her right, quietly nursing a beer.
For a moment, she just listened to the comfortable buzz of conversation. There were several faces she didn't recognize, including two squat, identical men in overalls and a large, muscled man sporting a mohawk.
To her left sat a man in what resembled a frayed green wizard's hat with a single daisy peeking shyly from its brim. He was engrossed in a discussion with a redheaded woman leaning nonchalantly on the counter.
Marlin took a long deep swig from his stein and replaced it rather roughly on the counter. He caught Ella's eye and she quickly looked away, embarrassed, but the farmhand cleared his throat.
"You, uh, look nice," he said. Ella felt her cheeks flame.
"Thanks." She flashed him a quick smile and then looked back down at the counter. Was he trying to flirt or just being friendly?
Muffy swept in and saved her. "Hey pretty girl! Can I get ya anything to drink, or just here to check out the scenery?" she asked with a trademark wink. Marlin snorted, and Muffy wheeled on him. "Well, sourpuss? Are you here to sulk or here to have fun?"
"Here to drink," he retorted.
"So…fun," Muffy translated. She snatched his tankard and refilled it with something on tap. "That'll perk you up. So have you met our newest resident farmer here? This is Ella. She's from Mineral Town."
"We've met," Ella said quickly. "I buy seeds from Vesta and she introduced us."
"Well, hello again," said a voice near Ella's left ear. She whirled around to see Rock facing her, resting an arm on the counter and grinning, and barely resisted the urge to groan. "Out on the town already, yeah? That's my kinda girl! Lemme get you a drink!"
"Uh, I don't know if I'm drinking yet," the farmer said politely. What would he expect from her if she let him buy her a drink – did that make this a date? Or would that just be more flirting? Either way, she didn't want that kind of fuss.
"Oh, Rock, leave her alone!" Muffy commanded, sounding disgusted. "You were after Lumina, last I heard!"
Ella's eyes widened. The soft-spoken little heiress and Rock?
The blond man looked abashed. "I don't even know if she likes me," he complained. Marlin rolled his eyes and took another deep glug of beer.
As Muffy continued to accost Rock, the man in the tattered wizard hat leaned forward to make eye contact with Ella. "Hey, sister. Don't think we've met. The name's Gustafa." He had a very pointed nose and a warm smile, but his eyes were hidden behind circular sunglasses.
Ella found herself smiling back at him. She imagined his eyes were very friendly. "I'm Ella. It's nice to meet you."
"The new farmer?" asked a vaguely disinterested voice from behind Gustafa. It was the cool-looking redhead. She was so effortlessly chic with her icy blue eyes and crimson pixie cut that Ella felt somewhat intimidated. "Hi. I'm Nami." Gustafa turned back around to continue their conversation, and Ella wondered what the two could possibly have in common. Then again, it was likely that exact type of thinking that had set her up to marry Rick from the poultry farm in the minds of all the Mineral Town folks when they were just kids.
An hour passed with ease, as Ella chatted to Muffy and Rock, with Marlin offering the occasional comment. The barmaid convinced Ella to try a banana-flavoured mixed drink, on the house, of her own invention called a "Blonde Bombshell". The farmer was feeling pleasantly burbly but considering leaving soon – six a.m. came early, after all – when a nondescript door on the far wall behind the counter opened, and a man in cowboy boots and a suede jacket crept out. Conversation halted. Ella looked around, confused, and realized everyone was staring at the man.
He walked towards Muffy, and Ella saw a guitar strapped to his back. The bubbly blonde beamed and clapped her hands delightedly. "Griffin! Oh, Griffin, are you gonna play tonight?"
Griffin appeared middle-aged, his face leathery and deeply lined. His chin was rough with stubble and his mustache was bushy; his brown hair had been pulled back into a scruffy ponytail. Beaming, Muffy took his arm and gestured at Ella.
"Griffy, have you met Ella? She's the new farmer and she's a real sweet pea!"
Griffin smiled meekly at Ella and she found herself warming to him immediately. "Well hello there. Name's Griffin. Thank you kindly for your patronage."
"He owns the bar," Muffy said with pride. "And he's the best musician in the Valley! Sometimes he treats us to a song or two at night."
"Well, golly," Griffin chuckled, looking bashful. "I don't know about all that. But I thought I might sing a bit."
Sitting behind the bar, soft yellow light washing over him as he strummed his guitar, the barman's shyness melted away. He hummed a few notes and began a slow, mournful ballad – eyes closed, expression wistful.
"The sun sets on another summer day
It's lonely, I think. It's beautiful, they say
Makes me think of endings, makes me think of time
Makes me dream of memories, of when you were mine
All the happiest days pass us, without a single thought
Oh darlin', I wish you knew the happiness you brought.
I wish I were stronger, I wish I were better
Wish this whiskey could help me forget her
The sun sets on another summer day
It's lonely, I think. It's beautiful, they say…"
Ella felt her throat tightening. The melodic pluck of the strings were full of longing, and Griffin's voice was slow and rich. She wondered if he had written this himself, about someone he'd lost. She swallowed with effort and glanced around. Marlin stared into his empty glass, expressionless, lost in thought. Gustafa nodded along to the beat, his sandalled foot gently tapping on the floor, and Nami's eyes were closed. And Muffy's eyes were shining. The barmaid felt Ella's gaze and flashed her a quick, embarrassed smile before discreetly dabbing at her eyes.
Griffin sang two more verses and then strummed deeply, finishing the song. The small bar erupted in applause and he bowed, awkwardly. "Thanks, folks," he murmured. "Have yourselves a good night now." With that, he ducked into the back room. Muffy smiled at his back.
"He's good, isn't he?" she asked. Ella was struck by a thought, and nodded encouragingly.
"He's very good," she agreed. "And he seems like a gem."
"Such a gem," Muffy agreed, and then composed herself. "Anyway… how about a dance? Rock, get over here and be my partner. Marlin, Ella, join us!"
The farmer shook her head, smiling. "I should get to bed." Marlin stood and murmured agreement.
"Lame!" Muffy accused.
Ella grinned. "Not as lame as you sleeping in! You try waking up at six a.m.!"
Muffy's jaw dropped. "I didn't even know there was a six in the a.m.," she joked. "Get out of here, girl. Get some rest. I'll see you soon!"
Marlin held the door open for Ella. As they stepped into the brisk evening air, she glanced at him and he quickly looked away from her.
"Does Celia come out often?" Ella began at the same instant that Marlin said, "The bar's not a bad place to go after a long day." Ella laughed at the awkwardness of the moment, and Marlin smiled for maybe the first time. Paradoxically, it seemed to break some of the ice.
"Well, have a good night. Come out again sometime." Marlin stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed for the bridge.
"Goodnight." Ella smiled after his form. So much for first impressions—the man had actually tried to strike up a conversation with her despite seeming like he wanted nothing to do with her only a few days ago.
Her farm was still and silent in the evening, with River snoozing inside the cabin and Oakley tucked into his covered stall. The sprouts were still sprouting, and a good third of the field had been cleared of rock and stone. Tomorrow, Ella would call Gotz and see if he would be willing to come look at her barn.
Already, the red chokeweed in the corners of her property had begun to creep back toward the uncovered soil of her field. Unbidden, Ella suddenly recalled Trent's words from last week and the steadiness of his gaze as he said them: She's very proud of you. I thought you should hear that, as well. For what it's worth, I also think you're going to whip this place into shape.