Free Cedar Hollow by Tracey Smith Page A

first?” She offered.
    “Well…”
    “Now, dear, if you’re going to be working out in that heat all day you need something in your stomach. Please at least have a bowl of cereal.”
    “Okay, but let me get it.” Cassidy insisted. “I don’t want to interrupt you.” She walked toward the pantry to retrieve the cereal.
    “It’s really no trouble.” Mrs. Owens insisted, looking a little frustrated again. Cassidy imagined that Mrs. Owens wasn’t accustomed to letting people do for themselves, but she was determined to prove that she could carry her own weight.
    “Really, I’ve got it.” Cassidy smiled holding up the box of cereal.
    “Oh well, okay.” Mrs. Owens relented.
    Cassidy ate quickly and then headed outside in search of Ben. She found him in the shaded part of the yard, bent over the short leafy plants that he had shown her the other day.
    “Aren’t I supposed to be blanching those?” She asked casually and was rewarded with the look of surprise on Ben’s face when he glanced up and saw her standing there with her hands on her hips. She smiled sweetly down at him, enjoying the moment.
    “What are you doing out here?” He asked frowning.
    “Carrying my own weight. So did you get the twine or are you going to send me into that deathtrap you call a shed again?” She joked. He didn’t laugh, and she regretted her joke when she saw the shadow cross over his eyes.
    “I’m almost done here.” He said pointing to the finished row. There were still several rows to be done.
    “Well you can either show me how and let me finish, or I can stand here and watch you finish. Up to you.” She smiled at him again wondering what happened to the playful side she’d seen briefly last night.
    “Fine.” He huffed and then proceeded to show her how to fold the leaves over the heads of cauliflower and tie them with the twine.
    “Easy enough.” Cassidy said agreeably and quickly set to work. Ben stood brushing the dirt from his knees and watched her for a moment.
    “Are you just going to watch me?” She asked laughing nervously.
    “No, um, I’ll be right over there.” He pointed a few rows over and she nodded, wondering why he was acting so weird.
    This chore she liked ; it was easy enough. She meticulously folded and tied the leaves, moving down the row and surreptitiously stealing glances over at Ben. She watched as he moved up and down the rows of plants, checking and picking vegetables, filling a wheel barrow as he went along.
    Their morning passed in companionable silence. She noticed that Ben never moved too far from her, always staying in sight. A few times he caught her watching him and once or twice she caught him watching her. After a while they were exchanging shy smiles across the garden anytime their eyes met. For a man who had claimed not to like her too much, he sure did flirt.
    “All done?” He asked standing over her as she tied the last plant, she shielded her eyes to look up at him and nodded.
    “What’s next?” She asked standing and brushing her hands on her jeans.
    “Pumpkins.”
    “Pumpkins?”
    “Yep, it’s time to plant the pumpkins. Hope you’re not scared of heights, Miss St. Claire.” He smiled at her with that challenging mischievous smile and she was intrigued.
    “Not at all , Mr. Riley.” She followed him to the edge of the hill and looked over the side. The hillside gradually sloped down over several stepped layers of tilled soil. There was a narrow ledge pathway at the bottom and then a rather steep drop off the side of the mountain. She looked at him questioningly.
    “High , isn’t it?” He smiled, with laughter dancing in his eyes again. He was challenging her.
    “Yes it is.” She replied calmly.
    “That’s why we use this.” He told her walking over and picking up a harness. It was just a few simple straps connected to a thick braided rope that was run through a pulley system.
    “So basically you want to tie a rope to me and throw me over the side