When Love's Gone Country - By Merri Hiatt Page 0,37
Purity ran her hand across her growing belly.
“Bun in the Oven Ranch.”
“Okay, you don’t get to name it if you’re not going to be serious.”
“I was being serious, sort of. Let me take another stab at it.” Alex thought for a moment. “Family Farm.”
“You really suck at this.” Purity giggled.
“Diego’s Den.”
“Stop, please.”
“Cow Hands. We could have the outline of our hands done in metal and the word Cow Hands in great big letters.”
“Honey, I love you, but you’re fired.”
“Want to dance?”
“I’d love to.”
They joined the others in a square, laughing and messing up the movements, especially during the allemande. Purity ended up standing all by herself while Brad and Alex were holding hands.
“I think I went left when I should have gone right,” Pure said.
“I’m thinking Brad and I should team up. He’s a hell of a dancer,” Alex said.
Courtney and Purity laughed as the boys promenaded around the room, ending by bowing to each other.
“If you don’t need me, I’m heading over to get some of that fried chicken,” Court said.
“Oh, that does sound good,” Pure agreed.
“You’d rather eat than dance with me?” Brad asked.
“You seem to be doing fine without us,” Courtney said, heading for the buffet table.
Chapter Twenty-Two
As the night wore on, the music seemed to get louder, the lanterns shone brighter and Courtney was convinced someone had spiked every available beverage, except water.
“Red said there’s a swimmin’ hole with a swing around here somewhere,” Jeremy said. “Do you think we can look for it tomorrow?”
“Sure,” Bobby said. “There ought to be somewhere to fish, too.”
“I brought my hunting rifle,” Brad said. “There must be something in season that we can shoot at.”
“Brad! I can’t believe you’re okay with killing innocent animals,” Meg said.
“Look out,” Courtney said. “You’ve got Meg’s dander up.”
“I’d eat whatever I shot. It’s not like I’m hunting just for sport.”
“It’s not like you don’t have enough money to go buy meat. There’s no need to kill defenseless animals.”
“You’re chowing down pretty good on that chicken. Someone had to kill it.”
“That’s what I’m saying. Plenty of animals have already been killed. Why add another one unnecessarily? And, before you answer, I already know why. It’s the thrill of the chase. Which goes back to your point about not being in it for sport. You are in it for sport. So why not just go shoot beer cans or clay discs?”
“Because they can’t get away,” Bobby said. “I think hunting and fishing is about survival. It’s you and nature out in the woods. What are you going to do, eat berries and nuts? No, you’re going to find a way to kill a small animal, probably a rabbit or a squirrel. Next is fire. You have to have a way to cook the meat. And, you need a water source and shelter. Once you’ve got all these things, you can survive. Humankind = 1, Nature = 0.”
“Not if I take away your gun,” Meg said. “You can survive on berries, nuts, seeds and other plant life. We don’t have to eat meat. It’s something we choose to do. I’m not even saying it’s wrong. What I’m saying is that I don’t like the idea of killing animals as a game.”
“Your point is understood,” Brad said, deciding to end the conversation before their friendship took a turn neither one would like.
“I need some air.” Meg headed toward the barn doors, grateful no one followed her. She wound her way through the orchard until she found the gazebo, then sat down on the steps. The moonlight filtered through the trees sporadically.
A snapped twig had her peering into the darkness. “Who’s there?”
“Just me,” Purity said. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What was that all about back there?” Purity sat down next to her friend.
“I don’t know. Probably just all this stuff with Jacob.”
“I’m sure that has something to do with it, but I get the feeling there’s something more.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s me, isn’t it? I mean, not me, the baby. It’s bringing up all kinds of feelings you’ve spent time putting away in nice little neat cubbies in your brain.”
“I’m really excited for you and Alex.”
“I know.” Purity held Meg’s hand.
“It’s just that I really wanted Bobby and I to have a baby. It’s so much harder than I thought it was going to be to watch you and Alex together. I’m so sorry. I’m a horrible friend.”
“You are not, don’t ever say that. I’ve been trying not to do anything to hurt you. Not talking about the baby. Not oohing and aahing