Courage Under Fire (Silver Creek #2) - Lindsay McKenna Page 0,118

to come here?” She looked up at Dana.

Uncomfortably, Dana moved in the chair. “Life changed,” was all Dana would say. “I needed to find something close to what we had in the Willamette Valley and start over.”

“Hmmm,” Mary said, giving her another searching look. “We buy organic produce from that valley. I’m very well aware of how important it is to Oregon. The Willamette is a north-south valley, one hundred and fifty miles long. Very rich soil there, and a wonderful place to grow any crop. Wine owners love that area, too. Silver Creek Valley has very similar soil conditions.”

“Yes, that’s why I chose to come and put down roots here. I just bought the Wildflower Ranch.”

“Ah,” Mary said, sitting back in her chair. “Did you now?”

Dana wasn’t sure it was a smart thing to admit to Mary, who reminded her of an eagle, missing nothing. Her face was wrinkled, but that didn’t take away from the authority or power she had. “I know it’s run-down . . .”

“We all have times in our lives when we’re run-down, too. Even ranches here go through that up-and-down cycle. What do you think of the place?”

“It has possibilities. The soil is an excellent mix of alluvial and loamy clay; perfect for plants and fruit trees.”

“So?” she said, rocking back in her chair. “Tell me what your plan is for it.”

Dana wanted a job, not to discuss the broken ranch. Still, Mary’s interest was there and her voice was kinder once she found out she’d bought the place. Dana said, “I want to repair the cabin, use the fifty acres on the flat of the valley to grow organic vegetable crops and put in a small orchard of about thirty trees.”

“It has a nice, year-round spring behind that cabin,” Mary said, nodding thoughtfully. “So, you’re going to farm it? Any animals you gonna raise on it?”

Shaking her head, she said, “I’m vegan. I don’t eat meat. I can’t stand to see animals slaughtered. I plan to raise vegetables, have a small herb garden, and plant fruit trees.”

“Of course,” she said, sitting up. “So? We’re right at the beginning of our gardening and farming season in about a month. You got a tractor and plow? That soil needs to be turned, aerated, before you can plant anything.”

Dana loved Mary’s intelligence. “You’re right about that. The soil doesn’t look like it’s been turned over for decades. I don’t have a tractor.”

“Want one?”

Taken aback, Dana stared at her. “What?”

“My son, Chase Bishop, has an old, antique farm tractor that’s not all electronic with wazoo doodads and computers in it. He was looking to sell it to someone who might have a use for it.”

“That sounds good, Mrs. Bishop—”

“Call me Mary.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Cut the politeness, too. I admire your respect, but remember what I said earlier, we’re all family. You don’t refer to family in those terms. Right?”

A sliver of a grin pulled at the corners of her mouth. “Okay, Mary, I can do that.”

A quick nod. “You’re wanting a job here because?”

“I need money to restore the cabin and rent or lease some farm equipment so I can realize my dream of bringing the Wildflower back to life.”

“You’re not afraid of hard work, are you? Or really tough challenges. But then, you’re a farm girl and have been working every day of your life on your parents’ farm.”

“That’s true,” Dana admitted.

Mary scribbled a note on another piece of paper. “I’m gonna call my son, Chase, owner of the Three Bars Ranch. I’m gonna ask him to loan you that old John Deere tractor and have it brought over there by flatbed truck, so you can start using it. What else do you need?”

Taken aback, Dana’s head spun with confusion. “I . . . well . . . Mary, I’m looking for a job.”

“And you’re volunteering a full day at our food bank once a week, giving back to the community. Right?”

“ . . . er . . . yes . . .”

“Remember? We’re family?” She poked an index finger toward her. “Family works together as a team. You don’t have the money to rent a tractor. Chase is gonna loan you his old antique so you can get going turning that soil and getting ready for planting.”

Stunned, Dana blinked, unable to speak.

“And,” Mary went on, making another note, “I’ll make sure he brings over the disc and other plowing equipment that you’ll need, as well as tools that go with farming. That place of yours needs a