Love Letters From Ladybug Farm - Donna Ball [49]
A quick belligerence flashed in his eyes, which was modified almost immediately by caution. “What are you talking about?”
“I was talking with Jonesie the other day” Cici supplied. “He mentioned you didn’t work at all on Saturday.”
“And that was after you told us you were helping him unload a big shipment all day long.”
Noah’s eyes slid from one to the other of them, shrewdly, as though searching for vulnerabilities. Finding an impenetrable fortress in their unity, he decided on another strategy. “I didn’t actually say I was working. I said Jonesie was expecting a big shipment Saturday and I would be gone all day. Both of those were the truth.”
None of the women looked impressed. “Where were you?” asked Lindsay.
He hesitated. His lips compressed, as though he were debating whether to answer. Finally he said, allowing his gaze to wander over the landscape beyond their heads, “I went to see somebody.”
A quick glance between the women. Bridget said, “Why didn’t you just tell us that?”
He shrugged, still not meeting their eyes. “I didn’t think you’d understand.”
“Understand,” suggested Lindsay, a bit sharply, “or approve?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. A stubborn insistence came into his eyes, which they all knew from experience was the first sign of a conversation that was about to stumble to a pointless end. “I was home before dark. I didn’t lie. I told you I was going to be late for supper. I didn’t break any rules.”
Cici heard Lindsay’s sharp intake of breath and she spoke above her, calmly. “Noah, you’re the one who wanted to take a part-time job. We agreed you could work as many hours as you wanted as long as your schoolwork didn’t suffer. But letting us think you’re working when you’re not is wrong and you know it. We need to know where you are. What if there had been an emergency?”
“I’ve got a phone,” he replied, too easily. “That’s what it’s for.”
“Which has nothing to do with the fact,” Lindsay said firmly “that you led us to believe you were working when you weren’t. And we still don’t know where you were all day.”
“And that’s the same as a lie,” Bridget said.
He scowled. “It’s not a lie.”
They were silent.
“All right.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, glaring at the ground. “I shouldn’t have tricked you.”
“Thank you,” Lindsay said.
Cici softened a bit. “You know we want to meet your friends, Noah.”
“She’s not from around here.”
Bridget said, “We still want to meet her, and let her parents know who we are, if you’re going to be spending time with her. Why don’t you invite her out here on Sunday?”
“We can’t, Sunday” Lindsay pointed out. “Dominic’s coming out to help us fertilize the vines.”
Noah looked relieved.
“Next weekend then,” Cici suggested. “And we’ll need her parents’ names and phone number before you see her again.”
He muttered, “Maybe I won’t see her again.”
“That’s up to you,” Lindsay said mildly. “But those are the rules. And we’ll let you know tonight what your punishment is for breaking the rules and deceiving us. Change out of your school clothes before you start on the chicken yard.”
“And I hope you don’t have any plans for the weekend,” Cici added, “because we’re going to need you to help us set up for the wedding menu tasting, and to help with fertilizing the vineyard on Sunday.”
He scowled. “I thought you hadn’t decided my punishment yet.”
There was a warning edge behind Cici’s pleasant smile. “I’m starting to get some ideas.”
“This wedding business is for girls,” he said sulkily, his hands thrust into his pockets. “I’d rather build the goat house.”
Lindsay said, “The wedding business is for everyone. There’s a lot of money involved, and it’s money we need.”
“You’ve got money” Noah countered reasonably, for the topic of finances—particularly his own—was one in which he always took an active interest. “You got the loan for the wine-making business, and you’ve got a brand-new barn to store it in. As soon as you