The Farmer's Daughter

Chapter 7

I pulled up to Amber’s house at seven and texted her to let her know I was there. Soon after she texted me back to let me know she wasn’t ready yet, so I turned off my car and climbed out, figuring a visit to the Miller’s wasn’t a bad idea. I hadn’t changed from earlier, and was still wearing my jeans and plaid button-down. I walked up the porch steps and rang the doorbell once I reached the top. Leaning on my heels I waited for someone to answer. The yellow porch light was on and lightly flickering. I couldn’t hear much on the inside except for the shuffling of feet as someone neared the door. I saw Mrs. Miller peak her head through the window shades next to the door to see who it was, when she saw me she waved and smiled, disappearing for a few seconds before opening the front door to let me in. 

I thanked her and asked her how her day was as I walked in, over the threshold. She told me it was fine, and that she wished she had gotten to see my face earlier. 

“You know I cooked a little too much lunch today,” she said as we sat down on opposite couches in the living room. “I forgot that you weren’t joining us.”

I nodded. “Well, you know, I had to be at conditioning, otherwise I wouldn’t have missed lunch for anything.”

She smiled, nodded. “Oh yes, I know. You’re such a sweetheart. How is conditioning going by the way?”

“Good. We did a bunch of drills today, and Coach rearranged the team a bit.”

“He did? Did he change the starting line up?”

“A little, he put me as starting running back and moved Carson to the starting quarterback position.” 

She nodded as if she knew what I was talking about, which I didn’t doubt. Marksville being the big football-town it was, and her having grown up in it, I was sure she knew exactly what I was saying.

“That’s good, Carson is a fast kid, quarterback is the perfect position for him, and I’m sure Barny wouldn’t have put you as a starter if you weren’t good. You don’t know it yet, Tim, but football is a big sport here, and we will do anything–within reason–to win. So that’s good, really good, you should be proud. I am.”

I chuckled and said, “Thanks Mrs. Miller.”

She smiled at me and asked, “So Tim, where are you and Amber going tonight?”

I shrugged. “Just to hang out with a few friends.”

“That is good. I’m glad you’ve made friends so quickly.” The sound of cowboy boots rushing down the wooden stairs interrupted Mrs. Miller and she turned her head toward the staircase. She stood up, I stood up with her, and she said, “I bet that’s Amber. Have fun tonight, y’all,” and with that she turned around and walked out of the room. 

I left the living room too and walked into the foyer where the stairs were and watched Amber as she rushed down them. Her light pink skirt stopped far above her knees, and her white shirt stuck close to her curves. I smiled at her. She stopped when she saw me. 

She was so beautiful, from the curls in her brown hair to pointed toe of her ever-present boots. I felt an overwhelming urge to pull her into my arms as I looked at her. I was a single man now. I could, but I wouldn’t. She smiled at me and flipped the perfectly curled hair over her shoulder as she bounced down the rest of the way toward me. Around her legs her skirt swayed and jumped, and her breasts bounced. She pulled me into a quick and sudden hug that, for a moment paralyzed me. She never hugged me before, she never pressed her body against mine in such a close gesture; I felt strange hesitating when a pull in the pit of my stomach urged me to hug her back–why I wasn’t was beyond me, why I was slightly uncomfortable was even more beyond me. I picked up my arms which hung lazily by my side and wrapped them around her, placing the palms of my large hands on her upper-back. As soon as I was in the hugging position I couldn’t help myself, the pull in my stomach grew so I pulled her closer into the biggest, strongest hug I had ever given, and it felt good.