Read If Onions Could Spring Leeks for Free Online

mid-twenties, back in town for the summer from dental school in Nebraska. He’d run into Gram at the post office and they’d talked a little about the recent passing of his grandmother, who had also been a good friend of Gram’s. She mentioned the classes and told him they’d be much easier than dental school. Little had Todd known he would meet April and fall head over heels for the pretty girl from Chicago. We all hoped he would work up the courage to ask her out, but he wasn’t there yet. Poor guy was so tongue-tied and clumsy around her that everyone else had to frequently bite the insides of their cheeks to keep fromsmiling sympathetically at his self-conscious behavior. I wasn’t sure if she noticed or just thought the tall, good-looking guy with the crooked smile was simply unable to control his long limbs and didn’t quite have a grasp on the English language.
    â€œOh!” April said. “I almost forgot. I think one of the spokes in the front right wagon wheel might be cracked. I’m not sure if that’s important, but I saw it last week and just now remembered to mention it.”
    â€œGood to know, April. I will check that out for sure,” Roy said.
    Todd nodded as though he agreed with April’s assessment. He sat up a little straighter and opened his mouth as though he was going to say something, but then must have thought he might not be able to handle the task. He closed his mouth as his shoulders fell.
    â€œTodd?” Roy said. “You notice anything else?”
    Todd shook his head. I was afraid he’d become so embarrassed about his speaking ability around April that he might never talk again.
    â€œOkay, then, well, it looks like it’s Monday again, Betts. You ready to get out there and drive?” Roy asked.
    â€œAbsolutely,” I said.
After I talk to Gram for a minute
.
    I would make sure I wasn’t late for my shift, but I might cut it a little close.
    â€œGood. If anyone needs anything today, I’ll be at the barn. Stop by if you need to,” Roy said.
    Everyone scooted their stools back from the butcher-block table.
    â€œThanks to Miz for the breakfast spread,” Roy said. “Is she still around? I’d like to chat with her for a minute.”
    â€œYes, she’s in the back,” I said. “I can give her the message. I need to talk to her for a minute, too.”
    â€œNo, I’d like to tell her myself,” Roy said as took off toward the part of the building that housed our infrequently used sit-down classroom and my and Gram’s offices. Lynn and Derek walked toward the front swinging doors of the kitchen. I saw Todd steel himself as April walked by him. I suspected he was telling himself that he was going to talk to her. Now. Unfortunately, as he scooted the stool back a little farther, it went down, and so did he.
    Paul, April, Lynn, Derek, and I hurried to his fallen body.
    He was already trying to get up, his face as red as a ripe tomato.
    â€œYou okay, Todd?” April was the first to crouch down beside him.
    â€œFine, fine,” he said, though he sounded exasperated, irritated, and annoyed. Almost anything but fine.
    â€œHere,” Paul said as he extended his hand.
    â€œI’m fine,” Todd said adamantly as he ignored the friendly gesture and propelled himself to his feet.
    We’d gathered around him quickly, and then tried to step back casually, all of us feeling his pain and discomfort, with the possible exception of April. She hadn’t known Todd before joining the cooking class and the Trigger driving crew so she hadn’t seen what a genuinely sweet guy he was. He was also smart and clever, but those traits had gone into hibernation, too, perhaps waiting for him back at dental school.
    â€œMiss April,” said a voice from the back of the kitchen.
    We all turned to see Roy and Gram, her hands on her hips and her face pinched with impatience. She wore