Read Kentucky Sunrise for Free Online Page B

family got here. I’m disappointed Emmie doesn’t have more pride in the farm. I guess I’ll have to clean the porch and the furniture myself.”
    Hatch raised his eyes to see Emmie through the screen door. He was about to say something when Emmie put her finger to her lips for him to remain silent. He looked away, wondering how long she’d been standing there and what she’d heard.
    â€œI’ll help you, honey. Let’s call it a togetherness project, or, hell, we can just go out and buy some new plants. These do look pretty bedraggled.”
    â€œYes, let’s do that, Hatch. Do you have the car keys? On second thought, we should probably take one of the pickup trucks if we’re going to buy a lot of plants.”
    â€œSounds like a plan to me,” Hatch said, struggling to his feet. “I’ll get the truck. You keep the keys on the visor, right?”
    â€œThat’s what I used to do. I don’t know what Emmie does,” Nealy said as she finished the last of her coffee.
    Nealy carried the serving tray into the house, holding the screen door ajar with her hip. She loved the sound of the squeaky door when it closed behind her. She was startled to see Emmie in the kitchen. She frowned. The frown deepened when she saw Mitch Cunningham walk into the kitchen as if he’d been doing it forever.
    â€œHatch and I are going to the nursery for some new plants. The ones on the porch are half-dead, and I don’t think watering can save them. By the way, did you call the painter to do the windows and porch? The paint is peeling. Nice to see you again, Mitch.” She waited for her daughter’s response. When none was forthcoming, Nealy stomped her way out the door, her blood at the boiling point.
    While she waited for Hatch, she walked along the side of the house to check on the flower gardens and the morning glories climbing the trellises. All looked bedraggled and sadly in need of water. Weeds were choking out even the hardiest of the flowers.
    â€œHop in, honey!” Hatch called from the truck. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œMaybe it’s me, Hatch. Do I expect too much? When things needed to be done, if I couldn’t do them myself, I hired someone to do it. All the gardens are going to seed, and it’s just the end of April. Those flower borders and the trellises were my pride and joy. They were the color and sunshine in my life from the day I moved here. In one year, my daughter managed to ruin it all. She said she could handle this. She said she was capable. I believed her. Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything. I bit my tongue. Then that Hollywood guy showed up, just walked into the kitchen like he’d been doing it forever, and he probably has. Emmie had this sappy look on her face. I see what’s going on, and I don’t like it. Say something, Hatch.”
    â€œNot on your life.”
    â€œSo you’re saying I’m going off half-cocked here,” Nealy said, using one of Hatch’s favorite expressions for when she did something without thinking it through.
    â€œHow hard is it to plant flowers? You and I can do it and have the place all spruced up by the time your family arrives on the weekend. I can scrape the paint on the front porch and paint it myself. You know how you love our together projects,” Hatch said, hoping to drive the angry look off his wife’s face.
    â€œThat’s not the point, Hatch. I’m talking about responsibility. I hate to think what I’m going to find when I check out the barns.”
    â€œFair is fair, Nealy. You had Smitty to run interference for you. She did a lot around here, and so did your housekeeper. Emmie doesn’t have a Smitty. Maybe she’s doing the best she can.”
    Nealy’s face set into stubborn lines. “I did it, and I’m a hell of a lot older than she is. Don’t throw Gabby at me either. She’s in school and has a nanny.