She set up the funnel she would attach the chute to and went around back to get the tractor which was attached to the machine that would pour out the grain. She pulled the tractor around and backed the chute into the open window which the funnel waited inside of. She fired up the machine and realized that she needed a second person to pull the lever that would start and stop the pouring process. She climbed back into the feed room expecting to attach the funnel and chute and ready the bags and twine but it was already done. She looked around and saw Ronnie leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. She needed another hand but she was pissed that it had to be his.
"Need a little help?" he asked even though he already knew the answer.
"Yes," she said, "So get out there and man that lever." She smiled mockingly as the smirk left his face.
"No way!" he said, "There is no way a little girl like you can lift hundred pound feed bag across this room for the next hour. At least not easily!" She simply crossed her arms and held her ground. She may have moved to the city but she continued riding horses and that was no easy work. Whatever she had to do here, she could do with a little bit of effort. Ronnie dropped his head and walked up to her. He got within a foot of her and said, "I'm sorry. That sexist bullshit I pulled behind the shed was un-called for, but I'm not letting a little girl do a bunch of hard manual labor while I sit and watch. Please go out and push that button so we can get this done. Together." His last word sounded like it burned his tongue to say but Cora knew his apology burned his pride even more so she jumped down and started her work.
Once the bags were filled and stacked she and Ronnie silently stalked off to the old shed. They looked around at the job ahead of them. There were piles of rusted parts to tractors and trucks, sheets of scrap metal, and old bikes and wagons that her mother probably played with as a child. They easily loaded everything into the back of Ronnie's truck. When it was empty they examined their work side by side. With a sigh Cora let her head rest on Ronnie's arm. She was relieved that the work day was over. Ronnie looked down at the little head resting against his arm and fought back a smile. He reached over and brushed a little blonde wisp back behind her ear. Surprised Cora looked up at him, but in the split second his face hardened again and he turned and walked out of the shed. "See you tomorrow Cora." he said as he hopped in his truck and sped off.
ο©
Cora dragged her tired little body home. She walked through the front door and kicked off her boots, she peeled of her sweaty shirts, dropped her jean shorts, and left her panties on the trail to the bathroom. She ran the water warm and stepped in. She washed bits of hay seed out of her hair and scrubbed all traces of sweat from her body. Then she made the water hotter and relaxed thinking about Ronnie. If he wasn't such a jerk she might have liked him. Who was she really kidding though? he was the most handsome human being she had every laid her eyes on. She wanted to see more muscles than just those big strong arms. She wanted to run her fingers through that thick dark mop of his. And she wanted to see him smile. He was trying too hard to be a man. He was still a boy. He was only twenty years old for goodness sake. He was very kind to have taken so much trouble to make her comfortable and he was sincerely worried when she cut her leg. She decided that tomorrow she would have more patience with him.
