The kid was only six, but he had an encyclopedia worth of knowledge of Freddie Mercury’s discography in his brain, and I wasn’t mad about it.
We sang along, mixing in some K-pop and other hits, the kids being silly and loud.
Every couple of minutes, I’d steal a look at Josh, checking for signs of discomfort or anger. But his expression remained easy, and he didn’t even flinch or say a word when Julian kicked the back of his seat to the beat of “We are the Champions.”
Once we’d exited the highway, we turned onto a dusty country road and crested a large hill. On the other side sat a massive farm surrounded by mountains and painted with the foliage. The view was stunning.
Josh pulled up next to a big red barn with peeling paint, and a woman wearing denim overalls strode out.
The kids scrambled out of the truck, but I couldn’t help but be struck by the woman walking toward us.
She was tall, easily six foot. She was willowy, with her waist-length blond hair in a braid. She looked like she was here for a farm core photoshoot.
“Josh.” She broke into a jog, running into his arms, giving him a huge hug.
The warmth and familiarity in her smile made my stomach clench.
Were they lovers? It made sense. They probably had a lot in common.
Stepping back, she patted his bearded cheeks. “It’s been way too long.”
He turned and waved us over.
“Annie, this is Celine, Maggie, Ellie, and Julian.”
I had to crane my neck to meet her eye as I shook her hand. She was so pretty and wholesome, with skin tanned from outdoor work.
“Excuse me,” Julian said, looking away. “We would like your largest pumpkin, please.”
Annie smiled and kneeled down to his level.
Jeez, did she have to be good with kids too?
“I have some really big ones. How big do you want?”
Julian hummed, still avoiding eye contact. “The race rules say that in order for Josh and me to do it together, it has to be at least 1000 pounds.”
She tapped her chin and stood. “Then I’ve got some ideas. Did you bring a forklift?”
Josh shook his head.
She waved easily. “No worries. I’ve got you covered.”
We hiked around Annie’s farm, which was just as charming as it had looked from afar.
When Maggie got sidetracked by the herd of goats, Annie sidled up next to her. “I’ll send you home with some of our cheese.”
How was it possible to be simultaneously annoyed by the unnervingly friendly woman and impressed by the respect and kindness she was showing my kids?
The field she led us to was full of what looked like orange and green boulders but were actually gourds. I’d never seen anything like it.
The kids went wild, running around and yelling, assessing and climbing on top of them. They ranged in size, but some were the size of small cars.
“These,” Annie said, gesturing to a few of the biggestpumpkins I’d ever seen, “are Atlantic Giants. They’re big and have thick walls. They’re great for racing on a river.”
Julian’s eyes lit up.
“Remember,” Josh cautioned, “shape doesn’t matter. We’re looking for size and character.”