Day 14 (1,577 words)

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Author's Note: Well, as I'm sure you can tell from the latest daily word counts, I'm falling behind a bit on my NaNo-project. I hope to catch up over the weekend. The story currently stands at around 22,500 words, so I'm almost halfway through. Yay! : ) Thanks to everyone who's joining me on this journey and voting for my little story : )

Oh, and a piece of trivia for ya - I can in fact drive a tractor, and I've tried to describe the inside of one to the best of my ability, but I'm sure the US ones look different from ours... or, wait, John Deere is American, isn't it? My favorite brand of tractor, just FYI ; ) Now that I think about it, kinda funny if Ford was driving a JD lol (farm girl humor for ya :D ) Oh, and I have them using the clutch to change gears - but in the awesome new JD's you can just use the lever for that - and for the gas, too. So awesome. Okay, finished geeking out for the moment... ; )

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Just as Kristen had decided to stop being ridiculous and start focusing on what was actually being displayed in the creatively crafted little booths, a familiar voice sounded behind her.

“If you want to make the pie eating contest in time, I’d stay clear of Captain Jensen.”

Kristen resisted the urge to spin around, determined to act like she’d seen him coming a mile away. The little flinch when he first started talking may have outed her, though.

“Why’s that?” she asked, picking up a miniature lighthouse crafted entirely in stone and eyeing it as if she were appraising jewels.

“He used to be a fisherman, as was his father and grandfather before him. He has fond memories of the lighthouse, and he’ll tell you all about it if you stand idly by for more than a minute.”

Kristen looked over to see an elderly man with a fisherman’s cap and a full, white beard talking animatedly with a woman and her young son, who was pulling on her hand, apparently eager to get moving.

Kristen put down the miniature lighthouse and headed over to the produce stand. She didn’t check to see if Ford followed her, but she tried to hide the grin that spread across her face when he stepped up beside her and picked up a red apple.

“You think it’s poisoned?”

She looked over at him, her eyebrows raised. “Really? You see any little old ladies walking around and scouting for people to poison?”

Ford made a show of craning his neck and looking around. “Old lady Breezer is lurking around.”

“Trust me, if she wanted me dead, she’d have poisoned the cereal by now.”

“Who’s saying you’re the target? Maybe she’s working for Bankhead – wanting to do away with anyone who opposes his project?”

“You’re working for him, so I’d say you’re safe.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t make trouble for him any way I can,” Ford shrugged and handed over a couple of quarters in exchange for the apple.

“What do you mean?” Kristen turned toward him, frowning. “You’re not going to sabotage the build, are you?”

“What do you take me for? No, I’ll do my job just as I would for anyone, but as a citizen and a member of this town, I intend on making my voice heard when it comes to how the land and buildings are used.”

“You won’t let him incorporate the old cottage into the new house, will you?” Kristen said, understanding dawning on her.

“Not if I can help it, no.”

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