The Nanny and The Farmer

Chapter 12

Clara quickly looked back down at her book, pretending to be engaged. She didn't want to act too interested. Ray cut the engine of the truck and shut off the lights. She heard his shoes against the gravel as he walked closer to the porch, but she willed herself to keep staring at the book. She'd read the same word 12 times.
"Can I talk to you?" Ray asked as he reached the top step of the porch. Clara looked up. Wherever Ray had gone, he seemed to have cooled down while he was there. Clara remembered his question and shrugged.
"I'll take that as a yes," Ray said as he sat down next to her. "Why did you want to come here, Clara?"
Clara smacked her book shut and replied, "I told you before - I had to get away. I wanted a new experience."
"Yeah, that's what you told me before," Ray countered. "But that's not the real reason," he said softly as he placed his hand on her leg. Clara swatted his hand away. She was confused. He loves me. He loves me not, she thought. Clara gulped and thought back to her family - her dad, her mother and her sister Charlotte, their beautiful farmhouse and the love that flowed through it. Then she thought to the night of the accident. It had been nearly a month, but it seemed to be a lifetime and another world ago.
Now it was her turn to spill the beans. "It was a couple days after I graduated from high school," Clara began. "My family wanted to go out, get something to eat. I had gotten in a fight with my sister...over something stupid...it was a chore. We were arguing over who had to do the laundry that day. I was angry and I refused to go. They left, soon they were gone three hours, and then four. That's when I started to worry," Clara said, trying her best to fight back the tears. Ray wrapped his arm around her shoulder, gently but firmly. She didn't have the strength to protest. "The weather was starting to get really bad," Clara continued. "I just had a bad feeling. Then I heard a knock on the door. It was a policeman. He came to tell me that my family was...dead." It felt strange. It was the first time she'd said it aloud. Family...Dead.
Tears flowed as she thought back to the awful day, the day that changed her life forever. "I love you," Ray said, caressing her in a warm embrace. Clara pushed him away. "Why are you doing this to me?" She sobbed. "One minute you kiss me and the next minute you say it isn't right? Now you're saying that you love me?" Clara was completely and utterly bewildered.
"It is wrong," Ray admitted. "I'm your employer, your my employee. You're ten years younger than me. But I just can't help it," he sighed. "Whatever this is, I want to figure it out. I can't ignore it anymore."
Clara processed his words, trying to calm herself down. After a few moments passed by, Ray said, "Now, would be a good time to say something." Ray twiddled his thumbs nervously.
Finally Clara spoke. "I have feelings for you too Ray. I'm willing to try this if you are."

Ray beamed as Clara happily threw her arms around him. And the two began to kiss............