Maxwells Smile

the equipment into the back of his truck.
    Rachel joined him by the rust bucket and blew out an exhausted breath. “That was a lot of work. But worth it.”
    “It was great to be able to spend the day beside you.”
    “I was thinking the same thing.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “You’re not…”
    “What?”
    “I don’t know how to put it.”
    “You having second thoughts about us?” he asked.
    “No. Yes. Are we an us?”
    “We can be. Would you like that? Could you deal with that, Miss Independent?”
    “I can,” she said on a sigh. “But can you?”
    “I don’t think I understand the question.”
    “We. Us. That also includes Maxwell.”
    “I know that. He’s your plus one. And I’m cool with that, Rachel.”
    “You are?”
    He kissed her. “I am. You know, every time I looked at that sign Maxwell made I thought of my brother. Made me smile all day long.”
    “I’m glad. It was Maxwell’s idea. So, you hungry? I’ve got some ground beef thawed out at home. I could make tacos.”
    “I’m always hungry. But I’m taking the two of you out. You’ve been working hard all day. I will not let you go home and slave over a hot stove. How about Italian?”
    “Sam Jones, why are you so good to me and Maxwell?”
    “I care about you both,” he said. “That’s reason enough to try to be my best. But could we not get all sentimental, with the ladies over there watching our every move?”
    They both glanced over their shoulders. Sam waved at the collection of neighborhood women who lingered by a car across the parking lot, taking in the whole scene. The majority had flirted with him at one time or another.
    “Here comes the king of the DVD drive!” Sam called.
    Maxwell handed Sam the last box of movies and the three of them piled into their respective vehicles to head out to eat.
    Rachel waved at her neighbors as they passed. Handy Sam was hers for the evening. She couldn’t think of a better way to end such a perfect day.

Chapter Ten
    The ten-acre plot west of the Twin Cities was wooded with dozens of varieties of trees, and as Rachel and Sam walked through the grass and down a hilly slope, she eyed wild raspberries and even blueberries tucked along the tree border.
    About a hundred yards off in an open, grassy field, Maxwell pursued a cricket with insect net in hand. A magnifying glass was stuck in his back jeans pocket.
    “This plot has everything a guy could want.” Sam stopped and looked over the stretch of land before them. Crickets chirped and birds circled in the jewel-bright sky. “There’s a pond over there with a huge willow.”
    “I love willow trees.” Rachel swung her hand in his as they continued walking.
    “Would be a great spot for the goats.”
    “You and your goats!”
    “And that grove of trees at the back is nice and thick. I bet I could build a deer stand back there.”
    “Bet there’s lots of deer out here. A hunter’s dream. You hunt?”
    “I do. Get a deer every fall, and process the meat myself. You like venison?”
    “Love it, but I haven’t had it for a long time.”
    “Well, I know what your Christmas present is going to be.”
    “Does that mean you’ll be cooking for me?” she asked, allowing her inner flirt to heat up her words.
    “It’s a promise. Do you see that little frog right there?” He pointed out the acorn-size green tree frog clinging to a milkweed pod. “Maxwell needs to see this.”
    “Oh, no.” Rachel clutched his hand tighter, resisting his playful tugs.
    “What? It’s just a frog. Don’t tell me…?”
    “They creep me out.”
    “Yeah? The kid needs to catch a frog. It’s a boy thing, Rachel. Come on, you don’t graduate from being a boy until you stuff a frog in your pocket and bring it home to show your mom.”
    “Yes, well, his mother is standing right here and she can see it just fine from this distance.”
    Sam’s eyes sparkled, and just when Rachel suspected he might pull a fast one and catch the frog, he shrugged and walked by. Whew .
    “You’re a good influence on him, you know,” she said as they wandered over the grassy field. “Not only does he plan to do annual drives for Kid Flicks, he’s also started researching another charity he’d like to give to that provides clean water to families in areas that don’t have any. Isn’t that awesome? My nine-year-old son has taught me so much these past weeks. I love learning from him.”
    “He’s taught me a lot, too. So now it’s my turn