Just Another Day - Secret Santa 2012 for Galaxy! [1/?]

[Emily]

Heheh, guess who turned out to be your Secret Santa as well? :'D I actually had a really hard time writing this so forgive me if this isn't not what you were looking for. T w T Feel free to leave more requests, guilty pleasures, etc. Also I hope your wrist is getting better!

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Part One

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"Yes'm, I got yer apples." A tall, toned man leapt off a cart loaded with crates of goods from his family farm. It was a warm afternoon, but there was certainly no room for breaks in between. He cast a stray glance at clusters of wildflowers on the roadsides, a twinge of annoyance sparking on his handsome face.

"Jus' leave 'em over there, right by the hay. Not there, Carter, stop!--"

"Ugh...beggin' yer pardon, ma'am," the blonde man mumbled, ducking his head as he scrambled to pick up the apples, which were now scattered and rolling across dewy blades of green grass. After having caught and inspected every run-away apple for bruises, he tipped his hat, said his apologies again, and hauled himself back on his cart to be on his way to the next stop.

He scrubbed his nose in obvious displeasure, although he kept a steady hand on the reins. Every darn thing here screamed spring; everything that screamed spring had his nose in a fix. It was a cycle, and it came every year and lasted several months. It really gave him reason to leave the farm, maybe settle in a city somewhere. Carter wasn't terribly coordinated when it came to walking around safely with his own two legs, but he was intelligent, which certainly would have landed him somewhere in the big city.

However...

A cool breeze carrying the sweet scent of blackberry pie and orange blossoms wafted beneath his nostrils.

He mused to himself, "I'll probably never leave this ol' town," and pulled his horses to a stop in front of a rickety, washed-out barn. "Deliv'ry!" An elderly man emerged from behind the building and shouted his greetings.

"Come righ' 'round, Carter! Maybe you'll even snatch a good look or too at m' granddaughter. And don't you gi' me that face 'cause I know how you like that girl."

"Don't tease me Mr. Strappler," Carter responded, flashing a broad, white-toothed smile as he unloaded several cartons. His eyes flitted around as he set down the crates before the barn door and gazed off into the orchards hopefully.

"Lookin' fer her again, eh, son?" the old farmer laughed, clapping his hand on Carter's broad, square shoulders heartily. "If yer out to gauge yer chances of winning her over," he continued, tossing a purposeful look at the grassy hills behind the barn before going on, "I'd say it ain't too bad."

Strappler motioned his balding head at a pretty girl of about twenty-three, who was walking down the hill from the groves of trees and carrying several baskets sizable oranges. She didn't look surprised to see the two men together and waved at them amiably, a bright smile playing at her plump pink lips.

"Good morning Carter!" she called as she neared.

"Leila," he greeted bashfully, forcing his eyes to connect with hers, a sweet milky pair of caramels, just in time to see her sandaled foot catch on a rough clump of grass. Her caramel eyes opened wide and before he knew it himself, Carter had thrust his strong arm around her waist to support her. His face flushed immediately.

"Oh, ahhh...shucks. I didn't mean to, erm--"

"Oh, I'm awful sorry," Leila said at the same time, fluttering her long lashes in apparent surprise. Carter was taken aback, his handsome features frozen in place as she untangled herself from his grasp. The old man chuckled knowingly in the background.

Turning his way, Leila chirped, "Papper, do you need any help?" She floated to his side.

Carter felt his reddened cheeks spread to his ears and his neck and quickly determined that this was enough excitement for the day. That, and his nose had taken a decidedly worse turn after standing downwind of the blooming orange blossoms for the past twenty minutes. Sniffing as subtly as he could, he turned around to head back to his delivery cart.

"I'll-hh-see you two tomorrow--hh'HeH-hehNGktt!"

A sudden thud sounded behind him as he tried to leave, and a split second past, a huge yowl came from the old man.

"M' KNEEEEEEE!"

"Papper! Oh my goodness, Carter help 'im up quick!"

Carter spun around to see old Strappler twitching on the grass, clutching his knee in pain, and Leila darting her pleading caramel eyes from her grandfather to himself. The itch in nose which had been slowly building up had suddenly reached its peak and it wasn't going to back off. Carter felt his breath hitch even as he rushed toward the old man's aid.

"hhih-heh! Hah'NN-gkt!--NGkkt'shih! Hih'hehh..."

Even in his panic, Carter was certain wasn't going to turn out well.

[VividBubbles!]

Hehe. Carter's adorable.

Looking forwards to more!

BYE!

[Nicolias312]

Hi! I was looking for some stories by you, em! I found one and it's great. LOVE IT! Thank you for this.

[Galaxy]

Awwhaaa, I love this so much!! :DD You write just the cutest lil' cowboy, and he's all allergic and clumsy and adorable and OHMYGOD I love Carter so haaard~~ <3 And LEILA ohmygod they are so freaking cute!!

I'm sorry for acting like a lunatic, but I just love this so so much~!!

[Emily]

VividBubbles!: There will be more! (once finals week is over of course...)

@Nicolias: Yay! Glad you liked it!

@Galaxy: 8DDDDDD I'M SO HAPPY YOU LIKE IT. It sounded so bad when I wrote it and each sentence took like forever to write "OTL I'll finish this in probably two more weeks ^^; Sorry