Chapter Text
It all started on a late summer day in Boone County, many years ago.
Clyde Logan, a local veteran and superstitious bar owner, was finally going to have the farm to himself for a weekend. Clyde never got time to himself anymore, aside from the nights he was in charge of closing up the bar. Ever since Mama died, he, Jimmy, and Mellie had moved onto the farm to care for the land. At first, they intended it to be temporary while they got everything in order with Mama’s affairs, but the three siblings found comfort in being near each other again. Clyde and Jimmy fell back into their easy routine of plowing the fields and caring for the land while Mellie cared for the small garden off to the side of the house. They didn’t have animals at the farm anymore like they did when they were kids, but there was still plenty to keep them busy in addition to everyone’s day jobs - or night jobs, in Clyde’s case.
The Duck Tape had been Clyde’s safe haven for the last 5 years. After coming home from the war and getting used to life after the loss of his hand, he took comfort in helping Earl take care of the bar. Earl quickly took him under his wing, teaching him how to make drinks and how to run the business. When Earl retired, he left the whole place to Clyde. It wasn’t easy running the place on his own at first, but Clyde adjusted eventually and became more comfortable behind the bar than he felt sometimes in his own home.
This weekend, Clyde was going to have the whole farm to himself. His niece Sadie had been picked to compete in the Little Miss West Virginia pageant in the capitol after she won the title of Little Miss Boone County. Jimmy, being her dad and all, was taking the weekend off and participating in all the activities he could. Mellie was coming along as Sadie’s one-woman beauty dream team. Due to the size of the event, every family only got four tickets, so the other two of course went to Sadie’s momma Bobbie Jo and her new husband Moody Chapman. Clyde hated not being there to support little Sadie, but he knew it was much more important for her parents to be able to see her, and he had to be around to close up the bar anyways.
On Friday morning, Clyde stood on the porch, waving as Mellie, Jimmy, and Sadie pulled down the long driveway, heading towards Charleston. It was still early and Clyde had a few hours before he had to be at the bar, so he decided to catch up on some reading. Clyde loved settling in with a good book, getting lost in the words, and letting them transport him to another time and place. A lot of people had those new fancy e-readers now, and Mellie kept trying to convince Clyde to get one, but he just couldn’t do it. Sure, he loved the idea of having hundreds of books at his fingertips, so maybe he would someday, but nothing would ever beat the feel of a worn cover and well-loved pages in his hand.
Clyde settled into the porch swing, a pitcher of sweet tea in front of him and a book beside him. He tilted his head back for a minute, letting the sun wash across his bearded face in the humid September air. For just the briefest moment, the heat reminded him of the warmth of the desert where he had spent two summers with the military. He scrubbed his hand down his face, quickly shaking the thoughts from his mind and picking up his book. Clyde was proud of his service to his country, and even though he was home alive and safe, it wasn’t something he liked to think about often.
After the accident, it had taken Clyde a long while to get used to doing some things one-handed. Sure, his prosthetic made some things a little easier, but Clyde Logan was about as stubborn as they come, and he thought that if he couldn’t learn to do it one-handed, it probably couldn’t be done. Reading was one of the first things he’d been looking forward to during his long stay at the medical center, but when he couldn’t quite figure out how to turn the pages and hold the book at the same time, he took his frustrations out on the book. After many failed attempts, Clyde saw that he had accidentally ripped the pages of his favorite book and he couldn’t bring himself to pick one up again for some time. Now that he’d mastered the action one-handed, he felt that there just weren’t enough hours in the day for him to have a book in his hand.
Clyde wasn’t sure how long he sat on the porch until the sound of gravel crunching pulled him back into the real world. As the sound got louder, Clyde set his book down and turned towards the road to see a beat-up green truck coming down the driveway. He didn’t recognize the truck, nor the driver inside of it, and he wasn’t expecting any visitors. Puzzled, Clyde stood and made his way to the steps to meet the mystery driver. As the truck rolled to a stop, a short-statured figure in a ballcap stepped out of the truck and began to step around the front. As they did so, they pulled the ball cap off to reveal warm auburn hair cascading down into gentle waves.
“Hi!” The woman spoke cheerfully. “Are you Clyde? Clyde Logan?”
With a quirk of his eyebrow, Clyde answered.
“That’s me, Ma’am. Can I help ya with somethin’?”
“I hope so!” She answered, a hint of a British accent coming through as she spoke. She turned slightly and pointed down the road before continuing. “You see, I was just that way in town, and this waitress at the diner….Rose, I think? She told me that I should come out here and check out your place, she said it would be perfect for me!”
Clyde watched as she spoke, enamored already by her sunny disposition.
“Well…..” he hesitated. “I’m happy to show ya around, but….it’s not for sale? If that’s what yer lookin’ for?”
The woman laughed in answer, shaking her head before she spoke again.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, no of course not! Let me try that again.”
Clyde grinned as she spoke, listening to her soft laughter that reminded him of the windchimes hung all around the porch. He nodded at her before she continued.
“My name is Rey. Rey Kenobi. I’m a photographer, and I’m doing a project right now for West Virginia Weekly on barns around the state. This weekend I’m photographing Boone County and Rose said that I should check out your place if that’s OK?”
Clyde paused for a minute, not quite sure how to proceed. To him, the barn didn’t really seem like anything special. At least not anymore. It was run down, falling in in some places, and the paint was practically peeling off of the sides. He brought his hand up to the back of his neck as he spoke again.
“Well…..I’m ah…..I’m happy to show ya around, but that old barn ain’t anythin’ special….I’m sure there are plenty of other ones in much better shape than this one.” Clyde paused, looking up at Rey again. Her eyes hadn’t left him the whole time she’d been stood in front of him.
“Well, you see Clyde….that’s the fun thing about my project. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I just happen to love barns, no matter what shape they’re in.” Rey grinned as she finished.
At that, Clyde made his way down the porch steps and walked a little closer to Rey, noticing the freckles spattered across her small face.
“Well, Ms. Kenobi,” Clyde held out his hand as he spoke, shaking Rey’s lightly, feeling her small fingers brush against his large palm. “If you’ll follow me this way, I can show ya around some.”
“Oh, please, call me Rey. Just Rey.”
“Alright,” Clyde nodded. “Right this way, just Rey.”
Clyde led the way and Rey followed just a couple of steps behind, taking in the view as she felt the warm breeze coming through the trees. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as they walked, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. She wasn’t sure what it was about Clyde Logan, but his tall, broad figure, his thick West Virginia accent, and the kindness in his eyes when he smiled already had her desperate to know more about the sweet, soft-spoken man.
Once they had walked around the back of the house, the old barn came into view, Clyde pausing a little ways back from the entrance and Rey coming to stand beside him.
“Well,” Clyde mumbled. “There she is. Like I said, ain’t much, but yer welcome to poke around as much as ya want.”
Rey looked up at Clyde with a bright smile and a look of surprise on her face.
“Clyde….I know you might not think so, but this is gorgeous. It’s exactly what I’m looking for.” Rey brought a hand up to squeeze at Clyde’s upper arm as she spoke, feeling his firm bicep underneath the fabric of his shirt.
Clyde shivered when she pulled her small hand away, her touch leaving his skin aflame where it had rested against him. He looked back down at her with a smile in return before he spoke again.
“Well, if ya say so, Rey. C’mon this way and I’ll show ya around a bit.” Clyde began to walk towards the barn again with Rey keeping pace at his side. He walked through the large open doors before he continued again. “There ain’t no animals inside anymore, but you can see we still keep the farm equipment in here. We’ve got some hay over that way, some old barrels over there, and the tractor here in the middle.”
Rey’s eyes took in her surroundings as Clyde pointed everything out, the bright sun streaming through the cracks between the wood and illuminating their path. In addition to everything Clyde pointed out, there were various tools lined along the walls, some rusted wagons and wheelbarrows, and various other things tucked into the corners. Clyde continued, making his way towards the back doors as Rey slowly followed behind.
Clyde came to a stop in front of the double doors in the back, making sure Rey was still close behind before he continued. He kicked up the doorstop on one side and then made his way to the other, grabbing the small handle with his hand and pulling. It took him a couple of tries to get the momentum he needed, but finally the door slid back along the tracks as the bright sun poured in and illuminated the building.
“There really ain’t much else to show about this old thing. Not unless ya want me to point out all the spots where the wood is crackin’ and the paint is peelin’. Are ya sure this is what yer lookin to take pictures of?” Clyde asked, looking back at Rey as she leaned against the edge of the barn.
“It absolutely is,” she answered with a laugh again. “I know it might not seem like much to you, but I promise you that this is exactly what I’m looking for Clyde.”
“Well, in that case, it’s all yours I guess.”
“Thank you, Clyde!” Rey exclaimed. “I’m just going to go back around front and grab my camera equipment, then I’ll be back around. I do have some papers that you’ll have to sign so I can use the pictures, but if it’s OK, we can do that afterward….I’d like to get some good shots before the light changes.”
“Of course. I’m just gonna grab my book and set up camp here on the back porch, so I’ll be right here if ya need anythin’ at all. Though I won’t be much help with takin’ any pictures if you need any of that.” Clyde laughed, feeling at ease with Rey’s warm, inviting smile. She just grinned at him in response before turning back towards her truck at the front of the house.
Clyde gathered up his book and poured himself another glass of sweet tea, stepping back off of the front porch just as Rey came back around the front of the truck with a large backpack slung over her shoulders and a tripod in her hand. Clyde noticed the little beads of sweat gathering at her brow, rolling slowly down the sides of her face, noticing as they slid across the freckles scattered along her cheeks. For some reason that he couldn’t quite explain, Clyde felt the sudden urge to want to reach out and wipe the beads away, letting his hand rest against her slightly pink cheek as he did so. He quickly shoved that thought from his mind, reminding himself that they barely knew each other and she probably didn’t want some weird one-handed man touching her anyways. Clyde stepped away and up onto the back porch, settling down at the small table and chairs set up in the corner.
“I’ll just be here readin’ if ya need anythin’, Miss Rey.” He said with a wave as he sat down. Rey nodded at him in thanks, moving forward to set up her tripod and camera equipment. She worked quickly and with experienced hands. As he watched, Clyde could tell this was something she’d done many times before. He watched as she placed the camera at the top of the tripod, fiddled with the settings, and then bent forward slightly to look through the viewfinder.
Clyde tried to keep his focus on the book in his hand, but he found his eyes drifting up to Rey more often than drifting down to the book. He watched as she snapped picture after picture, stopping every few minutes to review the shots. She moved quickly around the barn, changing positions and angles many times. Clyde wasn’t sure how anyone could find that many things to photograph on his barn. Eventually, the book in his hand laid closed on the table, his focus fully on Rey. She had now moved to a camera that used film instead of the digital one she had before. At one point, Rey stood up and stretched where she stood at the side of the barn, her tank top sliding up just slightly to reveal a strip of bare skin just above the waistband of her jeans. Clyde caught himself staring at her tanned skin, eyes focusing on the way the jeans hugged her hips. As her arms came back down to rest at her sides, Clyde looked back up towards her face to find her staring right at him. He quickly looked down, cheeks flushing red because he knew that Rey had caught him staring. What he didn’t see, was the way Rey’s cheeks also flushed red as she smiled shyly back at him.
After a little while longer, Rey was finally finished getting all the shots she needed and she began to pack up her bags. Clyde had gone back to focusing on his book, and only his book. He didn’t want to be caught staring at Rey again. Sure, she was beautiful, but his momma taught him it’s not polite to stare and Clyde Logan was nothing if not polite. A thump on the porch steps caught his attention and Clyde looked up from his book to see Rey standing before him at the base of the stairs, skin flushed pink from the bright sun.
“Well, I think I’ve got everything that I need.” She smiled. “Now, I just have those papers for you to sign, please.”
“Right.” Clyde cleared his throat as he stood up, trying not to blush again as Rey watched him. “Come on in. You can cool off some while we get everythin’ squared away.” He made his way to the back door, holding it open for Rey to enter into the small kitchen. She sat her tripod down just inside the door and made her way over to the small table in the center of the room. “Can I get ya anythin’ to drink?” Clyde asked as she sat.
“Ice water would be great if it’s not too much trouble,” Rey answered softly. Clyde nodded and pulled a glass down from the cabinet above the sink. As he got some ice and filled the glass for her, Rey pulled the paperwork from her bag along with an ink pen for Clyde to sign with, sliding them over to her side so they’d be between where she and Clyde sat. Clyde came over to the table and placed the glass in front of Rey, pulling out the chair so he could sit to her left. Rey thanked him as he sat, taking a drink of the water before she continued.
“Alright. So these are just some standard releases for the photos I took today. Nothing crazy, just a bunch of legal-speak basically saying that you permit me to take the photos and you give the magazine the rights to publish them and use them in my piece when it comes out.”
Clyde nodded as she spoke, watching as she pointed out different things on each form.
“So, if you don’t mind signing these for me then I can quit bothering you!” She said with a laugh.
Clyde huffed before he spoke, giving her a small laugh back.
“Ya haven’t been a bother at all. Still not sure what ya see in that old barn, but I’m glad it was helpful for yer project.” He said with a soft smile.
“It was, Clyde. Really, it’s lovely. I can show you some of the pictures now if you’d like - a little ‘sneak peek’ before it’s published?”
“Sure, I’d love that,” Clyde said as he pushed the small stack of completed papers back towards Rey.
She gathered the papers up and slid them back down into her backpack, pulling out the digital camera she had been using. She took a few moments to pull up the first pictures and then slid her chair a little closer towards Clyde’s, their shoulders and arms brushing against each other from how close they were. Rey almost shivered at the heat of Clyde’s arm brushing against hers, but she pulled away just enough so that Clyde wouldn’t quite feel it if she did so. She held the camera back up so that Clyde could see, and showed him how to navigate between the images before letting him hold it in his hand to look at his own pace. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Clyde sat the camera down on the table and looked back at Rey.
“Wow.” He spoke, sounding somewhat stunned. “Are you sure that’s my barn? Those pictures….they’re gorgeous.”
Rey blushed lightly before grinning back at Clyde and thanking him, reassuring him that they were in fact of his barn and his property.
“Well then, yer one hell of a photographer Miss Rey, if ya can make that hunk of junk outside look that great.” He answered with a laugh.
“I don’t know that I’d go that far,” she started. “But I’ve had plenty of practice, so I guess that counts for something.”
“Right. Well, practice makes perfect, I guess.” Clyde answered back. “Speakin’ of, how did ya get started takin’ these kinds of pictures, if ya don’t mind my askin’?”
“Of course not!” Rey exclaimed. She continued as she powered off the camera and packed it back into her bag. “It’s kind of a long story, but the short version is that my Grandma Satine taught me as a girl. When she passed away, I wasn’t sure I’d ever pick up a camera again. In college, I had to register to take an art course, and since I waited til the last possible minute to pick, photography was the only one with spots left. I was furious with myself at first, for waiting so long and getting stuck in that class, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. It gave my Grandpa Ben and me something new to bond over again before he passed, I ended up changing my major from literature to photography, and here I am.” Rey toyed with the almost empty water glass as she finished, eyes coming back up to meet Clyde’s when she was done speaking.
“That’s a lovely story, Miss Rey. I’m sure your grandparents were lovely people.” He said with a smile, bringing his hand down to rest over where her left laid on the table. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before pulling away, not wanting to make Rey uncomfortable. “Can I get ya some more water?” he asked.
“That would be nice if you don’t mind.” She answered with a smile, watching as Clyde quickly stood and grabbed the now empty glass from the table. As he walked to the sink to fill it up, Rey began to speak again. “So, Clyde. Do you live on this big farm all by yourself?” She watched as Clyde’s broad shoulders shook with quiet laughter before he answered.
“No way. That’s too much work for one man, even if they’re a hard workin’ man like me.” He smiled down at her as he placed the water in front of her again and she nodded in thanks. “My sister Mellie and my brother Jimmy live here too, and sometimes my niece - Jimmy’s daughter - Sadie.” Rey nodded in acknowledgment before Clyde continued. “This farm, it used to belong to our momma and pops growing up. After Pop died, we got rid of all the animals, but momma kept the garden outside and all the old equipment. She tended that garden every day until she couldn’t anymore. When she died, we all moved back in here to get everythin’ in order, but none of us wanted to leave so we’re all still here.” He finished, a hint of sadness in his voice as he reminisced about his parents. He’d been young when his pops had passed away, so he didn’t really remember much about him. But momma, she was a different story. “I’m sorry, you probably didn’t wanna know. all that.” He spoke again, looking away from Rey. She brought her hand down to rest over his now, gently squeezing as she spoke again.
“It’s a lovely story, Clyde. Thank you for sharing it with me.” She smiled back at him.
The two continued to sit at the table and talk, conversation flowing easily between them. Rey talked more about her adventures and travels from being a photographer, and Clyde shared stories about Jimmy, Mellie, and little Sadie as they spoke. The two laughed as they spoke and Clyde couldn’t quite remember the last time his cheeks hurt from smiling this much. He wasn’t sure how long they’d sat there talking until the alarm on his phone started going off, startling them both. Clyde reached down into his jeans pocket and pulled it out, silencing the alarm as he realized it was almost time for him to head to work.
“Well, Miss Rey, it’s been really nice talkin’ to ya, but I’ve got to be headin’ to work soon,” Clyde spoke as he pushed the chair back from the table, preparing to stand up as Rey did the same.
“Of course! Oh, I’m sorry for distracting you, I’ve taken up your whole afternoon!” She apologized.
“No sorry, needed.” Clyde smiled. “Was a pleasure talkin’ to ya, Miss Rey.”
“You too, Clyde.” Rey smiled back at him brightly. “I guess I should be going, then.” She turned towards the door, grabbing her tripod, and prepared to exit the house. Clyde quickly came behind her to push the door open and hold it for her. There was a strange energy between them as he followed Rey around to the front of the house. He didn’t want her to leave, and she almost seemed hesitant to go. But Clyde knew he had to get to the bar, and they’d just met. It wasn’t like he could just ask her to stay over. He watched from the edge of the house as she put her equipment in the bed of the truck and then came back to lean against the front.
“Well, thank you again, Clyde, really. It’s been a wonderful afternoon.” She grinned as she started to pull open the truck door. Clyde smiled and nodded, every muscle in his body begging him to call out and ask her to stay. He finally realized what he could ask her to do, and almost wanted to smack himself on the forehead when it took him so long to realize.
“Rey! Just a minute!” He held his hand up as he walked towards the truck just as Rey started the engine. She rolled down the window and looked up at him in anticipation as he leaned against the door. “I have…..if ya don’t have any plans this evenin’...I run a bar just outside of town. If ya wanna come by, I’d be happy to make ya a drink.”
“That sounds wonderful, Clyde. I need to get some dinner first, but maybe I can come by after?” she answered, looking back up at him with a smile. Clyde beamed as if she’d just told him he’d won the lottery.
“Perfect.” He spoke again. Clyde told her the name of the bar and gave her directions on how to find it before stepping back and letting her truck pull out of the driveway. He stood there watching her drive away until he couldn’t see the truck anymore, then headed back into the house. As he showered and got dressed for work, his thoughts lingered on the sweet brunette photographer, and he knew she wasn’t someone he was going to forget any time soon, even if she was only in town for the weekend.