Happy Medium | Sarah Adler
"why do something that's probably going to hurt?"
"oh doll, because it hurts so much more not to."
Gretchen Acorn is a bullshit artist, like her ancestors before her. Though they dealt in more physical scams, her methods are more sophisticated. She is in fact, a medium. Or well, she's pretending to be one in order to swindle rich Washingtonians and in return, she gives them closure and healing. That's her one guiding motto - she has to leave her clients better off than she found them.
One of her best customers, a widow who's been seeing her regularly for a while, before leaving for a holiday, refers her to Charles, a friend whose goat farm needs her particular skills. It appears to be haunted, which is quite upsettingly, though understandably, preventing its sale. On her arrival, Gretchen is met with a handsome young man, apparently the grandson of the person she'd been expecting to meet. That first meeting doesn't quite go as planned, as he sees right through her, calls her a charlatan and chases her away.
Miffed about losing out on the money she'd have been paid, Gretchen still goes to leave - only to come face to face with a ghost. He introduces himself as Everrett, he is over hundred years old and is happy to finally have someone see him since he died. He explains to a stunned Gretchen that he had been doing tricks in the house in order to stop the sale, as he is certain Charlie will die if he leaves the farm, due to the same family curse that led to his own untimely demise. Appealing to his kind nature, Gretchen manages to convince Charlie to let her stay for a month as "help", in which time she plans to convince him not to sell. As the kidding season is starting, and no help due to a severely limited budget, Charlie lets her stay on. As time passes, Charlie seems to warm up to her, but always ends up putting up a wall between them as he remembers his low opinion of her profession.
Soon enough, Gretchen warms to the place and to both Charlie and Everett, as well as the cure goats; she goes to farmers' markets, she goes with Charlie to visit his grandpa when he has a rough episode due to his memory loss, she helps deliver goats even. The tension between her and Charlie grows with each passing day, and she keeps falling in love with the life she's carving out for herself. Promoting the farm on social media, organizing goat yoga classes - she is all in on saving the farm.
After her a Charlie finally give in and sleep together, she reveals some of her past. She also realizes that se could let Charlie go - let he be free to pursue his dreams, by marrying him and thus becoming the Waybill that stays behind on the farm. The agreement is settled, though Charlie doesn't seem very pleased about it all. But when Everrett drops on more bomb on her, will Gretchen be able to hold on to this life she's created or will she lose her home and Charlie in the end?
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