Ranata plugged in a silver electric kettle and set a porcelain teapot on the glass table.

“Why did you tell Dad my baler was broken?” I asked.

“I never said broken,” Ranata said.

“I said you were having equipment trouble.”

“Joe looked at my tractor last night.

He went over the baler too.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of my machinery.”

Ranata set the kettle down and smiled.