Page 62 of Every Beat of My Heart

“Al sent me pictures, and it’s adorable.”

“I don’t understand. What does the treehouse have to do with the tree farm?” I asked her.

“It’s the thing that sets you apart from everyone else. Yeah, your farm is closer to town. But you need something else to make your place special. Both your farm and the Monroes’ are family owned. Both properties are scenic. The treehouse sets you apart. Obviously, I haven’t seen the rest of the grounds yet.”

“What’s the point of the treehouse? People want to take pictures or something?” Teddy asked, his tone hard.

“If it’s stable, kids could play in it.”

Teddy shook his head. “No one’s been up there in years. We haven’t even let Izzy near it. I don’t think it’s safe.”

“You can make it safe. I heard you were good with your hands,” Charlotte said with a smile.

Teddy’s cheeks reddened. “I don’t like it.”

“It’s an interesting idea, but we’d have to take a look at it. See if it’s feasible to fix it. Then look into the insurance aspect.” Dad stood to grab water bottles from the fridge and handed them out.

Charlotte accepted one with a smile. “I’d love to see it and the rest of the farm.”

Dad waved a hand at Teddy. “Take her out. Show her around.”

“You mentioned something about horses too. You could offer pony rides.”

“What you’re suggesting is adding on to our current offerings. It’s a bigger operation than we currently have. We’ll need more employees.”

Charlotte nodded. “I promise you my suggestions will pay for themselves.”

“We need more than breaking even. We need to increase our profits,” Teddy continued.

“You don’t have to take all my ideas. There are a few things we can do to spruce up the place that won’t require hiring anyone.”

Teddy nodded tightly.

“Why don’t you show her around, and then we can meet again after you’ve had a chance to see and evaluate everything?”

“And you don’t have to do everything at once. We can do the improvements, then add one new thing at a time. This is a marathon not a race,” Charlotte said.

“I like the idea of taking things slow,” Wes said.

“Cole mentioned that you might have a place for me to stay if I take the position.”

“It’s only temporary to start, but Teddy can show it to you,” Dad said.

Charlotte beamed. “Thank you so much for meeting with me. Projects like this are so exciting.”

I had a feeling she thrived on projects. That she enjoyed making the changes and seeing the outcome. I just wasn’t sure Teddy was going to be okay with this little ray of sunshine living on the property.

“Let’s go,” Teddy said as he stood abruptly. “I have things to do.”

Charlotte didn’t let his attitude get to her. She took her time gathering her things while Teddy stood tense off to the side. When she was ready, she said, “Nice to meet you all.”

We all nodded and said the same.

Dad walked out with her and Teddy.

“Is it a good idea to send Teddy with her? Should one of us do it?” Wes asked.

“You think he’s going to scare her away?” I asked lightly.

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