Page 13 of Baking Spirits Bright!

What am I doing?I sigh and smack my lips.

I’ve checked my hair and reapplied lip gloss twice, and it’s barely after eight.

I want to look my best since I’m representing our brand and showing the orchard to a businessman. Pumpkin patch people are adjacent to apple orchard people, so I need to make a good impression. However, on a more personal subconscious level, I’m well aware that person is Ryan.

Ms. Dot greets me when I walk onto the porch.

“Morning, dear. Pleasant weather, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I smile and pass her as she heads for Paul’s front door.

They’re likely going to Mary’s for coffee. I’m waiting to have mine at the orchard bakery. One more perk of the business I can show Ryan.

I drive the few minutes to town square and find him leaned against the railing in the new gazebo. He straightens when he sees me park in front of him. Before I can open the door, he hops the railing and jogs toward me.

I roll down my window and greet him. “Good morning. You’re full of energy.”

“I’m a morning person,” he confesses.

I frown. Until now, I thought we had a lot in common.

“You can ride with me.”

He smiles and climbs inside. I’ve barely backed into the road when he speaks. “I’ve read the blog post, but I’d love to know more about how the orchard started.”

I use the twenty-minute drive to tell how my great-grandparents started planting numerous apple trees and my grandparents expanded it into what it is today, with an on-site bakery and canned products.

He seems genuinely interested, and for a split second it concerns me. What if he’s a Hallmark villain in disguise because it’s too hot for him to wear his sweater vest?

“It must be cool to be a part of something so iconic. My parents started the pumpkin patch when they retired.”

“Really?”

He nods. “Dad has always farmed, but my mom was a chef in town for many years.”

“That’s impressive. I bet she could win the bake-off.” I laugh nervously, thinking about what dessert we will enter.

“She was more of a main-dish chef for a Southern soul food place in Nashville. We live about twenty minutes out of town.”

“I would love to live closer to a bigger town. Tuscaloosa is an hour from here.”

“Have you ever thought of moving?”

I glance at Ryan. I think of moving all the time, but I never talk about it.

For so much of my life I assumed I’d be married by now and settled near the orchard like my family. I tried to make my college boyfriend fit in that plan too.

We were engaged for almost two years. He finally convinced me to set a wedding date. The closer it got, the more I panicked. Deep down I knew I couldn’t commit to him forever. My heart wasn’t in it. I was itching for something else.

I have similar feelings about Apple Cart.

“Yes.” My body instantly relaxes at admitting that.

“Nothing wrong with that. I have an apartment in Nashville.”

I turn onto the road leading to our orchard.

“I eventually want to have a house and some land, but it’s good for now.”

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