Page 45 of Evergreen Desires
“Including me,” I muttered under my breath. It just hit me that I could have gone up in the same flames that took out these plants. Looking toward Will, I asked, “How did you know the fire was happening?”
"I was at the cabin working on one of the various projects," Will replied.
"When I set up Beau's iPhone the last time, I added myself to the emergency call alerts. So when he called 911, I got a text message with his location. I came running over. As soon as I got here, I saw him come around the corner with you before the ceiling collapsed."
I still couldn’t shake the feeling of unease at how close I’d been to something really bad happening. "Glad you were close by."
"As talkative as I am, I'm generally a homebody. I was just at the cabin working on one of the various projects."
As we reached the end of the row, most of the debris had been cleared. Will and I lingered for a moment before turning down the second row, heading toward the far end again.
About five steps in, Will stopped suddenly.
“Hey—what’s that?” he asked, pointing toward the ground near one of the support beams.
Half-buried in the churned-up soil was something smooth and shiny, catching the light even through a layer of mud. I squinted. It looked like an oval gemstone, maybe part of a piece of jewelry.
“Definitely doesn’t belong here,” I said, keeping my distance.
Will crouched slightly, but didn’t touch it. “You think it could be evidence?”
“If it’s not yours, we should flag it and call Mat,” I said. “Better not to move it.”
Will nodded and took a picture from a few angles, careful not to get too close. Then he straightened and pulled out his phone.
“Hey, honey—work stuff,” he said when Mat picked up. “Just sent you a picture of something we found in the greenhouse. Thought you might want to take a look, see if it’s evidence.”
He paused, then nodded. “Yeah, we’re in row two. Oh—you’re up front? Perfect. See you in a sec.”
He hung up and turned to me. “He’s actually here, talking with Beau and the insurance adjustor. Said he’d be right back.”
We both looked down at the gleaming shape in the dirt, the weight of it suddenly feeling a little heavier than just some lost trinket.
"I'm here," Mat called out, grinning when Will looked over to him.
Will showed Mat the object he’d found on the ground. "Here it is. I found it in the mud here. Right next to the leg of the nursery table."
Mat examined it closely on the ground. "This isn't something you recognize?"
We both shook our heads. Mateo bent down to get a closer look at it without touching it.
"Let me go get some gloves and an evidence bag out of the car. Who knows, it might be important."
CHAPTER 38
BEAU
The shadows had already started to lengthen as I parked the ATV in the barn for the night. I sat there for a moment, staring into space, lost in my own turbulent mind. The truth was, I’d been fooling myself into thinking I'd been working in the groves this past week. In reality, I'd been hiding. Will took charge of the greenhouse repairs after the first morning, and I found myself just getting in the way. At one point, he’d practically kicked me out.
"I don't need your moping ass in the way. Is there something you can do in the groves?" He'd said it with a smile, and I knew he wasn't really mad, but it still stung.
What was really eating at me was Jake. I'd been forcing myself to get up early so I could leave before he woke, and then I stayed out until he was in his room for the night. This morning, the dark circles under my eyes were so pronounced that I looked like I'd been in a fight.
I didn’t trust myself right then. While it had been more than a week, it was all too fresh still. Every fiber of my being longed for him. My skin ached from touch deprivation. He’d always found ways to casually touch me—a light handon my back, a quick peck on the cheek, his hand resting on my thigh on the couch, or that playful grab of my ass as I passed by him in the kitchen. Even the way he looked at me made me feel touched.
Despite all this, my logical side told me that I had to keep him out of harm's way. The only way to do that was to push him away. I wouldn’t kick him out; I told him that and I wouldn’t go back on my word. He had nowhere else to go, after all. Shutting down the cannabis operation would remove him from danger; the family had run the Christmas tree farm for years without issues or controversy. But that bridge might have been burned because of Rich, that vindictive son of a bitch. I could sell the farm or give it to Will. Jake and I could move away, just the two of us. The idea brought a smile to my face, but it faded quickly. Jake wouldn't let me give up the farm; he'd be mad at me for doing it for him. I closed my eyes. That would just add another burden to him.
My thoughts continued to swirl as it was getting darker outside. I swung my leg over the ATV and finally dismounted. Closing the barn door, I turned and saw that the light in the kitchen at the house was still on.
