Page 88 of Cherished Lands
"You want to hire them."
She gaped up at me. "How did you?—"
"Because I've been thinking the same thing." I tugged her to a stop between two rows of trees. "We're going to need more hands in the orchard anyway, with the increased production for the cidery. And these people know the industry."
A slow smile spread across her face. "We're really on the same page here, aren't we?"
"Seems like it." I lifted our linked hands and kissed her knuckles. "Who would've thought? A year ago, we couldn't even be in the same room without fighting."
"And now look at us." She reached up stroke my stubble. "Running a business together. Planning a future together."
"Married." I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Still fighting sometimes."
She laughed. "But the making up is so much better now."
"Speaking of which..." I glanced around at the privacy of the orchard. "Want to christen our new grove?"
"Elliot! You're incorrigible."
"You love it."
"Yeah," Her eyes misted over. "I really do."
Standing among the budding trees, holding the woman who'd gone from my greatest rival to my greatest love, I couldn't help but marvel at how life worked out sometimes. We'd fought this future so hard, both too stubborn to see what was right in front of us.
But now? Now we were building something together.Something so much bigger and more meaningful than a milestone on a checklist. I didn't have a plan or a roadmap, and I fucking loved it. With Tessa at my side, the future looked exciting and full of possibility.
And I couldn't wait to see what came next.
Epilogue
TESSA
Six monthsafter we met in Natalie's office and agreed to this partnership, EdenTree Cidery was open for business. It was the first Friday in June, the weather was beautiful, and Jay's famous hard cider was flowing. The taproom was packed. Friends, family, neighbors, and members of the community had all turned up to show their support. Music and laughter spilled from the crowded bar onto the patio. Despite the turmoil we'd gone through to get here, I'd never been happier.
"I can't believe this marriage has been a complete sham," Chase said, leaning against one of the long communal tables.
"Not acompletesham," I replied, running my fingers over the polished wood. "It just... started out that way."
After the injunction was dismissed, the entire Everton clan celebrated. Elliot and I had finally confessed to the rest of his family how things between us had started out. It felt good not to keep that secret from them anymore.
"Well, I feel bamboozled."
"Poor Chase." I gave him a condescending pat on the headbefore standing up and moving on. He'd been doing better since the incident with the construction equipment and his bust up with Elliot, but it was hard to tell what was really going on with him. Today, he was stone-cold sober and on his best behavior, but how long would it last? I was happy he was back on speaking terms with his brother, but I wished they'd talk about what happened. Asking Chase Everton to have an adult conversation about his feelings was like asking a hippopotamus to take a ballet class. The whole situation felt like a ticking time bomb.
Elliot and I were making the rounds, chatting with the guests. While I recognized most faces, there were a few out-of-towners who had stumbled upon our grand opening. I was speaking to a couple who had taken a road trip from Cleveland in their RV when a familiar head of neatly styled ash-blonde hair caught my attention.
"Excuse me." I apologized to the couple and made a beeline toward my mother. "Hey, Mom."
She whipped around, and my heart sank. She looked exhausted.
"Hi, sweetheart." She pulled me into a tight hug that smelled of her signature Chanel perfume. When she released me, her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "This place is beautiful. Your father would hate it."
I barked out a surprised laugh. "Yeah, he really would."
She took a sip of the cider in her hand. "This is delicious, by the way. So different from wine, but in the best way possible."
"Jay's been perfecting that recipe for decades."
