Page 72 of Keep My Heart
‘Okay, but let me know if you change your mind. Do you know if Lyndsay’s still coming to the tasting?’
‘Probably not. I’m with her right now. She’s coming over to the house with me to help Mom clean up from the party.’
‘Sounds like something a girlfriend would do,’ he says, a smile in his voice.
‘Don’t start with that shit. She’s just being a friend. Hey, I need to go. Call Brody and Jason and tell them about Dad.’
‘What do you think is wrong with him? Is it the flu or something he ate?’
‘He said his stomach was bothering him. He didn’t look too good at breakfast.’ I hear Lyndsay running down the stairs. ‘I gotta go. Talk to you later.’
‘I’m ready,’ Lyndsay says, her sneakers on, her hair in a ponytail, and wearing a white baseball cap. She looks adorable, and fucking hot in that plaid shirt and those tiny shorts. I want to take her in my arms and kiss her, but I can’t. We’re not dating, not even fake dating.
Last night sure felt like a date. It took everything in me to stay away from her. More than once, I reached out to touch her, but then realized I couldn’t. I couldn’t kiss her either, even though I was dying to. We had such a great time at that run-down mini golf course. It was in such bad shape, it was comical. We couldn’t stop laughing, especially at the one-eyed clown, which was both frightening and funny. I haven’t laughed that much in years. Back in New York, I’m always so serious. I have to be for my job. It was nice to just kick back and relax and let myself laugh and have a good time.
When we get to the house, my mom looks surprised when she sees Lyndsay.
‘Well, hello,’ Mom says, smiling as she goes up to her. ‘Nick didn’t say he was bringing a friend.’
‘I thought you might need some help cleaning up from theparty last night,’ Lyndsay says. ‘I probably should’ve asked you first, but Nick was in such a hurry to get over here.’
‘Do you mind if she helps?’ I ask, realizing Mom may want to tend to Dad rather than deal with the party cleanup.
‘I’d love some help,’ she says, looking at Lyndsay, ‘and the company. I haven’t seen you since Nick’s graduation party. That’s been what .?.?. ten years?’
‘Fifteen,’ I say, laughing. ‘I’m 33, Mom.’
She pauses to think. ‘That’s right. I guess it was 15 years. Time sure does fly.’
‘What’s Dad got on the chore list?’
‘Cleaning up the fields. We had a storm last week and your father wasn’t able to get out there and clean up all the debris it left behind.’
‘Because he didn’t have time or because he wasn’t feeling well?’ I ask, hoping it was time and not his health.
‘He didn’t have the energy. He’d go out there and end up coming in an hour later and taking a nap.’
‘That doesn’t sound like Dad.’ I glance at Lyndsay, who looks as worried as I am. My dad doesn’t take naps. He works nonstop from sunrise to sunset. He’s always been that way.
‘I’m sure planning the party took a lot out of him,’ Mom says with a strained smile. ‘He’ll be fine after he rests.’
She’s worried too, but trying to hide it. She and Dad never wanted us kids to worry so they’d never tell us when something was wrong.
‘I’ll go out to the fields and see what needs to be done,’ I say. ‘Maybe I’ll call Brody, see if he can help.’
‘Nick, don’t,’ Mom says, racing up to me. ‘I don’t want your brothers knowing your father’s not feeling well. Just do what you can and if your father still isn’t feeling well tomorrow, we’ll bring in some help.’
‘I already told Sawyer, and he’s telling Jason and Brody. Mom, this could be serious, and we’re all adults. You don’t need to hide this stuff from us anymore.’
She nods. ‘Maybe you’re right, but I still don’t want you asking Brody. Sunday is one of his busiest days and I don’t want him cancelling on his customers. And Jason’s summer classes start tomorrow. He needs today to prepare.’
Jason teaches summer school to kids who are falling behind. He loves teaching and didn’t want to take the summer off. He also coaches baseball, so he’s always busy. It’s hard to find time to see him when I’m home. It’s the same with Brody. With his lawn business taking off, he’s working all the time. And Sawyer just opened the brewery, so he’s working a lot too.
All of us are like are our dad, working hard to achieve our goals. Growing up, we watched Dad work long days, seven days a week, to make the orchard a success. But he always told us it didn’t feel like work because he loved it. He told us to do the same; to find something we loved to do and find a way to make money doing it. That way, we’d never dread going to work.
My brothers managed to do that, but I’m not sure I did. I like practicing law, but I don’t love it. Honestly, some days I hate it. Writing contracts, doing research, dealing with angry clients who demand I get them what they want. And no matter how hard I work, the partners at my law firm always want more. It’s never enough. It’s exhausting, and the only reward I get from it is money, which isn’t nearly as meaningful as the reward Dad gets from this orchard. Seeing all the families here, making memories. Tourists stopping by, bringing income to the town. He’s even had a few couples get married here. He’s created something that brings people joy, and made a good living doing it.
‘I’ll get out there and see how much I can get done,’ I say toMom. I walk over to Lyndsay. ‘Let me know when you need to go. I’ll give you a ride.’
