Page 74 of Keep My Heart
‘I don’t know. He’s resting. I haven’t seen him.’
‘Hey, Nick, thanks for doing this.’
‘What do you mean? Of course I’m doing it. Why wouldn’t I?’
‘You’re a big city guy now. You haven’t worked in those fields in years. I didn’t think you’d want to do it anymore.’
‘Actually, I kind of miss it.’ I walk out of the barn and look out at the fields. ‘It’s nice being out here, getting some fresh air. And Dad needs the help.’
‘Well, let me know if you need some extra hands.’
‘I will. Bye.’
I’m surprised Sawyer thinks I wouldn’t step in and help. It’s true it’s been awhile since I’ve worked in the fields, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it. It’s not like I forgot how. I grew up helping my dad. I spent more time out here than any of my brothers. I was one of those kids who liked learning stuff, so I’d come out here and ask my dad to teach me everything he knew. I had no intention of ever running an orchard, but I still wanted to learn about it.
‘Where should I start?’ I hear Matt yell as he makes his way over to me. He’s got on an old pair of jeans, a baseball cap, and a t-shirt with the name of our high school on it.
‘That was fast.’
‘I just had to change clothes, then I headed over. What do you want me to do?’
‘You get to pick. Rake or cut branches?’
‘Cut branches.’ He smirks. ‘I’m faster at it than you.’
‘What the hell? You’re not faster than me.’
We go in the barn to get what we need.
‘Don’t you remember?’ he says. ‘I’d be done with an entire row and you’d be only halfway done with yours.’
‘Yeah, well, I was more precise. I didn’t just hack at the trees.’
‘I think it was more about you having your mind on somethingelse.’
‘Like what?’
We take our tools and head out to the orchard.
‘Notwhat. Who,’ he says. ‘You couldn’t stop thinking about Lyndsay. That summer we worked together was her last summer here before she moved away with Chris.’
‘Yeah? So?’
‘You were pissed she was leaving with him and trying to find a way to get her to stay. That’s why you were so slow with those trees.’
‘I was not thinking about Lyndsay. And why would I try to get her to stay? She chose Chris. She chose to move away with him and marry him. That was her decision. I wasn’t getting in the way of that.’
He shrugs. ‘It was just a theory. I don’t know how else to explain why you were so freaking slow.’ He holds back a laugh.
‘I wasn’t slow,’ I insist.
We get down to the trees and Matt stops. ‘Holy shit, this is a mess. That storm was over a week ago. I can’t believe it still looks like this.’
‘Dad wasn’t able to do the work. Matt, I’m getting worried. You know my dad. He never takes a day off. Something like a storm happens and he’s out here until sunset every day cleaning it up.’
‘But he had the party to plan. Maybe that’s why he didn’t do it. He didn’t have time.’
‘Yeah, I thought about that, but still, it’s not like him to take a nap after breakfast. I know he’s tired from being up late last night, but he’d normally fight through it and be out here.’
