Page 110 of Losing the Rhythm

“Yeah. We’ll use it for the apple pie, and whatever is left over we can bring home. I figured we can give them to Seth to make use of, or have Toby bring some to Aunt Laura. She makes some good desserts. Though we might not get to try those if we leave it up to Toby to bring some for us.”

“We’ll have to let Justin know to protect the food.”

Bryan chuckled. “I think it’s still questionable. I swear, Aunt Laura bakes a lot more than the two of them let on.”

“Do you think pouting will work?” I asked, and even puffed out my lips as an example.

Bryan paused from grabbing an apple to stare at me before finally blinking and staring hard at the apple. He cleared his throat. “It might work.”

I smiled and went over to a nearby tree and began grabbing some apples. “These are Granny Smith apples, right?”

“Yeah, and down a little bit are the Crispin. I figured we can get a variety of apples. I’m told variations in apple pies make it more delicious.”

“I guess we’ll find out,” I said.

We slowly worked down the lane, finding our ideal apples.

“You know,” Bryan said slowly, “this wouldn’t be a bad life.”

“Picking apples?”

“Owning an orchard.” He was looking down at the apple he’d just grabbed, looking a little wistful. “All I’d have to worry about is the plot of land and what goes on with it. Set it up for apple picking season. A place for families to come and be happy while spending time outside, away from their lives.”

“I mean, if anyone was in a position to start something like this, it’d be you,” I said, not really sure what he was actually thinking about.

Bryan snorted. “I’m so bogged down by family expectations that if I don’t go to college and get the degree they expect me to get, they’d disown me.”

“Well, an orchard is still a business, right?” I asked. “You still need to understand all that business stuff? I imagine the possibilities become endless once you have a degree in your hands. You could open your own orchard and know how to properly run it. Or a shop if you want.”

“Entrepreneurship,” Bryan said.

“Exactly.”

Bryan seemed to think that over. “That could work. I’d still go to school for business, making my parents happy, but I could do what I want with it once I graduate.”

“Frankly, you should just get the degree that you want, not what your parents want.”

“The only direction I know is business,” Bryan admitted.

“Have you looked into other options?” I asked.

“Not really.”

“Want to give it a try? With me? I know applications are going to sneak up on us, but I still have no clue what I want to do, if I even go to college.”

“You think you won’t go?”

“What would I go for?”

“Music?”

“I’m already paid nicely for my music.”

“True.” He seemed to think about it. “What would you like to do outside of music?”

“I never thought about it.”

Bryan grinned. “Want to be an entrepreneur with me? Between the two of us, we’d take over the world.”

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