Page 133 of Forever By Morning

You got it.

I was tempted to pass out on the cot we kept stashed in the barn, but the thought of waking in these mud-caked clothes was enough to keep my ass moving.

Quickly, I found my way to the walking trails behind the barn. Even in the semi-dark, I knew every tree root and twist in the path.

The stars were drilling holes in the sky, reminding me just what I was working for. This place, the people, the dream that had started with my mother and my aunt Laverne. The families that had lived and loved here on this orchard.

More families that would thrive here, thanks to the changes we were making.

In the distance, The Lodge glowed brightly with the solar lights we’d put in around the property. String lights crisscrossed the patio above the hand-carved benches that sat alongside a handful of our famous Honeycrisp trees. They’d become a staple of our orchard and the craggy branches had always been beautiful to me. We’d planted Pink Ladies at The Lodge to cross-pollinate them and they had created a beautiful copse around the gardens.

As I got closer, I decided to cut along the back to see what Helena, Cara, and our new hire, Bells, had been up to. It was hard to believe the violence the night before Clay and Rachel’s wedding had happened in the same spot.

My cousin, Willow, had dealt with an online stalker who’d decided a cyber obsession wasn’t enough for him. He’d scared a few years off of us, but thankfully, he’d been taken into custody with minimal issues except for the blight he left on the gardens.

The memory of the cops and the ambulances had been enough to make quite a few of our staff avoid the gardens.

I slowed to a stop as I got to the flagstone path. The busted pots had been replaced with barrels from the taproom and a few from barn storage. A mix of Happy Acres and Brothers Three logos were showcased with ornamental solar lights and freshly potted plants.

A few of the trees had been decked out in more of the solar string lights to cast a warm glow on the whole area.

Even a few of the seedlings from the greenhouse had been brought over to show the new and the old in such a thoughtful way. Adirondack chairs and benches were grouped in conversation pieces similar to the style of the taproom.

Warm.

Welcoming.

A mix of the new and the traditional charm of The Lodge.

I wandered closer, brushing my finger over a bright pansy petal among the cluster of flowers planted in a full-sized barrel. Beside it, there was a wrought iron table that would probably be a showcase of something fancy for the party. Right now, it was empty, but gleaming with a fresh coat of oil to bring back the luster of the metal.

A tarped cart of chairs stood under the overhang, with tables stacked in front. It was only midweek and too early to set up for the party. The fact that the gardens had been overhauled to this extent when anyone else would have just worried about the party left me speechless.

Helena had thought beyond the moment and instead left behind her own stamp on my orchard. The fact that she’d cared enough to help us was kind enough, but this showed a deeper love I hadn’t counted on.

I should have.

She was sensitive to everyone around her. From helping out Rachel with the wedding to her history with Clay and their difficult families, she put people first and usually herself last.

And I’d accused her of slumming.

When she’d treated me and mine so thoughtfully.

I tipped my head back. God, I was such an ass.

Just because I couldn’t deal with our differences like a goddamn adult.

I didn’t want to face the changes coming at me like a summer storm. And just like that storm, she’d blown in and thrown everything into disarray. Showing some of my roots weren’t as strong as I’d originally thought.

That they’d grow stronger with her.

Becauseof her.

If I just gave us a chance.

For the first time the idea of my own family—one beyond my parents, my brothers, and those who made up the orchard—wasn’t far off for someday.

It was in front of my goddamn face.

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