Unexpected Entanglement (Echo #3)

5. Chapter 5

five

Chris sat on his parked bike and studied his surroundings. He’d ridden North Haven Road to Bright Head. From the look of it, he’d arrived on the farm side. A large and fairly new-looking barn stood in front of him. A smaller building lay across from it, with people coming and going and a hut not too far away. Then the land opened up.

There were rows of colorful wildflowers nearer to the buildings. Beyond that, it looked like the farm also boasted an orchard of apple and pear trees. Chris wondered what else they had on the rows of beds and in the greenhouses.

Chris got off the bike, hung his helmet, and peeked into the big barn. He was expecting animals but found a whole operation that looked like cheese production. He moved to the next building and saw a woman walking out with an empty plastic basket tray.

“Excuse me,” he stopped her in her tracks. “Hi.”

“Hi. Can I help you?” She eyed him curiously.

“I hope so. I’m looking for either Kieran or Rowan Kelly,” Chris said. “Can you point out where I can find them?”

“What business do you have with them?” The woman straightened herself to her full medium height, and her face expressed deeper interest.

“I’m sorry. Miss…?” Chris inquired. He wasn’t going to be caught in an identity gaffe again. He still couldn’t believe he’d made a rookie mistake like that. Rae had only referred to her half-siblings as a group, not individuals. Perhaps because she’d always felt it was her versus them ?

“Frankie Feldman, farm manager,” she replied. “And you are?”

“Chris Sullens. I need to speak with the Kelly siblings.”

“If you’re here to offer them money for this land, I’d advise you to not waste your time. They won’t sell.”

Chris raised an eyebrow as he smiled at Frankie’s directness.

Interesting. They must get a lot of offers.

“That’s not why I’m here,” he said.

“Why are you here, then?”

Chris sensed the protectiveness coming from Frankie.

“I’m not at liberty to say except to Kieran and Rowan,” Chris answered vaguely.

Frankie considered Chris for a few seconds before gesturing with her head for him to follow her. She walked to a stack of plastic basket trays and put the one she was holding into the pile before heading toward the farmland.

“It’s a beautiful farm.” Chris took in the expanse of the operation. “That lettuce is gorgeous.”

“Are you a chef, Chris? Because if you need us to supply your kitchen, I’m the one you need to talk to,” Frankie probed as they walked.

“No, not a chef. Just visiting and exploring the island,” he deflected. “Did I see a group of kids at the far side? Do you offer a children’s class or something?”

“We don’t have a formal activity, but children love seeing the animals. Our staff loves showing the goats and the chickens. We just added a couple of rabbits and guinea fowl for the kids. While they’re being entertained, their parents pick up produce, baked goods, and flowers. Win, win.”

“You have baked goods, too?”

“It’s not a big offering, but a couple of our staff members’ wives are excellent bakers. They’ve joined forces and provided us with great seasonal selections.”

“Aren’t you a bit too off the beaten track for retail?” Chris inquired.

“The bulk of our business is wholesale. We have contracts with businesses in North Haven and the surrounding islands on top of our local business. The folks in town can get our products in the downtown market or the farmer’s market during the summer. Our produce box subscription is also pretty popular.”

“Subscription? You deliver them to people in town? ”

Frankie nodded. “We’re a small enough island that we can do that.”

Chris was quite impressed with the farm’s thriving business and was about to delve further when Frankie opened the door to a greenhouse and walked in. He followed behind her.

“Kieran,” Frankie called to a tall man studying a bed with plants growing on strings hung from the greenhouse’s roof.

The man turned toward them and frowned when he saw Chris.

Chris shouldn’t be surprised that the man had the same bright blue eyes as Rae. Except for his short dark hair, it was apparent that Kieran shared some DNA with her.

Neal Kelly ’ s genes are strong .

“This man is looking for you or Rowan,” Frankie introduced.

Chris extended a hand. “Hi, Kieran. My name is Chris Sullens. A pleasure to meet you.”

The other man’s brows rose slightly when Chris introduced himself. It wasn’t unusual for people to associate him with his family business.

“Welcome,” Kieran said shortly. “What do you need from me?”

“I’m here on behalf of Rae Allen.”

Now, those bright eyes truly sparked as Kieran recognized Rae’s name. His face hardened, but he didn’t respond right away. Instead, he walked past Chris to Frankie.

Turning Frankie around, he walked her out of the barn. “Nobody comes in here until I’m done.”

“But—” Frankies started to protest.

“It’s private. Please, keep this to yourself.”

“I’m running to the inn to meet with Rowan. Should I say something to her?”

“No. This doesn’t concern you, Frankie. I’ll talk to Rowan when I see her.”

Frankie obviously wasn’t happy to be dismissed without an explanation. She actually looked rather hurt, Chris noted.

As Frankie shut the door, Kieran stalked back to Chris.

“This is an impressive setup. What do you have in here?” Chris asked, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

With his full glower, Kieran retorted, “Don’t tell me you’re a hobby gardener. “

“No.” Chris gave a short laugh. “I don’t know anything about gardens or farms except appreciating their beauty and value. ”

Crossing his arms at his chest, Kieran stared him down. “Then let’s cut the bullshit and tell me who you are and why you’re here.”

Chris leveled his eyes at Kieran. He appreciated the other man’s directness. He often had to ease his way in with prospective investors before pushing on the real issue.

“All right,” Chris started. “I’m a friend of your half-sister and here as her proxy—”

“If you’re talking about my father’s illegitimate daughter, she isn’t my sister. I don’t even know her.”

Kieran’s brusque denial of his relation to Rae irritated Chris, but he reined in his annoyance. “And she doesn’t know you or Rowan. I’m sure you two would’ve been happier not knowing of her existence, but here we are.”

“Why is she sending you here instead of coming herself?” Kieran demanded.

“She has her reasons. I offered to go in her stead.”

“To do what?”

Chris shrugged. “To understand the situation better. Believe me, Rae doesn’t like to be forced into this arrangement any more than you do. But since neither of you can get out of it, I volunteered to help mediate the situation.”

“We don’t need mediation. If she isn’t interested in learning what our father gave her, she can stay out of it. We’ll pay her profit share—small that it is—until we can buy her out.”

“Can you afford to buy her out?”

“We might in three years.”

“Until then, the three of you must learn to coexist.”

“Look, this land has been in this family for years—”

Chris lifted his palms open to deescalate Kieran’s growing irritation. “Trust me, I understand all about family legacy. But whether you like it or not, you, Rowan, and Rae are tied together by your father’s will. I’m just trying to help.”

“How are you going to help?” Kieran asked suspiciously.

“By first getting to know the land and what you’ve obviously worked hard building here.” Chris gestured to the rows of plants and seedlings in the greenhouse. “This isn’t a small venture. I can tell a well-run operation when I see it whether I’m a farmer or not. Show me around, and I’ll see where Rae could be helpful.”

“We don’t need her,” Kieran retorted stubbornly .

“Maybe not, but that’s why I’m here—because, at the end of the day, she doesn’t have any choice but to be a part-owner of this land. Neither do you and your sister.”

Kieran pursed his lips as he glared at Chris. Maybe the farmer was considering his pros and cons, or he was thinking of a way to boot Chris off his property. Except for Kieran’s ill-temper and stubbornness, Chris actually had a hard time reading the other man.

Suddenly, the farmer brusquely nodded. “Come along then. I don’t have time to give you a tour, but you can shadow me while I work.”

“That’s perfectly fine.”

“Just don’t get in the way.” Kieran started to the other end of the greenhouse, where another door was located. He glanced back at Chris’ feet as he followed close behind him. “I better not hear you complaining about mud on your fancy boots.”

Chris just grinned. “Mud will give them more character, don’t you think?”

The other guy just grunted as they walked out into the buzzing farm.

Chris dried his hands after washing the dirt off them in the tiny bathroom off the Farm Store, where fresh veggies, seasonal fruits, flowers, and baked goods were available for sale to anyone who made their way there. To his surprise, the merchandise was almost out. He’d thought being this far from town would limit their foot traffic.

He walked into the main store room and zeroed in on the leftover baked goods. There was one strawberry-rhubarb pie, but it was a whole pie. After following Kieran for the past three hours, he was somewhat peckish. He hadn’t merely observed; Kieran had put him to work without even batting an eye.

“You wanted to know how the farm works? You work it,” Kieran had said.

So Chris had picked strawberries, harvested lettuce, filled produce boxes, hauled them onto a truck bed, fed the pigs, and strewn the imperfect strawberries to the chickens. He bet Kieran didn’t do half of those tasks anymore, and he’d done them himself today to give Chris a taste of farm life.

If he thought he ’ d scare me with a bit of work, he better think again. His parents had taught him from a young age if he wanted to be at the top of their organization someday, he'd better know how to do every little job involved in running a successful hotel. He’d put the time in with the maintenance crew, housekeeping, the kitchen, and all the way to the office floor, where he learned the reservation system, marketing, and accounting before he’d been given a space to observe his father’s managerial team when he was twenty-one.

“You’ve been eyeing that pie for a full minute. Would you like a piece, hon?” A kind voice broke Chris’ reverie.

He looked up to find a woman in her early fifties with light brown hair highlighted with some graying strands smiling at him. He quickly went through his memory map, where he stored names and descriptions of people. He hadn’t met this particular woman, but Kieran had mentioned some of the farm crew in the past hours.

“Sheila?” Chris made a calculated guess based on where they were. Sheila wasn’t a full-time employee but rather one of the bakers of the drool-worthy baked goods who sometimes manned the store.

The smile on the woman’s face grew wider. “That’s right. You’re that fella everyone’s chattering about.”

“There’s chatter about me?” Chris grinned.

“When a good-looking stranger starts working without even a heads-up from either Kieran or Frankie, hell yeah, people would start talking, especially the ladies.” She winked. “You have a name, hon?”

“Chris.” He bestowed Sheila his best smile.

“How about that piece of pie, Chris?” She grabbed the last pie and unboxed it.

“I’d love a piece. I would buy the whole tin if I could share it with others,” he offered.

“It’s on the house. Let’s say it’s a welcome pie.” Sheila cut a generous portion, set it on a paper plate, and handed it to Chris with a plastic fork. “Coffee?”

“That’d be wonderful. Black, please. ”

Sheila poured coffee into a paper cup and slid it over the counter where the register was. She then cut a smaller piece of pie for herself.

Chris took his first bite and groaned with pleasure, gaining an amused smile from the older woman. “Did you bake this, Sheila?”

“I did.”

“This crust is to die for. So buttery and flaky. This is one of the best pies I’ve ever had.”

“Oh, you’re such a flatterer, but go on.”

Chris barked out a laugh. “This is a genuine compliment to the baker.”

“You’re giving away goods now, Sheila?” Kieran came through a door behind Sheila. “Cut me a slice while you’re at it.”

“It’s my goods to give away, and it looks like it’s getting me a new customer.” Sheila returned with a smirk and cut another slice for Kieran.

“I’m definitely a fan,” Chris confirmed.

“I supposed you earned the pie.” Kieran’s reluctance toward Chris had slowly lessened as Chris continued to do whatever tasks Kieran had thrown at him. “Sheila and her daughter-in-law, Donna, have magic hands with flour, sugar, and fruits. We put their goods in this farm store and sometimes as an extra in the subscription boxes.”

“Will you bake for the inn?” Chris asked.

Sheila nodded. “Rowan and I have talked about it. I have to meet up with the chef for details, but basically, muffins for breakfast, scones, coffee cakes for afternoon snacks, and pies for dessert. Donna and I will be neck deep in flour in two weeks.”

“What’s happening in two weeks?” Chris inquired.

“We’re having a wedding,” Shiela answered with a happy smile. “Big one.”

“It’s not a huge wedding,” Kieran answered as he threw away his empty paper plate. He’d devoured the pie in three bites. “But it’s big for us. Too big. If it wasn’t family, I wouldn’t do it. We’re not ready, but Rowan is determined to make it happen. People are coming in less than two weeks, and we’re still scrambling to put the pieces together.”

Chris’ brows furrowed as he finished his own pie. “A wedding is a complex event to manage. ”

“No shit. I try to help Rowan as much as I can, but I don’t know anything about throwing a wedding,” Kieran said. “I think she’s in over her head.”

“Rowan has her plan,” Sheila cut in. “She’ll make it happen. Remember the tasting event she did for the farm last summer? It was a great success. Everybody on the island came and tasted our cheese, honey, and baked goods. And we had Gary’s truck and the Holloways’ barbecue serve dinner. It was a fun night.”

“Yeah, but that was local folks and friends. We’re having mainlanders coming now, staying at the inn and cottages. Hell, a couple of the rooms aren’t even ready yet,” Kieran said.

“Then maybe you can help her fix that,” Sheila admonished him.

“With everything else I have to do here?” Kieran rolled his eyes. “Besides, the inn is always Rowan’s and Dad’s thing. I’m never good at making things look pretty and being hospitable and all.”

“I am,” Chris chimed in, surprising himself. “Maybe I can help.”

Kieran and Shiela turned their gazes to him.

Suspicion returned to Kieran’s eyes as he asked, “Why would you help us?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Chris shrugged. “I’ve done many events in my line of work. I have the know-how and time, and helping you means I’m helping Rae.”

Kieran glanced at Shiela, whose expression had turned into curiosity. He went around the counter and rushed Chris outside. Chris only managed to blurt thanks to Sheila over his shoulder before they were out of her earshot.

“I’d appreciate it if you don’t announce our family’s dirty laundry to the whole staff,” Kieran hissed.

That warning got Chris’ back up. “I’d appreciate it if you don’t refer to Rae as dirty laundry. She didn’t ask for any of this.”

Kieran stared at him with an annoyed face but with a trace of shame. “I didn’t mean her. This whole thing started with my dad and what he did…” He walked off the store’s porch, looking into the distance.

Chris caught up with him and encouraged him, “Go on.”

“Look. This is a small community, all right? My family has been a part of it for decades. What my dad did was shameful and embarrassing for my family. It’s a sore subject, to put it mildly. So, I’d appreciate it if we keep it on the down-low until we figure things out.”

“If Rae had come out here instead of me, what would you have told people?” Chris asked.

“I wouldn’t have said anything. It’s nobody’s business.”

“Right. Like nobody would’ve figured it out,” Chris said. “Have you ever seen a picture of Rae?”

Kieran’s mouth flattened, which was answer enough for Chris.

“People would connect the dots after one look at you and Rae,” Chris pointed out. “You have the same eyes.”

That information took the indignation out of Kieran’s stance. His shoulders dropped, and his face softened.

“Look, Rae isn’t the enemy here. She doesn’t know how to navigate this situation either, but you are now connected whether you like it or not. I’m here to help her—all three of you, if you let me—figure out how to turn this into something positive for all sides.”

Kieran fixed him with a measured gaze. “What’s in it for you?”

“Nothing.”

“Then, why would you help us?” Kieran demanded.

“You need the help. I’m offering my assistance. I was only planning to stay a night on the island, but I can stay until the wedding and help you and Rowan organize it. I’ve worked events and hotels since I could write.”

“I know who you are. I web-searched you earlier.” Kieran scrutinized Chris. “Which begs the explanation, why would a guy like you help us? Don’t you have better things to do?”

“I’m doing it for Rae. If you and Rowan can pull this wedding off, it’s a good start for the Bright Head Farm & Inn. As part owner, Rae will benefit as much as you two.”

And I ’ ll have an excuse to avoid my dad .

His offer of help was genuine, but he couldn’t help to think that it would make a great excuse to tell his father that he couldn’t make his annual attempt to get Chris to submit to his dominance.

“All right,” Kieran accepted. “We can use all the help we can get. Your offer is too good to be true, but Rowan and I aren’t in a spot where we can be choosy.”

Chris could take offense to that statement, but he let it slide .

“I must warn you, though: My sister might not be so open to your help.” Kieran added, “She’s determined to do this on her own as a tribute to our dad. They were really close, Dad and Ro. They were renovating the inn when he died suddenly. His death has been hard on her and pushed the reopening plan back. She’s got it to where it is now on pure stubbornness.”

“From what I can see, it isn’t unlike you with the farm,” Chris pointed out.

For once, a small smile emerged on Kieran’s face. “You could say that.”

“And I could add, it isn’t unlike Rae, either, with her whole life.”