Chapter 1 #2
cicadas began singing the day into the night.
Emily skipped over to a tree and pointed to a small red apple. “Carolina crisp, right?”
“Yeah, but they’re not quite ripe yet.” He reached over her head and picked the apple before tossing it to her.
She took a bite and then danced around. “Whatever, tastes good to me! I love Carolina crisps!”
He laughed as memories of their childhood rolled through his mind.
The summer before they started kindergarten, Emily showed up in the orchard one day and asked him if he wanted to play.
And that was the start of their lifelong friendship.
They’d grown up here in the orchard. He couldn’t think of one single childhood memory without her in it.
She’d always been at his side, through skinned knees, heartbreaks, and everything in between.
Emily finished the apple and tossed the core before her eyes lit up. “Race you to the dock!” Then she took off running.
“Hey!” he called, chasing her. “I’ll catch you!”
“No, you won’t . . .” she sang.
Jake followed her through the rows and rows of trees that had been passed down through his family for a century, defining
the Hughes family’s legacy from generation to generation.
He caught up to her just as she veered onto the path that led to Splendid Lake. He grabbed her arm. “Gotcha!”
She wriggled out of his grasp, giggling as they approached the lake. They made their way onto the dock, and she worked to
catch her breath.
“You’re still in much better shape than I am,” she managed to say as she dropped down onto the wooden pier and hugged her
knees to her chest.
He sat beside her and rested his arms on his bent knees. “Well, I actually work for a living while you make drinks.”
“Ha ha.” She rolled her eyes and turned toward the lake.
“Or you used to make drinks,” he said. “Why’d you quit?”
She groaned. “Don’t start.”
The water sparkled in the early evening light while lightning bugs offered their nightly light show. The sound of the waves
lapping up against the dock and rocking his small johnboat filled the air.
She pushed a few errant strands of her dark hair away from her face and lifted her gaze toward the sky. “Do you remember the time we went fishing and forgot the rods?”
Emily really was a master at deflecting. He’d give her a pass—for now.
“And the engine ran out of gas, so we had to yell for our dads to help us get back to shore?” He grinned. “Yeah, I remember.”
She rested her chin on her knee. “Were we twelve?”
“Maybe.” He shrugged.
“How about the time,” she began while chuckling, “we snuck out late at night and went swimming and then got caught by Mrs.
Monroe? Of course, she had to call our parents and spoil our fun.”
“Yeah, we got that stern lecture about how dangerous it was to go swimming in the dark. How long were we grounded for that
one?”
She scrunched up her nose. “A month?”
“That’s right. A month.” He snorted and bumped his shoulder against hers. “But it didn’t keep us apart.”
“Nothing could back then,” she whispered as a strange expression flashed over her face, and he was sure she was wading through
something in her mind. Her eyes cut to the path that led to the house where she’d lived from age five until her folks had
passed away.
His chest clutched at the memory of the day her parents died.
It was early summer, and the sky was cloudless and bright blue—such a contrast to the tragedy that changed everything.
He’d never forget how she called him with the news.
He could barely understand what she was trying to say, but he’d made out the words “my parents” and “plane crash,” and the world had stopped.
He’d rushed over to her house and held her against his chest while she wailed for what seemed like hours.
He had no idea how to comfort her, except to let her know that he was there for her always.
The memorial service had passed in a blur, but she’d needed him at her side the entire time. He’d held her hand, wiped her
tears, and kept her upright during the service. For the next couple of months, she couldn’t stomach being alone in her family’s
large, beautiful house on the lake. He’d slept in the guest room, much to his girlfriend’s disapproval, but he’d been steadfast.
Still, Jake felt useless, never knowing what to say to offer her an ounce of comfort. She just seemed to need his presence.
Then six months after her parents died, Emily suddenly announced she was selling the house and moving a few hours away to
Charlotte. He’d been shocked to his core. She couldn’t stand living in her family home without them, and the house was full
of too many bittersweet memories, she said. So she was finally going to pursue her dream of making art her career.
After she moved, Em had dove headfirst into her new life as an artist, and Jake had gotten so busy with helping his dad run
the orchard that their friendship turned to weekly phone calls and random texts. He cherished their visits during the holidays
and always looked forward to them, which was why he’d been surprised when she turned down his offer last year.
He gave her the space she seemed to crave, but not having Emily around had left a hole deep inside him. He wanted to give
her time to heal after losing her folks, and he didn’t want to burden her with his own problems. But being apart from her
was . . . tough. She’d been a constant presence in his life for two decades. He longed for her to come home—and stay.
When Emily suddenly cleared her throat, he met her gaze again. “So what’s going on, Jake? Your texts were cryptic. You said you wanted to talk to me in person. Well, I’m here. Now spill it.”
He appreciated her forthrightness. He could always count on Em to get right to the point and not be afraid to ask the tough
questions. It was easy for her to do when the tough stuff wasn’t about her.
“You know the McClains’ orchard up the street?” He pointed in the direction of the other orchard at Splendid Lake, and she
nodded. “They sold out to a corporation called Lancaster Properties. And Lancaster’s made it clear that they’re going to become
our biggest competitor and possibly put us out of business.”
She scoffed. “And how on earth would they do that?” She gestured around the lake. “Your family’s orchard has been here for
decades. No, a whole century. Hughes Family Orchard is Splendid Lake. No one can take that away.”
“Actually, they can. They wanted to buy us out, but my dad told them no way. We’re not selling, no matter how much they offer.
This orchard is our family’s legacy, and no one can take it from us. So instead, they’re threatening to lower their prices,
and I can’t cut ours.” He grimaced. “Since my dad’s heart attack, I’ve been trying to talk my dad into allowing me to take
the helm here. He’s insisting that he can still do it, but I’ve been trying to convince him I’m ready.” He snorted. “I’ve
been ready since I was twenty-five, but you know how stubborn he is.”
The corners of Emily’s mouth curved up softly. “I sure do.”