Chapter 9 #2
“We’ll figure that out, Debbie Downer,” Emily quipped.
Vince chuckled.
Jake ate another bite and shook his head while his lips twitched. “You know you drive me crazy.”
“That’s why you love me,” she sang with an adorable smirk.
Yeah, that’s absolutely true.
The thought caught Jake by surprise, but he forced his brain to focus on everything they had to do before the orchard opened.
He pushed himself up. “That’s enough chitchat. We need to get back to work.”
“All right, Boss.” Vince started for the barn door.
Emily looped her arm in Jake’s. “We got this. I promise you.” She rested against him, and he cherished the feel of her body
heat mixing with his.
“I’m putting my faith in you. Don’t make me regret it,” he teased, and her smile made his heart buoyant.
Jake pushed his loaded shopping cart over to the front of the home improvement store the following afternoon. All his muscles
ached after working until dark last night, but he was grateful that he and Vince had finished one side of the barn. Emily
had insisted that he and Vince continue concentrating on the barn walls while she started painting. He couldn’t help himself
from checking on her frequently while she was balanced on the scaffolding, and each time he peeked around the side of the
barn, she waved him off, promising to yell loudly if she fell. As if that would calm his nerves at all.
He moved forward in the line and chuckled to himself. He was enjoying having Emily at the orchard. Not only did she keep him
entertained with her jokes, sarcasm, and quirky personality, but he felt more settled around her. She’d always known how to
calm him down when he was stressed.
But it wasn’t just that. There was something different about her. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he was almost certain
something had shifted in the way he felt about her. But surely that was just his stress talking.
Jake loaded the painting supplies on the conveyor belt and retrieved his credit card. He was easing ever closer to his limit, but he was determined not to accept Emily’s money. The orchard belonged to his family and wasn’t her problem—no matter how much she insisted she wanted to help him.
After paying, Jake began loading the supplies into the bed of his truck. When he thought he heard someone call his name, he
spun just as Seth Wingate rushed toward him. “Seth! What’s up?”
“I thought that was you.” Seth picked up a gallon of red paint and set it in the bed of Jake’s truck. “Andi told me she ran
into you and Emily the other day. She said you’re working on some projects at the orchard.”
“That’s true.”
“Well?” Seth raised his palms. “What are you working on?”
Jake summarized the rumors that were going around about Apple Haven and then gave him a rundown of what they were planning
with the barn. “I’m hoping we can get it all together in time, but I found out that two of my three employees quit to go work
at Apple Haven. So now they’re not only threatening to take my customers, but they’re also poaching my employees.” He pushed
the cart into the nearby cart corral. “Maybe it’s a blessing since I’ll save on their salaries and can put those funds into
the supplies. But how can we get it all done in time?” He rested against the open tailgate. “Em says it’s going to work out,
but I’m not so sure.”
“Man, that’s a lot. Want some help?”
“Thanks, but I’m sure I can’t afford you.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Seth leaned beside him. “I’ll do it for some of your mom’s apple pie and a candy apple.”
Jake lifted a suspicious eyebrow.
“Seriously,” Seth insisted with a chuckle.
“I have three crews working for my landscaping business, and I pretty much spend my days handling clients while Andi takes care of the books. I can handle client calls while I’m working at the orchard.
” He held up his cell phone. “You know, technology and all. So do you want my help or what?”
“I definitely want it, but I don’t want you to feel obligated.”
Seth gave him a look. “And how many times did you drive me to and from school when my jalopy was in the shop?”
“Um.” Jake adjusted his hat on his head. “Pretty much all of junior and senior year.”
Seth chuckled. “That’s true.” Then he tapped the side of the pickup truck. “I’m glad you kept your grandpa’s truck. It suits
you.” He held out his hand. “Do we have a deal?”
“Deal.” Jake shook his hand, and the tension in his back released. Emily was right—things were going to work out. He made a mental note to ask his mom to start on some apple pies after she finished the candy apples.
“I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s Claire?”
Jake closed the tailgate. “Things are . . . rocky right now.”
“Really?” Seth seemed surprised. “I thought y’all would be married and have a couple of kids by now.”
Jake shook his head. “Nope.” Time to change the subject. He gestured toward the truck. “I need to get back to the orchard,
but it was great seeing you.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Jake climbed into the truck and headed home.
The sound of a diesel engine drew Emily’s attention toward the dirt road spanning the short distance from the orchard entrance to the barn. She climbed down the scaffolding and met Jake at the back of the truck as he hopped out.
“How’d it go at the store?” she asked while lowering the tailgate.
“Great.” He climbed in and began handing her supplies. “I got us some more help.”
“What do you mean?”
“I ran into Seth Wingate. He’s going to come over tomorrow and start helping in exchange for some of my mom’s apple pie and
candy apples.”
She clapped. “Yay! I told you it was going to work out.”
He grinned, and her pulse tripled. “You sure did, and you were right.”
“Maybe Andi will come too.” She picked up a bag of paintbrushes and an extender. “These are perfect.”
Jake jumped down to the ground. “Yeah, I thought—” He stopped speaking when his phone began to ring. He studied the screen,
and when Emily spotted Claire’s name, her belly twisted. He glowered and locked the phone.
She hesitated, waiting for him to say something about Claire. She yearned to know why he didn’t accept the call. Was he over
Claire, or was there another reason? She longed to read his thoughts. But instead of commenting on the rejected call, he pocketed
the phone.
“Need help carrying the paint up the scaffolding?” He hefted a gallon of paint and strolled toward the barn.
Emily followed him. “Yeah. Thanks.” She focused on her task at hand and tried to shove away her nagging curiosity about Claire.