Chapter Thirty-Three
It’s only been five days since the fire, but I miss my precious cherries.
I’ve been in a downward spiral, not knowing how to move on, or how to pay the debt.
Cash has been at the ranch every day. He’s getting very good around the bees.
We’ve worked tirelessly together to harvest the honey from the frames.
I’ve hated not being close to the bees, but I’ve kept away.
One day, Cash took me for a picnic ride to lift my spirits.
We rode Blue and Luna up through the copper-coloured canyon and left the arid terrain behind for lush meadows of wildflowers and mountain streams. We drank a splash of wine from dixie cups and ate cheese and salami on paper plates, then lay under the aspens, my head on Cash’s chest and our legs intertwined.
“Thank you for this,” I said, peering up from his chest to see if he was asleep. “I really needed it.”
“Me too,” he whispered. “Horses and nature are good medicine.”
I turned my gaze towards the heart-shaped leaves of the aspens shuddering in the occasional breeze. “I wish I could bottle up the sound of the aspens so they could sing me to sleep every night.”
“Quakies,” Cash said.
“Huh?”
“Their full name is quaking aspens – Populus tremuloides. Because they quake in the breeze.”
“I love the way they make me feel. I can only imagine how beautiful this spot is in the fall.” I rolled off his chest and looked deeply in his eyes. “Fall is my favourite. What’s your favourite season?”
“Spring, for sure.”
“Oh yeah? Why?”
“Why?” He pointed up. “You haven’t spent enough time here in spring if you’re asking that.
The leaves are neon green for one thing.
There’s still snow on the mountains, but the fields are green and flowers are popping.
” He laughed. “And the fruit trees – how can spring not be your favourite when all the trees are blooming, and it smells absolutely delicious?”
“Delicious, huh?” I chuckled, but God if I don’t know what he was talking about… Between the fruit blossoms and the wild mustard, it’s truly spectacular.
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Yeah, and you know what else is delicious?”
I quirked a brow. “I don’t know. What?”
He took my bottom lip in his and kissed me softly. “This.”
Thinking of that day helps to keep my disappointment in check, because honey sales at the market are sporadic.
Honey has a long shelf life, so people don’t need it often.
Customers tell me and Cash stories of how the cherries were like nothing they’ve ever tasted.
They’re trying to cheer me up, but it only makes me sad.
Everyone in the valley heard about the fire.
Many of them tell me they can’t wait until next year because they truly believe the trees will come back.
I don’t want to tell them that, even if they do, the ranch will probably belong to someone else by then.
At the end of the day, Cash and I count the money we made.
It’s abysmal. The only good sale was from the pizzeria owner ordering a case to get him through the winter months.
He beamed about the cherries I’d saved for him as well.
Cash picked up a couple of shifts and brought the cherries in a few days ago.
And, apparently, I’m not the only one who loves the sour cherry gelato.
Wyatt’s idea was a hit. The owner said the flavour sold out the first day, faster than when he was using the imported cherries.
I wish I could make heads or tails of whether that makes me happy or sad. Maybe it’s both.
I hold out half the money to Cash.
“Yeah … no.” Cash puts his hand out in refusal.
“I have to pay you at some point.”
“I was never in it for the money.” He smirks and raises his eyebrows.
“Oh, really? What, then?”
“Something much better than money,” he says, staring.
I close the cash box and stare back at him.
He lifts me up and sets me on the empty table. The stubble on his top lip prickles my mouth. I wrap my legs round his hips and pull him in closer. Some kids walk behind us, and call out “ewws” and “whoop whoops”.
I look deeply into Cash’s eyes. Then I hear a groan from behind. “You all seriously need to get a room,” someone says.
I turn, expecting to see one of the kids from a moment ago.
Instead, Kaylee is there. I remember an idea that’s been brewing since Cash told me he could help with hay production.
How, with all the right conditions, the last thing I’d need would be fertilizer.
This idea could help me pay off the debt for sure. So I swallow my pride.
“Hey, Kaylee, I’m curious. Do you have any thoughts about getting my hay to grow? I was told that grazing can stimulate growth, but if there’s nothing there to graze, then what do you do?”
Kaylee shifts on her feet and steps into the shade of my tent. Her face drops. “Are you asking me for advice?” She points at her chest.
“Sure am,” I say. “Figure with all the grazing your family does, you might have some expertise.”
“Ha! I have expertise,” she says with a heavy dose of confidence.
“First, you need to get animals on your hay ground so that they’ll poop and fertilize the soil.
Poop is gold. You don’t have to have anything for them to graze at first. Just spread out some hay, like all around so they spread their poop everywhere. ”
I stand up next to the table. “Yeah? Does it matter what kind of animals?”
“Cattle would be best because they’ll give you more bang for your buck, with cow pies, that is.” She laughs. Kaylee is human after all. “But sheep and goats are great too.”
I cross my arms and tighten the side of my mouth. Cattle. Just what Earl wanted – to get cattle on my ranch. Now Kaylee is suggesting that as the solution to my hay problem.
Before I can spit out my next thought, Kaylee brightens. “Daddy and I need a place to put our weaned calves…”
“The only thing is,” I say, unfolding my arms, “I don’t have enough hay, and I don’t have grass seed to plant.”
She waves off my comment about the hay. “Oh, don’t worry about hay. Daddy has plenty. We can bring up a couple of round bales, if you don’t mind spreading it every few days. That part will help too. The hay will create shade for the soil.”
“I can do that,” I say, looking to Cash. “Will I owe you anything?”
“No. You give us a place to keep the calves to finish weaning, and we’ll give you their poop. And, as far as the seed goes, there’s probably dormant seed in the ground that’ll come up after it’s grazed. Do you have water for the calves?”
“There’s a pond, but hardly any water after the firefighters used it. Other than that, no.”
“That’s OK. We can haul water up too.”
Her saccharine sweetness is suspicious, but, the way I see it, I’ve got very few options left – grazing cattle, selling the ranch, or waiting until the last minute to see how the antique auction goes. So I put out my hand to shake hers. “It’s a deal.”