A Moment Of Your Time
Esme woke with a smile. Her dreams had been stellar, all starring a long, lean man with a soft drawl that trailed over her skin in the most delightful ways. Even if that hadn’t been the case, waking up in Duckington Palace would have made her happy.
The warm, cozy green on the walls throughout the inn was beautifully set off by the soft cream comforter and the crisp white bedding.
Pictures on the wall showcased the ducks that lived on the farm. Cheerful black and white photos of the birds playing near a Quack Mobile, swimming on a pond, and being herded by a mottled dog who looked like he was having the best time.
There was also a grouping of photos showing the construction of Duckington Palace and the Quack Mobile.
Pops of colour were provided with photos of colorful rubber boots and even rubber overalls covered in ducks, mermaids, and undersea creatures.
According to Amber, her sister Jolie owned all the items showcased.
Esme looked forward to meeting her. Anyone who owned pink boots showcasing zebras dancing in puddles would be fun.
Esme also looked forward to meeting up with her tour guide for the day.
Wyatt Foisy. She’d learned his full name during the meal the previous night in the inn’s dining room.
Along with Esme, two couples stayed at the inn this week.
The four hadn’t met before arriving in Vermont, but they talked like they’d known each other for decades.
They’d chosen the table next to Esme to include her in the conversation.
Dinner and breakfast options were included with the price of the room. It made sense, as the nearest town was Phail, and it was a thirty-minute drive. She’d never stayed anywhere that included meals, and she’d wondered about the quality and variety of options.
She needn’t have worried. Ginny had been correct when she said Seth was a world-class cook.
The stir-fry she’d chosen had been delicious.
Freshly grown vegetables from the gardens she’d yet to explore.
Unexpected spices brought the meal to life.
She loved having a vegetarian option, while the couples had chosen chicken or shrimp to add to their meals. She’d try one of those another day.
She hadn’t been on the farm for even twenty-four hours, and she wanted to stay far longer than the days she’d booked.
The basket of apples, apple fritters, and chocolate croissants in her room had been another fabulous surprise.
She showered, delighting in the soft towels, the scent-free shampoo and soap, and the tiny rubber duckies that decorated the space.
Esme had taken four videos in her room alone. She had a feeling she could spend a year on the farm and never run out of things to showcase. Then another year in Phail doing the same.
Had she found a place where she could stay? “What do you think, Nans? You would love every last thing about this inn.” Nans had always enjoyed a good pun or play on words. The town and the inn were full of them.
It was only Friday, but she’d learned that the inn would be full for the following weekend and a day on either side of it.
Eight rooms, all full. Not something she would have expected on an apple farm with a thirty-minute drive to the nearest small town, a couple of hours’ drive from anywhere with a population over twenty thousand.
It was a perfect escape, just like her Houdini.
Would the paparazzi find her here and ruin it all? She didn’t want those people harassing anyone here or in town. She’d hold off on the videos for a while, but that didn’t always stop them from finding her.
Especially Tristan Downey and Zack Spina. They’d been the most persistent. Changing her phone number had worked this time. Mostly because she rarely used it for calls, only for to record her videos and post on social media.
It wasn’t as if she had people to call. Dropping out of modeling meant that she’d dropped out of the circle of people involved in the business.
None of them had kept up with her after she’d left the hospital. She hadn’t reached out to anyone either. The connections had been severed, and she hadn’t cared enough to forge them again.
Tired of her depressing introspection, Esme slathered on sunscreen, then grabbed her phone and sunglasses.
Down in the dining room, she found the buffet table on the side laden with choices.
She filled a tea infuser with chai and set it to steep while she browsed her options.
From Amber’s rundown the previous night, she knew to serve herself from the buffet.
There were bowls of fresh fruit, including the farm’s apples, slices of lemon loaf, croissants, apple-blueberry muffins, and the irresistible apple fritters.
She didn’t resist and added a slice of the lemon loaf, along with an apple and some berries. Life was all about balance.
She returned the infuser to the designated spot, then took her plate and mug to the porch. It overlooked the garden and was impossible to resist. She chose a rocking chair and set her goodies on the table beside it.
Peace surrounded her. The early morning sun covered the flowers with gold. She pulled out her phone and started a video, focusing on the sunflowers at the beginning.
“Hi, everyone. This is Esme. I’m here at the No Phailed Apples Inn, about to enjoy my breakfast and the morning sun. If you need peace and relaxation, this is the place.”
She panned down to her plate. “The excellent food is a bonus. I dreamed about those apple fritters last night.”
She brought the focus back to the garden and panned slowly, enjoying a few seconds of birdsong.
When she spoke again, her voice was a whisper.
“This is the best way to start a day. Tell me about your favorite breakfast in the comments. Any other apple fritter fans out there? Take care of yourselves and each other. Until next time.”
She let the camera roll for another ten seconds of peace, then turned it off and picked up her mug.
“Good morning.”
The gravelly drawl nearly made her jump out of the chair. She told herself it was because she hadn’t sensed Wyatt approach. True, but she wondered if part of her wanted to jump up and leap into his arms.
She grinned at him. “Good morning. I didn’t hear you.”
His lips quirked in a grin. “I saw you taking another video, and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
She nodded. “Thanks, but I’m not precious about it. If I have to delete and start again, it’s fine. But the birds were singing in this one, so I’m glad I didn’t miss it.”
Esme gestured at the rocking chair next to hers. Wyatt nodded and set down a plate filled with all the options from the buffet. Then he sat and cradled his coffee mug.
For a few minutes, they enjoyed the peace of the morning. Unsurprisingly, Wyatt wasn’t the type who needed to fill silences.
In her career, she’d spent so many hours silently posing or walking runways, she didn’t either.
She couldn’t help the soft groan when she tried the lemon loaf.
His chuckle skated over her skin, making her grin at him. “Everything I’ve eaten since arriving in Phail has been good. I think I could survive on apple fritters alone for the rest of my life and be happy.”
His eyes twinkled as he nodded. “Mara and Seth could work anywhere in the world. I’m glad they settled here.”
“Agreed. This place is amazing.”
Another chuckle. “Have you even left the inn yet?”
“Nope.” She’d explored the gift shop in the lobby and taken more videos there. She’d found a book by one of her favorite authors on one of the shelves in the communal living space and had disappeared into it for a few hours.
She hadn’t wanted to explore further on her own, not when she had the opportunity to do that with a sexy tour guide. Still, she had to offer to do it herself. “You got forced into taking me on a tour of the farm. If you’ve got other things to do, I understand.”
His gaze locked on her. “No other plans, but if you’re not comfortable doing this with a stranger, I get it.”
Esme smiled. “My people radar is finely honed. You’re good people, Wyatt. I’d love to spend the day exploring the farm with you.”
His lips kicked up into a full grin. “Good.”
The single word sent shivers over her skin. She couldn’t wait.
Wyatt decided to start the tour with the famous Worminator. He’d enjoyed Esme’s reaction to the farm having its own compost facility, and wanted her to experience the real thing.
There were ATVs on the property, and he could easily take one for the tour.
While having her gorgeous body wrapped around held some appeal, he rejected the idea.
He wanted to get to know Esme, and the ATVs were too loud for conversation.
He didn’t think she’d mind the walk. Four hundred acres was a lot, but Esme didn’t appear to have any mobility limitations.
Still, he figured he should ask. “You good to walk, or would you prefer an ATV tour?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “I’ve never ridden an ATV, but I’d prefer to walk if that’s okay with you. It’s a gorgeous day, and I have to work off the fritters I want to eat later.”
He chuckled. “I prefer walking, too. An apple orchard is a pretty place for a walk any time of the year.”
“Even in the winter?”
She had him there. “That’s what I hear. I haven’t been through a Vermont winter yet, but the people here use ATVs to plow paths through the snow. Thea works the Worminator year-round. One of the families has a house at the back of the woods, and another pair lives on the property just beyond that.”
“Is that where the apiaries are?”
“You know a lot about things already.”
Esme grinned. “I talked with Amber for a while last night. Gray wanted her to put her feet up for a bit.”
Wyatt nodded, knowing Gray wouldn’t want his pregnant wife to overexert. “They’ll be terrific parents.”
“I agree. They’re both kind and glowing. I didn’t know dads got the pregnancy glow, too.”
That cracked him up. “Claus is definitely glowing.”
“Claus?”
“Army call signs. We’ve got a ton of former military personnel here and in Phail. Most of us know each other from those days. The call signs pop out every once in a while.”
“What’s your call sign?”
He shrugged. “It varies, but mostly I get Slinger.”
She shot him a look, brows raised. “Slinger?”
“Short for Gunslinger. With the name Wyatt, I get a lot of names based around Wyatt Earp.”
“I’m guessing he was a gunslinger. I’m afraid I’ve never read or watched many Westerns.”
“Me neither. Earp wasn’t even from Texas, but call signs aren’t given for accuracy.”
Wyatt pointed at the Worminator’s roof showing through the trees. Esme’s face lit up, and she picked up her speed.
Judging by her reaction, they could be visiting the Taj Mahal or some other fancy foreign location.
He wasn’t surprised in the least when she pulled out her phone. “Do you mind?”
He shook his head and stepped back to be out of range.
“Hi, everyone. This is Esme, and I can’t wait to show you what I’m about to see. This is the Worminator. Yes, you heard that right, the Worminator. It’s a farm-sized compost facility here on the apple farm. I don’t know anything about it yet, but I couldn’t resist taking my first look with you.”
She moved closer, using the phone to showcase the entire building, talking the whole time. Her voice showed her excitement and curiosity, just as it had shown her longing for peace on this morning’s video on the porch.
Esme wasn’t a woman to hide her emotions behind a mask of apathy. She was interested in what she videoed, and he imagined that translated well on camera.
Wyatt had never been a fan of social media, but he itched to watch her videos, to see how her enthusiasm projected.
After she signed off, she shoved the phone back into her pocket, drawing his eyes to her spectacular ass.
Yanking his gaze away, he answered as many questions as he could about the Worminator.
“You said you were a botanist. Have you worked with a composter before?”
“Not like this. Mostly, I’ve worked in labs.”
“I don’t know anything about that kind of thing. What was your favorite part of the job?”
Huh. He’d never been asked that before. “Helping Mother Nature do her thing. Watching two or three plants learn to grow together to create a brand new one with its own personality and potential.”
“Wow. I didn’t know people did that. How does it work?”
He laughed. “Took me a lot of learning to figure that out. Mostly, we try to improve a plant’s vitality, shorten its growing season, or make it more drought-resistant.
Humans have screwed up nature in so many ways that we try to compensate for it.
It’s natural for plants to mutate and change as the needs of the planet change, but sometimes nature is so exhausted with straight survival, there’s no energy left to make improvements. ”
“Pollution and climate change have done so much damage.”
He nodded. “Places like this are trying to reverse that trend. Healing the planet one farm at a time.”
She nodded. “I like the sound of that. In fact, that would be a good hashtag for the farm. Do you have any plans for what kinds of experiments you’ll try here?”
He huffed out a breath. “That’s the question I’m trying to figure out. Charlie wants me to combine a few apple strains to make something unique to the farm.”
“That sounds like decades of work.”
He nodded. “It will be.”
Her kilowatt smile aimed his way. “And it sounds like fun.”
“It’ll be that, too. I need a large greenhouse.”
She turned her eyes to look around the orchard. “Which means you need space. Is the entire orchard as full as this, or are there emptier spaces you could use? How big of a greenhouse will you need?”
“All good questions that I don’t have the answers for yet.”
“I’d love to help and learn more. We can look for your spot while we’re checking out the farm.”
Wyatt’s heart warmed. Esme was more than the surface he imagined many people saw. With her gorgeous face and lithe body, he imagined some couldn’t see beyond those.
Genn had been gorgeous on the surface, too. It had taken him too long to realize her inner core was anything but. They might have only been together a few months, but they’d decided to be exclusive.
She hadn’t been. She’d lied to his face and slept with his buddy several times before he’d found them in the act.
Anger rippled through him at their betrayal. He needed to make sure he was never put in the same position again. If he were going to trust a pretty face, he’d be damn sure there was some substance behind it.