Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Ezra
New Message from Mira: “Hey Ezra! Thanks for answering my ad. I’d love to talk more about your experience with apple orchards. Can we arrange a phone call to discuss more in depth?”
New Message from Ezra: “That sounds great. I’m free tonight at seven. Does that work?”
New message from Mira: “Perfect. My phone number is 502-555-3201. Ring me at seven.”
New message from Ezra: “Talk then.”
I read over our conversation for the umpteenth time. The whole situation was weird. A woman putting out an ad for help on a dating site? Who did that?
Apparently, a woman who just inherited one.
Her profile revealed little about Mira Wilcox except that she inherited her distant father’s orchard and was clueless about both it and small-town life. Not to mention the crumbling farmhouse to go with it. I knew this town like the back of my hand and had driven by that orchard thousands of times.
It used to flourish. Over the past five years, it slowly fell apart along with the large house on the property.
It was beautiful at one time with its wrap-around porch and stained-glass windows on the doors.
I often wondered what happened. The town gossip said the old man living there didn’t care about it, but I suspected there was more to the story.
Now it made more sense. He was dying.
His daughter must’ve inherited it. And now she wanted to revive it. Which made me want to get to know her. I mean, it was a big venture to take on, so it impressed me she even tried to.
After dinner and a shower, I lounged on the coach with some mindless TV until the clock turned seven. On the dot, I dialed her number and waited. She answered a few rings later, her voice soft and sweet. “Hi, this is Mira.”
“Hi. It’s Ezra.”
“Hey, I’m so glad you called. Right on time, too. Starting off with a good impression, I like it.”
A laugh bubbled in my throat. I liked her already. “Always.”
“Good. It’s important. You saw my photos, yes? Do you recognize the orchard? I’m on Cedarbrook Drive.”
“I do. Pass it often in my travels. Growing up, it was an orchard my family visited often in the fall for apples and pumpkins. Your pops had some of the best Pink Lady apples.”
The line went silent.
Shit. I said too much.
The words distant father popped into my head. Dammit.
“I’m sorry. I overstepped.”
Mira breathed heavily over the line. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”
“Your ad said distant father. I’m an idiot.”
She chuckled, and my heart skipped a beat. “No, you’re not. I don’t even know why I put that in the ad.”
“Maybe to let people know you don’t know jack shit about an apple orchard.”
Her loud laughter echoed down the line and a warmth spread through me from my head to my toes. I enjoyed hearing her laugh. I wanted to hear it more. “You’ve learned my secret. Don’t let anyone else in on it, okay?”
“I promise I won’t. I’ll show you some tricks. It’s not hard, but more a lot of work and dedication. Once you establish a routine, you’ll be golden. Maybe you could open for fall.”
Mira snickered. “Ha. I like your enthusiasm, but I highly doubt I’ll be opening ever. I’m not reviving the orchard so I can make money. I hate looking at it so drab and dead. And I want to bake. A lot. With as many apples as I can.”
“Okay, I’m down for whatever. We can smart small. Maybe a row of trees this season?”
“Sounds doable. It’s possible I can handle two, maybe three.”
“A row is six.”
“Six?!” Mira nearly shouted. “I can barely take care of myself, let alone an army of trees.”
I smiled at her adorableness. “Okay, let’s do a half row. Don’t worry, you’ve got this.”
“That’s more manageable. It looks like they chopped some trees down.”
“After your father passed away, there was some talk in town that he owed a lot of back taxes. The town was going to seize the home, but then it was paid off by an anonymous donation, and your father got to keep the home.”
Mira paused. “Wow. So much I didn’t know. It never made sense why he didn’t want to have a relationship with me and I still don’t understand. I don’t think I ever will now that he’s gone.”
“From what I knew, George was a good man. Maybe he had his reasons?” I mused. “Though I don’t know how you could ignore a child of your own making. Yet so many do.”
Mira let out a short laugh, as if the topic had embarrassed her. “Sorry, our conversation sort of took a turn there.”
“It’s weird. I feel like I’ve been talking to an old friend.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
“I feel like that too. It’s a good sign we’ll work well together.”
“I hope so,” Mira said.
“We’ll figure out a plan for it all. I’m thinking a major re-haul with fresh soil, and I can plant some baby apple trees.”
“Can you come by tomorrow and walk through it with me? I’ll show you around and you’ll be free to start as soon as you want.”
“Sounds great.”
When I hung up the phone, my body buzzed with excitement in a way it hadn’t since my days in high school, my hormones firing off in different directions.
I didn’t have a clue who the woman was, but for some reason, I had a feeling she was going to wreck me.
In all the best ways.
I turned my truck onto the side road and parked in front of the large farmhouse.
It sat on the top corner of a dead-end street off one of the main roads that ran through town.
The house faced the main street, with a large wrap-around porch, and the orchard being the entire backyard.
It ran to the end of the street, taking up the entire side of the road.
The other side of the road hadn’t been cleared and consisted of woods until the next side street, where a couple of cabins sat.
It was peaceful and scenic, with the mountain view in the background and no surrounding neighbors.
I envied her. I’d love to live on this property.
A few minutes after I parked, a woman emerged from inside and stepped onto the porch. Her auburn hair shone in the early afternoon sunlight, wavy locks falling around her shoulders.
Her tight leggings showed off all her curves and her t-shirt outlined her hourglass figure, with her ample breasts and curvy waist.
Fuck.
She was hot as hell.
I blew out a breath as I killed the engine and climbed out. This woman would kill me. I could already feel it.
As I strolled over to her, a smile spread over her pretty features and she waved from where she stood at the top of the stairs. “Hey!”
“Nice to meet you, Mira.” I said as I climbed the stairs and held my hand out, a smile playing on my lips.
She slid her small one into my large one, her hand disappearing when mine closed around it. Tingles ran up my arm, rendering me speechless.
Who is she? And why does my body react this way?
One shake and she quickly pulled her hand back.
She feels it too…she must.
“And you as well. Come on in, we can talk in the kitchen. Do you like tea?” Mira asked, her big brown beauties connecting with mine.
My heart jumped into my throat. I could stare into those brown eyes for the rest of my life and be perfectly content. “No thanks. I’m okay.”
“I have water and lemonade, too. No coffee though. I’m not a fan.”
I chuckled as I followed her inside, closing the door behind me. “Not a fan of coffee? Don’t meet too many people who aren’t.”
“Too bitter for me.” Mira said as she led me to the kitchen, my eyes watching her ass swaying from side to side. Fuck, I’m in trouble.
I scrubbed a hand down the side of my face and inhaled sharply. Thankfully, she didn’t notice as she filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove. I slid into one of her kitchen chairs and watched as she got out a mug and a tea bag before sitting across from me.
If I didn’t break the silence, I was afraid I might kiss her.
Staying occupied was the only solution. I reached into my back pocket and grabbed my phone.
I opened the Notes app and clicked on a blank note.
“Okay, so our main goal is to revive three apple trees this season, teach you how to take care of them and harvest apples, and also to protect them after the harvest is over and before winter comes.”
“Right.” Mira nodded.
I typed in a few notes. “I like to make a to-do list for every task, and we’ll tackle them one at a time. First, I need to see what I’m working with.”
“You’re welcome to look out back.” Mira tilted her head towards the back door.
“Great.” I stood up just as the kettle whistled. Mira scrambled to her feet and hurried to the stove, lifting the kettle and flicking the burner off. She poured the hot water over her tea bag, the steam rising. Her mouth formed a little O whenever she performed tasks.
I’d like to see that mouth of hers wrapped around my cock.
Focus on the job. Not her.
But I didn’t move from my spot at the table.
I couldn’t.
All I could think about was kissing her.
“Did you want me to come with you?”
Her voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and my eyes flicked to hers. “Sure.” I’d never tell her no. Not if it meant I got to spend more time in her orbit.
Mira picked up her mug. “Let’s go.”