Page 144 of Hometown Girl

He took his plate to the sink, rinsed it and set it inside.

“I want to show you something,” Beth said, a sparkle in her eye.

He followed her out the door and onto the front porch, where he saw a parking lot filled with cars and trucks. All around the yard, people moved quickly, some hauling garbage. Some carrying tools into the main barn. Callie walked around handing out pastries.

“What’s this?”

“This is Willow Grove,” Beth said, her voice shaky. “Molly put in a call to Pastor Harker’s wife, and word just spread. All of these people believe in Fairwind Farm. So they came here to put the place back together.”

Drew watched the scene in front of him. The organized chaos of a community connected by a common love for what the farm and orchard had come to mean to each of them.

“The damage isn’t as extensive as we first thought. We’re moving the Fairwind Farm Market to the other barn. Birdie was thrilled.”

“She’s staying, then?”

Beth smiled. “She agreed to our terms.”

“What are they?”

“She can stay and paint, but once a week, she has to give me art lessons.”

He raised a brow as he regarded her from the side. “Is that right?”

She shrugged. “Turns out, I kind of miss that part of my life.”

He loved the thought of Beth out in that barn, painting in what Birdie called “glorious light.” It suited her.

“Also”—her eyes filled with excitement—“it looks like our little barn sale is going to be a really big deal. We’ve already sold five hundred tickets, and we have over a hundred vendors.”

“Is that good?”

“You’re such a guy.” Beth swatted him on the shoulder. “Yes, it’s really good. Dina thinks we’ll get over a thousand presale tickets sold.”

He did quick math, knowing the admission price. Beth had been right—it would be a nice little moneymaker for the farm.

“The main barn will take a bit more time to repair, but I actually feel like everything is going to be okay.”

“Better than okay,” he said.

Her smile was soft. “Better than okay.”

He put an arm around Beth’s shoulder, both of them quietly staring out over the busyness of another Community Work Day. This one, though, felt more like a rescue—everyone chipping in to pull them back onto solid footing.

“So, what about you?”

Beth turned to him. “What about me?”

“Didn’t Dina offer you a job in the city?”

Her eyes scanned the scene in front of them. “It makes about as much sense as buying a summer home in Antarctica, but I’m committed to this place now. I think it’s my ‘why.’”

He didn’t understand what that meant, but it sounded important to her, so he smiled. “And the money?”

She looked away. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it—on paper, none of this makes sense. But I’ve decided not to worry about what I can’t control.”

He brushed a stray hair away from her face. “Sounds like a really good idea.”

She lifted her chin to meet his eyes. His breath hitched for a quick second as he realized his feelings for her had gone deeper than even he’d known.

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