Page 86 of Hometown Girl

She considered her options and decided to spend less time at Fairwind. There wasn’t much she could do out here anyway, and her mom had made more than one passing comment about how little she’d seen of Beth lately.

She would become a silent partner, like Ben.

It was best.

Distance between her and Drew was best.

Should she tell him or just let him realize she wasn’t working from the kitchen table anymore?

She gathered her things and was heading out for the car when she spotted Roxie near the well, probably desperate for something to drink. The afternoons had grown warm as spring began its final curtain call and summer tried to come onto the scene early.

She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out toward the well. The dog ran over to her, and Beth rubbed her head the way she knew Roxie liked.

“You thirsty, girl?”

Roxie turned in a circle. As Beth pumped water for her, Drew emerged from inside the small garden shed.

He lifted a hand, and she waved back, surprised when he started walking toward her. Her pumping slowed down at his approach. Standing in front of her, he almost looked like he didn’t know what to say.

“Good day?” She righted the bag on her shoulder.

He nodded. “We got a lot done.”

“Good.”

Awkward silence hung between them.

“I did some digging on the orchards, like you asked.”

The image of the crumpled note rushed back at her. She’d thought he’d forgotten all about that.

“Our trees actually look pretty good to me,” he said, “but apple trees aren’t my area of expertise.”

“Mine either.” She would hardly be able to tell a healthy tree from a dead one.

He kicked at the dirt underfoot.

She squinted up at him, took a fleeting moment to admire his well-defined cheekbones. She hadn’t thought real people had cheekbones like that, only Greek gods and marble statues.

“I set up a meeting tomorrow with a tree guy. Can you be here first thing?”

“Of course.” She gave him a curt smile, then stopped pumping the well. “Is that all?”

He took a step back and shoved his hands in his pockets with a nod. He’d done so much for them; he didn’t deserve her coldness.

But it had to be this way. “See you tomorrow, then.”

That night, Beth scattered receipts and papers all around her on her mother’s living-room floor. Her mom sat quietly in her favorite armchair, ignoring Beth’s heavy sighs.

She’d just written a big check for lumber so Drew could repair the stalls in the petting-zoo barn. She had to wonder if it would’ve been cheaper to tear the whole thing down and start over.

Beth threw her pencil down on the notebook filled with figures that weren’t adding up.

“When are you going to ask me?” Her mom turned the page of her book.

“Ask you what?” Lilian had a way of needling Beth, making her think about things she’d rather not discuss.

“For money.” Her eyes stayed on her book, but Beth knew she wasn’t reading.

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