Page 10 of Pick Your Spot

She’d bought one with the town mascot of Phil the Fox on it. Below the smiling cartoon fox, the phrasePhail Betterwas printed. It had sounded like one of Jay’s phrases. And with Jay naming the dog Fox, it had been a perfect fit.

She swallowed hard at the sight. Knox proved himself perceptive as he watched her reaction. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I bought Jay that keychain one day when we were in Phail. I thought the fox was funny because that’s what he named the dog. And the words just sounded like him.”

Knox held the keychain closer, and his eyes softened as he looked at it. “Honestly, I never even looked at it until now. I’m not sure I would have made the connection before. Sounds like you miss Jay as much as I miss Fox.”

She shrugged. “Jay wasn’t my blood but he felt like family.” Not that she really knew what that felt like.

For a moment, she thought Knox was going to hug her, but the moment passed, and she was relieved.

Not sad. Relieved. Yes, she was relieved.

Who knew what her body would have done if he’d wrapped his arms around her. She’d been so lonely since Jay’s death she might have never let go.

Chapter4

Rooted To The Spot

The amount of machinery in the barn amazed Knox. Lawson would have a field day with the variety of engines. Tons of stuff to tinker with. Even better, some of the machines were pretty ancient. Lawson loved nothing better than to restore old cars to their full glory. Knox took photos of everything to help entice his brother.

Now, he needed to find something intriguing for his other siblings.

He, Thea, and Fox walked closer to what she called the front yard. On the way, they found three sheds that also held equipment. Not vehicles, but hand tools. Baskets for harvesting, rakes, hoes, and shovels. Wheelbarrows and hoses.

“Jay told me that the land had been fixed up before he bought it. Electricity runs to some of the barns and cabins scattered around the property. There are some water lines, too, but those don’t extend all the way back. The apple barn nearer the front has water, though. Makes it easier to wash the fruit before we sell it.”

“I did some research on apple farms and orchards after I found out we’d inherited one. Nothing I learned matters. It’s all details of the operation and how many apples you can expect per acre. None of that matters until we can get this place operational.”

Thea nodded. “True. And I’m glad you said we. I hope you can convince your family that this is a great investment.”

He agreed. “I’m actually hoping to lure them all to live here. I want my family back together. I don’t want us to lose touch like Jay and Fox.”

Her eyes shone back at him. “I can’t imagine that happening when you care so much about them. I wish I’d known Jay had family. I’d have pestered him to reconnect.”

“What about your family? Are you close?”

Her reaction had him wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. Her eyes lost the glow, and her face blanked of emotion.

“I don’t have family.”

“I’m sorry. It’s so hard when you lose someone.” He couldn’t imagine being all alone.

She shrugged. “I didn’t lose them. I didn’t have any to begin with. As an infant, I was left at a police station, so I grew up in foster care.”

That was like an arrow to Knox’s heart. He couldn’t imagine growing up without his family. “I’m sorry again.”

Thea shrugged again but he could feel the ache radiating from her. Everyone deserved family. And it sounded like Jay, who she’d only known for a year, had been the closest person she had.

He wanted to fix that. Change that for her. Another good reason to get his family here. They would all like Thea. He could see her and Jolie being great friends.

Probably in a move to change the topic, Thea gestured again. “This is the apple barn. It’s where we bring the harvest. I don’t know much about this end of the business, but I know we wash the fruit, check for bruises and blemishes, sort by size, and then send it out.”

The equipment and organization of the barn was overwhelming. Again. Everything about this inheritance was overwhelming.

Including the woman beside him. The woman who’d had a tough life but was succeeding anyway. He wanted to know more. He wanted to help secure her future. The best way to do that was to learn more and use that knowledge to convince the others.

He gestured around the barn. “I’m overwhelmed. There’s so much. And I haven’t seen inside the other barns. I haven’t even peeked into the farmhouses.”

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