Page 36 of Pick Your Spot

She nodded into his chest. “I’m not sure I can even imagine that.”

“You’re going to like my family.”

She couldn’t stop her body tightening at that.

“What? What made you tense?”

Thea lifted her head to look at Knox. “Seriously? Your family is in complete control of my future at the moment. I want them to love the farm. I want them to want to invest in it and live here to bring it back to life. Meeting them is terrifying.”

His smile was soft, and he brushed one finger over her lower lip. “They’re great. They’re going to love you and what you and Jay were planning for this place.”

She found that hard to believe. “They’ve got their own jobs, their own lives.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t know how happy any of them are. They all want something more. I think we can all find it right here.”

The intensity of his gaze had her heart spinning again. Whatmoredid Knox want? With the way he looked at her—into her—she hoped she fit into that picture.

Chapter11

Strengthen Your Core

Walking away from Thea’s door after several spectacular kisses that had his body humming was a challenge. Knowing it was the right thing to do for her, for both of them, helped. If he wanted this to be a long-term relationship, he wasn’t screwing it up by rushing things. No matter how much he wanted to explore her body and find out what made her melt.

How could he want things to be forever after such a short period of knowing her?

Knox’s dad always said he’d known before Halona had finished her first sentence that he’d wanted to marry her and spend his life making her happy. They’d been great parents, great people, at least from his memory. He didn’t think he was making things different than they were.

Maybe Knox had been hit by the same realization as his dad. He could easily see a forever with Thea. Walking hand-in-hand through these trees, watching grandchildren play. Helping with the harvest and telling stories about the good old days when they’d met and how it had only been the two of them at the beginning.

Telling stories about Fox and Jay. About Mato and Halona. Ensuring the family stayed together despite the hard times. No drifting away from your family for decades. Not for any present or future Malssums.

It was weird for him to go more than a few days without touching base with at least one family member.

He’d arranged for another family group call the following day. He didn’t like leaving Thea hanging. One way or the other, it was always better to know what lay ahead. He imagined for her that was a powerful need. She’d grown up in care, not knowing how long any of her placements would last.

She’d assured him her foster homes had been fine. Thea deserved more than fine. He wanted to be the one to make that happen.

As he walked through the orchard, he studied the trees with a more knowledgable eye than when he’d arrived. From his walks with Thea, he knew more about what constituted a healthy, mature tree. Instead of admiring the buds, he searched the bark and ground for signs of rot or pest invasions.

He passed the compost area and marveled at how much it had changed since he’d first arrived. Instead of seeing decay, he saw compost forming. The potential it offered. A way to save the farm, to bring it back to life. To bring his family together and give him and Thea a future.

He wanted to build her Worminator. A top-notch facility that would be the basis for growth.

When he returned to the farmhouse, he knew he was too wired to sleep. Not only his body but his mind. If he wasn’t going to worship Thea’s body, he might as well put that energy to good use.

Laughing at himself, he powered up his laptop and settled at the kitchen table. This was the heart of the farmhouse. Even with the large space empty of people, it felt warm and cozy. He could imagine those grandkids he’d wished for earlier sitting at the table munching on cookies. Or learning how to make them.

Not that he’d be the one to teach that. He could survive on his cooking, but baking was something he left to the experts.

He sat back to study the kitchen some more. It was huge. Big enough for a commercial space? With the abundance of apples, should they look into hiring someone to bake with them?

Apple pies and tarts. Apple fritters and donuts. The possibilities were there even if he didn’t know much about that. Another point for the pro column. One that would build potential in the business. Another avenue to assure profit.

Burke was right in that they couldn’t pour money into the place without having some kind of return on their investment. ROI was one of Burke’s life philosophies, and using that in their conversation tomorrow would help.

Knox would talk to Thea again tomorrow before the call, but for now, he pulled up a spreadsheet and started a tab called Potential Income Streams. Jolie would like that.

What could make them money?

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