Page 58 of Pick Your Spot

Knox watched as she checked the fuel gauge and explained how much gas a tour of the orchard would take. The three-quarters full tank would handle at least ten tours.

She jumped on the ATV, and he locked the barn behind them.

Thea frowned at him as he put on his own helmet. “Are you worried? I don’t think I’ve ever seen an uninvited person on Jay’s land.”

He shrugged, not ready to tell her he wondered if Triple-A was working on a way to find her. Knox imagined the man thought he was charming and would stand a better chance in person. “Better to be safe.”

She looked over her shoulder and around the property with a frown. He hated making her feel unsafe but figured it was better to be prepared.

She visibly shook off the feeling and turned her attention to teaching him about the ATV. She was thorough and focused on safety. “You’re a good teacher. I feel like I might not roll over when I try it.”

She laughed and pointed at the seat. “Big talk. Let’s see it in action.”

His phone rang, and he laughed when he saw Ford’s name. “Saved by the bell. Literally. Hey, Dodge. How are you?”

His buddy grinned at him. “Nice hat.”

Knox rapped his helmet with his knuckles. “Safety first, bud. I want you to meet Thea.”

Knox wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Thea, meet Ford Evans, also known as Dodge. Ford, this is Thea Zimmer, soil consultant.”

Knox’s buddy grinned at her. “Hi, Thea. It’s great to meet you and now I know why Annie is suddenly so interested in apples.”

Her cheeks flushed even as she laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Ford. I think.”

Knox grinned at the camera. “Thea is going to drive me around on the ATV. That way, I can hold the phone and show you all the places.”

“The engine is loud, so you won’t be able to talk once I start it up.”

Ford grinned. “That’s okay, I’d rather check out the place than listen to Annie ramble. Let’s go.”

For the next thirty minutes, they drove around the farm, stopping at the houses and the barns. Thea turned off the engine at each stop so he could explain to Ford what he was seeing. Thea let him take the lead and it surprised him that he could answer most of his buddy’s questions.

When they got to the compost piles, Knox grinned into the camera. “This is where the Worminator is going to be.”

Ford’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re going to have to explain that one.”

Knox turned the camera to Thea. “This is your baby, so you can explain it to him.”

She rolled her eyes with a smile. “We’ve ordered a farm-sized compost facility. It’s the most important ingredient in regenerating the soil and making this into a top-quality farm. With the Worminator, we can produce enough compost to have the trees thriving.”

Ford frowned. “Where does the Worm part of the name come into things?”

Knox loved the way her face lit up with the question. “Worms are the best natural composters. They’re the key to the Worminator. With their help, we’ll have the best worm-poop compost in Vermont.”

Knox pulled the phone back to him. “It’s going to be delivered in a week or so. We could use some help getting it set up.”

Ford grinned. “You mean you want me to build it for you.”

Knox shrugged. “Maybe. Can you get a couple of weeks off to at least come up and see the place? I’m serious about wanting you here. You can be your own boss and make all the decisions about what needs to be done first.”

Thea poked his shoulder. “After the Worminator. That has to come first.”

He and his buddy laughed. “Worminator first, then you can make the priority list.”

Dodge grinned. “In other words, Thea makes the big priority list and the rest of us listen to her.”

Her face flushed, but she laughed along with the two of them. Knox kissed her temple. “Pretty much. She knows what she’s talking about.”

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