Page 61 of Pick Your Spot

“Show off your knowledge.”

He laughed. “Okay, the trees here aren’t as vibrant. I can’t think of another word, but the ones near the compost are brighter somehow. I don’t know if those ones have more branches or brighter leaves, but there’s a difference.”

She nodded. “What else?”

He pointed. “The ground cover, no, the cover crop here is thicker. More plants and vines are growing on the trunks. The grasses are higher and nearer the trunk. Even the paths between the trees are more overgrown.”

She laughed. “Very good. In an old orchard like this one, many of the trees aren’t grown in rows like they are in more modern farms. They cluster together more, and that affects the ground as well. There’s not as much sunlight in these areas, which changes things, too.”

“You told me that nature taking over with non-invasive plants helps. Do you see that here?”

She nodded. “I see a lot of that. We want to increase the natural biodiversity here, so we want plants that are native to the area. Sadly, many of the invasive species have strong roots and spread easily. We’ll have to eventually clear out some of these, but many of them can stay.”

He nodded. “I’m hoping Jolie can add to what you know. She’s got a couple of degrees at this point. Environmental sciences and ornithology are her interests. I’m not sure what the actual degrees are called, but I know she wants to help the planet and the animals. She believes in eliminating harmful chemicals and using natural methods.”

Thea squeezed him. “I’m going to like your sister a lot.”

“She’s going to like you as well.” In fact, Knox figured the two of them would bond quickly. They approached the world with the same positive attitude. “How do you feel about meeting them all during our next call?”

He felt her body tighten around his and worried he’d pushed too soon.

Thea rolled her lips together. “I’d like to meet them, but I’m nervous. I don’t want to do or say anything that would put them off investing in the farm.”

Knox swung off the ATV so he could see her properly. “There’s not a chance of that. We’re all normal people. Even Burke.”

That made her laugh.

He brushed his fingers along her jawline. “Our parents and Fox taught us to love the land and to treat it with respect. You do that naturally. They’ll love your vision of the farm and your plans to improve it. The biggest worry is that they don’t want to dump money into a losing venture. The two of us know that there’s the potential to grow this place into a healthy, thriving business. All we have to do is show them that.”

She smiled, but he was pretty sure she didn’t completely believe him. He pulled out his phone and opened the photos app. “I’ve got pictures of them here. Maybe seeing their faces will help.”

He frowned when he realized how few recent pictures he had. “I can’t believe it’s been so long since the five of us were together. That’s another reason to invest in this farm. We’re a close family but the most recent photo of all five of us is over a year ago.”

He’d do better. Even if they didn’t all move to this place, Knox wanted them to get together more often. He’d make a point to travel to where they were. And he’d take more photos. Losing Fox so quickly had him wishing he’d taken more pictures of him as well.

He scrolled through the ones he did have, telling Thea stories about them all.

“Fox and Jay weren’t identical, but there were enough similarities that people would have known they were brothers.”

He stopped the scroll on one he’d taken of Fox while he’d been planting in his vegetable garden. Thea tapped the image. “Without seeing his face, that could be a picture of Jay. Their body shape and ways of moving seem to be similar too.”

He hugged her to his side. “Do you have pictures of Jay?”

She shook her head. “I don’t have any other than the few on the wall in my cabin. I’ve never been one for taking a lot of photos. Something I never regretted until now.”

He figured that was because she’d never been surrounded by family.

Knox switched his phone to take a picture and held it up in front of them. “We’re not going to make that mistake. I’m not usually one for selfies, but I think we need to document the ATV that made the bucket list.”

He caught her laugh in the photo and knew it would always be a favorite.

Thea braced herself. She’d had more than twenty-four hours to prepare for the call. She wore a stain-free shirt, and her nails showed no trace of compost. It was as good as she got.

Knox turned in his seat to fully face her where they sat on the back porch. “Relax. There’s nothing to worry about. Just be you.” And then he kissed her until desire raced through her system, pushing out most of the nerves.

When he raised his head, she smiled at him. “You’re good.”

He grinned and kissed her forehead. “Not me. Us. We’re so damn good together.”

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