Page 4 of The Apple Tree

Kyle pressed his lips together to hide his grin, but my mom did not try to hide her laughter. “Adam and Eve.” She slapped her hand to her chest. “Oh dear. And my darling Eve loves apples. She was stealing them from the orchard before you bought the property.”

Who didn’t love a good Adam and Eve joke? Me. And I loved jokes, but not stupid ones.

Adam continued toward the truck.

“Daddy!” The boy ran up to Kyle and hugged him. “I want a snack.”

Kyle ruffled the boy’s dark, curly hair. “Okay, in a minute.” He rested his hands on his shoulders and turned him to face us. “Josh, these are our neighbors, Janet and Eve. Can you say hi?”

Josh tucked his chin with a bashful smile as he mumbled, “Hi.”

“Hi, Josh. It’s nice to meet you.” Mom playfully pinched his cheek.

He giggled and squirmed out of Kyle’s hold.

“How old are you?” Mom asked.

He held up five fingers.

“Aw, the fabulous fives,” Mom said.

Josh ran into the house.

“More like the ferocious fives.” Kyle sighed.

“Well, our youngest, Gabby, is sixteen, and I know she’ll babysit. Eve works at a motel and loiters at the nursing home to avoid chores, so she isn’t as available.”

“Loiters?” My jaw dropped. “Ivolunteer. And Grandma Bonnie is there.AndI’m done between three and four every day. So, I'd be available if Kyle ever needs someone to watch Josh in the evenings.”

Everyone said I was just like my mother—feisty and stubborn—and that’s why we butted heads. But what kind of mother threw her child to the wolves like my mom did to me?

She rubbed my back. “Don’t forget, you’re always out with friends—when you’re not grounded.”

I wasn’t supposed to mention it, but it was okay for her to call me out?

We stepped aside to make room for Adam as he carried another box into the house.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kyle said.

“What can we do to help?” Mom asked.

“I think we’ve got it.” Kyle headed toward the moving van.

I watched his ass the whole way. He had a nice ass. Not flat like a lot of guys, but not a bubble butt either like Tom, my junior prom date. But who was I kidding? Kyle and Tom weren’t even in the same league.

Boy vs man.

“Eve, grab a box,” Mom said. She wasn’t good at taking no for an answer when it came to helping people. My dad was the pastor at the only church in Devil’s Head, so hospitality was my mom’s specialty.

She excelled in potlucks and fundraisers.

Wedding receptions and funeral luncheons.

“Daddy! Snack!” Josh yelled from the front door.

“I don’t have much for a snack, buddy. We have to run to the grocery store.” Kyle and Adam carried a leather recliner down the truck’s ramp.

“Eve can take Josh to our house for a snack if you’re comfortable with that?” Mom offered.

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