Page 48 of Apple of My Eye
‘Selling product can help,’ I grumble under my breath. Eloise treated me like I didn’t know anything when I met her because I didn’t know anything, but things have changed. ‘Look, it isn’t my fault that your plan hinged on someone else failing.’
‘Low blow,’ she mutters.
‘Look, I don’t want to hurt you,’ I say, ‘but I can’t let the Parkers down either. Whether you like it or not this is about more than just them. My future is at stake here too. What do you expect me to do?’
She sighs, some of the anger disappearing from her expression. ‘I know. I know you’re doing this for your mom. I can’t ask you to sacrifice the future you’ve planned for her, but I can’t exactly keep helping you hurt me either.’
My heart clenches in my chest. ‘But, Eloise,’ I say, ‘I like you more than for your farming help. Can’t we just separate the two?’
She shakes her head. ‘Maybe it’s a good thing Amie wants to ask you out. Whatever happened between us was a mistake.’
‘This isn’t fair,’ I argue. ‘You’re punishing me for something you would do in my position.’
‘You’re leaving soon anyways, so I suppose we can be cordial until then.’
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. How did we go from spending every morning together tocordial. ‘Cordial? For something that isn’t even my fault?’
‘OK.’ She crosses her arms in front of her chest, her light blue eyes piercing. ‘Whose fault is it?’
I raise my eyebrows at her.
She huffs.
‘Eloise, what happened to “business is business”?’
‘What happened? What happened is that businessisn’tbusiness to me. This is myfamilywe’re talking about. This is mylife. You’re just doing a fall fling. There are no repercussions for you. I know you feel pressure to succeed at everything to make your mom proud, but .?.?.’
‘You’re acting like I’m not doing this for my degree,’ I say, but even I know the argument is weak.
‘You said it yourself it didn’t matter if you succeeded or failed, you’ll still graduate. You have a job! Nick, you don’t understand. I don’t know why I expected you to. But this matters to me. This is everything to me.’ Eloise voice cracks. Her eyes start to fill with tears. ‘You know what, just go.’
‘Eloise.’ I step towards her.
‘Go.’ She turns around, her shoulders curving inward. I watch as she scoops up a germinated radish seed, the only container left on the otherwise empty table and dumps it into the trash. Clearly it was the one she had saved for me. My heart seizes.
Just as I’m taking a step towards her I hear the clear of a throat behind me. Hazel appears. ‘I think it’s best if you leave,’ she says softly.
Reluctantly, I obey.
Chapter Twenty-One
Eloise
Things About Myself I Am Embracing This Fall
–I am my father’s daughter—I have his grit (never mind that we are both lacking in the charm department)
–I am a damn good farmer
–I am a petty person, who always wants to prove my worth and avenge my wrongs
–If I can teach little kids how to plant a baby seedling without squishing it, then I can do pretty much anything
Lily: Hi cutie peach, I miss you! JW but is that video of the Parkers’ pig? Apparently it’s trending. That guy is SOOOO cute. You should totally meet him.
Lily: OK wait .?.?. this is DEFINITELY Buttercup. Get your ass to the Fall celebration thingy STAT!
Lily: Can you respond to me please. I have friends over and we are INVESTED.
