Page 67 of Apple of My Eye
I texted Eloise when I got home.
Me: I’m so sorry I couldn’t find you again—I swear Betsy was trying to set us up when I got there but then she developed a thing for the yodeler.
I watched as her typing bubbles appeared and disappeared. Once, twice, then a third time before text appeared.
Eloise: *eyes emoji* The second place one?
Me: Not you too!!
Eloise: What can I say, Betsy’s got good taste. Come over Monday morning?
Her groggy visits weren’t just a fluke. I could have jumped in the air for joy. Now, as I half-walk, half-run my way to her place, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve borrowed one of Joe’s thick Carhart jackets to beat the chill in the air. I wear my farm boots so often they feel like a second skin. I take a deep breath of the crisp morning air as I round the corner and the Andersons’ fields come into view. It’s taken some time, but I finally feel like I earned my place here.
Eloise is leaning forward, picking apples off some lower tree branches.
‘Morning,’ I call out to her, my spirits lifting as I watch her straighten up, one hand holding her beanie into place, the other giving me a happy wave.
Uncharacteristically, she pulls me in for a hug, her expression cheery. I’m not ready to stop wrapping my arms around her when she pulls away. My shoulders tingle where’s she’s touched them, like her energy has lit them on fire.
‘It’s good to be back,’ I admit.
Eloise smiles at the ground, wrapping a wayward strand of hair around her finger. ‘About that,’ she laughs, ‘Mom got on my case for not having you over anymore.’
‘Did she now?’
Eloise nods. ‘She did. She said I was unhappy without you around.’
‘Hmm,’ I say, trying and failing to stop my smile. ‘Were you?’
Eloise punches me on the arm softly. ‘Yes,’ she whispers.
‘Come on, I can’t have made youthathappy.’
‘Well—’ suddenly she’s squirmy ‘—there is something else.’
‘What is it?’ I ask, feeling my suspicions rise. For a moment I wonder if the Andersons have been contacted by Scott’s Orchards. Scott’s had finally gotten back to us, wanting control over the whole farm. Betsy and Joe would retain ownership of the land and the house, though, which is what I fought the hardest for.
Joehatedit. He insisted he would think about nothing less than equal shares. I countered with fifty-fifty ownership, but I wondered if Scott’s would decide at some point in our back and forths that we weren’t worth the trouble. With bated breath, I wait for Eloise to continue.
‘We’re just selling out of our U-Pick tickets way earlier than we usually do,’ she says, looking sheepish.
I sigh with relief. ‘That’s great!’ I respond enthusiastically. ‘More business for you is more for the Parkers,’ I say without thinking.
Her face falls again. ‘Right,’ she mutters.
Damnit, I think. I’ve only been with her for five minutes and I’m already ruining it. ‘Hey,’ I say, placing a hand on her forearm. ‘Why don’t we not talk about business.’
She looks up at me, her cornflower-blue eyes impossibly beautiful. ‘We only talk about that.’
‘That’s not true,’ I argue. ‘I’ve told you my whole family history by now. I think if you were asked to be my mom’s primary caretaker you would know her medical history as well as I do.’
Eloise softens. ‘You’re right. I forgot how much ground you can cover when you’re working the ground.’
‘Horrible pun.’ I shake my head at her in mock disappointment.
‘Nick!’ I hear Cal shout. ‘Glad to see you back!’
‘Glad to see you too!’ I call out. He’s riding a tractor parallel to our row.
