Page 74 of Hand Picked
“Amanda,” I said, leaping toward her before Webb could release the angry roar I knew he was working up to. “Hey! I’m Luke Williams, remember? From spelling bee practice.”
“You’re Aiden’s… teacher?” She looked back at the spot where she’d seen us kissing.
“Yes. Yup. I sure am. And Webb’s… handfast partner. It’s a whole long story. I’m sure Aiden will fill you in. He’s been waiting for you! He already practiced his knot tying, so no need to worry about that. And his bag is right there on the porch. Aiden?” I called. “Dude, shake a leg!” To Amanda, I added, “Love this blouse, by the way. But do you have a sweatshirt? Would you like to borrow one?”
“No, I—”
Aiden ran out of the house, grabbed his bag, and ran toward us. “Bye, Luke. Bye, Dad. Love you.”
“Aiden,” Webb began in a severe tone, crossing his arms over his chest. “I need to speak to your mother. Privately.”
“Or maybe not now!” I suggested brightly. “Maybe tomorrow. Maybe after the campout. In fact, I need to speak toyouprivately.”
“Luke—” Webb began, but I cut him off, grabbing his bent elbow and pulling him toward my camper.
“Trustme?” I demanded softly.
Webb gave in and let me push him into the camper. But when I got inside, he whirled to face me. “What was that? I wanted to talk to Amanda.”
“No, you wanted toyellat Amanda,” I corrected. “And Webb, she’s trying.”
He shook his head. “You don’t know her. She’s doing what she’s done in the past, Luke. She’s got her head in the clouds. She’s not focused on her kid or what he needs, she’s—”
“Trying,” I said again. “I don’t know the whole story because you haven’t shared it, but she’s a person who’s trying hard and getting a lot of things wrong but not giving up.”
He blew out a breath. “Yet. I know where this is going—”
“But you don’t. Even you aren’t psychic, Webb Sunday.”
Webb’s shoulders deflated. “I just… don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“I know. I know you don’t. And neither do I.” Not Webb. Not Aiden…
And not me either.
Webb wrapped his arms around me and exhaled a long breath. “You’re magic, Luke Williams. You always make things better.”
I leaned up to kiss him. Finally, we were alone for more than two seconds. He tasted like Natalie Little’s cinnamon swirl cookies, and I realized they tasted ten times better on him than straight from the plate. Just when I was ready to mentally construct a thank-you note to her for her judicious use of cinnamon and sugar, a fist banged on the trailer door, shaking the whole place.
Webb sighed and closed his eyes. “You live in a death trap.”
“Coming!” I called out cheerfully before turning to him with a grin. “If we want to get me out of this death trap, we need to get back to work.”
He grumbled the entire way out of the trailer. I didn’t disagree with his disappointment, but then again, part of the reason I wanted to get back to work was because Aiden was going to be gone for eighteen whole hours… and I would have Webb Sunday all to myself.
I planned on making the most of it.
Naked.
ChapterSixteen
WEBB
I’d forgotten how good it felt to join with others in service to a neighbor. The fact the neighbor in question was someone as kind and appreciative—and sexy—as Luke Williams made it even better.
There’d been an actual barn raising years ago in Little Pippin Hollow, and I remembered how proud I’d been of my fellow Hollowans for coming together to help the Swansons after a devastating fire. Helping Luke today felt like we were all a part of something bigger than us, a community that looked out for each other.
It made me proud, and it reminded me that there was more to life than focusing on my own family, my orchard, and my never-ending chore list.
