Page 106 of Break My Heart
I clap for her as she goes up to get her certificate. She’s smiling as she turns to go back to her seat. I’m happy she won. I’m not surprised her cider was better than mine. She has more experience than me and she spent more time on it.
Maybe now she’ll be able to keep G’s open. Winning first place would’ve helped her more, but third place has got to get at least a few people wanting to go there.
‘In addition to the trophies and plaques,’ Randall says, ‘the Kanfields have generously offered to give each winner a $50 gift card to use here at the orchard. I thank you all for coming today and I hope to see all of you again next year.’
People get up to leave. I look over at Gina, but she’s not there. Glancing behind me, I see her making her way through the barn.
I hurry to catch up to her. ‘Gina!’
She doesn’t look back.
I race past some people and get to her just as she’s going out the door.
‘What do you want?’ she asks, walking to her truck.
‘I want to congratulate you. Third place! That’s great!’
‘Not great enough to save my business.’
‘You don’t know that. Just give it some time.’
‘I don’t have time. I’m running out of money.’ She gets in her truck.
My phone rings. It’s Jeremy calling.
‘Gina, hold on!’ I yell as she backs up her truck.
She ignores me and drives away.
I answer the call. ‘Hey. Did you find out anything?’
‘Yeah, but it doesn’t seem right.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Are you sure you had nothing to do with this? I won’t tell anyone if you did.’
‘No. I swear. I had no idea it was even going on. So who is it? Who did it?’
‘I traced it back to a cellphone and a laptop. The cellphone belongs to that guy who works for you.’
‘What guy?’
‘The one who’s always behind the bar. The older guy.’
‘Wade?’
‘Yeah, that’s him.’
‘It can’t be. Wade’s great. He’d never do that.’
‘Then he let someone use his phone because that’s where some of the posts came from.’
‘That can’t be right. Why would he do that?’
‘I don’t know, but it was definitely his phone.’
‘What about the laptop?’
