Page 20 of Take My Heart
‘Yeah, sounds good,’ I say, pressing buttons on the controller to test them.
‘Is she hot?’ Talia asks.
‘Who?’ I glance up at Kate, who’s looking at the poster I have on the wall. It’s a Kanfield Orchard poster with a picture of the fields in the fall. Below it are the dates for the fall festival and a listing of all the activities. My parents make a new poster every year and hand them out to local businesses to promote the fall festival. ‘Kate.’
She looks back. ‘Yeah?’
‘Could you see if the blade’s moving?’ I point to the front of the truck.
She nods and walks over there.
‘Talia, I need to go,’ I say. ‘I’ll call you later.’
‘You didn’t answer my question. That girl who’s there. Is she hot?’
My eyes go to Kate, who’s now at the front of my truck. Herlong brown hair is still wet from the shower and she’s not wearing any makeup. I can’t see her body because it’s drowning in my coat.
‘Why aren’t you answering me?’ Talia asks, sounding angry.
‘Because it doesn’t matter. I don’t even know her.’
‘You didn’t say no, which means she’s hot.’
I sigh. ‘I didn’t say that, and I don’t have time for this. I’ll call you in a few days when things slow down.’
‘Unless I’ve found someone else,’ she huffs, then ends the call.
We’ve only gone out a few times. I really don’t care if she finds someone else. She’s hot and we had fun when we went out, but it wouldn’t last. We’re at different places in our lives. I’m 26 and running my own business and she’s 22, unemployed, and living with her parents.
‘It’s not moving,’ Kate yells.
‘Because I haven’t done anything,’ I yell back. ‘Hold on.’ I press one of the buttons on the controller. ‘What about now? Is it moving? Even a little?’
Kate shakes her head. ‘No.’
‘How about now?’ I say, pressing another button.
‘No. Nothing.’
‘Shit.’ I blow out a breath and lean back in my seat.
‘Still not moving,’ Kate says, her eyes on the blade.
I get out of the truck. ‘You can stop looking. It’s broken.’
She walks up to me. ‘You can’t fix it?’
‘I could if I knew what was wrong. I’ll call Nick. He might be able to figure it out.’
‘Who’s Nick?’
‘My brother. He works at the orchard. Actually, he runs it now. He took it over from my dad last summer.’
‘Is that really what it looks like?’ Kate points to the poster on the wall.
‘Yeah. Why?’
‘That’s such a beautiful picture I thought it might be a stock photo.’
