Season of Dreams
Jenna Mindel
Longing for a simpler life, wealthy businessman Adam Peece buys a cherry orchard in Michigan.Problem is, he has no idea how to run it! So he asks Eva Marsh to teach him the ropes. Cherries are in Eva's blood. Her family owned the orchard for generations before selling it to Adam. But she doesn't trust people easily, especially tall, dark and handsome city slickers.However, one look into Adam's caring eyes convinces her to give the city boy a chance. Could their working relationship blossom into love before season's end?
Adam recognized a fire in Eva’s eyes. No one cared more for this orchard than Eva.
Adam had fallen in love with this land, too, only he needed to learn how to make it grow and produce a living.
She gestured for him to come near. “Watch how I make the cuts.”
He peered around her shoulder. “Looks easy enough.”
“Once you get the hang of it.” She turned to look at him, but leaned too far back and slipped. Adam grabbed her arms to keep her from toppling.
She slipped down onto the bottom step, landing on his foot. Her eyes went wide and Adam caught a flicker of panic race across her face. “You can let go.”
He stepped back and raised his hands in surrender. “I didn’t want you to fall. Worker’s comp isn’t good on the first day.”
Adam smiled, but was curious to know what pulling her close would feel like. He suspected that she’d fit pretty well in his arms.
JENNA MINDEL
lives in Northwest Michigan with her husband and their two dogs. She enjoys a career in banking that has spanned more than twenty years and several positions, but writing is her passion. A 2006 Romance Writers of America RITA
Award finalist, Jenna has answered her heart’s call to write inspirational romances set near the Great Lakes.
Season of Dreams
Jenna Mindel
The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be
quietness and confidence forever.
—Isaiah 32:17
To the Frys,
Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents
with those who need them most.
(Especially your cherry pecan bread pudding
shared with the Mindels.)
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank Randy with Runge Industries Inc for his time spent answering my many questions about cherry farming. I hope I got it right! And the folks at NWMHRS for their research help as well. My sincere thanks!
To my agent, Karen Solem, for believing in me. And my editor, Melissa Endlich, for her encouragement. Thank you both!
To my red-pen-wielding husband, for his endless patience and support. You speak my Love Language!
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Letter to Reader
Questions for Discussion
Chapter One
Eva placed a tray of cut dough in the oven and then peered out the window. The wind moaned, making snow swirl against a gray January afternoon sky. The weather might not be as horrible as predicted, but it was bad enough to cancel school on a Friday. In northern Michigan that was pretty bad. As she cleaned off her flour-covered workspace at the island counter, a knock at the door made her jump.
Wiping damp hands against the back of her jeans, Eva crossed the kitchen floor and opened the door. A man with blue eyes the color of laser beams stood on the porch.
“Eve Marsh?” He smiled at her. A devastatingly handsome smile.
“It’s Eva.” Since when did she sound so out of breath?
He held out his hand. “I’m Adam. Adam Peece.”
Eva sucked in the gasp ready to escape. She’d accepted the job he’d offered over the phone this very morning.
“Sorry about not calling before dropping by, but I was on my way to the area and made better time than I thought. Last-minute decision.”
Regardless of the high opinion her father had for the guy who’d bought the family cherry orchard, one look at Adam Peece and Eva knew he was not the kind of guy she’d trust. He was too polished, too good-looking, and his fingers didn’t look as if they’d ever been dirty.
He grinned as he let his hand drop. “Is this a bad time?”
Eva thought briefly about closing the door on him but backed up instead. “Oh, no. Sorry. Come in and let me take your coat.”
He shrugged out of an expensive black wool peacoat, revealing snug black jeans topped by a charcoal-gray sweater. He looked as if he’d stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. His build was slender but obviously well exercised. The sleek boots gave him the decided air of a European jet-setter.
And this guy wanted her to teach him to grow cherries? No way. A downstater like him was bound to ruin the orchard, change it or worse—develop it.
He stepped farther into the kitchen. “Something smells incredible.”
Eva hesitated.
But her roommate, Beth, who sat at the kitchen table with her second-grade lesson plans, popped up to play hostess. “Eva’s famous cherry scones. Would you like one with coffee?”
His grin was quick and brilliant, showcasing even white teeth. “Absolutely.”
Eva nearly growled at her friend. Peece was bound to stay if they offered him food, but there was no getting around it. She retreated behind the island counter but not before noticing the flash of interest in Adam’s eyes when he looked at Beth. A guy would have to be dead not to notice her statuesque friend. “Mr. Peece, this is Beth Ryken, my roommate.”
“Nice to meet you.” Adam extended his hand.
Beth took it, and her long blond hair fell around her face, making her look even more angelic. “Have a seat.”
Eva might have been dazzled at first—it wasn’t every day a male-model type stopped in for visit—but she’d gathered her wits. “Mr. Peece—”
“Call me Adam.” He slipped onto a stool tucked under the island counter’s generous overhang.
Eva gave him a weak smile. “Since you’re here, I can show you what we’ll be working on together in February. Pruning tools, the trees…that sort of thing.”
“Let him warm up a minute, Eva.” Beth gave her a pointed look that said “play nice” as she set down the tray loaded with a coffee service and a plate of scones.
The oven timer buzzed, announcing more scones were done. Eva slipped on her oven mitts. “Excuse me.”
“Take your time.” Adam poured himself a cup of coffee.
Eva pulled out the cookie sheets and glanced at Beth, who nodded toward their guest. She turned to catch Adam’s reaction.
His eyes were closed and a satisfied smile curved his shapely lips. “These are amazing.”
His obvious pleasure did funny things to Eva. How could she hold a grudge against a guy who loved her baked goods? Not to mention that she’d agreed to work for him. That should teach her not to accept employment without a face-to-face interview. Not that she had much of a choice after he’d named her wages. She needed the money.
“Made with Marsh cherries,” Beth added.
Adam’s eyes opened. “Canned?”
Eva set aside her oven mitts. “Dried. They’re what’s left of last year’s pitiful harvest.”
“Your father told me about the killing frost last year. Tough loss.” Adam stirred cream into his coffee.
Eva clenched her teeth. If only they’d had a bumper crop, it might have made a difference. Instead, Peece had swooped in like a bird of prey sighting a quick kill. He bought up the orchard, enabling her parents to pay off their past-due mortgage and commercial note. Even after leaving the farmhouse to her and giving her brothers money, her folks had enough left over to retire modestly in the Florida Keys. Making everyone happy.
Except her.
Eva shook off the thought. “They’re your cherries now, so you can process them however you like.”
A moment of awkward silence hung in the air.
And Beth chose that moment to leave. “I have papers to grade, so I’ll leave you two to discuss business. Nice to meet you, Adam.”
He gave her a wide smile. “You, too.”
Eva swallowed the urge to ask Beth to stay. Adam Peece made her nervous. But then so did most men close enough to her twenty-five years of age.
She eyed Adam as he reached for another scone. “Your father said you’d taken the sale hard. I hope we can get beyond that working together.”
Eva pursed her lips to stop the sarcastic retort poised for takeoff. Who was he to commiserate? She felt the corner of her eye twitch as she stared him down. Pretty hard to do when his attention was wrapped up in what he was eating.
“What else are in these?” He held up half a scone and examined it.
“White chocolate.”
“Wow. They’re really good.”
She knew real appreciation when she heard it, but she hadn’t expected to be warmed by it. “Now then, Mr. Peece, did you have some questions about the upcoming season? Questions about our conversation this morning?”
His laser blues locked on to her, trapping her. “My father is Mr. Peece. I’m Adam.”
Eva looked away. She didn’t feel comfortable using his first name. It sounded ridiculous considering hers. Adam and Eva. Cute. Calling him Adam rang so informal and friendly. He’d have to earn her respect and friendship before she doled it out.
“Look, Peece, this isn’t easy for me. Working for you on my family’s farm. It’s going to take some getting used to.” Tracing the rim of her grandmother’s plate with her fingertip, she glanced up at him to gauge his reaction. Would he take offense?
No. In his eyes she read understanding.
Adam smiled at Eva. He liked the way she used his last name. From her it sounded saucy, even though he knew she used it to show that she meant business. He’d expected some reservation from her but not this stark vulnerability underneath a brave front that bordered on cockiness.
Adam leaned back, hooking his knee with both hands. “Working with people, I’ve gotten used to a lot of smoke blowing. Thanks for being honest with me. I’ll be honest, too. I don’t want to make this any harder for you. I’ve got an employment contract for you in the car instead of that fax I sent. After we sign off, I’d like to walk around the orchard on my own.”
He’d rushed over here from his town house intent on seeing his land in the dead of winter. He’d seen the lights on in the kitchen of the farmhouse and known he should meet Eva in person. He couldn’t wait to get started, discuss the seasonal duties, the whole process. He couldn’t afford to waste time. He had one season, this season, to prove himself to his father.
“Okay. No problem.” Her eyes matched the copper-brown color of her hair and he thought they’d softened toward him. A little.
Adam knew women hit the salons, but Eva Marsh didn’t strike him as one of them. She didn’t wear a trace of makeup that he could see. She didn’t need to. She was small, reaching all of maybe five foot two. And awfully cute wearing an apron covered with embroidered cherries and a smudge of flour on her cheek.
He took a sip of his coffee before he brushed off that flour. “Your father mentioned something about you starting a bed-and-breakfast. When do you plan to do that?”
Eva’s mouth had thinned, the softness gone. “For now, that’s on hold.”
Adam took another bite of his scone. Too bad Eva wasn’t as sweet as her baked goods. “Your dad’s the reason I hired you. Bob Marsh said you were the best person for the job.”
Eva looked straight through him as if measuring him and then finding him lacking. He’d seen that look a million times from his dad, but it still pinched. He wasn’t going to let Eva’s wariness stop him from learning everything he could from her. With God’s help, he wasn’t going to let anything stop him from making this work.
Adam nodded. “With the orchard right here, maybe you can do both.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Again the impatient glare before looking down at the plate of scones.
The dark fringe of her eyelashes curled against the swell of her cheeks. She had seriously long lashes and a few light freckles on her nose. Then she looked him square in the eye. “Look, I don’t mean to be so touchy, but it’s been a rough day. My bank shot down my loan application. I need this job and I’ll do my best as your farm manager.”
Again Adam nodded while something protective stirred deep inside him. He’d erase that furrow in her brow if he could. “Good. I’m looking forward to learning everything I can from you about this orchard. I want our working relationship to be open and relaxed. I’m going to ask you a ton of questions, but I’m committed to an entire season of getting my hands dirty.”
She didn’t look like she believed him. “It takes more than one season.”
“I’m sure it does.” After one season, he’d know if acting on his childhood dream was the right direction after so many failed attempts to find his niche. This time his father had thrown down the gauntlet. Success meant Adam could finally walk away from Peece Canning Company. Fail, and he’d lose it all.
Eva brushed a loose strand of her stick-straight hair off her forehead. The rest was tied into a messy ponytail. “Well, I guess we’ll have to see how it goes then, won’t we?”
Adam knew that was his cue to go get the contract and wrap up this meeting, but he felt an odd urge to stay. Eva’s cluttered kitchen was warm and smelled good. It reminded him of his grandparents’ farmhouse where he’d spent summers as a kid. That had been the only place where his mom used to bake. The only place he’d ever felt as if he truly belonged.
Adam knew better than to overstay his welcome. When it came to women, Adam never stayed. Not long anyway. “True. Thanks, Eva. It was nice to finally meet you.” He hooked his thumb toward the porch. “If you don’t mind, I’ll get our contract and then take that walk.”
He extended his hand.
This time she took it, but when he noticed the softness of her skin, she pulled back. “The snow’s deep out there. You’re likely to mess up those slick leather boots.”
“Thanks, but I have more.” He reached for another scone. “Mind if I take one for the road?”
Eva gave him a hint of a smile that revealed a dimple in her left cheek. She was impossibly cute. A real farm girl. “Go ahead.”
Adam shrugged into his coat, wondering why he didn’t want to leave when Eva Marsh clearly wanted him gone. He went to the door and opened it. Snow spilled in from a good two-foot drift. The snowfall had grown heavier and the wind whipped. “Uh, Eva? I don’t think I’m going anywhere.”
Eva didn’t know what to do with Adam Peece, but she let him stay and watch her bake more scones. He might not be a big man, but he still managed to fill the kitchen with his presence. His classic, defined features begged admiration, and she’d looked her fair share.
After they’d signed two copies of their employment contract, they discussed the first pruning chores of the season. Then Beth had joined them for a quick dinner of leftover lasagna and salad, but Adam still asked a million questions about growing up on a fruit farm. His manners were polished but relaxed and he’d charmed them both.
When he politely excused himself from the table to take a phone call on his cell, Beth leaned forward and whispered, “I think he likes you, Eva.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please.”
“I’m serious. He keeps checking you out.”
“Right.” He was probably judging her like she’d taken stock of him. It wasn’t as if she was anything to look at wearing an oversize sweatshirt the color of mud.
Beth smiled. “You’re lucky he’s too short for me, or I might be interested. He’s totally yummy with all that dark hair.”
“Too long.” Eva didn’t want to admit that his hair looked good even though he wore it longer than she liked. She’d always gone for the clean-cut, jock types.
“You’re crazy,” Beth said with a giggle.
Adam entered the kitchen, cutting off their whispers.
“Did you let your girlfriend know where you are?” Beth asked.
Eva shook her head. Her roommate didn’t have a subtle bone in her body. Raised by an indulgent mother and a police officer dad, Beth’s practical streak leaned toward saying whatever popped into her head.
Adam laughed as he slipped back into his chair. “I don’t have a girlfriend. But I’m supposed to meet up with some friends to ski tonight. My family has a town house at Star Mountain.”
Of course he did. That was the place to ski, even though it was almost an hour south. She should have pegged him a skier. Eva had never liked the party atmosphere of most slopes, but Adam probably fit right in. His manner might be easygoing, but she sensed intensity simmering beneath that carefree charm.
When Adam aimed his attention on her, Eva felt him tune in as if she were the only woman in the world. It was a heady feeling. And it was no wonder he’d been considered one of Detroit’s most eligible bachelors.
She’d searched on Google Adam Peece’s name. As heir to the Peece canning kingdom, Adam got around. In the Detroit society columns he’d been linked with models and wealthy downstate socialites and was even rumored to have dated the daughter of a Hollywood actor. Contrary to what her roommate thought, Eva knew a guy like Adam wouldn’t give her a passing glance.
“You’ll have plenty of fresh powder after today,” Beth added.
“Do you ladies like to ski?” Adam ran his fingers through dark hair that ended just below the line of his jaw. Pretty boy came to mind, but a deep cleft in his chin took care of keeping his face decidedly masculine.
“No,” Eva answered too quickly.
“When I have time.” Beth flashed her an odd look.
“What do you ladies do for fun?”
Beth laughed. “Fun? What’s that, right, Eva?”
Eva shook her head. “I think I’ve forgotten.”
“Don’t you two go out?”
Beth got up from the table, taking her plate to the sink. “I’m getting my master’s degree, and ever since Eva’s parents gave her this house, she’s worked on it nonstop. Painting, putting up wallpaper, you name it.”
Adam gaze pierced her. “That’s right, the bed-and-breakfast. You’ve got some stiff competition with the resorts around here.”
Eva felt her defenses rise. Pursuing a bed-and-breakfast was perfect considering the incredible views from the farmhouse. Besides, she was a trained pastry chef who wanted to bake on her own terms. “Exactly why I think it will do well. This is a quiet place away from noisy lakeside accommodations and it happens to be surrounded by a cherry orchard.”
“And romantic, don’t you think?” Beth said. “Perfect for honeymooners, especially when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.”
Eva could have clocked her. She didn’t want to think of anything remotely romantic when it came to Adam. “We’re not far from the beaches. Plus, there are several vineyards nearby.”
“Too bad there isn’t a ski hill closer for winter business.”
“We have cross-country trails on the bike path.” Besides, Eva planned to cater to families, couples, honeymooners and other safe people. Not a bunch of rowdy partiers. Not guys like Peece booking her rooms.
He shrugged. “That’s cool. It’s definitely a playground up here.”
Considering what she’d read about him, he qualified as one of the players. The sound of the wind wailing outside covered a stretch of silence.
“Well, I have to study, so I better get to it. Good night, Adam.” Beth made her escape, leaving Eva alone with him once again.
“Want some help with the dishes?” he finally asked.
“Sure.” Eva got up from the table. She wasn’t about to get cozy with him in the living room, so she might as well let him help her load the dishwasher.
“Who are all the scones for?” Adam handed her a dish.
She stacked plates into the bottom rack. “My aunt Jamee. She’s catering a women’s group breakfast. I’ll deliver them in the morning.”
“Where’d you learn to bake?”
She knew he was making polite small talk in an attempt to be nice. But Eva didn’t feel nice. The large kitchen that doubled as her office was her favorite room in the house, but tonight his deliciously expensive cologne blended with the oven-warmed air to suffocate her.
Eva let out a short sigh. “My aunt’s catering business is where I got my start. I helped her out on weekends when I wasn’t needed in the orchard. I love to bake, so I went to college in Traverse City for culinary arts. I worked the resorts awhile and then went to New York City to study pastry. I came home when my folks told me they were selling the orchard.”
Adam smiled. “In hopes of talking them out of it?”
Eva’s gaze flew to his. Too bad she’d been too late. Not that she could have changed anything. Eva wouldn’t hold her parents back from their dreams, even if it meant losing part of her own.
“Your dad told me at the closing that you were the only one of his kids who’d miss the orchard. He said you have cherry juice pumping through your veins.”
Eva shut the dishwasher door too hard and then flipped the switch. “You’re pretty chummy with my dad, aren’t you?”
Adam shrugged. “Your father’s a nice guy. He took the time to introduce me around to the local processors in an attempt to smooth my path. We met several times before and after he agreed to sell.”
No doubt the price was higher than her father could refuse. Just like the salary Adam had promised her. After a few months with a steady income, maybe she could try again for that loan.
“Yeah, well, my dad talks too much.” And so do you.
Adam gave her another soft laugh. “Your father’s proud of you. You’re fortunate.”
Eva wasn’t in a count-your-blessings kind of mood. Adam’s easygoing charm challenged her fortified walls. Her carefully built up guard. Working for him was one thing. She didn’t want to like him, too. “Thanks. Why don’t we check out the weather report?”
“Don’t worry, Eva. I’ll be on my way. The wind sounds like it’s dying down. Thanks for dinner. I’ll see you in a couple weeks.”
Eva nodded as she followed him to the door. The snow had stopped.
Calling Adam Peece an attractive man was an understatement. She didn’t look forward to showing him how to run her family orchard, but she’d do her job. It didn’t help that Beth’s teasing had planted a seed of interest. A seed Eva couldn’t let grow.
Chapter Two
Two weeks later, Adam drove the hour commute from his town house to Eva’s place. He couldn’t wait to get to work—an odd sensation for him. When at Peece Canning, Adam resented each day buried in boring paperwork and dull meetings, no matter how good his head for business might be.
Hands-on work. That was what he’d always preferred. He liked control of his own results. He’d tried several positions at Peece Canning but had failed to stay interested. Inspired. The feeling that he was about to strike gold had everything to do with learning how to prune his cherry trees. It had nothing to do with a pair of milk chocolate–colored eyes framed by thick, dark lashes.
He turned off the main road and pulled into the driveway, parking near a big red truck with a plow. Eva’s? If so, it was a mighty big vehicle for such a diminutive woman. He climbed out of his Jeep and breathed deeply. The February air seared his lungs, but he didn’t care about the cold. He felt alive for the first time in a very long while.
Recommitting his heart to God at Christmas had been part of a series of changes he’d made in his life. Pushing thirty, it was about time he discovered his purpose. What God meant for him to do and who to be.
God, please be with me and help me get it right. I don’t want this to be one more screwup.
Adam stared out over the eighty acres that now belonged to him with a sense of awe. The morning sun shrouded by thin clouds cast a pink glow against the bare orchard sloping in front of him. The gray waters of Lake Leelanau shone in the distance like a flat stone dusted with snow and ice. Beyond the far hills, Lake Michigan bled into a gray sky with the sandy face of South Fox Island breaking the color of the horizon. The view was spectacular and humbled his spirit. Could he make this work?
“Morning, Peece. You going to be warm enough?” Eva Marsh dressed head to toe in deer-colored canvas, stepped off the porch with a big basket over her arm. Was she planning an ice picnic?
He walked toward her. He’d skied in frozen temperatures all over the world. He didn’t have to dress like a northern Michigan yokel to stay warm. “I dressed for outside work, if that’s what you mean.”
The guy that followed Eva could have been her twin, except that he stood about a foot taller than her. Also dressed in heavy canvas coveralls, he towered over both of them.
“This is my brother Ryan. He’s helping out today. A couple of interns at the research center can join us later in the week if you decide not to stay,” Eva said.
He’d given Eva an expense budget, but he wasn’t ready to use it. It looked as if he’d have to prove to his pretty employee that he had every intention of staying on permanently. God willing.
Even so, Adam extended his hand to Ryan. “Nice to meet you.”
“This your first time pruning, Adam?” Ryan didn’t look much older than Eva.
“Yes.” And he was going to enjoy every minute of it.
Ryan glanced at Eva and she gave him an I-told-you-so look. Either Eva had picked up on his excitement or she’d conveyed her city-boy-can’t-do-real-work prejudice to her brother. Probably the latter.
“We’ve got fifteen acres of dormant sweet cherry trees to do. Another five acres of young sweets need pruning come spring. My dad had the tart orchard pruned last year so that’ll be good for another couple years yet,” Eva said over her shoulder.
Adam followed her as she strode toward a two-story barnlike garage with red clapboard siding that matched the house. With a push of a button, one of the two doors lifted with a squeak against the cold. Three ATVs were parked inside.
His pulse kicked up a few beats. “Nice.”
“You like to ride?” Ryan asked.
“Anything with speed and I’m there.” Adam kept pace with Ryan into the garage.
Ryan laughed, making clouds of white with his breath. “Me, too. My dad bought a third four-wheeler because Eva doesn’t play passenger very well.”
Adam glanced at Eva. He could see that.
Eva started the engine of her ATV, drove it into the driveway and stopped. A small wagon loaded with gear had been hooked onto the back. She pulled up her fleece balaclava to cover her nose and revved the engine. “Follow me, Peece.”
“You seem to like my last name.”
Eva’s pretty eyes widened over the rim of her fleece covering. “I can call you sir if you’d rather.”
He wondered why she wouldn’t use his first name. “No way. Peece is fine, but it’s what my college roommates called me. If I regress, that’s on you.”
A smile reached her eyes. “I’ll take my chances.”
Adam enjoyed this spunky Eva who looked ready for anything. He started his engine and, with a grin, squealed the tires out of the garage. In no time, they were jostling down a pristine white path into the orchard. They passed a section of smaller trees, their bases wrapped with what looked like plastic tubes. At one point, Ryan veered off into a parallel row and sped forward, spraying a tail of snow.
Adam grinned and followed suit. He couldn’t get lost with only one way to go, straight ahead. So he gunned it.
He looked back to see Eva chugging behind them. Ryan tore down the next row over, so Adam bit the racing bait with a jerky jump forward as he revved the throttle. Playing chase, they sped along slipping between trees until Ryan darted in another direction. From out of nowhere, the path ended. The orchard stopped and a fence loomed ahead.
Adam swerved left. Applying the brake too quick, he spun and tipped into a cherry tree. His shoulder hit first, then the four-wheeler pinned his leg against a surprisingly solid mass for a thin trunk. Great. He was stuck. After a few minutes of trying and failing to loosen his leg enough to leverage the ATV back onto all four wheels, he heard Eva’s approach.
She shook her head at him as if he’d been caught stealing one of her scones without asking. “What are you, twelve?”
So much for worrying about him. He wasn’t physically hurt, just his pride, but still, she could at least look concerned. He laughed. “Sometimes.”
He heard her chuckle under her breath, and then she climbed up onto the high side foot bed and grabbed the handlebar. With considerable strength for her small stature and a deep grunt, she leaned back and righted his ATV.
He rubbed his calf. “Ow, that was my leg…”
“You’re the one tearing around.” She gave him a smarty-pants grin and then, without tossing an ounce of pity his way, she knelt and gently ran her gloved hands down the trunk of the tree he’d hit.
“Hey, what about me?”
She pulled down her balaclava. “You’ll live. The tree might not.”
He climbed off his four-wheeler and knelt next to her. “Why?”
She scooted around to the other side of the tree, looking for damage there. “See this gash?”
Instead of concentrating on her instruction, he watched her pretty face. The tip of her nose looked red. “Yeah.”
Abruptly, she stood and stepped to the other side of the ATV. “Wound a tree and insects or rot can set in. Get a bad case of bugs because of a wound, and lose an entire section of crop.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.” She’d reduced him to feeling like a twelve-year-old. One who’d just been clued in to the serious consequences of his actions.
“Can’t you put some goop on it, or wax?”
She shook her head. “Doesn’t work that way. Artificial remedies usually make it worse. I’ll have Ryan check it out. It’s a young tree. It might heal itself. We’ll have to keep an eye on it come spring.”
Adam liked the sound of her using the word we. He wanted them to work as a team. Despite being her boss, he wanted to establish a comfortable working relationship that was friendly. But not too friendly. Considering how attractive he found Eva, that might present a challenge.
“Come on, we’ll trim a few rows down.” Eva climbed back on her four-wheeler.
He followed at a sedate pace. In minutes they stopped and Eva grabbed a milk crate from the back of his ATV.
“What’s that for?” Adam asked.
“Reaching the middle branches. I’ve got extended loppers for the tops.”
She lugged a small stepladder from her wagon. “I need a little more height.”
Adam laughed.
After getting set up, Eva motioned for him to come closer. “This is what we’re trying to do. Look at the tree and envision it covered with leaves. Prune back branches that will block sunlight to the center of the tree. Light makes more cherries.”
He recognized the same fire in Eva’s eyes that had been in her father’s. The same passion for the work. Robert Marsh had been right. No one cared more for this orchard than his daughter. Last fall, Adam had fallen in love with this land just as they had, only he needed to learn how to make it grow and produce a living.
She gestured for him to come near. “Watch how I make the cuts. We’ll work down this row, then come back on the next one over.”
Eva stood on the top step, so Adam took the bottom. Through the smell of ATV exhaust on her jacket, he caught a delicate scent. Maybe it was her perfume, or the shampoo she’d used. Whatever it was, he wouldn’t mind getting a closer sniff. He peered around her shoulder, breathing deep. “Looks easy enough.”
“Once you get the hang of it.” She turned to look at him but leaned too far back and slipped.
“Whoa.” Adam grabbed her upper arms to keep her from toppling.
She overcompensated and slipped down onto the bottom step, landing on his foot. Her eyes went wide and Adam caught a flicker of panic race across her face. “You can let go.”
He stepped back and raised his hands in surrender. “I didn’t want you to fall. Worker’s comp is not good on the first day.”
Adam smiled but he was curious to know what pulling her close would feel like. He suspected that she’d fit pretty well in his arms.
Eva inhaled big gulps of frosty air while her pulse hammered in her ears. She needed to put space between her and Adam fast. Those bright blue eyes of his were a drowning place where she worried she couldn’t stay afloat. “Thanks. Think you can handle your own set of loppers?”
He chuckled. “Absolutely.”
“Good.” But could she handle working beside Adam? She wasn’t sure. It didn’t really matter. She had a job to do, so she’d better toughen up real quick.
They pruned tree after tree with little conversation other than Eva checking his cuts and admitting he did them well. She’d catch Adam humming and then he’d smile at her, making her insides pitch.
She wished she didn’t find Adam Peece so attractive. She might as well ask the sky to stop snowing for all the good it would do. Why, God? Why’d it have to be someone so handsome like him?
Although Eva attended church every week, she wasn’t exactly on good speaking terms with the Lord. She stopped expecting His help a couple years ago after blaming God for what her boyfriend Todd had done. There was no easy way of getting over that kind of betrayal.
Eva made another vicious chop, but cutting off her memories wasn’t as easy as trimming a cherry tree. Mistrust lurked deep in her still, ruining any hopes she’d had of dating. It was easier to keep guys at a safe distance. She stayed in control that way.
Eva blew out a breath of pent-up air. But then Adam Peece barged into her controlled world and lingered in her thoughts far too often. Working long hours beside him was bound to be more difficult than she anticipated.
What if she grew to care for him? Not likely, but working together for months in the field, who knew? Still, Eva wasn’t cut out for a guy like Adam Peece. And someone like him wouldn’t give her a serious look. Not in a thousand Sundays.
Shortly after noon, Ryan pulled up on his four-wheeler. “I’m hungry, Eva, what’d you bring to eat?”
“Stuff.” She trudged toward her ATV, stepladder in hand. Her brother had eaten a huge breakfast before they came out, but it was tough keeping that six-foot-two frame of his filled. “Come on. I guess a break’s in order. Bring your crate to sit on, Peece.”
Adam had caught on to pruning quickly, making clean cuts and moving on. She’d checked his work repeatedly and was more than satisfied with what she saw. She didn’t want him to enjoy this. She wished he’d go back to his canning kingdom in Detroit and let her do the work in peace. She’d make a good farm manager, but hands-on teacher? Right.
She opened her basket and drew out three thermoses. “Here’s tomato soup.”
“Come on, Eva, that won’t fill me up,” Ryan whined, perched on his four-wheeler.
“And chicken salad sandwiches.” She offered one to Adam before handing the plate to her brother. “There’s hot chocolate, too. Well, it’s probably lukewarm by now.”
“Cherries?” Adam looked up from his sandwich.
“She puts them in everything,” Ryan said.
Eva made a face. “If you’re going to complain, you can make your own lunch.”
“I’m just stating a fact.” Her brother laughed at her.
Eva knew she’d overreacted. Just because Adam got under her skin was no excuse to take it out on Ryan.
“How long will pruning take?” Adam blew into his gloves.
“On these trees? A few weeks.” Eva smiled. If he skipped the rest of it, Eva might get more work done with Ryan’s help and his two interns. Most of them knew how to trim a fruit tree as part of their agricultural education.
“That long?”
“Sometimes longer. Depends on the amount of help.” Eva took a drink of warm soup.
“Your dad said he had two sons. Where’s your other brother?” Adam sipped from his thermos.
Eva glanced at Ryan. “He’s out on the mission field.”
Her brother snorted. “Wasting time, if you ask me.”
“Ryan!”
Adam looked confused. “He’s a missionary?”
Eva nodded. “Sin’s an ordained minister, but he’s more into education. He’s training native missionaries in Haiti.”
Adam tipped his head. “Your brother’s name is Sin?”
“Short for Sinclair.”
“Ironic nickname for a minister.”
Ryan laughed. “Not if you knew him.”
“Just stop it.” Eva bit into her sandwich. It hurt that her brothers hardly spoke. They were both hardheaded and sticking to what they thought were noble principles. Sinclair punished himself for his part in an accident that took the life of Ryan’s girlfriend. Ryan blamed himself, but he resented Sin’s absence. He’d had to face Sara’s folks alone.
After lunch, Eva grabbed the long pruning loppers to tackle another row of trees. Within hours, the snowflakes grew fatter and more insistent. They stuck to her eyelashes and blurred her vision. She brushed them away.
She glanced at Adam on his milk crate. He’d slowed down considerably from this morning and kept blowing into his gloves. “Are you cold?”
“Just my hands.”
She searched the wagon. Pulling out another pair of heavy-duty work gloves, she walked toward him. “Try these.”
Adam tucked his expensive-looking ski gloves into his coat pockets. The tips of his fingers were white with a purple hue.
Eva grabbed his hands. “Let me see.”
Adam tried to pull back. “They’re fine.”
“No, they’re not.” Eva took off her gloves and touched his frozen skin. “We have to get you back to the house.”
“Give me those and I’ll be fine.”
“Nope. You’ve got frostbite starting on your fingertips. Time to call it a day. I’ll let Ryan know.” Eva looked at Adam’s face. The tip of his nose had turned white, too. The most important thing was to get Adam back home where it was warm.
Adam sat in Eva’s cheerfully decorated kitchen once again. Antiques mixed with brightly colored modern-looking fabrics but it blended well. The place had life. Vibrance. This time his hands were plunged into bowls of warm water while Eva built a fire in the woodstove. The snap and crackle of igniting wood cut the silence. And Adam felt like an idiot. Obviously he needed better gloves, and he’d have to pick up a fleece balaclava to protect his face if he planned to work an eight-hour day alongside the formidable Eva Marsh.
“So, I take it your family are churchgoers, to have a brother in ministry.” Adam couldn’t take the quiet. It was too much like when he was in grade school and sent to the principal’s office.
“Yup.”
“I went to church when I was a kid.” His mother used to take him to Sunday school and church every week. A few years after she’d died, when he’d hit his teens, Adam took a detour away from everything he’d been taught about honoring God. He stayed on that road too long, making choices he wasn’t proud of now that he’d given his heart back to the Lord.
Eva shut the woodstove doors. “Do you attend now?”
“When I can.” He wanted to settle in somewhere and go regularly. He needed a home church to call his own. A place to grow.
After attending a Christian concert with his sister over the holidays, Adam hadn’t anticipated God grabbing hold of him, but he was grateful for the second chance. Another puzzle piece of his life found its place. Adam might not have all the pieces locked in yet, but he was on his way.
He looked her square in the eye and wanted her to know he’d changed. “I recently came back to my faith.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “Looks like you’ll have to change your lifestyle.”
She couldn’t know what his life had been before—the parties filled with women and friends looking for what they could glean from him. Not that he cared to enlighten her. He was over it. Finished. Still, he smiled at her sharp tongue, and then laughed when the shock on her face registered as if she’d accidentally spoken her thoughts out loud.
Adam knew he had a lot to live down. “I thought Christians were supposed be nice. Love thy neighbor and pray for your enemies.”
Her eyes glazed with remorse, and then she laughed, but her amusement sounded forced. “Yeah, well, I’m working on that.”
“So, have you decided if I’m your neighbor or your enemy?”
She glanced at the clock on the wall, obviously uncomfortable with his probing. “I don’t know yet.”
But the brief flash of pain in her chocolatey eyes bothered him. It wasn’t easy accepting his part in her disappointment. He knew buying her family’s orchard had been a blow to her dreams of one day taking over the farm. Her father had pretty much spelled that out.
But Adam suspected the resentment went deeper than the sale of the land. She seemed lost and alone. Almost afraid, like a small force in a big world gone awry. Which was crazy considering that Eva Marsh proved quite capable of taking care of herself.
“Let me see your hands.” Eva peeked into the bowl, effectively shutting down his thoughts by her nearness. Something about her definitely piqued his interest.
He lifted his hands and winced.
She glanced at him with real concern and then gently touched the skin of his fingers. “As they thaw, it’s going to hurt.”
“You’re not kidding.” Adam had experienced cold but never like this. He peered into Eva’s eyes, and for a few moments she didn’t look away. She didn’t let go of his hands either.
And then the door opened, and Eva’s roommate blew in with a rush of bitter air. Beth took one look at him and rushed forward. “Adam, what happened?”
“Frostbite.” Eva moved away, leaving Adam to wish her roommate back at school.
Beth’s expression turned to mush. “Oh, you poor thing. Can I get you anything?”
This was what Adam was used to, but oddly enough he didn’t want Beth hovering over him. “I’ll be fine.”
She smiled. “You gotta watch Eva, she’s a tough taskmaster.”
Adam noticed the flush of color on Eva’s cheeks and grinned. “She’s not so bad.”
“Wait till you get to know her better.” Beth winked at him.
Had Eva heard Beth’s comment? By the way his prickly little employee bustled about the kitchen, he was pretty sure she had. Maybe she wasn’t immune to him after all.
After the first week’s worth of pruning beside Adam, Eva needed to unwind. Saturday night, she succeeded for a couple of hours at the movies with Ryan and Beth. She hadn’t thought of Adam Peece once during the big-budget sci-fi flick. Except for the moment she decided that the lead actor’s brilliant blue eyes were no comparison to Adam’s.
After his bout with frostbite, Adam had shown up for work wearing better gear and he went the distance in the field. She thought for sure he’d bail after a few days spent working outside in the bitter cold. Instead, he arrived every morning eager to work. Ryan had shown him how to use a small chainsaw on the bigger branches needing to be clipped from older trees.
The instant camaraderie between the two men pricked like a thorn in her finger. She’d always considered her brother a good judge of character. Either his discernment was off or her apprehension of Adam was overblown. Neither sat well.
“Wanna grab a bite to eat?” Ryan pulled his truck into the latest hot spot in Traverse City.
“Why here?” Eva didn’t care to hang out in a loud place.
“They have the best wings in town. Come on, Beth, back me up.”
Beth laughed. “You’re looking to scope the ladies.”
“Right.” Ryan’s mouth twisted.
Eva had given up badgering Ryan to ask Beth out since her brother showed no signs of interest. For anyone. His hurt still ran too deep. But then, so did hers.
After they found a table, Eva looked around the crowded restaurant. The bar was full, and the surrounding tables were jammed. She spotted movement in the corner and heard shrill feminine laughter. And then she saw him.
Adam sat at the end of a table made for eight with at least twelve people squeezed around it. Adam sat between two women, his arms draped loosely around each one.
“Hey, Adam.” Ryan waved.
Under the table, Eva pinched her brother’s thigh. “Don’t call him over here.”
“Why not?” Ryan feigned innocence.
Beth turned and waved, too.
It was hard enough working with him—Eva didn’t want to socialize, too. But like a fly drawn to rotting fruit, Eva glanced at Adam. His blue eyes stared straight through her as he disengaged from the pouty-lipped women and made his way toward them.
“Great,” Eva growled.
“How come your cheeks are red, Eva?” Ryan winked.
She wanted to hide, which made her cheeks feel that much hotter.
Beth played traitor and pulled out a chair.
Adam slipped into the seat. “Had some great skiing today. What are you guys up to?”
“We went to the movies,” Beth answered.
Eva peeked at the table Adam had left behind. Some of the women took pictures with their cell phones. Maybe that was why he’d been cuddled between two beauties—he was getting his picture taken. Not that it was any of her business what he did.
“Are you guys interested in coming to my place to ski tomorrow? I’ll spring for your lift tickets.”
“Cool.”
“No, thanks,” Eva answered with more volume than her brother. “We’ve got church in the morning.”
Ryan looked at her as if she’d spit ice cubes across the table and then turned to Adam. “Why don’t you come with us to church? We can ski afterward.”
Eva jumped in before Adam could answer. “He’s not going to want to drive all the way from Benzie County for church.”
“Let the man answer for himself,” Ryan said.
Eva glanced at Adam. He fiddled with the salt and pepper shakers, but his gaze rested firmly on her. The taunt she’d flung at him about changing his lifestyle rang through her brain. Surely he wouldn’t attend church to spite her.
“Hmm. I’m staying at a friend’s place not too far from you guys, so I could make church.”
Eva cringed. Ryan had a big mouth.
“I’d love to ski, but I have dinner plans with my mom right after service. Why don’t you pick us up at nine thirty?” Beth’s smile was a little too wide.
Adam tapped the table with his fingertips. Not a trace of damage from his scrape with frostbite. “Is that okay with you, Eva?”
What could she say? Refusing now would only make her look like being around Adam got to her. Backed into a corner, she decided nonchalance was the best shield of defense. “Sure, that’s fine.”
He studied her longer than she thought necessary before answering. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Eva watched him return to his table of friends. The volume of laughter rose, and one of the women he’d had his arm around threw her a curious glance and then settled on Beth. Creases of doubt wrinkled the woman’s forehead.
Ryan rubbed his chin. “I’m definitely taking him up on his offer to ski tomorrow. You going, Eva?”
“No!” Maybe she’d been abrupt in her answer, but the company Adam Peece kept supported what she thought. He was a shallow guy trying out a new hobby. Those women at his table no doubt thought a gentleman cherry grower was a charming side job. Eva might work for the man, but she wasn’t about to hang out with him, too. No way, no how.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Adam knocked on Eva’s door wondering if he’d made a wise choice. It was the perfect day to ski, blue skies filled with sunshine and temperatures topping out at a balmy thirty degrees. He had the strangest sense that he’d feel closer to God on the slopes rather than sitting in a pew next to Miss Prickly Prim Marsh.
Beth opened the door. “Good morning, Adam. Come in. Eva will be down in a minute. Want some coffee?”
Adam stepped into the warm kitchen and shed his coat. “I’d love some.”
Beth handed him a mug of steaming brew. “Have you had breakfast? It’d only take a minute to warm up Eva’s oatmeal.”
Adam nestled on a stool, propping his elbows on the ceramic tile-covered island while he cradled his cup. “I’m not much of a hot cereal fan.”
“I promise you’ll like this. If not, no big deal.” Beth shrugged, but Adam got the distinct feeling that if he didn’t like it there was something wrong with him.
Maybe there was more than just the cereal at stake here, Adam mused. He suspected that if he messed with Eva, he’d have to answer to her roommate. A tall, solid-looking woman, Beth was a formidable force. “I’ll give it a try.”
Beth smiled. “You won’t be sorry.”
They were talking about the cereal, right?
He shook off his musings. Something about the brown sugar and spice smell of Eva’s kitchen felt like home. A real home. Not the rambling, fully staffed estate of his father’s where Adam and his siblings each had private apartments.
Adam stirred milk into his bowl of oatmeal that was loaded with nuts and berries. “She puts cherries in everything, doesn’t she?”
“Just about. She loves them. She loves this orchard, too, if you haven’t already noticed.”
Adam didn’t miss the serious note in Beth’s voice. He remembered the way Eva fussed over the young tree he’d gashed with the ATV and felt like a heel all over again. “That’s why I hired her.”
Beth quickly turned to put away the remains of breakfast. Though he couldn’t guess why, Beth seemed disappointed with his answer.
Adam took a bite of cereal, savoring the heat and texture. “Wow. This is good.”
“Thanks.” Eva entered the room dressed in a butter-colored sweater and matching pants that hugged her slender form. Her hair gleamed against her shoulders and her lips had been slicked with berry-tinted gloss.
Adam dropped his spoon. He glanced at Beth, who smiled at him again, only this time with beaming approval. She’d witnessed his jaw-drop reaction to seeing Eva dressed like a girl instead of a farmhand. And he could practically hear the matchmaking gears turning inside Beth’s head.
Adam focused on his breakfast. He had no business finding Eva Marsh so attractive. Any entanglement with her would throw a wrench in what he was trying to figure out. Trying to do.
He’d done more than his fair share of dating. He needed to stay away from that slippery slope. Besides, he’d never get tangled up with an employee. Unlike his father, who had a habit of getting involved with his secretaries, Adam kept work and his personal life separated.
He peeked at Eva leaning against the counter. She watched him over the rim of her coffee cup. Attending church with her inched pretty close to that personal line.
Eva didn’t like the hitch in her breathing when she read the appreciation in Adam’s eyes. She didn’t like admitting that she’d taken extra care getting dressed this morning either. But that was exactly what she’d done, all because she was trying to compete with the beauties at Adam’s table last night. Ridiculous, considering she’d never come close by comparison. She shouldn’t care. Eva knew who she was and where she came from.
Still, she hadn’t been prepared for his approval or searching curiosity when he’d stared at her. She took too big a gulp of coffee. Swallowing the heat brought tears to her eyes and she coughed.
“You okay?” Beth asked.
“Coffee too hot.”
Adam brought his bowl to the sink, putting him much too close for comfort. “You going to make it?”
Eva coughed again.
He touched her elbow. “You okay?”
She stepped away. “Thanks, I’m fine. Really. Let’s go.”
But she wasn’t fine. For a split second, Eva had wanted to sway closer to Adam. Like a magnet drawn to steel, she’d felt a sharp pull between them. She didn’t need to act on it. She wouldn’t.
“Eva, you coming?” Beth slipped into her coat.
“Yes.” She brushed her thoughts aside and grabbed her jacket.
Could men like Adam Peece be trusted? Not by her. No matter how nice he seemed, Peece was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it. Despite having to work with him, Eva would keep her distance. Despite friendly outings to church, Eva was his employee. There was no point in dressing to catch his attention. She shouldn’t want it.
But she did.
The small church was full of people chatting in the foyer when they arrived and Adam felt the weight of several stares. Both men and women scrutinized him closely. He didn’t fit the flannel shirt and blue jeans dress code of a northern Michigan small town. So what if his clothes screamed out-of-towner? He liked to look nice.
Eva was pulled aside by a little old lady with blue hair. The elderly woman whispered in Eva’s ear and made her laugh out loud. Adam realized he’d never heard Eva really laugh. He liked it.
“Adam, this is my grandma Marsh.” Eva’s eyes were shining with amusement.
Adam looked at the woman, who was not much taller than Eva but with the same chocolate-brown eyes that proved a family resemblance. He took the lady’s hand in his own. “Very nice to meet you.”
Grandma squeezed his fingers with surprising strength. “My, my, but you’re a looker. I’ve got my eye on you, young man.”
Adam swallowed a laugh and winked at her instead. “I hope so.”
He glanced at Eva, who shook her head before saying, “I’m going to get Grandma settled next to Aunt Jamee and Uncle Larry.”
“I’ll catch up with you in the sanctuary.” He watched them walk away.
“So, what do you think?” Beth asked him.
Adam turned to see Beth looking smug. “Of what?”
“Of Eva.”
Adam didn’t understand why her roommate kept tossing Eva at him as if she was incapable of attracting a guy on her own. That was a new one. He was used to pushy girls like Beth hoping to snatch him for themselves, not their friends. He wasn’t interested in romancing Eva. He shouldn’t be. “Ah…yeah…well, she’s capable. Why do you keep asking me?”
Beth shrugged her shoulders, but she gave him that satisfied grin that only girls could muster. The one that said she’d gotten the answer she was looking for even though he hadn’t said a thing. “No reason.”
He rolled his eyes when she walked away. Maybe he should find an excuse to leave early. But then Ryan made a beeline for him with an intense-looking man pushing fifty.
“Hey,” Adam said.
“Adam, I want to introduce you to my uncle. He’s been our beekeeper for as long as I can remember, but Eva can fill you in on details. Uncle Larry, this is Adam Peece. He bought the orchard from Dad.”
“Peece? Any relation to the canning company?” Larry extended his hand.
“My father’s business, third-generation owner.”
The man gave him a shrewd look. “As the fourth generation, are you looking to move into cherries now?”
Adam saw where this was going. He wanted to set Larry straight. “No, I decided to go it alone. Although, if my dad wants to buy them from me come harvest, I won’t complain.”
Larry slapped him on the back, satisfied with the answer. “Absolutely not. Come on, I’ll introduce you to a grower that also rents bees from me. He’s a good man to know around here.”
Adam gave Ryan a nod and went with his uncle. Larry introduced him to Jim Sandborn, a cherry and apple farmer who lived about five miles south of Marsh Orchards.
“New to fruit farming then?” Jim eyed him with apprehension.
Last year, Adam had come to Leelanau County to investigate buying fruit from the area processors. He’d made no secret of researching the particulars for a new product line he wanted to propose to his father.
Adam met Robert Marsh at one such processor and after a long conversation Adam toured the man’s property. That first glimpse of Marsh Orchards had been like hearing a siren’s song that dug deep into his blood and stayed there. The more he listened to Eva’s father talk about growing cherries, the more Adam wanted to experience it. The more Adam saw of the land, the more he wanted to own it.
“I’m brand-new. But I’ve hired Eva Marsh as my manager to show me the ropes.”
The hardened farmer with hair whiter than the snow piled up outside cracked a hint of a smile. “Lots of you young fellers trying yer hand at cherry farming. But Eva’s a smart girl, that one. Known her since she was knee-high. Tiny but just like her dad, and stubborn, too. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks. I will.” Adam hoped the guy meant what he’d said. Admitting that he worked with Eva was what had melted Jim’s frosty stare. He wondered if the other growers might relax as quickly once they knew Eva was his manager.
The music started and Adam extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jim.”
The man shook it, nodded and wandered into church.
Adam followed suit, surprised to see Eva waiting for him.
“We sit near the front.” Her eyes challenged him.
He wasn’t about to back away, even if they’d been in the very first row. “Closer to the action. I like that.”
He slid into the fourth-row pew right before Ryan could slip in. Adam sat beside Eva. He grinned at the annoyed look she flashed him before she scooted as far away from him as the large lady seated on the other side allowed. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her prickly reaction.
The service started with singing, and the congregation didn’t hold back in volume or enthusiasm. Adam glanced around. Most of the church members looked like farmers or typical small-town stock. He spotted Uncle Larry sitting between an attractive woman who had to be Aunt Jamee and Grandma Marsh. Larry nodded in acknowledgment.
Adam faced the front and clapped along. He liked the feel of this church with its warm, open faces. By the time the minister stood at the podium, memories of attending services like this with his mom flooded his thoughts. Coming to church had been a good call, even though Eva’s proximity distracted. He was aware of her every move.
Eva tried to concentrate on the service, but it was impossible with Adam next to her. From the deep tone of his singing voice pleasantly tickling her ears, to the sincerity of his whispered prayers, she was undone.
Incredible! Adam Peece was a real man of faith. He hadn’t been kidding. The knowledge didn’t mix well with the image of Adam with his group of friends last night. Not that any of them did anything wrong, but it was hard to reconcile those two sides of her boss. He was the life of the party but quietly serious in worship.
Watching him with his eyes closed pierced her spirit with an ache of longing. She missed the close relationship she used to have with the Lord. Eva had kept prayer journals during her daily devotions, but she hadn’t opened one in two years.
A gnawing in the pit of her stomach hinted that maybe it was time to stop blaming God for what had happened to her. She’d held on so long to the Lord’s lack of protection, when she needed to accept that she’d made a horrible mistake trusting Todd. Her mistake. One she’d never make again.
Once the service concluded, she inched her way out of the crowded row, sensing Adam right behind her. The warmth of his nearness surrounded her even though he remained a proper few inches away. She stopped to wait for a woman to gather up a diaper bag.
“Hey, Eva.” Beth appeared from behind two elderly ladies. “Ryan’s dropping me off at my mom’s. I’ll see you later tonight.”
Eva nodded. Great. That left Adam to drive her home alone.
“I see an opening.” Adam took her by the hand. “Come on, we better make a break for it.”
Eva noticed that Adam’s touch was warm, although his palm felt rougher than she expected from a paper-pusher. Careful to watch that she didn’t bump into anyone, she followed Adam’s weaving between groups of people.
An expanse of solid man stood in her way, then he spoke. “Hello, Eva.”
She stopped short at the sound of that terrible voice. The voice she hadn’t heard in two years. The voice belonging to a man she’d thought she loved until he’d attacked her.
Todd!
The last time she’d heard Todd’s voice he’d bellowed drunken obscenities when Beth had helped her get away from him.
Her hand slipped out of Adam’s grasp as the clamoring buzz in her ears drowned out the sounds and faces of the people surrounding her. Todd blocked out the light of her tunnel vision, making her feel dizzy. Sick.
She sucked in air, but it didn’t help. Stars formed before her eyes. She was going to faint. Right there. In the middle of the sanctuary, she’d fall. Adam would see and he’d know. He’d tell Ryan. And Ryan would go after Todd.
No!
Stepping back until her bottom connected with a pew, Eva gripped the solid wood until she felt a fingernail crack. The pain helped her focus, helped her calm down a shade. She tried to make her mouth work, but nothing came out despite hearing herself scream on the inside.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yes,” she croaked.
“This is my wife, Susan. We’re up from Grand Rapids visiting my in-laws who attend here.”
Eva’s eyes widened when she took in the pretty woman standing next to him with a pink bundle of baby in her arms.
The woman’s eyes narrowed as if recognizing her. But they’d never met. “Nice to meet you.”
She felt the warmth of Adam’s hand at the small of her back.
“Everything okay?” Adam’s voice sounded far away, as if he was talking from the other side of a long tunnel.
“I—” Eva looked back at Todd. The urge to yell and pound on him overwhelmed her, sapping her strength. He acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had ever passed between them.
“Todd, honey, we better go. Dad’s pulled the car up front.” Susan shifted her pink burden and moved toward the door.
“Look, Eva…” He reached out a hand but let it drop with a sigh. He gave her an awkward smile and then nodded toward Adam. “Take it easy, okay?”
Eva didn’t know if she responded. Her knees shook, and her stomach lurched. Sweat broke out along her hairline. She really was going to be sick.
Why here? Why now?
“Eva?” Adam touched her elbow.
She shrank away from him.
“Who is that guy? Did he say something to upset you?”
Eva closed her eyes with a quick shake of her head. Seeing Todd upset her. Seeing him happily married and blessed with a beautiful baby girl infuriated her. How could God be so cruel? Todd had flourished, while Eva was stuck in a hellish purgatory she couldn’t climb out of.
She felt the gentle pressure of Adam’s hand return to the small of her back. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
Adam drove with the heat cranked to full blast. He kept glancing at Eva huddled in her seat. She hadn’t quit shivering. He wanted to pull over and gather her into his arms, but he didn’t trust the wildness in her gaze. The fury. He feared he might make matters worse by offering unwanted comfort.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“Old boyfriend?”
She glanced at him with haunted eyes. “Yeah.”
The ex-boyfriend was a giant of a man who looked far too clumsy for a petite thing like Eva. He struck Adam as one of those unmotivated types with boring stability stamped across his forehead. Eva needed someone who’d keep up with and challenge her. Maybe she had bossed the big dude around too much. Maybe that was why he’d left her. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.”
Adam glanced her way again and she looked close to tears. He gripped the steering wheel tighter. Tears weren’t good. A snappy Eva he understood, but a sad Eva busted him up. “It’s okay to unload.”
“I don’t want to unload. Why don’t you unload? What are you doing here, Peece?”
He braced himself for the unleashing of that pent-up anger. “What do you mean?”
“You’re the green bean heir. Why’d you buy my cherry orchard? To play nice and sweet so you could get in good with the growers to rip them off somehow? A guy like you can’t be serious about working a farm. Do you really think you belong here?”
Adam knew why he was here, but Eva wouldn’t believe him if he explained the calling that had filled him the day he saw the orchard. Maybe it was part of how God had whispered through the branches to woo him back into the fold like a sheep gone lost. Adam didn’t know.
All he knew was that he had to have the land. It was bigger than his grandfather’s farm, but it beckoned with the same promise of a simpler, better life. Away from his past where so-called friends looked at him with greed-filled eyes. And women wanted him more for what he could do for them financially.
Adam desperately needed a simpler life.
Explaining the whys would be a waste of breath. Eva struck him as a person who needed action, not words. Proof. Besides, she was hurting. Bad. If she wanted to take it out on him, he could handle it.
He pulled into her driveway but didn’t shut off the engine. The hum of the heater pouring out warm air masked the silence. Adam turned toward her. He didn’t want her to bolt, not yet. “What if I do belong here?”
She stared at him with her sweet mouth hanging open, looking as if the world around her had crumbled. “I miss the way things were.”
He gently touched her shoulder, wishing he could ease whatever it was that tore her up. Wishing he could promise her that she’d never get hurt again, but that was not the way life worked. “I’m sorry.”
Just then, Ryan’s truck pulled in next to them and the moment was lost. Eva exited the car and made for the house quicker than a jackrabbit.
Adam shut off the engine and got out.
“What’s wrong with Eva?” Ryan wore the concerned look of a brother ready to defend his sister if needed.
“She’s upset about some guy who showed up at church.”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed, as if weighing the truth.
Adam couldn’t blame him. He’d be concerned, too, if it were his sister. He looked up into Ryan’s gaze without flinching.
Finally, Ryan slapped him on the back. “Come on, man. Eva’s bound to have something good for lunch and we can talk her into going skiing. She doesn’t get out much, and it sounds like she needs an afternoon of fun.”
Eva wouldn’t look at Adam throughout the meal. His eyes had a way of luring her in and keeping her. She had to prove that she could do this job. Mouthing off like that to her boss was a good way to get fired. Instead, Adam had understood and even attempted to comfort her. And he wanted her to go skiing.
That might be the best way to get back in his good graces after such an awful display of emotion. She couldn’t stay home alone. Not now, not after seeing Todd. This morning had taken its toll, dredging up all the fury and fear she still wrestled with.
Maybe skiing would end up being therapeutic. She hadn’t skied in years, but it was better than staying alone until Beth returned. She’d ride with her brother, and that should give her a reprieve from dodging questions laced with good intentions.
On the way, she realized how wrong her reasoning had been when Ryan asked, “So what’s up with you two?”
She stared out the passenger window of his truck. “What are you talking about?”
“I have eyes. You were crying when you got out of Adam’s car.”
Eva gritted her teeth. She’d lost it, but she’d recovered in time to fix lunch. She didn’t think Ryan had noticed. “Todd was in church. He’s married with a baby girl.”
“Why’d you two break up anyway?” Ryan followed behind Adam’s fancy four-door Jeep Wrangler.
It was the kind of vehicle that suited Adam. The doors, the hard top and who knew what else could be taken off. Adam loved zipping around on the ATVs, so she imagined he’d love to go two-tracking, as well. Unless he never got that Jeep dirty. Unless it was all for show from a city boy who liked the idea of having a fun car but didn’t put it to use.
Eva turned her attention back to Ryan and shrugged. No one knew about Todd, only Beth. “Because he’s a jerk.”
“Then you’re better off without him. But why the tears after all this time?”
“I don’t know.” But she knew. She hadn’t faced Todd since that night at a party two years ago. She’d never gone to the police because she couldn’t drag her family through more junk after the death of Ryan’s girlfriend.
Instead, Eva hoped she’d get over it. Fat chance. Seeing Todd brought back the pain almost as if it had happened last night.
“What do you think of Adam?”
Eva stared at the snow-covered landscape whizzing by. “I try not to.”
Ryan laughed. “You like him, don’t you?”
“No.” Only partly true. She was afraid to like him.
“Come on, Eva. He’s a good-looking guy with a fat wallet.”
Eva closed her eyes. “So?”
“So, you haven’t dated since you broke up with Todd.”
“I’ve been on a few.” Eva had gone on three dates, but they didn’t work out. Her fault, not theirs.
“Maybe it’s time you went on a few more.”
“You’re one to talk,” Eva blurted.
Ryan’s neck reddened. “I have my reasons.”
Remorse pulled Eva into the melancholy place she frequented far too often. “Yeah, well, so do I.”
After a few moments of silence, Eva felt Ryan looking at her. “What?”
“With Mom and Dad in Florida and Sin gone, it’s up to me to look out for you. You’re the youngest.”
Her heart swelled into her throat, making it hard to swallow. “Thanks, brother dear, but I’m a big girl now. I can fend for myself.”
“I know you can. But I’m here just the same.”
“Thanks.” Her eyes stung in the corners. Ryan was a good man, and he deserved better than what he’d been through. Bolstering her courage she asked, “Why didn’t you move away after Sara died?”
“This is where Sara wanted to be. I won’t ever leave.”
Eva nodded, but her heart ached for her brother who’d lost the love of his life. Maybe that was why she and Ryan understood each other. They each accepted what they’d lost.
But Eva didn’t want to accept losing her family’s orchard. She’d do her best to show Adam the ropes even though she prayed for two things—he’d keep her on as farm manager long enough for her to get that loan and he wouldn’t ruin the farm.
She needed those cherry orchard views to lure guests for her bed-and-breakfast.
Chapter Four
Ryan pulled in behind Adam’s Jeep parked in the last driveway at the end of a row of large but unpretentious-looking town houses. Eva changed into her ski boots and then slipped out of her brother’s truck to look around. Adam’s place was tucked into the woods at the base of a hill. A stream wound its way through the complex that bespoke quiet living.
“Nice.” Ryan gave a low whistle. “This guy has some cash.”
“It belongs to his family.” Pampered. That was what came to Eva’s mind. Ski slopes and beach resorts were no doubt Peece family destinations. It was no wonder he could buy Marsh Orchards and give her folks the means to retire early.
Feeling out of place, Eva scanned the snowy trails that led toward the ski resort. Why’d she come? The question rang through her brain again when Ryan handed her the skis she last used as a teenager. Hoisting them onto her shoulder, Eva wasn’t sure joining Adam and Ryan had been such a good idea.
“You okay?” Adam had quickly changed into a trendy black ski jacket with matching black-and-red checked pants. She shook herself out of her daze. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done this.”
“We can hit the easy trails first.”
Eva glanced at her brother, who looked anxious to bomb the black diamond trails. How’d she turn out to be the only kid who played it safe in her family? “I don’t want to hold you guys back. You two go on ahead. I can putter until I get my ski legs.”
Adam handed Ryan a lift ticket, then turned to her with a grin. “There are some nice, gentle slopes here. And I’ll give you some pointers. You’ll do fine.”
Great. Peece wasn’t going to be easy to shake loose. She’d been hoping for a little solitude. Time to deal with seeing Todd.
“Trust me, you’ll enjoy this.” Adam grinned.
“Right.” Adam had the kind of smile that made her want to believe everything he told her. Not good. She’d believed in Todd once.
“Come on, the lifts aren’t far from here.” Adam carried his skis tucked under his arm and led the way.
Ryan walked fast with antsy anticipation. It was all Eva could do to keep up. When they made it to the base of the hill, Eva fiddled with her ancient bindings. If she took too long, maybe they’d go on without her.
“Need help?” Adam asked.
“I got it.” Eva finally clicked in.
“Ready?” Adam asked.
“Absolutely.” Ryan pushed forward.
Eva waddled close enough to pull on her brother’s sleeve.
“What?”
“Don’t ditch me,” she whispered.
Ryan looked at her with a blank stare. “Why?”
She didn’t want to get stuck with Adam, alone. She still felt raw, vulnerable. “Stay close.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’ll be fine, Eva.”
At the main chairlift, Eva looked up and really wished she hadn’t agreed to come. The trails looked steep.
Adam pulled another lift ticket out of his pocket. He slid close and handed it to her. “I know you can do this.”
How could he know? She tried to force the clip onto her jacket’s zipper, but her mittens made her movements clumsy. “I need easy, remember?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll ace the green trails in no time.”
Eva noticed that Adam’s right ski was practically on top of her left. She’d back up but didn’t dare move for fear she’d slip and bring them both down into a heap. His leg brushed hers as he leaned toward her, sending a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
If Ryan left her, she’d kill him. She looked at Adam. “What are you doing?”
He grabbed the lift ticket from her fumbling mittened hands and clipped it onto her jacket with a quick snap. “You were bending it.”
She let out the breath she’d been holding. “Oh.”
His eyes searched hers. “Relax. This is supposed to be fun.”
She nodded, but really, how could she relax? Her rich and handsome employer was inches from her face. She could smell his cologne. Nice, woodsy, expensive. Another jolt of awareness raced up her spine. There was no way she’d relax around Adam Peece.
“Let’s go.” Eva breathed.
Adam moved away from her with athletic grace. Turning easily on his skis, he led the way.
Eva jerked along, almost losing her balance twice.
On the chairlift, Eva was wedged between Adam and her brother. She checked out the view of vast rolling hills of white dotted with evergreens and naked brown hardwoods. And then she scanned the slope. This was a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. Adam included. He definitely belonged here. Several women checked him out with interest. Even with her sitting next to him.
But then, it must be obvious that they didn’t go together. Adam wore expensive top-of-the-line ski attire and Eva had donned an old pink ski suit complete with a white patch on one elbow. Like a stale marshmallow Peep left over from an Easter basket, she was definitely out of date.
“When we get off, be sure to veer to the right. Then wait. There are a couple trailheads for this lift. I want to take the right one,” Adam said.
Getting on a chairlift was one thing, getting off—completely different. The closer the crest loomed, the more the lift creaked, its gears pulling them closer to the launching pad. Eva’s palms felt sweaty inside her mittens. She took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Eva, hand me your poles. Ryan, we’d better help her out.”
Adam took her poles and then her hand. “Ready, step off and veer right. Now.”
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