“Hurry, then. I’ll watch and make sure you get over there all right.” The farmer’s market was going to be closing up soon, and I needed to pack the crates in my truck to get them across town before I was due to help my sister.
“Thanks, Miss Barbie, for the carrots.”
“How about you call me Alex?”
“Okay, Miss Alex. I’m Molly,” she said as she held out her tiny hand again. I shook it and copied her smile.
“Nice to meet you, Molly.”
The girl quickly hurried across the lot to her dad, who appeared shocked she had left his side. I couldn’t see them well across the expansive lot, but the man turned and waved in my direction. From what I could tell, Molly handed her sister the carrot, and all was well and forgiven.
Even from this distance, something about the man seemed familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. I had a type, after all. My sisters always went for the tall, dark, and handsome ones. Me? I preferred men with blonde hair and a surfer aesthetic. A little rough around the edges with a warm, quick smile. Long and lean muscles and defined, broad shoulders.
But this guy across the lot screamed he was a three-piece-suit-wearing, order-giving alpha of a man. His hair was clipped short, and there wasn’t a five o’clock shadow in sight. He did have the tall, muscular thing going for him though.
The man turned back toward me again and caught me staring in his direction, cocking his head as if trying to figure out if I was a weirdo or not.
“Shit,” I murmured as I turned around and hefted one of the display crates into the bed of my truck. I hoped he would see I was busy and not come over to confront me for my staring.
After I stacked a few more crates into the back, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
Autumn: Don’t forget to stop by the house, so I can give you the run-through.
Me: I’ll be there in an hour. I just need to drop off the food.
Autumn: See you then.
With the warmth of the sun bearing down on my back, I continued to load the truck until the stand was empty. Luck must have been on my side, because the mystery man never resurfaced, but neither did his adorable daughter. I wondered if her sister was just as cute.
Officially closing down the stand a bit earlier than normal for a Saturday in peak season, I hopped into my truck and turned on the ignition. I loved how the entire seat rumbled under my legs as she purred to life.
After my grandfather died, my dad and I worked together to fix up the 1950s Chevy to pristine condition. Some of my favorite memories were working with him late at night, far past my bedtime, restoring what we could. I worked hard to keep her in the best shape I could.
Shifting the gears, I pulled out of the lot and headed down Main Street toward the opposite end of our tiny town. It was only a few blocks before I turned into the local church’s parking lot. They took the produce that didn’t sell and delivered it to families in need. It was an agreement my family made with them generations ago, long before my parents were born. My father’s ancestors were one of the founding families of our town, and we were proud of that heritage. We did our best to uphold the things they’d done to carry on our small-town living.
The staff were waiting for me when I arrived, and we quickly unloaded the goods before I made my way toward Colton and Autumn’s house.
The drive took about thirty minutes, and I couldn’t fight back my smile as I approached the renovated farmhouse high on the hill that bordered Sunny Brook Farms. Despite Colton and my sister’s rocky start—he outbid her for the house at auction and convinced her to help him renovate the property she always dreamed of turning into a bed-and-breakfast—they were blissfully in love. Just last weekend, we celebrated their wedding at the Easterly Venue, and now they were about to head off on their honeymoon. I was here to man the fort, so to speak.
Parking the truck, I hopped out and dashed up the stairs, admiring the newly laid flower bed on my way. My fists banged against the wooden door as I waited for my sister to answer.
As the door whooshed open, Autumn said, “Hey. You know you don’t have to knock.”
Laughing, I followed her outstretched arm into the house as she closed the door behind me. “Yes, I do,” I explained. “After the incident last year, when I saw way more of you and Colton than I ever needed, I will forever knock first.”
My sister’s cheeks flushed a deep-red in embarrassment as we made our way to the kitchen area at the back of the house—the area I was most familiar with.
“Where’s Colton?” I asked as I stole a cookie from the tray resting in the middle of the island.
“He’s finishing up packing his bag. I’ve been packing all week. He decided to wait until the last minute.” Her eyes rolled as she snagged a cookie as well.
“Better late than never though, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay, so tell me about the family staying here for the summer.”
With a mouthful of crumbled cookie, Autumn replied, “It’s Andrew’s best friend, remember? The one from college who came around during the summers when we were little.”
