Jake’s laugh is warm and husky as he catches me by the elbow and leans down to my ear. “It’s really fine. Your family is nice.”
I can’t fucking help it. I melt.
His proximity. His touch. The whisper.
I give in. I let my eyes meet his over my shoulder and everything freezes. I want to say something. Something smart. Something sassy. What do I cook up? “See you outside.”
I’m still resetting from that when I make it to the kitchen, where I find my aunties, including Maggie, huddled in a circle and whispering. I throw my arms around their backs and break up their circle. “What are we whispering about, hmm?”
“Oh, Darcy, you’re no fun,” Aunt Sally moans. “You know good and well what we’re talking about.”
“I’m sure I do,” I reply. “And I’m here to tell you to go easy on the interrogation.”
“Don’t you think he’s handsome?” Aunt Susan asks, fanning herself.
“He seems like a very nice boy, Darcy,” Aunt Rosie chimes in. “Big improvement over Rob.”
I press a hand to my forehead. “Okay, that,” I point at Aunt Rosie, “stops right now.”
“Don’t get so worked up,” Aunt Sally says, patting my back. “We just want you to be happy.”
Maggie gives me a sympathetic look. “That boy’s sweet on you, Darcy. You’re young. He’s young. You’re gorgeous. He’s handsome. Just enjoy it.”
I draw a deep breath, letting it out with a short snort. My dad’s sisters are goofball matchmakers. Maggie’s mischievous, but she also knows me the best and I trust her opinion most. “Thank you. I know you mean well, but I’m serious. Don’t grill him like he’s rotating over a spit. You’ll scar him for life. You’re lucky he’s a good sport.”
“I bet he is good at sports,” Aunt Susan chuckles, setting the rest of them off again. With that, I drop the towel in the hamper under the sink.
“Y’all are incorrigible,” I sigh on my way to make a sandwich and go outside.
Jake’s already sitting with Bill, both of them doing that man thing of sitting with their knees wide, feet tucked under the chair, and arms crossed.
“She’s done real good,” Bill says as I sit next to him. “Proud of our Darcy.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling her all summer,” Jake says.
“And I’m glad you’re feeling better, sissy,” Bill says with a clap on my shoulder. “Jake said you’s a little under the weather a couple days back.”
I raise a quizzical brow and Jake looks sheepish. “Yep, much better, thanks.”
“But she sure is dirty and stinky now,” my mom chimes in from a couple seats over.
I force a smile. It’s normal for my family to rib each other, but things feel weird right now. My parents have a right to be annoyed with me given I called off my wedding without much of a heads up. I’d rather they didn’t take it out on me right now, though. “I was in the orchard all morning. That’s a consequence.”
“You’ve done so good for us,” Maggie reiterates, sensing my discomfort. “Might have to keep you on come fall-time, sis.”
I can’t even hold a fake smile anymore. “Maybe.”
“You could put all that creative writing to good use,” Mom says.
“You’re a brilliant writer, sweetie,” Dad says. “Why not write at night and farm all day? Can’t think of better inspiration than that.”
I can’t meet Jake’s eyes, but I feel him looking everywhere, assessing the situation. Maggie is apparently my third arm now, and acts on what I’m thinking. “Jake, what does your family do for the Fourth?”
Jake puts on a polite soft smile. “When I was growing up, we’d usually just set off fireworks with my dad. We didn’t have a ton of family in the area, but we had a fruit farm too. Y’all know how it is. No holidays on a farm.”
Bill examines him. “You going back there after you finish school?”
Jake’s brow knits. “Not sure yet. I’m almost done building the fruit picker and, if it’s something I can patent, I will. I’ll at least make a model for my mom to use back home. That’s why I chose that specific robot.”
