They cleaned up slash, pruned trees, and checked irrigation systems, and while he’d only been involved in one harvest, he’d managed that part of the orchard to make sure all the fruit came down, got checked, and delivered where it needed to go.
Thankfully, his section of the orchard wasn’t open to the public, who could come pick their own bushels. In fact, Ty had had no idea that people actually did that, but he’d learned last fall that they came and picked apples to make sauce, juice, and dried snacks for their kids.
Colt had opened a farm store a couple of years ago, and he’d added a food-kitchen operation to the orchard, and they madeapplesauce, apple juice, apple butter, apple cider syrup, and other appley products. They sold canning supplies and pie spices and caramel apple kits, and his latest addition to the orchards since taking over for his mother was this restaurant and café.
Ty had eaten here several times, and the food was delicious, as Colt had brought in talented chefs and cooks.
“Table eleven needs to be bussed,” Julie said.
Ty nodded at her. “I got it.” He grabbed onto his cart and headed back out onto the veranda.
Table eleven sat out on the edge, one of their couples’ tables that overlooked the orchards. In the evening, Colt lit up the trees with fairy lights, creating a romantic atmosphere. Word had quickly gotten out around town, and most evenings had to be reserved a couple of weeks in advance.
Ty knew most folks here at brunch, and around town. He deliberately kept his focus on his goal, concentrating on taking the strongest, most even steps he could. He remembered all the things Winnie had taught him in physical therapy and employed them, so no one would have a reason to have his name in their mouth.
Winnie sneaked into his thoughts again the way she had been for a while now. He’d woken up with the woman in his mind, and he’d spoken to her only two hours ago on his drive to the orchards, in fact. That conversation had left him feeling a little chaotic inside, but the texts afterward had soothed him, and hey, he had a date to Judy and Trooper’s wedding now, and Trap wouldnotbe taking Winnie.
He arrived at the table, still not quite sure why the prospect of one of his best friends going out with Winnie bothered him, only knowing that it did. He started stacking plates and putting them in his plastic bin. When he had to reach toward the middle of the table, he grabbed onto the back of a chair for support. His balance wasn’t great when leaning forward or backward—something he definitely needed to work on.
As long as he had some support, he was fine, and he had alittle pole with a hook on the end that he could use to pull glasses or saltshakers closer to him.
Laughter at the table next to him rang out, but Ty didn’t look up from his chore. Now that he’d heard them, though, his ears seemed in tune with what they were saying, and he heard a woman ask, “Don’t you know him, Winnie?”
He flinched, his head coming up. He looked out into the orchard, using every ounce of willpower he possessed not to look over at table ten. But how many people named Winnie could there be in Three Rivers?
His physical therapist—and his wedding date—was the only one he knew of.
Ty’s heart pounded as he finished wiping the table and setting the condiments, salt and pepper shakers, and sugar substitute packets where they belonged. He deliberately turned his back on table ten and swung his cart around the other way, scanning that half of the veranda for more tables that needed to be bussed. If he could just go that way, he could?—
“Hey, Tyson.”
It wasn’t Winnie’s voice that interrupted his thoughts, but he definitely heard the feminine tone, because she stood on his right side. In fact, she came around his right side and appeared precisely in front of him.
“Taylor, he’s working,” Winnie said from somewhere behind him, her words barely registering in his ears, but Tyson simply took in the woman in front of him. She had dark hair, similar to Winnie’s, but with plenty of blonde streaks through it, suggesting she saw a stylist often. Her dark eyes crinkled when she smiled, and something familiar about her tickled in Tyson’s memory.
Winnie arrived and linked her arm through the woman’s standing in front of him. “Taylor, come sit down,” Winnie practically hissed at her. She flashed a smile at Ty that only lasted a breath. He took in the two of them, and they were definitelyrelated.
“You didn’t introduce me to him last night,” Taylor said. “But I know I saw him at the party.”
Tyson wished he had a boss that would come storming across the veranda and demand he get back to work. Instead, he stood there and stared at the two women in front of him.
“Come on, ladies,” a cowboy drawled, and Ty turned his attention to table ten, his heartbeat now kicking against his ribs. He found Burt Hallahan and Cross Gables sitting at table ten.
Of course.
Great. Just great,Ty thought.
They wore their New Year’s Day brunch finest, which for cowboys was a clean pair of jeans and a button-down shirt.
Burt and Cross lived together in a cabin at Lone Star, and they were elite farriers in the exclusive program there. They apparently did everything together and had dressed as twins that day, with matching long-sleeved black shirts and dark cowboy hats. Burt also wore a stormy look, and Winnie tugged on Taylor’s arm to get her to go back to the table.
“I just wanted to meet the man you’re going to that wedding with,” Taylor said, a definite pout in her tone.
“Yes, well, he’s working,” Winnie said. “And besides, you met him last night.”
Tyson hadnotmet Taylor last night, at least not with a formal introduction from Winnie with words like,Hey, this is my sister,or maybe,This is my cousin from Alabama.
Taylor wore a pink dress that swished around her knees as she walked the few steps back to the table, with a pair of impossibly high heels and the teeniest tiniest pinpoint heel. Ty had no idea how they didn’t go down through the slats in the veranda, but she managed to stay upright and make it back to table ten.
