My initial reaction is to feel bad for him, but Ezra doesn’t want my pity. Drastic weather changes tend to irritate his joints, making his hip hurt worse. I’m not surprised he wasn’t able to sleep either.
“Since we’re both up, we might as well take advantage of it. I’ll get started on the debris, and you do something with the tree?”
“Are you sure?” I ask him, not missing the pinch to his lips as he takes another step.
He shoots me a look, and I hold my hands up.
“Yeah, sorry,” I say. “You’re sure.”
“Damn right I am. Besides, moving is good for me. Sitting still just makes it worse. It’ll work itself out eventually.”
It’ll work itself out eventually.
Maybe that’s what I need to tell myself regarding Odette.
She’ll text eventually. Or stop by. Either way, the situation will sort itself out.
Besides, it’s not like she can avoid me forever, right? We’re working on the farm together. She wants to be here to save her business. She’d never abandon her dream.
Ezra and I spend the morning working on cleanup. By the time we open the cidery, it’s not perfect, but it’s a hell of a lot better. Plus, using the chain saw to break up the tree was fairly therapeutic, and I’ve barely thought about last night all day.
People come and go all morning, some even stopping to help with the cleanup because that’s just how Port Harbor is, and we have roughly twenty customers in the taproom by two o’clock when Izzy waltzes through the doors. I’m surprised to find Craig trailing behind her. I know he’s been working a lot lately and we haven’t seen him around much.
“Noah!” he calls with a grin. “Good to see you, brother.”
Brother.
He’s taken to calling me that since they got engaged. I can’t say I’m a fan of it, but it always makes Izzy giggle, so I allow it.
“Hey, Craig,” I say, setting aside the plans I’m drawing up for the new coop. If I’m going to have to rebuild the thing, I’m doing it right, and I’m giving the girls a bit more space. With any hope, I can make it Tootsie-proof too. “How you been?”
“Busy.” He sighs, slinging himself onto a barstool. “Working long hours a lot lately.”
Izzy looks surprised by this. “I thought you were going to the gym after work?”
“Yeah, babe. That’s what I mean. The gym is work, too, you know. How else do you think I get these muscles?” He kisses her cheek, and she giggles. She’s always doing that with him.
As anti-marriage as I am, I’m glad my sister is happy. Nobody deserves it like she does.
“I hear you on the long hours.”
“I’m sure you do with working so hard on the farm,” Craig says. “It looks great. We really appreciate everything you’re doing for the wedding.”
I shrug. “It’s no big deal.”
I mean, yeah, I’m busting my ass making this place everything my sister could ever want, all while trying to run a business, a farm, possibly buy an ice rink,andhave some semblance of a personal life, but whatever.
It’ll all be worth it to see my sister smiling.
And for Odette too.
I swallow just thinking of her, then try to push her out of my mind just as quickly as she’s entered it. The last thing I need to be doing is thinking of her in front of my sister. I worry she’ll be able to read my thoughts, and they certainly won’t be PG.
I’m not ready to divulge what happened between me and her best friend just yet, especially since I don’t even know what it meant. Or if it meant anything at all.
“Can I get you guys something to drink?” I ask.
That’s right, Noah. Work. Something to distract yourself.
