I laugh despite my nerves and kiss him. “Okay. I can do this.”
“You can do this.”
By noon, my sisters have descended on Fork Lick like a beautiful, chaotic hurricane. Eden and Nate arrive first, tumbling out of their car with enough snacks to feed a small army. Eden immediately demands a tour of the beehives she helped establish from afar, while Nate trails behind, looking slightly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of nature surrounding him.
Esther and Koa pull up next, Esther already making comments about “ambiance” and “traffic flow.” Koa—tall, calm, the perfect counterweight to my oldest sister’s intensity—just smiles and carries their bags inside without complaint.
Eila and Ben emerge from their car, arguing about the most efficient route from Pittsburgh, a debate that’s clearly been going for the entire drive. Ben’s got a case of Eila’s latest beer in the trunk, which he insists on showing Asher immediately. And Asher doesn’t even have to pretend to be interested.
And finally, Eliza and Reed arrive with enough artisanal goat cheese to stock a small shop, plus a crate full of tree samples from their hydroponic business.
“Everyone’s here,” I say, standing on the porch of Tapped Out, watching my sisters scatter across the property like colorful, opinionated confetti.
Asher appears beside me, coffee in hand. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I lean into him. “It’s just weird, you know? Having my two worlds collide like this.”
“They seem to be colliding pretty well.”
He’s right. It feels like family dinner, just relocated, with the same discussions of pollinators and gossip and random interjections about stem splicing.
Baabara has evidently invited herself to the party, and Pepper is overjoyed to see Eliza. The next hour is a blur of tours and tastings and familiar hugs. I show Esther and Koa to their room—the largest of course—with a view of the maple grove and the fancy coffee maker I installed specifically because I knew Esther would judge me otherwise. Esther inspects everything and nods in approval.
“Not bad, baby sister.” From Esther, that’s basically a standing ovation.
Eila and Ben get the cozy room at the back, with the exposed beam ceiling and the reading nook Ben immediately claims for their dog, Maurice. Eila’s more interested in the window that overlooks the trees she’s been asking me about via text for months.
“They look healthy,” she pronounces. “You’ve been following my advice.”
“It really felt a lot more like commandments.”
She arches a brow at me. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Well…” I hug her. “Now I do, too.”
Eliza and Reed take the room with the best view of the barn, and Eden and Nate get the sugar shack bungalow—my pride and joy. I converted the original shack into a tiny private retreat, with warm wood, soft lighting, and a bed piled high with quilts. The actual syrup processing happens in a new building; the old shack has better bones for romance.
“Eva.” Eden stands in the doorway, eyes wide. “This is incredible.”
“Yeah?”
“I want to live here forever.” She throws her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you.”
I blink back unexpected tears. “Don’t make me cry. I have a picnic to host.”
“Fine, fine.” She pulls back, grinning. “But I’m telling everyone I know about this place. You’re going to be booked for years.”
“That’s the hope.”
The Bedds arrive en masse for the Tapped Out feast picnic—Lia and Ethan with Porter. Gran and Wesley hold hands like teenagers while Alex and Molly trail behind with their dog, Trixie. Sam and Diane arrive with a crate of apples and a bushel of children, plus more dogs that Maurice can’t wait to meet. Colleen and Bacon roll up with Cassie and Danny and a bunch of dog treats to keep the pups occupied so we humans can try to get to know one another.
“Is this everyone?” Nate asks weakly, watching the crowd expand across the lawn.
“I cannot possibly imagine anyone else fitting in the backyard,” Asher says, tugging at his collar.
I booked a catered meal from Bacon for the soft opening, and he laces on his apron, preparing to describe all the Bedd and Bedd-adjacent businesses that contributed ingredients. Eila’s beer pairs perfectly with everything, and I’m learning just how many unexpected foods taste better with maple syrup.
I stand at the edge of it all, watching my Pittsburgh family and my Fork Lick family merge into one loud, messy, wonderful whole.
