“So, this is where all the fun’s happening.” Trent sat down and picked up his niece. “Nice job, Maggie. Mom keeps saying she’s going to be an artist.”
“That would be better than working retail at the auto parts store,” Lucas commented.
I hadn’t spent much time around the brothers, especially without Jasper present, so I kept quiet and figured I’d see what kind of information I could glean from their exchange.
“That won’t be for forever.” Trent bumped his shoulder into Lucas. “Once we get that wedding barn fixed up, we’ll all be back to working at the orchard.”
“Jasper showed me the barn this morning. It has real potential.” Finished with my drawing, I started to cut out the top of the pumpkin.
“He did? I thought he was going to keep that to himself until after you awarded Ido the title. But once we get that title, Lacey said she’ll send plenty of business our way.” Lucas’s grin slipped as Trent elbowed him in the ribs.
“What?” Lucas asked.
Something passed between the brothers, some nonverbal communication that I picked up on enough to know that Lucas wasn’t supposed to mention that.
“You’ve got a lot riding on this win,” I commented.
Neither man responded.
“I guess this is where the party’s happening,” Mitchell said as he and Davis entered the tent, followed by their parents and Abby. “Are you making me a pumpkin, Maggie?”
Maggie reached for her grandmother, who picked her up and snuggled her in her arms.
“Where’s Jasper?” Mr. Taylor asked.
Seven pairs of eyes turned to me. Everyone except Maggie, who was too busy playing with her grandma’s apple-shaped earrings.
“He had to go do something.” I felt like I was shrinking under their collective gaze.
“He said one of us needed help,” Trent said.
Mrs. Taylor’s gaze swept over her children. “But we’re all here except Jasper.”
“Unless it’s Noah.” Davis pulled out his phone.
Suzy joined us, toting Helmut behind her. “Well aren’t y’all a sight for sore eyes. They’re about to put the pumpkins in the river, you don’t want to miss that.”
Helmut moved close and gave me a half hug. I was still getting used to the fact that I had family beyond Stella. It mighttake me a little while to get comfortable, but as my gaze drifted over everyone surrounding the table, my heart warmed.
This could be my life. Siblings, a dad, a niece with the potential of more nieces and nephews on their way, brothers and a sister whom I adored. For once in my life, I felt secure in my own skin. Like I was exactly where I was supposed to be with exactly whom I was supposed to be with. Except for Jasper.
“Where’s Jasper?” Suzy asked. “He’s the one who pulled this together. Did he head down to the river to start on the pumpkin float?”
“No. He left Delilah here with Lucas because he said one of his brothers was in trouble,” Trent said.
Davis held up his phone. “Noah said he’s studying at the library tonight.”
“So, if he’s helping one of his brothers but everyone’s accounted for, where do you think he is?” Helmut was the first to voice the question aloud.
“If y’all will excuse me...” Suzy ducked out of the tent.
“Where do you think she’s going?” Mitchell asked.
“I don’t know,” Trent said. “But I’m sure as hell going to find out.”
“I’m coming with you.” I was tired of other people trying to tell me what to do. If Jasper was hiding something from me, something big that might threaten what we’d been building together, I had a right to find out what it was.
“Me, too,” Mitchell said.
