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“Good.”

She gave the trunk one last pat and turned back toward the others.

They walked back more slowly. Alan and Janice discussed where to start once people could safely work among the trees. Eileen wanted the last few apples from the fallen branch collected before anything else was done to it. Penny had decided this made perfect sense and was already planning to bring her bucket.

Kate walked beside Wes. She had gone quiet, and he thought he knew why. Her visit was nearly over.

When the farmhouse came into view, Wes felt his bear’s unease before his own thoughts had fully caught up. She leaves in a few days.

I know. His bear did not say anything else. Neither did Wes. He had promised Kate the choice was hers. He was not going to take that back now that her answer mattered more.

Penny ran ahead to Janice when breakfast was mentioned. Alan went with them, and Eileen followed after making Kate promise not to let anyone start cutting the old tree before she came back outside. Wes and Kate were left near the edge of the orchard.

Kate watched her family disappear toward the house. “I should probably be thinking about packing by now.”

Wes kept his hands in his jacket pockets. “I know.”

“My plan was always to load the car after breakfast on the last morning and leave before ten so Penny didn’t get too tired.”

He knew that too. Kate looked toward Bramblewood, then across the boundary toward Russet Hill. Neither of them spoke for several seconds. Wes wanted to tell her she could stay as long as she liked. He wanted to tell her there was room for her in his house, his life and every day that came after this one. He had wanted those things since before she knew what he was. Wanting them did not make them his decision.

“When it’s time for you to go,” he said, “I’ll help you pack. And I’ll make sure the road’s clear before you leave.”

Kate turned toward him. “Do you know how infuriating you are?”

Wes frowned. “Occasionally.”

“I’ve spent days waiting for you to push for me to stay.”

“I told you I wouldn’t.”

“I know.” Her expression softened. “That’s the problem.”

Wes was fairly certain he had missed something.

Kate stepped closer. “You keep giving me room to leave.”

“I need you to know you can.”

“I do know.” Her eyes filled, not enough for tears to fall, but enough that Wes had to stop himself from reaching for her. Kate reached for both his hands. “I know I can leave, Wes. I could have left after you told me about your bear. I could have gone home last night. I could get into my car in a few days and drive away.”

Wes waited.

Kate drew a breath. “I don’t want to.”

His bear surged forward so strongly that Wes almost lost track of everything else.

Kate kept hold of his hands. “I’m not saying I never have to go home. I do. Penny has preschool. I have clients and a house and a life that doesn’t disappear because I met you.” She gave a small, shaky smile. “And I need to explain to a few people why a short vacation has become a life-changing experience.”

Wes’s thumbs moved over her fingers.

“But I don’t want this to end when the vacation does.”

Hope hurt.

Kate moved closer still. “And when I do go back, it isn’t going to be to pick up exactly where I left off. I don’t want my life there and my life here to be two separate things anymore.”

“What do you want?” Wes asked.