Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Knowing him, he’d also considered how taking over the orchard could help others. Sebastian’s grandfather had survived the modernization and digitalization of businesses; he remained popular despite other corporations that imported cheaper products and ran their operations from massive sites. In short, the Wilder orchard was still thriving. It was worth investing and believing in. So I could imagine Sebastian would be able to provide jobs in the spring, summer, and fall.
It made me confused the more I thought about it. I didn’t see the issue.
It was my turn to lean forward and rest my arms on the table, like some uncivilized heathen, as my mother would say. “I think I’m missin’ something’,” I said. “You don’t have a mortgage, so why couldn’t you keep both? The beach house is your home, and the orchard would be a place to work and run a business.”
He nodded slowly and raked his teeth briefly over his bottom lip. “It’s just a big commitment for one man. Pops’s house needs fixing—he’s spent the past thirty years doing temporary repairs because he doesn’t have the time. He’s always out wandering the fields along the river.”
I’d never been up there, but I was curious. “How big’s the orchard?”
“About ten acres,” he replied. “It’s tiny in comparison to most others.”
Still, ten acres with barely any employees? That was one of the things I recalled from this summer. Sebastian often worried about his pops because he only had seven or eight part-time workers around.
“How many acres is your ranch?” he asked.
“Oh, uh…” I chuckled. “Little over four hundred?” I went on when he let out a low whistle. “But we have horses and cattle. It doesn’t really compare to a ten-acre orchard heavy with production.”
“I suppose.”
Okay, here was the thing. Sebastian was hesitating because he was right; it would be a big commitment for one man. I, however, saw opportunities everywhere. The property was big enough to run a second and third operation. Hell, I could have a business based there. What it boiled down to was those future goals and whether we planned together or separately.
Or he’s feeling you out, moron.
My head snapped up at that thought. Could that be it? Was he testing the waters?
I had news for him in that case, and I’d promised myself—and him—to be upfront with my intentions. As best as I could, anyway. I didn’t have balls of steel, and sometimes I had to let ideas and wishes simmer a little.
Not for this. I knew what I wanted.
“You wouldn’t have to be alone, though,” I mentioned. “I mean—I’m hoping you won’t be.”
It was as endearing as it was rewarding to see the flash of hopefulness spark in his eyes, the green becoming clearer and warmer. Go me, I’d gotten that one right. And it was comforting to know I wasn’t the only one fumbling at times.
Another thought struck me, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Was this why you mentioned how your boss and his partner live?” Because Sebastian wanted to know if that was something I wanted?
He cleared his throat and broke eye contact for a moment, only to recover with a huffed chuckle and a self-deprecating smirk. “You’re still my biggest weakness, Blake. I’m terrified to lose you, and I don’t wanna rush too far ahead before you’re ready.”
My chest tightened with the strangest emotions, both uncomfortable and exciting. Nerves, anxiousness, protectiveness, love…
Fucking hell. How I just knew. The feeling was wholly unfamiliar yet so easily recognizable.
I needed some contact for this, so I moved our plates aside and gathered his hands in mine. “Since we apparently share the exact same fears, how about we put all our cards on the table? I don’t mind being your biggest weakness—it’s an ego boost and a half, to be honest. But it goes both ways. You’re my biggest weakness too.”
That earned me a slight twist of his lips, and a pinch of amusement seeped into his eyes. I wanted to call it affectionate amusement.
“And with that out of the way,” I went on, “maybe it’s time we become each other’s biggest strength too.”
He threaded our fingers together. “How do we do that?”
“Beats me,” I laughed quietly. “I don’t know. Perhaps if we start by makin’ it clear we’re in it for the long haul. Because that’s how I feel.” It was the perfect time to bring up my call with my brother. “I talked to David just an hour ago, and he and his wife invited us to Tennessee for Christmas. Soph, Dylan, and the kids too. And I wanna go. I have no interest in taking shit slow or celebratin’ the holidays apart just because we haven’t been together very long. So I’m hopin’ you’ll say yes. And if you don’t, it’s only because we’ll be spending Christmas with your family this year.”