Page 35 of Cherry Tree Ranch

What are YOU doing up at this time? he texts back.

I’ll tell you sometime, I reply, thinking of the stories I’m uncovering in the barn. Then I worry I sound like I’m being deliberately flirtatious and blush. I probably shouldn’t be messaging somebody’s boyfriend in the middle of the night. He shouldn’t be messaging me. You were sweet to help today, I follow up quickly, but I’ve got it tomorrow.

No really, I’m happy to. I had fun.

Me too.

So, is that a yes?

I drink in his willingness to help me, believing, if only for a moment, there’s hope for the ranch. With his help, I’ll pick and sell a lot more cherries.

Yes. Same time.

Chapter Sixteen

Cash and I spend the morning picking. In almost every way it’s the same as yesterday, except this time I wear my sun hat. We pick until our fingers are red and the crates are full. Before bringing our haul inside we rest under the trees, watching them sway in the breeze.

Without warning, he breaks me from my trance. “My mom has been insisting on me getting a real job,” he says, and twiddles his thumbs.

“What do you do now?”

“Make money rodeoing. Got a pretty big sponsorship, actually. I need to get my own place, and that’s the fastest way – just need to get enough money first. But I was thinking … I could help you with your cherries in the meantime?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t pay you.”

“How about this? Don’t pay me until you make some money yourself.”

“It’ll be a while,” I laugh. “I’m currently trying to save this place from debt and pay half of my hospital bill.”

“What?” He narrows his eyes. “Why?”

“The hospital bill? Because I was being careless. This place being in debt? My grandpa was being careless.”

“Your dad said that about you?” Cash says, understanding.

“First it was, ‘I’m giving the truck to Emery instead of you because she’s actually in college’,” I say in my best Dad-like voice. “Then it was, ‘This little fit cost me my deductible, so you’re paying for half of it.’”

Cash bends his knees and takes the belly bag off, heaving it easily to his other side.

“My dad hates this place, and it seems he wants to make it as hard as possible for me to live here.” As I tear up, Cash hands me the hanky from yesterday.

“What makes you happy?” he asks.

“This place. I’ve dreamed of living here since I was little – like in my actual dreams too. I know it sounds odd, but I dream of the past here too – scenes from another time. I guess I’ve always liked history.” I feel vulnerable in my admission, but there’s something about what we went through together when I was stung that makes it easier.

“That’s pretty cool, actually.” He rubs his chin and grins. “Do you dream about the future of the ranch too? Say, with me here, picking cherries?”

I laugh and smack his forearm. I pull my hand back quickly and heat races up my cheeks, making it all the way to my eyes. They burn with embarrassment, but also with a heat I can’t ignore.

He looks down at his arm and then his eyes flick up to mine. “My dad wants me to live his ambitions too.” He laughs to himself. “He says I’m a genius mechanic, and his business will be all mine some day. The funny thing is I’d much rather grow my mom’s flower business. No pun intended. Plants and animals are my thing, not machines and tools. But my biggest dream is to raise bucking horses.”

“Have you told your dad?” I ask.

“No, he’d say gardening and horses are women’s work. I’ve never told anyone this stuff.”

“Oh,” I say, surprised. Has he opened up to me about this, but not his girlfriend? “Well, if that were true about plants and animals, this community would look a lot different.”

“He says stupid shit sometimes.” I watch as he massages a thumb across his knuckles and wonder if his hands get sore hanging on to broncs. “So, back to me helping… No pressure, but I like being here and I can hold out until you make some profit.”