Chapter 14 – Lena

“No, Enzo, I’m not done yet.” The bucket started to sink just as I was pruning the top of the last tree of the day. The sun was sitting low on the horizon and sweat ran down my back, but we’d made good time, and the pruning tower had held out just fine. 

“That wasn’t me,” Enzo called from the ground below. “We’re losing pressure again.” He moved to fiddle with the hydraulic settings for the lift, but I was still sinking slowly to the ground. “Ugh, why can’t anything on this farm work like it’s supposed to?” 

“It’s no biggie.” Enzo shrugged. “We’ll work on it tonight, and it’ll be fine by morning.”

“Just for once, I wish we could get our work done with dependable equipment.” And if I could ever get the loan I needed to buy the expensive property I wanted, I was going to replace some of the dinosaurs we were working with. Most girls dreamed of expensive dresses and shoes. Not me. I dreamed about top of the line harvesting equipment and a brand new apple press. 

“I’ll get the ladders from the truck.” Enzo left me hanging ten feet off the ground in the tiny pruning bucket.

“Enzo! Get me down first!” I stood with my hands on my hips as he laughed his way down the line of trees to the truck. 

My phone vibrated in my pocket with the call I’d been expecting for two days.

“Eli.” I stared at the lawyer’s name on the screen, too scared to answer it. We didn’t get good cell service way out here. “Hello?” my voice shook as I answered. “Eli? Can you hear me?” The line was garbled. “I’ll call you right back!” I ended the call, hoping he heard me. It was nearing five o’clock, and Eli was quick to call it a day. He wouldn’t answer work calls once he left the office. 

I was still sinking, but a good seven feet from the ground. I opened the bucket door and sat on the floor, dangling my legs over the side. Scooting forward until I was hanging from the bucket, I finally let go, dropping to the ground like a sack of apples. “Ouch!” I rolled over onto my back and struggled for breath. 

“Lena, what are you doing? I was coming right back.” Enzo dropped the ladder and jogged to help me up from the ground.

“The loan.” I clutched his arm. “Eli called.” 

“Go!” He handed me the truck keys and shoved me forward. “I’ll finish and meet you back at the barn.”

I ran, sliding into the front seat and fumbling with the ignition. “Eli, you better not leave early.” I put the truck in gear and hit the gas, kicking up dirt behind me. It was a quick trip back to the barn, but my heart was pounding by the time three bars on my phone lit up, and the call finally went through. 

“Eli? Glad I caught you.” I took a deep breath, hoping for a miracle, because that was what it would take to secure the funds to buy the land at a price the Ashfords wouldn’t be able to say no to. Still, I had to try. 

“I’m sorry, Lena.” Eli sighed into the phone. “The bank denied your loan application.” 

“Oh.” My shoulders sank right along with my heart. “Well …” I ran a shaky hand through my dusty hair. “We knew it was a long shot. I just thought putting my half of Orchard Hill up as collateral would be enough. It’s everything I have.” 

“I’m afraid the loan officer said Orchard Hill didn’t appraise at the value we were expecting, though she did say your plans for the future were remarkable and potentially a great opportunity for the right investor.” 

“I don’t want to deal with investors.” I sighed. I wanted to keep it in the family and do this my way. 

“I know it’s not the news you wanted, but you know I’m going to help you get this thing done.” 

“I know, and I appreciate all you’ve done.” I wouldn’t have made it this far without him, even if he was an Ashford. He was a good one.

“You know what our next steps need to be, don’t you?” I could hear the hesitation in his voice. He didn’t want this any more than I did.

“It’s not ideal, but I don’t see another option. We’ll start looking for other locations outside of Superiore Bay next week.”

“It’s a sad loss for the town, but it’s your best alternative if you don’t want to bring in local investors. Try to have a good night, Lena. It’s not the end of your dreams, just a temporary setback.” 

“Thanks, Eli.” I ended the call just as a tear splashed against my hand. It felt like the end of everything. Three years of planning and saving every spare dollar I could, just to see it all come crashing down around me because the Ashfords wanted to hold me back. All for the sake of a feud that had absolutely nothing to do with me or any of the Contrerases living today. 

I wondered if Conner and the old man knew just how pathetic they were. I climbed out of the truck and headed for the barn. I didn’t want to see anyone yet. I didn’t want to see my mother’s relief or my father’s I told you so look when they heard the news that it was likely over. 

I kicked a bale of hay in the entryway and headed to the back stall to sulk in private. Sure, I could probably find another land parcel in another town that would work well enough. I just didn’t know if I could get as excited for the future as I was when I saw my family bringing Orchard Hill to the tourists and locals of Superiore Bay. It was a way for us to give back to the town that had given us so much. To take our business to one of the neighboring towns felt like the ultimate betrayal. 

“Hi, Sweet Floof.” I sank to the hay covered floor, scooping up the white mama cat that called the barn her home. She ruled over the barn like a queen, keeping it free of mice and other cats who thought to take up residence here. She was heavily pregnant with a new litter of kittens, but she purred, bumping her head against my chin and giving me her compassionate blue-eyed gaze. “Oh, Sweets.” I buried my face in her fur and let the tears fall. “What am I going to do now?” 

For three years, I had something I was working toward. A future I could be proud of—not that I wasn’t proud of my family’s accomplishments with Orchard Hill as it was. I just … wanted more for our future. With the loan denied, I didn’t know if there would ever be anything more to look forward to. Life would go on just as it always had, and nothing would change. 

A familiar bark sent me creeping into the shadows of the stall. The very last person I wanted to see right now was Conner Ashford and his sweet dog. “Go away, Duke,” I whispered, hoping he would heed my plea. But his barking grew closer until I heard him sniffing like a bloodhound on the trail of Conrad Ashford’s adorable fox. 

He turned the corner, nose to the ground, until he saw me. He leaned down, head resting on massive paws, butt wiggling in the air in the universal dog language of do you want to play?

“Where’s your dad?” I set the cat back into her hay nest and called Duke forward. I hadn’t heard a car approach, and I didn’t hear any voices in the yard. “Did you come here all by yourself?”

Duke wiggled his hind end and scooted forward until his head rested in my lap. I scratched behind his ears, and his tongue lolled out as he rolled onto his back. “Do you like belly rubs?” I tickled his belly, and his eyes rolled back into his head. 

“Aw, who’s a good boy?” I rubbed his fuzzy belly. “But your dad’s going to be looking for you.” If he wasn’t already. Though Orchard Hill was likely the last place Conner would come looking for his missing dog. “Maybe I’ll just keep you as compensation for losing my land.” 

Duke gave me a wary look at that, his ears flopping back to reveal his wolfish eyes. “It’s a good thing I know you’re a sweet boy because I wouldn’t want to run into you on a dark path in the woods.”

Duke yawned, snapping his jaws, and leaned forward to sniff at Sweet Floof, who regarded him with barely concealed hostility. Duke ignored her sassy aura and moved to curl up around his new friends. With the cat snuggled up against his belly and his head resting in my lap, he made himself at home. 

I snapped a quick picture. “Let’s text your uncle and ask him to come get you.” I sent the picture to Carter with the caption “your brother missing someone important?” at the bottom. 

Three dancing dots immediately popped up on my screen, and I waited for his reply. 

Carter: His dad is absolutely freaking out. I’ll be right there.

I smiled at the thought of Conner missing his dog. I didn’t want to like the guy—especially today—but it was clear he loved Duke. 

“Someone with such good taste in dogs can’t be all that bad.” I rubbed Duke’s head. “He just needs to figure out if he’s going to be like his father or if he’s got the strength to be his own man.” 

While I waited for Carter to arrive, I went in search of a treat for Duke and Sweet Floof. She didn’t like apples, snooty cat that she was, but she did like peanut butter and bananas. 

“Wait a second, big boy.” I sat back down on the barn floor as I sliced into a Pink Lady apple, slathering it with peanut butter for Duke. He chomped it down, his tongue working hard at the peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth. 

For Sweets, I sat a plate of banana and peanut butter for her to enjoy on her own. She wouldn’t let Duke anywhere near it. “Sit, boy.” I waited for Duke to comply before I fed him a second piece of apple. 

“That is not the best way to ensure he doesn’t show up again.” My shoulders tensed at the sound of Conner’s voice. Not Carter. He stuck me with his brother again?

“I know what you’re thinking. In Carter’s defense, he was coming straight here to get Duke, but I wouldn’t let him.” Conner crouched beside Duke, pulling him into a hug. “What do you mean running away on me like that, huh? I was worried sick.” Duke worked at the peanut butter, his tail thumping against Conner’s side.

“I’m so sorry he just showed up. He’s never done this before.” Conner turned his attention on me, and some emotion crossed his face. 

“It’s okay.” I stood, smoothing a hand over my hair. I must look like a mess. “He can come visit anytime.” 

"Thanks for looking out for him.” Conner moved to sit on an overturned bucket, making himself at home just like his dog had.

All I wanted was for him to leave me alone to lick my wounds in peace. “What are you doing, Conner?”