19. Madilyn

CHAPTER 19

MADILYN

I’ve misseda few phone calls from Delilah, and I know if I don’t get in touch with her soon, she’s going to send out a search party. I sit down on the steps on the back porch and look out at the orchard. I haven’t told her about Asher yet, and the truth is, I need to talk to someone.

I take a deep breath and let it out. Okay I can’t keep putting this off. I send a text to Delilah.

“Can you talk?”

The phone rings almost immediately. When I answer hello, her response is, “You know I always have time for you. What’s up? How’s the job going? Enjoying the dirt?”

“Har har,” I reply. “The job is good.”

“I knew you would be a good fit.”

I don’t tell her about how Asher practically kicked me off his land the first day. Geez, that feels like ages ago. “So, uh, I need to tell you something, but I don’t want you to freak out.”

She starts to “ooooh” into the phone. “This sounds good.” After a brief pause, her tone changes. “Wait. Or is this something bad? So help me Madelyn Weston if you tell me you’re already leaving town, I am going to freak out.”

I’m quick to tell her, “No, I’m not leaving town. And it’s good…”

Impatiently, she asks, “What is it then?”

I hold my breath and let it out in a rush. “I slept with Asher. Well, actually, I’m sleeping with Asher.”

“What?” she exclaims. She’s quiet for all of five seconds, and then she starts rambling. “Girl, you landed a Wild brother? You did something all the single women—heck and most of the married women of Peach Springs have been trying to do for years.”

I recall last night and the way the people in town reacted to Asher being on a date. I saw the looks some of the women gave him. “Yeah, well, yeah, we’re dating.”

“How? How did this happen?”

Oh God. I’m going to tell her the truth, but she’s not going to believe me because even I know it’s truly out of character for me. “Well, I pretty much threw myself at him.”

“Madelyn Weston… I didn’t know you had it in you.”

I nod my head in agreement. “Trust me, I know. But have you seen him? I mean, the question is how could I not?”

She laughs at that. “I can’t believe you’ve been here less than a week and you are dating Asher Wild.”

Shoot, I didn’t even think, but maybe Asher doesn’t want people to know we’re dating. And just as quickly as that thought comes out, I argue with myself. He did take me out on a date last night, which I’m sure half the town knows about by now. But still. I don’t want Delilah to get the wrong idea. “We’re dating. We’re having fun and getting to know each other.” I quickly change the subject. “What about you? Have you talked to your policeman yet? Or at least told him how you feel?”

“No. I’m working on it.”

“Delilah! What’s the holdup? You’re beautiful, smart, kind. He’d be a fool—”

She cuts me off. “Forget it. I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. We’re talking about you right now. So what’s the plan? And don’t tell me you don’t have one. You always have a plan.”

She’s right. I do always have a plan, but right now, I can honestly say I don’t. “No. I don’t have a plan. He told me about Janet—”

She gasps. “He told you about his ex-wife?”

“Yes, and honestly I don’t think he’s completely over her. It’s obvious he was hurt by her, and he thinks that he and I are very different. I’m not sure if he sees this playing out long-term.”

“Uh, you’re not that different,” she mumbles.

“What do you mean?” I ask her.

“Well, I mean you both like to play in the dirt.”

I laugh out loud. “We grow peach trees. It’s a little more than playing in the dirt.”

“Whatever. The point is you two are actually a lot alike.”

I bring my knees up to my chest. “Yeah, my mom and dad loved him.”

She squeaks into the phone. “Hold up. Your mom and dad met him? They’re here?”

I sort of can’t believe it myself. “Yeah, they showed up one afternoon and were gone by the next morning. It was a whole thing really. They wanted me to come home and they had someone else they were fixing me up with and Asher sort of told them that we were dating.”

She interrupts me. “First of all, are they still doing that? They’re still fixing you up? And second of all, Asher told them you guys were dating?”

I roll my eyes. “Are you kidding me? They are not going to give up the idea of fixing me up until I’m either married or pregnant—one or the other—and I don’t think they care which really. My mom has the grandbaby bug bad. And yes, Asher told them we were dating.”

Delilah laughs into the phone. “This just keeps getting better and better. Well, I mean, you might as well forget it. If Momma and Poppa Weston have given you their blessing, it’s a done deal. She’s already planned the wedding… All you have to do is show up.”

“Ugh!’ I cry into the phone. “Trust me, I know. I tried to warn Asher, but he didn’t seem to think it was a big deal.”

“Hmmmm, interesting.”

“No! Don’t do that. I don’t need to hear it from you too. You need to be my voice of reason. Tell me I’m moving too fast. Tell me that he’s probably going to break my heart. Tell me… something.”

“Madelyn.”

The way she says my name tells me that she’s going to say something I don’t want to hear. “Look, don’t do this.”

I try not to be defensive. “Do what?”

“Find something wrong with him or look for reasons to end it. You always do this, and you shouldn’t.”

“No, it’s not like that, not this time. I don’t want to end it, not at all.”

“You don’t?” she asks incredulously.

I shake my head even though she can’t see it. “No, I don’t. I’m not trying to find anything wrong with him, and I don’t want to end it.”

She pauses and then says, “I don’t understand. What’s the problem then?”

I groan because I’ve never really been in this position before. “I think he’s going to end it.”

She’s quiet this time a little too long, and I start to panic. “Oh God, I’m not crazy. He is going to end it.”

She starts to laugh. “Geez, Madelyn. I’ve never seen you like this. You really like him.”

If only she knew. I met him days ago, and I feel more for him than I’ve ever felt for anyone. “It’s fine. I’m fine,” I tell her, and I’m not sure which one of us I’m trying to convince.

The back door opens, and I look over my shoulder. Asher is coming out, and he stops when he sees me on the phone. He motions, asking me if he should go back inside, and I roll my eyes and wave for him to come on out. “Hey, Delilah, Asher says hi.”

“Oh code for we have to quit talking about this since the object of your obsession is now standing right next to you.”

I giggle into the phone, playing along. I point at the spot on the stairs next to me for Asher to sit down. “Right, well, we need to do lunch soon and catch up.”

“Don’t give up on him, Madelyn. He’s been hurt before, and he’s skittish.”

I look over at Asher, wondering if he can hear Delilah, but he’s just looking out at the orchard. “Right, well, I’ll talk to you soon,” I say into the phone.

She laughs. “Fine. I get it. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Bye.” I hang up and then hold the phone up to Asher. “Delilah,” I say, explaining who I was talking to and then realize how ridiculous I sound.

I’m about to ask Asher if he wants to go for a golf cart ride when my phone rings again. There’s an unknown number on the caller ID, and I give Asher an apologetic look before answering it. “Hello?”

“Hello. Is this Madelyn Weston?”

Ugh, maybe I should have skipped this. Is it a sale call? I’m just waiting for them to tell me about my expired car warranty or something like that. “Yes, this is she.”

“Miss Weston, this is Avery Evers with Evers Orchards.”

“Evers Orchards!” I exclaim. “Uh, hello.”

Asher turns and looks at me. His eyebrows are raised, and he is looking at me curiously. I applied for many jobs, and Evers Orchards was one of the most coveted positions, but it’s known that people don’t leave there, and it’s nearly impossible to get on. It was a dream job for me, and I never imagined hearing back from them.

“Yes, this is Madelyn Weston.”

“Great. I wanted to speak with you about your application.”

“My application.” And as soon as the words leave my mouth, I put my hand to my head. Why am I repeating everything she says?

But Mrs. Evers keeps talking. “Yes, well, your application is very impressive. Master’s degree in agriculture. All the years of volunteer work, and I’ve already spoken to your references. You come highly recommended.”

I don’t even know what to say. “Uh, thank you.”

“We would like for you to come in for an interview and to see the place.”

“Oh. An Interview?” I say and then look at Asher again. His face is completely guarded. “Uh, I’m actually working—”

I stop mid-sentence when Asher shakes his head, mouthing something to me.

I speak into the phone. “Mrs. Evers, can you give me one minute?”

I no sooner get the phone muted and Asher starts. “Evers Orchard is huge. And I’m not just talking about their 2500 acre orchard. It’s a huge opportunity, and you can’t pass it up.”

I shrug, partly excited that they even called me. I honestly didn’t ever think this would be an option for me. It’s a dream job. But the other part of me is a little shocked. Even though I’m excited to be offered, I was fully prepared to turn it down. “But what about—”

Before I can ask him about us, he’s shaking his head. “Us? Madelyn, we both knew this was only temporary. You should do it.”

I feel as if I’ve been kicked in the gut. “But—”

He reaches for my hand that’s not holding the phone and squeezes it. “You need to do this. It will be good for you.”

He nods his head insistently. Well, I guess that answers my question about if he was going to end it or not. I unmute the phone. As I’m looking into Asher’s eyes, I tell Mrs. Evers, “Yeah, I can come for an interview tomorrow if that works for you.”

I search Asher’s face, looking for any indication that he doesn’t want me to do this, but there’s no emotion on his face whatsoever.

I listen to Mrs. Evers give me instructions for the following day, and after I hang up, I try not to let on how devastated I am. “Tomorrow,” I tell him.

He nods. “Good.” He puts his hands on his thighs and stands up. “I’m going to go out and check the irrigation system. I might be awhile.”

“Sure,” I tell him easily when I don’t feel easy at all. I want to scream at him and demand he talk to me. I want to ask him if he cares for me at all, but I don’t get a chance to do any of that. He walks off the porch and toward the orchard without looking back.