20. Asher

CHAPTER 20

ASHER

I madeit a point to get back to the house late last night and then I left early this morning. It’s not because I didn’t want to see Madelyn, because I did. I just didn’t trust myself. I knew if I spent any more time with her, I would try and talk her out of leaving me… and I know she doesn’t deserve that.

I saw the way her eyes lit up when she found out it was Evers Orchards on the phone. They are the premiere apple orchard in the Southeast.

When I saw her car pull out of the driveway, I practically ran to the house and straight to her bedroom. If her clothes and things are gone, I’ll know it’s over and she’s not coming back.

As soon as I walk into the house, it feels different, and I know it’s because she’s not here. How can I only have met this woman and already she’s completely changed me and my life? I’m holding my breath as I walk into her bedroom and I let it out in a rush when I see her stuff still sitting on the dresser. I walk through her room, her closet and the adjoining bathroom, taking great pleasure in seeing all the things she’s left behind. I know it doesn’t mean she’s staying, but it does mean I’ll see her again. And that can carry me through the rest of the day.

As I walk into the kitchen, I notice the letter sitting on the counter. It’s a piece of paper folded in half with my name on it. I greedily pick it up and read it really fast and then scan it slower again.

Asher,

Regardless of what happens today, I just wanted you to know that I have loved spending these last few days with you. Not only have I learned more since I’ve been here than I did from all my textbooks, I have felt more alive here than I ever have. I just want you to know that. I will always cherish our time together.

Yours, Maddie Weston

I read the letter for the third time and try to decipher any hidden meanings. Does she want to stay here? Does she have any regrets? Does she wish I’d ask her to stay?

The greedy part of me wants to do just that. I want to call her and demand she comes back to me.

But as soon as the thought fills my head, I shake it off. I can’t ask her to stay even if it’s the thing I want more than anything. I just can’t do it. She deserves to have all her dreams come true, and I’m not a part of that. I can’t give her what she wants—or deserves—and she’s better off without me. That’s what I have to keep telling myself.

I’m standing here holding the letter, reading it again, when there’s a knock at the front door. I fold up the piece of paper and put it in my pocket as I make my way to the front door. With a sigh, I open it and am surprised to see Mayor Walters.

I step out onto the porch and hold my hand out. “Mayor.”

He shakes my hand and nods. “Asher. How’s it going? How’s the new hire?”

And that right there is one of the negatives of living in a small town. Everyone knows everyone’s business. I can’t get into all this with him right now, so I just smile and nod my head. “She’s doing great. Fits in just fine.” And I’m not lying. She does fit in perfectly here.

The smile leaves my face as I start to think about things I shouldn’t be thinking about. “What can I do for you, Mayor?”

“Well, can we sit?”

He’s rubbing his hand through his beard, and I realize then this isn’t just a courtesy call. He sometimes comes out in the season to see the orchard or to get a bushel of peaches for his wife’s homemade peach pie. Today’s visit is different. I open the front door. “Sure, let’s go to my office.”

Mayor Walters has been here plenty of times before, and I let him lead the way into my office. He sits first, and I take a seat on the other side of my desk. The anticipation is not something I want to deal with today. “What’s going on?”

Mayor Walters lets out a breath. “The paperwork was finalized on the land yesterday evening. Everything has been filed, and the land your brothers and your parents have donated to the town is complete. Wild Park is now a protected space.”

I get chill bumps as he says it. I’ve thought about this moment forever and have wondered how I would feel. There’s nothing that could have prepared me for how this moment would affect me. I’m both happy and sad at the same time. This is what my parents wanted, and I’m happy that it’s finally happening. But I wish they were here to see it.

It also doesn’t escape me that the first person I want to call is Madelyn.

I let out a breath in a big whoosh. “Okay.”

Mayor Walters chuckles. “Yeah, I know. Twenty years is a long time, and it doesn’t make it any easier, but I’m glad that this is finally happening.”

I nod. “Me too.” I’m usually capable of saying more than one or two words, but I can’t seem to get it together right now.

Mayor Walters clears his throat. “Well, I wanted to be the one to tell you that the town is putting together a memorial, and it’s taking place next month.”

When he says the date, I suck in a breath. “That will be the twentieth anniversary of their death.”

He nods. “Yeah. We thought that would be appropriate. Is that okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

The mayor claps his hands together. “Well, of course we want you and your brothers to be there and take part in the festivities.”

I nod, thinking about my brothers. I need to tell them. They don’t need to hear this somewhere else. “Of course. We’ll be there.” As soon as I say it, though, I wonder if I’m going to be able to get them all there. With Justice on tour and my brother Colton just recently coming home and avoiding everyone, I’m just not sure. But I’m not going to get into all that with the mayor. “We will all be there,” I say again.

“You know…” the mayor starts. “Your parents meant a lot to this town. The fact that they wanted to donate this park to the town means a lot to everyone around here. And the fact you and your brothers have followed through to make it happen, well, I can’t begin to tell you what all of it means to us. Having this park is going to do great things for the town. I hope you know that.”

“Thank you,” I tell him, still in shock with everything.

He nods, and we talk a little more about things, and then I walk him out. I’m standing on the porch when Beau comes up. “What was that about?”

I clench my eyes together and then open them to look at my brother. “The mayor wanted to let us know that the town is planning a memorial next month.”

Beau stutters out the words. “The, uh, park?”

I nod, looking out at The Wild Peach. “Yeah, the park has been finalized and is now considered protected land. It’s the town’s property now.”

“Shit,” he says, and I don’t judge him. I know he’s not upset about it. All of us were on board with getting the park into the town’s land, but having this happen all of a sudden is sort of a shock to the system.

I pull my phone out of my pocket. “I’m going to send a text out and get all the brothers to meet up at the Peachy Keen for a drink.”

Beau is looking off into the distance. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be there.” He looks up and down the driveway. “Where’s Madelyn?”

I try to keep my voice light. “She had an interview.”

“An interview? She’s leaving?”

I shrug my shoulders and refuse to look at my brother. There’s no hiding how I feel about this from him.

With a shrug of my shoulders, I tell him, “Probably. She’s interviewing at Evers Orchards.”

“Shit.”

I can’t help it, I laugh. I guess that’s as good as a reaction as any. Obviously he knows what it means if she’s interviewing at Evers. Anyone in the farming community knows about Evers, and we all know it’s a job that couldn’t easily be turned down.

“Yeah, I agree…Shit.”

“Did you ask her to stay?” he surprises me by asking.

I shake my head. “No, I told her to go.”

We’re both quiet as we each lean against the columns of the porch. Beau cuts into my thoughts. “You know she’s different, right?”

I’ve been fighting with myself, telling me that she’s not, but I know Beau is right. Madelyn is different. And I might be losing her. “Yeah, I know.”

Beau slaps his hand against the column. “Then don’t let her go. You gave up your marriage before out of some responsibility to us. It’s time for you to do what you want.”

I look at my brother, ready to argue, but I don’t have it in me. For the first time, my first priority is not The Wild Peach, and I’m wondering if there’s a way I can make Madelyn mine without her having to sacrifice her dreams.