5. Madelyn

CHAPTER 5

MADELYN

I holdmy hands up to stop him. “Don’t apologize.”

“But—”

I interrupt him. “You’re just saying what you feel. I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, so I should be the one to say I’m sorry.”

He puts his hand to his chest. “Fuck, please don’t apologize to me, Madelyn. I don’t deserve it. Really, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have said—”

I cut him off. “Don’t feel bad, Asher. You’re not saying anything that I haven’t heard or felt before. I don’t fit in with what my parents expect from me. They want good things for me, but we just have different views on what that is. I don’t fit in with most people, but that’s mostly because I never knew who my real friends were. People have always judged me by my parents, and I’ve had to deal with so many fake people in my life. Honestly, this is refreshing. At least I don’t have to guess where I stand with you. You’ve made it apparent since I got here that you don’t like me, so I don’t have to wonder.”

I try to be flippant about it and act like I don’t care, but I do. What I heard him say on the phone really hurt me, even though I wish it didn’t. I shouldn’t care what this man I just met thinks about me, but for some reason, I do. I want him to like me. It doesn’t help matters that he’s just reiterating what I’ve felt most of my life. I’ve never fit in anywhere. It’s funny to think that driving up to the Wild Peach, I felt a calm come over me, and it felt right, but it seems that even here, I’m not going to fit in. All I can do is what I came here to do. Chief Taylor may have helped me with getting a job, but I’m going to be the reason I get to keep it. There’s no way I can let myself fail now.

Asher takes a few steps toward me. Regret fills his face, and it’s obvious he’s uncomfortable with what has happened. “I’m sorry, Madelyn. No matter what I’m thinking or how I feel, I have no right to say things… hurtful things… about you. That’s not who I am, and I really am truly sorry.”

I lift my chin up. “I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m not going to stir up trouble, and I promise I’ll do a good job.”

He nods. “I already told you that you could stay. The job is yours. I really am—”

I interrupt him. “Please, can we quit talking about this? How about you show me around and let me know what I will be doing?”

He blows out a breath in frustration. “Okay, I can do that.”

We walk down the center aisle with peach trees on each side of us. “How big is the farm?”

He stops and looks at me. “You don’t know?”

Like a deer caught in headlights, I stare back at him. Of course, I do, but I was trying to get him to stop thinking about what just happened. I nod my head. “Uh yeah, I know. You have 50 acres with around five thousand peach trees. They produce around one hundred pounds for each tree, so the Wild Peach produces around five hundred thousand peaches to be harvested each year.”

He stops and stares at me. “Wow. I’m impressed.”

I shrug my shoulders and point at a large building. “What’s that?”

“That building has another office in it, and it’s the bunkhouse. That’s where most of the guys live. There’s a kitchen and bathrooms inside too.”

I gesture to it with my head. “I could always stay in the bunkhouse.”

“Nope.”

“Nope? I mean, it makes more sense. I work for you, and that’s where your employees live.”

He grits his teeth, and his answer is filled with impatience. “That’s where all my male employees live. You’re not staying out there.”

I shrug like it’s not a big deal. “I’ve lived on farms before, and it’s usually unisex quarters.” He just stares at me, and I continue. “I’m just saying, I don’t want to put you out. I can easily stay out here.”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “That’s not happening.”

“But…” I start, and as soon as I see how serious he’s looking at me, I hold my hands up. “Got it. Okay.” I walk over to the closest peach tree. “So we’re pruning right now. We’re removing the diseased branches.” I run my hand up the center of the tree. “You’re doing a main open center form on the tree to improve air movement and light penetration.” I turn to look at him. “I’m guessing that you want to control size and height too to reduce crop load and ensure healthy fruit.”

He laughs, and my lower belly pulls. Damn, he’s handsome. He shakes his head and comes over to stand next to me. “You got me. You’re qualified.”

He’s standing over me, looking into my eyes with that smile that does something to me, and all I can do is smile back at him. We’re standing like this when Beau walks up. “The irrigation on the south side is fixed. Need anything from me now?”

Asher’s smile disappears. “Yeah, can you finish giving Madelyn the tour? I need to get some things done.”

Beau looks between Asher and me. “Uh, sure. I can do that.”

Asher starts to walk away but stops. “You have your pen?”

I look at Beau, thinking he’s talking to him, but Asher says, “Madelyn, do you have your EpiPen?”

Surprised, I nod and pat my bag that’s attached at my waist. I brought my own pruning tools, and I always bring my EpiPen with me. “I’ve got it.”

Asher walks away then without another word or look back.

Beau claps his hands together. “So you ready?”

I force a smile to my face. “I’m ready.”

He starts walking, and I have to walk quickly to keep up. “Okay, well, we’ll start at the bunkhouse and grab a side-by-side and I’ll show you everything, then you can get started.”

I’m panting as I walk next to him. “Sounds good.”

He laughs and slows down when he can see I’m struggling to keep up with him. “Sorry about that.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m good.”

We walk through the bunkhouse, and he shows me around. We get onto the side-by-side to tour the property, but instead of pulling out, he leans one arm on the steering wheel and turns toward me. “My brother hurt your feelings, didn’t he?”

I sit up a little straighter. “No, I’m fine.”

He laughs. “You can’t let him bother you. Like I said earlier, he’s grumpy.”

I hold my hands together in my lap. “Seriously, I’m fine.”

He finally turns the key in the ignition, and the small motor comes to life. “Okay, I’m just saying Asher doesn’t like women, so don’t take it personal.”

He gets a few feet down the gravel road, and I can’t hold it back any longer. Of course, I have to ask. “What do you mean, he doesn’t like women?”

I wait for him to explain, and when he doesn’t, I ask again. “He doesn’t like women?”

I’m annoyed at myself because I’m starting to sound like a broken record. It’s like I keep repeating it because I find it so hard to believe.

Finally, Beau shakes his head. “Nope. He doesn’t like women.”

I turn in my seat to look at him. “So you’re saying he’s… you’re saying that Asher is—”

Beau cuts me off. “He can’t stand them and wants nothing to do with them. I probably should have been the one to greet you this morning instead of him. I’m sure he gave you a hard time.”

I sit back in my seat with every emotion going through my head. I’m surprised, to say the least. I swear, even when we were arguing, I felt some undercurrents, and I thought for sure that the attraction was mutual. At least I thought he looked at me with interest, but I must have been mistaken.

I’m disappointed too because I am attracted to him, and even though he is a little grumpy, there’s something about him that makes me want to hug him.

And lastly, I feel… relief. Maybe this is for the best. I can do my job and do it well, without worrying about any kind of relationship or any kind of chemistry that was obviously one-sided.