Out of the Wreckage

by Amy Cox

  Prologue:

  Flopping into the window sill seat, Andrea stares out at the trees. Her Grand-dad started Westwood Orchards over thirty-five years ago, and business has never been better. The small store her Grams sells baked goods, jellies and produce out of is busy this time of year, which means while Grams and Andrea's Momma run the store, 'Drea helps Grand-dad with the apples in the orchard.

  She watches as her Grand-dad kisses her Grams under the pre-dusk stars, even after putting in a full day harvesting he still walks her through the orchard every night.

  "'Drea?" A voice calls from the bathroom.

  Smiling she sighs, "Oh Momma, isn't it so romantic?"

  Climbing into the seat, Cassandra Westwood pulls her daughter into her lap. "You know my precious one, the orchard is magical. It brought your Grand-dad and Grams together; they put all of their love into this place." Misty eyed she continues, "It brought your father to me, even if for just a time."

  "Oh Momma, I could never leave here. Not ever." 'Drea says as she watches her grandparents disappear into the trees arm and arm. Knowing her Momma's heart never fully mended after that summer. Andrea's father, a drifter that her Grand-dad hired for the summer harvest. Cass and Paul had loved fast and hard beneath the trees that summer. Fall came and Paul left for parts unknown. Soon after Cass learned of her pregnancy, but was never able to find Paul. To this day she aches for him.

  "Andrea Ruth." Cassandra says as she brushes out 'Drea's tangled black hair. "You are only eleven years old, of course you will grow up and leave here, go to college, have a career. I want so much for you, my precious one."

  "I want love Momma, I want magic." 'Drea says with a pout as she climbs into bed.

  "You shall have it in time, 'Drea. You have plenty of time to do it all, with us all cheering you on. I love you 'Drea." She soothes as she kisses her on the cheek.

  'Drea jerks awake in a cold sweat, checking her surroundings. "Oh it was so real." She murmurs to herself as she checks her phone for the time, as unwelcome tears stream down her face. In the years since her Momma had died she had plenty of nightmares; gory flashes of the crash, of her Momma dying there in front of her before help came. She could smell the gas leaking or see the broken guard rail. Never had she dreamed of the happy times at Westwood Orchards, those were forgotten. Her Momma had died ten years ago, her Grand-dad nearly three.

  Thriving in New York as a chef, 'Drea was engaged to be married. Until two days ago she thought the new life she had built was perfect. After her fiancé. Phillip had been caught giving a waitress the hands on approach, she couldn't continue to work there or marry him for that matter. Still she wondered which she'd miss more...

  After walking out amidst the dinner rush, she came home to a message from Grams. She couldn't say no to Grams, so after packing everything 'Drea jumps into her car without even a word to Phillip. "Saving the orchard is all that matters." She tells herself as she left the city for good.

  Done with thinking and deciding to give up on sleep, 'Drea dresses and checks out of the hotel. "Won't be long now 'Drea." She sighs. Just two hundred more miles and she would be face to face with the very thing she had run from ten years ago... The past. Grams needs her, and she will do anything to save Westwood Orchards. "I know this will work, I can make it work. Just please, let the magic still be there... let it be real."

  Chapter One:

  Small towns and lingering memories.

  As Andrea Westwood pulls up in front of her family's fruit orchard she sighs. It has been ten years since she set foot in her childhood home, when her Momma died in a car crash, she had to get out of here and she never looked back. Until now. The crisp, cool Virginia air blows through her long black hair as she walks up to the house. It is nothing like New York, after being there as a high paid head chef of one of the city's biggest restaurants 'Drea is in shock of how nothing here has changed.

  The yard, the house, the fences all the same as when she left. Things change in New York every day, sometimes hourly. Here, it is like time stands still, and with only about three-hundred people in this town, they all know everything about everyone and there are no secrets. There is no fast food, no Wal-mart, and no Starbucks. She had lost cell service in and out on the way here, so surely Wi-Fi is out of the question.

  "People need a passport to come here; it is like a whole nother planet." She says out loud to herself.

  "Well not if you were born here, Missy. It tends to linger in the blood."

  "Grams!" 'Drea says smiling as she walks up the old wooden porch steps and hugs her grandmother, joining her on the old swing.

  "Oh Sugar, it is so good to have you home. I have missed having someone around here call me something other than Ms. Ruthie. How was your trip?"

  "Long... but it gave me time to think so it was so good. I am having my things shipped down here. Since New York is over for me, I thought I would stay here for a while anyway, at least until I figure out what I want to do."

  "Of course, Sugar. This is your home, it always has been. Come on let's get on inside, I am sure you are starved."

  "The orchard looks like it needs some TLC Grams, the store too. When does the handy man come in?" 'Drea asks as she nibbles at her turkey sandwich.

  "Don't have one, no need." Ruthie says handing 'Drea a glass of iced tea.

  "Grams..." 'Drea says with a regretful sigh. "Neither of us can do the heavy lifting around here. We need a man to do it, possibly a few. I put an ad in the paper, before I left New York. I am sure they will start calling and showing up in no time."

  Ruthie looks over her coffee mug, "If you are sure Sugar."

  "I am. Also, I need to see the books. I will get the bills squared away and start getting things ready for the store to open as soon as possible."

  "OK. You're old room is ready for you Sugar, so you can get settled in."

  "Alright Grams, thank you." 'Drea says as she finishes her sandwich.

  The kitchen is in perfect condition. No one in town would argue that Ms. Ruthie's pies and jams aren't the best in the county. She keeps an immaculate kitchen and that was one thing 'Drea was counting on. Baking and cooking have always been 'Drea's constants, they never change. It is her safe place, her one way to relax and just be. Oh how proud Grams would have been to have seen her in her element in New York... No! That's over now, 'Drea reminds herself. She needs to let it go and find her dream, open her own little shop, bake and sell her own recipes. First, she has to save the orchard and her Grams, which is long enough for her to lick her wounds and re-calculate after Phillip. Surely he will have trashed her reputation in New York, so a new start in a new place is exactly what she needs.

  "It is so good to have you home, 'Drea. I have missed you Sugar."

  'Drea smiles, "Me too Grams, everything is going to be good now." Kissing her Grams on the cheek, 'Drea heads out to unpack the car. Once she is settled in her old room, she changes into a pair of jeans and a green hooded pullover. She whisks her hair up into a pony-tail and heads out to the store to see how much she can get done.

  The old log cabin store is covered in over-grown brush and shrubs. The dust and cobwebs look like they have been there since 'Drea left. "Well, I am not above hard labor." She says to herself as she takes a small axe from the porch and shoves up her sleeves.

  After over thirty minutes, she has a good sized pile in the middle of the yard. Since her Grams is busy in the kitchen making apple pies, 'Drea sprawls out in the grass. Dirty and sweaty, she stares up at the sky, like she did as a child. Back then, her Momma and she would stare at the clouds and 'Drea would dream. All those wonderful things she wanted in life; the shop she would have, the man she would marry, a family. Always ever present in those dreams was Westwood Orchards. Never did
she want to leave here, but when her Momma died just after 'Drea's graduation from high school, the sight of anything here was much too painful.

  "Well Momma, I am back. I am home." Choking back a sob, she squeezes her eyes shut, letting her fingers spread wide in the grass. "When I left, it hurt so much to be here, I miss you so much. Jesus, Momma. I was an idiot. Phillip! Oh how I wish you were here to have told me he was no good for me. I nearly let him destroy me. I sacrificed parts of me, my dreams. I gave up parts of me for a man I didn't love, and who didn't love me. That's over now. It is all about Grams, me and Westwood Orchards now and to hell with any damned thing else."

  "Andrea Ruth, that mouth!"

  'Drea opens her eyes and winces, "Sorry Grams, I was talking to Momma."

  "I have half a mind to wash that mouth out young lady. Now get up, we have company." Ruthie says in a huff.

  'Drea jerks up and blushes full on red, although through all the sweat and dirt it was hard to see much of it. "Oh sorry." She shrieks jumping to her feet, coming toe to toe with her Grams and a man...a man who is smirking at her.

  "This is Nathan Kyle. He has been in town a couple of months now, and I trust him. He will do whatever you need done, Sugar. I will leave you two; supper will be ready at 5:00."

  "Yes Ma'am, Ms. Ruthie." He says as she turns and leaves them together.

  'Drea looks him over, as he sizes her up. "Nice to meet you Mr. Kyle."

  He chuckles and smiles, "Nate. Mr. Kyle was my father."

  She smiles as she takes him in. At well over six foot tall, Nate was built like a machine. Brown eyes that look like perfectly melted chocolate and golden shaggy waves that drop over his eye brows. His jeans are worn and tore at the thigh, and his white pull-over is tight across his chest and shoulders. Shaking her head absentmindedly she takes a breath, "Oh, OK. Nate, I was clearing the brush and debris from the store-front. I want it ready to open as soon as possible."

  "Forgive me for speaking out of turn Miss Westwood, but Ms. Ruthie isn't able to keep up with the demands of all the baking the shop needs." Nate says protectively.

  "It's Andrea... 'Drea. Also, I am well aware of my Grams' condition. Which is why I am here. I am a capable chef and I will open the store and handle it myself. Of course whatever help Grams wants to give is great. When the time comes I will hire out for more help."

  "Oh, your Grams hadn't really told me much about your plans 'Drea."

  "That's because she doesn't know them. I only arrived this morning after her call not even 48 hours ago. There has been little discussion, but this place is magical and I won't let it go under because it means too much to her and me."

  "What do you need me to do?" Nate says with a smile.

  Nate never thought that Ms. Ruthie's grand-daughter would come in and plan to save the day. He assumed her every intention was to fix it up and sell it off. Boy was he wrong. She was pretty, strikingly. She was curvy in all the right places, and her beautiful black hair and emerald green eyes made his heart beat a little harder. She was a Westwood, beautiful, passionate, and giving. All this and just knowing her five minutes...

  Jesus Nate get a grip!

  Women don't mix with your plan man...

  A warm body every now and then and again...sure that's great, but nothing like 'Drea. You don't get mixed up with a girl like her when all you want to do is be able to outrun the past. Andrea Westwood was a keeper. She could see into his eyes all the way down to his soul and that could shatter them both. Andrea Westwood had 'keeper' written all over her face.

  After the better part of the afternoon of following 'Drea around like a puppy Nate has a list of things to get done: fences to mend, rooms to paint, a roof to repair, not to mention a kitchen to update in the store and display cases to build. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted it, she was totally in control and Nate was speechless in awe of her plans.

  "Electrical and plumbing should be checked too, but I would think you would want a bonded professional for that. I can find someone for you." Nate says as they lock up the store.

  "OK, that would be great. I haven't been home in ten years, so I wouldn't even know who to call."

  "This place is stranded in time." Nate says with a chuckle. His brown eyes sparkle with flecks of gold and 'Drea is lost in them. "Nothing much ever changes around here."

  "Yeah, tell me about it." 'Drea smiles as they walk through the orchard back up to the house. "So Nate, where are you from and how did you end up here?"

  "Born and raised in Iowa. Then I got out of there when I was nineteen, traveled with work. Now I just sort of landed here."

  "Oh sounds like fun. I have only been here and New York. I never thought I would leave here...'Drea says as her voice trails off.

  "Really?" Nate asks eyeing her. He swears he can hear her trying to hide pain in her voice. "Why did you leave then 'Drea? It is obvious you love it here."

  She stops and turns as their eyes meet, his eyes seem to study her trying to delve into her and search for all the answers. She shivers and shakes it off, "Oh after high school graduation... you know stupid teenage girl." She replies shrugging it off.

  Nate realizes as he nods a simple reply that there is much more to this story, but decides it best to let it lie as she has laid it... for now. What business is it of his anyway? Giving her a smile, letting her know that the discussion is over they turn and walk to the house. As the front door opens, the smell of pot roast and fresh cornbread hit them both right away.

  "If she would marry me, I wouldn't want for another thing in my life." Nate says with a sigh. "God, is that apple pie too?"

  'Drea smiles, "Yes it is, and sorry no one would ever measure up to Grand-dad. You will have to settle with a food affair, like everyone else."

  "This is what she tells me. I was hoping to sway her with diamonds and flowers, a man can dream can't he?" He teases nudging her with his elbow.

  "Get in here you two, supper is done. Don't make me come a huntin' for ya!"

  "Yes, Ma'am." 'Drea and Nate both say in unison.

  "She loses her 'gs' when she gets irritated or impatient. Just a tip." 'Drea says to him with a giggle.

  "I'll do well to remember that, especially when she has a skillet in her hand." He snickers making 'Drea toss her head back and laugh. They way her green eyes sparkle when she laughed...like emeralds in sunshine...made his knees go weak.

  Later that night as she lay in bed, 'Drea's mind wanders. She thinks back to the store and how much she wants to do with it. To the orchards and all the fruit that will be ready soon to use in the kitchen. To her Grams, who is not admitting how bad off she is but 'Drea is determined to deal with it all accordingly. Then finally and lingering to Nate. He will be a hard worker to get everything done, so she can open the store, do big things with the orchard and maybe even fix up the house to make Grams' life easier. It doesn't hurt that he is scorch-the-sheets-hot. How will she ever get any work done around him? She may have to learn to cook wearing a blindfold. He could be a welcomed distraction... She quickly dismisses the thought.

  No 'Drea men are off limits! This is just about Grams and you fixing up the orchard and bringing it back to its glory days.

  She repeats the thoughts over and over in her head, as a mantra as she drifts. And damnit all if she doesn't dream of melted chocolate and ripped Levi's.

  In town Nate tosses and turns in his small bed at his apartment above Vanover’s Grocery. Why is it that every time he closes his eyes he sees her? He promised Ms. Ruthie he would help do whatever was needed. She was the only one who accepted him here at first. When he showed up in town, people were skittish. She gave him work, which with a flush bank account he didn’t really need the money. Hard work took his mind off things. She cooked for him, made him pies and treated him like family, something he never really had. Now there is ‘Drea, she is so much like her Grams. Which makes this all the more important for him to help them. As sleep takes him, he doesn’t have nightmares tonight. For the first time
since he can remember he sleeps peacefully. Tonight Nate’s dreams are of a raven haired, green-eyed goddess and he knows now he is in trouble, big trouble.

  Chapter Two:

  Change in the Wind

  ‘Drea spends most of the next few days, cleaning the kitchen in the store, she has ordered her updated kitchen appliances and both the plumber and electrician gave them a clean bill of health. Nothing could have been more perfect, all her things had been delivered and she unpacked and organized everything with glee. The kitchen inside the store would rival all kitchens, she thought as she turned to throw a box to the pile by the door she slams into Nate.

  “Oh! Shit, sorry you snuck up on me.” She says with a squeal. He was warm and all man, ‘Drea thought. Shaking her head, she pulls away. Bad idea, she scolds herself.

  Nate felt a pang of disappointment as she turned from him and frowned unsure why. “You have been busy ‘Drea. The new appliances will be here tomorrow right?”

  His question made those emerald eyes sparkle with excitement. “Yes, and then I will be baking away in here. Grams was able to talk the grocer into delivering all I needed tomorrow as well.” Her eyes brighten and dance with excitement making Nate pants become uncomfortable. He was staring at a woman who put his sanity and his dick in a vise…and he was enjoying it. How sick was he? “Nate! I can bake in here tomorrow, I can’t wait!”

  ‘Drea’s excitement makes him smile, “What do you bake ‘Drea?” He asks scratching his chin.

  Wiping the sweat from her forehead she smiles, “You come in here tomorrow afternoon, and you can see for yourself.”

  “Well you have a deal, I am more than happy to play taste tester. I fixed the fences in the orchard; I will start on the roof now. Tomorrow I can paint the front room and get measurements for the display cases.”