Blue Ridge Sunrise

by Denise Hunter

  “Daddy, I appreciate the offer. I do. But I have no more interest in law now than I did five years ago.”

  “Don’t be so shortsighted, Zoe. It’s time to be practical. You need a regular income and higher education.”

  “There’s nothing practical about doing something you don’t enjoy for the rest of your life! I love the orchard. I know farming is a gamble, but I’ll work hard just like Granny did, and I’ll make it work.”

  “Like you did your singing career?”

  “I was doing quite well actually.”

  “That was no kind of life for you or your daughter. You don’t have the luxury of following a pipe dream now. And you don’t have your grandmother’s business sense. You’ll never turn a profit.”

  She winced as the shot hit its mark. “Well . . . Granny believed in me or she wouldn’t have left me the orchard.”

  “Do you know how many people would jump at the offer I just laid on the table? Must you always be so ungrateful?”

  “I don’t mean to be ungrateful. I just wish you could support me for once.”

  “How can I support you when you can’t make a sound decision to save your life?”

  She ground her teeth together. Drew a deep, calming breath. Her hand squeezed on the purse at her side. “I think it’s time for us to go.”

  “This is a one-time offer, Zoe. I’m not going to continue to offer you bailouts.”

  “Nobody asked you to, Daddy.” She looked at Gracie. “You ready, honey?”

  “Uh-huh.” Gracie made a final sweep with her red crayon.

  Zoe could feel her dad seething across the table. She grabbed her purse and scooted from the booth.

  Gracie followed, extending the picture to her grandpa. “This is for you, Papaw.”

  Zoe held her breath until he took it.

  He gave a formal nod, the corners of his eyes still tight. “Thank you, young lady.”

  “Thank you for supper, Daddy. It was good to see you. Say good-bye to your papaw, Gracie.”

  “’Bye, Papaw.”

  Zoe took her daughter’s hand and led her through the restaurant on shaking legs. Some things never changed. When was she going to stop hoping they would?

  chapter nineteen

  The next morning at eight o’clock Zoe opened the door to find Ruby Brown on her stoop, purse dangling from her sturdy frame. Her grandmother’s friend was a welcome sight. Zoe had nothing but good memories of the cocoa-skinned woman who always had a warm, ready smile.

  “Well, you’re looking right pert this morning,” the woman said.

  “Miss Ruby.” Zoe pushed open the screen door and was folded into Ruby’s soft embrace.

  “Come in,” Zoe said when Miss Ruby released her. “I aimed to call you. We hardly got a chance to say two words at the funeral.”

  Miss Ruby had been on Granny’s payroll as housekeeper for the past couple of years. Zoe really couldn’t afford to keep her on, even if she did work for diddly squat. But she couldn’t bring herself to fire her either.

  “I have no idea what hours you were working for Granny or if you wanted to continue. Or go to part-time?” Please, please, please.

  “I was hoping you’d keep me on full-time. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have this farmhouse to come to every day. I’ll miss your grandma like the dickens, though. She was like a sister to me.” Miss Ruby dabbed at the corner of her eye.

  A knot built in Zoe’s throat as she sat on the sofa next to the woman. “She loved you too, Miss Ruby.”

  “Where’s your little one? Nellie showed me every picture she had.”

  “She’s still sleeping. She’s having a little trouble adjusting to the new room.”

  “Well, sure. That’s to be expected.” Ruby squeezed her hand. “I don’t know what your plans were, but you’re welcome to leave her with me while you take care of business on the farm if you’d like.”

  Zoe started. “Oh. I couldn’t. It’s too much trouble.”

  Miss Ruby waved her off. “Oh, pshaw. I raised four of my own. I imagine I can handle one just fine.” Miss Ruby had to be in her midsixties by now, though she’d always had the energy of a thirty-year-old.

  “Of course you can but . . . it’s a lot to ask. I can’t afford to pay you more.” She couldn’t afford to pay her at all.

  “What am I going to do around here for forty hours a week? A person can only dust so often. Mostly I kept Nellie company—I think she just kept me around because she needed someone to shoot the breeze with. Heaven knows she wasn’t afraid of hard work. I’d really love to have a little one around again.”

  Zoe couldn’t believe an answer to her biggest worry had landed right in her lap. “Ruby Brown, you’re an answer to my prayers.”

  A wide smile stretched across her face. “I do believe I’m going to like working for you just fine, little miss.”

  Josephine Mitchell whipped the black cape off Cruz. “There you go, kind sir. What do you think?”

  Cruz ran a hand through his trimmed hair. He had to admit that whatever she’d put on it made his hair soft as a rabbit pelt. “It’s great, Josephine. Thank you much.”

  She accompanied him to the register. Josephine was married to Noah, a friend of his from church. The couple had all but divorced a while back, but last year they’d gotten back together. Whenever Cruz saw the two of them together, so in love, it made him ache for what he and Zoe’d had.

  Stop it, Huntley.

  “You’re back to work already, huh?” Cruz asked. Josephine had recently had a baby.

  “It’s been a whole month, believe it or not. And the little bugger’s still getting up twice a night. About wearing us out. I wouldn’t trade it for all the world though.”

  “Noah’s of the same mind, I think. Seems like he’s over the moon. I’m happy for y’all.”

  Her eyes warmed at the mere mention of her husband. “Thanks. We’re blessed for sure.” Josephine handed him the credit card slip. “Big plans tonight?”

  “Not so much.”

  She hitched a brow. “I got a girlfriend I could fix you up with. She’s sweet as pie and real pretty too. We could double date—my mother-in-law’s been itching to babysit for Nicolas.”

  “Thanks all the same, but I have a policy against blind dates.”

  She cocked a look at him. “Didn’t you just have a blind date with an old friend of Noah’s a few weeks ago?”

  “And that’s exactly why I put that policy in place.”

  Josephine laughed, her eyes going into half-moons. “Well, let me know if you change your mind, you hear? You’re too good a catch to be walking around all footloose and fancy-free.”

  “Yeah, I look like a real winner, sporting a shiner and all.”

  “Oh, now. You’ve just got the rugged, bad-boy look going for you this week.”

  He chuckled. “Sure I do.”

  The black eye looked even worse than he’d expected. And he’d had the misfortune of running into Zoe’s dad on the way here. If there was any doubt he had the look of a loser, one glance from Mr. Collins had cleared that right up. Yep. Cruz had always known how to make a good impression on Zoe’s dad.

  A moment later Cruz stepped out in the sultry Saturday morning, walking toward his truck. Already the temperature had to be near ninety. He was relieved to have a day free of the orchard. Since Zoe had returned she’d been like a burr on his brain.

  During the day he was constantly alert to her comings and goings, and at night he fretted about her safety, worrying Kyle would come back. Tonight, though, according to the band’s website, her idiota ex had an event in Nashville. Maybe Cruz could finally get a good night’s rest.

  He turned the corner and nearly collided with someone. He came up short and found himself face-to-face with Brady, a baby carrier in his grip.

  “Hey, bud,” Cruz said. “Sorry ’bout that.”

  “No worries.” Brady adjusted the diaper bag slung over his shoulder.

  Cruz couldn’t g
et used to seeing his friend like this, hauling all that baby paraphernalia, wearing a cloth diaper over his shoulder and such.

  “What are you smirking at?” Brady asked.

  “Oh, nothing. Just get a kick out of seeing the stud of Copper Creek High smitten by a ten-pound bundle of joy. How the mighty have fallen.”

  Brady gave him a look. “He’s twelve pounds now, for your information. You’ll see how it is one day, just you wait.”

  Cruz didn’t see that happening anytime soon, with no prospects on the horizon. For some reason Zoe’s face flashed in his mind.

  “So what’s up with you?” Brady asked. “What are you doing in town?”

  “Just got a haircut. It’s real soft. Wanna feel?”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “What are you doing today? Taking the munchkin for ice cream?”

  “He’s two months old, Huntley. It’s a little early for that. I have an appointment at Mitchell Construction. They’re drawing up plans for my new garage. I’m going to get cracking on it right away.”

  “You’re finally going to do it, huh?” Brady was becoming known for his work on high-end sports cars. Wealthy people all the way from Atlanta sent their cars to him, never mind that he worked out of an old barn.

  “Thanks to my grandma I can finally afford it. I still have to take out a loan though. These things don’t come cheap. I just hope it pays off in the long run.”

  Cruz slapped his shoulder. “I’m sure it will. You deserve this, man.”

  A shadow crept into Brady’s eyes. The divorce had hit him hard. It was the opinion of his friends that Audrey had only gotten pregnant in order to trap him. Brady was the only one who didn’t quite buy it, but he’d been blinded by love. Or something.

  “How’s it going at the orchard?”

  “It’s all right. Got the thinning crew out this week.” It was a laborious and tedious job. Up to 90 percent of the potential fruit was removed so the remaining peaches could reach market size.

  Brady gave him a pointed look. “I wasn’t asking about the crop.”

  Cruz shifted. It had always felt a little weird loving his best friend’s sister. Especially since it had caused so much trouble between them. After the long road back to a healthy friendship with Brady, he wasn’t eager to return to that particular subject.

  “We stay out of each other’s way.”

  Brady pierced him with a look. He had a way of peeling away all the layers with those laser-focused eyes. “Is that the way you want it?”

  “There’s a lot of water under that bridge.”

  “Doesn’t mean it can’t be swum through.”

  “I suppose.”

  The baby started fussing, and Brady grabbed a pacifier and slipped it between the kid’s little rosebud lips. He quieted instantly, his eyes fluttering shut.

  “You’re getting pretty good at that,” Cruz said.

  “What can I say? Parenthood agrees with me.” He gazed on the infant like the kid had hung the moon and stars.

  Cruz knew without a doubt Brady’d throw himself in front of a bus for the little tyke. He wondered if he’d ever have a chance to feel that way. Wondered if he even wanted to. Seemed to him it would make a man awful vulnerable. And since his own old man had split, Cruz wondered if he even had it in him to be a good dad.

  “Kyle hasn’t been coming around, has he?” Brady asked. “I’m not sure Zoe would tell me if he had.”

  “Not that I know of. I’ve been keeping an eye out best I can.”

  “I almost wish I’d gotten there first last Saturday. Might feel good to drive my fist right into that punk’s face.”

  “Yeah, well, I would’ve gotten in a lot more damage if you hadn’t stopped me.”

  “And then I’d have been bailing your rear end out of jail.”

  “Would’ve been worth it.”

  “Part of me agrees. Well, just keep watching for him. Makes me feel better knowing you’re on the property. I tried to get her to come stay with me, but you know Zoe.”

  He used to. “She should get a restraining order and some legal advice.”

  “I’ve mentioned it to her. She’ll do whatever she’s of a mind to do.” Brady glanced at his watch. “Hey, I gotta run. Audrey was late, and now I’m running behind.”

  “See you around.”

  A few minutes later Cruz found himself taking the long way home just so he could drive by the orchard. He couldn’t even lie to himself and use Kyle as an excuse today.

  You’re still hung up on her, like a big ol’ idiot.

  Cruz scowled out the window at the rolling hills. He kept remembering the look on Zoe’s face when he’d sat across the table from her earlier this week. The despair in those beautiful green eyes. The tightness at the corners of her lips. The way she’d swallowed hard, blinking at tears she’d probably rather die than let fall.

  She’d once been game for any and every challenge she’d come across. But it seemed life—and Kyle—had beaten her down.

  The obstacles must seem insurmountable from where she sat, the responsibility heavy. He wished he could help somehow, but a farmer couldn’t control the weather, and he was already operating as efficiently as he could. He watched the orchard’s dimes and nickels as if they were his own.

  Nellie should’ve opened that market years ago. He’d tried to talk her into it, but she hadn’t seen the need or had the energy to put into it.

  The blue-and-white sign reading Blue Ridge Farms came up on his left. He eased off the gas, though he didn’t know why. Habit, he guessed. His eyes caught on the red barn beside the gravel drive. The big front doors were open though there was no car in the lot.

  Frowning, he braked and turned into the drive. There wasn’t much theft around Copper Creek, and he didn’t reckon there was much of value in the barn, but he wouldn’t abide someone stealing from the Collinses.

  He parked a ways off and hoofed it the rest of the way, creeping up to the entrance. The musty smell of the barn assaulted his nose as he peeked around the corner. All was quiet inside.

  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. His gaze swept the rustic interior, the old farm equipment and primitive shelving. Slivers of light peeked through the boards on the eastern side of the building, dust motes dancing around the beams.

  A figure shifted a short distance away. Zoe, he realized. Her hands were braced on her hips, and she was staring up at the loft, which was packed with a bunch of junk. Her shoulders sagged, her head was tipped to the side.

  He stepped into the dank space. “What do you think?”

  She whirled around, a hand flying to her chest. “You scared me.”

  “Sorry. I was driving by and saw the open doors. Wanted to make sure you weren’t getting ripped off.”

  She gave a wry laugh. “You kidding? I’d pay someone to come steal this junk—if only I had two dimes to rub together.”

  He stepped closer, taking in her makeup-free face and loose ponytail. He still wasn’t used to seeing her as a blond. “Are you thinking about opening the market?”

  “Do you really think it would make a dent?”

  “It’s always a better deal to sell directly to consumers. We get our fair share of tourists these days, especially during Peach Fest. You could recoup a lot of our loss that week. And Miss Ruby’s already offered to handle the baked goods. She’s eager to get a hold of your grandma’s recipes, I think.”

  “I can’t believe Granny never shared them with her.”

  “She was a little proprietary. You could hire high schoolers and college students to work the register for minimum wage.”

  “Maybe I should just get a job instead. You’re handling the orchard just fine, and I need a paycheck.”

  “There’s money in the account. You need to start drawing an income.”

  “Borrowed money.”

  “It’ll sort itself out, Zoe. You’ll be able to pay back the loan after harvest.”

  “And then what? We have a
nother year before the next harvest. How did Granny do it during the bad years?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “Bear in mind she had money none of us knew about. But a market would turn a profit year round. At least you have a vehicle now.” Her grandpa’s ’66 Mercury truck might be ancient but at least it was transportation.

  “I’m grateful for that, but look at this place. It’s a disaster. I don’t have the money to put into it, and frankly, just the thought of all this is overwhelming.”

  There was panic on her face, and more than anything he wanted to see the confident young woman she used to be.

  “You can do it, Zoe. I know you can.”

  She turned her green eyes up at him, and hope flickered there for a quick, vulnerable moment. He wondered how long it had been since anyone had said that to her.

  Zoe let Cruz’s words sink down deep inside. It was such a simple little statement. Why did it feel like a balm to her soul? And how pathetic was it that she needed someone else to bolster her ego?

  “I’ll help you get it cleared out. Build some shelving. Noah could help get the place lit up for a reasonable price. You can keep things rustic—it’ll be cheaper.”

  “Why on earth would you help?”

  They hadn’t exactly parted as friends. Did she even want him around that much? Her eyes fell over his familiar form. Those sturdy shoulders, those sculpted arms, those calloused hands that had touched her with the utmost gentleness.

  His ball cap shadowed the top half of his face, but she well remembered the way he used to look at her. Like she was heaven sent, just for him, and he was never going to let her go.

  Only he had.

  Cruz tugged at his cap. “Your grandma was like family to me. She gave me a chance. She believed in me. I owe it to her to do whatever it takes to keep this place running.”

  His voice scraped across the wide-open space, making her insides hum. He still affected her. When she’d first felt that pull she’d thought it was because he was forbidden fruit. Her brother’s best friend, from the wrong side of the tracks, and definitely not daddy-approved. It was almost a game to her.