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There were a few “yeahs,” but the kids were mostly distracted by the rain, some of them trying to catch it in their mouths. To my relief, most of them listened when the wagon pulled up to the porch at the front of the Howards’ main building. Mason and Noah leapt into action, hoisting kids from the wagon and setting them down on the covered porch, where Cara and Mrs. Howard corralled them all. I helped pass the kids to the men, a clap of thunder spurring us all to pick up the pace. It was raining harder now, soaking us to the bone as we hurried to get the children to safety.
As Noah lifted the very last child from the wagon, her feet swung out in my direction. I attempted to take a step backwards in order to avoid being kicked in the stomach. And just as I did, Mason’s eyes widened. “Watch out for the—”
But it was too late. Before he could finish his warning, I was already tripping backwards over a pile of rusty chains I had forgotten was there. With nothing to grab onto to catch myself, I was falling.
One second I was standing in that wagon, and the next, I was in Mason’s arms.
If he hadn’t been there to catch me, I would have fallen into the puddle below, perhaps even hitting my head on the planter of mums on the way down.
Instinctively, I threw my arms around Mason’s neck and hung on for dear life. The rain and wind had picked up, but we were half-covered by the porch’s overhang. The absence of chattering voices let me know the kids had safely been escorted inside. Mason kept his eyes locked on mine—and with one arm around my back and the other tucked beneath my thighs, he didn’t let go.
“I’ve got you,” he said, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain hitting the tin roof.
Noah laughed and murmured something that sounded like “that was a close one” before he jogged ahead to join everyone inside. The door swung shut behind him, and Mason and I were alone.
I blinked up at his face. All of the words he couldn’t say out loud were written in the depths of his cerulean eyes, concentrating on my face. “Thank you,” I choked out. I licked my lips, remembering I was still the person in charge here, despite my clumsiness, and needed to manage the chaos that was likely ensuing on the other side of that door. “You can put me down now, Mason.”
“Sorry,” he said, chuckling to cover up the awkwardness as he carefully set me down on the porch. His hands steadied my hips until I found my footing, and then he let go.
The entire interaction couldn’t have lasted more than thirty seconds, yet the warmth of his touch lingered in every spot his body had made contact with mine. Even as I hurried inside, I could still feel his hand on my thigh, his arm cradling my back. His solid body propping mine up so I wouldn’t meet my demise on the ground below.
I felt him everywhere.
As Cara, Noah, and I passed out applesauce pouches to the children, I caught a glimpse of Mason through the window—he was standing at the edge of the porch, staring out at the rain falling on the apple trees with his arms dangling at his sides. When I bent down to help Avery unscrew the top of her applesauce beside the window, I witnessed Mason flex both of his hands—like the memory of my touch was lingering there for him, too.
chapter eighteen
mason
I remained alone on that rain-slicked porch for only a minute or two—just long enough to gather my thoughts and allow my heart to return to a tempo that didn’t threaten to outpace the steady raindrops hitting the tin roof.
I felt as though I could still feel Kendall there in my arms, even after she’d gone inside. She was the perfect fit, yet entirely out of reach. The universe had quite literally dropped the most amazing woman into my arms while simultaneously dictating I could never have her. Not in the way I hoped.
The sound of hail pelting against metal alerted me it was time to join the others inside. As I helped distribute cups filled with freshly pressed apple cider, I made a conscious effort to avoid meeting Kendall's gaze.
I just couldn’t look at her.
After the kids finished their snacks, Mr. Howard ushered everyone into a different room to show how they sorted and packaged all the apples. The kids were a little mystified to discover they had to give up the apples they’d picked themselves to be sorted, even after Mr. Howard promised to send their teacher back to school with a bag of fresh apples.
Finley scowled for the remainder of the tour.
For the last segment of the field trip, Mr. and Mrs. Howard led the children into a room with rows of metal chairs facing a white projector screen. “Let’s hope the power doesn’t go out,” Noah muttered as we stood at the back of the room with Kendall and Cara.
“That’d be just our luck,” Cara said, crossing her arms.
Noah shook his head. “It couldn’t be more clear they weren’t ready for us today. What a mess.” And then, pointing toward me, he added, “And this guy saved them from a lawsuit.”
Cara’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Noah nodded toward Kendall. “We almost lost our teacher here. She fell out of the wagon, and if he hadn’t been there to catch her…?” He let his voice trail off and raised his eyebrows. “I tell you what, this day would be going very differently.”
Cara let out an astonished chuckle as she turned to face me. “Wow. Good on you for catching her.”
I eyed Kendall, whose hands were tucked delicately into her skirt pockets beside me. She chewed her lip and stared ahead at the kids, all of them enthralled with the apple life cycle film. I gave Cara a casual shrug, saying, “I was merely in the right place at the right time.”
“I’d say you were,” Noah said. “And they’re lucky, too. I think I might make a complaint. They never should have led us that far into the orchard when there was a storm approaching.”
“Nope,” Cara agreed.
