“And we got lucky they signed us on as staff,” Ash adds. “A trespassing charge could’ve been bad.”
I drop my head back against the cushions. “You’re all insane.”
“Maybe,” Ash says, settling his weight back against my shins. “But you’re stuck with us for a week minimum, doctor’s orders. Expect lots of pampering.”
And they already are. There’s tea, water, and an alarming amount of snacks stacked on the coffee table. Every time I so much as twitch, they lean in and ask what I need, their scents wrapping around me in an intoxicating cocoon.
I love it.
But a slow knot of guilt ties itself off in my stomach, right under the unfamiliar yet warm hum of being looked after.
“Okay, but don’t forget you have an orchard to run,” I say. “You can’t just sit here watching me breathe all day.”
“Watch us,” Reed says instantly.
“No, seriously.” I push myself a little straighter. “It’s harvest season and you’re short-handed. I’d be out there picking apples right now if my body didn’t short-circuit the second I step ten feet away from you.”
“I won’t pretend we don’t have a lot on our plate,” Bram says. “But I’d rather be here with you and make the work up at night. Most of it’ll keep.”
Ash and Reed nod in unison.
“Here’s my idea, though,” I say. “I can’t be away from you. That part’s not up for debate. But I’m pretty sure I’ll hold together fine with just one of you around.” I pause. Bram looks at Ash. Ash looks at Reed. “So why don’t we rotate? I don’t want to be the reason any of you can’t work. And since I actually want to make myself useful, I was thinking I could tag along with one of you at a time.”
Reed tilts his head. “Tag along.”
“You’ve all got your own thing, right? Your specialties.” I shrug. “I shadow one of you for a day, pitch in, then the next day I move to the next alpha.”
Bram chuckles. “Like playing musical chair?”
“I mean it. I have a master’s in library science. I can be useful,” I say, deadpan. “Put me to work. Otherwise I’m going to start alphabetizing your pantry, and nobody wants that.”
Ash lets out a low laugh. “Honestly? The pantry’s a disaster, so...”
“I’m serious,” I say. “I can start tomorrow.”
The three of them exchange a glance. Some whole silent, brother-level conversation happens over my head.
“Alright then,” Bram says finally. “Tomorrow then. Today’s mostly gone.”
“And you tell us,” Ash cuts in, leaning forward over my shins. “The second your body does anything strange about not having all three of us close. Thesecond. No toughing it out, Luna.”
“Promise,” I say.
Reed’s grin returns, wide and sudden, his eyes locking onto mine. “Oh, I’m looking forward to this, beautiful. We’re going to have onehellof a time...”
26
Luna
“The one and only rule of the Apple Blossom Orchard internship program,” Reed says, leaning in, “is that there is no internship program. So if anyone asks, you are an external consultant doing a high-level inventory inspection. Got it?”
“External consultant,” I say. “Got it.”
I turn as a yawn cracks my jaw wide and I don’t have a free hand to hide it behind.
Six-thirty in themorning.There’s a version of me who is still unconscious right now, face-down, blackout curtains drawn. Boy, would she miss out though.
The orchard at this hour is beautiful, mist sitting low and white between the rows of trees, and the whole place smells like cold earth, bruised apples and the green bite of leaves wet from the morning dew. Somewhere off to the left a bird is losing its entire mind about something. Nothing else moves.
