Page 51
“You can. Just don’t expect it to stay a footprint afterward.”
Penny carefully put one fingertip into the mark. It disappeared. She seemed satisfied with this contribution to science.
Wes stood. Kate came close enough that their hands brushed. This time neither pretended it was accidental. Her fingers curled around his again.
Penny moved on to collecting leaves, finished with rabbits for the moment.
Kate looked toward the orchard. “Dad said you changed what you were picking today because of the forecast.”
“Yeah. Weather moved a little overnight. Nothing worrying yet, but there’s more rain and wind showing than there was yesterday, so I brought one block forward. If it changes again, I’ll change the plan again.”
Kate nodded. She did not need an apple lesson. Wes did not need to give her one.
A breeze moved through the trees above them, stirring the branches and sending several yellow leaves spinning down. Wes looked automatically toward the ridge. Kate noticed.
“Still fine?”
“For now.”
Her fingers tightened briefly around his. It was strangely comforting to have her beside him while he watched the weather. He had watched that ridge through every harvest since the orchard became his, making every call about what to pick and what to risk himself. He had never minded. He had not known it could feel different.
Penny returned with a fistful of leaves. “This one is for Grandma.” She held up a deep red leaf. “And this one is Grandpa’s because it has a hole.”
Kate laughed. “I’m almost afraid to ask why that makes it Grandpa’s.”
“He fixes things.”
Wes looked at Kate. “That makes sense to me.”
Penny added another yellow leaf to her collection.
Wes crouched beside her again. “That one’s a good one.”
“Why?”
“Look at the color around the edge. It’s gone orange before the middle changed.”
Penny turned it over carefully. Kate watched them. Wes showed Penny another leaf, this one spotted where insects had eaten through it. Penny asked three questions in quick succession, and he answered all of them seriously enough that she immediately went looking for more examples.
When Wes stood again, Kate was still watching him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“That wasn’t nothing.”
Kate stepped closer. Not enough to kiss him. Enough that he could feel the heat of her through their clothes. She hooked two fingers through his. “I like watching you with her.”
Wes glanced toward Penny. “I like her.”
“I know.” Kate’s thumb brushed once across the side of his hand. That was all. No future attached to it. No meaning explained. Wes liked it better that way.
Kate checked the time and sighed. “We need to go. Mom wants Penny back before lunch, and I have work waiting.”
Wes did not let go of her hand immediately. Neither did she. “I’ll see you later?”
Kate looked at him. “Yes.”
Another one of those long looks passed between them. Wes leaned slightly closer. Kate did too. For a moment he could feel her breath against his mouth.
