“Well, actually—”
“I'm fulfilling my duties, just as Grandma requested.”
I glance at him just as Paisley reaches over and pinches his side.
“Hey!” he screeches, and I can’t help but smirk at seeing his mom and aunt poke at him. It seems tougher for him to continue with the hard-ass act around his family.
“Be nice!” Poppy warns, wagging her finger at him like he’s five. “If my son doesn't treat you like a queen, you let me know, and I'll take care of him.”
I raise a brow and cross my arms. “Like a queen, huh? As in…kissing the ground I walk on and all that?”
“Not happening,” he snaps, matching my stance. “Anyway, anything else you want to see here?”
“Sweetie, don’t listen to him.” Paisley turns to me, then continues, “You don't have to rush. Finn's always two steps ahead of everyone. It's okay to tell him to slow down and smell the roses.”
“I don't like wasting time. It's called being efficient. Something that’s necessary when it comes to running the farm and all the businesses attached to it.”
“Loosen up. You’re too serious.” His mom laughs, then glances at me. “Have you figured out what you're painting yet?”
“No, I hope to have an idea after Finn shows me around today. Crossing my fingers, at least.”
“Once you’re in the orchards, inspiration will call, but don't let me keep you. Feel free to walk around the bakery and take as many pictures as you like. If you have any questions, let us know.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“Yeah, you all have work to do before the celebration,” Finn adds as if he’s the one in control.
Poppy and Paisley laugh at Finn’s lack of humor.
His aunt clears her throat. “More help arrives tomorrow, so you don’t need to worry or micromanage us. We’ve been baking since before you were born.” She gives him a pointed look. “Now take this woman on a proper tour without being a sour puss the entire time.”
I chuckle, and he groans at her bossing him around.
“I like them,” I admit as Finn leads me around the bakery.
“Everyone does,” he says, then introduces me to the other employees.
He explains the various items sold in the bakery, and I’m impressed by how much they do. Most of the desserts contain apples, but they also make other fruit treats.
Framed awards line the hallway that leads to another shopping area. Many are state and national-level competitions. Vintage pictures of the store throughout the years are sprinkled along in different sizes. From what I can tell, the bakery and farm have barely changed since it opened for operation a hundred years ago. It’s as if I’ve stepped into a time capsule.
When we finally say goodbye and leave, the sun hangs lazily in the sky. A cool breeze brushes against my skin, and I shiver, wishing I had brought a jacket and worn better shoes. If Finn notices, he doesn't say anything.
“So there's the bakery and the inn. What else is there to see?” I ask while Finn drives.
“We have a distillery for hard cider, a warehouse for the local wholesale fruit orders, and a lot of farmland.” He turns onto the main road.
“Where are we heading now?”
“To the apple orchards.”
Twenty minutes later, we're driving down a wide dirt road surrounded by trees on both sides. At the end, a large warehouse sits in a clearing with several parked cars outside.
Finn leads the way inside the building. I’m amazed by how large the facility is. It seems to go on forever.
“Most of the fruit is brought here to be processed after it’s picked,” he explains, nearly sprinting down the aisle.
“How many people work here?” I ask, speed-walking to catch up with him.
“A lot.”
His constant vagueness is wearing me down. One minute, he's hot as fire, and the next, he's cold as ice. I don’t know how to read him or why he’s so bothered by me being here.
“This is Oakley. The painter,” he says, introducing me to an older gentleman.
“Hi.” I offer my hand, and he takes it with a kindness in his eyes.
“I'm Daniel, the general manager. If you have any questions, please ask. We love talking about our process, don’t we, Finn?”
Finn answers with a quick nod before we make our way around the perimeter of the packaging area.
“If you keep moving this fast, you'll give me shin splints,” I finally say.
“Keep up, City Girl. There’s no time to waste.”
I laugh at his poor attempt to annoy me. “I'm not a city girl.”
“No?” He flashes a shit-eating smirk, then glances down at my sandals. “Could've fooled me.”
As soon as I open my mouth to tell him I was born and raised in small-town Nebraska, he talks over me. “Anything else you wanna see here?”
I refuse to let him dampen my shine, but before I can answer, he heads toward the exit. This man is testing my patience, and by the end of this job, I might not have a sliver left.
I wave goodbye to Daniel and offer a thank-you before stepping outside. Once I’m in the truck, I roll down the window and take photos of the passing orchard as the midmorning sunlight splashes through the trees.
Finn takes me to another area of the farm, and after he parks, we get out. It's quiet other than leaves crunching under my feet. Finn doesn't say much, and for once, I'm happy with his silence.
Closing my eyes, I listen to the wind blow through the branches and realize I haven’t experienced quietness like this since moving to California. Then I look down the long rows of trees that go as far as the eye can see.
Finn looks at his watch, and before he can ask me if I’m done, I speak up.
“I'm not ready to leave yet.” I keep my tone light because I was taught to treat people the way I’d like to be treated, even if he’s been grating on my nerves since the moment we met.
As I take in the fresh air and pretty colors, I realize it’s the first time I've been excited to paint since I arrived.
Another few minutes pass, and he lets out a long sigh.
“Ten more minutes, please,” I say, hating how he pulls me from my focus. Once his patience is paper thin, I lead the way to the truck. A part of me finds joy in seeing him so worked up.
“Are you always like this?” I ask, getting settled in my seat.
“Yep. Better get used to it.”
I laugh. “No, thank you. I won’t be here that long anyway, and then it’ll be nothing more than a memory. So try to look on the bright side since you can’t change it. That’s what I’m doing, at least.”
He ignores me, but I shrug it off, then check the time. I’m shocked to see it's almost noon. Before returning to the inn, Finn veers onto a gravel road that leads to a large red house with a dark brick chimney. The grass is bright green, and the sky's clouds reflect off the pond across the driveway. Several large barn-like structures surround the compound.
Finn gets out and leans against the hood of the truck.
“My grandparents live there.” He points at the red ranch house. “My mom and dad live in the refurbished old barn behind it, and my aunt's family lives in the other one. These are the oldest structures on the property. Before I was born, the historic structures were remodeled into homes because my grandma wanted her daughters to stay close.”