Sunrise Point (Virgin River #19)(66)

Just the sight of Berry running with other small children at a town party, laughing and playing with growing confidence, filled Nora with joy. Fay spent a great deal of the morning in Nora’s backpack while Nora did everything from pour cider to bagging apples.

“Break time,” Tom said from behind her. And she felt the weight of the baby lifted from her shoulders. “Give me a hand here and I’ll wear the baby for a while.”

“Oh, Tom, I’m sure you’re too busy for that!”

“We’re all busy,” he said, handing her the backpack to hold while he shrugged into it, then laughed as baby Fay instantly had her little hands all over his head. “Are you having fun?” he asked Nora.

“I’ll let you know when I catch my breath! When you said it would be crowded, I had no idea it would be like this.”

“It’ll be like this all weekend and the next.”

And a little while later Nora noticed Fay’s little head lying on Tom’s shoulder as she slept while he continued to hand out bushel baskets.

Nora took a moment to grab Berry and fix her a hot dog. They sat together on the porch steps as far away from the crowd as Nora could get them, just long enough for Berry to devour a hot dog. She had no sooner taken the last bite when her little one escaped yet again, and this time headed for Reverend Kincaid’s family who had gathered on a blanket in the yard under the shade of an apple tree.

“Hey,” someone said.

Nora turned to see Darla sit down on the step beside her. “Hi. Are you enjoying the festival?”

“Oh, yes and no,” she said. “It’s very social, isn’t it? I’ve met some nice people, but two full days of apple picking? I can think of other things I’d rather be doing. And I get none of Tom while he’s all tied up with work.” She gave a nod toward the barn. “Apparently you figured out how to tie him down for a while.”

“Huh? Oh, you mean the baby? That was totally his idea. But what a great idea—my back was killing me and it looks like Fay’s getting her nap at the same time.”

“Where’s your husband?” Darla asked.

Okay, she wasn’t the first person to ask, Nora thought—but why did it feel like a jab? “No husband, Darla. Just me and the little ladies.”

“Oh, sorry—did your husband die, too?”

Nora just shook her head. “No, I wasn’t married. And before you ask, there’s no man in my life now, either.” Then with a guilty pang she added. “I’m very sorry for your loss. Maxie told me.”

“Thank you. Things have been so much better since Tom came into my life. Fate is pretty strange, isn’t it? One minute I’m a grieving widow and the next I’m falling in love with the man who was comforting me.”

Nora smiled at her while she fought envy. “That’s wonderful. Tom is such a good man.”

“Hmm, handsome, too. And look at him out there with the people! Everyone loves Tom—he’s a natural salesman.”

“I don’t usually see him in this capacity,” Nora admitted. “Around here we’re all just a bunch of farmers and pickers. This is hard work, running an orchard.”

“I kind of think of Tom the way I would a pro football player—the body can’t do that forever. At some point a person would have to find less physically taxing work.”

“Or hire the right helpers,” Nora said. “Maxie is still picking apples, though Tom has tried to keep her off ladders. It’s fun to watch the two of them sneaking around each other.”

“I can’t see Tom picking apples into his seventies. And I can’t see me living on an orchard. The nearest decent restaurant is almost an hour drive.”

“I guess you haven’t eaten at Jack’s,” Nora asked.

“That bar in town?” She made a face. “I’m not big on bar food. Kind of greasy.”

“Jack’s has a huge reputation,” Nora said. “I hear people come from all over the place. The cook, Preacher, is known for his comfort foods—meat loaf, brisket, stew, soups, breads…”

“I don’t do bread,” she said. She patted her flat tummy which was snug in a pair of expensive jeans. “I can’t stay in these size four jeans if I eat bread.”

“Do you and Tom eat out often?” Nora asked, because she’d seen Tom at the table. He clearly wasn’t worried about getting into his jeans.

“Around here? Not so much. But I’m sure that will change when the harvest is over and Tom comes to see me rather than me always traveling to the orchard. I’m only here to attend a course in Davis. I look forward to taking Tom to some of my favorite restaurants.”

But Nora was no longer thinking about eating out. “When your class is done, I assume you’re headed back home.”

“Of course—my home is in Denver.”

“But how will you see Tom then?”

Darla’s eyes held an unmistakable sparkle. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Sure,” Nora said. And she thought, from whom? She didn’t exactly have a lot of confidants.

Darla circled a knee with her arms, her fingers laced together. “We’ve talked about the future a little bit. Like the fact that Maxie deserves a restful, indulgent retirement. Someplace where she doesn’t have to work so hard or cook so much. Some sort of village for seniors where all the chores are done for her. Where she can relax and enjoy life more.”