Marcella Robinson
Trevor lifted his cap, running a hand through his hair, and looked out over his family’s property from the back porch of the farmhouse.
The storm that whipped through overnight ravaged Snowe-White Apple Orchard. Branches were broken and strewn about and apples lay scattered on the ground.
He sighed, replacing his cap, and stepped off the porch.
And heard a snuffle-like sound coming from the trees.
Trevor followed the sound and wasn’t surprised at spotting the familiar visitor munching happily—an older white mare from the equine sanctuary next door. Any minute now he expected—
“Astor! Where are you?”
Trevor grinned, his pulse spiking when she appeared, enchanting as ever. The sun glinted off her dark hair and made her fair skin glow. “Doc.” With her being the veterinarian at the sanctuary, he thought the nickname fit.
Emma stilled, then continued to run her hand fondly over the horse’s flank. “We’ll be out of your way in a minute,” she said, leveling sky-blue eyes on him.
“Don’t rush on my account.” Trevor crossed his arms. “It’s not like I don’t have work to do.” He nodded at the damage around them.
Emma patted Astor before turning toward him. “I apologize on Astor’s behalf for eating your stock, but you should take it as a good sign.”
“Oh? Why is that?” His brows lifted. He wasn’t buying her apology, but he realized he didn’t mind not buying it. Besides, it wasn’t the first time Astor escaped, somehow finding a way around the fence. Trevor doubted it would be the last.
“Astor thinks your apples are delicious,” Emma said with a grin.
Trevor’s skin heated. “Well, like I said I have work to do.” He turned to go, wishing he could stay in Emma’s company all day. Except the branches wouldn’t clean up themselves. The apples on the other hand…if he let Astor have her way, she’d have one row eaten by nightfall. He needed the apples, whole and without bite marks, to sell to local stores and at the farmer’s market and keep the orchard in business.
“I can help,” Emma called. “We didn’t have a lot of damage and what there is, my sisters can take care of.” Emma and her six sisters ran Charm’s Equine Sanctuary.
Her offer to help seemed like a white flag. But he’d been tricked before. Last summer, after a tough season, Hilda Charm, Emma’s grandmother, asked to buy a parcel of Snowe-White property to expand their sanctuary. Trevor declined, making a deal with the bank instead. Then, a bunch of trees became infected and he nearly lost a third of his crop. When another offer from Hilda came, he declined a second time. Now, with the storm, keeping the orchard afloat was again in jeopardy.
“That’s okay, Doc. I got it.”
“Are you sure?” Emma swiped her arm out. “It doesn’t look like it.”
Trevor narrowed his eyes. “What are you up to, Doc? If I don’t let you help, are you going to have Hilda put a curse on me?”
Emma tsked. “So suspicious.”
“Don’t I have a right to be?” He stopped himself from rubbing his hand over his chest.
She looked at the ground, dragging the toe of her shoe in the dirt. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”
“It’s no secret you broke my heart, Em.”
“Oh, so I’m Em now?” A ghost of a smile slipped across her lips. “I am sorry. But I didn’t want you to think I was only with you because of my grandmother wanting your land.”
“You broke up with me for my own sake?” And wasn’t that like her, to put others before herself?
“It was the right thing to do.”
An ache spread through Trevor, lost in memories of summer nights sitting on the truck bed and staring at the stars. He’d thought they had forever when they only had moments.
Astor clopped over, shaking her head. Emma put her arm around the horse’s neck. “Look, even Astor wants to help.”
Trevor snorted. “More apples for her.”
Astor whinnied.
Trevor laughed, unable to stop himself. His gaze connected with Emma’s.
The air seemed to shimmer and sparkle. Birds chirped happily from above.
Then Emma sneezed, breaking the spell.
“Bless you, Doc.” He rubbed his hand over his heart. “Fine. You can help.”
Emma’s face brightened. “You won’t regret it,” she said, whistling as she piled apples in a bin.
He bent to pick up a branch, muttering, “I hope not, but that’s what I get for wishing.”
“You know the saying, be careful what you wish for.”
Trevor straightened. “What if I don’t want to be careful? What if I wanted you in my life again and not just when Astor escapes?” He looked around. “Where did she go?”
Emma pointed. “I’ll get her.” She came back with the horse in tow and tossed Trevor an apple.
He caught it against his chest, frowning.
Emma laughed, a sweet musical sound. “It’s not poisoned.” She grabbed it from him, took a bite, then handed it back. “What if I wanted you in my life again, too? What if, one night staring at the stars by myself, I realized I needed to listen to my heart?”
Trevor’s soul blossomed with renewed hope. He held tight to the apple in his hand. “That’s a lot of what ifs. What are you really saying, Doc?”
Mischief lit her eyes as she plucked the fruit from his hand, taking another bite. “Not even an apple a day can keep this doctor away.”
Astor gave Emma a nudge from behind, pushing her close to Trevor. Then, with a whinny and a head toss, Astor gracefully jumped over the fence.
Trevor laughed, wrapping his arms around Emma, his heart full with the promise of everlasting love and a happily ever after.
You can find her on Instagram, BookBub, and Goodreads.
Spark Flash Fiction 