Season of Dreams by Jenna Mindel Page A

on, let’s head back and unload this brush where you want it.”
    Eva followed Adam to the tractor, wondering why he didn’t recognize the urgency of setting up a plan now so they’d be ready to plant when the time came.
    If only the orchard were still hers. Then she’d have a stronger voice on how things were done. As an employee, she was no better off than she’d been as a daughter trying to convince her father of her ideas.
    An idea blossomed in her brain of sheer genius. With the right approach, would Adam consider taking her on as a partner? She couldn’t afford much of a buy-in, but even a small percentage of ownership might go a long way toward protecting the orchard. She had her B and B to consider. Other than her unique baking with cherries, comfortable lodging on a working cherry farm was her plan to draw guests.
    She smiled. A partnership offer was definitely worth a shot.
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    â€œWhen’s Adam coming to the bonfire?” Beth asked.
    Eva shrugged. “He’s bringing someone he wants me to meet.”
    Aunt Jamee set down a tray of bite-size sandwiches on a checkered cloth-covered table that had been set up in the orchard’s pole barn. “Who’s he bringing? A girl?”
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe it’s his father. They’re up this weekend.” But a worm of concern wiggled around her insides. He wouldn’t bring a date, would he?
    The Marsh bonfire had become something of an institution. Several growers, even the nearby vineyard owners, came together on Marsh land to celebrate the arrival of spring.
    â€œDon’t worry, Jamee,” Beth added. “I think our Mr. Peece is interested in Eva.”
    Eva rolled her eyes, but her belly did a little somersault. “He’s not into me.”
    Her aunt grinned as if she’d stumbled upon a juicy secret. “Why shouldn’t he be? Take a look in the mirror, my beauty.”
    Eva smiled at her aunt’s endearment, but Adam was bringing someone. Surely he would have told her if he was dating someone. Wouldn’t he?
    Eva looked up in time to see Adam walking toward her with a gorgeous dark-haired woman wearing ridiculously high-heeled boots. And her heart sank.
    Her aunt’s expression simply said that’s-a-shame, while Beth’s hard stare might as well have shot daggers at Adam.
    â€œHey,” Adam said when he stood before her.
    The raven-haired beauty also had dark eyes that focused so intensely on her, Eva backed up a step.
    â€œEva, I want to you to meet my sister, Anne.” Adam smiled.
    His sister!
    Of course it was his sister. The resemblance suddenly shone clearly. The intensity of her gaze was so similarto Adam’s. And Eva remembered seeing a picture of this woman at the town house. Eva’s shoulders dipped with relief. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
    Anne grasped her extended hand with surprising strength. “It’s nice to finally meet you. We wondered who’d be brave enough to take Adam on as a pupil.”
    Eva glanced at Beth, whose smile couldn’t have been broader. “Why’s that?”
    Anne grinned, making her look even more like Adam. “He’s got a short attention span. He gets bored easily and doesn’t stick with stuff.”
    Eva looked at Adam to see how he’d take his sister’s ribbing.
    He gave Anne an indulgent smile, but Eva could tell the last statement rubbed him wrong when the corner of his eye twitched. “Just because I can’t sit still in meetings doesn’t mean I don’t listen and learn. It means I don’t belong there.”
    Eva could clearly envision Adam fidgeting in a board-room. But when Anne looked ready to disagree, Eva stepped in. “Let me show you around and introduce you both. This is my roommate, Beth, and my aunt Jamee. Oh, and this is my uncle Larry. He’s our beekeeper.”
    Anne extended her slender hand to everyone. When