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She trailed her hand over one barrel containing all kinds of glass jars. “All these barrels have me wondering. Do you think someone once made apple cider here?”

He nodded. “I’ve wondered the same. It would be another income stream for the farm. As long as it’s not too difficult to make. I don’t know anything about the process.”

“I don’t either. Although I went through a bit of a juicing phase when I was around eight. Fox helped me make juice out of all kinds of fruit.” The memory made her grin. “I made such a mess.”

Ford’s chuckle rumbled through her. “I can imagine. Fox sounds like such a good man.”

She blinked away the mist wanting to settle in her eyes. “He was amazing. Always willing to help us experiment and try new things. He never answered my questions directly, but he helped me spell the words I needed to search the information on the internet. We found so many videos.”

“How long did the juicing phase last?”

“Not long. It was a lot of work for very little product. We decided it would be easier for the machines in the factories and that we should leave them to do it.”

Another chuckle. “I think my dad would have got along very well with Fox.”

She remembered Ford saying his father had decided not to compete with the chefs big companies hired to make their products. “I think you’re right. With all these apples, we’ll need to find ways to sell them and to use them.”

Ford nodded and stopped to survey the cluttered barn. “One day I’ll look up how people used to make cider in the past. We might find some of the old equipment here.”

“That would be fun. Even if it isn’t something that would be usable, it would be great to see it. My sister always talks about showcasing the past. She’s used that in her hospitality jobs.”

Ford rubbed her shoulder. “You miss her. I can hear it in your voice.”

She smiled at his intuition. “I do. We’ve always been close. We do video chats and phone calls a lot, but it’s not the same. I’d love for her to move here with us. I don’t think she’s happy where she is.”

He frowned. “What makes you think that?”

Jolie shrugged. “More of a feeling, I guess. Her eyes haven’t had the usual sparkle for a while. I’ve been working on showing her how great this place is, but I haven’t quite convinced her to come for a visit. Or to stay.”

“You’ll figure it out.”

The absolute confidence in his voice warmed her. They hadn’t known each other that long, but she heard the conviction in his words.

Yep. She was falling fast.

Chapter9

Build A Better Duck Trap

Ford wanted to wrap Jolie in his arms and comfort her. She missed her sister and worried about her.

Instead of a hug, he rubbed her shoulder because he really didn’t have the right to do more. Since their visit to town, the reasons for staying away from this bright and caring woman seemed less and less important.

Throughout the night, he’d tried to talk himself out of his growing attraction to her.

It hadn’t worked.

The connection between them was strengthening with every interaction. If she was anyone but his buddy’s sister, he’d have kissed her already. They would have discovered if the connection was as strong as he suspected.

Their living situation would definitely make it awkward if things went wrong, but the more he got to know her, the less likely that seemed. They fit.

Which of course sent his imagination to them fitting together in the very best of ways, with no clothing in the way.

His phone rang with a call from his dad. He cleared his brain of images of him and Jolie rolling around in a bed, and smiled at her. “It’s my dad. Mind if I take it?”

She smiled. “Of course not, I’ll just wander. There’s lots to explore in here.”

He nodded. “Why don’t you say hi first?”