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On cue, all the dogs seemed to study him and Jolie. The one who’d stood approached them and when they held out their hands, sniffed them over. The dog was as big and furry as Fox, but with different coloring. Mostly black, but white patches covered its face, chest, and paws. That white was edged with a soft brown transition area. “Aren’t you gorgeous?”

When Lorraine returned, he asked. “Your dogs are amazing. What breed is this one?”

Lorraine smiled. “You probably don’t want to get me started talking about my troop. This is Gilbert and he’s a Bernese mountain dog. I’ve raised Bernies and boxers for years.”

Jolie laughed as she ruffled the dog’s fur. “Hello, Gilbert. You’re a very handsome boy.”

They sat at the table, and Jolie smiled. “I’ll confess we didn’t just drop by to meet you. I have an ulterior motive.”

Lorraine’s eyebrows went up. “Is everything all right?”

Jolie smiled. “Yes, sorry to worry you. Actually, I’m hoping to rely on your dog expertise.”

Lorraine’s face lit up. “You’ll make my day, then.”

“I’m working on fixing up the pond at the back of the farm. Eventually, it’ll be used for irrigation at the back of the orchard, but mostly I want to bring it back to life. It’s been stagnant for too long and I’d like to see it healthy again. We also want to increase the biodiversity of the plants and animals on the farm. To that end, I’ve got a flock of six ducks.”

Lorraine laughed. “Ducks on an apple farm. I love it. I’m glad your family has the farm now. Jay would be happy to see you and what you’re doing with the land.”

Ford watched Jolie’s face light up. “I hope so. We haven’t figured out what pulled him and my grandfather apart, but I’m hoping one day we’ll find something to give us a clue.”

Her eyes misted with emotion, and Ford tucked her into his side. “We’re hoping you can recommend a dog breed for us. The ducks have minds of their own.”

Lorraine laughed. “I bet they do. Are you looking for a herding dog, then?”

They nodded, and Lorraine smiled. “I can definitely help with that.”

For the next hour, they learned all about herding dog breeds, including the beautiful Bernese mountain dogs Lorraine had once raised.

Jolie smiled. “I’m so glad we came over. We want to make sure the dog doesn’t upset Fox. It’s his territory first, and if another dog causes him stress, we’ll figure out another way to convince the ducks to go where we need them.”

Lorraine nodded. “Good plan, but I think your Fox will be fine. He plays well with all of my dogs. Never acts aggressive when he comes over. He’s also easy-going when other animals are visiting us here.”

Lorraine offered to speak with some of her friends to see who knew of an available dog that would fit the job and the farm. They didn’t want a puppy. They needed one who was already trained to do the job. The breed didn’t matter.

As they drove home, Jolie bounced in her seat. “I really liked her. I think whatever dog she finds is going to be a great fit for the farm. Thanks for coming with me.”

“Any time.” In fact, he figured he’d go just about anywhere with her.

The morning brought a beautiful, clear day, with temperatures edging into summer territory. A perfect day to try out the canoe.

Rain had never bothered Jolie, but she’d worried about the borrowed canoe. With the way the rain had poured, she hadn’t been sure she wouldn’t swamp it. She didn’t particularly want to go for a swim in the pond when she wasn’t sure what was in there.

She didn’t have results on her water and soil samples yet. Not that she expected to find anything dangerous, but she’d rather not bathe in the dirty water until she knew exactly what it contained.

The stormy days had been productive, and the ducks liked the rain. She’d been nervous about leaving them alone during the day, but it had been fine. Fox probably helped protect the property, but with the lure of an easy duck meal, predators would be braver than normal.

Instead of her usual oatmeal, Jolie grabbed an apple and a banana to eat on the way. Her pond was calling.

The door to Ford’s room had been open, showing he was already gone for the day. She’d been tempted to step into the room just because his smell lingered there. She was ridiculous, but the giddy feeling of falling for a truly good man was too much fun to squash.

The potential fallout if things didn’t work continued to worry her, but it wasn’t stopping her from stealing kisses whenever the opportunity arose. Ford’s kisses had her forgetting just about everything else.

At the moment, she couldn’t imagine thingsnotworking. She could only see a big, bright future ahead of her.

Ford wasn’t like the slime balls in her past. He wouldn’t cheat on her or steal her money. Ford Evans was honest and kind. If he wanted to end things, he’d do that face-to-face. Even if he broke her heart, he’d be kind about it.

Jolie couldn’t imagine any circumstance that would make her want to end their relationship. The only thing she could imagine was taking things further.