Hearts Like Ours | Red View Romance #1

🍏 Two

Dawson McAden had a busy morning, and he liked it that way.

He liked when his mind was juggling a million things at once, figuring out next weeks schedule, prepping the store for opening, ordering fertilizers and sorting out sapling deliveries. When the brain was busy, he found it was easy to forget all the things he didn't want to think about. It made it easier to focus on the present and try not to remember the past.

His legs were heavy with a satisfying ache from the long walk back to the shop after checking the Gala apples that were just on the verge of harvest. There were some things in life he knew he could rely on, and that feeling was one of them, along with the trees and their yearly schedule. The older he got, the more he was beginning to realize there was a lot of good to be said about the expected.

What he didn't expect was to round the corner of the barn just in time to watch a long-legged redhead step out of her Mini Cooper. He slowed to a stop to watch as a breeze rolled past, carrying the sweet scent of apples with it and toying with her hair. She closed her eyes and raised her face to the sun, basking in the senses.

She made a pretty picture, hair the same auburn color as some of the apples he'd harvested that morning, the slightest hint of a smile on her full lips. And as the obvious tension fell from her shoulders, he couldn't shake the thought that it was like watching a flower bloom.

Because he wasn't used to the soft feeling that threatened to swallow him, and because he had no desire to acknowledge it, he forced himself to interrupt. "Layla Foster?"

She flinched, turned towards the sound of his voice with wide green eyes. "Yes? Yes," she said again, more firmly. "Sorry, I was just..."

He walked over, waving away her embarrassment. She wasn't the first to have that reaction to the orchard's aroma, but he'd be lying if he said he could remember anyone who'd held his attention that long just by sniffing air. "I know. It smells good."

The smile returned with a sheepish laugh. "A lot better than the city. And a lot better than the gym."

He grinned at the quick humor, sticking out a hand. "I'm Dawson McAden. One of Kenzie's brothers."

"Nice meeting you," she shook his hand, and beneath the professional firmness was an unmistakable fragility that caught him by surprise. She didn't look fragile—she was taller than average, and the short sleeves of her shirt showed off the toned arms of her athletic body. And her eyes, a cool jade, still hadn't stopped surveying him.

Yes, the fragility was unexpected. So was the warmth that spread over him at the contact. This was Kenzie and Marshall's new trainer? The next two weeks suddenly seemed a lot more interesting. "You too."

"Layla!" The voice of his sister broke his entrancement and urged their hands apart. Kenzie came speed-walking out of the barn with a thousand-watt smile on her face, immediately embracing Layla in a hug. "It's so good to finally meet you!"

Layla's eyes went wide again before she hugged back. "You too," she pulled away to continue, "How are you?"

"I'm great! Excited--Me and Marsh are so ready for you to kick our butts."

The smile that came across her face at those words was brighter than the ones before. "That's what I like to hear."

With a gasp, Kenzie reached for Layla's left hand. If Dawson was disappointed to see the giant rock on her ring finger, he tried to ignore it. But his curiosity about her made it impossible to ignore the way her smile faltered while his sister fawned over the diamonds. Not exactly the reaction one would expect—especially not when he'd been surrounded by wedding excitement for the past month and half and was only used to witnessing bursts of elation at the very mention of the subject.