the abundant mountain laurel behind them would be loaded with blossoms, filling the mountain air with the scents of yet another spring.
She pulled into a parking spot just off the circular drive and gazed approvingly at the half-wall and steps. Both had recently been redone by the look of things, and they’d done a really good job, using the same local stone that had been used in the original manor house and the subsequent additions they’d put on when the place became a resort.
That, too, had been skillfully redone. It bore no resemblance to the charred, blackened ruins that had been splashed across the front page of the Sumneyville Times for weeks.
Nor did it look remotely close to a military bunker.
“Tina Obermacher. It’s good to see you.”
Tina turned around to find Matt Winston offering a friendly, familiar smile. He’d filled out since she’d last seen him, but there was no mistaking that angled, masculine face and those soulful golden-brown eyes. He, like her, was dressed in layers, which did absolutely nothing to hide the fact that he was in great physical condition.
In high school, Matt had been gorgeous. As a man, he was devastating. It was no wonder some women sighed when his name came up, even as their tongues were wagging with the latest hearsay.
“Matt Winston. Good to see you, too. It’s been a long minute, huh?”
“That it has. Welcome to Sanctuary. Do you want to come in and have some coffee before we head out to the orchard?”
Since they were both dressed for outdoor exploration, it made sense to get business out of the way. “How about we see what you’ve got first?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
They walked down to the orchard. The grove was small, taking up less than ten acres, so they were able to cover it all in under an hour. There was a nice mix of apple, cherry, pear, and—her personal favorite—peach trees. Unfortunately, the years of neglect had left their mark.
Even in the starkness of almost-spring, it was obvious that nothing had been done in years. Invasive weeds and poison ivy had been allowed to grow unchecked. There’d been no pruning, no pest control, no proper fertilization, and deer had done quite a bit of damage to the trunks with their antlers.
“So, what do you think?” he asked as they were making their way back to the main building.
“I hate to say it, Matt, but I think most of it’s too far gone to salvage. You can try, of course, but if it were me, I’d start fresh.”
He nodded, unsurprised. “That’s what I thought. Wanted to check with an expert first though. What would we have to do to rebuild?”
“Well, the site is ideal. Eastern-facing, rolling land, and a mild slope are exactly what you want, so I don’t think you need to relocate unless you really want to. In general, you want to avoid exposed tops and ridges. They get too windy, and the soil erodes easily.”
“Makes sense.”
“You also want to avoid planting anything in the dips and valleys. The soil there tends to be overly fertile.”
His brow furrowed. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“For tree growth, yes. For fruit production, no.” She grinned. “That’s the short answer. I can give you the scientific reasoning behind it, if you’d like.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Yeah, that’s what she thought he’d say. While she found the finer points of agricultural science fascinating, most people tended to zone out fairly quickly.
“The first thing I would do is pick up a soil map. You can get one from the local county extension or soil conservation office. That’ll tell you a lot about the type of soil you’re dealing with and what will grow best for you. At the very least, it’ll tell you what you need to do to get stuff to grow for you.”
He nodded. “Soil map. Will do.”
“Second thing, do a nematode test before you take out the old trees.”
“What’s that?”
“Nematodes? They’re microscopic plant parasites. One square yard of soil can hold millions of the little suckers, and they can be devastating. Also, you’ll need to get rid of the multiflora, thistle, and poison ivy that have taken over. Two or three treatments over the summer should do it. You can use glyphosate, but I prefer an organic alternative myself. It requires a bit more persistence, but it’s worth it in the long run. I can share the formula I use, if you’d like.”