“That’s more than okay. Want to eat in the dining room or take things back with us?”
“It’s a little early for dinner, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but once we head back to my place, I don’t plan on coming out again until tomorrow.”
A delighted thrill ran through her along with a telltale heat she only felt around Doc. She was so on board with that. “In that case, definitely takeout.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Tina
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Tina confided to Doc the next morning. Lying there next to him, soaking in the warmth of his body, was the only time when everything made sense. Beyond his arms, her world was pure chaos.
His hand gently stroked the length of her spine, providing the soothing comfort that enabled her to speak from her soul.
“Obermachers have lived and worked that land for over four hundred years. I can’t imagine it in the hands of a developer. The thought makes me ill.”
Yet there didn’t seem to be any other option. Rick had them so far in debt that they’d never dig themselves out. If they didn’t sell out, they’d not only end up losing the land, but they’d be destitute as well. Or as Rick had suggested, worse.
“I can’t help but feel partly responsible. I knew Luther was shady. I mean, I didn’t trust him with my personal finances. Why did I stand by and allow my brothers to trust him with the family business?”
Sure, she’d been outvoted three to one, but it wasn’t the first time they’d teamed up against her. She should have fought harder. She should have demanded to see the books on a regular basis or at least insisted on an independent audit every year.
The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. The tears came, unable to be kept back any longer. Doc didn’t tell her to stop. He didn’t ply her with false platitudes. He just held her and stroked her back, letting her get it out of her system.
“I’m sorry. It’s just ...”
“I know,” he said quietly.
“And what about everyone who works for us?” she asked. “Do you know how many people are going to be out of work? It’s not like Sumneyville has a lot of job opportunities. Some of them have been employed by Obermacher Farms since they were old enough to work.
“You know what the worst part is?” she asked, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. Farming was in her blood. She loved what she did, but the physical demands were hard on her body.
“Part of me is actually relieved that I won’t have that responsibility anymore. I feel like a traitor. Like a rat fleeing a sinking ship.”
“You’re not,” he assured her.
“I feel like it though. That land has been so good to me. To my family. Not being able to work it anymore is one thing, but seeing it destroyed is going to kill a part of me inside.”
Doc hummed slightly and then tapped her lightly on the backside. “Get dressed.”
“What’s the point?” she asked, punctuating the question with a sniffle.
“The point is, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Who?”
“Get dressed, and you’ll find out.”
Reluctantly, Tina pried herself away from Doc, immediately feeling a sense of loss. “Can’t we just stay in bed? I’ll make it worth your while.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “Tempting, but hold that thought. Go on now; get dressed. I need to make a phone call.”
Doc smiled when she pouted. She didn’t know what he had in mind, but he seemed determined to introduce her to someone. After everything he’d done for her, it was a small ask.
Minutes later, they were in Doc’s Jeep, heading away from Sanctuary.
Surprisingly, the first stop he made was at The Mill.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“Creating a gift basket of your finest products.”
“Why?”
“Jeez, you ask a lot of questions. Just trust me, okay?”
How could she not?
They walked around the store, picking up items as they went. Since it was off-season, most of the products were canned or preserved in some way. They gathered mead, cider, and an assortment of jams, jellies, chutney, and jars of peaches in various flavors.
Ten minutes later, they were on the road again, heading south of Sumneyville.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Pine Ridge.”
“Who’s in Pine Ridge?”
“Maggie Callaghan. She owns a farm there.”
The name was vaguely familiar.
“When I was younger, my grandparents used to take me to a farm in Pine Ridge, but I knew it as the Flynn farm. Of course, that was probably twenty-five