by Olivia Miles
“Dad—be careful. Here, let me get you a chair.”
Her father gave her a reproachful look. “Stop fussing over me, Britt. I have Candy doing enough of that already.”
And loving every minute of it, she thought ruefully.
“But Dad—”
He held up a hand, steadying himself against the weight of his crutches. “If you want to feel like you’re helping me, then look around you. This is the biggest turnout we’ve ever had, and raffling off a monthly case of wine was a brilliant idea.”
“Speaking of wine, did you try our new blend?”
It was Robbie’s blend really, but Britt had been the one to insist he name it in traditional Conway fashion: after his daughter.
“Might be the best one yet.” Dennis grinned. “I’m excited to see what you’ll do with the place.”
“You aren’t afraid of the changes?” she asked nervously.
“Life is full of changes, honey,” Dennis said to her. “Some are just easier than others.”
Britt gave her father a squeeze and spotted Maddie heading into the barn, where the extra supplies were housed. Seizing her chance, she quickened her pace after her youngest sister, calling out her name until Maddie turned around.
“I have something for you.” Britt walked behind the market counter, where she’d stashed the gift. It was wrapped in tissue paper, and tucked inside a cheerful yellow bag, but seeing it now, she knew it didn’t require anything more than what it was.
Carefully, she pulled her mother’s apron from the paper and stood.
Maddie let out a small gasp. When she looked back up at Britt, her eyes had welled with tears. “Mom’s apron.”
“Your apron,” Britt said. “It should have been yours all this time.”
“But Amelia’s the one with the café,” Maddie protested, but Britt shook her head.
“You’re the one who has kept Mom’s recipes alive all this time. You’re the one who has made these pies, and loved every second of it, just like she did.”
“Britt—I’ve thought a lot about what you said. About the pies—”
Britt shook her head. “I’ve thought a lot about it too. And you were right. That recipe wasn’t mean to be shared. It was meant to be carried on. And that’s exactly what you’re doing.” She held the apron out farther. “You’re doing exactly what Mom would have wanted. I know she would have been happy.”
“I never dared to wear it before.” Maddie reverently took the apron into her hands and smoothed down the worn, cotton fabric. “I’ll take good care of it.”
Britt gave her hand a squeeze. “I know you will.”
She walked away, out into the sunshine, taking in the fields all around her with a satisfied sigh. Out in the distance, people were already picking baskets of cherries, and Dory was telling everyone how to spot the ripest fruit, albeit with a tad too much detail.
Robbie caught her eye and grinned, and she moved through the crowds until she’d reached him. Keira’s face was already painted like a ladybug, and she had an ice cream stain down the front of her white eyelet dress.
“This is the best day ever!” Keira exclaimed as soon as Britt was in earshot, and she had to agree, it was.
“It all came together,” she said, looking at the scope of the festival, the crowds gathered at the picnic tables, the children engrossed in their games. “Or maybe I should say, everyone came together.”
“You still happy with your decision?” Robbie asked as they turned toward the fields and the rows and rows of grapes and over to the cherry trees and apple trees that extended as far as the eye could see.
“I guess I still can’t believe that I’m here.” She sighed happily.
“This place was always meant to be yours, Britt.”
She shook her head and gave his arm a squeeze. “No. It was meant to be ours.”
“And will it someday be mine?” Keira asked excitedly, separating their bodies, only to join each of their hands.
Britt caught Robbie’s eye and shrugged. “You never know. Life is anything but predictable.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Robbie asked, looking over Keira’s head at her as they walked back toward the festival, swinging the little girl between them. “There will be good years and bad years.”
“And we’ll get through it,” she said. “Together.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olivia Miles is a USA Today bestselling author of feel-good women’s fiction with a romantic twist. She has frequently been ranked as an Amazon Top 100 author, and her books have appeared on several bestseller lists, including Amazon charts, BookScan, and USA Today. Treasured by readers across the globe, Olivia’s heartwarming stories have been translated into German, French, and Hungarian, with editions in Australia in the United Kingdom.
Olivia lives just outside Chicago with her husband, daughter, and two ridiculously pampered pups.
Visit www.OliviaMilesBooks.com for more.
.