“Anna Kate doesn’t like Samantha and I don’t intend to expose her to that woman’s nasty comments,” Chase said firmly.
“It’s not Anna Kate.”
“Oh? Then, okay. That’s fine. Do you mind if I ask who it is?”
“If you keep it on the down low. I haven’t exactly broken it off with Anna Kate. I think she’s avoiding me and the obvious.”
“Doesn’t surprise me, and I’m really glad to hear you’re cutting that shrew loose.”
“I can’t argue. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’ll be bringing Sky.”
“It’s about damn time. Samantha really likes her. That’s good, Jake.”
I smiled. It was good. Damn good.
Back at the Marina, we loaded the plane and took off.
“Have you thought anymore about my request?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I have. You’ve made several attempts to apologize to me.”
“I know it’s been tough and a lot of water has run under the bridge. But, Jake, I am sorry about leaving you high and dry. I wasn’t thinking about you. I was running for my life. I was disillusioned and also felt betrayed. I’m sorry if you endured even a fraction of what I felt, and I’m sorry you thought I didn’t care. But that’s as far from the truth as can be. I swear it. I regret the way I left, but not that I left.”
“I’ve been angry a long time at you, and I just don’t want to be angry anymore, Chase. I’m trying to say that I want to stand up with you. You’re my brother, and it’s time we put this feud to bed.”
He reached over and clasped my forearm and squeezed. “Thank you for meeting me halfway. I know we have shit to deal with, but as far as the family business goes. I’m not interested in working full-time at the orchard. I’m interested as a family member who, whether I want it or not, is now a part of it because I promised Daddy I would be. I tried to argue with him, but he wouldn’t listen. I don’t have any intentions of taking over, Jake. This belongs to you. You’ve worked for it and earned it.”
“Speaking of that,” I said as we came in for a landing at his dock. “Have you noticed how preoccupied he is lately. He seems like he’s working on a deal, but has left me in the dark. Has he confided in you?”
“You think he’s doing what…planning on selling?”
“Shit, I don’t know. He does what he wants. I’m not sure if he even intends to make me lead on the orchard. For all I know, he could be planning on bringing in a manager.”
“I don’t think so, Jake. He talks highly about your efforts to expand and manage the trees. You have your masters in plant pathology for Christ sake.”
“You know about that?”
“Of course I do. I went to your graduation both at Harvard and LSU.”
“I didn’t know that, Chase. Really?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t going to miss it. I just didn’t think you would react well to me being there, but I wanted to be.”
His support had always been there. I was just too blind to see it and Sky had been right all along. Chase did care about me.
Now, before I went any further, I had to make sure to make things right between me and Anna Kate.
I feared it wasn’t going to be as smooth as it had gone with Chase.
Chapter 9
JAKE
Before I left, Chase said, “I’m really surprised that the only person you were angry at was me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Daddy. He was the one who pushed us. It was his expectations we had to live up to and he had been ruthless in the past, Jake. I guess I don’t understand why you’re not mad at him. I’ve made my peace with him, maybe you should, too.”
