A dozen people raised their hands when Del asked if hoop houses were part of their vision. Next to her, Lucy thrust her hand into the air.
“I’m having two hoop houses built before next winter,” she whispered to Hilary as she dropped her hand. “Del helped me order them. He’s been a huge help.”
Hilary wanted to step to the back of the group, but Lucy clutched her arm. “It’s so nice to have connections. I can’t imagine going through this alone.”
Oof. Lucy didn’t realize the impact of her words of course, but it squeezed Hilary’s chest. Here she was without Jorie. The resentment she’d felt yesterday when Jorie said she’d stay behind still simmered. Hilary was out of her element. Trained in social work, for goodness’ sake, not farming. But here she was, touring organic hoop houses and learning about fertilizer. She had enough trouble keeping her plants alive.
When the group followed Del into the first greenhouse, Hilary waited. Lucy walked on ahead, her eyes wide with excitement. She turned to say something, and Hilary saw her startle when she realized someone else was beside her instead of Hilary. She felt a nudge of guilt for escaping, but the constant activity of the day was starting to overwhelm her.
“You don’t want to miss Del’s narration of his beloved hoop houses. It’s a top act, I hear.”
The voice in her ear raised the hair on the back of her neck.
Dane.
“I’ve heard that too.”
The words flew out of Hilary’s mouth before she comprehended their meaning. Her brain was mush. What had she heard? What did that mean?
Dane stood shoulder to shoulder with her. “We have some hoop houses back home. Our winters are relatively mild though.”
That thing inside her head—a gray blob. She’d lost her ability to speak.
Dane leaned toward her as they followed the small group ahead of them. “I can’t imagine apple orchards do very well in hoop houses.”
Okay, that was a joke. She recognized the humor in his tone. Plus, he grinned when he said it. Faith in her senses—at least her humor-detection one—was restored. Did she already tell Dane about their business plan? She didn’t remember revealing that much to him.
She laughed. “They probably don’t come in extra large, do they?”
He paused for a second, looking at her. His forehead wrinkled like he didn’t get it. But then his face lit up and he was gracious enough to chuckle. “If they did I’m—”
Bam!
She saw it coming at the last second and couldn’t warn him fast enough.Dane’s forehead met the corner of a rolling metal rack that he didn’t see as he walked beside her, veering into the thing on accident. It wobbled, threatening to fall onto him as he bent at the waist, but she caught it, setting it upright. She laid a hand across Dane’s back as he covered his forehead with one hand, resting the other on his knee. He groaned.
“Oh, Dane. Are you all right?” Hilary asked. It was a stupid question. Of course he wasn’t all right. The man crashed head-on into stainless steel. Hilary looked up as a few stragglers double-backed to check on him too.
“Better ask the rack. I’m sure it took the brunt of it,” he said, straightening. He pressed gingerly on the spot along his hairline. Blood wet his fingers when he took his hand away.
Del heard the commotion and hobbled back to the end of the line. “What happened?”
Dane’s face flamed. “It’s totally my fault. I need to keep an eye on what’s ahead of me instead of what’s beside me apparently.” He didn’t look at her, but Hilary caught his meaning.
“That’s not going to improve your looks any,” Del said with all the seriousness of an accountant in April.
Dane snorted and gave him a small grin. “Funny.”
Del hooked his hands in his pockets and leaned back slightly, studying Dane’s forehead. The older man was a good six inches shorter than Dane. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward Sean, who jogged toward the tour bus. “Sean is preparing for surgery now. Can you see straight?”
“I don’t wear glasses if that’s what you mean,” Dane said hesitantly.
“No, I mean now after you almost killed my rack.”
“Oh.” Dane turned and squinted toward Hilary. “Yes, everything looks good.”
Hilary hid her smile as she dipped her head.
Del took an orange bandana from his pocket and swiped it across his own forehead. “Good. I can’t afford to be sued.”
