Rock Redemption (Rock Revenge Trilogy 3)

“It’s got everything I need and I’m not putting anyone else out.” I took the large glass from her and finished it long, greedy pulls.

“You’re not putting any of us out.”

I resisted the eye roll I was feeling. My bedroom was a greenhouse, and I was pretty sure my mother loved her orchids more than her children at this point.

“There’s more than enough room at the lodge.”

“Only if you didn’t take one of the bookings. I’ve seen the ledger, Aunt Laverne.”

She had the good grace to look at her hands. “It’s fine, sweetheart.”

“I know you wouldn’t care, but honestly, I work such strange hours. Your guests would be horrified and probably hate me.”

My aunt looked around the room. “But it’s so…dirty.”

I laughed. “It’s perfect. I even got Beck to pick me up a mattress from Josie’s in town.”

“Just a mattress?” My aunt sighed. “You’re not in college anymore.”

“I know. And this is just temporary.”

“Are you going back to California?”

I looked down at my empty glass. “I don’t know.”

“This isn’t about a man, is it?”

I shrugged. “Not entirely. Some of it is about him—my ex, I guess.” Labels hadn’t really been part of our thing, but he was definitely more than a hookup. Ian had been my everything. At least I’d thought he was until I found out every damn thing had been built on a lie.

And God, I missed him. That was the worst part.

Which was why I needed the barn put together. I needed to work.

Aunt Laverne tapped my leg. “Come help me get the sandwiches out of my truck. We’ll feed these heathens, and you. You’re far too skinny.”

I’d only been home a few days, but it didn’t stop my family—from both sides of the orchard—from trying to shove food down my throat. But my brothers were the eternal garbage disposals and required sustenance.

We brought in the coolers of food and beer and the three of them descended on it like a pack of starving dogs.

I managed to eat half a sandwich and drink roughly a half gallon of tea before my aunt drew me outside. “Let’s go take a walk.”

“I really—”

“Please take her,” Beckett said around a bite of ham and cheese. “We’ll go much faster without her hovering.”

I huffed out a sigh. “I guess I could stretch my legs.” I took a bottle of water from the cooler and one for my aunt before following her out the wide barn doors.

We walked in companionable silence for a few minutes. The days were longer as July was coming down on us like a wet blanket. Some of the Paula Reds were further along than the still flowering Macintosh trees. The heavy scent of blooms going to fruit was a familiar one and went a long way to bringing me down another few notches.

I’d run through these orchards all my life. This place was full of good memories. And that was exactly what I needed right now.

“Are you truly all right, Zoe?”

I bent down and picked up one of the blooms that had blown off the tree. The soft pink petals were another familiar memory. I shrugged. “I will be. How much did Mom tell you?” I asked with a smile for the bloom. I knew my aunt hadn’t come only to check in on us.

She gave me an answering shrug, flipping her cotton-white braid over her shoulder. “You know your mother, she doesn’t give up much detail beyond grumbles.”

I laughed into the bloom and tucked it behind my ear. “Yeah. I surprised the hell out of her when I came up the drive. You’d think she would be excited to see me after seven months.”