“But you didn’t tell anyone I was coming,” I reiterated again, moving quickly to open the screen door and let him in.
“I may have been slightly afraid that once I told you the truth about how much work this place is, and the state of it, you might let one of those big marketing firms snatch you up instead of heading here once your project finished,” he admitted, running a hand through his dark hair sheepishly. “But now you’re here, and you’re not arrested. No harm, no foul, right?”
He turned his eyes up at me, through his thick lashes, the look so pitiful I couldn’t help but laugh. Clearly this beta knew how to play his cards right.
“Oh, you’re good. Hells bells, are you sure you’re not an omega? That look is dangerous, Riley.”
“And it brings alphas to their knees just as well.” He grinned wickedly. “How do you think I enchant all the citizens of our dear town?” he asked as he walked up with open arms. “Welcome home, Autumn.”
Riley pulled me into a friendly hug, his greeting tugging at my heartstrings as I wrapped my arms around him. It was comforting to know that I wasn’t going into this alone. He might have been my grandpa’s right hand man the past five years or so, but from our long talks the past few months he already felt like family, the beta brother I’d never had.
“Okay, enough of that before you make me all mushy,” I said with a sigh. “We have a ton of work to do and not a second to waste, the Fall Festival is just around the corner. Do you know how many people have already demanded cider?”
“Not today we don’t,” Riley countered with a reassuring smile. I had a feeling he’d worked his ass off just so I didn’t run, but it wasn’t necessary. Or at least I hoped it wasn’t. “I already made all the rounds this morning and have the majority of things set up for the upcoming harvest. Sure, there are a million things you could do that would be useful, but for today, I’d recommend you finish settling in and plan to meet me bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“How early are we talking again?” I asked, wondering how many cups of coffee I was going to need to down. It wasn’t that I wasn’t used to waking up early, it was that I knew corporate America early and farm early were two entirely different things. That didn’t even factor in the rickety old bed I desperately needed to replace as soon as possible.
Riley’s lips twitched. “Let’s say I’ll meet you here at seven and I’ll take you on a full tour of the property to get started, then we can ease you into the rest of the tasks.”
“You’re not going to go easy on me forever,” I warned, knowing that I owed Riley a debt of gratitude for all the hard work he’d put into the place.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he assured. “Alright, I’ll leave you to it. Call me if you need any help, otherwise I’ll see you in the morning.”
After saying goodbye I was left standing with an even greater sense of determination to help restore this place and continue to make it something my grandparents would have been proud of.
Not wanting to wait another idle second more, I snagged my keys off the kitchen counter, hopping in my car and heading back into town. The refresher course Jack had given me that morning came in handy as I made my way to the town’s furniture store, immediately making my first purchase of a new bed that was literally like sleeping on a cloud. Miraculously they even managed to have it in stock, and they were more than happy to help arrange same day delivery for me.
With one major thing checked off my list, I made my way towards Main Street, easily managing to claim a space in front of the hardware store. I knew I’d need more professional help for some of the repairs to the place, but the things like paint and the small things I’d learned here and there I could handle in the meantime.
The chime of the bell overhead as I made my way into the store was welcoming, but the front counter was noticeably vacant.
“One second,” a deep voice called from the back of the shop. I’d never been affected by voices before but this one sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine that I quickly and vehemently ignored.
I took that as my cue to look around, snagging a cart and picking up a few items here and there. The farm obviously already had plenty of tools, but from the dust and rust on them, it couldn’t hurt to have a small backup set for the house.
After picking out a new toolbox, I chose a few kitchen door knobs to replace the ones I noticed missing along with a tarp and some rollers.
By the time I made it to the paint aisle, I managed to add a few more things to my cart. The farmhouse was livable, it just needed a whole lot of love. Good thing my grandparents’ pack had taught me most aspects of orchard life, including how to fix what was broken.
As I’d unpacked I’d noticed little things here and there that needed fixing, like the missing door knobs or the kitchen table needing to be refinished. Those things I could handle, but it was the chips in the countertops and the things like the porch that made me realize I might have to dip into some of the maintenance fund once this harvest was over depending on how well we did. There was more to do than just fixing it up, there were major repairs as well. But doing little decor touches like paint were in my control right now and I hoped it made it feel more homey too.
I shuddered to think about what I would do when my heat hit later this fall. There was absolutely no way that place felt suitable for a nest just yet.
“Can I help you?” that same deep voice asked from behind me, making me turn in surprise as my hand flew up to rest against my pounding heart.
“Oh, sweet apple streusels you scared me,” I swore, taking in the man before me.
“Apologies,” he said, the rasp in his voice more noticeable now that he was close.
His shoulders hunched as if he was trying to make himself smaller, not that he had a chance in hell of making that happen. The fact that this alpha somehow knew how to make himself look less intimidating than he was didn’t sit well for me, and I instantly wanted to comfort him.
“There’s no need for you to apologize,” I reassured him. “I was lost in my own head thinking about all the stuff I have to do.”
He seemed to relax at my words, his shoulders rolling back as I got my first real look at him, all thick thighs and muscles with a soft belly that was perfect for snuggling against. All of that was topped off with a full beard and expressive brown eyes. His smell was muted, probably from blockers, so while I couldn’t tell for sure, I suspected he was an alpha.
It wasn’t until he shifted his stance that I realized I had been staring at him a bit too long. If I didn’t already think something magical must be in the water, this handyman was another case in point.
“Autumn?” he asked with a grunt.