The Apple Tree
Authors: Kara Jimenez
THE APPLE TREE
Kara Jimenez
The Apple Tree
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2013 Kara Jimenez
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without permission, except in the case of brief quotes used for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction. With the exception of Faustino, my wonderful husband, who has graciously given me permission to use his name and character in my work, any similarity to actual events and persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.
Any trademarks, service marks, product names and celebrity names are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used for reference only.
Papa’s Pizza is a real restaurant in Corvallis, Oregon. The use of their company name and setting has been done with permission, although Papa’s Pizza in no way endorses the content of this novel.
Formatting and cover art by
Mayhem Cover Creations
Many, many thanks to my husband and children for putting up with me spending long hours in front of the computer screen and always supporting me. I love you.
Thank you also to the many friends, both in real life and online, who helped me polish this baby.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
B
ianca shoved moss-covered branches out of the way as she stumbled through the woods. Where the heck was the highway?
She kicked a pebble across the forest floor and cursed the deer who’d led her into the dense vegetation. The animal had stood only a few feet from the road and would’ve made a lovely photograph. Easy, right? She should be cursing herself for being so foolish.
The sun slipped lower in the sky. No way was she spending the night out here. Her heart pounded as she dug the phone from her backpack and glanced at the screen. A photo of Owen smiled back at her. If she didn’t find her way home soon, she’d miss her little brother’s bedtime story and the boy didn’t need any more disappointment in his life.
Above the toddler’s golden hair, the clock read just after six. Didn’t cougars come out at dusk? A vague memory of a sighting, written in the newspaper, lingered in her mind. She shivered and held the phone above her head— still no signal. “Just my luck.”
In every direction, tangles of trees, ferns and thorny bushes scraped against her skin. A low hanging branch blocked her way and she ducked, squeezing beneath it. On the other side stood several apple trees surrounded by a waist-high wire fence. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that lunch had been hours ago.
Pushing the wire down, she stepped into the tiny orchard. Surely the owner wouldn’t mind if she ate one? And maybe this meant there was a house nearby where she could ask for directions.
A sweet, earthy scent filled the air and made her mouth water. She removed a golden apple from the nearest branch and bit into the crisp, ripe flesh. It tasted every bit as delicious as it smelled.
Light bulb moment— Apple cobbler would be a fantastic recipe for her blog. And then she could do a tutorial on homemade ice cream. Or even better, homemade ice cream made with coconut milk for those who avoided dairy. Maybe she should be thanking that deer for leading her to such an inspiring place, except, she was still lost. And there were still cougars.
She glanced around the labyrinth of twigs and thorns before taking another chomp. The ache in her stomach eased. Unfortunately, the bite revealed a tunnel and a green tail wiggled out of the core.
“
Ugh!” She grimaced, tossed the apple into the woods and stalked to the center of the grove where the biggest tree stood. On her tiptoes, she pulled a shiny, crimson fruit off the branch with a snap and inspected for bugs.
“
Drop it!” A deep voice broke the silence.
She jumped and the apple slid from her hand.
A man stood about ten feet away, on the other side of the trees. He looked mid-twenties, maybe the same age as her. A burgundy flannel shirt stretched tightly over his muscular body while broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist and flat stomach. Brown hair hung in short, coarse curls over his forehead and stubble covered his square jaw.
Her heart pounded under the thin blouse. Was it caused by exhaustion, fear or attraction? Who knew such handsome men hung out in the middle of the woods?
“
What are you doing?” An irritated expression covered his face and his hand tightened around a rifle, thankfully pointed down. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“
I-I’m sorry. I got lost. I’ve been walking for over an hour.” She bit the inside of her cheek. Hopefully he didn’t use the gun on trespassers. Her fingers clutched the straps of her backpack. A pocket knife lay tucked in the side pouch. Would she be able to reach it, if needed?
Who was she kidding? A tiny knife was no match for a gun.
“
Did you eat an apple?” His gaze darted from the branches overhead to her face.
The sweet flavor lingered in her mouth and she licked her lips. Angering the guy would be a terrible idea and technically, she hadn’t eaten the whole apple… “No, I’m just trying to find my way back to the highway. But I am hungry—”
“
No apples. Did you put any in your bag?” He gestured toward her backpack.
She shook her head. “No.” Geeze, this guy was possessive.
“
Let me see.” His gray eyes remained dead serious as he reached toward her.
“
No. I’m not going to let you search my bag.” She took a step back, stumbling on a rock behind her.
He sighed, stood the rifle on the ground and leaned against it. “Do you want me to help you find the way to the road or would you like to wander around the woods some more?” His head nodded in the direction she’d come. “I think you have about an hour of daylight left. Just enough time to build a nice little shelter out of sticks and leaves.”
She grimaced, pulled the bag off her back and unzipped it. Who did this guy think he was, the TSA? This was so demeaning.
He stepped forward, grabbed the bag and rummaged through the contents. When satisfied, he handed it back. “The road’s this way.” He pointed behind him. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
She stood in place. “You don’t… use the gun on trespassers, do you?”
An amused scoff broke through his tense demeanor. “Only if they try to eat my apples.” His eyebrows rose.
That had to be a joke, right? She swallowed and grabbed a piece of her hair, twisting it around her finger.
“
Come on.” He waved his hand.
Her gaze darted over his well-developed muscles as she considered whether it would be safe to follow him. “I don’t know if…”
His features softened. “I’m not going to hurt you. I want to get you out of here just as much as you do.”
She took a deep breath and walked toward him. It wasn’t like she had any other options. “Why are you so protective of the apples anyway? I mean, isn’t that why you grow them? For people to—”
“
Just forget about the damn apples, okay? They’re not for eating.” The hard expression returned to his face.
“
What else do you do with apples besides eat them?” Her brows furrowed.
He turned and stalked down a thin dirt trail into the forest.
She scanned the area behind her. Where had that half-eaten core landed? Fallen apples and twigs littered the ground, but no obvious bites. It’d better be hidden, because she didn’t want to be discovered as a liar. Even if she was long gone by then. She took a deep breath and followed him down the trail.