Pinching the stem between thumb and forefinger, Jonas lifted the vine an inch.

The briar tore free with a tiny pop. She flashed a grateful smile. Behind the firefly field, blackberries thicketed the edge of the woods. Tart and seedy, the fruit burst in her mouth and lodged between her teeth. Still, she couldn’t get enough. Her fingertips were tinged violet, and she guessed her lips were too. Such was the price of ambrosia.

When she’d pulled up to the farm that morning, she half expected to find Nora guarding the house with a menacing Amish dog. Thankfully, Jonas sat alone on the front porch steps, a picnic basket and blanket at his side. With caution, she exited the van and scanned the upstairs windows.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t believe your sister would like me to be here. Going on a picnic.” She tugged her ponytail and twisted her lips into a smile. “With you.”

“Nora is on a train to Ohio.” He grabbed the basket and threw the blanket over one shoulder. “And I don’t care what she thinks.”

Giddy with the knowledge they were completely alone on the farm, she wanted to dance. She pressed her lips to hide a massive smile and rose up on her toes.

“You coming?” he tossed over one shoulder.

She scampered to catch up. July was in full bloom, and the breeze carried its sweet, grassy perfume. Once again, she passed the elaborate garden gate and crossed the wooden bridge spanning the creek. The firefly field remained fallow, and she quickened her pace, trailing him over uneven ground until they’d reached the blackberry bramble on the far side. Free from the pricker now, she left behind her foraged feast.

Unexpectedly, their path met the creek again, and she trailed Jonas along its bank into the woods. Sluicing between mossy rocks, the water burbled clear and inviting. Ignoring its call, she plunged deeper into the forest, skirting the stream on one side and the gently sloped ridge on the other.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves and painted kaleidoscopic patterns on the forest floor. Ambling with his face to the sky, Jonas whistled a simple tune. The occasional answering scurry of an unseen critter reminded her they weren’t truly alone. The path widened, and she came to his side, his easy stride comfortably matching her own. With every step, he spirited her farther from the modern world. She lifted her cheeks and relished the journey.

The path forked, and he cut into a hidden, grassy meadow fringed with wildflowers. On the far side of the clearing, the stream widened into a pool. A crumbling dam of piled-up creek stones thwarted the current, and the water appeared a few feet deep. She knelt on the edge and plunged in a hand. “Wow, that’s cold!”