When we reach the trees, Sam points to a clear spot on the ground for me to sit. He plops down beside me, leans back against the tree trunk, and stretches his long legs out in front of him. After picking up a half-rotten apple, he casually rubs it with his shirt and tries to hand it to me.

“Want an apple?” he asks. “I wiped it off.”

Do I want to die from e-coli?

“No thank you,” I say politely. “I’m not hungry.”

He grins, and without taking his eyes from mine, takes a big bite out of it. Juice drips down the side of his mouth until he casually wipes it off with the back of his hand.

Jesus Christ.

With his eating habits, I wondered if he would live to see forty. Now I’m having doubts he’ll make it to next week.

Aunt Leona is busy picking up apples off the ground and stuffing them into her apron pockets.

“Do you pick the apples from the trees for your brandy or take the ones from the ground?” I ask.

She laughs as if it’s a stupid question. “Whichever ones look the best, honey. I wash them, so they’re fine.” She points to the notebook I’ve taken out of my purse. “Be sure to write down that I wash them all very well.”

I click my pen and write down ‘she washes the apples.’

This is stupid as hell.

Black flies are swarming all around us, and I can’t decide if I want to slash my wrists with the sharp knife I always keep in my purse or stab Sam to death with my pen.

As if he knows what I’m thinking, he winks at me and reaches over to squeeze my thigh.

Definitely stab him first.

***

Two hours later and Aunt Leona is still talking about apple brandy. At least now we’re back at the house and out of that godforsaken apple orchard. We’ve gone over the entire process from beginning to end three dozen times. I’ve written down pages upon pages of notes to the point my hand is cramping.

“Are you sure you understand everything?” she asks. “It seems like I’m forgetting to tell you an important step. I would hate for someone to try to follow my recipe and get poisoned.”

Yes. God forbid.

The whole time we’re talking, Sam just sits there as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. Smiling, eating pound cake, and teasing his aunt constantly. From the way she’s doting on Sam, she obviously loves him a great deal. Her heart will be broken when she finds out what kind of man he really is, not to mention his two brothers.