Pick Up Steam: Chapter One
Start Of Something New
Mara
Mara Evans belted out “Start Of Something New” from High School Musical as she approached a small apple farm in Vermont and left the Big Apple in her rearview mirror.
This was her something new, her fresh start. Far away from the city in tone and style. The only thing she’d miss would be Broadway, and her playlists would get her through that.
Her brother Ford had moved to this apple farm the previous year. He’d fallen in love with fixing up the old buildings, as well as with Jolie Malssum, one of the owners. Mara had a standing invitation to visit from them, along with the other Malssums.
Because Ford had worked in the Army with the Malssum brothers, she knew them all. Knox, Lawson, and Burke, along with their sisters Jolie and Amber.
Which sounded like a big family to most people. Not to Mara. She was the youngest of nine, with eight older brothers. A mind-boggling amount of testosterone in one house. Especially because their mother had died when Mara was young enough to only have vague memories of her.
Despite that, she’d had a great childhood and youth. Her family was terrific. While she was closest to Ford, who was only a few years older, each of her brothers had spent time with her over the years, ensuring she never felt like an add-on in a family of carpenters and construction guys.
She could run a router and a reciprocating saw, but she was much happier in the kitchen or in the audience of a musical.
Ford had told her the No Phailed Apples Inn could use a baker. Amber Malssum ran the inn, which would open in a few weeks, but last Mara had heard, she hadn’t filled the position.
She wasn’t sure whether Amber would consider her as an option. It might be just big-brother talk, but it was a straw Mara was willing to grasp.
Because she’d been fired. Fired.
By Anson the Asshole, because she’d turned down his repeated, and increasingly forceful, attempts to get her into his bed.
Yuck.
Not only would Mara never sleep with her boss, she would never sleep with someone who didn’t believe in the word no.
Handsy jerk.
Fired. No one in their family had ever been fired. Her dad would be mortified. Although if she told him the reason, he’d be heading straight to New York with all her brothers in tow.
She shuddered at the thought. She didn’t need her family getting arrested because she hadn’t been smart enough to leave the job earlier. She’d quit in the same breath when Anson fired her, but she didn’t know if that negated being dismissed.
The jerk didn’t even like music in his bakery. That should have been her first sign.
Shaking off the emotions, Mara followed the GPS into a driveway. She knew the farm’s basic layout thanks to Ford.
The No Phailed Apples Inn showed up first on her left. A beautiful Victorian covered in fresh paint and full of welcome. Next came the garden she knew Ford’s friend Gray was developing. She had to stop and just enjoy the summer blooms. The area was so much larger than she’d expected. Almost as big as a football field. “Raindrops on Roses” drifted through her head. She could see Maria and the von Trapps singing their way through the paths she couldn’t wait to explore.
Later.
A parking area appeared on her right near the front of a glorious red barn. This place was incredible. Old-world pioneer charm with total Oklahoma vibes.
Another huge farmhouse on the left was where most of the family stayed. The farm was home to at least five couples that she knew of. Thea and Knox Malssum stayed in this farmhouse along with Ford and Jolie. Nash, Olivia, and their kids had a house near the back of the orchard. They created cider from the farm’s apples. Amber and Gray lived at the inn. Lawson and Dani lived in the cottage on her property that connected with the back of the Malssum farm, and was where Dani raised bees and cultivated their honey.
Farm-fresh honey. Mara couldn’t wait to taste it along with the farm’s apples. Honey-glazed apple donuts sounded like a must. Maybe honey-glazed apple pie could be a specialty at the inn.
Mara was going on an apple kick, and it would be a blast. She hoped everyone enjoyed sweets because she had a ton of ideas to test out. Even if this turned out to be a visit and not a job, she’d have fun playing with the flavors.
Mara hopped out of Van Dyke, her brand new Chevy Bolt, named after the inimitable Dick Van Dyke. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins had been among her favorite movies as a kid. The man had been her first celebrity crush, so the name was appropriate for her first car.
Living in New York meant she’d never needed a car of her own. Driving across New England to Vermont had made her feel independent and powerful. A strong woman, making her own choices.
She shuddered out a sigh and sang “I Have Confidence In Me” under her breath. Another song by Maria from The Sound Of Music. Maria had been starting something new as well. Something scary.
Was this going to be Mara’s place? Or was this a stopgap for her to find her confidence?
If Amber wasn’t looking for a baker, Mara would move on, but this farm was tugging at her heart.
A whoop turned her attention to the forest where Ford and Jolie jogged toward her, a copper and white mottled dog loping along beside them. Soon, her brother’s strong arms lifted her, and spun her in a circle. “I’m so glad you’re here, Mara. Thanks for coming.”
Then Jolie hugged her. “It’s so great to meet you in person. Welcome home.”
The warmth of their greeting had tears threatening, but she blinked them back. “Thank you. I’m happy to be here, but you have to promise to tell me if I overstay my welcome.”
Jolie laughed. “Not a chance. We’re hoping you’re going to love it, and never want to leave.”
Ford nodded and pulled her in for another hug. “And we’re hoping you’ll tell us whose ass we need to kick.”
“What?”
Ford stood back, but kept his hands on her shoulders. “We all know something happened back in New York. Dan and Nate wanted to show up at your last address and start pestering neighbors for information. Then they’d head to the bakery if they didn’t find out what they wanted to know.”
Her mouth dropped open as she stared at him. She’d thought she’d hidden things well.
“Relax. Dad talked everyone down for now, but they’re all happy you’re here and away from whatever happened. We’ve all got your back, Mara. Jolie can bundle up the ducks and get your vengeance that way if you prefer.”
She laughed. “The ducks?”
Jolie nodded. “If we put snails in the pockets of whoever hurt you, the ducks will be all over him.”
Laughing at the image of someone covered in snails and hungry ducks, they grabbed her luggage and headed to the farmhouse. Anson would be terrified.
In the mudroom, they kicked off their footwear, and Jolie handed her a pair of moccasins. “Here’s why we asked your shoe size. Our friend Nimii makes these. We all wear them inside. Keeps the floors cleaner and our feet warm. Amber’s got a bunch on order for guests to use at the inn, too.”
The moccasins were gorgeous and made her feel like a welcome part of the family.
When they walked through the door, the kitchen smelled like home, and she grinned at Ford. “Enchiladas? Dad’s recipe?”
He laughed. “Got it in one. Even used the same sauce he always bought.”
Their dad had been all about finding fast and healthy meals for his huge family. Enchiladas had been a favorite.
Upstairs, Mara had a choice of rooms. Ford was upgrading the farmhouse, and he led her to a bedroom with a view of the orchard. “I hope you like this one. I got this bathroom upgraded over the winter. We’re leaving the one with the pink fixtures until last in case Burke decides to move in. A few of the others are finished, too, but I think this one has the best view.”
The room was perfect. Almost as big as the entire studio apartment she’d rented back in New York.
Ford hugged her again. “Take a few minutes to get settled. When you hear the dinner bell, come on down so you can meet everyone else in person. Thanks for coming.”
She hugged him back and then sat on the bed and breathed in the space that would be hers. For how long she didn’t know, but she hoped it could be for long enough for her to figure out her life.
She hummed the “Start Of Something New” again as she unpacked. She would make it work. Somehow.
Anson and New York were in the past. Time to start figuring out her future.
Seth
Seth Walters, Babs to his army buds, hoped like hell he wouldn’t regret his latest choice. He didn’t need any more regrets.
He’d planned on being a lifer in the army. As a man without a family, he’d never regretted signing up, and had re-upped at every opportunity.
Strangely, there’d been less pressure and more camaraderie in the Army than there’d been in the kitchen of Perfection back in LA. When the backstabbing of the sous-chefs and the incompetence of the owner had become too much, Seth had signed into the Army for a complete change.
It might seem like an odd switch to most people, but Seth had friends who’d found their place and themselves in the service. The annoyances of being a twenty-year-old head chef in a fancy restaurant had sucked the joy out of the job, and a drastic change had been in order.
He’d spent over a decade with the teams. They’d done a ton of good and helped people who had no one else. Seth had made good friends, and he’d wanted to do it forever.
Until a series of IEDs had shattered his new team, the one hand-picked by General Majumdar. They’d only been together for a few months, but the General had aimed them straight toward the worst of the worst. He’d wanted to take down the insurgent leaders, and figured Seth’s team would be the ones to do it.
The IEDs had killed Maki outright, and the rest of the team suffered serious injuries. Seth relived the explosions often in his nightmares. The kid had been an incredible scout. He’d been able to spot trails in the dense jungle that no one else could see. But he hadn’t spotted the trail of IEDs that had shredded his body.
It had taken hours to fight off the insurgents that were drawn by the blast. It hadn’t been the way the mission had been planned, but they’d fulfilled it by destroying the leadership unit.
Then they’d gathered what was left of Maki’s body, and headed back as quickly as they could. With everyone injured, it had taken an extra day to get to the ex-fil spot. At least they hadn’t lost anyone else along the way to getting helicoptered out of that hellhole.
After a few months, the others had recovered enough to return to active duty. The damage to Seth’s leg meant he’d never work in special forces again. Instead of accepting a desk job he’d hate, he’d taken the honorable discharge, and set his mind to walking again.
Now that he was mobile, he was ready to take on a new challenge. A new life.
His buddy Lawson Malssum was convinced Seth could find his place on the Malssum family’s apple farm.
There was an inn in need of a chef. The No Phailed Apples Inn was near the town of Phail, named after another army buddy’s family. Troy Phail was now mayor of the town, and always looking for opportunities to improve tourism.
Unless they’d already found a chef, Seth was here to find out if this was a potential place for him. He probably should have called, but he hadn’t been convinced he was really heading here. The long drive across the country from LA had given him plenty of time to think.
He could have stopped anywhere along the road and found work. Someone was always looking for a cook or a chef.
Instead, he’d stopped at cheap motels to sleep, and kept driving until he’d arrived in Vermont.
His GPS had him turning into a drive on the right. Apple trees everywhere. The first building sported a sign proclaiming it the No Phailed Apples Inn. The ridiculous name made him smile even as his brain started concocting new recipes.
Apples were great in both savory and sweet dishes. Apples and pork made an interesting combination, but he could imagine them with other meats. A ton of vegetarian dishes as well. The flavor would be a punch of fun in salads and soups.
His hands itched to get into a kitchen and start playing. He hoped the one here was well stocked. While Seth carried his knives and pans with him, he hadn’t toted along any ingredients.
He could always head to Troy’s town. There had to be local options for produce. He preferred locally sourced everything, and hoped Epic’s town could provide it.
The gardens just beyond the inn had Seth braking. It was just edging into full summer here in Vermont, and the gardens were fabulous. Another army buddy, Gray Santoro, had a green thumb. As an Italian and another man who enjoyed cooking, Seth would bet his Tucson that there was a vegetable garden in the back. Fresh herbs, too. Now, that was the local he craved.
A dirt parking lot showed up on the right, in front of a large red barn and across the driveway from a second huge farmhouse.
Seth parked his Tucson beside an electric Chevy Bolt that looked brand new. Nice ride. He planned to upgrade from his hybrid to full electric with his next purchase.
Leaving everything else in the car, Seth pocketed his keys and phone, then turned to survey the space as he stretched out his muscles. He might be walking, but his leg didn’t enjoy doing any one thing for any length of time. Sitting, standing, sleeping—none of it was easy. But he’d take the aches any day. Unlike Maki, he was alive and mobile.
Seth looked over the parts of the farm he could see. Not a person in sight. The steady rain and evening hour might have something to do with that, although he doubted rain kept anyone who tended an orchard inside for long.
The barn doors were open, so he headed that way. His ball cap kept the rain out of his eyes as he moved, slowly enough to check out his surroundings and get his leg moving properly.
It had taken the better part of a week to drive across the country, and his leg would be happy not to jump into the vehicle for another long stretch.
As long as he was truly welcome, and that hadn’t been a pity invitation. If they’d already hired a cook, he’d stay for a bit and move on. His own fault for not being sure of his feelings.
In the army, he’d been decisive, but since the accident, that confidence wasn’t readily available. It had been his call to move the team forward with Maki as their scout. Maki hadn’t survived that decision.
Shaking his head to clear it, Seth focused on the surrounding property, substituting images of apple trees for Maki’s broken body.
He blew out a breath as he approached the barn door, then flinched at a quick movement above his head. His hands went up in a defensive posture before he’d recovered from the flinch.
Above him, an owl swooped into the barn. He’d nearly had the shit scared out of him by an owl. How long would it be before he felt himself again?
Shaking off the nerves, he glanced around. At least no one had seen his overreaction.
Stepping into the barn, he called out for his friend, using his army callsign. Lawson was a gearhead, and Seth knew he’d claimed the barn nearest the farmhouse for his garage and vehicle restoration space. “Bobby, are you in here?”
“Babs? Is that you?” Lawson emerged from a door on the right interior of the barn.
When Lawson spotted him, his face lit up. “You’re here. I’m so damn glad to see you.”
Then his friend engulfed him in a back-slapping hug that had Seth swallowing hard to control the emotions rattling through him.
He was welcome. Relief had him laughing. “Good to see you, Bobby. How are you enjoying life in the middle of nowhere?”
Lawson laughed. “It surprises the hell out of me, but I love it. You’re going to love it too. Did you tell anyone you were coming, or is everyone else going to be as surprised as I am?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed by his choice, he shrugged.
Lawson didn’t make him feel bad at all. “Awesome. We’ve already had dinner, but there are leftover enchiladas in the house if you’re hungry. Let me text everyone to meet inside. I won’t tell them you’re here, just that I want a group conversation. Nash’s daughter is probably in bed, but I’ll get him to head up from his place at the back of the orchard. You can meet the rest of his family tomorrow.”
After he pocketed his phone, Lawson grinned at him. “I’m happy you’re here, Babs. It’s a good place, and you’re going to love it.”
With this kind of welcome, Seth thought his buddy might be right. Maybe this was the place he could heal. Maybe even fit in.
