3 Chapter 3

“We’re here,” she announced as she approached a large, rambling house. “It’ll be much cooler inside. You look about as red as one of your apples.”

They had only reached the edge of the yard when the screen door slammed open, and a gangly young girl came barreling out. Her colt legs blurred as she raced for Ida, her dark hair streaming behind her in a long ponytail.

“Gram! Dad said you’re doing ribs and watermelon tonight!”

She nearly knocked Ida over as she threw her arms around the older woman. The two were nearly matched in height, though the girl’s awkwardness and lingering baby fat in her cheeks meant she couldn’t be more than eleven or twelve. She was all arms and legs, which had to be a product of her genetics. It made Adam wonder where she might have gotten those particular genes from.

That was when she noticed him hanging back, and tilted a brown-eyed gaze in his direction. “Who’re you?” she blurted.