Page 35 of One Merciful Moment

"I'm checking." She didn't look up.

Boone wanted to push everyone back. She needed time to figure out what was wrong with the garden.

Moe crossed his arms. "They look like they're dying."

Ashley stood. "They're not dying. But something's wrong."

"You always know what's happening out here." Finn frowned. "This isn't good."

Ashley looked around at the plants and shook her head. "I don't know what's going with the younger plants. I need to look at them more closely."

"How long will it take before you can fix them?" Copper asked.

Ashley met his gaze. "I can't tell you anything until I understand it myself."

The men exchanged uneasy looks. Tension rippled through Boone. Everstill depended on the garden, on Ashley making the garden succeed. Seeing her uncertain made them all uneasy.

She moved through the rows, clipping small pieces from several plants. Leaves, stems, blossoms, roots, she needed all parts of the plants to study. She placed each one carefully into a bucket.

Finn stepped forward again. "Ashley—"

"Please." She sighed. "Give me time."

That was enough. Boone motioned the others back.

After a few minutes, Ashley approached him. "I'm going to the house."

Boone followed her, staying close but silent. He wasn't going to add to her worry. She took the garden personally. A responsibility everyone thrust upon her, and she understood how vital it was to everyone that she succeed.

Inside the house, Ashley set the basket on the table and began sorting the clippings. Boone stood against the counter, watching her pull out a plate and grab the lamp from the living room. She examined each leaf under the lamplight, turning it slowly, comparing it to others, studying the veins and edges.

Her expression grew more troubled with each piece she inspected.

He hated seeing her stress over something out of her control. The others relied on her too much, expecting her to keep the garden flourishing.

Boone finally said, "Ashley..."

"Something's wrong with Everstill." She lifted a wilted leaf, her fingers trembling. "And I don't know if I can figure it out in time to save the food."

He swallowed hard. The garden meant not starving.

He had no idea what Everstill wanted from her.

But he knew one thing.

Ashley was scared.

Chapter 21

Ashley

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The men formed a loose circle around Ashley. She stayed close to Boone. The tension around her was thick enough to press against her skin.

"It's not bugs." She inhaled. "The plants haven't been overwatered or underwatered. The soil is perfect."

Finn frowned. "Okay, so what's ruining the plants?"