by Maddy Reeves
“You can ride the trail around the farm and check the path for the wagon rides. Make sure the path is clear of debris and passable around the whole loop.”
He tilts his head and smirks. I hate that the sight of it makes my pulse quicken. “So, head way out there and check the trails?” He motions with his hand, pointing way out across to the other side of the farm.
“Yup.” Before he can press me further, I head back to the cottage. When I reach the door, I stop and look back. Clay is still leaning against the truck, his arms crossed, watching me with amusement.
There’s no shame in giving him a task that will keep him far away from me. Besides, it needs to be done. Granted, it would make more sense to have one of the staff members who was here last year do it. But it’ll give him a chance to become reacquainted with his childhood farm.
Chapter 10
As soon as I have everything set-up just the way I want, I take photos to add to the website. I haven’t had any sightings of Clay since I sent him off to check the trails…and that was a few hours ago.
I’ve just taken a few pictures of the main farmhouse when Ed approaches from the barn area.
“I haven’t seen Clay in quite a while,” he says. “The four-wheeler’s gone, but I don’t know what he’d be doing with it.”
“Oh, I sent him to go check the trails for the hayride…to make sure they’re clear and ready to go tomorrow.”
Ed shakes his head and motions for me to follow him toward the truck. I climb inside as Ed starts driving us toward the tree fields. “They haven’t been plowed, yet. It was the last thing on my to-do list.”
“He’s okay, though?” My chest grows tight. If anything has happened to him, it’s my fault for sending him out here in the first place.
“I’m sure he’s fine, just probably got it stuck somewhere.”
“Why wouldn’t he just walk back?”
Ed doesn’t answer. We’ve reached the trail and the first section of it isn’t so bad, but there are drifts in sections that make the snow deeper. Ed puts the plow down and starts shoveling a path with the truck.
“I don’t see any tracks.” I say, once we’re about half-way around.
“Well, where did he go?” Ed’s shaking his head again. “I tell you, he’s become too much of a city boy. Forgot everything I taught him.”
“Maybe he decided to drive around and explore a bit.”
“That four-wheeler won’t get through anything too deep.”
Ed keeps plowing our way down the path while I search through the window for any signs of Clay. I’m about to confess to Ed that it’s all my fault. That I sent Clay out here so he wouldn’t be around me. But, just before the words come out of my mouth, Ed sees something.
“There he is.” He points over to the right, and I spot him right away. He’s still sitting on the four-wheeler but it’s perched at the top of a small incline. “Must have decided to do a little sight-seeing. Doesn’t look like he’s stuck.”
Ed honks the horn. It’s as if he’s snapped Clay out of a daze because he immediately turns the four-wheeler around and heads toward us.
“What are you trying to do, freeze to death?” Ed has his window down, and Clay pulls up beside the truck.
“Just getting reacquainted with the land,” he says. His cheeks are a bright red from the wind and cold, but he has a smile on his face, looking more carefree.
“You’ve been out here for a while,” I add.
His eyes meet mine, and there’s something different in the way he looks at me. As if he’s seeing me for the first time.
“Why don’t you head back, son. Take Naomi with you. I’m going to finish plowing the trails.”
“Come on, Naomi.” He pats the seat behind him, and motions for me to get on the back.
I glance at Ed, not sure if I want to get this close to Clay.
“Go on back with him,” Ed says, making the decision for me. “You’ve got other stuff to do.”
Without letting myself think about it anymore, I climb on the back of the four-wheeler. I scoot back and hold onto the seat behind me, but Clay reaches around and takes my arms, wrapping them around his waist.
“Hold on tight,” he says.
“Don’t go too fast,” I reply nervously. The last thing I want is to go flying off the back of this thing into a pile of snow.
He nods and the first jolt of the four-wheeler makes me grab on even tighter to Clay.
“Sorry,” he says, turning his head to the side. The rest of the trip is smoother, but I don’t loosen my grip. I try not to think about how nice it feels to hold someone…even if it is Clay. Physical contact has been lacking in my life. I’ve been going it alone for a while. The last hugs I had were at my father’s funeral, and the saddest thing about that is I’ve always been someone who loves hugs. It’s one of my mom’s best traits that I’ve kept over the years.
The wind whips against my body as we drive over the path so I tuck my face into Clay’s back. I’m not wearing the appropriate winter gear to be out here in the elements. But I’ll admit, I was beginning to worry about Clay.
He parks the four-wheeler in front of the farm house and I jump off the back as soon as we stop.
“Come inside,” he says, “warm up a bit.”
For once, I don’t feel like arguing. My hands are frozen blocks of ice, and at this moment, I’d give my job to be able to sit in front of the fire.
“Daddy!” Levi’s little voice fills the room as soon as we step inside the warm house.
“Wow, it looks so great in here! You two have been busy.” Frankie and Levi have been decorating the fireplace mantle with stockings and garland. Two of Santa’s big black buckle boots sit next to the fireplace, a promise of the excitement yet to come.
“What does this stocking say?” Clay lifts Levi in his arms and stands in front of the fire, pointing at one of the stockings.
“Levi!”
“That’s right.” Clay kisses Levi on the cheek and sets him back down. The small, sweet gesture takes me back, and he catches me staring.
“We just rescued Clay from getting lost on the trails,” I tell Frankie. My face flushes for a moment as I wait for Clay to get upset and yell at me.
“I didn’t get lost,” he says, amused. “I was taking the scenic route.”
Our eyes meet, and the change I noticed in the way he looks at me is still there. He motions for me to have a seat by the fire while he sits across from me, pulling Levi onto his lap.
“I’ll make hot chocolate,” Frankie says. I watch her, silently begging her not to leave me alone in here with Clay. Thankfully, Levi is here and he’ll be a great distraction.
“Dad, you got lost?” Levi asks.
I can’t help but giggle, which I quickly mask with a cough.
“No,” he says. “Grandpa thinks I forgot how to be a farm boy, but he’s wrong. It’s all coming back to me.”
I watch them together with a silly smile plastered to my face. This side of Clay is incredibly endearing, and so different from the cold man I met at the airport. It seems coming home after all his time away might just be what he needed.
“Why don’t you go help Grandma with the hot chocolate?”
Levi jumps off of his lap and runs into the kitchen, shouting that he’s on his way to help. As soon as we’re alone, Clay looks at me again, leaning forward in his chair. The air shifts in the room as I place my hand over my heart to calm the frantic beating in my chest. I’m still not comfortable being alone with him. I trip over my words, worried I’ll say the wrong thing and he’ll get upset.
“Levi’s such a good boy.” I lean closer to the fire, moving my hands close to help them unthaw.
“Surprisingly so—especially because I’m his father.” My eyes snap over to his, but I relax when I see the hint of a smirk on his lips again.
“You’re good with him.”
“I had no idea what to do with kids until he came along. I had a crash course.”
I want to ask him what happened with his wife, but it seems way too personal. Especially considering we haven’t been on the best of terms until today. Still, I wish he would tell me just a little. It might help me understand why he is the way he is.
“My wife Rachael—” My eyes are glued to him as he struggles to find the words. Silently, I’m begging him to tell me everything. “She just recently got in contact with us again,” he continues, as if he’s trying to convince himself of these things more than me. “I have a lot of anger bubbling to the surface with these changes. I’m sorry I took it out on you. And I’m sorry about your parents. I didn’t know—”
He’s waiting for my response while I’m doing my best to put together the words to describe what it means that he’s confessed this to me. After all, I’m a stranger, hired by his parents.
“Thanks,” I manage to say.
Frankie walks back in the room carrying two steaming mugs of hot chocolate—one with marshmallows, one without. Clay smiles at me, and for the first time since I’ve met him, I’m able to relax just a little. It might not last, but for now, he’s waved the white flag.
Chapter 11
Opening weekend arrives, and I show up to the farm with equal parts excitement and nerves buzzing in the pit of my stomach. The tree farm is ready. Not just ready—we blew it out of the park. I can’t remember the last time I was so proud of my work. Frankie and Ed deserve every bit of success our changes bring. They’re good people, and they’ve welcomed me with open arms.
Up until today, I didn’t think about having to leave. But, the opening of the season means my job ends. Strangely, the realization is unsettling because I’m not sure what I’m going to do when this is all over. The thought of leaving Willowdale feels like drifting off to sea, unsure if dry land awaits.
I push those worries aside to save them for another day. Frankie is already getting things set up in the cottage when I get there. It’s warm and cozy with Christmas music playing softly in the background, a pleasant aroma of Christmas spice potpourri hanging in the air.
“Happy opening day!” Frankie says cheerily.
“This is so exciting. As long as we get people here, we’ll impress them.”
Behind the second counter, we have a popcorn maker and large kettle of apple cider. The menu on the wall behind me lists all of the goodies we offer, and I’m secretly hoping we make a profit. With Clay’s background in finance, he’s going to have an opinion about all of this if we lose money.
But we won’t. Today is going to be a great opening day.
It takes a while for patrons to make their way to the cottage, so while it’s empty, I watch from the window. Small families and couples mill around the farm, climbing onto the wagon before heading out to the tree fields with their axes in hand. We aren’t terribly busy yet, but it’s early. I’m still hopeful that things will pick up.
When the first wagon returns to the cottage, I notice Clay behind the wheel of the tractor. As soon as it comes to a stop, Levi climbs up, sitting in the driver’s seat while Clay helps unload the trees. He’s wearing his jeans and boots again along with a short black parka, thick gloves and a hat. Something changed in him just in the last day or two. He went from hating everything we were trying to accomplish to embracing it. I shamelessly watch him unload trees. He smiles at the families as he hands their trees off to be shaken and bound—if need be, an even cut on the trunk.
I’ve completely forgotten that Frankie’s in the cottage with me until she joins me at the window.
“He’s coming around,” she says, following my gaze toward her son. My cheeks blush red from getting caught staring, but she just smiles and stares out the window with me.
“He is. He’s so different from that first day at the airport.”
“It helps having you around,” Frankie says, nudging me in the side.
“What?” I look at her like she’s crazy, but I won’t deny the familiar flutter in my stomach that appears whenever I’m talking about Clay.
“You’re a young, beautiful woman. Having you here is a nice reminder that there are always more fish in the sea.”
My head quickly reminds me that this is my job, and talking about Frankie’s son is the last thing I should be doing today. Still, I can’t find it in myself to tell her that there’s nothing between us—never will be. Even if the real Clay is beginning to make an appearance, I’m still leaving soon and eventually he’ll go back to New York. I can’t forget these simple facts, regardless of whether or not I’m starting to think that Clay might not be as bad as I originally thought.
Thankfully, the door to the cottage opens before I have to talk to Frankie about Clay anymore. A few older women look around at all of the products on our shelves while I offer them free hot cider and popcorn. They both choose to upgrade to the peppermint tea so I pop behind the counter to make it, winking at Frankie.
A steady stream of people keep us busy through the afternoon. Not only do we sell a lot of concessions, but we sell a lot of our products as well. At one point, I have to dig in the boxes behind the counter to restock the bags of candy. Things are running smoothly, and I’m filled with a sense of accomplishment that I haven’t felt in a long time.
Eventually, our first day comes to a close. I offer to close the registers and run the money to the bank while Frankie goes to check how things went on the rest of the farm. I count the money in the register, happy to see we’ve made a nice profit on our first day of business.
Once I have the money ready for the bank, I walk outside, about to head to the farmhouse to say good-bye. Through the front kitchen window, I get a glimpse of Ed, Frankie, Clay and Levi, all standing around the island with smiles on their faces. Ed is telling a story while the other three watch him, their faces full of delight. Before they see me, I walk back to Ed’s truck and climb inside. The day went well, and the Harrisons deserve to celebrate as a family.
The waitress sets my food down, with instructions to let her know if there’s anything else I need. My mouth begins to water as it hits me how ravenously hungry I am after a full day of work. I take a few bites of my burger, and stare out the window. I’m in the diner in downtown Willowdale…the one Warren recommended when I first got into town. After a day surrounded by happy couples and families, I couldn’t stand to go back to my hotel room alone and order delivery. I need to be around other people so I’m not left with my thoughts that are sure to stir up familiar memories of my past.
Thankfully, the diner is busy tonight. For some reason, being alone, but still surrounded by other people, makes the loneliness more bearable. I’m halfway through my burger when someone appears in the window outside of the diner, making me jump. It’s Clay. He taps on the glass, points at me, and then comes inside.
“There you are,” he says, sitting down across from me. “I’ve been looking for you all over the place.”
“Why?” My first thought is that something has gone wrong.
“Today was a great day. I thought you would’ve hung around to celebrate with us.”
“Oh.” I relax and take another bite of my burger. “I thought I’d grab a bite to eat. I was starving after the day we had.”
“It was way busier today than I remember it being the last time I was home for the season.”
“I’m so relieved. I really wanted things to go well today.” He watches me eat my food, making me self-conscious. “Did you want to order something?” I set my food back on my plate and look around for the waitress. “It’s so rude of me to sit here and eat in front of you like this.”
“I don’t want your food to get cold on my account. Eat. I’ll order something when the waitress comes around again.”
I do as he says, relieved to find him in such a good mood tonight.
“It looked like you enjoyed yourself today,” I say.
He tilts his head to the side, the same gesture from the other day, and I have the overwhelming urge to explain myself. “Your mom and I were watching things
from the window. Until we had customers, of course.”
He nods, but looks at me with a playfulness I’ve never seen before.
“I had a great time. But more importantly, Levi had a blast. And that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come back to the farm for the holidays. I wanted Levi to have a chance to experience the farm like I did when I was little. All of the space and open air—it’s good for little kids.”
“It’s good for big kids, too.”
He laughs and the sound is music to my ears. “You’re right. In fact, I’ve been thinking about hanging around a little bit longer. I think Levi would be disappointed if we left so soon after Thanksgiving.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Being on the farm sure put me in the Christmas spirit. I’m sure he’d love to get more time with his grandparents.”
“How about you?” he asks. “How long until you’re moving on to your next job?”
“Oh, well—I figured I’d stay until things were up and running smoothly. Maybe a few more days?”
He looks down at the table, his finger tapping. “You have to make sure to go sledding with Levi before you leave. He’s mentioned it a few times. If you’d like to, of course.”
“I would enjoy that.”
The waitress comes back to the table and Clay orders a burger for himself. Today was filled with a lot of firsts, but having an enjoyable dinner with Clay is the most surprising of them all.
Chapter 12
Things slow down during the week, and the next thing I know, I’m waiting on the porch of the farmhouse with my snow pants, boots, and sled, for Clay and Levi.
“Don’t stay out too long,” Ed says. I jump from surprise. I didn’t even know he was outside. “There’s a big snow storm on the way.”
I glance at the sky. It’s covered with thick, dark clouds while the air is damp. It certainly feels like it’s going to snow.