by Hebby Roman
Now, he was tying the tree to the roof of the car and laughing at something one of the kids said. He looked different when he smiled. She didn’t know what his problem was but she wasn’t going through the day with this awkward situation.
She set her lips in a stiff smile and marched across the lot. The family had driven away and Leland was heading back to the makeshift workbench. The scowl on his face when he saw her marching toward him wasn’t exactly welcoming but she’d be darned if she let him ruin her day.
* * *
Leland gritted his teeth as he finished tying the tree to the family’s car. If he could get through the day without having to interact with her, everything would be okay. A sudden movement startled him. The child in the back seat grinned at him. He held up a sprung Jack in the box. Santa’s elf waved at him before being shoved back under the lid.
Leland shook his head in amusement as he made his way back to his station. But then, oh no, here she comes. He looked up to see her standing right in front of him, hands on hips, stupid Santa hat parked at a tilt on her head.
“I see we’re working together today,” she said in a bright tone, which was at odds with the glacial glint in her eyes.
“I don’t know about the together part, but yes, I’m….” He lost his train of thought. There was a design on the front of her dress that puzzled him. All scrolled and silver. He studied it, following the branches that spread out from a central shape. They curved upward and around her….
She pulled her coat closed with an abrupt movement and clasped the lapels protectively over her body. He realized he’d been staring at her breasts about the same time he recognized the design on her dress was a stylized Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He felt his cheeks go hot. Now, she was going to think he was a pervert. Nice rack on her, though.
“It looks like you’re all set. You know the color code for pricing, right?” There was a chill in her voice now. When he continued to stand there still recovering from his embarrassment, she clucked her tongue. “You have a copy of the chart on the table. Trees with red tags are twenty-five dollars. Tree with green tags—”
“Yeah, I know all about that.”
“Well, all right then.” She spun around, ready to walk away. Then she turned to him again. “Where’s your Santa hat? We’re supposed to wear one.”
He ran his hand over the brim of his Stetson. “This will do. I’m not gonna wear a silly Santa hat.”
“Oh, I see, we’re all just lucky enough that you’re here today, and you’re not going out of your way to do more than you have to. The Santa hat is so customers know you work here.”
“Don’t you think me standing here at the checkout table holding a chainsaw and a ball of twine is enough of a clue?”
She narrowed her eyes and her lips twitched ready to spit out a retort her mind hadn’t seemed to work out yet. Finally, she spun on her heels and walked away.
Watching her walk away, he felt hollowed out for a reason he couldn’t define. He hadn’t had time to put his finger on it when a fresh-faced young couple approached him.
“We’ll take this tree, please,” said a young man.
Leland looked at the green tag. “That will be thirty dollars. Want a fresh cut?”
The young woman looked at her companion with anxious eyes. “I don’t know. Do we want a fresh cut?” She looked up at him, almost glowing. “This is our first Christmas together!”
“Oh, I see. Well, this is a special moment. So, see here, you let me cut a bit off the bottom of the trunk to make sure it can absorb water. Keep water in the tree stand. You know to do that, right?”
“Yes, sir. I guess we’ll have that fresh cut. I didn’t know about that.”
At the word “sir,” Leland’s hand on the saw stilled. Have I reached the age of being called sir?
Then a flash of red caught his attention. In the far corner of the lot Melody twirled in circles, her coat falling open. He shook his head. Who dances to Christmas carols?
He spoke, not taking his eyes off the dancing figure. “When the tree is cut down, the trunk seals up again over the injury. You want to give it fresh life by cutting past the seal.”
From a distance, the design on her dress was obviously Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was harder to see when she stood right in front of you, right under your nose. Melody stopped spinning and turned so their eyes met across the lot. She regarded him a moment and then gave him a tentative smile. That’s when Leland realized by the ache in the apples of his cheeks that his lips had been stretched in a big, face-splitting grin.
Chapter Nine
The sky had gone dark, the cold from the frozen ground seeped up through the soles of her boots. Melody smiled to herself. It had been a long but a rewarding day. Now, she looked forward to going home and spending the evening decorating her own tree. A hot buttered rum with a fire blazing in the fireplace would be just the thing.
Her sights lit on Leland again, as it had frequently throughout the day, despite her vow to ignore him. She could see his breath in the cold air as he talked to someone while securing a tree to the roof of a car. He had a nice smile when he used it.
His gaze drifted over in her direction and the smile melted off his face. She really didn’t know what to make of that man. That smile he gave her while she was dancing (and who can hold still during Rocking Around the Christmas Tree?) signaled a thawing, but he’d only gone back to sullen. And she felt as if he’d been observing her all day.
“Melody! I didn’t get a chance to talk to you earlier.”
When she spun around, Faith was behind her. “Hi, you disappeared on me earlier.”
“I know. I’ve been back and forth with Ma trying to decide if she wants a tree this year or not.”
“Why wouldn’t she want a tree, for heaven’s sake?”
“I can’t tell what the woman wants! She says not to bother since we’re doing Christmas at my house this year. But it’s not a clear no, if you know what I mean.”
“I’d err on the side of getting a tree for her.”
“She’s says it’s too much work.”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be! Surprise her with a tree and you and your family can make an evening out of decorating it. You, your husband, the kids, and….” She glanced over and saw Leland watching her with narrowed eyes. “Well, just you all. She’d love it. Then you can help her take it down after Christmas.”
“I don’t know….”
Melody shoved her fisted hands in her pockets and concentrated on making her voice sound neutral. “What does Leland have to say?”
“Leland? You can imagine he’s no help whatsoever on the matter. He doesn’t care one way or the other. He just wants me to make up my mind and stop pestering him. Thinks the whole build up around Christmas is foolish.”
Foolish? Melody sniffed in disapproval. “Well, I think you definitely should get a tree.”
Faith bit the tip of a gloved finger, her eyes scanning the lot. “Which one, do you think?”
“What kind of tree does she usually get?”
“Oh, that’s easy! The same every year. Seven-foot balsam.”
“Okay, then, let’s pick one out.”
“That’s one of the things we’ve all been kicking around today. Maybe it’s too much and we should get a smaller tree this year. A table top tree, even.”
“A... tabletop….” Melody sputtered. “Don’t get her an itsy bitsy tree! Not even a smaller one than usual. That’s like a token tree. A mere gesture of a tree. Get her a seven-foot balsam. If that’s her preference, why change? And the money goes to a good cause. It’s priced by the foot. She’ll like that. I’ll personally help her take it down and dispose of it at the end of Christmas if you need me.”
“You’ve made me feel so much better! Of course, she should have a tree. The way you put it makes it all so clear.”
“We’re getting picked over, but there’s one over there that would b
e just perfect.”
Faith squeezed her arm. “Thanks for your help. I’ll grab Leland and have him put it on my car.”
Faith clicked away in her boots. Melody watched her approach Leland, curious what reaction he’d have to the decision. He tilted his head and rubbed his chin with a heavy, leather work glove. While Faith talked she bounced up and down, gesturing with her arms. Leland shot a glance across the lot in her direction, and Melody averted her eyes. When she looked up brother and sister were walking toward a row of tall trees. One by one he pulled out trees, bumping them on the ground to open up the branches. At last, he seemed to find the one that pleased him, and stood back with arm extended to size it up. Faith clapped her hands in glee, and a grin broke out on his face as he looked the tree up and down. For some reason, his approval pleased Melody.
She turned her attention to the last family on the lot who’d been there too long, indecisive about a tree. She was going to have to help them along before it was time to close up the lot.
Half an hour later, she’d seen the family off with their tree, and got busy putting things back in order for the next volunteers tomorrow. She’d lost sight of Faith and Leland but assumed the tree was on its way to Alma’s house. She was consolidating the remaining trees so they didn’t look so scraggly, when something brushed her cheek.
With visions of spiders or small furry creatures, Melody swatted at her face and spun around.
“Ouch!” Something poked her dangerously near her eye.
Leland, holding a sprig of pine jumped back. “Sorry!”
“What were you doing?” She shouted.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. It was meant as a peace offering. You know, sort of extending the olive branch.” He looked mortified.
Melody sighed. “What is this all about. You’ve been nothing but rude to me since we met, and now suddenly you want to make nice?’
“I will admit I was less than welcoming—” He bent his head down, and she noticed the turquoise beading on his hatband was a design of galloping horses, which touched her for some reason.
She traced a circle on the ground with the tip of her boot. “That’s a bit of an understatement. You treated me like some type of thief. Did you count your silverware after I left?” She giggled to let him know she wasn’t serious.
He smiled shyly and looked down at his boots. Oh, my, he has the cutest dimples when he smiles.
He looked up at her through long lashes. “I owe you an explanation. I love my mother dearly, but she can be too generous for her own good. Since my father died there have been a number of occasions when people have taken advantage of her. In fact, one of them—a person she met through her club—did make off with the family silver, convincing her it was worthless.”
“That’s terrible! I hate hearing stories about people taking advantage of the elderly.”
“I got the silverware back, but there have been other incidences...and those are just the ones we know about. She gets to talking to someone in line at the grocery store and next thing you know she’s helping to pay their mortgage that month.”
“Is this...new?”
“Hard to say. Faith and I speculate about it. She thinks…” He shook his head. “Well, never mind what she thinks. I think she hasn’t changed, but when my father was alive he reined her in. Then I hear there’s been some realtor trying to convince her to sell the ranch. So, the day I walked in on you there, I walked in with both barrels loaded. You didn’t deserve to take the heat for that.”
“What’s made you change your mind about me?”
His sapphire blue eyes held a soft expression. “I’ve been watching you today. You’re one of the good people.”
She slid her eyes away, slightly unhinged by the sudden intimacy. “I don’t know—”
“No, you are. I saw you switch the tags on a tree when a family had their hearts set on a tree out of their price range. And then you snuck a twenty from your own purse into the cash box to make up for it.”
“The kids took such an interest in picking out the tree, I just couldn’t stand to see the disappointment on their faces.”
“Not everyone would see it that way. You shared in everyone’s joy today. You weren’t putting it on. I think everyone left here today in a better mood for it.”
“You’re giving me too much credit. They were joyful because tis the season. Speaking of which, did you get your tree yet?”
He grimaced. “Oh, I don’t want a tree. I live alone. Why would I bother putting up a tree for myself?”
“Because you are worth it! I live alone too, and I’m getting two trees.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Two? Why?”
“I’ve collected a lot of ornaments over the years, and besides I want a large tree in the living room, and a smaller one in my office where I can look at it while I work.”
“I admire your spirit, I guess. I think I’d feel foolish, an old bachelor on my own.”
“Oh, old bachelor! You hardly fit that bill. The joy of the holiday is not measured by the number of guests at your table. That’s what my mother used to say. Growing up it was just the two of us most of the time. After grandma died anyway. And, we moved around so much...But we took our traditions with us!”
“Did you lose your father?”
Melody laughed at the idea of losing a father, like she merely misplaced him. “No idea. I never knew him. He could be my next door neighbor right now for all I know.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You weren’t. Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is even if you’re just one person, you’re entitled to celebrate. My mother always made sure we had as special a Christmas as anyone else. I never for a moment compared myself to others and felt lacking.”
“Your mother sounds like an extraordinary woman.”
“She was.”
“Was?” he asked, sympathy softening his features.
Unexpectedly tears prickled behind her eyes. “She passed away seven years ago. Anyway!” she clapped her hands together. “Which tree are you going to take home?”
He shook his head, but there was a smile creeping up on his face. “I’m not going to—”
“I’m not leaving this lot until you pick out a tree.”
“I don’t even have a stand.”
“Isn’t it lucky we’re selling stands at the low price of five dollars?”
“You’re an ace salesperson. I think I’ll take that little one by the trailer.”
She wrinkled her nose. “That little thing? I think you can do better. They are priced by the foot, and this is for charity.”
“All right, all right. You pick out a tree for me.”
“You can always put it in your office for others to enjoy.”
“My office? Oh, I see, you think I work out of an office. I am part of a practice, and we do have a facility, but I’m mostly on the road. My van is my office. Remember, large animal vet. I have to go to my patients. Not the other way around. I’ve got a large van modified to be a mobile clinic.”
“Really?”
“Really. It’s custom built. I have everything I need right there including a desk and computer. I can even operate in an emergency.”
“Fascinating.”
He leaned toward her, their faces so close she could smell the pine sap on his gloves and jacket. Like a Christmas tree. “Very.” He gave her a half smile.
“Oh, I remember that van now! I remember it nearly barreling into me on the highway and the way my life looked flashing before my eyes.”
He pulled his mouth down into a mock frown. “I am sorry about that. I got an emergency call and had to change direction. But you alerted me to my reckless behavior. What was that exactly you called me?”
“Ah, I don’t remember exactly.”
“Sure you do. What was it again?” He rubbed his chin, his lips twitching with amusement. He wasn’t going to let this go.
“I believe I called you a horse’s ass.”
“That’s right! Not just any horse’s ass either but a big horse’s ass.”
“I’m not usually given to such unlady-like behavior.”
“Of course not. You’re usually well behaved, I’m sure. It’s just I remember the first time I saw you, and you...how did you greet me again? It was an odd gesture from one stranger to another.”
She felt a wave of heat moving from the pit of her stomach to her face. “That was uncalled for! I’d just had some bad news and you kind of stepped into it.”
He knit his eyebrows in concern. “I hope everything is all right now.”
A fleeting stab of pain hit her, but she brushed it aside and fixed her mouth into a smile. “Fine. Everything is fine.”
“Good. Glad we got all that out of the way. Maybe a fresh introduction is called for?” He stuck out his hand. “Leland Jennings IV.”
She put her hand in his, and felt the strength in his grip. “Melody Evans, pleased to meet you. The fourth, huh?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. Silly family thing. So, Melody Evans, where is my tree?”
She stepped away from him to catch her breath. As she walked away she seemed to float weightless down the row of trees. She looked them over extra carefully and stopped in front of a five-foot spruce tree. “This one!”
“So, that’s my tree.” His eyes never left her, a sweet grin on his lips.
“You’re not even looking at it!”
“Don’t need to. I can hear it calling my name. Leland, take me home.”
She giggled. “I’ll get a stand while you take it down.”
“Where are your trees?”
“I put them behind the sign there. I paid for them already.”
“I’ll get them ready and help you get them on your car.” He started to walk toward them, then stopped and turned toward her again. “Say, how are you going to get them into your house when you get home?”