by Marie Force
Ella pinched her lips together to keep from laughing in his face.
Nolan scowled at her. “I can see you trying not to laugh.”
“Take your wife to the Caribbean, Nolan. Have a second honeymoon. Your lives are about to get crazy. Take the time for yourselves while you can.”
“What she said,” Gavin said, pointing to Ella.
“Are you going?” Nolan asked Gavin.
“Probably not. Hard to get away from work.” To Ella, he said, “I’m going to hit the bathroom. Be right back.”
After he walked away, Nolan lowered his voice and said, “He never goes to Sultans things anymore unless they’re here. Austin and Debra’s wedding was the one exception, but that was because he had to go as the best man.”
“Why do you suppose he doesn’t go?”
“I think it’s too hard for him without Caleb. He thinks of them as Caleb’s friends, but they’re his friends, too. Every bit as much his as they were Caleb’s.”
“I’ll talk to him and see if I can convince him to go.”
“That would be good. He always has fun when he’s with them, but he’s been weird about it since Caleb died. It would mean a lot to Dylan to have him there.”
Ella’s youngest brother, Max, came into the kitchen, looking tense and out of sorts.
“Hey.” Molly smiled up at her son as he kissed her cheek. “What’re you doing here? Thought you were spending the weekend in Burlington.”
“Yeah, so did I. Don’t ask.” He grabbed a roll from a basket Molly was filling and continued through the kitchen to the dining room.
“What’s up with him?” Ella asked her mom.
“Trouble in paradise with Chloe, apparently,” Molly said, her brows knitting with concern. “I’m surprised he’s here with the baby due any minute.”
“He told me last week she doesn’t want him around,” Nolan said quietly.
Molly pounced on her son-in-law. “When did he tell you that?”
“When he brought his car into the garage for an oil change.”
“Oh Lord,” Molly said with a sigh. “The poor guy. This has to be eating him up inside.”
Ella felt for her brother, who would soon become a father. He and his girlfriend, Chloe, hadn’t been together long when she got pregnant. Max had tried to stand by her during the last few months, but Chloe hadn’t made it easy.
Gavin returned to the kitchen and came over to her. “What’s up with Max? He seems kinda wound up.”
“Troubles with the baby mama, apparently.”
“Oh damn. That’s too bad.”
Lucas and Landon came into the kitchen, pushing and shoving each other the way they had since the day they were born. They always brought the comedy with them, and Ella adored them, even if she wanted to knock their heads together half the time.
“Knock it off, you two,” Molly said sternly.
“We haven’t even done anything yet,” Landon said.
“Preemptive strike,” Molly replied. “It’s only a matter of time before you do something.”
“We are so misunderstood,” Lucas said to his twin.
“Seriously.”
“You are absolutely understood,” Ella said, “which is why Mom feels the need for preemptive strikes.”
“And here we thought you were on our side, El,” Lucas said. “You’re one of the nice ones. Usually.”
Gavin laughed when her charming brothers planted kisses on their mother’s cheeks.
“Hi, Mom,” Lucas said with a shit-eating grin.
“Get out of here, the two of you, before I break out the rubber spatula,” Molly said, smiling despite herself.
The threat sent the twins scurrying toward the dining room.
Ella’s brother Wade came in, dropping a kiss on her forehead and then shaking hands with Gavin. “What brings you to dinner?” Wade asked.
“Ella did.”
“Oh. Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.” Ella gave Wade a little shove. “Now mind your own business and move along.”
“I’m an Abbott. Since when do we mind only our own business?”
“Wade . . . I expect better from you than the rest of the clowns.” He was the one brother who’d never pulled her hair or deliberately tried to rile her.
“All right. When you put it that way . . .”
Colton and Lucy arrived a few minutes later with Hunter and Megan in tow.
“Everyone’s here,” Molly said. “Let’s eat!”
CHAPTER 7
Time takes away the grief of men.
—Desiderius Erasmus
While everyone enjoyed the delicious roast chicken dinner, Landon stood and cleared his throat. “’Tis the season you look forward to all year long.” He unfurled a scroll of paper. “Sign-ups to work at the Christmas tree farm!”
A chorus of groans and boos followed his announcement.
“Now, now. You can’t fool me. I know you all love working at the farm every year, so don’t be shy. Sign up now and sign up often. Boys, I need you cutting trees and dragging them to cars. Ladies, I need you selling cider, hot chocolate and donuts and collecting money. You know the drill.”
“What if I want to cut the trees rather than dole out cider?” Charley asked.
“Whatever you want to do is fine with me, stud,” Landon replied, “as long as you sign up for something. I need everyone to take at least three shifts over the next few weekends. Max, you’re exempted this year due to the baby watch.”
“Thanks. I’ll fill in when I can.”
“That’s so not fair,” Lucas said. “Why does he get to be exempt? I need to have a baby.”
“Please for the love of God and the sake of the imaginary child, do not do that,” Lincoln said, making everyone laugh. Pointing to Landon, he said, “And don’t you either.”
Scowling at his father, Landon sent the sign-up sheet around the table with a pen.
Ella signed up to spend three Saturday afternoons working the hot chocolate stand, which was secretly one of her favorite things to do this time of year. She absolutely loved the Christmas season in the store and at the farm, so while the others grumbled, she happily put her name on the list.
“I’ll take a few shifts,” Gavin said. “I’m rather good at cutting down trees.”
“That’s the attitude I’m looking for,” Landon said. “And he’s not even required to work.”
“Suck-up,” Hunter grumbled.
“Total suck-up,” Will said.
Gavin laughed at their good-natured teasing.
Ella smiled at Gavin and then watched him sign up for the same days she had picked. She had purposely avoided Thanksgiving weekend in the hope that she could talk him into going to his friend’s wedding.
“I can’t work any Saturdays in December,” Charley said. “I’m in training.”
“Oh thank God!” Colton said. “Someone is finally housetraining her.” The others howled with laughter.
“Very funny, but I’ll have you know I’m in training to run a marathon.”
“You are not,” Ella said.
“Yes, I am.”
“You haven’t run since high school.”
“I’ve been wanting to get back into it, so I joined a club and we do distance runs on Saturdays. We did six miles yesterday.”
“I think that’s wonderful, Charley,” Elmer said. “Good for you.”
“Thanks, Gramps.”
“We’ve got plenty of Sundays you can take,” Landon said to Charley.
“Let me see that sign-up sheet,” Elmer said. “I can still cut trees with you whippersnappers.”
“Gramps,” Landon said, glancing at Molly. “You don’t have to.”
“Don’t give me that nonsense,” Elmer said. “I’ve been cutting Christmas t
rees since before you were a glimmer on the horizon.”
“Still,” Landon said, “we’ve got plenty of guys to do the heavy lifting. I could use someone to play Santa, if you’re up for that.”
“I’d rather cut trees. Let Linc play Santa. He loves that gig.”
“Mom,” Landon said. “Do something about him.”
“What would you have me do? Tell my father he’s too old to be cutting Christmas trees? I think I’ll pass on that.”
Her sister Hannah laughed. “Don’t blame you, sis.”
“I raised smart girls,” Elmer said with a smile for his daughters. “They know not to cross their dear old dad.”
“I’ll take a couple of shifts,” Grayson said, surprising them all.
“You don’t have to, Gray,” Landon said. “It’s a pain for you, living in Boston and everything.”
“I’m hoping to spend more time up here in the next few months, so I’m happy to help out.”
“I won’t say no to that,” Landon said. “Give the man the form. It’s the hap-happiest time of the year!”
“Speaking of the happiest time of the year,” Ella said, “don’t anyone forget the staff retreat next Friday night.”
More grumbling followed her announcement.
“Why do you guys still complain when we do this every year before the holiday shopping season begins in earnest?” Ella asked.
“Because,” Lucas said, “you make us give up a Friday night to hang out with the ladies from the store. Not that I don’t like the ladies from the store, but they’re not exactly my target audience.”
“We have some new young ladies working the floor,” Ella said. “You might be pleasantly surprised.”
“New young ladies in Butler?” Landon asked, perking up. “How do we not know about this development?”
Max got up from the table, plate in hand. “I need to get back to Burlington.” He leaned over to kiss his mother’s cheek. “Thanks for dinner, Mom.”
“Of course, sweetheart. Keep us posted?”
“I will. See you all later.”
“Bye, Max,” the others said.
After the storm door closed behind him, everyone looked to Molly.
“What’s going on with him, Mom?” Colton asked. “He’s gone completely silent on me at work on the mountain. I don’t know what to do with him.”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think he and Chloe have broken up, and they’re going to have to make some tough decisions after the baby arrives.”
“Oh damn,” Hunter said. “That’s a tough one.”
“I know I don’t have to tell you all that he’s going to need our support in the next few weeks. Will, I’d like you to try to talk to him if you would. He’s always turned to you in times of trouble, and maybe he’d find it easier to talk to you.”
“Sure, Mom. I’ll do what I can.”
“No matter what happens, we need to make sure he knows he’s not alone in this.”
“Of course he’s not alone,” Charley said. “When have any of us had the good fortune of being alone with a difficult situation?”
Her cheeky question made the others laugh.
Molly served two kinds of pie for dessert, and then everyone pitched in to help clean up. Well, the boys pretended to pitch in, ensuring they were more trouble than they were worth so that Molly would shoo them from the kitchen the way she did every week.
“We need to get their gig,” Charley said when it was down to her, Molly, Ella, their sister Hannah and their aunt Hannah in the kitchen.
“Seriously,” Ella said. “They’ve got it made.”
“I don’t know if I’d rather come back in my next life as a man or a well-kept dog,” Molly said. “Not sure which has it better.”
“A man,” the women said in chorus.
* * *
After almost everyone had cleared out after dinner, leaving only Elmer, Molly’s sister Hannah and her son Grayson, Lincoln invited Elmer and Gray to have a drink in his study so Molly could have some time with her sister.
“That’s where he keeps the good stuff,” Elmer said to his grandson.
“Well, let’s go then.”
“Bourbon?” Linc asked after he stoked the fire in the hearth.
“You know I won’t say no to that,” Elmer said.
“Me either,” Gray said.
“Still feels funny to be pouring bourbon for kids we raised,” Lincoln said to his father-in-law.
“That it does,” Elmer replied. “Wait until you’re pouring for the second generation of kids you raised.”
“I’m still trying to get my head around becoming a grandfather any day now.” Lincoln delivered drinks to both men and then went back for his before joining them in the seating area in front of the fire.
“Here’s to becoming a grandfather,” Elmer said, raising his glass to Grayson, his oldest grandchild. “One of the best days of my life.”
“Thanks, Gramps.” Grayson raised his glass to his grandfather. “I only beat Hunter and Hannah by a month.”
“Got in right under the wire. That was such a happy time for Sarah and me—three grandbabies in one month. And now, I’m gonna be a great-grandfather thanks to my youngest grandchild. How’s that for funny?”
“You never know what’s going to happen,” Grayson said, swirling the bourbon around in his glass.
Lincoln took note of the pensive expression on his nephew’s face. “Something on your mind, son?” He’d taken a special interest in Grayson and his siblings after their father left. Elmer had, too. They’d done what they could to fill a void that could never really be filled.
“I’ve been considering some life changes,” Grayson said.
“What kind of changes?” Elmer asked.
“I worked for years to make partner in the firm,” Grayson said.
“And you know how proud we are of that,” Elmer said.
“He never misses a chance to tell people that you’re a partner in a big Boston law firm,” Lincoln added.
Grayson smiled at his grandfather. “Means a lot that you guys are proud. Thanks for that.”
“You’ve earned everything the old-fashioned way,” Elmer said. “Through hard work and determination. I admire that greatly.”
“Which makes it that much harder to tell you I’m thinking about leaving the firm.”
“How come?” Lincoln asked. “Thought you loved that place.”
“I do. I did. It’s just . . . Ever since I made partner, I seem to have lost my drive or something. I feel like I’m going through the motions. And one thing hasn’t changed—all I do is work. Nonstop. Then I turned thirty-six last week, and one of my colleagues made a joke about how thirty-six is the ‘this side of forty rather than that side of thirty’ birthday. He was kidding, but it struck home. I’m going to be forty in four short years. I’m spending my entire adult life in an office, slaving away doing stuff I don’t even care about most of the time.”
“So what would you rather be doing?” Lincoln asked.
“That’s just it. I’m not sure. I only know I don’t want to be where I am anymore.”
“Have you thought about coming home and hanging out a shingle?” Elmer asked.
“It’s crossed my mind.”
“You won’t make bank like you do in Boston, but there’s a genuine need here for a lawyer,” Lincoln said. “Closest one is over in St. Johnsbury. Butler could use its own general counsel, if you ask me.”
“I’ve been sort of toying with that idea. Mom also told me the town will soon be taking applications for town solicitor. I wouldn’t mind doing that and working with Mom, too.” Hannah Coleman had been the Butler town clerk for more than thirty years.
“That’d be a nice steady gig on top of the other work you’d be sure to get,” Elmer said. “You’d
bring the family business account home with you, of course.”
“Yeah,” Gray said. “I’ve always made it clear that account is mine whether I’m with the firm or not. They know that.”
“We’ve got a lot going on with the acquisition of the new acreage up on the mountain and the new website about to go live, and now there’s rumblings of a catalog and distribution center,” Lincoln said. “We’ll keep you busy.”
“Who’s rumbling about a catalog and distribution center?” Elmer asked.
“I’m going to be after the first of the year,” Lincoln said with a cheeky grin.
Elmer chuckled. “Can’t wait to see what the kids have to say to that.”
“I got them to buy into the website, didn’t I?”
“With a lot of help from your new daughter-in-law.” For Grayson’s benefit, Elmer added, “It’s mighty hard to say no to Cameron when she’s got a big idea.”
“I’m hoping she’ll be on my side with the catalog,” Lincoln said. “If she’s all for it, Will would be, too.”
“You guys are a couple of old schemers,” Grayson said, laughing at their back-and-forth.
“You have no idea,” Lincoln said with a smile for his father-in-law.
“No idea at all,” Elmer said. “But it sure will be nice to have you back in town, Gray.”
“It’ll be good to be home.”
Hannah came to the door looking for her son. “What’re you guys feeding my boy?”
“Bourbon and bullshit,” Lincoln said, making the other men laugh.
“You ready to go, Mom?”
“Whenever you are.”
“Some of us have to work tomorrow,” Hannah said, “and you’ve got a long ride back to Boston.”
“Yeah,” Gray said, seeming depressed by the idea of that long ride. “I do.”
Lincoln and Elmer stood to hug them both.
Elmer patted his grandson’s face. “Keep us posted.”
“I will. Thanks for this. It helped.”
“We’re always right here.”
“Thanks, Gramps. I’ll see you all soon.”
“We’ll be here,” Lincoln said.
They kissed Hannah good night and then returned to their spots in front of the fire.