“Sounds very romantic. But I’m not interested.” He began walking away.
“Wait,” she said. “Won’t you at least listen to me?”
Larry tossed his reply over his shoulder. “Leave now, or I’ll call the police and have you thrown out.”
“We better go.” Reece took her elbow.
Ellie snatched her arm away from him. “He was only telling me not to give out more than one candy cane per customer.”
Reece paled. She marched ahead. He trailed her.
She stopped at an employee closet, grabbed her purse and jacket, then whirled on him. “Don’t you even talk to me.” Then she stomped out the door.
He tossed the coffee into a trash bin and chased after her. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I acted like—”
“A meddling idiot who cost me my job.”
“But I thought…”
No, the truth was he hadn’t been thinking at all. Not of reality anyway. Not thinking of how Ellie would view his jealously protective and possessive behavior. And if he told her it had to do with a car accident he been in five years ago she’d just label him a psycho.
That was why he’d never told anyone about those agonizing minutes before the ambulance came, that time when he was sure he was dying. The pain had been so bad he’d just wished for the end to come fast. Then she appeared like a dream, insisting he fight to stay alive, telling him to hold on and not give up.
How he could have seen Ellie Dean’s face when he’d never met her before had Reece completely baffled. But it also had him convinced their meeting yesterday was no accident.
Watching her now as she unlocked the door of an aging burgundy Mazda, he fought against the urge to run after her. To explain everything.
Would she believe him?
“Ellie?”
She glanced back at him and said, “I guess Brandon won’t be getting those gifts I hoped to buy him after all.”
**
Ellie slid into the driver’s seat, worrying. Hopefully, Larry meant what he said about paying her the thirty bucks for the hours she’d put in today. Her budget fell farther into the red every month she went without work, and with Christmas coming she needed every dollar.
“Ellie, wait!”
A part of her wanted to ignore him and drive off, but Reece was a sight to behold loping across the parking lot toward her with his athletic grace and blue-eyed angel face. Yeah, okay, so he was eye candy. But that wouldn’t get her job back.
Reece slowed as he reached her car. He held the driver’s side door open and leaned in toward her. “You said it was only a holiday gig, right?”
“Right, but I still needed the work badly.”
Steam came out of his sexy mouth as his words hit the cold air. “I can hire you for the holidays. In our gift shop at the tree farm. Tuesday through Sunday until Christmas eve.”
Once again he was offering charity and it grated on her. “Thanks, but it’s not your responsibility to give me a job when you don’t really need anybody.”
She expected him to say he owed it to her for making her lose hers, but instead he said, “You’re wrong. I was going to hire someone anyway. My mom usually runs the shop, but her health is bad this year. I’d rather she take it easy. So if you don’t do it I’ll be looking for somebody else. Are you interested?”
“I, um…” Conflicting thoughts flew around in her head. Residual anger at Reece warred with her relief at being handed a job. Add to that her trepidation at the idea of seeing him every day. Her instant attraction to him unsettled her. Whenever he got too close her imagination started going places it shouldn’t. Places that could only lead her into once again getting hooked on a pretty boy who would leave her flat.
“I’ll pay you double whatever Larry was giving you.”
She gave him a sly grin. “What if I said he was paying me something exorbitant?”
Reece snorted. “Told you, I know the guy.”
“And you owe him an apology.”
He gave her a sheepish look. “Guess I really put my foot in it this time. I’ll send him a wreath since he’d probably have me arrested if I got near his store.”
Ellie softened. Even though Reece’s actions had been dead wrong, she couldn’t deny she was touched by his protective feelings toward her. But she didn’t dare drop her guard. “I don’t get why you should care about how my boss treats me or whether I have a job or not. I’m a stranger to you.”
He seemed tongue-tied, as if there were something important he wanted to say but couldn’t. And for a moment this powerfully built hunk looked so vulnerable it melted her heart. She’d been wondering if he was an obnoxious egotist who thought he had a right to barge in on the life of any woman who tweaked his fancy. But the sincerity and depth in his sea blue eyes told her that wasn’t the case.
“Yeah,” he finally said, “I know I get carried away sometimes. Sorry for crowding you. And for making a mess of things. Stop by the farm if you want the job at the Christmas shop.” Reece turned and started walking away.
Whether it was knowing it could take days to find another offer, or the sinking disappointment that came over her thinking she might never see this man again, Ellie called out, “I do, Reece. I do want to work at the shop.”
He turned to her with an achingly handsome smile. “How about I buy you lunch and we’ll go over the details?”
“In this elf outfit? I look ridiculous.”
“That’s not the word I’d use.” His eyes seemed to devour her, sending a rush of heat to her cheeks. And a few other places. She had to admit she didn’t mind at all that Reece Madsen was attracted to her.
He opened the Mazda’s door wider. “We’ll come back for your car.”
They walked to a silver van parked in front of the convenience store. The inside smelled of evergreen and a moist flower-in-soil fragrance. When she climbed into the front passenger seat she saw why. A sea of poinsettias filled the back area with a few wreathes scattered in between.
Reece groaned. “I forgot I had all these plants in here. I can deliver the wreathes later, but the poinsettias will freeze. We’ll have to stop at the farm.”
When they reached Madsen’s Christmas tree farm, Ellie helped him carry the poinsettias into the gift shop. She automatically began arranging them in front of a shelf of chubby Santa figurines and wooden Nutcracker princes in black boots and bright blue jackets.
Since the farm was closed to customers today, Ellie was alone in the shop and took a minute to look around. She liked the open, airy feel of the building with its high-beamed ceiling and walls of clean, bright knotted white pine. It must have once been a barn, but now it had a tile floor. Red and green of course.
Bursts of color busied the eye from all directions of the room. Lights twinkled on potted mini-trees. Shelves lining the walls were chock full of shiny holiday ornaments, Christmas plates, toy soldiers, and toy trains. If ever Hollywood needed a location for Santa’s workshop, this was the place.
Ellie had always loved Christmas decorations. Being surrounded by every kind imaginable now made her smile. By the time she and Reece brought in all of the poinsettias, she realized she was enjoying herself. So much so that when he was ready to go she said, “Why don’t we just stay here?”
Reece ordered a pizza delivered and made a pot of coffee. Pointing to a large self-serve canister in a corner, he said, “I like to have free coffee and hot chocolate or cider available for customers when the farm is open for business. That would be one of the things you’d do here in the shop.”
He showed her the supply room and the record books where they logged in the orders and gave her a rundown on their cash register system.
When the pizza arrived, he poured two mugs of coffee and set a couple chairs next to the warming cast iron stove that stood against a bricked section of wall. Ellie could hardly believe how at home she felt.
Except for the sensation of Reece’s gaze on her.
“Who renovated this barn?” she asked. “I
t’s amazing.”
“Me and my brother.”
“Did you grow up on this farm?”
“No, but my family’s been in this area since the nineteenth century. Norwegian shipbuilders. Later turned to building houses. My dad and brother still run a construction company.” He set down his mug. “I can tell you’re not a NoFo girl.”
NoFo was the local term for the North Fork, the top branch of the V that extended into the Atlantic Ocean at the eastern end of New York’s Long Island. A strip of land filled with farming and fishing communities.
“No,” Ellie said. “I grew up in Illinois. Came to Manhattan to study art.”
“No wonder you did such a great job designing the flower display. How’d you end up out here?”
“A wine tasting party at one of the vineyards.”
“You moved here because of the vino?”
“Hardly,” she said, pretzelling her lips. “I was charmed by all the little farms and fishing villages. Don’t get me wrong. The South Fork’s beautiful. It’s just that. . .”
“You don’t have sixty five million right now for a mansion on Further Lane.”
She laughed. “I was going to say I thought this would be a great place to raise Brandon.”
“He’s a neat kid.” Reece noticed she’d finished eating. “Great pizza, too, huh? Time for another round.” He rose from his chair.
Ellie waved him off. “I’m good.”
“Give me a break. Don’t make me knock down the whole thing alone. And please don’t tell me after one measly slice that you’re watching your figure. Because I’ve been looking at it, too, and it’s perfect.”
His upfront compliment caught her off guard, but she liked hearing him say it. A lot. Reece’s impulsive style, while it may have gotten him into hot water earlier, managed to tickle her. She found his exuberance endearing in a kind of innocent, boyish way.
“Okay, you’ve talked me into it.” She followed him to the counter for another slice from the box.
“You’re welcome to bring Brandon here while you’re working,” Reece said.
“That’s kind of you, but I think he’d get bored after an hour or two. I have him in an afterschool and weekend daycare program that he likes. Especially the fun playground. When I got canned I had to give up the house I was renting and move into an apartment with no backyard for him.”
“What kind of work are you looking for?” he asked, refilling their mugs.
“Guess that’s one of my problems. I’m not sure. I have a degree in art and had been lucky enough to be hired right out of college for the membership department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I got promoted quickly, my hours were flexible, and after I moved I didn’t have to commute into Manhattan every day. But last year funds got cut and so did a lot of personnel. Replacing a job like that isn’t easy.”
“What? You aren’t excited about working for Madsen’s Christmas tree farm?”
“Truth is, I am. You’ve created a fantastic place here, Reece. I particularly love the almost magical effect it has on the kids.”
“Thanks. Me, too. That’s why I wanted Brandon to have his Christmas tree.”
Ellie sighed and wiped a hand over her eyes. “That reminds me. Brandon’s latest is that he wants to ask his daddy to buy the tree.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“There is no daddy. Well, there is, but Leonard Dean doesn’t give two figs about his son or if he ever sees him again. The only time he ever spoke of wanting Brandon was two years ago when he used that tactic to scare me into accepting a divorce settlement so cheesy it evaporated in no time.”
“He’s not giving you any child support?”
She shook her head. “It hadn’t been an issue back when I was earning enough to care for all of Brandon’s needs. The love was long gone from the marriage and all I wanted was my freedom and my son. So the letters, gifts and cards Brandon’s dad supposedly sends from Japan are actually sent by me.” Ellie couldn’t believe she’d just told all this private stuff to Reece, but somehow it felt good to share it with him.
“I’m guessing he’s not really in Japan.”
“Philly. But it’s my brother in Portland who makes Daddy calls to us a couple times a month. That only works because Brandon hasn’t seen his uncle since he was two years old.”
Reese whistled. “Not gonna work for long, Ellie. Not once Brandon is old enough to start texting, emailing and making his own phone calls.”
She hated hearing it, but Reece was only voicing the dread she’d had lurking in her gut for a while. “I know. He’ll never forgive me when he finds out. But he kept asking ‘where’s daddy?’ and I couldn’t bear to hurt him. Especially when he hit kindergarten and came home one day crying because some kid teased him about not having a father.” She bit her lip, shaking her head. “I am such a jerk.”
“No, Ellie, you were just trying to rescue him. To save his life. Just like you saved mine.”
“Yours?”
Reece opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He shut it and looked away. When he turned back to her he said, “The Christmas shop. You saved it.”
Ellie’s brows knit. She could tell he pulled that one out of thin air. Reece Madsen was definitely odd. She made a note to keep her distance, no matter how tempting she found his amazing his physical attributes.
**
When Brandon heard that Ellie would be working at the Christmas tree farm, he started bouncing up and down on his bed. “That is so cool. Can I go with you, Mom? Can I?”
Ellie usually scolded him for jumping on the bed, worried that he’d fall, but tonight she found herself giggling. Something she hadn’t done in a long while. “You have to go to school, sweetheart.”
“Just think, you can play with the trains and see Santa every day.”
“Santa’s only there on the weekends.” She thought about Reece’s offer to let Brandon hang out at the farm. Hoping it wouldn’t end up in a disaster, she added, “Would you like to spend Saturday at the farm with me?”
“Yes!” He sprang forward and hugged her in the mini-vice grip she relished. “Does this mean you can get my Christmas tree for free?”
“No, but it means we can buy one. We’ll pick one out on Saturday.”
His mouth formed a grim line. “I already picked mine. And somebody could take it by Saturday.”
She patted his cheek. “But there are plenty of trees.”
“Not like mine. Tell Mr. Madsen to save it for me. Please. He knows which one it is.”
Ellie sighed. “Brandon…” With a wave of mother guilt, she reminded herself to go easy on him. He was in one of those obsessive stages where certain things took on more meaning than they should. Moving out of the house he’d come to call home only a year after his father disappeared from their life had surely left its mark. “All right. I will. Now lie down.”
She tucked him in and rubbed his back a while, which usually helped him sleep. But tonight he was too wound up. He chattered about Christmas and the toys he wanted Santa to bring, and a game they played in school.
Then he dropped the big one. “Do you think Daddy will come for Christmas this year? Maybe if we write and tell him we’ll have the bestest tree he ever saw, maybe he’ll come.”
Ellie’s throat went dry. Tears pricked at her eyes. Leonard had been a cheating liar who could talk his way into any woman’s bed, but that same golden tongue had also charmed Brandon. Just as it had her.
And when Len started spending less and less time at home, on those rare days when he did appear he’d dazzle the boy with a performer’s skill and exit just as smoothly. Which ironically raised “Daddy” to the status of an idol and turned the crumbs he tossed his son into blessings.
Trying to control her voice, Ellie said only, “We’ll see.”
**
“Of course I remembered which tree he picked out.” Reece led Ellie down a row of balsam firs. He tried not to think about how good she looked in those tight j
eans she wore today. Or the cute way she’d tucked a sprig of bayberry into the band of her white earmuffs.
Brandon had already raced ahead. “Here it is!”
“That’s awfully big,” Ellie said. “How will I even get it home? We’re on a second floor over a garage.”
Reece didn’t miss her pleading expression, but he wasn’t about to try and convince the boy to take another tree. “I can bring it over when you’re ready to set it up.” He gave Brandon a gentle punch-tap on the shoulder. “Gotta say, you made a wise choice. Couldn’t have picked a better one myself.”
“Hear that, Mom?” The boy gave her a proud smile.
“Here’s one way you know a good tree, Brandon.” Reece stroked his hand along a branch and held his fingers out toward him. “Smell that.”
“Whoa. Sweet.”
Next it was Ellie’s turn. “Mmm. That has to be one of the most wonderful scents in the world.”
Reece gently brushed a strand of hair off her face. Ellie shivered. Their eyes locked for a moment. He wanted so badly to kiss her, but he knew if he made the wrong move the friendly flirtation they’d begun over the last week could be destroyed. So it was just as well that her son stood nearby.
“So, can I have the tree, Mom? Pleeeeese.”
Ellie nodded. “I guess you two have me outnumbered.” She dug into her bag. “Seventy-five, right?”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“No way.”
“Employee’s discount.”
“Oh, come on.”
Reece held up his hand. “We’re done.”
Ellie touched his arm. “I can’t get over you.”
Those words sent his heart reeling. If only it were true. He sensed an attraction between them, but every time the cute teasing went too far she tensed up and backed off. “When do you want the tree?”
“A week or so, I guess.”
Brandon whined. “What if somebody else comes along and cuts it down?”
“Hey, Brandon, don’t forget I own this place. Didn’t you notice the special marker I put on it?” Reece showed him a branch with a blue ribbon and a tag tied to it. “That means nobody will mess with it.”
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