“I still have some.” She’d not tell Daddy that there were at least twenty trees left. It was early yet. Most had sold the day after Thanksgiving while she was setting up. She’d barely had a chance to get them off the delivery truck before families were taking them away.
“But Murry said he’s already sold fifty trees and you didn’t even send me that many. Why did he get such a large order?” Her oldest brother always got the top pick of trees from her family’s tree farm and the first pick of towns where he’d do his selling. Madison Creek had been on the bottom of the list and the first time Mom and Dad had decided to try selling in the small lakeside town. They’d heard business was booming as it was becoming a hot spot for holiday festivals and events over the past few years.
“Calm down. We were worried about overloading you, honey. He was the first one to get out there and get set up. Of course, he took the largest load. You…”
“I got held up at school. I know, I know. But listen, you’re the one who upped the bonus deal this year. You have to give me an equal chance to beat him.”
Daddy chuckled. “Ah, sibling rivalries. When will you all grow out of that nonsense?”
Kenna wanted to say, “Probably never.” But refrained from smarting off. She wanted that bonus this year. The two thousand dollars would be a nice down payment on a new car for herself. Old George, her lime green VW Bug was on its last miles.
She blew out a short breath, sending a cloud of fog up around her head. “Promise the truck will be here tomorrow? I have some big ideas I want to try out. Things to draw people over to my lot. I’m actually kind of excited. Madison Creek holds an annual festival celebration. Something called a Holiday Hoopalooza. There will be games and carriage rides. I thought about having a wreath building stand, and maybe offer a couple of games for the kiddos. You know, something to draw people in while they’re out anyway?”
“That’s my smart girl. You’ll do good, I’m sure. Have you found a safe place to park the camper? You’re being sure to keep everything locked up, right?”
“Yes,” she drew the word out in exasperation. “I’m always careful, and I’m right here at the tree lot, as usual. I was actually able to use the tourist park so I have hook-ups and everything. I gave the owner his choice of trees for a big discount, so I’m good to go. I was just thinking about driving down to the store and picking up some food for the week. But I didn’t want to miss Roy.”
“You won’t. He’ll be there in the morning. Promise.”
“Okay, Daddy. I better get going before the store closes. I love you like pumpkin pie,” she said with a smile. “Give Mama a kiss for me.”
“Sure thing, baby. Love you like chocolate pudding,” he teased back before warning, “Stay safe.” They’d been making the same joke since she was in grade school. I love you like fried chicken. I love you like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Corny, she knew, but it was their fun little thing.
Kenna hit the end call button with a smile. Her daddy was such a worry-wort. It had taken some convincing to get him to agree to send her out to sell trees like her other four out of ten siblings did every year. She’d had to throw in her discrimination card after her younger brother, Greg, was given his own lot this year. Mom had talked Daddy into giving Kenna a lot just to shut her up.
Three years ago, Kenna had been sent out with Murry, which had been a nightmare. He liked to party too much and had nearly ended up in jail for disorderly conduct. But jail would have been preferable to the fury of facing their father when he found out what happened and had to drive down to take over the tree lot.
Still, at least Kenna had been able to prove she was the more responsible one. After a year of missing out, Murry wised up and took his job, and his life, more seriously. Daddy liked to make things interesting by offering a bonus to the one who sold the most trees. So far, Murry and Donald, the second oldest Allender, had won the cash prize. This year, Kenna, who was third in line, was determined that bonus would be hers. She had a plan. She could do this.
After securing a rope around her spot, she sent a text to the park manager, letting him know she was going to make a quick trip to the store. Mr. McCarty would keep an eye on things, so long as she didn’t leave for too long. That was the only downfall about handling the tree lot alone. With no back-up, she rarely left her little spot unattended.
Most of the trees were tucked inside the large white tent. She’d planned to hang some signs announcing her wreath building classes and natural decor tips. People liked to spend a lot of money on ornaments, but it wasn’t necessary. With the right frame of mind, one had a bounty of decor waiting right in their own yards, provided by God Himself.
She sent another text asking Mr. McCarty if he needed anything while she was at the store. After a few turns of the key, she finally got Old George to wake up and rumble to life. The manager responded that he was good and thanked her for asking.
As Kenna drove down Main Street, her eyes widened at the sight. Oh, but she loved small quaint towns like this. Each shop was decorated. Some with flashy, glittering tinsel and metallic looking boughs of silvery foliage hanging over the doorways. Other’s decked with pine and twinkling lights. A corner diner had painted a snowy scene with happy snowmen and goofy reindeer on the large windows. How fun. She couldn’t help but think the sight along Main Street was right out of one of those beautiful paintings of homey towns that she loved so much.
Once she reached the grocery store, Kenna lucked out with a front-row parking spot. It was probably because they closed in fifteen minutes. Well, she’d make quick work in getting what she needed for the next few days. They were all given a living expense account, but Daddy only gave them enough to make sure they’d last the whole season if they spent it wisely. One thing he instilled in all of them was making do with what you had on hand and not being wasteful.
She didn’t mind. The Allenders’ spendthrift ways enabled all of them a chance to go to college if they wished.
When she entered the store, Kenna yanked off her knit cap and gloves before grabbing one of the smaller baskets. Milk, bread… some lunch meat for sandwiches. She tried to walk fast through the bakery section, her weakness, but then saw a sign for half-off the cookies. Ugh!
Twenty minutes later, Kenna headed back to the car, a chocolate chip cookie stuck in her mouth while she tried to fish the keys from her pocket. Several bags hung from her arms. She’d not wanted to bring the basket outside, not when they were trying to close up. Putting the bags in the back seat, except the cookies, Kenna had to coax George to turn over again. It seemed the starter was slipping. More incentive to win that prize money.
“I love you George, but it’s time for you to be…” she patted the dashboard with her mitten. “Well, I’ll make sure to find you a nice new home. Promise.” He was a classic, surely some collector would be interested in making her a deal?
The temperatures had started to drop, causing the wet roads to freeze. She should have done her shopping while the sun was still up, but there’d been so many people stopping by to check out the trees.
The bug shimmied and skidded along Main Street like a dizzy beetle. Old George needed a new set of tires. She was grateful that the street was clear this time of night. “I just need to get back to my little camper and I’ll be good for the rest of the week.”
As she neared Lakeshore road, the town lights were fewer and farther apart. Kenna wiped at her glove over the fogging window. “Listen up, George. You better not lose your heater, too. I can live without an air conditioner, but not a heater. Got it, Mister?”
The engine sputtered, then backfired. The sound so startled Kenna that she accidentally jumped and jerked at the steering wheel. The little car fishtailed for a second before she was able to get it back under control. Kenna blew out a long breath of relief, fogging the window again.
“Great!”
She wiped it clear to find something…or someone, stepping off the curb, only a few feet in front of her. Jabbing t
he horn, Kenna hit the breaks and tried to swerve to avoid hitting the pedestrian. “Oh no, no, please, please…don’t hit…” the car lurched to the side, and the tires slid over the frozen road, sending her straight into a row of mailboxes. Kenna turned the wheel again, trying to avoid them, but momentum shot her straight into the last box, wedging her against a light pole.
She slammed forward into the dashboard. Pain shot up her leg and through her head before everything went dark.
Chapter Three
“I’m so glad you joined us, Leon,” Nikolai said, pounding him on the back. “Man, it’s good to see you again. We should hang out more often.”
Leon smiled thinking he’d like that. He kept himself so busy at the restaurant, he didn’t make much time for anything else. Marcy liked nice stuff. Expensive stuff. She expected him to wear designer clothes, which he’d always liked anyway. He’d developed his fashionable tastes while his parents were footing all his bills. Now that he was out on his own, he needed to budget more wisely. And work longer hours.
Budgeting money was not in his girlfriend’s vocabulary.
“Sure, give me a call, Nick. I’ll show up if I can.” Leon pulled his black wool jacket tighter around his body. “Think we’ll be in for more snow soon. I can feel the temps dropping quick. I better get home.”
Sage gave him a quick hug and peck on his cheek, telling him not to be such a stranger. Throwing the blanket around her and Nick’s shoulder’s the couple headed back to their apartment over the electronics store.
Leon glanced once more at the starry sky draped over the icy lake. He had made a wish. A deep, heartfelt wish that he’d find someone who was his perfect match like the Prater couple were to each other. Sage and Nikolai were an inspiration to him.
Pulling up the collar of his coat, Leon tucked his hands into his pockets and hurried along toward his own apartment across from the tourist park. Now he wished he’d driven to the restaurant, though it was only a couple of blocks away. The plummeting temperatures were making walking more difficult, but he hurried along anyway, trying to keep on the grass where he had better traction.
Once he reached the crossroads, he rushed across the street, his destination and a well-heated apartment in view. The town had shut down a while ago, and he didn’t expect anyone to be driving along on the icy roads this time of night.
Until a flash of bright lights startled him out of his deep thoughts.
Leon jumped out of the way moments before the little car’s tires squealed over the slippery pavement. The driver swerved, missing him by mere inches before slamming into the mailboxes and the light post.
“Uh oh.” Leon half skated toward the accident, hoping the driver wasn’t hurt. When he reached the window, he peered in through the foggy glass to find a girl leaning against the steering wheel, her round glasses sitting sideways on her narrow nose.
He banged his fist on the glass. “Hey, you all right in there?”
Leon tried the door, then pounded on the window again. His heart quickened when she didn’t answer or move. “Oh, no! Hey!” He shouted louder. Searching his coat pockets, he pulled out his phone and dialed 9-1-1.
* * * *
Kenna didn’t understand how she’d managed to end up in the hospital. She’d not been driving very fast. Then something ran right out in front of her. A deer? No, it only had two legs. She recalled hearing someone shout and bang on her window until she was able to hit the door lock. Her head had been fuzzy, along with her vision. Images moved before her. Pain shot through her head and up her leg. Then she’d passed out again.
Kenna blinked. Everything was still fuzzy. She reached up, her hand dragging wires and tubes. An IV? Why? She felt her face. Where were her glasses? “I can’t see without…”
“You’re awake, thank God!” said a silky smooth voice from her bedside. The dark figure stood up. Kenna blinked again and he slowly came more into focus as he drew near the side of her bed and leaned on the rail. “Be careful with your IV, you don’t want to pull it out.” He gently grasped her wrist and pushed her hand back down to her side.
“Do I know you?” she asked, still blinking as his features became clear. He wore a burgundy colored beanie that sat low over his stunning silvery-gray eyes. His skin was a beautiful bronze and his lips were full and inviting to the point she felt her cheeks start to burn.
“Wow,” she whispered before stopping herself. She must be dreaming. Had to be. Was she dreaming of an angel standing over her bed? Or…was she in heaven?
Kenna closed her eyes and mentally chastised herself. Get a grip! You must have really knocked your brain hard.
“Hey,” the angel-man said, his hand resting on her shoulder. “Are you in pain? Should I call the nurse?”
Before she could answer, he was already jabbing the button.
“I’m…I really don’t know. I’m sorry, I can’t place…where am I?” Kenna looked around, her thoughts scattered to the point that she was starting to get scared. “What happened?”
The angel-man’s brows furrowed as a worried expression crossed his stunning face. “It’s my fault, really.” Even his voice even sounded angelic. She must be in some kind of dream inspired by those silly romance books she liked to read. Mom had warned her…
“I didn’t see you coming,” he continued. “You swerved to miss hitting me and went off the road instead. Why weren’t you wearing a seatbelt? That might have saved you from hitting your head and…well, your leg. They want to get x-rays to see if it’s broken, but you need to be conscious first. Why aren’t they answering?” He was still hitting the button on the side of her bed. Annoyed, he told her he’d be right back and darted from the room.
In his retreat, she didn’t notice any large wings trailing behind him.
Maybe this wasn’t a dream after all.
“My car!” Kenna groaned. Old George wasn’t much but he got her where she needed to go most of the time. “The trees! I have to get—” she was just reaching to pull aside the blanket when the man returned with a woman wearing blue scrubs.
“Oh no, Missy,” she ordered, pulling her stethoscope from around her neck. “Don’t even think about trying to get up. You have a minor concussion and a possible broken leg.”
“No!” Kenna protested. “I can’t…I have…my trees. How bad is my car?” She slowly sank back into the pillow with a groan. “This can’t be happening.”
The nurse began checking her vitals. “Can you tell me where you are, dear?”
Kenna squinted and looked around. “It would be easier if I had my glasses. Please tell me they didn’t get lost. Listen, I can’t leave my tree lot. I promised Mr. McCarty that I’d be right back.”
The man was pulling something from the pocket of his thick jacket. “I have your glasses, Kenna.”
She gasped as he carefully placed them on her face. “You know my name?”
The nurse wrote some notes on her clipboard. “Sounds like you have no memory loss. That’s good.”
The man smiled. “Mr. McCarty heard the ambulance and came to investigate. Said he knew you and gave the police what information he knew. Don’t worry, he promised to take care of your trees. We had your car towed to Alton’s and I’ll help you with getting it fixed. I’m sure your insurance will cover most of it.”
Kenna finally let out the breath she’d been holding. People were taking care of her. Even if she were a stranger to their town. “And you are?”
He held out his hand and grasped the one of hers that wasn’t attached to a machine. “I’m Leon Jovino. Please don’t worry. As I said, it was my fault for walking onto the street without looking. I’m so thankful you weren’t more seriously hurt. Is there anyone I can call for you?”
“You’re both lucky this wasn’t more serious,” the nurse interjected.
Kenna wasn’t one to put much stock in luck. She knew where her protection came from. Her family had brought her up to be a believer. “My phone is probably still in the—”
He pulled that from his other pocket. “I also grabbed your purse. Mr. McCarty took your groceries before the tow truck came. Everything is being taken care of. You only need to concentrate on resting and let the doctors take care of your injuries.”
“Thank you,” Kenna took her cell from him and rested her head against the pillow while the RN finished looking her over. “Now, Miss Allender, can you tell me where you are?”
“I assume the hospital. Please don’t call my parents. I don’t want to worry them this late at night. I’m going to be okay, right?”
The nurse nodded and smiled. “I think so. You have a small cut and a bump on your forehead. We still need to see about your leg, but I don’t think it’s broken. I do think you have some deep bruising and will need to take it easy. We’re going to keep you tonight for observation. In the morning, we’ll have an orthopedic doctor look at your leg. Okay?”
Kenna could only nod. Maybe she did need to call her parents. But she’d just gotten everything going smoothly and was expecting the next load of trees tomorrow. Nobody would be there…. “What am I going to do? This is exactly why my parents have always been hesitant about letting me handle a tree lot.” She looked at Mr. Jovino who seemed to be listening to her intently, his elbows resting on the railing.
The nurse hung her scope back over her neck and finished making a few notes. “I’m going to get in contact with your attending physician. His name is Dr. Daniels.” She pointed to a whiteboard hanging next to the door. “If you need me, press the button on this side. That one isn’t working properly. I asked that someone look at it, but you know how that goes.” She rolled her eyes. “You rest and let your boyfriend here take care of anything you need. No getting out of bed without calling one of us, first. Understand?”
Mr. Jovino nodded, looking a little guilty. When the nurse left, Kenna asked, “I guess she just assumed that you were—”
“Forgive me. I told them I was your boyfriend so they’d let me ride in the ambulance with you. Mr. McCarty said you were here on your own and I didn’t want to leave you until I knew for sure you’d be okay. Since I don’t have my own car, I’m fine with staying and helping you out. I can make a call in the morning for someone to come get me.”
A Thousand Wishes: A Romance Christmas Story (Madison Creek Town Series Novella Book 4) Page 2
