by Annie Rains
Chapter Six
Granger had been watching the driveway from the living room window for the past half hour, waiting for Joy’s car to pull up with the girls. Yeah, he was excited to see Abby and Willow. Of course he was. But he also couldn’t wait to discuss his idea for the farm with Joy.
He’d considered talking to his dad first but he didn’t want to give anyone a chance to shoot this idea down. It hinged on Joy. If she said yes, Granger would do whatever it took to convince his father. There was a large wooden shelter on the east side of the farm, where they used to have family barbecues and cookouts. It’d be the perfect place for classes. Granger could get some outdoor heaters to keep the crafters warm.
It was low cost and had the potential to make the farm money. And it would be good for Joy too.
Joy’s car turned into the long driveway, and Granger’s heart leaped into his throat. Yeah, some part of him wanted to lay eyes on Joy too. He stepped out of the house as the car came to a stop. The driver’s side door opened and Joy stepped out. Then Abby and Willow pushed their way out of the car and ran up to give Granger a hug.
He chatted with them for just a moment and then distracted them with the promise of cookies inside.
Joy was about to follow, when he held up a finger.
“Just a second,” he said. “They’ll be fine for a bit.”
Joy nodded. “Okay.” She turned to face him, shoving her fingers in the front pockets of her jeans. “It seems like you’re always trying to get me alone.”
Granger felt his mouth drop open. “Uh…”
“Usually it’s because I’ve messed up somehow.”
“I seem to recall you pulling me aside when I messed up after not picking up the girls.”
Joy grinned. “True. I guess we’re even. Or we were until now. What’s up?”
Granger sucked in a breath. He was really excited about this idea, and he wanted Joy to agree. “Those trees you and the girls made for my birthday…”
“You like them.” A large smile spread through her cheeks.
“Love them,” he said. “Can you do that again?”
Joy’s brows furrowed. “What? With the girls?”
“With people. Merry Mountain Farms lost half our trees in a fire earlier this year.”
Joy nodded. “I remember.”
“We don’t have enough stock, and I can’t get any shipped in for the holidays. People will come here expecting trees, and we’ll run out quickly.” He’d been thinking about this all weekend. Now it was Monday, and the ideas were pouring out of him.
“I’m not following. Do you think I can help somehow?”
“I hope so. I’m trying to convince Dad to bring the lighted hayrides back to the farm.”
“Oh, wow. I remember going on those as a little girl. My aunt Darby would take me, and I’d snuggle into the crook of her arm, and we’d just soak it all in. It was always my favorite part of the holidays. A little piece of Christmas on Earth.”
“That’s what the sign read,” Granger said, surprised that she remembered.
“I know. And it was true…It still is. It’s just”—she shrugged—“it’s not quite the same. Sorry.”
Granger nodded. “No, I agree with you. But my dad doesn’t see it that way. A kid got hurt on the ride a few years back, and he’s kept the ride shut down. But without trees, what will keep our customers returning to the farm?”
Joy shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Well, the hayride, for one.” Granger gestured at Joy. “And you.”
“Me?” She drew back.
“You could help us provide more trees to the community by having a Christmas tree workshop. You could teach others to make their own unique trees, just like you did with the girls.”
Joy’s lips parted. “What?”
“You only want to be paid as a working artist, right? Well, this would meet that description. And you’d be saving Merry Mountain Farms in the process. I’d owe you. If people go somewhere else to find a tree this year, they may never come back. But if they come here and make a Christmas memory that they can cherish forever, they’ll always return. I know it sounds like a lot but I need the help and you want to lease that store, right?”
“Yes,” Joy agreed.
“Well, this is another way to make income. Not a lot, but you could also sell your artwork to our customers. With a holiday frame of mind, they’ll be looking for presents. It’d be a win-win.”
Joy’s eyes were wide as she looked at him. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I mean, I’ve been thinking about this all weekend. It’s all I could do not to go to your place and see what you thought.”
“I’m flattered. But what about your mom and dad? Do they like this idea?”
Granger’s excitement took a nosedive. “Well, I haven’t run it by Dad yet. I wanted to talk to you first. To see if you were remotely interested in helping us.”
Joy hesitated. “I’m interested. So I would be teaching people to make trees? And caring for the girls after school? Who would watch them while I teach the classes?”
“I’m thinking it’d just be one or two classes a week. Maybe just on the weekends.”
Joy seemed to consider this. “The girls could be my assistants during the classes. They’d love it.”
And Granger loved that she considered them first and brought them into the equation. That’s why she was the perfect one to be caring for them this holiday season.
She nodded. “I’ll stay with them on the weekdays and teach the Christmas tree workshops during the weekend.”
“And you’ll still have time for your library and community center classes while the girls are at school,” Granger added.
“It’ll be a busy season but it’ll give me enough income to put a deposit on my store.” Her eyes lit up. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
Granger wanted to wrap his arms around her and hug her. Because she’d just agreed to help him make Merry Mountain Farms a little piece of Christmas on Earth again. And because some part of him was looking for any excuse to touch her. Instead, he shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled back at her. “Great.”
* * *
“I don’t want to do art today,” Willow said, her bottom lip turning down a half hour later. “I want to play.”
Joy had planned on making beaded items. “You know what? I don’t want to do art this afternoon either.”
Both Abby and Willow gasped.
“What?” Joy looked between them. “I like more than just art.”
“Like what?” Abby asked.
Joy shrugged. “I like exercise. We could take a walk on the farm. You could show me around.”
“We’re not supposed to do that without an adult,” Willow said. “But I guess you count as one.”
Joy laughed. She would hope a thirty-year-old woman counted. But to a child, maybe the criteria for being an adult was different. Maybe you needed to be married with kids of your own. Or have a real job. That was certainly Joy’s parents’ perception.
“Put on your shoes and jackets,” Joy said. “We’ll head out. We all need some fresh air.” She hadn’t been able to think of anything else other than Granger’s newest proposal anyway. It was an exciting proposition. And maybe it would be just the ticket to earn her enough money to lease her store.
The air was chilly as they left the house and circled the farm. Abby was a natural tour guide, pointing out the orchards, strawberry patches, and what was left of the family’s tree farm.
“Daddy planted more trees this summer,” she explained.
“But it takes two years for one to grow,” Willow added. “That’s what he told us. Sometimes even longer than that.”
Joy found this interesting. “Wow. That’s a very long time.” That meant not only would the farm be struggling this holiday but it would be at a deficit for trees next Christmas as well.
“The fire was my fault,” Willow said, looking down at her feet as she walked.
/> “Oh, honey. I’m sure that’s not true.” Joy glanced at Abby, who didn’t disagree. How could one seven-year-old little girl burn down half a tree farm though?
“It was my mommy’s birthday. I saw it on Nana’s calendar. So I made her a mud pie because Mrs. Townsend said I couldn’t use the oven to bake her a cake.”
Joy’s steps slowed as they walked. Tin ran up ahead, circling back every few minutes and wagging her tail excitedly. One time she darted off into the woods, staying gone for several long minutes. Abby said that Tin did that a lot but always came back so they continued forward on their path.
“I’m the reason our farm is struggling this year,” Willow said. “I borrowed Daddy’s matches and found a candle in one of the kitchen drawers so that I could put it on my mud pie. I didn’t mean to catch a tree on fire. It just happened really fast,” Willow explained. “And then another tree and another until there were so many flames.”
Joy gasped, her imagination filling in the details. It must have been a horrifying experience for such a young child. And for Granger.
“Mrs. Townsend wasn’t here that day,” Abby said. “I told Daddy that I could watch Willow for an hour. He was only in the backyard. So the fire was kind of my fault too.”
Joy’s heart broke for Abby and Willow. They’d both been through so much in their short lives. Joy wrapped one arm around each girl. “Sometimes bad things just happen, and it’s no one’s fault.”
Abby looked up at Joy. “If Mom had been here, then we would’ve had a real cake for her birthday. And she would’ve made sure that Willow didn’t play with Dad’s matches. She should have been here with us. We need her.”
Joy didn’t think Abby was blaming her mom at all; instead, she seemed to be missing her. “Well, my mom raised me, so I can’t really say that I know exactly how you feel. But even though I had her in my life, she wasn’t really there for me when I was growing up.” Or now, for that matter.
Willow looked up at Joy. “Where was she?”
“At the hospital.”
“Is she sick?” Willow asked.
Joy smiled. “No, she’s a doctor. So is my dad,” Joy said, watching Tin dart out of the woods at full speed. She had a lot of energy to burn off this afternoon. “They had busy schedules, and they didn’t have time for silly things like playing dolls or creating artistic masterpieces.”
“That’s sad,” Abby said.
“A little. But I had my aunt Darby. She always had time for me,” Joy told them.
“We don’t have an aunt,” Willow said.
Joy looked at her. “Well, you do have a nana and papa close by. And you have me too.”
“You’re temporary,” Abby pointed out. “Dad keeps making sure we know that.”
Joy feigned insult. “You had me before I started caring for you two after school. You’ve been coming to the library for my classes for the last year. And after Christmas, you’ll still have me. Sweetwater Springs is my home, so I’m definitely not just temporary.”
Abby smiled at this, showing off a missing bottom tooth.
They walked past the last of the Christmas trees now and came up on Granger’s parents’ house.
“Let’s go inside and see Nana,” Willow said.
“Oh, I don’t know. She might be busy,” Joy hedged, but Willow tugged her forward. “She’s never too busy for us. Come on. She has homemade apple cider. You’re going to love it.”
Joy started to knock on the back door but Abby turned the knob and walked right in with Willow and Tin following behind her.
Joy took a hesitant step inside as well, glancing around for any sign of the older couple. The kitchen was empty.
“I’ll make us some cider,” Willow said, opening the fridge.
“I’ll get the cups,” Abby added.
Tin trotted over to a dog bed in the far corner of the room and plopped down, making herself right at home as well. Evidently, the family dog had worn herself out in the woods.
As the girls prepared cider, Joy’s attention diverted to male voices in another room. They were raised and sounded like they were arguing over something. Her breath stalled. Maybe they shouldn’t be here. It sounded like Granger. He was probably talking to his dad, who Joy had met a handful of times. He was a nice man. Granger favored him, at least in the looks department.
“Uh-oh. Dad and Papa are fighting again,” Abby said, her eyes wide.
“Again? They fight a lot?” Joy asked.
“All the time,” Willow said.
Joy reached for the glass of cider that Abby slid in front of her and took a sip, adding a dash under her mental pros-and-cons list on Granger.
Pro: He’s handsome.
Pro: He makes my heart skip around in my chest.
Con: He has a full plate, a lot of baggage with an ex-wife, and he argues with his father.
And since the last thing Joy needed was a complicated, drama-filled romance, that was reason enough to keep her eyes and heart to herself. Last Christmas had nearly broken her. Any forthcoming romance would be as temporary as Joy’s job here at Merry Mountain Farms.
Granger appeared in the kitchen entryway, his face flushed and his jawline hard. He looked surprised that they were sitting at the kitchen island. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Drinking cider,” Willow said. “And listening to you and Papa argue again. If Abby and I aren’t allowed to argue, why are you and Papa allowed to?”
Granger frowned and looked at Joy, his expression softening. “Sorry.”
“No, I’m the one who should apologize. The girls gave me a tour of the farm and then thought it’d be okay to come inside for something to drink. We didn’t mean to intrude. I can take them home.”
Granger exhaled a breath and walked to the fridge. “No, it’s okay. I’ll join you.” He poured himself a glass of cider and took the only remaining stool at the island, which happened to be next to Joy.
Her heart skipped, and her body warmed. She reminded herself of the con side of her list but those cons dimmed when he was sitting so close, his elbow bumping against hers as he lifted his glass of juice. “You’re left-handed?” she asked, noticing that he held his glass closest to her right side. His left.
He faced her. “Yep.”
“Picasso was a lefty.”
Granger chuckled. “Believe me, I’m no Picasso.”
“We’ll see. Maybe you’ll be my first student at the Christmas tree workshop,” she said, hearing her tone of voice drop to something that sounded unintentionally flirty. She couldn’t seem to help herself around this man.
Granger looked suddenly apologetic again. “About that…”
* * *
Granger was furious when he’d been talking to his father earlier. He’d kept his calm as his dad had shaken his head, refusing to even consider the idea of a Christmas tree workshop. His dad was the one to raise his voice, growing defensive as Granger pressed. His argument was futile though. His dad wouldn’t even hear him out.
Now Granger felt guilty as he looked at Joy. He never should have brought the idea to her before discussing it with his dad first. Now her hopes were up, and he was going to have to be the bad guy who sent them spiraling back to Earth.
Her smile faltered. “That’s what you and your dad were arguing about, isn’t it? He doesn’t like the idea?”
Granger inhaled deeply and then exhaled. “No. He doesn’t like anything that isn’t cutting down trees and loading them onto our customers’ vehicles. I really thought the Christmas tree workshop was close enough to that concept that he’d go for it.”
“I see.” She looked at her glass of cider, her shoulders rounding.
Granger had just brought the idea to her an hour earlier but she was obviously disappointed. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
“No, it’s okay. Not your fault,” she said quickly. She wouldn’t look at him anymore though.
Then Willow hijacked the conversation and started telling him about her day at schoo
l.
Granger nodded and listened, very aware of Joy’s silence beside him. Finally, he looked at her. “I’m done with my work for today if you want to head home.”
“Okay. Chelsea will be expecting me,” Joy said, putting on a smile. Granger knew it was just for the girls’ sake. “I can find my way back to my car.” She stood and looked at Abby and Willow. “And I’ll see you two lovelies tomorrow after school.”
“Can we do something with art tomorrow?” Abby asked.
“You didn’t have an art class today?” Granger asked.
Joy shrugged. “We decided to take a little break. Sometimes artists need fresh air and exercise to feed their creativity.”
“I see. I’m…uh…” He had no idea what to say to make this better.
Joy held up a hand. “No need,” she said, shaking her head and warding off any words of apology. “I’ve got to head home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She waved at the girls, slid a look at Granger, and left.
“What did you do?” Abby frowned up at him.
“What do you mean?”
“Joy looks upset. Did you scare her off?”
Willow’s expression twisted. “What? Joy isn’t coming back?” His youngest daughter suddenly appeared on the verge of tears.
Granger shook his head. “Of course she’s coming back. I didn’t do anything.” Except offer her a job and then snatch it away. The job wouldn’t have brought in a ton of income but she was working hard to start up her art gallery. Every dollar counted, he guessed.
“You’re sure she’s coming back?” Abby asked, her expression wary.
Granger nodded. “Absolutely.” Although the uncertain looks on his daughters’ faces cast a shadow of doubt. Maybe he’d irreparably broken Joy’s trust. And now she’d break her promise.
Chapter Seven
Joy changed into a tank top and pajama pants as soon as she got home. She wasn’t leaving her townhome anymore today so why not? Then she checked Chelsea’s food and water, poured herself a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal, and sat down on her couch to eat.
She lived alone. She could do things like eat cereal for dinner while seated in front of the TV. Only, the TV wasn’t on. Instead, she was sulking for a reason she didn’t understand. She didn’t even feel like painting tonight, which was her usual nighttime activity.
