by Karen King
He really did have to sort this dog out, he thought, as he picked up his car keys. He looked over at Sweetie, who was fast asleep in her basket. Should he leave her or take her? He’d already cleared it with the owner of the tree stump who had said that it was fine for Sweetie to run around her large garden while Joel worked. Apparently she had a fenced-in area so Sweetie would be safe from the equipment, but he couldn’t keep taking the Maltese everywhere with him. Or expecting Lloyd to look after her.
He put his keys in his pocket and headed for the door. Sweetie immediately shot out of her basket and followed him, barking at the door. He paused, then picked her up, and sighed. ‘Okay, you can come with me, but only for today.’
Sweetie snuggled into his arms and woofed happily.
It was hectic at the bakery all morning, with villagers dropping in to talk about the newspaper article, sign the petition and ask if there was any news from the council yet. Lexi was so busy serving and waiting on the customers in the tearoom that she didn’t have time to check her phone until after lunch. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a missed call and a text from Joel. She opened the text anxiously, wondering what the council’s decision was.
‘I’ve got an update on the fir tree!’ she shouted. A hush fell on the bakery as they all waited to hear what the news was. Lexi read out the text telling her about the council’s change of plans to cut down the tree and the meeting that afternoon. A loud cheer rang out.
‘We won’t know until later if the council will let Joel trim off the damaged branches to make the tree safe,’ she reminded everyone.
‘At least there’s been a reprieve for the tree. That gives us more time to protest in the new year if they do decide to cut it down,’ her mum said. ‘It would be lovely if we could go ahead with the carol service, though. I know we can hold it in the square, but it’s not the same. Jay really wanted Sonia and Toby to see the tree lights switched on and sing carols around it like we always do.’
‘Even if the council let Joel save the tree, there won’t be time to put the lights on it,’ Lexi reminded her. ‘But we could carry lanterns and candles. That would look really pretty.’
‘I’ve got some large Christmas inflatables in the loft, we can put them in front of the tree, too,’ her dad said.
‘You know, that’s a great idea,’ her mum agreed. ‘We can still have a good carol service without the Christmas lights.’
More and more people piled into the bakery throughout the day, wanting news about the tree and thanking Lexi for starting the petition, and crediting her for saving the tree.
‘It’s Joel, the tree surgeon you have to thank,’ she told them. ‘He’s just moved into Lystone and is practically doing it for nothing because he knows how much it means to the village.’
Granny Mabe came in with a group of women. They were all delighted with the news and made straight for the tearoom, then huddled together over tea and cakes. Lexi watched them. They looked like a bunch of sweet little old ladies meeting for a chat, but the snippets of conversation that came floating over from their table suggested that they were all part of the Yarn Warriors. She decided to go over and see what they were plotting, under the pretence of wiping a table that some customers had just vacated.
‘We need time to do it on Christmas Eve so that the council don’t have time to take it down,’ a woman said.
‘Good idea. The council offices are shut by lunchtime on Thursday, so even if they realise what we’ve done there’s no way they’ll have time to send anyone out to remove it,’ another woman added.
‘And if Joel doesn’t get permission to save the tree, we’ll do it anyway!’ Granny Mabe added. ‘That cordon tape won’t stop us.’
Lexi listened worried. It seemed that Granny Mabe and her friends were determined to go ahead with their plans to yarn-bomb the tree no matter what. She hoped that Joel could save it. She didn’t want one of them to get hurt.
Chapter Sixteen
He was finished, thank goodness. The roots on the tree trunk were strong so he’d had a bit of a job removing it, but it was all done now thanks to the stump grinder. Joel took the small towel that was tucked into his back pocket and wiped his forehead with it, then checked his phone. No message from Martin. It was almost 4 p.m., surely the council had finished their meeting now. Maybe they were finding it difficult to come to a decision.
He shoved his phone back in his pocket and made his way over to the house, pausing for a few minutes outside the garden to watch the Fishers’ young daughter play with Sweetie. She was throwing a ball for the Maltese to chase. Sweetie bounded after it, picked it up in her mouth and came trotting back with it. They both seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their game. Mrs Fisher came to the door and waved to him. ‘All finished?’
‘Yes, but I tell you, those roots were buried deep. How’s Sweetie been?’
Sweetie’s ears pricked up at the sound of Joel’s voice, and she turned around, then came bounding over to him, wagging her tail happily.
‘Hello, girl.’ He stooped down to give her a fuss.
‘Would you like a cool drink?’ Mrs Fisher asked him. ‘We’ve got shandy or Coke?’
He would have loved to say a shandy, but he had a strict rule never to drink and drive. His parents had drummed that into him after all the accidents they’d dealt with. ‘Coke, please.’
He was in the van, just about to drive off, when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw that it was Martin, so he swiped to answer.
‘The council have agreed to allow you to make the tree safe,’ he said.
‘That’s great! We’ll start on it first thing in the morning.’
‘As I said, there won’t be time to decorate the tree, but that can’t be helped. At least they can still gather around and sing some carols. so that should keep them happy.’
Joel sensed that Martin still wasn’t pleased with the idea and was sure that he would still be pressing for the tree to be cut down, but at least it was safe for now.
‘Remember that I need confirmation that the tree is safe emailed to me by lunchtime on Thursday. I can’t let the carol service go ahead without it.’
‘You’ll get it,’ Joel promised him.
He finished the call and then dialled Andy’s number. It was engaged, so he left a voicemail to let him know the job was on. Then he texted Lexi. Her reply came straight back. Well done! And thank you!
He smiled as he read it. This was going to be a tough job, and they’d be working against the clock with only a few hours of daylight, but it felt good to know that he was doing something that meant such a lot to the villagers.
And to Lexi.
‘Come on, Sweetie, let’s go home,’ he said to the little dog.
The tearoom was heaving, people had been coming in all afternoon, asking if there had been any news, stopping to have a drink and sandwich or cake while they waited. Lexi and her parents hadn’t stopped serving in the bakery, while Claire waited on the tables in the tearoom. Even Lloyd had popped in to enquire. Granny Mabe had called him over to join her and her friends at their table.
Lexi had kept her phone on her, anxious not to miss Joel’s call. When it finally rang, just before the bakery was due to close, everyone went quiet.
‘He’s done it! Joel’s got permission to save the tree!’ Lexi shouted as soon as she’d ended the call with him.
Cheers rang out from the customers.
‘That’s marvellous!’ her mother said. ‘Now we can go ahead with our plans for the carol service.’
Her parents declared that the bakery was staying open for another hour, and more cups of tea and coffee were made as Lexi’s parents, members of the WI (Women’s Institute) and various villagers, all gathered together to sort out who was doing what.
‘We won’t be able to do anything until Christmas Eve itself because by the time Joel and his partner clear away the branches and their equipment on Thursday, it will be dark,’ Lexi reminded everyone. ‘And I know most of you
will be busy on Christmas Eve with your Christmas preparations, so there will be no time to decorate the tree, but we can all bring a lantern or candles.’
‘I’ve got a couple of big lanterns. I’ll bring them with me,’ Lloyd said. He was looking very animated, and Lexi noticed that he and Granny Mabe seemed to be getting on really well. Maybe he’d change his mind about coming to them for Christmas dinner. She hoped so. She hated to think of him being on his own.
The tearoom was buzzing with excitement. Joel had really saved the day. And to think that she’d accused him of hating Christmas! Her cheeks flushed as she remembered how angry she had been with him, but then he had been really dismissive of their concerns about the tree at first. She wondered what had changed his mind.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she took it out to check the message. It was from Ben.
Please talk to me. I love you. I made a mistake and I’m sorry. Please give me another chance and I’ll drive down right now. We can spend Christmas together. Our very first Christmas.
Less than a week ago, it had been what she had wanted more than anything, to spend Christmas with Ben.
Lexi thought about Christmas Day with her parents, Jay and Sonia, Ryan and Nell – everyone partnered up except for her and her gran. Only last week, she thought that she and Ben had a future together.
Should she forgive him? Was everyone entitled to one mistake?
When the bakery was closed and everyone finally went home, Lexi declined her parents’ offer of a lift, deciding to pop in and thank Joel personally instead. He really had gone out of his way for them, and although it was work for him, he probably would have earned more money cutting down the entire tree.
She was pleased to see that Joel’s van was outside, so he was home. She rang the bell and waited for the familiar little yap that announced Sweetie was on the other side of the door. Then she heard the key turn in the lock, and the door opened. Joel stood in front of her, clad only in a pair of jeans, his feet bare. He was rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He’d obviously got straight out of the shower.
Her eyes darted to his broad shoulders, toned body and those abs . . . Realising she was staring, she quickly averted her gaze to his face.
‘Hello, Lexi. Is everything okay?’ Joel asked, looking a bit concerned.
‘Everything is perfect. I’ve been helping out in the bakery today and everyone has been waiting for the council’s decision. You should have heard the cheers when you phoned to say that they had agreed to let you save the tree. Thank you so much for persuading them.’
‘I think it was your petition that pushed it,’ Joel told her.
‘Well, we all really appreciate what you’re doing.’ She felt a bit awkward, realising that Joel probably wanted to finish drying his hair and get dressed. It was chilly for him to be standing on the doorstep half-naked. ‘Anyway, I’ll leave you to it,’ she said, turning away.
‘I was about to pour a glass of wine, would you like to join me? To celebrate saving your Christmas tree?’
She turned back. ‘That would be lovely.’
He stepped aside, grabbed Sweetie’s collar to stop her running off, and opened the door wider. ‘Come in. Please take off your coat and go into the lounge. I’ll nip upstairs and grab a jumper and put a comb through my hair and then I’ll be right with you.’
Lexi stepped inside and bent down to make a fuss of Sweetie and stop herself from staring at Joel’s very fit body as he raced up the stairs, two steps at a time.
She slipped out of her coat and hung it on the stand in the hall, then headed for the lounge. Sweetie followed her and jumped on her lap as soon as she sat down.
The lack of Christmas decorations struck her again. She might have persuaded Joel to save the Christmas tree, but she certainly hadn’t changed his mind about celebrating Christmas.
‘Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon?’ Joel stood in the doorway. He was now wearing a thick, dark-green, zip-up-the-neck jumper that clung to his broad shoulders, and his hair was combed and almost dry. His feet were still bare.
‘Pinot, please. And do you have any lemonade?’
‘I do. Do you like it half and half?’
‘Perfect.’
Joel returned a few minutes later with two glasses and handed one to Lexi. She thanked him and raised it. ‘To you, for saving the Christmas tree,’ she said.
He lifted his glass. ‘To you, for persuading me to. And for starting that petition.’
She grinned and took a sip of her wine. ‘It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow, then, you’re on a tight deadline, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, but we can do it. Luckily, we’ve got the equipment we need between us, so we don’t have to pay out to hire any.’
‘What sort of equipment do you need?’ she asked.
‘A hoist, although I may be able to do it all with the platform – Andy’s got one – a wood-chipper and chainsaw – I’ve got those – and then we both have protective clothing.’
‘Gosh.’ This sounded a lot more complicated than she had realised. Although, to be honest, she hadn’t really thought about what it would involve for Joel to cut the deceased branches off the tree. ‘Did you have your own business in Somerset, then?’
‘Yes, although I was contracted to the Moreton Estate and didn’t have to fish for work. So, I’m basically starting from scratch down here. Luckily, I know Martin from way back and Andy has some contacts so we’re hoping to eventually form a business together, but until then, he’s continuing with his landscaping business and working with me when he can.’
She could see why this contract was important to him and appreciated even more that he had cut his costs so that he could save the tree for them.
‘Will Sweetie be okay tomorrow if you are leaving her all day?’
‘She’s settling down, and Hazel insists that I be firm and leave her a while, she said I’m going to spoil her for when she comes back. Apparently, if I leave the radio on, Sweetie will feel more secure. So, I’m going to leave her here in the morning, then pop home at lunchtime and drop her around to Lloyd’s for the afternoon. I’ve already asked him and he said that’s fine.’
‘That’s great.’ Lexi watched as Joel lightly stroked Sweetie as he talked. He really was a kind man. She was glad that they had sorted out their differences and that he and Lloyd had become close.
I’m going to miss them all when I go back home, she thought.
Especially Joel.
Chapter Seventeen
Wednesday, three days before Christmas
At eight thirty in the morning Joel pulled up at the green and got out of his van. He’d hitched the chipper onto his tow bar, and the rest of the equipment was in the back of the van. Andy pulled up behind him, a mobile platform to reach the upper parts of the tree attached to the back of his truck. ‘At least it’s not snowing or raining,’ he said.
‘Yep, it’s nippy, though. I reckon we’re in for more snow.’ Joel rubbed his hands together. ‘Let’s get this done, shall we?’
They both set about removing the cordon tape around the tree and then securing the whole site by placing cones around the edge of the green, finally putting red-and-white tape across and placing some yellow danger signs about.
Andy walked over to the huge conifer, craning his neck to look up at the top. ‘It’s a big tree!’ he observed.
‘Tell me about it!’ Joel joined him.
Andy walked around the tree, looking at the trunk. ‘How bad’s the ivy?’
‘Bad, but I’ll be able to saw it off,’ Joel told him. ‘It’s choked a few of the lower branches, so I’ll have to remove those, but the rest of the tree looks okay. It’s a good job it was caught now; if it had been left much longer, the tree would probably be unsalvageable.’
‘Do you think that’s what the council were hoping? I hear that there’s plans to build a few houses here.’ Andy looked over at the row of houses each side of the green. ‘It’s a good spot, property here would fetch a lot I rec
kon. They could probably build them around the other trees too.’ There were a couple of small oak trees on the green.
‘I was thinking that myself. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t go ahead and cut the fir down later in the year, but I guess that’s not our business.’ Joel wiped his hand across his forehead. ‘Best get going, we haven’t got that many daylight hours.’
He felt exhilarated as they both rigged themselves up in chainsaw boots and trousers then put on protective helmets with ear guards and visors. His work excited him. He knew that there was always a risk, but it was a calculated one and he always took the safety precautions seriously, ensuring his harness was clipped correctly to the ropes on the platform.
Lexi slipped the two cottage pies – one huge enough to feed the seven of them and one small – into the oven. She’d insisted that she would prepare the dinner for tonight. Jay and Sonia were due to arrive about seven, so it was a quick meal for them all, and cottage pie was a Forde favourite. She’d made a smaller one thinking that it might be nice for Joel to come home to a ready-cooked meal that he only had to warm up, seeing as he was working on the tree all day. She thought she’d pop back for it when she’d finished serving at the bakery – she’d promised to go and help out for a couple of hours this afternoon. While the pies were cooking, she booted up her laptop and checked her Etsy site and LexiKnits page, and then the petition, which had now exceeded four thousand signatures. There was also a piece in the online version of the Lystone News about the council agreeing to allow a local tree surgeon to save the tree. She’d still got some lesson planning to do too, but had taken to doing that either first thing in the morning or in the evenings before she went to bed.
