12

The next week passed relatively quietly for Madison. Perhaps too quietly. She knew she should relish the downtime, especially after the frantic days of planting—not to mention that their busiest season was around the corner—but she still felt restlessly aggravated. It didn’t help that Addie was giving her the silent treatment again, or that Gavin suddenly seemed to have vanished.

“He’s just been super busy,” Lily told her while helping to get the barn all set for wreath making, which would be starting soon. If it weren’t for Lily’s help and cheerful companionship, Madison would’ve been seriously lonely. But the girl, already in the habit of coming over, now made the Christmas tree farm her regular stop after doing some dirt bike runs after school.

“His consulting business?”

“I guess.” Lily shrugged as she slid a ribbon bolt onto the pole by the cutting table. “He’s always on his laptop. Or else he’s walking around where the house is gonna be built and measuring things.”

“How’s that going?” Madison picked up a snared mess of florist wire.

“According to Dad, slow. But he’s a major grouch about everything.”

Madison wondered what was up, especially since it wasn’t the first time Lily had referred to Gavin’s foul mood, but she didn’t plan to ask. “I thought I saw a concrete truck the other day so something must be happening.”

“Yeah. The foundation’s all done. You should come over and check it out. It’s pretty cool. But it doesn’t seem very big. Dad said that’s an illusion and that it’s bigger than I think, but I don’t see how. I mean, it is what it is, right?”

Madison simply nodded but continued to untangle the wire. As curious as she was to see the building progress, she had no intention of checking it out.

“Yeah, I don’t blame you for not wanting to come over since Dad’s been Mr. Grumpy Pants.”

Madison couldn’t help but laugh.

“I think it might be thanks to Lucy.”

Madison tried to remember—who was Lucy?

“She’s gonna quit school again and Dad’s pretty mad. At this rate, he thinks I’ll finish college before she does.”

Oh yeah, Gavin’s oldest daughter. “What year is she?”

“I dunno.” Lily shrugged. “Nobody does. Not even Lucy.”

“Well, maybe she wants another kind of career path, you know, something that doesn’t require a college degree.”

“Dad says she just wants someone to take care of her.” Lily spun around on the tall stool, sending her legs flying. “She should just find herself a rich guy and get married.”

“Your dad wants her to do that?” Madison was disappointed.

“No, he doesn’t want her to do that, but he thinks that’s what she wants.”

“Oh.” Madison reached for the broom.

“Yeah, and now Lucy is having a hissy fit because Dad told her she can’t come stay with us for winter break. Because, seriously, our trailer is not that big. I mean, can you imagine all three of us crammed in there like Vienna sausages in a can?” Lily laughed hard. “That’s what I heard Dad tell her on the phone last night.”

Madison felt a little sorry for Lucy. “Well, it might be hard on her, you know, not having a place to come home to for the holidays. I remember feeling like that a little. About going home to my mom’s place because I wasn’t that fond of my stepfather. But at least I could come here. This always felt more like home anyway.”

“You have a stepdad?”

“Well, I did. But my mom finally divorced him.”

“I don’t think I’d like a stepmom.” Lily hopped off the stool, then scampered to get the metal dustpan and held it while Madison swept in the dirt from the pine floor.

“But Lucy might really be feeling displaced.” Madison watched Lily dump the dustpan into the trash. “It’s too bad your new house isn’t done.”

“Yeah, that’s what Dad keeps saying.” She closed the metal garbage can with a loud bang. “But it is what it is.”

“We have lots of room here,” Madison said. “I’m sure Addie wouldn’t mind having Lucy stay with us during the holidays.”

“I’m sure Lucy would like that.” Lily tilted her head with a furrowed brow. “But I might like it more. Then Lucy could stay with Dad.” She chuckled. “It’d serve her right having to share that dinky bathroom and not have any closet space.”

Madison grinned. “Might make her want to go back to college.”

“Yeah. That’d make Dad happy.” She twisted her mouth to one side. “But I think I’d miss being with Dad. He and I are buddies, ya know?”

Madison nodded. “I get that. Well, whichever works, why don’t you tell your dad we have room here for one of you girls. As long as Addie is okay with it.”

“Addie will probably love my sister. They like the same kinds of things.” Lily rolled her eyes. “Fancy clothes and hair and shoes and stuff. You should’ve seen Lucy’s closet when we lived at home. I had to pack it up to put in storage for her when we sold our house. Man, was she mad about that.”

Suddenly Madison could picture this girl—just like her mother, Shelby. Lily was probably spot-on right, Lucy and Addie would most likely get along just fine. Madison would be the odd one out. But it was too late to back out on her invitation.

“Do you need any more help?” Lily asked brightly.

Madison checked the time. “Nah, it’ll be dark soon. I think we should call it a day. But thanks.” She patted Lily on the back. “Besides being a good worker, you’re great company. I appreciate it.”

“Yeah, especially when Addie’s snubbin’ ya, huh?”

Madison felt her brows arch. So Lily had noticed. “Well, you know how it goes with sisters. You love ’em, but sometimes you want to strangle them, right?”

Lily laughed loudly as she opened the barn door. “Yep. Exactly.”

The dusky November air felt cool and fresh on Madison’s face as they walked out. “Think your dad’s almanac is right? Think we’ll get snow here this winter?”

“I hope so. It would be so pretty.”

As usual, Madison walked Lily to the property line where she’d parked her dirt bike, watching as she tugged on her helmet, then they both waved goodbye. Thanks to an afternoon rain, there was no trail of dust as Lily rode back to their trailer. The lights from the trailer windows looked cheery with a friendly golden glow, but Madison wasn’t so sure the occupant was feeling that friendly. At least, not toward her. Even though Lily was blaming other things for her dad’s foul mood, Madison couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible, thanks to that awkward conversation by the river. She still couldn’t quite remember how or why it had gone so sideways, but she suspected it was mostly her fault.

Seeing movement out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Addie heading for the front porch and, feeling she had a good excuse for conversation, she called out, “Hey, Addie, got a minute?”

Addie paused with one hand on the front door. “Yeah, I guess. But it’s cold out here.”

Madison jogged up to the porch, following her sister into the warm front room. “I wanted to run something by you.”

“What?” Addie scowled. “Have you decided to do something new with the tree farm? Maybe turn it into a B and B to make more money?”

Madison smiled. “Hey, you’re getting warmer.”

“Not seriously?” Addie’s scowl deepened.

“No, not seriously.” Madison explained about Lucy. “According to Lily, you’ll like her. She has similar interests.”

Addie looked skeptical. “What kind of similar interests?”

“She’s into fashion and things like that.”

“Oh?”

“And she won’t have a place to stay during winter break. Not enough room in the camp trailer.”

“Duh.” Addie’s brows arched. “Is Gavin on board with it?”

“I don’t know. Lily plans to talk to him.” Madison glanced away.

“You mean you don’t plan to discuss it with him?” There was a very definite accusation in Addie’s tone.

“What do you mean?” Madison looked directly at her.

“You know, like you did the night of the harvest party. Don’t think I didn’t see you sneaking off with him like that for a little tryst down by the river. I saw the whole thing.”

Madison blinked. Had Addie been listening to their conversation?

“I should’ve known you’d try to steal him.” Addie folded her arms in front of her.

“For your information, it was not like that at all.” Madison stepped closer, locking eyes with her sister. “In fact, we were mostly talking about you.”

Addie’s brows shot up. “Me? Really?”

“Yes. Gavin wasn’t sure what to do.”

“What do you mean? What to do about what?”

“Well, he’s not dense, Addie. He knows you were pursuing him. You’re not exactly subtle.”

“Yeah, okay. So what did he say?”

“Just that the whole dating thing was out of his comfort zone. He didn’t really know what to do about it.” Madison thought that was pretty close to the truth.

“Seriously? So he really was trying to figure it out? And you were just helping him?”

“To be honest, I can’t remember the whole conversation.” Now that was the truth. “But yeah, he was trying to figure everything out.”

“Oh, Madison.” Addie hugged her. “I’m sorry. I did it again, didn’t I? I misjudged my sister. And you were probably just looking out for me. I’m so sorry.”

Madison didn’t know what to say but returned the embrace. At least Addie would be talking to her now.

“So do you think Gavin wants to date?” Addie asked with hopeful eyes.

“I really don’t know. Like he said, he’s got a lot going on right now. Too many plates in the air. I think he might need some time.”

Addie nodded. “Okay, I get that.”

“Maybe the best we can do is be good neighbors and offer our friendship.”

“Yeah, for sure. And his older daughter—what’s her name, Lucy?—she can definitely stay with us. That actually sounds fun. In fact, I think we should just include their whole family in all our holiday plans. Don’t you?”

Madison wasn’t sure but mutely nodded.

“Won’t it be fun filling this house with people? And, oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, Mom is coming too.”

“Mom is coming here?” Madison mentally braced herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her mother, she definitely did. But when Addie and Mom were together, it always felt like two against one—with Madison always playing defense.

“Yeah, she’ll come for Thanksgiving and maybe even stay through Christmas. She wants to help with the tree farm. She said she keeps reading more about the fires here and wants to do what she can to help us.”

“Really?” Madison tried to wrap her head around the image of Mom in her beautiful designer clothes and expensive shoes out there in the mud and soot, helping cut down trees. “This I have to see.”

Addie just laughed as she started up the stairs. “Hey, people can change, Madison. You just need to give ’em a chance.”

“Right.” Madison forced a smile. “Well, I won’t turn away anyone who wants to help on the farm. Even if it’s Mom. In fact, I promise to do whatever I can to make this the best Christmas ever. For Mom and everyone.”

“I’ll hold you to that promise. And I will decorate the whole house from top to bottom.” Addie ran a hand over the old oak banister. “Just like Grandma used to. When it was just her and me, after Grandpa and Dad passed, well, we didn’t do much. I think it’s about time we did.”

“I agree.” Madison’s smile felt genuine now. It warmed her heart to see her sister getting into a cheerful holiday spirit. Even if it did mean Mom would be here with all her fancy ideas and clueless suggestions. Madison remembered the year Mom had surprised Ray, as well as Addie and Madison, by decorating everything on their fake Christmas tree and throughout Ray’s big fancy house in shades of blues and purples. Mom thought it was uptown and glamorous, but to Madison, it was just a blue, blue Christmas.

But that was a long time ago. Having her little family all together here on the farm might turn out to be fun. How long had it been since Madison had experienced an old-fashioned family Christmas? Just, please, she hoped there would be no blue decorations!