Sheila set her napkin down and took another sip of wine. “That was the best lasagna I’ve ever had, and I’ve been to the best Italian restaurants in the country. Promise me that you won’t make that for me for at least a year.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s so good. I just ate my weight in it. It’ll take me three weeks to work those calories off.”
He laughed. “I think you’ll be fine.”
She moaned. “I don’t know about that.”
“Too full to get up and move around?”
She cut her eyes at him. “What do you have in mind?”
“Well, I was thinking that if you were up to it, we could run over to Joe’s tree farm and you could help me pick out my Christmas tree.”
“Do I have to walk there?”
“It’s not far, but somehow I don’t picture you carrying your half of a sappy fresh Christmas tree with those fancy fingernails and pretty outfit.”
“You’ve got that right. I can point and pick, but you’re on your own lugging a tree around like a lumberjack and getting all sticky.”
“Have you ever been to a Christmas tree farm?”
“I’ve always been more the artificial tree kind of girl, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it.”
“Shameful.” He got up and walked around to pull out her chair. “Come on. I want to treat you to the real experience.”
She got up and they cleared the table together, making quick work of it, and then they bundled up in their coats. Tucker wrapped a scarf around his neck and pulled a camel-colored one from the coatrack next to the door and spun it around hers. “You’ll need to keep your neck warm. The wind is cold up there.” His warm hand grazed her cheek.
“Thank you.”
They walked outside and got in the truck. He turned the radio to an all-Christmas-song station. They hummed and sang as they drove to the other side of the mountain.
Tucker turned down the radio and pointed out a big Christmassy barn quilt with the words JOE’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM arched above it in pretty scrolling white letters that covered the entire side of an old red barn. “This tree farm actually backs up to Natalie’s property.”
“I never saw anything next to her.” That didn’t make sense to her. “She’s out in the wilderness.”
“Well, yeah, the tree farm is beyond a pretty deep area of trees, like a hundred acres, but their land connects. The Christmas tree farm has been in Joe’s family for six generations. They even had a Norway spruce go to the White House for the Blue Room back in 1923. It was a pretty big deal.”
“Those are the kind with the big pine cones. Your favorite.”
“Yes. That kind. It’s Joe’s specialty, although over the years they expanded. Now they grow several types of trees.”
The temperature display on the dashboard read thirty-eight degrees, and the heavy cloud cover made the night sky look inky black.
Along the winding mountain road, red flags with bright green Christmas trees on them confirmed they were still on the right path, but she was beginning to wonder if they would ever get there.
Finally, right after an S curve that scared the bejeebies out of her, lights lit up the sky. There had to be a hundred vehicles parked in the lot in front of the biggest red barn she’d ever seen. Horses hitched to wagons full of people clip-clopped by the truck, headed for the hill.
“Are we going for a wagon ride?” She couldn’t hide her delight.
“Unless you’d rather walk up the mountain.”
“I’m all for horsepower.”
“I’ve noticed,” he said as he got out of the truck. “You’re really going to have to tell me how you like that Tesla sometime.”
She met him at the tailgate, kind of wishing she’d never driven the Tesla to Chestnut Ridge. “Owning one of those was never on my radar, but it was just too good a deal to pass up.” She told him the story while they waited their turn for the next wagon up the mountain.
“I would have had to make that investment too. You’ll make a bundle on the resale.”
She nodded. “Without question.”
The team hitch pulled up, and a guy dressed as an elf helped them climb up the podium to board. They nestled side by side on the straw bales, and as soon as the wagon was full, the cowboy holding the reins gave a command and they lurched forward. A moment later, they were on their way up the hill.
“This is fun!” She looked around at all the smiling faces. The paths were lit, and Christmas music filled the mountainside. She giggled, nudging Tucker at how cute the little boy and girl were seated across from them. “There are so many trees. They seem to go on forever.”
“It’s a big tree farm. They supply one of the biggest grocery-store chains too. This is just a side hustle for the locals, although it’s not a very well-kept secret, as you can tell by the number of cars in the lot.”
“It looks like people are coming from miles away.”
“They are. You’ll see when we check out. They have a big map on the wall where people can mark where they came from. It’s surprising.”
The two draft horses came to a stop at the cowboy’s command, and the elf hopped down and began setting up for their disembarkment.
Tucker steadied her from behind as the elf took her hand to help her descend from the wagon.
As they walked, people kept stopping to say hello to Tucker. It was a little like being with a rock star.
Crisscrossed wooden signs with colorfully painted road names not so different from the ones at the Christmas Tree Stroll pointed the way to trees by type and size.
“They ought to do the Christmas Tree Stroll here,” she said.
“We used to, but it actually complicated business for Joe, and then when we had more and more tree farms popping up, the town felt like they needed to give them all fair support. Joe is still everyone’s favorite, though. At least to the locals.”
“Sounds smart.” She eyed the signs. “So, which way should we go? How tall of a tree do you need?” He could definitely do a tall one with the high ceilings, but what a bear to decorate. Who’d want to do that?
“I was thinking about a twelve-footer. This way.”
Of course he was. “You’re going to need a tall ladder to top that thing.” She took long steps trying to keep up with him, since he was a good foot taller than she was.
“I’m going to put the tree where the room opens up below the upstairs. We can just reach over the railing.”
“We?” She shook her head. “I’m not dangling by my ankles over your railing. That is not going to happen.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“It got up and left.”
“I’ve done it before,” he said, with confidence. “You’ll see it actually works out quite well, and the chandelier adds another dimension of lighting that is really amazing.”
“I can’t wait to see that.”
By the end of the evening, they’d ridden on the wagon, picked out a tree, chopped it down, because of course why would he let them just take the easy route with a chain saw, and watched the tree get dragged down the hill behind a horse on a sled.
Then they met Santa in the big barn and watched kids whisper their hopes and dreams for Christmas morning into his ear. He was a good Santa. Real beard and the jolliest ho-ho-ho she’d ever heard.
While the team prepared their tree for transport, she and Tucker huddled around one of the big block fire rings to make s’mores.
They took turns roasting the marshmallows and assembling the treats.
“S’mores and hot chocolate is my new favorite way to stay warm in the winter,” she said.
“They are yummy.” He reached forward to sweep a bit of marshmallow from her cheek. “There.”
She moistened her lips, the touch of his hand still catching her breath. “Thank you.”
“Sure.” Someone called out his name from across the way. “Looks like the tree is ready. Let’s go.”
Tucker paid the bill at the checkout while she perused the gift shop. When he went to pull the truck around, she bought a cute Christmas ornament with the tree farm name on it as a souvenir. I hope I never forget this night.
When Tucker pulled up, he got out and helped the guys load the tree, and then they headed back down the mountain.
“That was so much fun. Thank you for letting me help you pick out your tree,” she said. “And those campfire s’mores are sinfully good. I swear I’m going to have one of those built in my backyard.”
“S’mores anywhere are the best, but would a firepit really fit in at your house?”
“There is probably an HOA rule against them,” she said. “Who knew I’d like them so much?”
“Umm. Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know until we do.”
She pretended to count off the words. “Easy for you to say.”
“You do know,” he said, “if you help pick out the Christmas tree, you are officially obligated to assist in decorating it, don’t you?”
“Tonight? I’m beat. Really? Do you have the energy for all of those shenanigans tonight?”
“No. Besides, I have to put the tree in a bucket of water and let it hydrate before the sap gets all sticky where they cut it.”
“But we just cut it down. Do you really have to do that? I thought that only applied to the ones that had been sitting on concrete for a few weeks after being cut months ago and shipped down.”
“Not true. A tree will take on water for about six to eight hours even if we just cut it down, and you always want to be sure your tree is well hydrated and always has an adequate supply of water.”
“This sounds like fire-chief talk.”
“It’s safetyspeak.”
“Whew, so, I’m off the hook for decorating your tree tonight.” She swept the back of her hand across her brow. “That was a close call.”
“You are off the hook, but I do have another idea.” He pulled up and parked right next to her Tesla in Orene’s driveway.
“What’s that?”
“Let me take you for a ride up on the parkway tonight where you can look down over the entire county. It looks so pretty with all the houses lit up. It won’t take thirty minutes, tops.”
“That sounds great. Want to drive the Tesla?”
His eyes widened. “Oh, I do. I happen to be a big fan of horsepower too.”
“I thought so.” She bent down and grabbed the key fob from her purse. “Here you go. Good luck.”
“Good luck? I don’t need luck. You’re coming with me.”
“Oh, I’m definitely coming, but that car has a lot of buttons, bells, and whistles. It’s like playing a video game for the first time.”
“I always was pretty good at video games.”
“We’ll see.”
Sheila was in a fit of giggles by the time Tucker accidentally mashed the button to unlock her car. All at once, all the doors on the vehicle opened up.
“Whoa.” Tucker sounded like a twelve-year-old at his first tractor pull. “Okay, I knew they did that, but that is really awesome.” He ran his hand over the back falcon wings, then slid into the front seat. “It’s like a cockpit in here.”
“Sure is.” She gave him a quick rundown, not wanting to torture him further, although it was kind of fun watching him try to figure it all out.
He slowly pulled out onto Main Street and then rolled up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. “This thing is wild. The ride is so smooth. Of course, I am used to diesel-powered heavy machines.” He went the speed limit, but seemed completely impressed with the car.
She looked at him with surprise. “You’re not going to gun it?”
“Can I?”
“Go for it.” She shook her fist toward the windshield. “Let’s do this.”
“I know the road really well. There’s a good long straight stretch coming up. Hang on.”
They came out of a tight curve and then he pressed the accelerator, and she could’ve sworn she could see his heart pounding. His grin was so wide that all she saw in the dim colored lights from the dash was his teeth.
It was a smooth and exhilarating ride, and she was so glad he’d done that, because she’d been sort of dreaming about it, but was too chicken to try it herself.
“That’s incredible. Did you see how fast we were going?”
“I felt the centrifugal force!”
“You did not. But it was cool. Should we try the hands-free?”
“I wouldn’t dare. You do it, but not fast.”
He let off the gas and rolled back down to a legal forty-five miles per hour. “Here we go.”
Sure enough the Tesla kept them right between the lines.
“That’s freaky.”
He put his hands back on the wheel and took over control. “That was amazing. Thank you. Merry Christmas to me.” But now he swerved off the side of the road. “Now it’s your turn to be amazed.” He put the car in park and sat there a second. Then he looked at her. “Can you get us out of this tin can?”
She pressed a button, and the doors opened.
“Thank you. That was much faster. It might have taken me all night, and you’ve got to see this.” He jogged around to her side of the car and gave her a hand. She stood, and he grabbed her hand and walked over to the wall at the edge of the overlook.
“Oh my gosh!” Sheila pulled her arm up against his body. The cold air nipped at her nose, but the view … it was breathtaking. He was right about the colored holiday lights across the valley. They seemed to twinkle as far as the universe. “This must be how it looks to Santa as he’s looking for those of us on the nice list.”
“Definitely.” He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Warmer?”
“Yes. Very nice.”
They stood there looking out over so many miles of tiny light dots. Homes where people were celebrating with their own special traditions. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of the season.
The thought made her shiver.
“You’re cold.” He pulled off his coat and draped it around her shoulders, then ran his hands up and down her arms. “Better?”
“Thank you” came out in just a whisper. “Thank you for bringing me up here. I could look at this every night.”
“We can. It’s always changing. The seasons, the temperature, the wildlife. You never know what you’ll see.”
“There’s a lot more to life up here than I ever realized. I guess I can understand Natalie’s decision a little better now.”
“I’ll bring you back tomorrow in the daytime.”
“Are you trying to get me to agree to another date?”
“Would it be so awful if I was?”
She pondered the question.
“Would you say yes?” he pressed.
“Yes,” she said. “I think I would.”
“Then, I’m asking, but not just any date. My team puts together all the holiday food boxes for the families in our county who are in need. A few years ago, I realized I could make it a bigger opportunity by spending my time prepping everything for them. So I assemble all the boxes, marking them with the name/address and putting them out on the tables in our community center. That way when the team comes in the next morning, it’s a pretty streamlined process.”
“So what exactly are you asking me to do?”
“Help me do the prep work on Monday night. I’ll put the boxes together, and I have a feeling your handwriting is much prettier than mine. You can write on the boxes.”
“That sounds easy enough.”
“You’re hired, but I have to warn you, the hours are awful and there’s no pay. Just the feel-goods of knowing you’ve helped a neighbor.”
“That’s what makes it a date, and not a job. Count me in. No matter what.”
“Well, then pack your pj’s, and a toothbrush, because it’ll take all night. We’ll work overnight Monday night, and my team will take over in the morning to put everything together on Tuesday for delivery Christmas Eve. Overnight, like all night. You good with that?”
“Are you worried that I might be afraid of the dark?”
“No. I just wanted to be clear that it was an overnight date, but you know, not for sleeping. Wait, that didn’t come out right. No funny business either.”
Her lips curved at the outer edges. “Oh darn, there really is no pay? There better at least be mistletoe.”
“Didn’t I tell you to be careful what you wish for?”
She jumped around, trying to get warm. “Yes. Several times now.” But she seemed to be wishing for the same things over and over.
He tugged her in under his arm. “Come on. Let’s get you back home. It’s too cold out here.”
“One second.” She pulled her phone up and tucked in close to him. “A selfie to remember this moment.”
He bent down, the whiskers on his cheek scraping her neck lightly and his breath warm against her cheek.
The flash went off, and she turned in to him, unsure if it was his or her own heart she felt beating. “We better go.”
Back in the Tesla, Tucker drove back to Chestnut Ridge. The streets were empty, the town as quiet as if no one lived there.
“I’m sorry for the night to end. It was really fun,” she said.
“It’s been really nice.” He patted her leg. “Thanks for a terrific night. I hope we can do it again?”
“Then we will.”
“How about tomorrow after we go to the elementary school pageant?”
“I forgot about that. I’m leaving tomorrow night to head down to see my mother at the assisted living home. The party at the Hilltop starts at noon and it’s a five-hour drive. I’m going to drive home, then I’ll just be two hours from there on Saturday morning.”
“That makes sense.” They got out of her car and he tossed her the keys. “It was a real treat to drive this thing. Thanks for that. Best Christmas gift ever.”
“You’re welcome.”
He turned toward his truck, and then turned back. “I just had a thought. What if you drove straight to Virginia Beach on Saturday morning?”
“That’s a long ride to get there before noon. I hate driving in the dark.”
“What if I drove?”
“You mean … come with me? To Virginia Beach?”
“Yeah. I’ve never been there. It’s a party, and I’m great with people. Especially old people. Besides, it’s a long ride. Wouldn’t it be more fun together?”
“I don’t know.” She wasn’t sure what to think. “This is a little strange, don’t you think?”
“Not really. It’s Christmas. Who wants to be alone on Christmas? I’ll be a complete gentleman.” He held up a three-fingered salute. “Scout’s honor.”
She wasn’t entirely sure that’s what she wanted either, but why not? He was a nice guy. And having company would make it a much easier trip, since she had to come all the way back to the mountains afterward.
“The Hilltop party starts with a talent show. The staff, and some of the patients, entertain. Last year one of the ladies sang, and I swear you’d be hard to convince me that she wasn’t Carol Channing herself. She was adorable. She sang ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ and she wore this big boa and one of the nurses handed out these blinking fake diamond rings the size of Ping-Pong balls. It was funny.”
“That sounds like a complete hoot. I’m ready. Let me squire you to the event.”
“Oh, that sounds a little hoity-toitier than the level of this celebration. It’s not that fancy, but that being said, if you come with me, there’s a condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You have to give Mom a pretty Christmas corsage. She adores flowers.”
“I’ll pin it to her robe myself.”
That was fun to imagine. Wouldn’t Mom just adore getting flowers from a man as handsome as Tucker. “You drive a hard bargain. Some people dance when the talent is a musical number, not to Christmas carols, of course, but you know real songs,” she explained. “Will you dance with me?” She really thought he’d balk, and she was really just trying to push his buttons, but to her surprise, he looked completely delighted by the idea.
“Sure,” he said. “I’ll even dance with your mom.”
Stunned, but completely enamored by the sweet thought, she barely knew how to respond. “Okay, now that I’ve got to see. I’m gonna warn you … she will probably lead.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all.” His eyebrow lifted slightly.
“Are you saying I’m bossy?” She held up her hand, stopping him from answering. “Scratch that. I don’t even want to know. It is going to be funny, though, because Mom is about four foot something these days. She’ll come up to your belly button.” Just picturing her petite mom dancing with this tall, rugged fireman was enough to crack her up, but at the same time, it was sweet.
“I’ll let her dance on top of my feet, like my nieces do. No problem. You are a little controlling. Anyone ever tell you that?”
“That’s just a nice way of saying bossy.” She looked toward the North Pole. “Did you hear that, Santa? He’s not being nice to me.” She crossed her arms and gave him that “so there” look.
“No fair. If there’s coal in my stocking, I’m holding you personally accountable,” he said.
“You had better neaten up, then. Haven’t you heard? Santa knows when you’ve been bad or good.”
“I plan to be very good.”
She could tell by the look in his eyes that him being very good could be very bad for her. Dear Santa, I’ve been very good all year long, and I’m trying to keep it that way, but this is very tempting. Please don’t let me get my heart broken.