“Likewise. Glad you could join us, Magnolia.”
“This is for you.” I handed him the chocolates. “And Addie, I brought you something too.” I handed her the bag with llamas on it.
The little girl’s brown eyes went wide and lit up. “A present?”
“What do you say?” Luke prompted.
“Thank you,” Addie said. “Can I open it?”
I glanced at Luke, who said, “Go ahead.”
In the meantime, Mr. Durham had rustled in his gift bag and taken out the box of gourmet chocolates.
“Oh,” he said, sounding pleasantly surprised. “Thank you kindly. I might have to try a sample before dinner.”
“I hope you enjoy them,” I said awkwardly.
“I can promise you I will.”
“My turn,” Addie said, climbing into her grandpa’s lap with her bag. She pulled out the tissue paper on top and handed it to him. “It’s books,” she said in a hushed but happy tone. “Magic Tree House! My teacher reads us those.” She read the titles out loud. “We haven’t read these ones yet. Look, Daddy, a llama.”
“You love llamas,” Luke said to Addie. He sent a smile and a wink my way.
“Thank you,” Addie said shyly to me. “I’m going to start the Thanksgiving one now because it’s Thanksgiving today.”
“Let me know how it is,” I said stupidly. I didn’t know much about how fast a first grader could read, or even whether Addie was a strong enough reader to tackle the chapter books on her own.
“Dinner will be ready in a half hour,” Luke said. “Mags, want to come keep me company while I finish everything up?”
“Sure.” My response was possibly a little overzealous because I wasn’t sure what to talk about with Mr. Durham. He seemed kind but interested in the football game on the TV.
“Pops, will you read a few chapters to me?” Addie asked.
“You know how to read,” he replied.
Luke gestured to me to precede him to the kitchen as Addie pleaded with Mr. Durham to read to her anyway. Luke’s hand rested at my waist, which probably looked nothing but friendly to others, but his touch shot warmth through me.
Once in the kitchen, he said, “Those went over well. Thanks for doing that.”
“Icebreaker,” I said, then blew out my breath. “Sorry. I’ve never been introduced to a guy’s family before.”
“You did great.” He maneuvered me so my back was against the cabinet, then braced his hands on the counter on either side of me, caging me in. His gaze dipped to my mouth. Then he slowly moved in for a kiss. “That’s more like it,” he said when we came up for air. “Now maybe I can finish prepping dinner.”
An hour later, the four of us sat around the table, overeating an impressive dinner. I hadn’t realized Luke could cook, let alone prepare an entire holiday feast. The house was cozy and comfortable, with a fire crackling in the living room and two taper candles casting a warm glow on the table.
We kept up a steady conversation, with Addie filling us in on the first three chapters of the Thanksgiving book, Mr. Durham updating Luke on the football game, and Luke answering his dad’s relentless questions about whether he’d remembered this or that for opening night of Christmas-tree season.
Luke patiently went over the employees who were working tonight, which I gathered were some of their longtime workers who knew what they were doing. It seemed tonight was a warmup for the season—not their busiest by any means but steady traffic from families whose tradition was to put their tree up Thanksgiving evening. He explained for my benefit that some of the families had been cutting down their tree at the farm on the holiday for thirty years straight.
“We’ve got some tried-and-true regulars,” Mr. Durham said. “We’re proud to be part of their traditions.”
“Customer loyalty means everything, doesn’t it?” I said. Not that I’d know from firsthand experience, but the day I booked my first repeat customer, I’d celebrate.
“I don’t imagine you get lots of repeat wedding business,” Mr. Durham joked.
I laughed. “Not so far. I’m new so I don’t get any repeat business yet.”
“I love weddings,” Addie said.
