I found myself picking up jams and even an apple salsa that intrigued me. All the while, Tate was checking out how things were used in displays. He pulled his phone out to make notes every once in a while, but mostly he just seemed to be taking everything in.
While I bought everything.
We make a pit stop at the truck to unload before we followed the road to the café for some truly exceptional cider and donuts. With a little more fuel, we walked uphill to a rustic gift shop full of branded clothing, trinkets, and the largest Christmas tree I’d ever seen, pregnant with ornaments of every type.
“You can go look around, I’m going to buy all of these.”
He laughed. “Okay, I’ll find you.”
I shoved my sunglasses up on my head. Then lost myself plucking all the sweet little woodland creature ornaments off and threading them over my fingers as I reached for the sweet little bells at the top of the tree.
“Finding everything okay?”
I turned with a smile at a woman with white hair and sharp blue eyes. Recognition hit in her sweetly lined face and I tried to pull down my shades.
“Don’t worry. We have an affinity for musicians here, though we haven’t had one of your caliber here before. I’m Laverne Ronson. One of the founding families here.”
“It’s beautiful. As you can see, I’m quite taken with these.” I held up my fingers that were doing a terrible impression of a tree branch.
“Let’s get you a basket.”
“That would be the smart way to shop.”
She tapped her nose with a wink, then hurried to the door where a surplus of wire baskets were stacked. She picked the larger one. Laverne had me pegged for sure. “Here you go.” She held it out and I gingerly placed the ornaments on the padded bottom of the basket.
“Thanks. I make up special boxes for my people for Christmas. I’m woefully behind on shopping.”
“Well, then let me help you.” She led me to a wall of one-of-a-kind gifts. “What brings you to Brothers Three Orchard?”
“My...friend.”
Laverne’s lips twitched. “I see.”
“There you are.” Tate waved and headed our way.
Laverne’s eyes kept tracking up. “My goodness.”
“Tate this is Laverne Ronson. She’s?—”
Tate held his hand out. “Oh, yes. We’ve spoken a few times when I tried to get a hold of Rachel.”
“Tate Reynolds?”
He nodded.
“Oh, Rachel is so excited to test out her new Cocoa Bus II at your winter shopping...I’m sorry. What was the name?”
“Haven Winter Wonderland.”
“Right. How exciting. She’s got the bus set up at the hayride for the kids today if you wanted to have a little taste test.”
“Really? That would be amazing.” He came up beside me and peeked down at my basket. “I see you’re already doing damage.”
“I can’t help myself. I think I might make a dent in my shopping for my people.”
He absently laid his hand on my lower back. “Don’t forget I’m going to have twenty of these kinds of things at our shopping village.”
“Oh, you underestimate my shopping abilities.”
