“We supply to neighboring towns like Silver Pines and Snowy Valley, the locals, and then there’s the tourists on vacation who may need a tree for the holidays. Here at Lawless Tree Farms, we’ve developed something unique to the area; regeneratingtrees. We try to pot as many trees as we can so they can be replanted year after year.”
I like how her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Wow, that’s really cool. I read on the website all about your recycling concept. That’s really awesome.” She gives me a thumbs up, which I blink at. It doesn’t appear that she’s making fun of me or our farm, but I don’t know what to make of her.
I still feel guilty about making her cry.
Does she really care about Christmas trees?I mean, she said she loved Christmas, but what does that really mean in the grand scheme of things? Hell, will she even survive out here in the wilderness? Now I’m beginning to wonder if Iz has got this all completely wrong. She’s cute as a button, but that doesn’t mean she’s Lawless material.
“Our farm is unique and diverse. Our newest concept that me and Dad developed is regeneration. Grandpa wasn’t thrilled about it, but we allow families to bring back their potted tree each year for replanting, rather than cutting them at the root, we maintain the roots and bulb. Of course, the family plays a part in making sure their tree is well watered and pruned, and properly cared for in the meantime. We’re innovators in the field. Our farm has been around for three generations. I’ll pass it down to my children… someday.”
And why did I just say that?
“Oh, you have kids?”
I swallow, not meaning to divulge private information about myself. Something about this chick makes me a little wary. I don’t know if it’s the fact she’s a New Yorker and probably thinks she knows everything, or that she’s Bailey’s best friend. I dig Bailey, but I also know she’s not exactly the most reliable reference. Of course she’s gonna say good things about her best friend.
I cough into my fist. “Uh, no. I just meant…someday.”
“Well, they would certainly have a lot of room to run around out here,” she goes on pleasantly. “When my parents moved back to Colorado a few years ago, they said it was the best thing they ever did escaping the city.”
I glance sideways at her. “And you didn’t?”
She shrugs. “I’m used to the city now.”
“What do you like about it?” I wonder. “Smog. Traffic. Honking horns. Everyone racing around like lunatics. Not to mention the crime. Nobody says good morning in the city, or looks you in the eye. You can still leave your doors unlocked in a town like Alpine Falls.”
She blinks rapidly, taking in my words. Maybe that was a little blunt, but it’s the truth.
I’m not one to mince with words.
“Well, not all of us ‘race around like lunatics’, some of us only go as fast as the subway can carry us.”
“You can walk everywhere in Alpine Falls, no subways in sight.” Well, I’m not trying to be an ass, it’s true. “We might not have the Empire State Building, or fancy skyscrapers, but we’ve got Mountain West Charm, Yellowstone, and bison burgers the size of Buicks.”
She clears her throat then says, “I’m a vegetarian.”
Well, shit.
“Oh.”
“So, no bison burgers for me.”
I frown, thinking fast. “There’s an excellent range of tofu burgers at the Perky Porch Grill, or so I’m told.” You have to cater for everyone now, even the people who eat plants.
I steer to the right, but feel her eyes on me in my periphery. “You’re making that name up.”
“I swear I’m not. I can’t imagine how a tofu burger would taste, but it’s better than eating lettuce leaves.” I shrug.
“Vegetarians eat more than lettuce leaves,” she retorts, her smile a little tight.Am I getting to her?“There’s a whole world out there involving lentils, beans, vegetables and plant protein. It’s a miracle. You’d be surprised how giving meat a miss for one meal a week can give your digestive system a rest. Did you know meat stays in your stomach for up to two days?” She pulls a face.
My sister is always ragging on me about eating less red meat and lowering my cholesterol, but it all sounds a little New Age to me. I’m a meat and three veg kinda guy, proud of it. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“No problem. It’s never too late to think about your internal organs and how hard they’re working to keep that big ol’ heart pumping.” She thumps her own chest with a fist, her smile gleeful.
Is she for real?
“Right,” I mutter. “I’ll show you around the lodge, then we’ll finish back at the farm.”
“Okay-dokay.”
